Back to Business: Reclaiming Your Drive After a Summer of Chaos

The shift from August to September always feels like a turning point. Summer—with its long, unstructured days, spontaneous trips, and endless to-do lists colliding with family chaos—gives way to cooler mornings, earlier sunsets, and the comforting pull of routine. If January is the official “new year,” then fall is its quieter cousin—the season where women everywhere feel the urge to sharpen pencils, refresh planners, and get back to business.

If you’re anything like me, re-entry after summer can feel overwhelming. You may be staring at an inbox full of unanswered emails, juggling back-to-school schedules, or still mentally recovering from the lack of downtime you thought summer would bring. That “fresh start” energy is there—but so is the fatigue. So how do we reclaim our drive at work, step back into our goals, and do it in a way that feels empowering instead of guilt-inducing?

The answer isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing differently.

The Myth of “Catching Up”

The first lie we tell ourselves when summer ends is: I’ll just catch up on everything I missed.

That mindset sets you up for burnout before you even restart. The truth is, there’s no catching up—only moving forward.

Rather than frantically trying to make up for lost time, consider this: What truly matters in this next season of your career? What deadlines, projects, or relationships actually move the needle? By identifying the essentials instead of everything, you give yourself permission to let go of the noise.

One of my favorite reset practices is making two lists:

1. The Musts – Things that align with my core values, role, and goals.

2. The Maybes – Things I could do, but that won’t matter in the bigger picture if I don’t.

The power move? Tackling the Musts and unapologetically archiving, delegating, or deleting as many Maybes as possible.

Reclaiming Your Boundaries

Another trap of fall re-entry is diving headfirst into overcommitment. After summer, there’s often a subtle pressure—especially for women—to “make up” for lost productivity. Suddenly, we’re saying yes to every meeting, every volunteer role, every late-night email.

But boundaries are the secret sauce of career empowerment. Without them, drive turns into depletion. With them, drive becomes focused, sustainable, and deeply respected by others.

Here are three boundary resets to consider as you step back into business:

• Calendar Ownership: Instead of letting your calendar fill itself, block time for deep work, creativity, and strategic thinking. Treat those blocks like sacred appointments.

• Email Discipline: Choose specific times of day to respond instead of living in reactive mode. The world won’t fall apart if you wait two hours to reply.

• Defined Work Hours: Whether you work in an office or from home, set clear “done for the day” times. Protect your evenings or mornings for what fuels you—family, workouts, rest, or quiet reflection.

Boundaries aren’t walls; they’re doors you choose when and how to open.

Resetting Intentions Instead of Resolutions

Think about how different a September reset feels compared to January resolutions. In January, the world pushes us toward drastic changes—new habits, diets, and career leaps. By September, we’ve lived through enough of the year to know what’s realistic and what’s not.

That makes this the perfect time to reset intentions.

Intentions aren’t about perfection; they’re about direction. Instead of “I need to land three promotions by December,” an empowering intention might sound like:

• I will prioritize meaningful work over busy work.

• I will practice speaking up with confidence in meetings.

• I will measure success by balance, not burnout.

By focusing on intentions, you align your actions with your values—without piling on guilt when life gets messy again.

The Guilt Factor (and How to Ditch It)

Women are masters at carrying guilt. Guilt for taking vacation, guilt for wanting a break, guilt for saying no, guilt for wanting more. It’s exhausting.

Here’s the truth: ambition without guilt is possible. You don’t have to apologize for wanting to grow in your career. You don’t have to shrink your drive to make others comfortable. And you certainly don’t have to equate self-care with selfishness.

One of the most powerful things you can do this season is reframe guilt as a signal, not a verdict. When guilt creeps in—say, after leaving work on time or declining a project—pause and ask:

• Is this guilt coming from my values, or from someone else’s expectations?

• If I remove guilt from the equation, would I still make the same choice?

Nine times out of ten, guilt is just a leftover echo of outdated beliefs. And you don’t need to carry it into this season of your life.

Stepping Into Your Power

“Closing Deals in Red Heels” isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s a reminder that career empowerment is about showing up fully as yourself. Whether you’re literally rocking heels or not, it’s about embodying confidence, resilience, and authenticity.

Stepping into your power this fall doesn’t mean doing it all—it means doing what matters, on your terms. It’s about embracing your season of life, leveraging your strengths, and believing you are worthy of the seat at the table you’ve worked for.

Here are three small but mighty ways to own your power this fall:

1. Audit Your Language – Replace “I’m sorry, but…” with “Thank you for waiting.” Swap “I think” with “I believe” or “I recommend.” Language shifts energy.

2. Seek Visibility – Volunteer for projects that align with your long-term goals. Speak up in meetings. Share your wins without apology.

3. Nurture Your Network – Reach out to colleagues, mentors, or peers. Reconnection after summer is a perfect time to strengthen bonds that can support your career growth.

The Beauty of This Season

What I love about fall is its paradox—it’s both a season of letting go and a season of growth. The leaves fall, yes, but the trees are preparing for something new. In the same way, reclaiming your drive after summer chaos isn’t about hustling harder. It’s about clearing the clutter, resetting with intention, and planting seeds for the next stage of your career.

So, if you’ve been feeling scattered, unmotivated, or guilty for not doing enough this summer, take a deep breath. September is your reset. This is your season to step back into focus, protect your boundaries, and unapologetically reclaim your drive.

Because you don’t need to “catch up.” You just need to move forward—with purpose, with confidence, and in those fabulous metaphorical (or literal) red heels.

Back to Business 

Fall always feels like a fresh start—almost like a second New Year. After a summer of chaos, it’s time to reset, refocus, and reclaim your drive at work.

But here’s the truth: you don’t need to “catch up.” You need to move forward—on your terms.

This season, give yourself permission to:

• Set boundaries that protect your energy (your calendar is yours).

• Reset intentions instead of chasing resolutions.

• Release the guilt that creeps in when you say no—or when you want more.

Career empowerment isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with confidence and clarity. It’s about speaking up, showing up, and stepping into your power—whether you’re literally rocking red heels or not.

So here’s your September reminder: you don’t have to hustle harder to prove your worth. You already are worthy. Move into this season with purpose, unapologetically.

xoxo,

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