The best perk of self-employment – Taking August Off
In todayβs constantly ON world, it is so hard to escape the pressures of feeling like you cannot put your guard (a.k.a the phone) down or else youβll miss a lead, a collaboration or a genuine cry for help.
It is genuinely hard to switch off because especially the social media is so addictive and it takes conscious effort to train your brain as well as the twitch in your hands (to seek for the said distractions) to actually take a pause.
Switching off doesnβt come naturally for me. Bit like dieting really!
BUT when I do switch off, magical things happen.
I create space for reflection and taking stock of what Iβm doing and whether this still aligns with where I want to be.
It gives me time to centre myself and feel more grounded, this includes being more present in the moments that matter and to assess where I am in my journey.
It was not an overnight change for me, it took planning and conscious thought and this is how I did it.
Up until July, everything was go go go and being ON 24/7 was starting to burn my candle out.
I took a much needed break, when things didn’t seem as hectic, events and launches took a pause and generally people took their foot off the gas a little in terms of marketing.
This is the second August I took off and it was so refreshing!
Back in the corporate world, which I left so reluctantly nearly 4 years ago now, I never felt this refreshed after a holiday. Not sure I ever took more than 2 weeks off in a chunk either. And the stress before the holiday and after getting back was also so overwhelming that the benefits of a break would wash away almost instantly!
When I set out to work for myself, I was determined to make it work around my family, including the school holidays.
First year, I really didn’t know what to expect, fresh out of corporate bubble I took every project going. Second year, was a little more sensible and I was able to build structure and develop boundaries where work and life could co-exist.
Last August was my third summer and I went cold turkey and took the entire August off.
The longest break from work I have ever had since leaving school!
Yes it did mean a little extra work in July and September but it was worth it! It was so empowering and probably the best perk of working for yourself.
That’s when I knew I wanted to repeat that feeling again.
This year, I was so grateful for the post-pandemic influx of new clients and the many exciting plans and projects in the Autumn that I felt I needed to keep things going at least a little.
So I worked 8 days over the entire month. Not bad right?
What did I do in those 8 days?
π«ππ 1 – Mega brainstorming session with client 1 – where we reviewed and reflected on the events over to date (in excess of 40 in just the pandemic year!), taking on board any feedback received and drafted a strategy for the year ahead. A whole year in a day!! This was the most energetic and positive brainstorming Iβve ever done on Zoom ππ
π«ππs 2 & 3Β β Copywriting for new website pages for Client 2 and finishing off brand new site copy for Client 3
π«ππΒ 4 β Launch SOS session delivered to an amazing mindset and business strategy coach who was feeling like she was going from one launch to the next and wanted to find a more sustainable route to unveil new services.
π«ππΒ 5 β Wrote a blog about the side effects of a bespoke launch plan (link in comments for this)
π«ππΒ 6 β Sales call with a serial training provider, who is looking for marketing support for the daily retreats he is planning!
π«ππΒ 7 β Coaching call with my lovely 1:1 client with whom I am working to launch her Mindfulness course
π«ππΒ 8 β Call with an events video producer to discuss collaboration opportunities plus Business planning day and CEO time (more info to come!)Β
How was your August?