Ah, summer. The birds are chirping, the sun is blazing, and if you’re in New York City, the streets smell like urine.

“The best time of the year“, they said. “Summer will be great“, they said.

Buuuuut, the people who said that don’t run businesses, I bet.

In my experience, summer is a notoriously stressful time for business owners. Not because there’s too much work and too little time (although I’m sure for some folks, that’s true). In the summer, there’s just generally less business.

You might even be thinking, “how am I supposed to go out, have fun, and relax when I’m worried about the financial health of my business?” I feel you, bestie. In fact, I often wonder if there will ever come a time in my freelancing career where I won’t feel this way.

(Spoiler alert: no matter how successful you are, I don’t think this fear ever really leaves.)

So, without further ado, here’s my list of 25 ways to keep your brain & soul busy (and even rested!) during a slow season—so that you can kick that mean inner voice to the curb and focus on stuff that actually matters.

25 Things to Do During a Slow Season (Instead of Panicking)

1. Revamp your website 😉
2. Write marketing content
3. Start a new TikTok account
4. Email previous clients and ask if they know anyone looking for what you do
5. Re-organize your home office
6. Clear your downloads folder
7. Conduct competitor research
8. Explore new public working spaces in your area
9. Read business books
10. Attend IRL networking events
11. Find 10 new people you admire and send each one an email to tell them
12. Brainstorm a list of ways to expand your biz
13. Journal about your goals & dreams
14. Take a nap
15. Create a digital product
16. Find and attend a free online webinar
17. Pick up a new creative hobby
18. Scroll on Pinterest for biz & marketing ideas
19. Do a concept project
20. Set up a referral program
21. Re-write your email welcome sequence
22. Pitch a story to your favorite press outlet
23. Host an Instagram or TikTok Live
24. Listen to a new business podcast
25. Rest!

I like to think of summer as a great time to chill out and get my head on straight before I barrel-roll head-first into the end of the year. So whether you’re lucky enough to be rollin’ in client projects this summer or refreshing your email every 2 seconds, I hope you find some time to get out in the sun.