Return to school season: Tips to develop a network that supports you.

It's that time of the year again. Books and Pencils, new clothes, new teachers and new beginnings. Getting lost in the hustle and bustle of starting a new school year is easy. When life gets hectic, it is common for us to retreat into our own habits and intense schedules to get through it. We tend to buckle down and get it all done. Where does our support network fit into this transition? How can we utilize the people and support around us to thrive in these times of hectic work and return to school schedules? Why does it matter?

Today's post will review tips and tricks for developing a network using skills we already have. These skills can enhance our success and allow us to thrive instead of survive.

So, what skills do we have that, when viewed from a different perspective, can support our transition back to the grind? Our bodies are naturally built for fight or flight. We either beat that tiger or run. Going through the tough stuff can be complicated and exhausting, so we adjust and use small everyday items to shift our focus and see the opportunity to connect and support one another.

Checklists

Most schools have a checklist of items we need to start the school year. You may also use a grocery list or checklist to shop regularly. Checklists help us organize our brains and highlight what is important for the goal or task we want to achieve. In creating a checklist, we determine what we need and don't. We can also assess our progress by checking items off and determining what remains.

Why this is important - Organizing a list of to-do items daily can help us celebrate how much we have accomplished and focus on the growth and progress rather than highlight how tired we are or how overwhelmed we may feel. That minimal shift in our perspective helps us to see our proverbial cup half full instead of half empty. When our brains receive the message that we are doing well and making progress, our bodies respond to that feedback. This allows us to have more positive energy and encouraging thoughts.

If you are anything like me, checklists also organize our thoughts and help us remember what needs to be done and if we are missing anything. An example might be when we think of that thing we need to do later, file it away in our head, and ultimately remember it way after it was supposed to be done. Thus, we might ignite feelings of missed opportunity and negative internal feedback when we might be doing well. This one thing brings us down.

To support your connection with others, add two to three items that will allow you to connect with them. We may not always get to every item, but intentionally adding them to our to-do checklist will enable them to become a part of our thought process in managing our stress and time. An example of this could be meeting with a friend for drinks or a workout. Or a simple neighbor gathering after work while your kids play. It doesn't have to be big, but the impact of those conversations, even ten minutes, can alleviate the stress of getting back into the swing of things.

Small wins

I am typically a negative person, constantly working to improve my self-talk and give myself positive reminders. Getting ready in the mornings while learning a new routine or returning to school schedules can be daunting for everyone involved. Focusing on the small wins is a way to create compound interest in your time investment. When we change our routine, the world can seem chaotic and messy, but when we find small wins, it seems to minimize the effect of the chaos. Slowly, the wins accumulate and compound on one another. Before long, we had been mastering that morning schedule, and the day seemed smoother and less like a road full of potholes.

Why is this important - Our brains have this amazing capability to see more of what we focus on. This is known as our reticular activating system. If you've been reading our blog for a while, you can see this in practice when you read our connection opportunity posts. This system is a highlighter for your brain. It tells us, " I'm looking for XYZ, and every time I see it, I want to highlight it so I can spot it easier next time." Soon, our brains can locate that thing quickly, and we see it everywhere.

This concept of finding small wins allows us to highlight the positive action we are taking and ignore the negative road bumps along the way. After practicing this for a while, we naturally see the wins, and the minor bumps seem to be an issue.

Share small wins to connect with others. When we share small wins, we also project the positive opportunity onto them. This invites others to share their small wins, allowing a chance to connect in a space of positive energy and creating a moment for more.

Seasonal Awareness

I love fall. The energy, the sports, the change in the weather all give me a fantastic vibe I could stay in forever. Unfortunately, fall does not last forever, and neither does the craziness of back-to-school season.

Understanding that our madness won't last helps us see an endpoint. It gives us hope that when we do feel stuck or rushed, it won't last. Seasonal awareness reminds us that this is just the season we are in. Like the ebb and flow of life, back-to-school hecticness will also calm down.

Although it can be overwhelming at times, I encourage you to find the opportunity inside all the hustle and bustle of this season. As you find more reasons to grow and learn from this season of life, your perspective shifts. In that shift, we tend to focus more on what we can learn or how we can grow from this stressful time, thus feeling less stress in the moment.

An example of this for me would be the rush to work in the morning. I usually have been up at least three hours before I step into my office in the mornings. I've gotten a workout in, taken the kids to school, and had at least a 45-50-minute commute. Of course, all of this would compound my stress; if one thing is delayed, everything else is affected. When something doesn't go to plan, I focus on what opportunities open up because of the change. A longer commute means more time for my podcast of the day. Or a late school bus means the kids get to play a bit longer, and I have a moment to chat with other parents. These are small perspective changes, but the positive effect on my stress levels and the amount of pressure I feel significantly impact my day.

Conclusion

For most of us, getting back into the swing of things can be enormous pressure. Even the most minor issue can seem like a massive problem. When we break our to-dos down and identify the minor things that contribute to our larger success, coupled with our awareness that this stage is temporary, the tips above will minimize those pressures and help you move through your day productively while still making connections with others.

We want to hear how these tips worked for you. Please share your stories in the comments below.

Like this post and want to learn more, check out our website for additional resources or tools to connect with yourself or those you love.