As the end of August starts rolling around, commercials are blaring back-to-school blowout sales and mailboxes are frothing with glossy promotional mailers. Kids will be back to their regularly-scheduled routines within the next few weeks, and we hard-working adults are just continuing our regular jobs as usual. With so much pizzazz surrounding this annual tradition, you can ride the wave of energy and apply some of the festivities to your day job.

Set New Objectives | Every year, teachers set goals for their students to achieve in terms of learning information, practicing a new skill, and demonstrating mastery of certain topics If you feel like you’re in a bit of a rut in your job or as though you haven’t learned anything new in a while, set yourself some six-month and twelve-month goals regarding proficiency, technology, or expertise in an areas of your business. Maybe you want to learn some programming, or perhaps you feel that your typing speed is wanting. Sit with a manager or co-worker who will hold you accountable and devise some goals that are SMART — specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time- bound. You may even get some funding from your company to take night classes or seminars that will qualify for their professional development requirements.

Make a New Schedule | Social media is always abuzz with students’ posting their new class and activity schedules to see when they’ll be with their friends and which courses they’ll be taking. If you’ve been stuck in the exact same routine at your job, try to shake things up and develop a fresh schedule. Change a regular meeting time. Have lunch with different people in a different location. Switch up the time of a standing meeting you usually have. Turn over a new leaf this fall.

Update your Wardrobe | Half the back to school sales focus on fresh wardrobes for growing kids and fashionable cloth for the aesthetically conscious. If you haven’t freshened up your work wardrobe in a while, this may be a great time. While some work standards will never fail the test of time, you can try for some fresh accessories, color pops, or cuts of slacks that are more modern than what you’re used to. Use this back-to-school momentum to try out a new look, and be sure to take advantage of sales.

Redecorate | From lockers to notebook covers to entire dorm rooms, a huge part of the back-to-school experience is fresh decorations and vibes for a student’s space. Even when confined to a school uniform, students will take to stickers, duct tape, collages, and other doodads to express themselves. If you haven’t re-evaluated you personal accessories or desk decor, now is the perfect time. Maybe you’ve been carrying the same bag or travel mug for a long time and it’s time to evolve your look. Do you need fresh pictures of your family or loved ones for your desk? Take this opportunity to revisit your bric-a-brac.