Trottinetting Back to School

Do you know what a “Trottinette” is? They honestly get on my nerves everywhere, but they also seem to be THE mode of transportation of GenZ, so I assume all of those digital main characters are currently flogging to work with their trottinettes, e-bikes, or the good old 11-Tram in Zurich.

When I think of going back to school, I think of refilling ink cartridges, buying notebooks, and getting school books bound in weird yellow plastic covers. Oh, the smells and horrors of those things. Isn’t it so much nicer to open your MacBook on Monday morning after Yoga class and jump on a Zoom call at 11 AM when you had your third Espresso Macchiato? (Sorry, I need to add this as I find this song so funny.) 

Refill Your Ballpoints

It had never occurred to me that a ballpoint pen is refillable. I never thought that it was using ink. I was never a big fan of the biro, ball pen, or dot pen. How could you even have so many words to describe the same instrument? In high school, the taste and smell made me nauseous. So right now I go back to the pencil sometimes.

In an attempt to motivate myself to “get back to school,” I cleaned up all my desk drawers and found two hand softening silver ink dispensers rolling over a ball. With these two, my handwriting looked as beautiful as that of Daisy, the kitten. Have you ever seen kittens handwrite? Me neither, but she came to mind, and it’s a lovely thought. She sports a pink bow tie with white polka dots, greyish fur, and blue eyes like Terence Hill (If you don’t know this actor, you are too young for my programs). Daisy is going back to school, and she will be organized and have refilled her pens, Post-it notes, and notebooks. I usually work a “summer schedule” for the school holidays, where I work productively for six hours maximum. I start early (7 AM) and finish by about 3 PM. The rest of the day, I enjoy “Kaffee und Kuchen”, go for a walk, swim in the lake, or even attempt to read a novel. 

This summer, I only took a week off. It was a stormy week that I spent with my family at Lake Constance. It was colder than expected and rainier. A good excuse to buy a pair of Jeans, which I hadn’t done probably since 2001 (in a different lifetime where an airline lost my luggage and I had to get some clothes for the vacation). I also spent time with friends in Düsseldorf, which not only gave me an excuse to watch “Superman” with a teenager, over-indulge in Sushi (see Insta for proof), and also meet colleagues from Relocate the Profit for a Schnitzel. Finally, we also got to celebrate my friend “Uschi’s” birthday. 

Go Back to Your Day Structure

In “back to school mode,” you might be looking forward to more routine, having the kids out of the house for a few hours, and a place to go to that you call “workplace.” I wish I could tell you that you will get back to your routine in no time and that the 761 emails all contain information only, and require no action, because, honestly, nobody was at work. 

Everyone was sipping rosé in France or eating tomatoes in Mallorca. Because this is what you do when you are a grown-up, you eat tomatoes, dip the mozzarella in olive oil and crema di balsamico, add two leaves of container-grown basil, and for a good time, you eat an extra slice of the garlicky mayonnaise-dripping sauce that you would never touch at home.

This little holiday adventure is over. Stop slacking. It’s back-to-school season. With the rising geopolitical tensions and tariff scares coming from the White House, we don’t know yet how this fall will pan out. In insecure times, I recommend you focus back on your circle of control and circle of influence.

Worksheet 287_Circle of Influence

Here is a list of ideas on how you can start your back-to-school routine. The weirdest thing is working well for me: Back to handwriting.

1) Handwrite Your Brand

In times of Tom Robot (yes, we love you too), we sometimes get more original results when we go back to our basics and brainstorm on paper. My team and I also focus on supporting you in ways ChatGPT can’t.

If you are still looking for a job or paying clients and missed signing up for our program, here’s one idea: Why don’t you let us handwrite your biography for you? Most people have a rather generic way of writing about themselves. Most resumes are tedious and hard to understand. Let’s work together on developing your brand, your purpose, your one-sentence mission statement, and your creative outlet. We offer BrandEssence as a personal branding first aid kit for the Swiss Job Market. 

Please get in touch with diana@globalpeopletransitions.com for more information.

 

2) Design Your Workspace at Home

Put on your favorite playlist and clean your home and your workspace if you work from home. Make your workspace so attractive and full of creative passion that you wish to return to it magically all the time. Let everything you regularly use run through the dishwasher or washing machine to let go of the “old”. Sort and organize your Google Drive with a system, and structure your task list with a sound priority system. See the productivity hacks for support: My favorite Productivity Hacks – Seven Tips to Claim Back Your Diary. 

You might want to invest in either more functional and aesthetically pleasing office furniture, a whiteboard for planners and canvases, a flipchart, or a bigger screen. Maybe you even buy a new orchid or a beautiful plant for your home office. Feel free to use my playlist “RockMeRetreat”.

3) Organize Your Wardrobe for Public Appearances

Clean out your wardrobe and anything that reminds you of “old me.” If you have not built a professional wardrobe yet that will secure your public appearances, I highly recommend you join our workshop with Zurich fashion designer Adam Brody on 6 September 2025. The workshop is currently booked, but we will maintain a waiting list. If there is a lot of interest, Adam has already agreed to another workshop. Please email me at angela@globalpeopletransitions.com if you are interested in joining us.

JOIN OUR EVENT:

6 September 2025 – Purpose, Performance, Productivity, Public Speaking, and a Power Suit – A Wardrobe Upgrade Workshop with Zurich Designer Adam Brody 

 

“Style has nothing to do with size.” – Adam Brody

https://bmq.swiss/blog/poetry-in-flow-by-adam-brody

If you would like to be added to our event invitations or would like us to organize a learning event for your team, please reach out to me directly via angela@globalpeopletransitions.com. 

4) Create Your Magic

If you wish to live a life full of purpose, you want to figure out what matters to you, understand who you need to serve and how to do it, and then create your magic. It’s not that hard once you get started. Follow your intuition despite the fear you might feel. Focus on what matters to you and what is essential to get to your goal, and acknowledge that you have what it takes within you to be you. The hard part comes later when you are creating your art, your work, your creative brief, or your ZEN garden in the backyard, and you start doubting yourself, and when you procrastinate shipping because you are afraid of success.

That kind of fear is next level. You will probably need coaching to overcome this kind of anxiety. This is one reason why we have created the Global Rockstars program. https://globalpeopletransitions.com/global-rockstars/ and the RockMeRetreat https://globalpeopletransitions.com/rockmeretreat/.

For a detailed proposal for your team, please reach out to me directly via angela@globalpeopletransitions.com. 

Further Resources

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/do-you-want-to-live-a-life-full-of-purpose/

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/seven-virtues-for-purpose-performance-and-productivity/

 

 

 

 

 

More about Relocate the Profit

Relocate the Profit is a forward-thinking, global initiative dedicated to transforming the corporate mobility and relocation sectors by fostering a culture of collaboration and purpose-driven impact. Guided by two overarching goals — to change the culture within our industries and to change people’s lives — the organization brings together industry professionals and businesses committed to making a meaningful difference.

At its core, Relocate the Profit invites collaboration among specialists in immigration, relocation, and global mobility. These experts come together under a shared belief in the power of mobility as a force for good. They are united by their dedication to advancing positive cultural shifts while improving individual lives.

The initiative actively seeks new partners and contributors. Whether you’re a mobility professional eager to be part of the change or a business looking to support purposeful industry transformation, you’re encouraged to reach out—Relocate the Profit welcomes dialogue through platforms like LinkedIn or its contact portal.

If you want to join us, please email angela@globalpeopletransitions.com. I will forward your details to the board.  

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