The Impact of Seasonal Changes on Women's Mental Health: Balancing Fall Schedules and Self-Care
As summer fades into fall, the rhythm of life changes. For many women, especially mothers, the transition to back-to-school schedules can feel overwhelming. The laid-back summer days are replaced with early mornings, school drop-offs, extracurricular activities, homework, and a packed calendar. These shifts can bring stress, disrupting personal routines and making self-care feel like a distant priority.
For women who juggle multiple roles—mothers, professionals, partners, and entrepreneurs—the pressures of fall schedules can be even more intense. Add the emotional toll of shorter days and cooler weather, and it's easy to see why many women find their mental health impacted by the seasonal transition.
Here’s a look at how the shift from summer to fall impacts women, especially busy moms, and five actionable solutions to maintain self-care, preserve a positive mindset, and protect your mental health.
How Fall Impacts Women’s Mental Health
Increased Time Demands: The return to structured routines—school schedules, after-school activities, work deadlines—demands more of your time and energy. The flexibility of summer gives way to early alarms, busy mornings, and evenings filled with homework and school events.
Pressure to “Do It All”: For many women, there’s an internal and external expectation to manage everything seamlessly: career, family, and personal goals. Fall can magnify this pressure, leading to stress and burnout.
Emotional Load: As the weather cools and the daylight hours shorten, some women experience a drop in mood. This can compound the stress from a busy schedule, leading to feelings of overwhelm or even Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Neglected Self-Care: With so much focus on taking care of others—whether it’s your children, partner, or career—self-care often falls by the wayside. The mental toll of neglecting your own needs can lead to burnout, anxiety, frequent sickness, and a lack of fulfillment.
Top 5 Solutions to Maintain Self-Care, Positive Mindset, and Mental Health
1. Prioritize Your Morning Routine As the day begins, so does the energy you bring to it. A chaotic morning can set a stressful tone, while a peaceful, intentional start can empower you to face the day with a clear mind. Before the kids wake up, take 15-30 minutes for yourself. This could be a few minutes of meditation, stretching, journaling, or sipping your coffee in quiet. Starting your day grounded and calm gives you a foundation for managing everything else. See Blog Post: Miracle Mornings Start with Miracle Evenings.
2. Set Boundaries and Ask for Help You don’t have to do it all alone! Whether it’s co-parenting duties, delegating chores, or sharing responsibility for school events, asking for help is crucial. Setting boundaries on your time—whether it’s saying no to an extra work project or limiting after-school activities—protects your mental space and allows you to focus on what’s truly important. Make sure that your personal time and self-care are part of those boundaries. You make the rules!
3. Make Self-Care Non-Negotiable When schedules get busy, self-care is often the first thing to go. But it doesn’t have to be elaborate to be effective. Whether it’s a 20-minute walk, a relaxing bath, or reading a chapter of your favorite book, incorporate small, meaningful micro-moments of self-care throughout the week. Self-care isn't indulgent; it’s necessary for maintaining balance, energy, and mental clarity.
4. Stay Connected to Your Support Network Fall can feel isolating with busy routines, but staying connected to friends, family, or fellow moms is a great way to keep your spirits high. Make a point to regularly check in with those who lift you up—whether that’s a quick coffee chat, a phone call, or a virtual meet-up. Your support system can help you keep perspective, share in challenges, and celebrate small wins.
5. Practice Gratitude and Positive Affirmations It’s easy to focus on the stressors of life, especially when the to-do list feels endless. A gratitude practice is a simple way to shift your mindset toward positivity. Each day, write down three things you’re grateful for. This practice can shift your mental focus from what’s lacking to what’s abundant in your life. Pair this with daily affirmations like “I am capable,” “I am worthy of rest,” or “I can handle what comes my way.” Free Download: 111 Powerful Affirmations for The Empowered Resilient Woman. FREE HERE
The back-to-school season and fall schedules can feel like a whirlwind, but with intention, self-compassion, and practical tools, you can maintain your mental health and preserve a positive mindset. As women, we often focus on supporting everyone else, but the key to long-term balance is making sure we care for ourselves first. As you navigate this seasonal shift, remember that you don’t have to be perfect—you just have to be present for yourself.
By prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and leaning into your support network, you can thrive in this season while protecting your mental well-being.
About the Author:
Kimberly Smith is a Mindset & Resilience Coach and the founder of Encompass Life Coaching. She is a native New Yorker, proud Houstonian, truth seeker, mental health and DEIJ advocate, mother, yogi, and dachshund lover.
Kimberly is degreed in Sociology and Psychology, is an internationally certified life and career coach, and has spent over 14 years in corporate talent acquisition for a variety of industries including oil and gas, renewable energy, engineering, hospitality and more. She is a servant leader passionate about dissolving the stigma around mental health, advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, and is dedicated to empowering others to live more authentic lives full of passion, purpose, courage, freedom and adventure.
Through coaching services, speaking, and writing, Kimberly helps ambitious women, mothers and entrepreneurs stop stressing and focus, so they can flourish within their careers, families, businesses, and relationships. Kimberly’s clients move through self-doubt, build a positive and resilient mindset while increasing energy and confidence, and crushing their personal and professional goals.
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