Time For A Mid-Year Reset

How do you unplug, abstain and find time to relax? Science has tips on how to use the last month of summer to get ready for what's coming.

There are some really awesome calendars out there, including one featuring watercolors of Nicholas Cage.

It’s August, that magical time when every eastern city empties out, every western city sends their kids back to school, and everyone suddenly realizes the year is more than half-over. (Though this year, I must say, really makes those months feel long, eh?)

Fear not, my friends. There is still plenty of time until 2026. And what better way to gird our loins than a mid-year reset?

“I left my dad alone in the Samsung store for 5 minutes.”

August is perfect for a digital reset. (As a reporter, I’d tell friends if they wanted to do something dumb without anyone noticing, wait until August.) Start by using your phone less often - but trying to quit cold turkey doesn’t work, researchers have found. Instead, carve out ‘screen-free windows’ each day (no checking your phone in the hour after you wake up, or while eating lunch) and - most important - decide ahead of time what you’ll do instead. (In psychology, these are known as ‘implementation intentions’.) There are apps that create mini ‘speed bumps’ when you open social media, which is often enough to curb the unconscious urge to scroll. And if you want to help your kids avoid phones the most important thing is modeling: Tech-free dinners only work when mom and dad also put their phone in another room.

Mari Roldán is a Spanish artist who paints on currency.

Maybe you’re looking for a spending reset? One study found simply saying “no” to small purchases delivers a surprising sense of control that can re-wire our fiscal habits. One technique: keep a “non-buy” journal by writing down what you wanted, and how you resisted. That pause is often enough to disrupt the spending habit loop. Or make saving social (“Trade Tuesday”, where you swap with friends rather than shopping); or, create a “joy menu” of non-monetary pleasures (re-reading your favorite book; hosting a potluck) to consult when the spending urge hits. And to get hard-core, track all your spending for two weeks. You’ll be amazed at how much you can eliminate. (I use Simplifi.)

“My wife is gone for the night and sent me a text asking if everything was going ok. This is what I sent back.”

Finally, to really reset, spend some time alone. One sweeping review of solitude found that time alone can be a powerful source of relaxation, creativity, and emotional rejuvenation. You don’t have to be alone for a long time - just an hour to read or exercise without company, studies found, can make us happier. And if home or work is chaotic, that’s okay: The goal is to give yourself permission to disconnect and turn inward, even if you’re surrounded by people and noise. Create a “quiet cue” — a do-not-disturb sign, headphones, or a candle you light when you’re recharging — to remind yourself and others to step away. Or plan a date with yourself like going to the movies and having a great meal. And remind yourself: you deserve this. In one study, people who were told that they had earned their solitude felt more fulfilled and calmer when they went back to their busy lives.

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