For many, the return from summer vacation, in September in the northern hemisphere and March in the southern hemisphere, is the true “New Year” moment. More than just a return to the calendar, it represents a return to routine after a period of disconnection.

During the summer, cities empty out, the pace changes, and for a few months everything is experienced differently. That’s why, when we get back to our usual tasks, our brains click . By this click, we mean a reactivation of planning, organization, decision-making, and self-control —key executive functions in our brain that are activated during these times .

How does this activation manifest itself? It involves the need to make lists of resolutions, sign up for new adventures, discover new hobbies , rekindle the love-hate relationship with the gym, set the alarm clock earlier to fit in those ten minutes of meditation they say are so helpful, and so on. Sound familiar? Very similar to the resolutions we make on December 31st that are so hard to keep.

In this article, I explain five psychologically based keys to taking advantage of this brain activation to resume or begin new routines.

1. Anchoring habits

Habit anchoring is one of the most effective techniques for putting our good intentions into action in a simple and sustainable way. As writer James Clear suggests in his book Atomic Habits , it involves linking a new habit to one that already exists in our daily lives.

Let’s look at a practical example: after pouring ourselves a cup of coffee every morning, we write a list of all the tasks we want to accomplish during the day, organizing them in order of priority. We leverage the pre-existing neural network of automatic habits (such as that much-needed morning coffee or tea) to mentally structure our day and prioritize our tasks. By associating one action with another, we reduce our brain’s natural resistance to change .

2. Public or social demand or commitment

What English speakers call ” accountability “ is a way of holding ourselves accountable for what we’ve promised to do. Making a goal public or sharing it with someone else significantly increases the likelihood of achieving it.

Let’s look at a practical example: two friends decide to sign up for a half marathon. Neither of them has any prior experience running long distances, so they start from scratch. Their social commitment will be to share their distance run each day, a screenshot of their running app , or a post-run photo with a cup of coffee and toast. This shared commitment makes abandoning the project less likely .

3. Operant conditioning

Also known as positive reinforcement , operant conditioning is based on the theories of psychologist Frederic Skinner Burrhus . It is a behavior modification technique that involves adding an immediate and meaningful reward after a desired behavior . This ensures that the behavior is repeated .

Let’s look at a practical example: we sign up for English classes because our company requires it, but the reality is we hate English: it bores us, frustrates us, and doesn’t motivate us at all. But right after class, a new episode of the Kardashian podcast comes out (and obviously they use phrases we just learned in class).

The episode lasts exactly the same as the walk home, so the return home becomes more bearable and we increasingly understand the context, “you know…” That is, we reinforce the desired behavior with an immediate reward .

The same thing happens if we reward ourselves with watching an episode of our favorite series every time we complete a test topic. The desire to repeat that productive habit increases .

4. Implementation of intentions

German psychologist Gabriele Oettingen and her colleague Peter Gollwitzer have promoted and developed this concept. It involves precisely specifying when, where, and how we will perform a specific activity .

Let’s say we want to start meditating as a daily routine, but we don’t know how or when. Using the implementation intention technique, we establish that every morning, right after our coffee, we will sit by the window and meditate for five minutes using a guided meditation app for the first few days, until it becomes a habit. This way, we establish when—after our morning coffee—where—in the window seat—and how—using a guided meditation app . Planning the activity transforms the vague idea into a specific and concrete plan .

5. Monitoring and self-registration

This technique involves consciously monitoring a behavior. It comes from behavioral and cognitive-behavioral psychology, whose proponents, BF Skinner and Donald Meichenbaum , argue that behavior can be effectively modified using positive or negative reinforcement .

We know that most days, between work, fatigue, other hobbies , and commitments, we don’t have time to walk as much as we’d like. We set a daily goal of 12,000 steps and keep a self-tracking record to motivate ourselves . So, we can start by setting an alarm a little earlier in the morning, so we can leave home earlier and walk to a farther bus stop or partially walk to work.

As a next step, we can set a reminder on our phone to walk after dinner, just 15 minutes a day (a number we can gradually increase). Using an app to track our daily steps, we can even receive a notification when we reach our desired goal. This tracking helps raise awareness and motivate us .

From intention to habit

September isn’t just a return to routine, but a perfect opportunity to reenergize our planning, commitment, and motivation. Whether it’s with a post-coffee to-do list, sharing a post-run selfie , binge-watching TV shows in their original versions, practicing yoga, or walking 12,000 steps a day.

We have scientifically backed tools at our disposal to build the life we ​​want. The important thing is to get started, because change begins with a small step, and your brain is ready to accompany you along the way.

Author Bio: Ana María Melendo Viñado works with the Teaching and Research Staff in Education at Camilo José Cela University