September can feel like a gear shift. The holidays fade, the school run resumes, and suddenly, the slower rhythm of summer is replaced with packed diaries and sharpened focus. For many business leaders, especially those with families, it’s both a relief and a rude awakening. The question is: as everyone heads back to school, who’s keeping your business running smoothly?
This time of year brings structure back into everyday life. But it also brings new demands on your time, your energy, and your priorities. If you’re a business owner who’s also a parent or carer, the September shuffle can feel like a juggling act. Even if you don’t have school-aged children yourself, you’re likely working with people who do, and the shift in rhythm affects everyone.
So how do you regain control without burning out?
The hidden cost of the September switch
While it’s tempting to treat September as a “fresh start,” many business leaders fall into the trap of overcompensating after summer. Maybe you took some time off, or things were quieter than usual, and now you feel the pressure to sprint.
The truth is, the first few weeks back are rarely smooth. There are school pickups, new routines to adjust to, emails to catch up on, and team members still easing in. Add to that the weight of Q4 planning, and it’s a perfect storm for stress.
If you’re not mindful, it’s easy to feel like you’re letting both your business and your family down.
You can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t try to
We often see September as a chance to be “better” at everything. More focused, more productive, more present. But trying to be everything to everyone is a fast track to exhaustion.
This is where delegation becomes essential. Who in your team can take on more? What processes can you streamline? Where are you still too involved in things that don’t require your input?
It’s not about doing less. It’s about doing what only you can do.
Make space for thinking, not just doing
The back-to-school period is a great opportunity to reset your own habits too. Just as kids settle into timetables and lesson plans, business leaders can benefit from creating protected time for strategy, reflection, and planning.
If you’re constantly in reaction mode, such as responding to emails, jumping into meetings, plugging gaps, and you’re not giving yourself the chance to think clearly. And without clear thinking, your business risks becoming reactive too.
Carve out time in your week that’s just for you. Not for the team, not for clients, but just for big-picture thinking. You’ll be surprised at the clarity that comes from pausing.
Communicate the shift to your team
If you’re stepping back into a busier schedule or shifting priorities post-summer, your team needs to know. Many leaders quietly take on more or change direction without bringing everyone along, and then wonder why things feel misaligned.
A simple check-in can go a long way. Let people know what’s changed, where your focus is, and what you’ll need from them. September can be a great time to realign everyone’s energy and get things back in sync.
You set the tone
Just like children take their cues from the adults around them, your team takes theirs from you. If you’re flustered, stressed, or constantly chasing your tail, that energy spreads. But if you approach this transition with calm, clarity, and purpose, it creates permission for others to do the same.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. But you do need to be intentional about how you show up this season.
Routines might change, but your priorities shouldn’t
As everything ramps back up, it’s worth taking a moment to ask: what really matters in the months ahead?
It’s easy to be swept up in busyness and urgency. But what will move the needle for your business? What kind of leader do you want to be as the year winds down? What does your team need from you right now, and what do you need from them?
Whether you’re dropping off the kids or just adjusting to the September surge, don’t forget who’s minding the business. It’s you. And you get to choose how that looks.
Our Cycle of Business Success Workshops are game-changers for business owners. They love what they see, and it completely fires them up. You’ve got nothing to lose by coming along to these free events and everything to gain. Why wait? Don’t put off until tomorrow what you absolutely know you should do today.
Upcoming events:
Friday 19th September 2025 – Hilton East Midlands Airport
Thursday 16th October 2025 – Leicester Marriott Hotel
Friday 14th November 2025 – Hilton East Midlands Airport
Guaranteed Investment
Everything I do is bound by my SOLID GOLD GUARANTEES. Regardless of which programme we work on, if you do what you said you were going to do, when you were going to do it, you will get a return on investment guaranteed. If not, then I will refund you the difference. Yes, I am guaranteeing your investment. I’m totally confident in what I do, the rest is up to you...
