Summer is over – time to get back in the game
Right then, that’s your lot. You’re refreshed and reinvigorated and, if you look really closely, you’ve got the makings of what might well be a bit of a tan on that classic British sun-starved skin. You’ve maxed out your beer garden and barbecue quota, felt the sand between your toes and kept your blood sugars up with Calippos on tap.
But the end of August means the end of summer, kiddo. It’s time to pack the kids off to school with new uniform that’ll inevitably be languishing in lost property this time next month and get back to the grind.
There’s something about the start of a new term that feels like a fresh shot, even to those of us who haven’t seen a school desk for a couple of decades (ahem, or more). Whether you’ve got a new pencil case or not, it’s time to knuckle down and power through the last few months of the year like a trooper. Here’s how to get your head back in the game when you’re equal parts fruit cider and questionably-cooked bbq sausages.
Plan some coffee catch-ups
Chances are there’s many a client or contact sharing your sadness at seeing the back of summer, so ease yourself back in with a catch up or three. Reach out to your retainer clients, drop into Helm and chill-out with the gang. Even if you work in an office or co-working space, staying put and setting ten minutes aside first thing to reconnect with co-workers will ease you in nice and gently.
Remember what you’re working for
The beauty of holidays is that they tend to remind us why we’re busting a gut working all hours God sends. Once you’ve overcome the post-summer shock, you’ll probably find that you’re inspired to get cracking on funding some winter sun family fun or a long-weekend somewhere scorchio. Frame the photo that sums up your summer, put it on your desk and catch a glance when you feel yourself flagging.
Prepare for the winter feast
Business always tends to go a bit nuts in October and November, doesn’t it? The thought of Christmas looms large, meaning your clients are about to go balls to the wall to get those big important projects boxed off before the festivities start and everyone’s too tipsy on mulled wine and Celebrations to get much done. Prepare for the feast by setting time aside to tidy up your accounts, do some admin and get ahead with those little niggly bits that’ll feel like really hard work when you’re flat out in a few weeks.
Dedicate yourself to that passion project
Nothing reignites your fire after a break than a project you can’t wait to get stuck into. It needn’t even be client work; write that book, redesign that website, start that sideline. Whatever really gets you going, do that.
Reassess the office situation
Working from home is golden but working from the same table you share meals at and do the kid’s homework on doesn’t always make for the most productive of environments. If you work from home and don’t have an office space, think about getting one. Co-working spaces tend to breed creativity, with ideas bouncing around all over the place. What’s more, you’ll enjoy the feeling of getting home after a hard day’s graft again, something that’s always amiss when you work from the dining table. It could be just what you need to break free of that post-summer funk.
