As a federal holiday in the U.S. since 1894, Labor Day is entrenched in the American experience. It means different things to different people: Respect for the hard work of individuals, past and present. The end of summer. The beginning of school (that is, if you’re lucky enough to not return mid-August). The last day to wear white shoes. But one universal association with Labor Day is a three-day weekend.

In our competitive, always-connected economy, many people feel compelled to do a little bit of work over the holiday weekend. Just sneak in a few hours of work before the kids wake up. Catch up on a project during the car or airplane ride. Check email before a cookout.

Here’s our advice: Don’t do it!

Ignore your laptop and use this weekend how you’re supposed to: Just rest. Play in the yard. Have a BBQ with friends. Watch football. Run around barefoot. Take this opportunity to enjoy yourself and recharge your batteries. You’re going to need it.

When you return to work on Sept. 3, it will be the first work day of the final third of 2013. This is the perfect time to analyze your B2B marketing campaigns. See what’s working for you this year and what isn’t. Review your successes, and learn from your missteps.

These next four months will require dedication and concentration to meet your annual goals. Hopefully your marketing is on schedule. If so, then September will be a great time to introduce some new strategies. A corporate blog may be a project waiting on the sidelines. Or you may need to take another look at the email newsletter that you and your team never had time to start earlier in the year.

Use this holiday weekend to gear up for a productive finish for 2013. You’ve worked hard all year, and you want to finish strong. Make this year your company’s best marketing year ever!

Don’t do it alone! If you need help with your company’s B2B marketing, call Proven Systems. We’ll help you stay strong through the end of the year and beyond.