Every August and September, families roll into the new school year with big plans: color-coded calendars, brand-new chore charts, a fresh 6 a.m. wake-up routine nobody prepared for. And as expected, by week two, half of it’s already forgotten.
That’s not a lack of willpower, it’s a design problem! The habits that survive the demands of back-to-school season tend to have one thing in common — they require very little effort to keep going. The ones that fail usually ask for a lot of effort, right when everyone has the least energy and brain space to give. Here’s what actually holds up…
10 Habits for Success this School Year
1. A consistent wake-up time — even on weekends. This might sound like a bummer, but keeping a consistent wake-up time has proven to improve alertness, makes it easier to wake up, decreases the need for caffeine, and more.
2. A landing zone by the door. Designate a place for backpacks, shoes, lunchboxes, permission slips, etc. Just knowing where things are will eliminate more morning chaos than almost anything else on this list.
3. Packing backpacks (& lunches) the night before. Five to ten minutes at 8 p.m. beats five to ten frantic minutes at 8 a.m.
4. A 10-minute check-in after school. Moving past just the surface of, “how was school” and taking a few minutes to share about everyone’s day is a great way to stay in the loop and regularly touch base. Start with something like “what was one good part of your day and one hard part?”
5. A visible weekly calendar. We add this to every back to school list because it’s just that important! It doesn’t need to be fancy, a whiteboard works great. Kids (and parents) do better when they can see the week coming.
6. Prepping tomorrow’s clothes each night. This removes a decision point during the most rushed hour of the day. There will always be days where they change their minds, but getting into the habit will help them get ahead of their days in the long run.
7. A consistent homework spot, or spots. Another thing we’ve shared in our back to school guides, if you already have a spot prepared for them to do homework, it becomes a routine. Help them out by having a few spaces prepared depending on what they need to succeed each day.
8. A 15-30 minute reset on Sundays. This is a great way to get ahead of the week! Check the calendar, prep some snacks, and glance at any upcoming deadlines or events. Being informed and prepared is a great way to subdue the Sunday-scaries.
9. Meal-prepped/batched breakfast options. Making options for breakfast ahead of time keeps your mornings moving. Hard boil some eggs, freeze some muffins, keep fresh fruit washed, cut, and ready to toss onto some yogurt. Find more inspiration with these 35 make-ahead ideas from Taste of Home.
10. A monthly “what’s working / what’s not” mini check-in as a family. This helps everyone catch friction early instead of letting it build. This way everyone is in the loop and is contributing to the best process possible!
The Pattern
Every habit on this list requires little to no willpower to repeat. That’s because the habits that survive back-to-school season are the ones that don’t depend on motivation, tracking, or overwhelming effort to maintain. So pick two or three from the list above and feel good about those before adding more.
We’re wishing you a wonderful back-school season from everyone at MOD Assistants! And remember, we’re always here to help.
