September has rolled around, and with it has come a total loss of momentum on the work front following an eventful summer. As an artist, how do you get the ball rolling again and make sure to stay on top of things now that everyone’s back to work? Fear not – the transitional period from summer mode to work mode is a perfect time to organize yourself and re-establish the trajectory of your career before diving back in.
Here are a few things you can do to ensure a smooth and exciting return to the studio.
1. Give Yourself an Assignment
Whether it’s a skill you want to learn, a project you want to complete or a computer program you want to master, give yourself daily assignments so you know exactly how to tackle it. Make a list of the steps required to get to the level of proficiency you’re looking for, and then break them down into smaller and smaller chunks until you’re left with a proper to-do list. It’ll feel much easier to approach this way, and you’ll have a better idea of understanding of and say in the timeline of the process.
| Read also: How to set realistic goals to promote your music
Think of it as having the same purpose and layout as a college course syllabus; section your learning into different units, and section those units into smaller parts. Sometimes when you’re starting from scratch, you simply don’t know what you don’t know, making it hard to break down the subjects you need to learn or edits you need to make. If you are learning a skill, let’s say an instrument or music theory as a whole, there are ways to find breakdowns of the subject online.
Ask ChatGPT to create a class syllabus on everything you need to know about your topic and continue getting more specific until you feel like you have a list of doable daily tasks. You can also check out YouTube videos that overview your topic and observe how the creator broke it down. Doing this will greatly expedite the learning process and eliminate the feeling that you have an overwhelming mountain of information to go through and absorb.
Here’s what I mean:
2. Set up Sessions and Meetings
The summer was full of holidays, time with family and friends, and great shows (festival season, of course); this means many music-makers and industry players are in high spirits and ready to get back to work. Now is a great time to reach out to them – you’re catching them in a great mood and with a likely lighter schedule than during other seasons.
Contact producers and engineers about getting a couple studio sessions in when they’re back. Send a few melody or lyric ideas to fellow artists that you’d want to collaborate with on a track. You can even get in touch with creatives in other disciplines to set up visual projects such as music videos or photoshoots. The “back to school” mindset also exists within labels.. perhaps a meeting with an A&R or label-head is worth pushing for given that they’re looking for a new round of artists to invest in.
The idea here is to take advantage of the fresh mindset that some good weather and a little time off can bring, especially to creatives, and set up sessions and meetings to share ideas and further your career. Use social psychology to your benefit!
3. Outline Your Midterm Goals
Take a step back and look at what your career currently needs right now. Do you need more songs out? More visuals? More social media presence? Figure out where you need to allocate more time and set an attainable goal for yourself. This could look like “write a verse every day”, “post 3 times a week”, or “have 2 music videos filmed and edited by October”. There is no limit to the generality or specificity of your goals – just make sure you understand the big picture and know what steps you need to take to get you there. Within a few months, what was once your career’s weak point will be a strong suit.
| Read also: Social Media Content Creation Strategies for Independent Music Artists in 2025
4. Start Fresh
Sometimes hitting reset is the best thing you can do for your creativity, productivity, and motivation. Try breaking old habits by starting fresh in certain areas of your work. You could produce your music in a new way, experiment with your songwriting style, dabble in a new genre, or even tackle a new DAW.
You’re guaranteed to find inspiration from pushing yourself, even if what you initially create does not end up being your final product. It helps to shift your thought patterns in order to keep your music fresh and avoid creative ruts.
In looking for new ways of creating, you’ll eventually be able to cherrypick the techniques and styles that you like the most and blend them into one. This is how all the best artists remain true to their sound but continue to evolve as musicians.
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