As the sun sets a little earlier each evening and rises a little later in the morning and the end of August draws near, many of us start to get organized for the fall and think of having just one last hurrah during the dog days of summer.

Preparing for fall and the long winter ahead always involves tasks around the house and if you have children, the back-to-school rush. Don’t leave your business behind when it comes to clearing up for the summer and getting ready for the cooler weather.

Learn new skills. With so many online classes available, it’s easy to pick up some new knowledge at our leisure and when you own a business, there is always something to learn. The only problem will be choosing among the many classes offered.

Clean up your computer and your email inbox. I’m not sure if everyone has as many bookmarks as I do, but once or twice a year, it’s a good idea to go through them and see if they are still necessary or of use to you. The battle that we all fight with organizing our email in boxes should be won once and for all, leaving us sighing in relief to see our inbox as close to zero as we can get it.

Take some time for yourself. With the evenings just that little bit cooler, it’s a good time to go for walks in our local parks or hiking and canoeing in our national parks. Even if you just spend some time in your back yard or on your balcony relaxing before the autumn rush, it will give you that break you need.

Change your routine and try something new. This could involve catching up on the newest business tips or tech news, taking on a new client or an even bigger jump such as different working hours, dual jobs and/or increased responsibility. Sometimes a change in what you’re doing leads to a completely different outlook and revives your energy and interest in trying even more new things.

Start a little bit earlier. Yes it’s a little darker in the morning now when you awake but giving yourself extra time to get organized or finally taking the leap and making a routine of a morning walk will help you in the long run. The peacefulness of having some time in the morning to yourself will set the tone for your day and help with your productivity.

The end of summer brings a desire to get organized in most of us. We like to start off the fall with everything in place. To many of us it’s like the beginning of a new year. Taking control of what needs to be completed closes off the summer chapter and prepares us for a new season.

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