There’s something about September that feels like a fresh start.
Maybe it’s the back-to-school feeling. New notebooks, new routines and the return to some sort of normality after the summer months. Or perhaps it’s simply because September gives us that little nudge that says: right, it's time to get organised.
Personally, I think September feels far more like a new year than January does.
January tends to arrive in a blur. We’ve only just finished Christmas, everyone is catching up, and suddenly there’s pressure to set goals, make plans and completely reinvent ourselves.
September, I think, feels different.
It’s a quieter reset. And for small business owners, it can be the perfect opportunity to take stock, get organised and prepare for the final few months of the year.
The calm before the Christmas rush
September is one of those useful points in the business calendar where there’s still time to make changes.
Christmas might feel a long way off, but we all know how quickly the last few months of the year disappear. Before long, diaries are filling up, deadlines are getting closer, Christmas events are being planned and everyone is trying to finish approximately 847 things before switching their out-of-office on.
Which makes September a very good time to look at how your business is actually running.
Not necessarily to set huge new goals or add more to your workload – but to tidy up what's already there.
What could you get organised this September?
If you run a small business, there are probably jobs sitting somewhere in the background that you've been meaning to get around to.
September is a great time to look at things like:
-
Clearing and organising your inbox
-
Updating client or customer records
-
Reviewing your diary for the rest of the year
-
Getting ahead with Christmas dates and deadlines
-
Tidying your digital filing systems
-
Updating processes and templates
-
Reviewing outstanding invoices or paperwork
-
Planning social media or newsletters for the next few months
-
Updating information on your website
-
Looking at what can be automated, delegated or simply stopped
None of these things are particularly glamorous.
But they're often the jobs that make everything else feel easier.
You don't always need to do more
One thing I see regularly through my work providing virtual support in Margate is how easy it is for business owners to assume that moving forward means adding something new.
A new service. A new marketing plan. Another social media platform. Another system.
Sometimes, the most useful thing you can do for your business is the opposite.
Simplify.
Look at what's taking up your time. Work out what's working well and what isn't. Get rid of the things you've been doing simply because you've always done them.
As a VA based in Thanet, a lot of my work involves taking those small but time-consuming tasks off a business owner's plate. And quite often, it's only when someone starts looking at what they could delegate that they realise just how much unnecessary admin they've been carrying around.
Even if you're not ready to outsource anything, it's still worth doing that exercise.
Ask yourself: does this actually need to be done, does it need to be done by me, and does it need to be done this way?
You might be surprised by the answers.
Give your future self a head start
There's another reason I love the idea of a September business reset: you're doing December-you a favour.
Think about the things that usually become stressful towards the end of the year.
Could any of them be sorted now?
If you send Christmas cards or gifts to clients, could you update your address list? If you close over Christmas, could you decide your dates? If you know certain invoices, renewals or deadlines fall in November and December, could you put reminders in the diary now?
Small bits of preparation can make an enormous difference when things get busy.
You don't have to have the whole of Q4 perfectly mapped out. You just want to avoid reaching December and thinking, why didn't I sort this in September?
A fresh start doesn't have to mean starting again
September doesn't need a dramatic business overhaul.
It can simply be an opportunity to stop, look around and get things back in order.
Clear the inbox. Sort the files. Check the diary. Finish the jobs that have been hanging around since June.
And perhaps most importantly, decide what you don't want to carry into the final few months of the year.
At Lumos Virtual Support, I'm a VA based in Margate, supporting businesses with the admin and behind-the-scenes organisation that keeps everything moving. I'm currently fully booked, so this isn't my attempt to persuade you to add another thing to your September to-do list and enquire about VA support!
Instead, consider this your reminder to use that back-to-school September feeling for your business too.
Make a coffee (or tea), open that list you've been avoiding and pick one thing to sort.
Your December self might be very grateful you did..... Good luck!
