School is officially back in full swing for us. And even though it is still very much August in South Carolina, and therefore approximately one thousand degrees outside, back to school always feels like the first sign that summer is starting to wind down and our regular routine is returning.
Summer has a very different rhythm in our house, and honestly, that is one of the things I have come to appreciate most about being self-employed. If you have ever tried to coordinate summer camps, you know the schedules can be… interesting. Drop-off at 9. Pickup at 1. A camp that only runs three days. A camp that ends right in the middle of the workday. Working from home and having control over my schedule makes all of that a little easier.
And now that my daughter is getting older, summer looks a little different anyway. She is officially a middle schooler, which is still a little hard for me to believe. She also does not necessarily need to be in a full-week camp every week while I am working anymore. Sometimes she can hang out while I work; sometimes she has her own thing going on. And right now, she says she wants to be a graphic designer, so I occasionally get an assistant, like when she took my photo for this blog post.
As much as I love all of that, I also have to admit that every year when school starts, part of me is ready for it. I love summer, but I also really love routine. The school year brings back a regular schedule and a rhythm to the days again. Everyone knows where they are supposed to be and, generally speaking, when they are supposed to be there.
That structure is really good for me. When I do not have a consistent routine, I can struggle to focus or lose momentum. Then structure comes back, and suddenly I am planning, organizing, checking off tasks, and wondering where this person was three weeks ago. I have joked that I really only have two modes: extreme hustle and extreme chill. There does not seem to be much in between.
Sometimes I wonder if part of that comes from spending so many years working in an agency environment. I got very used to the fast pace. There was always another deadline, another project, another thing that needed to happen next. At some point, I think my brain learned that urgency meant focus. The problem, of course, is that you cannot live there forever. Constantly working at that pace eventually leads to one thing: burnout.
Which might also explain why I have learned to love summer break so much. Because before summer comes May, and if you are a parent, you know May is basically one long calendar notification. End-of-year school events, performances, awards, parties, sports, activities and things you forgot you signed up for six months ago. It can feel like every single day has something attached to it.
Then suddenly school is out, the calendar gets quieter and everything slows down. For a long time, I had a hard time being comfortable with that. Slowing down sounds great until you run your own business. Then the questions start: Am I losing out on work? Is my income still on track? Should I be doing more?
I have had to learn that slowing down is OK. More than that, sometimes it is necessary. Summer gives me room to reset, recharge and reenergize after months of pushing hard. It gives me more time with my daughter and some breathing room. And even if part of my brain is occasionally whispering that I should be doing more, I know what happens next.
School starts. The routine comes back. And I am ready.
That is exactly what happened once August hit. Almost immediately, I went into planning mode: project management, current projects, upcoming projects, organizing schedules, and preparing for what is ahead. My brain clicked back into gear, and I felt even more excited about work again.
Maybe that is the rhythm I am finally starting to appreciate. I do not have to choose between loving the slower pace of summer and loving the structure that comes with the school year. I need both. The slower seasons give me room to reset, and the busy ones remind me how much I love what I do.
Right now, the calendar is filling back up, the lists are getting checked off, and I am really excited about what is coming next. For now, I am happy to be back in the routine.
But maybe ask me again in May.
– Danielle
