August Newsletter - You Don’t Have to Wait Until September
It’s 11pm.
The house is finally quiet.
The children are in bed.
You’ve answered the last message.
You’ve checked tomorrow’s diary.
You’ve remembered something you forgot to do at work.
You’re wondering who is actually going to be around tomorrow because half your colleagues seem to be on holiday.
And now your brain has decided this is the perfect time to start thinking.
“I really need to get myself sorted.”
“I can’t keep doing this.”
“Why am I so tired?”
“I should be enjoying the summer more.”
“Once September comes, I’ll get back on track.”
“I just need to get through August.”
Sound familiar?
August can be a strange month.
It can feel like you're living in between everything.
Work isn't quite normal because people are away.
Home isn't quite normal because children may be off school.
Your usual routines disappear.
You might be trying to fit work around childcare, family, holidays and other people's availability.
And then there is the heat, disrupted sleep, travelling, different routines and the expectation that you should somehow be enjoying every minute of it.
August can ask a lot from us — just in different ways.
And for many women, the answer becomes:
“I'll deal with it in September.”
But what if you don't have to wait?
What are you carrying at 11pm?
Try this tonight.
Instead of getting caught up in the whole list of things that need sorting, ask yourself:
What am I actually worrying about right now?
Then write it down.
Not the polished version.
The real version.
I'm worried about work.
I'm angry that I'm doing everything.
I'm exhausted.
I'm worried about what my manager thinks.
I don't know how I'm going to manage childcare and work.
I don't want to go back to work.
I feel like everyone needs something from me.
Getting it out of your head and onto paper doesn't magically solve it.
But it can stop your brain having to keep rehearsing it.
Then try the “Is it mine?” question.
Take the thing that's bothering you and ask:
Is this mine to carry?
For example:
“My colleague is away, so I need to make sure everything gets done.”
Is it actually yours?
Or is it a team responsibility?
“Everyone else is struggling, so I need to keep things together.”
Do you really have to be the person who holds everyone else up?
“My manager needs an answer, so I need to respond tonight.”
Do you?
Sometimes we take responsibility for things simply because we're capable of carrying them.
That doesn't necessarily mean we should.
And if you're feeling overwhelmed, don't try to fix everything.
Choose one thing.
One boundary.
One conversation.
One task you can take off your list.
One thing you can say no to.
One thing you can ask someone else to help with.
One evening where you don't open your work emails.
One morning where you don't immediately reach for your phone.
Small changes count.
Especially when you're already running on empty.
You don't need to wait for September.
There is something about September that makes us feel as though we can have a fresh start.
New school term.
New routines.
New diary.
New plans.
And maybe that will help.
But you don't need to wait for a particular date to decide that something needs to be different.
You don't need to wait until you're completely exhausted.
You don't need to wait until things become unbearable.
You don't even need to know exactly what the answer is.
Sometimes the first step is simply admitting:
“This isn't working for me anymore.”
And then giving yourself some space to work out what might.
A little August exercise
Before you go to bed tonight, write down:
1. What am I carrying?
2. What belongs to me?
3. What doesn't?
4. What do I need tomorrow?
And finally:
5. What is one small thing I can do differently?
Not ten things.
Not a complete life overhaul.
One thing.
Because perhaps August isn't about getting everything sorted.
Perhaps it's about noticing what you need before September arrives.
And if the conversation in your head at 11pm is getting louder and harder to switch off, you don't have to work it all out alone.
Sometimes you just need somewhere safe to put it all down for a while.
That's what counselling can offer — a space to offload, unpack what's happening and begin to work out what you need next.
You don't have to wait until September.
About Julie
I'm Julie Shehata-Morgan, a qualified counsellor and clinical supervisor. I help women who are facing difficult situations at work find the space to offload, make sense of what's happening, and protect their wellbeing.
Need somewhere to offload? Get in touch for a free 15-minute chat. Let’s talk about what’s going on and see if counselling with me feels right for you.
