3 Strategies to Cope with the Clocks Changing (in 2022)

Last year I wrote an article (in two parts, here and here) about coping with the end of daylight saving time (which happens at the end of October here in the UK). if you've read the posts you'll know that I was pretty scarred when the clocks went back in 2020 (probably not aided by being in lockdown!). 

As a result, I wanted to be prepared in 2021 and not go through another very dark November. The four strategies I adopted seemed to work quite well, although some better than others (read my follow-up here).

This year I will be putting this strategies to work again, but incorporating what I learnt from my first year of actually applying them.

Leave the house! (Especially in the evening)

Have you ever found yourself on a November evening wondering how can it be so dark, why you have so many hours to fill, and how is it not possibly bed time yet??

I don't know why putting the clocks back one single hour brings up all these existential feelings, but I do know that getting out the house in the evening seems to help. 

So while autumnal evenings can be great for snuggling under a blanket in front of the TV, there are a lot of hours to fill. To use these up I am gong to try and:

• Get moving. For me this means signing up for netball (I've still not done this successfully), going to an evening ballet class at least once a week, and committing to running with sister once a week. 
• Pursue a hobby or interest. Last year I did an evening course, which was great, but costs money. This year I have found some local groups which host regular evening events (which have the added bonus of being free). This includes the London Comedy Writers group, and ProductTank, which covers my interests in comedy and product management. If you are looking for interest groups Meetup is a great place to start.
• Socialise! I don't know why I left this one 'til last (maybe it's the introvert in me) but now is the perfect time to catch-up with friends you haven't seen in ages. I am aiming to see at least one friend a week.

And when all else fails, a brisk walk around the neighbourhood is always a good way to get some steps, and put off the TV watching a little longer.

Double-down on self-care

As the season is changing, it might be a good time to re-evaluate or recommit to your self-care routine. These are the things I'm going to try an incorporate as the temperatures go down and the evening light fades:

• Use up my vitamins. Last November I tried to take vitamin D daily, and I failed. Despite that, I can't stop myself from buying vitamins, and then never using them 😂 However, I recently discovered that I am better at taking vitamins just before I go to bed, so I'm hoping this tactic will help me work through my bottle of Daily Magnesium from Beauty Pie
• Use the extra hour. Last year I tried this, but travel disrupted my plans. This year I want to try again, and commit to waking up at 7 and reading for 30-60 mins. (https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/making-use-of-the-extra-hour-when-falling-back/)

Sadly, while I really did enjoy the 100 squats per day challenge last year, I seem to have hurt my back recently so I will have to skip the challenge this year.

Embrace the changing season (and treat yo'self)

“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” —F. Scott Fitzgerald

Okay I'm cheating here by combining the last two strategies, but the way I tend to embrace the season is with treats. When it's getting dark at 4pm I think we deserve some treats!

• Light all the candles. Lighting candles is now an autumnal habit, and I stocked up on some pumpkin candles from TK Maxx as soon as they were available. I also had to try the latest Christmas candle from Beauty Pie. Sadly, it's already sold out 😲 But this bitter orange version is also pretty good!
• Fill my home with seasonal scents. Last year it was Forest Therapy, but this year I went for the Winter Wellbeing blend. I actually managed to get this in the Black Friday sales, which makes me feel less guilty about this indulgence :-)
• Indulge in Autumnal hot drinks. Last year I had my first spiced pumpkin latte, and I am definitely keen to continue this tradition!

If you also struggle with this time of year I'd love to hear your strategies for coping - please add them in the comments!

Natalie x