It's hard to miss the reminders - "spring ahead, fall back" appears in dozens of social media posts in nearly every feed. But changing the physical clocks is a much easier process than changing your internal clock, so what's the best way to prepare your schedule for the daylight savings time change? It's easy as 1-2-3!
Make a list of all the time-based daily tasks in your life
This might be as simple as taking daily medication, or as involved as a nighttime workout routine. The simple act of recalling and writing them down will help prepare you for the shift to come. If you set any reminders or alarms to help you remember these tasks - or you use built-in timers on items like automatic pet feeders or coffee machines - make sure these reflect the correct, new time.
Set your clocks before you need to
While daylight savings time actually happens on Tuesday, November 6th, at 2 am Eastern Standard Time in 2022, most people aren't awake for the second it switches over. Before you head to bed on November 5th, assuming you don't work the night shift, set any analog clocks back an hour. Non-internet-connected alarm clocks are especially important here!
Double-check that your digital devices have been updated properly
Check-in with any colleagues or clients that have a meeting with you on November 6th, preferably an hour or so before the scheduled time. Chances are, there will be at least one peer or customer that forgot the time change, and they'll be grateful for the reminder.
As with every daylight savings time period, build in extra time for sleep adjustment. Your post-DST self will be very glad you thought ahead - or rather, that you thought "back."
