Back to the Routine: Make Downtown Part of Your September

September has a way of changing the pace.

The mornings get busier, calendars start filling up and summer’s slower schedule gives way to classes, commutes, meetings and to-do lists. But getting back into a routine doesn’t have to mean giving up the things that made summer so enjoyable.

Make downtown part of the new rhythm. Find a coffee shop that becomes your regular, step out for lunch, take care of a few errands and give yourself a reason to stick around after work or class. With plenty happening throughout the downtown core, there’s more to your weekday than getting from point A to point B.

Find Your New Favourite Coffee Stop

When the school year and work schedules settle back in, it’s nice to have a few things you can count on.

Find a coffee shop downtown that fits into your routine and make it your regular stop. Maybe it’s the place you visit on your way to the office, the spot near campus where you meet friends between classes or somewhere you swing by every morning for your usual order.

There are plenty of cafés downtown to try, so find one you like, become a regular and make it part of your weekday routine.

[Explore downtown cafés and coffee shops →]

Make Lunch a Midday Reset

When the day is packed with meetings, classes and deadlines, lunch is your chance to step away for a bit.

Meet a coworker for lunch, catch up with a friend between classes or take yourself out for something you’ve been meaning to try. Downtown has plenty of restaurants and cafés to choose from, making it easy to switch things up instead of falling into the same lunch routine every day.

And if the weather is still on your side, take your lunch outside. September doesn’t mean patio season is over just yet.

Knock a Few Things Off the List

September is also a good time to tackle the appointments you’ve been putting off all summer.

Need to see the dentist, book a physio appointment or finally get that haircut? Booking your appointments downtown makes it easier to fit them into your day, whether you’re squeezing one in over lunch, between classes or on your way home.

One less thing on your to-do list, and no need to make a separate trip across town.

Fit a Few Errands Into Your Day

Back to school and back to work often come with a new list of things to pick up, organize and get done.

Downtown makes it easy to fit a little shopping into your day, whether you’re looking for something for your desk, refreshing your wardrobe, picking up a gift or simply browsing between plans.

Give yourself a little extra time and see where the afternoon takes you.

Don’t Go Home Just Yet

The best part of the day doesn’t have to end when the workday or last class does.

Meet friends for dinner, grab a drink, catch some live music or take a walk downtown before heading home. With events, restaurants, cafés and places to unwind throughout the core, it’s easy to turn an ordinary weekday into something a little more memorable.

Because a routine should have some room for fun, too.

Make September Feel Like More Than a Schedule

A new school year or return to the office can mean getting used to a different pace, but it also brings a chance to settle into new routines.

Make coffee with a friend a weekly thing. Find a new lunch spot. Take the long way home. Make plans after work. Explore somewhere you usually walk right past.

This September, make downtown part of the routine and see where the day takes you.