The summer slump, silly season, summer holidays – whatever you want to call it, August always was a time to down tools. After a busy start to the year with the return of in-person events and hybrid working colliding, many were long anticipating a quieter period to rest and recharge. As we approached August, the anticipation grew.
But this year it never came.
If anything, August is proving to be busier than any other month. There has been no let up. Even the news flow has remained strong. Just take a look at the number of people move stories we have published recently if you don’t believe me.
Anecdotally, it seems others are having a similar experience.
Many are telling me they are rushed off their feet and have more work than ever before in August.
Perhaps Covid-19 was the catalyst for this change. Time off became a thing of the past – mainly because there was nowhere to go and nothing to do!
If this is the case, it appears the hangover has lasted into the post-Covid era we are now living in.
Whatever the reason, I would argue we should revert back to a quieter summer period. These times are so important for us all to rest and recharge, as well as to prepare for the autumn and winter ahead.
While working consistently hard throughout the year may appear more productive, it could well end up impeding productivity in the long run and leading to burn out.
If an athlete were to try and remain in peak race condition all year round, they would end up getting injured or at the very least performing well below their potential.
Slowing down is vital for giving us space to come up with innovative ideas and reassess existing processes to make sure they are as efficient as they can be. In busy times it is hard to do this as we are preoccupied with clearing existing work.
The August slow down also gave us a chance to prepare for the upcoming months and make sure we were as organised as possible. Trying to do these tasks when the workload has not eased up at all, is somewhat a challenge for all.
Of course, we could all – and should – take holiday. But, holidays are far more relaxing when you know a lot of other people are off and the work load is lighter.
When work is busier, there is the temptation to check emails and answer messages even when on holiday. Hybrid working – while overall a positive – has contributed to an “always on” culture in which switching off completely has become much harder.
Returning to a summer slump may just help the industry’s productivity overall.
