Have you been thinking of packing it in for the remainder of the month and heading to the beach? Or at least wishing that were possible? Me, too.
Because of its heat and slow demeanor, I’ve often thought that the only good use of August is vacation. This year, I have a new perspective and motivation for this lackluster month. Some people say it’s all in the timing. (David Ives wrote an entire play celebrating this idea.) I think it’s actually all in the planning. With the minimal demands of August, use this time wisely to get yourself ready for a busy Fall that lies in wait just around the corner.
After Labor Day, people get back in the swing of things as we turn our attention to the homestretch of the year and possibly toward our plans for early next year. Though we may no longer be tied to a school calendar, the school year schedule is firmly cemented in our behavior. It’s a time for starting-up and to start strong, you need a plan of action.
Here are some ideas to make August as useful as possible:
1.) Make up a list of 5 people you’d like to work with. Take advantage of the back-to-school sales and buy some professional stationery that conveys your personality. You read that right – actual paper on which you will use a pen to create a hand-written note to each of these people. I am as big a fan of electronic communications as anyone but a hand-written card to your dream collaborators is a novel move that gets noticed. I’ve been doing this for years and it’s been an effective avenue for breaking the ice. Recently, I set up a very exciting connection that I’ll be telling you about in the next few weeks, all thanks to a hand-written note in which I enclosed my business card (also printed on paper.)
2.) Work on a fun project (or 2 or 3) for your portfolio. My friend and collaborator, Michael, is the Founder of Third Place Media. He has filled up his plate this month with fun projects that he enjoys, enhance his skills, and expand his portfolio. Quite an effective use of August time. I’m excited to see what September holds for him, and for the rest of us engaging in builds this summer.
3.) Rest and rejuvenate. What? Didn’t I just say August should be used to plan? I sure did, and that means making sure you are in tip-top shape for the Fall – mind, body, and spirit. And there are no shortage of ways to do this: read a book, learn something new, draw, paint, go for a run along the water on a sunny day, hang out with your pup in a beautiful park, whip up a new recipe thanks to all of the amazing produce now in season, got to an art show, listen to live music, see a play.
4.) Use this down time to seek out sources of inspiration and relaxation. The more relaxed and inspired you are, the more inspiring you’ll be to others and nothing attracts busy, helpful bees more than inspiring honey. Need ideas for inspiration. For ideas, see #3 above.
5.) Connect with old friends and make some new ones over tea, cocktails, or a meal at your favorite sidewalk cafe. Your network will take you everywhere you want to be.
Here’s to a productive August that makes for a successful Fall for all of us!
Published by Christa Avampato
IN BRIEF
Author, journalist, digital product manager, and licensed New York City tour guide. Creator and host of NYC's Secrets and Lies. Alumna of the University of Pennsylvania (BA), the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA), Arizona State University (Biomimicry), and the University of Cambridge (MSt in Sustainability Leadership).
I build digital media platforms, report on urban climate resilience and biodiversity, and produce live narrative experiences that connect communities to history, nature, and place.
THE DEEP DIVE
My work centers on a single thread: building systems and stories that foster deep connection to our shared world. Across digital streaming, environmental reporting, and live civic storytelling, I design experiences that help people understand complex ideas and the environments around them.
DIGITAL PRODUCT STRATEGY & MEDIA LEADERSHIP
At Carnegie Hall, I serve as Digital Product Manager, leading product strategy, operations, and technical delivery for the video streaming platform Carnegie Hall+. I translate artistic mission into scalable, high-performance streaming architecture that reaches audiences globally. Previously, I led agile product and delivery teams across operations and compliance at American Express, managed Broadway theatrical productions and national tours, and guided strategic initiatives across cultural institutions.
ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNALISM & AUTHORSHIP
As a freelance journalist, I investigate how living systems, urban infrastructure, and human culture intersect. My reported features on urban decarbonization, biodiversity, coastal resilience, and biomimicry appear in publications including Smithsonian Magazine, The Washington Post, Mongabay, Natural History Magazine, and Foreign Policy Magazine. In fiction, I write the Emerson Page young adult novel series, alongside upcoming historical fiction and nonfiction works on New York history, mythology, and human resilience. I also write Togetherhood, a LinkedIn newsletter focused on urban ecology and community restoration, and co-host the podcast Frameworks in the Wild.
LIVE EXPERIENCE & CIVIC STORYTELLING
As a licensed New York City tour guide and live event producer, I transform urban landscapes into shared narrative encounters. I created, produce, and host NYC's Secrets and Lies, an interactive live storytelling series staged across cultural landmarks including the New York Transit Museum, the South Street Seaport Museum, and the historic tall ship Wavertree. I also design and lead site-specific walking tours exploring coastal ecology, food history, and neighborhood evolution, often with partners at Climate Week NYC and the Natural Areas Conservancy.
DOUBLE OR NOTHING MEDIA
Through my independent production studio, Double or Nothing Media, I develop ventures across media, ecology, and public history:
Digital Products & Strategy: Architecting scalable digital platforms, streaming experiences, and operational models for mission-driven institutions.
Environmental Reporting & Publications: Delivering long-form reporting, books, and newsletters grounded in climate resilience and regenerative design.
Site-Specific Live Storytelling: Producing immersive live shows and educational walking tours that engage public audiences in community history.
CONNECT
Website & Production Hub: doubleornothingmedia.com and christaavampato.com
Newsletter: Togetherhood on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/newsletters/togetherhood-7273771832221089792/
Instagram & Threads: @christarosenyc
Emerson Page Novels: emersonpagebook.wordpress.com/
View all posts by Christa Avampato
Have you been thinking of packing it in for the remainder of the month and heading to the beach? Or at least wishing that were possible? Me, too.
yeah, I never got that “let’s just sit around and not get anything done until after Labor Day” syndrome at every job I’ve had before my own venture. it’s a terrible waste!
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I agree, Michael. August is proving to be a wonderful month for those of us to take full advantage of it!
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