Fall is almost here, and with it, comes a chance to carry the joy, playfulness, and momentum of summer into a new season.
We often equate momentum with grinding harder. But forward motion can be achieved in myriad ways: loosening up, letting go, and finding more play in your day. Balancing slowness with productivity, carving out time for hobbies, and leaning into rhythms that feel grounding rather than rigid all keep your energy flowing.
September is a time to honor the past while making room for what’s next, starting right now with your space (91% of you admit a messy work area throws off your focus).
Before you dive into Stretch Break, set a timer for three minutes and do a quick scan of your favorite accidental time capsule: the junk drawer.
Your task: Keep anything you’ve used in the past three months, and let go of duplicates, mystery keys, anything you haven’t touched in ages. When you’re finished, pause for a moment of gratitude. That dried-up Bic headed for the trash? Thank it for all the to-do lists, doodles, and journal entries it penned, then release it so your energy can move forward.
Done? Let’s carry that same energy forward with intention and momentum.
Mood Board: Escapism
Recreate this Mood Board for yourself:
- Let go of perfection and peek inside a whimsical five-year plan
- Turn your biggest goal into a daily ritual that actually sticks
- Transform your summer postcards into a mini sketchbook
- Awaken your creativity with a sentence and a story
- Celebrate your strange magic with a Strega Nona-inspired autumn
- Break out of the stuck cycle with little hacks to find your flow state
- Channel creative energy into your space: DIY a laundry-day lamp with fabric scraps or gather leaves for a seasonal banner
- Set a compassionate rhythm that works with your energy, not against it
- Take the scenic route to embrace a slower pace
- Create otherworldly ambiance with a cozy fairytale cottage collection of instrumental, jazz, Celtic, and indie music
Life, unplugged
Welcome abundance with cinnamon & mindfulness
Cinnamon has long been connected to abundance, prosperity, and renewal. Its warm, grounding scent and natural sweetness make it a perfect companion for moments of reflection. These simple rituals invite you to pause and realign with the season’s energy:
- Reset: Stir a pinch of cinnamon into your morning tea or coffee. Take one full mindful sip before scrolling your phone and imagine the warmth rooting you into the season ahead.
- Reframe: Sprinkle cinnamon across your doorstep. When you step inside, silently affirm: I welcome abundance, warmth, and renewal.
- Redirect: Keep a cinnamon stick or small cinnamon-scented candle at your workspace. When stress hits, inhale the scent for 10 seconds, roll your shoulders back, and release tension.
- Restore: Add a dash of cinnamon to warm milk at night. As you enjoy it, reflect on one moment of gratitude from your day.
- Reconnect: Sprinkle cinnamon in your shower steam or bath. As you move, stretch, or wash up, visualize mental clutter melting away with the scent.
Familiar comforts
Find extra comfort with movie night journaling
Pop some popcorn, get cozy under a blanket, and watch one of these fall comfort movies. Afterward, choose a reflective journaling prompt that pairs with the movie of your choice:
- Write about a friendship that has shaped you. What lessons did you learn from it?
- What small, everyday experiences in your life bring you the most joy?
- How do you define growing up? Are there ways you feel like you’ve grown recently?
- Who in your life has influenced your dreams or ambitions the most, and how?
- Write a letter to your “future self” about the person you hope to become.
- How do you nurture your relationships with family or chosen family? What makes them meaningful?
- How do you express your authentic self around others? Are there parts of you that you hide?
- Write about a moment when you reunited with someone or something that felt important to you.
- If you could create a “perfect day” with your loved ones, what would it look like?
Love what you're reading? From career growth to midday meditations, our email lineup delivers thoughtful insights, relatable data, and space to just be. Add InHerSight to your inbox today. (It's free!)
Help desk
Your low-, medium- & high-energy to-dos
Wherever you land on the energy spectrum, we’ve got you covered. Think of this as a seasonal choose-your-own-adventure for low- and high-impact days. Pick the activity that matches your mood.
- Eat: Boil up Trader Joes’ Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli in less than three minutes and serve it with their creamy Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce and grated Parmesan.
- Do: Call or video chat with a friend for a casual, low-pressure catch-up. Add impact by slipping into your favorite sweater and sipping a warm drink.
- Eat: Roast whatever veggies are sitting in your fridge’s crisper drawer (sweet potato, carrots, Brussel sprouts) alongside some chickpeas and toss them into a harvest salad with some greens, nuts, goat cheese, and a simple lemon vinaigrette.
- Do: Organize your to-do list with colorful markers. Feeling revived? Now unsubscribe from emails you don’t read or declutter notifications.
- Eat: Risotto has an intimidating reputation, but in truth, it just invites you to slow down and practice patience. Allow yourself to get lost in the rhythmic, meditative stirring with this butternut squash risotto. The rosemary and sage will leave your kitchen smelling heavenly, guaranteed.
- Do: Bring your space into the season. Reset your wardrobe—reconnect with old favorites and clear out what’s holding you back—or add fresh plants to your bedroom. Bonus points for making a “seasonal altar” with fall candles, decor, or trinkets.
Reader insights
Pick an adult recess activity to unwind
As kids, recess was built into our day, inspiring imagination, creativity, and joy. As adults, readers say their most energizing breaks are often walks… and maybe nothing else. Work play back into your day using this “play personality” quiz developed by therapist Lindsey Braman. Then, pick an adult recess activity based on your type:
- The Creator: Build or make something. Doodle, fold paper into shapes, or rearrange your desk.
- The Competitor: Get competitive. Time your inbox clear-out, or challenge a friend to compete onThe New York Times mini crossword.
- The Connector: Call a friend, trade memes, or start a “would you rather” thread in your team chat.
- The Joker: Share a goofy selfie, try a TikTok filter, or narrate your next task in a movie-trailer voice.
- The Explorer: Walk down a new street, work from a new café corner, or try a food you’ve never ordered.
- The Collector: Start a tiny collection of screenshots of funny typos or nature photos on your lunch walk.
- The Kinesthetic: Dance while you refill water, do 10 jumping jacks, or stretch while listening to your favorite song.
- The Storyteller: Play through imagination. Reimagine your day as a romance novel, or put together a playlist as if it were your movie soundtrack.
