Yes we’ve all seen the posts, the ‘Back to School’ photos that are littered all over our social media feeds. Proud little faces, all trussed up in their shiny new uniforms, eagerly awaiting the new school year – these photos signal the official end of the summer holidays and they mark the start of a year of hard work.
What does this have to do with us adults I hear you cry? Well, like it or not, our annual working calendar usually still does take on this academic format. Summer months are inevitably spent stretching the capabilities of a skeleton staff as people still enjoy taking their main vacations during the months of June through to August. Obviously, this does depend on which industry you work in, but for the majority of us, it is not unusual to enjoy a slower pace of life at work during those core summer months as everyone subconsciously embraces the lure and lull of the summer holidays.
However, with the return of the kids to school, thus we return to that manic period at work between now and Christmas where schedules are jam-packed, deadlines are tight, and everyone straps themselves in for the hard work ahead.
So, as the nights draw in and the candle begins to burn at both ends, here are some helpful facts to help you through to the next ho, ho, holidays…
1. There are only 10 Monday mornings left until Christmas. 10 is NOTHING, right? We suggest that you start by chalking each Monday up on your office wall so you can visualise the countdown. Perhaps ask your bosses permission first, or at least use a bright colour, you know, so it doesn’t look quite so solitary-confinement esque… and if that doesn’t work? Check out our post on ‘Happy Monday’s’ instead.
2. Days are shorter – yes with the onset of Autumn comes the darker mornings and even darker, earlier nights, but do not fear! The earlier the sun sets, the more acceptable it is to drink a glass of wine without fear of judgement. So, roll on those dark skies and stock up the vino supplies!
3. Squirrels get smarter, and so can you. It’s true, during the next few months, grey squirrels are busy burying hundreds of nuts and seeds to serve as emergency winter larders. This typically shows a 15 percent increase in the memory and emotion centre of the brain, making them far more efficient compared to the rest of the year. What can we learn from this? Well, we could use it as a metaphor to encourage us to flourish in the face of an increased workload – or, we could take it as being advisable to hide snacks in hundreds of accessible hiding places to get us through the winter (so, so smart, I think you’ll all agree).
4. Love is in the air. According to Facebook (known perpetrator of accurate information) more people change their relationships status from ‘single’ to ‘in a relationship’ in the autumn, while more break-ups occur in the summer. So, just remember, when all that work is getting you down, love could be just around the corner! Or… you could log on to Facebook and watch everyone else being in love instead…
5. It’s time to organise the work Christmas party! Yep, we all know that dates and venues for the annual office extravaganza need firming up months in advance. So, we can all look forward to planning when and where your team is going to drink an inadvisable amount of tequila, share inappropriate stories and never be able to look each other in the eye at work ever again, wahooo, happy planning! (If you need to do some research in how not to behave at the work Xmas party, read our blog post on that very topic here)
Well, there you have it, your top facts to help you through the next few months and ease those ‘back to school’ blues.
If you’re facing a really busy few months and need some help with your next marketing, social or digital campaign, get in touch today, we’d love to help!
