The End of Summer Blues

This weekend marks the last official summer holiday, and I’m already mourning the warm lazy days of summer. The weather in upstate New York has fluctuated between cool and rainy to hot and humid, with lots of cloud cover and not as much sun as usual for this time of year. The lack of sunshine and cooler days left me with a sense of discomfort, as if things aren’t the way they should be this time of year.

Most years, Labor Day means a long weekend away from work—an extra day to rest and relax with friends before the fall push. When I was working full-time, I loved long holiday weekends. I enjoyed leaving early on the Friday before the holiday, spending time with friends during what felt like long, unhurried days. I loved the feeling on Sunday, knowing I had another day to relax and do nothing.

But it feels completely different when you’re not in a full-time job, when you’re unemployed or underemployed. You know it’s a long weekend because your friends and family are in holiday mode. If you live in NYC, the city empties out on holiday weekends. If you live upstate like I do now, it’s packed with weekenders.

This year I feel unmoored.

I don’t have the usual holiday weekend vibe because for me, it’s just another weekend. I won’t head back into the office on Tuesday after a long relaxing weekend. I won’t get the Monday night blues. I won’t hang out in the kitchen with my coworkers on Tuesday, talking about what I did over the long weekend. There won’t be meetings to kick off planning for Q4. It’s a strange feeling not having the rhythm of a workweek to anchor you. Having had a full-time job for most of my life, not being in that rhythm takes some getting used to.

One thing that helps me when I’m feeling this way is to incorporate some of my work rituals into my days. For instance, I make lists of things I want to get done. I love checking off lists—it gives me a sense of accomplishment to complete tasks. I love it so much that I keep a list of vegetables I bought at the farmers market on my fridge. Not only do I know everything I have, but I also get to cross each item off once I’ve cooked and eaten them. It’s a small thing, but it’s so satisfying.

I reach out to contacts to schedule calls during the times of the day when my energy is lower. For me that’s mid-afternoon. I use those calls to check in and network . I check LinkedIn to see if they have any contacts in their network I want to meet and ask them to make an introduction. Most days, I keep a schedule: writing in the mornings, posting midday, breaking for lunch, and having calls in the afternoons.

I make sure to eat grounding foods when my energy feels detached. We’re moving into the end of summer, which means that foods are growing closer to or in the ground. Foods that grow in the earth provide our bodies with the nutrients from the soil and give us grounding energy, especially if they are local.

When I feel this way I eat more root vegetables like carrots, turnips, beets, onions, squashes, and sweet potatoes. I use turmeric and ginger in my cooking. If I can buy them fresh in root form, even better.

Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and turmeric can help you feel grounded. They provide a gentle boost in energy from natural carbohydrates, including fiber, plus key phytonutrients like vitamins A, C, and folate. Also, root vegetables, as their name suggests, have roots that reach deep within the earth. These roots anchor the plant in place and provide a strong foundation for growth. That grounding energy is what we take into our bodies, helping us feel more grounded.

When I work out, I often end by sitting or lying on the ground and stretching. Sitting or lying on the ground helps absorb energy from the earth and helps us feel supported.

Balance poses are helpful too. Tree pose in yoga, for example, requires you to root one foot into the ground and balance like a tree. Balance poses help with awareness of your body’s position and movement in space, which can make you feel more balanced and settled.

Balance poses can also help you find mental and emotional steadiness by improving your focus and relieving stress. They can boost your confidence by challenging you, improving your confidence and helping to overcome fear. Balancing poses require you to stare at something that’s fixed in place which helps improve your focus. Focus helps with confidence which is something I find helpful when I’m feeling this way.

As you enjoy the final days of summer and move into Fall, if you’re feeling unattached, try some of these suggestions so you can feel more grounded and focused.

If you are interested to learn more about how making changes to your food and lifestyle can help you improve your well-being, reach out to schedule a free consultation .