Preparing for the autumn season

For many of us, summer is the best part of the year. It might mean busy shifts for hospitality workers, but it also means long, bright days, holidays and - perhaps most importantly - glorious sunshine. Who doesn’t enjoy being able to sit out in a pub garden? 

Because of our love for the summer, it can be difficult as we progress into autumn and the days get shorter and the air colder. We might not be ready to wave goodbye to the summer, but autumn comes in fast, and before we know it we’re all sat around the Christmas dinner! 

To help ease into the colder months, here are a few tips to aid your transition. 

Learn to love autumn 

It might seem a tad obvious, but one of the best ways to keep spirits high is to learn to love autumn. Unlike summer and winter, autumn seems to pass in a flash - but there are many reasons to love autumn. 

The first reason to love autumn is because of its natural beauty. If you’re lucky enough to live in the countryside, or in a green city, autumn is the only time in the year when the natural world puts on its orange and yellow coat. 

How many years have you taken the time to really take it in? Enjoy the crisper air, take long walks, and enjoy a unique part of the natural world. 

You should also keep track of autumnal foods coming into the season - why not try foraging? 

As well as nuts, berries, and vegetables, autumn is the season that funghi love most, so you can get out in the woods or even your local park and find these thousands of varieties growing nearby. 

However, safety is a priority! Consider joining a local foraging group before going on solo ventures. 

Combat short days by changing your sleeping patterns 

Shorter days aren’t great for our mental health - it takes a while to settle into darker evenings, and dark nights can feel like the day has passed us by without being productive. 

Why not combat shorter days by pushing your sleeping pattern back an hour or two? 

Early mornings might seem like a pain now, but a week or two into the routine you may enjoy the quiet mornings, with more light in your days. 

Keep social 

Summer is peak social time for many of us, but this shouldn’t stop once we’ve passed into autumn.

Keep the momentum going and organise more time with friends and family. By keeping social, you can keep spirits high, and talking to friends is a great way to stay motivated. 

Eat autumnal feasts 

Autumn is a time of the year when some of the U.K.’s tastiest seasonal fruit and veg are ripe for picking. This includes pumpkins and squashes, kale, leeks, lettuce, parsnips, sprouts, artichokes, millions of different types of mushrooms, and even more berries. 

Take advantage of all of these autumnal crops and cook up some feasts. Roasts. Soups. Stews. Berries are prime to be picked and will make a fine crumble. Restaurants and cafes should be making seasonal menus and making the most out of the autumn harvest.   

Exercise 

After all those autumnal feasts remember to take some time to keep on top of your exercise. Not only can it combat all the sugary crumbles, but regular exercise is a great way to keep your mind clear and to give you a much-needed boost of dopamine that’ll help keep away the autumn blues.  

Become goal-oriented   

Autumn is a great time to reassess and get your work life in order before the big Christmas rush. Take the time to strategise and get your affairs in order.

Give yourself smart, achievable goals that will take you and your work to the next level. 

Ask yourself what you want to achieve in the coming year, and take the first steps to achieve that goal. 

Autumn marks the changing of seasons - use that to inspire a positive change in yourself, whether it is to make progress personally, or in your work. 

Take advantage of autumn’s marketing opportunities   

Just as you should be taking advantage of autumn to improve your personal life, small business owners should be considering how they can use the season to benefit their business. 

Aside from using the seasonal produce to create autumn-orientated menus, inns and hotels in the vicinity of woodlands should consider running autumnal campaigns to try and get more people to make the most out of the views. 

Autumn may be a seasonal low for the hospitality industry, but that is all the more reason to make changes and try new things to generate more visitors. Use slow times to try out new ideas. Why not try and use your venue to host alternative events? 

In autumn, people are always looking to try new things. If you have the space to host smaller businesses - makers fairs, yoga teachers, arts & crafts workshops, and anything else on offer - bringing fresh ideas into the establishment can also bring new customers, fresh ideas, and positive change.   

Businesses should consider joining Brigad this autumn to get themselves ready for the Christmas season. Brigad’s self-employed professionals are highly skilled workers, who are both devoted and reliable.