When revenge travel ebbs, reorganize the workspace – Press Enterprise

As the waves of new Covid-19 variants have faltered, social scientists at UC Davis and several other universities have been studying our behavior and mobility.

Pandemic patterns show that consumers rush out after each coronavirus wave, eager to spend on travel. They even have a name for it: “Revenge Travel”.

If you’ve recently been trying to coordinate an in-person event, find a real person on the phone, or schedule a doctor’s appointment, it can feel like half the country is on vacation and half wants to be.

But if canceled flights, hours or days of airport waits, lost luggage and a fortune on gas don’t sound tempting, there might be a better way to spend August. Just as farmers spend the month preparing and resting for the fall harvest, you can spend August close to your home and office, preparing for (and resting for) a busy fall while saving your hard-earned cash.

Whether you are an employee or self-employed, as soon as your colleagues return from vacation, they are ready to get back to business. The fourth quarter is the busiest quarter of the year for many companies.

You can get ready for fall with new marketing while staying cool in your office. Update your website, contact lists and social media to stay ahead of the competition. Your planning will be translated into action and sales in the fall. Even if you’re not responsible for sales, August is a great time to update your resume, do some reading, and organize your workspace.

Financial professionals are always busy in the fall. Their appointment calendars are usually full until the end of the year and things continue to be hectic in the new year. August is a great time to visit or call them as many have wisely chosen not to travel this month. Instead of waiting to ask your questions during peak season, make a list and ask them for help now. (You may even have time to go to lunch.)

Most schools start earlier than earlier, so children often return to school in mid-August. Start thinking about how you will use the extra time when they go back to school and how you can make lunch prep, transportation, and after-school activities easier for yourself.

I take advantage of the quiet times indoors (since it’s hot anyway) and use August to do things better at home. First, ask yourself how you can make life easier, more efficient, and more fun. Make a list. Start by spending a short amount of time, about 20 minutes a day, doing one thing to make life easier. Earn extra credit by using something you already have around the house to get the job done instead of buying something new.

Since this is still a finance column, examples of small personal finance jobs might include installing a mailbox and trash can by the front door, closing unnecessary bank or online “monthly” accounts, and clearing paperwork from horizontal surfaces (especially the dining room ) include table) or setting up a folder for all your tax information. Maybe try some new finance apps that will simplify your finances. Some applications can consolidate all your accounts on one screen. Others can manage and automatically cancel subscriptions you don’t use.

Some non-financial small jobs I did were clearing out a drawer that would barely close, planting an herb garden on the windowsill, and installing dry cleaning hooks and scarves. It only took my husband 20 minutes to put a hummingbird feeder in my study window which is a daily delight. (Bonus points if you can encourage your spouse to join these plans for August.) I recommend mixing “simplification” with “fun” or creative jobs so it doesn’t get too boring. Pick the easiest jobs first and check off the tasks on your list to build confidence and make it a habit.

Just because you’ve decided to prepare for fall instead of flying or driving long distances doesn’t mean August has to be just another month to work. Find cheap activities close to home. For example, swimming in the local pool is not just for children. Our park offers adult-only recreations and an aquatic fitness program for seniors. There are also websites that list day passes for pool use at local hotels (from $25 per person) and websites that offer private pools for rent (from $15 per hour).