As the waves of new Covid-19 variants have vacillated, social scientists at UC Davis and several other universities have studied our behavior and mobility.

Pandemic patterns show that consumers rush out after each coronavirus wave, eager to splurge on travel. They even have a name for it: “Revenge Travel.”

If you have recently tried to coordinate an in-person event, find an actual person on the phone, or schedule a medical appointment, it can feel like half of the country is on vacation and the other half wants to be.

But if canceled flights, waiting in airports for hours or days, lost luggage and spending a fortune on gas do not sound appealing, there might be a better option for how to spend August. Just as farmers spend the month preparing and resting up for the fall harvest, you can spend August close to your home and office, organizing (and resting up) for a busy fall while saving your hard-earned money to boot.

Whether you are an employee or are self-employed, once your colleagues return from vacation, they’ll be ready to return to business. For many companies, the fourth quarter is the busiest quarter of the year.

You can be prepared with new marketing for fall while staying cool in your office. Update your website, contact lists, and social media to get ahead of the competition. Your planning will translate into action and sales in the fall. Even if you are not responsible for sales, August is a great time to update your resume, catch up on reading, and organize your workspace.

Financial professionals are always busy in the fall. Their schedules are generally packed by year-end and continue to be hectic in the new year. August is a great time to visit or give them a call, as many also wisely decided not to travel this month. Instead of waiting to ask your questions during their busy seasons, make a list and ask them for help now. (They might even have time to go to lunch.)

Most schools start earlier than they used to, so kids often return to school in mid-August. Start thinking about how you will use the extra time when they head back to school and how you can make lunch prep, transportation and after-school activities easy on yourself.

I use downtime inside (since it is hot anyway) and make August the time to improve things at home. To start, ask yourself how you can make life easier, more efficient, and more fun. Make a list. Begin by spending a short amount of time, like 20 minutes daily, doing one thing to make life easier. Earn extra credit for using something you already have in the house to accomplish the job instead of buying something new.

Since this is still a financial column, examples of small personal finance jobs could include installing a mail holder and shred basket near the front door, closing unnecessary bank or online “monthly” accounts, clearing the paperwork off of horizontal surfaces (especially the dining room table), or setting up a folder for all of your tax information. Maybe try out some new financial apps that simplify your finances. Some applications can consolidate all your accounts on one screen. Others can manage and automatically cancel subscriptions you are not using.

Some non-financial small jobs I have completed included cleaning out one drawer that could barely close, planting a window sill herb garden, and installing hooks for dry cleaning and scarves. It only took 20 minutes for my husband to hang a hummingbird feeder in my study window, which brings joy daily. (Bonus points if you can encourage your spouse to join those plans for August.) I recommend mixing “simplifying” with “fun” or creative jobs so it does not become too tedious. Be sure to pick the simplest jobs first and check the tasks off your list to build confidence and make it a habit.

Just because you have decided to prep for fall instead of flying or driving long distances does not mean August has to be just another work month. Find inexpensive activities close to home. For example,  swimming at the local pool is not just for kids. Our park has free times available for adults only and an aquatic fitness program for seniors. There are also websites that list day passes for pool use at local hotels (starting at $25 per person) and sites that list private pools for rent (starting at $15 per hour).