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Lifestyle

July 11, 2022

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.

Hi, I'm Sarah Kleist.

Brand & web designer, personal brand strategist, and marketing educator obsessed with the power of connecting with audiences.

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