Finding Joy and Balance in the Chaos: How Mums Can Thrive This Autumn Term
The holidays are always a whirlwind — family adventures, picnics, endless sunscreen, and the occasional drama over who ate the last biscuit. Fun, action-packed, and at times exhausting, they can leave us feeling frazzled and off balance.
When the children finally head back to school, it’s a mix of relief and overwhelm.
How will we navigate the long autumn stretch as the nights draw in? For mums, especially during perimenopause, the days can feel longer and energy harder to manage.
Reset After the School Holidays: Finding Balance in the Chaos
Perhaps the reset we really need isn’t about routines or ticking off lists. Maybe it’s about shifting how we see our time, especially as autumn term begins and the pace of life picks up.
For so long, the “working week” has been defined as 9–5 — hours that belong to work, responsibilities, and other people’s needs. But what if the true reset comes when we start valuing the 5–9 instead?
Those evening hours, so often lost to autopilot, could be where life actually happens. It doesn’t have to be big or complicated. Sometimes it’s grabbing a pizza with one of the kids and realising the real treat isn’t the food, but the chance to hear their stories when they finally open up.
Other days it might be stealing half an hour to yourself — a quiet gym session, a solo walk, or even just closing the door with a book and ha face pack — and remembering that your energy matters too.
Even the most ordinary routines can shift when you look at them differently. Walking the dog, for instance, could be just another task to get through — or it could become a moving family meeting, where jokes, ideas, and plans for tomorrow bubble up naturally.
Ending the day by checking in with each other — asking, “What’s one thing you appreciated today?” — can transform bedtime from a blur of chaos into a moment of calm reflection, gratitude, and connection.
Perimenopausal Wins for Mums This Autumn
Small shifts create real wins:
Anchor Your Evenings: Quiet tea, a short walk, or a few pages of reading signals self-care.
Celebrate Tiny Victories: Getting everyone out the door on time or finding a moment for yourself counts. Celebrate it- you’ll start to see your perspective change in a short space of time.
Reframe Tasks: jobs can become connection moments — chatting while tidying or cooking together.
Share Gratitude: Asking your family what brought them joy today sparks calm, focus, and closeness.
These little practices help you thrive rather than just survive, turning the autumn term into a season of energy, connection, and joy.
Simple Steps to Reclaim Energy
Own the 5–9 hours: Focus on moments that bring laughter, connection, or calm.
Prioritise basics: Sleep, hydration, movement, and nourishing food matter most.
Notice the small things: Fresh eyes on familiar routines can transform daily life.
🌸 If you’re ready to explore what’s really holding you back in midlife, start with my free workshop: An Introduction to Coaching: Reclaim your Spark and Ignite your next chapter. A simple first step to find the reset that’s right for you.