Happy Monday 🌞

We are well and truly into September now, and at this point in the year, I start to feel like we're rolling downhill towards a new year. The rest of this year — a time filled with holidays — feels like it’s going to fly by.

I absolutely adore the end of the year as that's when I get to start reflecting and planning for the year ahead. But September is another favorite of mine!

If you're someone who enjoys marking the new year with fresh planning and goals, then September is a point in time where we still have the chance to make progress before that fresh start arrives.

That feeling, combined with the natural momentum of back-to-school energy (I wrote about that back-to-school momentum last time), has me feeling pretty energized about what's ahead.

Here's the thing about having four months left in the year — there's still plenty of time to make progress on anything you’re working on, whether it’s at work or in life. The biggest factor in any change, habit, or goal is a combination of time and consistency. September gives us both.

Time + consistency = results

I've been thinking about this equation a lot lately as I look at my own routines and systems. Some have been going well — sleeping, journaling, reflecting. But others have reminded me that consistency is where the magic actually happens.

Take the gym, for example. I've been going on and off for over a year now. When I'm consistent, I feel stronger, handle stress better, and, with two young kids, I’ve been realizing I need strength training for longevity.

The system, in this case, having a gym plan tailored to what I need set for three days a week — only works if I put in the effort and if I stay consistent. Without consistency, I won’t see the results I want to see.

This applies everywhere. My email system is excellent in theory, but it completely depends on consistency. When I moved recently I was not checking my email — no regrets! — but that meant the system fell apart and with other moving systems I still haven’t gotten back on track.

One journaling session feels good, but journaling consistently is where I actually start seeing patterns in my thinking that I can work with.

The formula is simple: consistency + time = results. That's why I love September. We have this beautiful combination of natural momentum and enough runway for our efforts to actually pay off before the end of the year.

The goal here is staying consistent enough for that consistency to compound.

What's one routine you want to make happen in these next four months? I'd love to hear what you're focusing on as we head into the final stretch of the year.

I hope you have a lovely week ahead. As always, feel free to reply if this sparks any thoughts or questions. ✨

See you next Monday,

Hailley

P.S. I wrote about a similar concept in this post: How Smaller Daily Actions Can Lead to Better Results​

• Another example of consistency: If you’re trying to grow on LinkedIn, consistency and posting more often will pay off. Here’s the data from a recent study we did at Buffer.
• At work we’ve been using an AI notetaker called Granola, and it’s quickly become an essential part of how I work. Here’s how I’m using it.
• For some inner workings at Buffer, this post gets into how we’re building a team of creators at Buffer.

That's all for this newsletter! Thank you so much for subscribing. Reply anytime you want to chat. ✨

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