The September Effect: How Can It Affect Your Summer?

The September Effect refers to the decisions we make as summer begins, and which ultimately determine how we will feel upon our return. Whether we come back rejuvenated and full of energy, or exhausted before we’ve even started. This is precisely why it is essential to be conscious and intentional about the decisions we make during this period.

Every year, in September, office hallways are filled with the same conversation: ‘How was your summer? I didn’t rest at all.’ But what can you realistically expect if you’ve left projects unfinished and kept your work phone switched on? All you’ve accomplished is an extension of your stress, albeit with nicer weather. So then… what went wrong?

This phenomenon is known as the September Effect, which refers to the sensation that a new academic or work cycle begins while you remain just as exhausted as you were when summer started. It is the direct consequence of how you have—or have not—planned your summer months and the months leading up to it.

Why Does September Feel So Heavy?

The arrival of summer activates a contradictory logic within us: we want to rest, yet the inertia of work pulls us along. Only 38% of workers believe that their right to digital disconnection is fully respected by their company. We remain constantly focused on deadlines and ‘urgent’ matters, compounded by the pressure to push projects forward with a reduced team and the sense of urgency to wrap everything up before taking time off.

The conviction, often consciously held, that disconnecting is synonymous with irresponsibility, what we refer to as vacation guilt, drives us to check our emails on the beach, to respond to messages from the apartment terrace, and when we return, we have neither truly rested nor feel at ease about how the work has progressed.

The outcome? We arrive at September exhausted, with demotivated teams and productivity hitting rock bottom for weeks.

Active Rest VS Total Disconnection: The Great Debate

One of the most widespread misconceptions is that resting means doing nothing; however, wellness science suggests that this total disconnection can actually generate anxiety in those who hold positions of high responsibility, whereas active rest, that is, activities that do not create overload—proves more effective for the majority.

Active Rest:

Light physical or creative activities.
Reading outside the professional sphere.
Short trips and changes of environment.
Quality time without a fixed schedule.

Total Disconnection

Can generate anxiety in high-responsibility profiles.
The return can be more abrupt.
Ideal for severe burnout and digital overexploitation.
Necessary when boundaries have disappeared.

The key is not to choose one model over the other, but rather to know yourself well enough to understand what type of break your mind needs at that specific moment.

The 5 June Decisions That Change September

Summer is shaped from the very beginning; through these five inflection points, you will be able to organize yourself more effectively:

Define your ‘arrival image’ for September: Before planning your summer, imagine how you want to feel on that first Monday of September. Energized? With new projects in mind? With pending matters resolved? That image is your compass for decision-making.
Truly close before you leave: This is not about working harder just before vacation, but rather about prioritizing projects. Be clear about which ones must be closed, which can be paused, and which need to be delegated.
Truly close before you leave: This is not about working harder just before vacation, but rather about prioritizing projects. Be clear about which ones must be closed, which can be paused, and which need to be delegated.
Establish clear availability protocols: Define specific schedules, communication channels, and designated emergency contacts. Ambiguity is what keeps your phone switched on until 11 p.m. on the beach.
Protect your energy, not just your time: Having 15 days of vacation does not guarantee rest if you devote them to energy-draining activities. Identify which activities truly recharge you and give them the same priority you would assign to important business meetings.

The Company’s Role: Beyond ‘Have a Good Summer’

Responsibility for the September Effect does not rest solely with individuals. Organizations play a crucial role in determining whether their teams return recharged or exhausted.

The organizations that best manage this transition share something in common: they treat summer as a strategic planning phase, not as an uncomfortable interlude.

What the Healthiest Organizations Do:

They conduct a sprint closure before collective vacations, not a week of extra sprints.
They foster a genuine delegation culture; when you leave, you leave. Without guilt or unspoken expectations.
They schedule a re-engagement meeting to plan the return, rather than waiting until someone has collapsed after coming back from vacation.
They review workloads before summer.
They recognize that a well-rested team outperforms one that never disconnects.

Mental health-related sick leave accounted for 17% of all absences in Spain in 2024. One-third of the worsening in absenteeism over the past six years is directly linked to mental health conditions.

The Question to Avoid the September Effect That Will Change Your Perspective

When summer arrives, we all ask ourselves the same question: How much can I get done before I leave? It is a legitimate question, but not entirely the right one.

The question that truly makes the difference is a different one: What do I want to have accomplished in my professional and personal life by the time September arrives?

It is not a question about managing your time, but rather a directional question. Your answer to it determines how you must approach your summer: what you accept, what you reject, how you protect your energy, and with whom you share it.

This ‘September Effect’ is the result of all the small decisions made in the months before. Yet you still have time to change it.

Last-Minute Advice: The List of What You Will NOT Do

Before you go on vacation, spend 10 minutes writing—literally, on paper or in a note on your phone—the list of things you will NOT do this summer:

I will not check emails before 10 a.m.
I will not attend meetings while on vacation.
I will not respond to messages in less than 24 hours.

Having your boundaries written down eliminates the ambiguity that keeps your phone switched on. It is not a rigid rule, but rather a reminder of your intentions for when inertia pulls you in the other direction.

Ultimately, overcoming the September Effect does not merely consist of switching off your work phone during vacation, but rather changing our mindset from now on. If you apply these strategies, write down your own boundaries, and plan your rest intelligently, you will ensure that your return to the office stops being synonymous with exhaustion and becomes a true boost of energy.