It’s almost time to get serious again

I saw a quote recently that resonated with me…August is like the Sunday of summer. As a kid, I always had trouble falling asleep on Sunday nights. The anticipation of a new week seemed to keep my mind active and just unable to shut down. As we arrive here in mid-August, it is starting to feel like another “summer weekend” is just about to come to a close. It is time to revisit all those things we cheerfully swept under the carpet just a few short months ago, using that popular phrase “let’s circle back to this after summer.”

When you are a Buffalo kid, school starts in September each year. July and August are your only full summer vacation months with no school. Summer was about lots of time outside playing with friends, not a lot of true responsibilities, and going on summer vacations. Buffalo summer weather can last June through October, but only in July and August were you truly free of the daily school routines.

For sixteen-years as a financial advisor, I see a similar pattern emerge this time each year. Going back to school was such a major life milestone for so many of our early years, that we just seemed to turn them into a lifelong habit. The prevailing mentality I see this time of year is that people do not want to have to make any big decisions or changes, or tackle anything complicated until summer is over.

Clients rarely reach out to me in July or August with some sort of question that they feel needs to be answered now. I hardly ever hear from new prospects requesting a meeting in July or August. Heck, I have many current clients who have not responded to my email requests sent out this summer. I’ve been through this enough times to not take it personally. I get it, it’s just that time of year.

Almost like clockwork, once the calendar flips to September, then the calls and emails start to come in. Potential new clients will reach out to me. Current clients will dig out and respond to those emails sent way back when. It’s almost as if our brains have been wired to coast through the summer, pushing off those big things, knowing that it will be back to work/school/real life starting sometime in September.

So just like back when you used to get that pit in your stomach this time of year as you counted the days down until you had to go back to school, it is time to ramp up and get ready to tackle those things on your nagging to-do list. September is coming, and it’s a great time to get back on track or make some changes. I’ll be ready for you. And I already know I may have a little more trouble than usual falling asleep on Labor Day, the unofficial end of our “summer weekend.”