The rapid weather change has dramatically pulled my professional focus. We are now in fall routines at school and at work, I’m wrapping up our summer sales season, helping clients make transitions in this off season and look at systems for the spring listing season. It’s a new world— and one that is best suited to tea, soft pants and slippers. Here are three items that have helped my thinking about productivity this month.

August has always feels like it has two distinct personalities— it’s the core of summer and yet the end of the month clearly has a crispness in the air and displays the first turning leaves. It’s easy to feel like the glass is half empty with these fleeting days.

My recommendations this month fall along this very duality— such appreciation for the life and laziness of summer and also the imminent hustle of the coming school year. Parenting for me these days has felt like this too. My emerging adults are one moment carefree children and the next pause brings big emotions and insecurity.

Here is a round up of some items I found utterly delightful this month.

1. Gallup Emotions Poll: Some records were meant to be broken…but not this one. Gallup released their 2022 Global Emotions Report this summer. Based on tens of thousands of interviews conducted in 122 countries, negative emotions have hit a new high across the globe. Data shows that the aggregate of stress, sadness, anger, worry, and physical pain people feel every day is higher than ever before in the history of Gallup’s tracking.

2. The Midnight Club SOUNDTRACK. So, I'll admit, I haven't actually watched this series, but I DID read Christopher Pike in the 90's and I DEFINITELY have core high school memories set to this soundtrack.

3. Proud Minnesotan over here.... but Lizzo!