Closing Out Summer With Intention (and Rest)

As we move into these final weeks of summer, I can feel the pull between two very different energies: the desire to soak up the last of the long days and warm evenings, and the creeping pressure to “get ready” for the fall.

But before I shift into full-on back-to-school prep mode, I’m giving myself permission to pause. To rest. To close out summer with intention.

Because this season has given me more than I expected, and I want to honor it before the next one begins.

What Summer Gave Me

This summer offered me something I didn’t know how much I needed: breathing room.

It gave me a new opportunity at work and a fresh start. It gave me the flexibility to take time off while my firm shut down for the 4th of July week, which meant I could actually be present with my family without worrying that work was still running in the background.

It gave me slow mornings with my kids. Long, warm days that let us stretch time in ways we just can’t during the school year. And it gave me weekend mornings outside, soaking in the sunshine and remembering how good it feels to be grounded and unhurried.

What I’m Still Craving

Honestly? I just want one more uninterrupted stretch of time with my family. I want one last push of presence before the school buses, lunch boxes, and work deadlines start competing for my attention again.

I want beach days.

Good food.

New restaurants.

Sunshine.

Laughter.

Time to just be together.

That’s what I’m holding space for during vacation week, not productivity, not prep, but presence.

Protecting Rest on Purpose

To make this happen, I’ve been really intentional.

I’m logging off by 5:00 p.m., drawing boundaries around my time, and letting go of the idea that I need to respond to everything immediately. I’m focusing on the most important work and releasing the rest.

That’s been the shift for me this summer: intentional presence over constant availability.

And the only way I’ve been able to protect that time? Is by advocating for it, clearly and early. I’m lucky to work with a supportive team, and by letting them know in advance what I needed, we were able to make a plan that worked for everyone. No guilt. No scrambling. Just respect for each other’s space.

What I’m Grateful For

I’m grateful for the new job.

I’m grateful for longer days, sunshine, and warm air.

But more than anything, I’m grateful for a work culture that lets me lead my own boundaries, one that doesn’t micromanage how I use my time, but empowers me to say, “Here’s what I need,” and then backs me up.

That’s rare, and I don’t take it for granted.

What I’m Taking Into the Fall

As the season starts to shift, I’m holding on to a few core truths:

• I want to stay present, not just when I’m off, but when I’m on, too.
  
  
• I want to prioritize what matters at work, and then shut the laptop when the day is done, without guilt.
  
  
• I want to fully claim my evenings and weekends for my family and myself.
  
  

Even though I rarely work on weekends now, I’m putting it out there as a boundary I want to keep fiercely protected in the season ahead.

Before You Rush Into Fall… Pause

If you’re reading this and feeling the urge to start prepping for the fall, I get it. But I’d also encourage you to take just a moment to look back before you sprint forward.

Ask yourself:

• What has this summer given me?
  
  
• What do I still need before it ends?
  
  
• How can I close out this season with clarity, rest, and gratitude?
  
  

Because summer doesn’t end the moment school supplies go on sale.

You still have time, and you’re allowed to take it.

With love,

Erin