A Professional’s Guide to Surviving September

Ah, surviving September. “Schoolssss out for summer” crones a never-aging Alice Cooper somewhere in the dark recesses of the Millennial-plus brain during those first few heady days of July. Whether you have children or not, the undeniable, carefree thrill that the summer months still bring cannot be underestimated. It doesn’t matter who or where you are, July and August will always be the summer holidays. And now, the wheel turns once more as we stare down the barrel of a brand-new September.

If summertime is the mecca of long days and longer BBQ-fuelled nights (even if said BBQ does require a rather resilient tar-pooling this side of the channel), then September is the dawning of a new semester. The back-to-school month is not just the privilege of those heading back to an educational awakening, it’s also a time when us professionals (sounds kinda sexy right?) return to the serious business of preparing for Q4. Yay.

So, while the kids are once again grumbling about waking up early and packing their shiny new backpacks, us old fogies are also diving headfirst into the post-summer work routine. Whether you’ve been sipping cocktails on a sunlit beach or simply surviving the chaos of entertaining under-age domestic terrorists, here’s your safety checklist for getting through the autumnal grind. Aka, surviving September.

Just like many students secretly love their ‘Surviving September’ debut, there are after all new ‘fits and dramz’ to show off and discuss. You may find that your colleagues are just as eager to show you a badly curated selection of holiday snaps and updates.

Picture the scene, you’ve cleansed your soul of summer chaos, woken up on time, actually brushed your hair and taken that first sip of extra-strong caffeine. Bliss. WRONG. This is where you are at your most vulnerable. This is where the holiday-snap-slideshow extraordinaire ensnares its prey. “Oh, you’ve already been to Santorini? You’ll LOVE these 200 snaps of the same bleached white houses I’ve already posted on Instagram then!” And so, it begins.

We get it. Holidays are truly wonderful, restorative and necessary to the never-ending merry-go-round of life. But, for many people, summer is hard. Taking care of lawless children is hard. Visiting relatives is hard. Having to forgo a summer vacay because there are more important things to prioritize and save for is hard.  Missing the people you usually enjoy the summer with is REALLY HARD. Not everyone will think about these things before wafting a 10-minute iPhone-made memories reel under your nose. But the secret is, if you can get through the next minute-by-minute holiday run-down, then baby, you can get through anything. Including that report, that’s due before midday.

Make sure you’ve got your “Wow, that’s amazing!” face on, have a witty remark about how well they coordinated their sundress to the blue-capped buildings, and you’ve taken the first step to pass the test. Hell, now you no longer need to go on that resilience training HR has booked for you. Not to mention, you’ve helped share in someone else’s joie du vivre. Groovy.

Let’s be honest: come rain or shine, there’s something about the summer months that makes our wardrobe a little bit fast and loose. Shorts, kaftans, flip-flops, if it’s above 16 degrees outside then anything goes. AMIRIGHT. Now, while this is great for al fresco lunchin’ in the park and a team rounders match or two, laissez-faire summer dressing isn’t always conducive when it comes to surviving September’s productivity drive.

September marks the start of a solid block of bank-holiday-free months (oh, say it ain’t SO). As a result, it’s often good to dress as if you’re ready to take on the C-Suite at any given moment. Now, this means different things to different people. And by no means are we suggesting that a remote-based coder pops on a woollen three-piece suit by 9 am. But, dressing for the vibe you want can go a hell of a long way in inspiring you to get things done. After all, what’s the point of a back-to-school month if you can’t flex some new smart-looking threads?

Pro tip: No matter what your style, always ensure that what you adorn those lovely limbs with is totes appropriate for the environment. Or you might end up having a Blake Lively-style PR disaster that no amount of floral gowns can cover up.

If you’re still mourning the British summer that never quite was, you’re not alone.

Despite a promising hot few weeks, most of the summer hols have been grey, windy and rather moist (hat tip to Pistachio Director Paul on that adjective) to say the least.

Well, do not despair, because while we can’t control the weather, we can brighten our days with a PMA. It might sound rather corny, but a tidy workspace, cheerful decor or a new desk plant can help breathe some positivity into the dreariest of mindsets. Plus, a changing of the seasons is always good for filling up the cup of creativity. So, if the weather outside isn’t inspiring you, put pen to paper, paint to brush and fingers to keyboards and get that next blue-skies idea out of your sunbaked head and into the big wide world.

If you need some help thinking outside the box you might find our breaking the chains of mediocrity blog a good place to start. And hey, if all else fails, at least you’re not on a beach getting sandy and sunburned!

Yep, we know. Blasphemy! Sacrilege! Commercial indecency! It is indeed still approximately 100 and something days until, duh duh duhhhh CHRISTMAS. But alas, this is 21st-century living honey. And, as almost every business knows, if you don’t start putting the wheels in motion for a Christmas campaign very soon, then it’s probably too late.

September means the dreaded “C” word is creeping into Teams’ conversations left right and centre. While it may feel too early to think about tinsel and turkey, this season is a great time to get those thinking caps on and get all the wheels in motion to smash a festive spectacular out of the park.

Let’s face it, customers are already planning and budgeting, shops are lining up the merch and brands need to be ahead of the game to make a splash. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of decking the halls with marketing strategies, don’t worry. Take a look at our top trends blog from earlier this year or have a quick read of our guide to the Christmas campaign countdown to help you get ahead.

We have every faith that the next few months is going to be your best yet for 2024. Plus, if all else fails there’s always the fall of Western democracy to watch across the pond. So, chin up, it isn’t all doom and gloom ahead as we slide into the last quarter of the year.

As always, we’re here to help things go a little smoother. If you need a refresh of your online presence or would like to prepare some brand-new marketing assets to kick-start a new campaign or product, drop us a line. For us, working with our clients to create something spectacular is what getting back to work is all about.

Happy September, and remember—just like school, work’s easier when you’re prepared!