How to Stay Motivated and Positive During Daylight Savings Time

Near the end of October, we turned the heat on for the first time since last winter. After an extended summer, fall had arrived and there was no turning back, except for the clocks. Soon that extra hour of daylight would go the way of summer’s warmth. I have to tell you, when the heat kicked on, so did a little bit of dread. The impending early darkness would mean less time to squeeze in an outdoor run; no sunny drives home from preschool; no kickball games in the backyard before dinner. Essentially, the fall time change means a lot of rushing—as if we all don’t do enough of that on the daily.

Fast forward a couple weeks, and here we are, close to our return to standard time. Luckily, I didn’t let that dreadful feeling rule. Instead, I decided to embrace the time change. After all, it’s a non-negotiable part of my second-favorite season, and I’m not going to have it ruined. This year, I have a plan. I’m ready for standard time. Are you?

There are physical and emotional ramifications that accompany the loss of sunlight, such as sleep disruption, depression, and appetite changes. Depending on factors like personality and individual physiology, people will experience these effects differently. To ward off my particular time-change woes, I first had to identify them. With my thumbs-down list taken care of, I moved on to think about all the things to love about fall and how I could make the most of my time when evening arrives earlier every day. I ended up with a small but helpful list of ways to beat the time-change blahs. If you’re also feeling the crunch of a shortened day, these tips can work for you too!

• Be a lark. Morning people are known as larks (while night people are known as owls). Getting up earlier, even if only by 15 minutes, can be a boost. That extra bit of sunlight at the start of your day can help kick start your internal clock.
• Watch your diet. Amp up your intake of fall’s best, like apples, pumpkin, squash, kale, carrots, and brussel sprouts. Eating produce that’s in season is good for your health, plus it creates a positive connection to fall and its accompanying changes.
  
• Be mindful. Keep in mind that you can’t beat the time change. It’s a fact of life (unless the laws governing it are changed, which, by the way, isn’t out of the realm of possibility.) Alter your daily to-do list as much as possible to lessen the load. Shift, switch, and change events to other times and other days. This way, you’ll avoid the race to fit everything in before sundown.
• Get a hobby. Or return to the ones you let slide during summer when you were soaking up the outdoor hours. Read a book in a comfy chair after dinner. Rearrange your furniture. Start a DIY project. Make crafts with your kids.
• Switch it up. With evening arriving faster, it’s helpful to use your post-work hours wisely. Try eating dinner earlier so you’ll have more free time before bed, and save big household chores for the weekends.

What do you do to stay positive and motivated with the darker days? Share with us in the comments below!