How was your September? What is it about that month that feels like the start of a new year?

I don’t know about you, but for me, September feels like more of a fresh start than January. (who wants to start New Year’s resolutions when there’s still cheese, wine and chocolate to consume?). 

Maybe it’s the lifelong learned behaviour of starting school in Pontypridd every September. Learned behaviour is where our behaviours develop or change due to experience. Like learning to ride a bike or learning to walk and talk. It’s not a natural skill. It’s one we achieve through experience, education or observation. Sometimes we intentionally develop these behaviours. Like learning to drive a car. Sometimes, they’re unintentional. I didn’t plan to have a new sense of organisation as each September rolls around!

Starting school in September is a routine I performed for almost 16 years. A behaviour deep-rooted in me.

Even 8 years after finishing in education, I get a kick when it gets to September. Summer holidays are done, buying new stationary and new shoes ready to tackle the year ahead. Now, it’s about setting goals, making new strategies, and connecting with clients (it’s also about buying an obscene amount of candles and re-watching Gilmour Girls).

The curious researcher in me wants to know how you see September.

What ingrained rituals and habits are in you as you’ve gone through different life cycles?

I asked my colleagues at Mind Field…

John-Paul Hughes – Exec Creative Director (the f’uncle) “I hated school, but I was always buzzin’ about getting my back-to-school gear. I still buy it for my nieces because they know they can take the p*** and get DMs, Converse, and Vans when their parents would tell them to get lost!” 

Jo Brown – Research Director (the pre-party health-kicker) “September for me is a final chance to get my life in order before the party season hits.  I invest in skin and hair care, ramp up exercising, buy supplements and subscribe to healthy meal subscription kits.” 

Michael Foxwell – Videographer (the eternal optimist) “September, the greatest month of all time, is the last and final chance of true summer sunshine.”

Emma Touhey – Campaign Manager (Ryan Reynolds’ pal) “Kids back in school, back in routine!” 

Charlotte Ives – Head of Client Development (the squeeze every drop-er) “September – last of the beer gardens!”

Aimée Buchan – Digital Marketing Executive (the self-care queen) “September self-care. Time to re-set and re-charge and prep for Autumn. Skincare sort out, going through my wardrobe and having a clear-out and giving old clothes to charity.”

Interesting. 

Although Aimée (a millennial who’s just bought her first house), Jo (a post-family grandma), JP (the fun uncle) and Emma (mum to two young boys) are at different points in their lives, their behaviours are very similar. A theme we’ve seen a lot recently in participant sampling…but I’ll leave that for another day!

At Mind Field, we provide clients with recommendations on how to positively influence this automatic, intuitive System 1 Thinking. We apply techniques to understand how to help people make positive behaviour changes. And give them the tools to make more conscious, rational and considered System 2 Decisions.

Send me an email if you’d like to chat more about how we can do that for you: hannah.abraham@mindfieldadvertising.com 

Want to learn more about System 1 and 2 thinking? Check out this blog from our Research Director Joanna Brown Taking The BS Out Of Behavioural Science