Key takeaways

• A shift in pace, whether it's a new season, a busier week or a trip, offers a natural checkpoint to recommit to a routine.
• Anchoring a new habit to something you already do makes it easier to stick with, even when life gets busier.
• Wanting to shake up a routine doesn't have to mean an overhaul. Look for products backed by third-party validation to shop your values with confidence.

As summer's relaxed pace gives way to a busier season — after-school extracurriculars starting again, longer commutes as offices fill back up and one last trip before the weather turns — daily routines are often the first thing to slip.

The instinct when a schedule gets busier is often to overcorrect, whether it's a whole new morning routine or a completely different approach to meals. However, it's more effective to keep to a few things that work.

Anchor new habits to something you already do

The easiest way to make a new habit stick is to tie it to one that already happens on autopilot, such as taking vitamins right after your morning coffee or reviewing the next day's schedule while getting ready for bed. Pairing a new habit with an existing one makes it feel automatic instead of like one more thing to remember.

Refresh your routine without reinventing it

Sometimes a shift in pace comes with the itch to try something new, and small swaps are a way to add some freshness to a routine without overhauling it. Swapping in a new product or everyday essential is one of the easiest ways to do that without adding an extra step.

Toothpaste is one of the simplest swaps to make, and it's an easy way to shop your values while you're at it. Keep an eye out for brands backed by third-party certifications like the B Corp Certification, awarded by the nonprofit BLab, which verifies a company's social, environmental and governance impact every three years. In plain terms, it's how you know a brand is committed to responsible business practices that benefit people and the planet, not just shareholders.

Tom's of Maine is a certified B Corp. From sourcing naturally derived ingredients to dedicating 10% of its annual profits to protecting nature, the brand holds itself to the high standards B Lab sets because it believes business should be a genuine force for good.

"Being a Certified B Corp reflects the standards we've held ourselves to for more than 50 years — from the ingredients we source to how we treat our people and our communities," said Michelle Waring, Steward for Sustainability and Everyday Good at Tom's of Maine. "For anyone trying to make more thoughtful choices, it's a reliable signal that a company's impact has been independently verified."

Plan ahead for busy days

Travel, early mornings and packed weeks are when habits are most likely to fall off, often because of convenience. The easiest way to keep a routine going while traveling is to stick with products that are simple to pack and go. Tom's of Maine's toothpaste and deodorant are designed to travel just as easily as they fit into an everyday routine, so there's no need for another purchase before heading out the door.

A busier season does not have to mean starting over. With a few small, consistent choices, the routines that already work can keep working, no matter how packed the schedule gets.

To learn more about Tom's of Maine's natural personal care products, ingredient sourcing and safety standards, visit www.tomsofmaine.com and www.tomsofmaine.com/pages/our-mission.