If you struggle with not working during this time, I want to encourage you to sit in the discomfort because taking time off is not just okay to do, it's necessary. It allows you to recharge game perspective and come back to your business with a renewed sense of energy and creativity.
I'm Amy Porterfield, ex-corporate girl turned CEO of a multi-seven-figure business. But it wasn't all that long ago that I lacked the confidence, the budget, and the time to focus on growing my small but mighty business.
Fast forward past many failed attempts and lessons learned, and you'll see the business I have today. One that changes lives and gives me more freedom than I ever thought possible. One that used to only exist has a daydream.
I created the Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast to give you simple, actionable, step-by-step strategies to help you do the same. If you're an ambitious entrepreneur or one in the making who's looking to create a business that makes an impact and a life you love, you're in the right place, friend. Let's get started.
Well, hey there, Amy Porterfield here, and welcome to another episode of Online Marketing Made Easy. So today, we're diving into a topic that's incredibly timely, maybe a little too timely, and that's how to find balance in your business and be present during the holiday season. And when I say be present, I mean with yourself, your family, your friends, and just really enjoy the holiday season.
Now, I know you might be thinking, uh, it's a little bit late. Like it's almost Thanksgiving here in the U S. So shouldn't we have been talking about this sooner? Yes. And no, listen, I could have recorded this episode and played it for you in late September or sometime in October. But here's the truth as entrepreneurs.
Sometimes if I give you an episode about getting your mindset straight, and I give it to you too early, if you're anything like me, you're like, yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't think of that right now. I just can't go there right now. And so I thought, well, if I make this episode very timely, like we are weeks away from the US Thanksgiving, and then of course we go right into the Christmas holiday.
Maybe I could grab your attention right when it's most important that you think about this stuff. And so here we are. And why am I recording this episode about balancing your business and being present with your family and friends during the holidays? Why do I think this is so important? Well, I think we all know, right? As entrepreneurs, we struggle with the concept of balance. I actually didn't even want to say the word balance.
because I don't think it's realistic. When I think of balance, I think of 50-50. And then because I've been in business for many, many, many years, I know that balance isn't real. One thing is always going to have more of your attention than another thing. When I work for Tony Robbins, the way he explained it is if you're thriving in this one area, you're likely struggling in another because balance just isn't a real thing. It's not how
human minds work, especially not in entrepreneurship. And if you're anything like me, and I hope you're not in this respect, but for those of you who are, you'll get it. If you tend to be an all or nothing kind of girl or all or nothing kind of guy,
then balance is really hard because when I say all or nothing, it's like, if I'm doing a digital course academy launch, I am all in. I have cleared my calendar. I have talked to Hobie that I'm going to need a little bit of grace for the next 10 days. I am all in.
And then when I step out, I am all out. I really struggle with moderation. And so if you can relate to that at all, then this episode is for you because I don't want December 31st to hit and you feel like you didn't get to participate in any of the fun things that you've been looking forward to. But I also want you to end the year strong. And I think that's important.
As entrepreneurs, we all want to grow our business. We want to hit our goals. We, again, want to end the year strong. And at the same time, there's loved ones who want to spend time with us. There's traditions that we want to be a part of. There's memories that we want to make. And I think it's very fair to say that oftentimes we can feel pulled in a million directions.
Now, the mature thing for all of us to do, and I'm including myself in this, is to plan way ahead and set up your year in a way that when you get to, let's say November, December, that you've designed a year where there is space, you've designed a year where if you do want to go all in with the holiday traditions, you can, because you're not working on a launch,
You're not in some big promotion. You're not being pulled away by some big event that you promised you would do. You've planned your year accordingly. And that's like
the big girl or big boy thing to do as entrepreneurs. But some of us maybe didn't do that for this year. We didn't really get intentional about how we wanted to spend the last few months of the year. So quick note for next year, think about that. When you're planning 2025 and beyond, no matter when you're listening to this episode,
Think about how you would like to spend the holidays so that when we get here next year, you've already mapped this out. You're already mindful because you have planned for it. But let's say that things have gotten a little crazy. Let's say that you've gotten behind in your goals and you kind of feel like you might be scrambling a little to close that gap with your revenue goals. Let's say that there's some things you really, really wanted to do this year and
you're now you're feeling a little bit overwhelmed or a lot overwhelmed by the fact of how are you going to get it all done. So that's why I wanted to make this episode. I'm going to share some strategies that will help you navigate this challenging time of year. And we're going to talk about setting boundaries, managing expectations, both for yourself and others, and how to feel good about your progress without sacrificing precious family time.
Before we do, have you ever shared this episode with a friend? Maybe you have a friend that also feels like they're maybe struggling as they're sliding into the last few months of the year. If you could grab this episode and maybe text it to them or share it with them online, I'd be forever grateful. My goal is to help as many entrepreneurs build businesses they love as many entrepreneurs as possible.
Okay, so let's get into today's episode. First things first, let's talk about boundaries. I cannot stress enough how important it is to set clear boundaries for yourself and for your business during the holiday season and know it is not too late. You're the boss. You can do this today.
This means deciding right now, yes, right? This minute, how much you're going to work from now until the end of the year. You might be thinking, what do you mean? I'm going to work as many hours as I always do or I'm going to work as much as needed to get the job done? Maybe not. Maybe let's not take that stance and instead be really intentional and mindful of how we want to feel on December 31st when it is all done.
So to help guide you along, I want you to ask these questions. Number one, from now until the rest of the year, we're just talking about holidays. We're not even talking about 2025 or anything like that, but these are actually good questions for planning 2025 as well. But am I taking weekends off from now until the end of the year? Am I going to take weekends off? Number two,
What time will I stop working each day to ensure I can enjoy holiday festivities? Parties are coming up, parades are happening, fall festivals, all that good stuff. So what time am I going to end work each day?
And also, third question, are there specific days or events I want to block off right now so I can partake in those special memories and events that are coming up? So are there specific days or events that I want to just block off? Right now, that's something to think about. Also, I know this might seem a little bit wild, and yes, this is something you probably want to plan for.
way in advance, so maybe for next year. But my entire team takes off the final week of December. So whatever that final week is, whatever dates it ends up being, we take off from the final week of December all the way up until the first working day in January.
And I think my team is very lucky, me too, because if I'm looking at the calendar, so for us, if I'm looking at 2024, I'm just bringing it up real fast. So from December 23, until January 2, which is a Thursday,
my team will have off. Now what's so crazy about this and it just kind of falls perfectly is that Friday, my team doesn't even work. So they're literally working really just one day the first week of January and then they get Friday off. Now, yes, I could have been a really cool boss and just said, just take that Thursday off and we'll start working on January 6.
I couldn't do it. I just felt like that's just a little bit too much time off. And I'm hoping my team uses January 2 just to get back into the groove of things, updating their calendar, giving their workspace ready, going through some maybe emails that came in that last week of December, cleaning up all of their Asana tasks, really reviewing the goals of the new year. Like that's how I'm hoping they're going to spend that Thursday. So when
January 6th, which is a Monday, they essentially hit the ground running. So yeah, but I'm a mean boss maybe, but I give Fridays off. So we all know I'm not a mean boss. Okay. So coming back to you, my friend, are there specific days or events you want to block off? And do I dare say, do you want to think about taking that last week of December off? Why I bring this up is that it's such a beautiful time to unwind, to enjoy the last few days of the year.
And I tend to do a lot of journaling, a lot of walks, a lot of naps during this time. I do a lot of reflection. I do a lot of personal work on myself that last week. I set my own personal goals. I've already set business goals at that point. I maybe get a massage. I spend more time with Hobie. It's just a really dare I say magical time, but it is. And so something to think about. And if you can't swing it this year, maybe next year.
Okay, so once you've answered these questions, it's time to communicate your boundaries. This part is crucial. If you have a team, any amount of team, I don't care how big or how small, you've got to let your team know of your availability.
and also inform your clients or your customers about any changes to your schedule or response times. And most importantly, share your plans with your family so that they can support you, hold you accountable, but also get excited to spend more time with you. So communicating, I know this sounds silly, but to yourself first, like getting the commitment. Yeah, you're really going to take this time off and then communicating with everyone who needs to know in advance. So quite honestly, so you don't check it out.
And don't say, OK, well, I haven't told anyone yet, so I don't really need to stick with it. Tell as many people as you can. Hey there, a quick word from our sponsor, Shopify.
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Okay, now I want to address something that I know many of you struggle with and I do too. And that's the guilt of not working. So as entrepreneurs, we often feel like we should be working all the time, especially if we're not where we want to be in our businesses, right? So you look at your goals, maybe you didn't hit your revenue goals. And now you're thinking, I don't deserve
to take the time off. When I say stuff like that, it always reminds me of something that Brooke Castillo said to me one time. So I was planning a four-day work week and I was telling her about it. And I said, I'm just really nervous. This is years ago. I'm really nervous if this stops productivity on the team, if my revenue
and profit suffered from this and if it just doesn't work and I feel really scared about that because even though I've reserved the right to say four-day work we aren't going to work with the team like we did a trial period and I told everyone this might not work but even just the thought of telling them we're not going to stick to it kind of crushed me and she said oh no no no
If a four-day work week doesn't work, if you can't get it together, you can't figure out how to be productive, how to hit your goals, how to get the work done, go down to a three-day work week.
This is so Brooke. I'm like, what? She's like, yeah, you don't need more time. You need to figure out how to do it in less time. And so thank God I never had to figure that out because that's just too much for me. But I liked the vibe of that. So this idea that we can always figure it out. It's always figure it outable. And you don't always have to throw more time or money to it to figure it out.
So if you struggle with not working during this time, I want to encourage you to sit in the discomfort.
Because taking time off is not just okay to do, it's necessary. It allows you to recharge, gain perspective and come back to your business with a renewed sense of just energy and creativity. So even if it's uncomfortable, even if you don't want to do it, do it anyway. I promise you, it is that important.
So how can you feel good about your progress during the holiday season without working around the clock? Well, there are a few strategies that have helped me over the years that I thought it might be fun to share with you as well. So number one, setting realistic goals.
Instead of trying to move mountains in the last, let's say, month and a half of the year, focus on one or two key objectives that you want to accomplish before the end of the year. Make them challenging but achievable. And really, the one that doesn't count right now because we can't go backwards, but for 2025, again, I don't plan big promos.
in November and December by design. And I might do little promos. I might do a Black Friday promo. I always do a Momentum membership promo, but they're all pretty low key. And I do that by design. So.
That's looking forward for 2025. Maybe you want to change that. But even now, you can look at your goals for the end of the year and say, are these realistic? Can I shave them back a little bit? Can I focus on one or two things that I want to really make sure that I hit before December 31st?
Number two, create a focused work schedule. So when you're working, be extra intentional about it, like your life depends on it. Block your time to maximize your productivity during your designated work hours. Have your awareness heightened during this time to say, I am taking this time off and I want to be fully present when I do so.
And I remember vividly ruining an Easter Sunday. I can't remember the project, which is perfect because it must not have been that important. But I remember worrying about something around work. I remember making calls on Easter Sunday. This was years and years ago. And my family was so frustrated with me.
I remember my mom especially because she was in the kitchen cooking and I was nowhere to be found. And I was embarrassed. And so that was like a little bit of a trauma moment for me that I thought I never want to do this again. So these things that I'm sharing with you, they're hard earned. I've learned them the hard way and I don't want you to as well.
I just want to put that out there being really intentional about your time so that when you're off, you really are off so important from now until the end of the year. Number three, celebrate some small wins. It's important to acknowledge and appreciate the progress you're making, no matter how small it is. So let's say you say you're not going to work weekends.
from now until the rest of the year, so you can enjoy the holidays. And it's Saturday morning, you've slept in if you don't have kids, and you've taken a long walk and celebrate that moment. And by that, I just mean acknowledge it. I'm doing it. I'm really making this happen. I'm doing this. And so I just want you to, at least if you're not celebrating the wins, acknowledging them. I think they're the same, but you get it.
Number four, plan for the new year. So, I did a whole episode about this, 731. So, emiporterfield.com forward slash 731 to give you a little bit of head start and a guidance on this. But if you do a little journaling and reflecting, it will allow you to feel more grounded as you start to plan for the new year. So, maybe you just need to get a lot of ideas out of your head so that you can be present with your family when the time comes.
And then number five, embrace the power of systems and automation. If you haven't already, now is a great time to set up some systems and automation that can keep parts of your business running smoothly, even when you're not actively working. Now, we could do small little automations with your email or with some systems in your business, but if you don't have a lot of automation and you don't really have good systems, then make it a goal, a specific goal, get specific about what you want to automate,
for 2025 and beyond. So maybe that's a good thing to jot down so that you won't be in the same place next year where you're scrambling to get it all done. So I just wanted to share some of these quick things. Again, set realistic goals, create a focused work schedule, celebrate the small wins, plan for the new year, embrace the power of systems and automation. These are some things that I want you to at least consider because it is so easy.
to get caught up in the relentless pursuit of our goals. We push ourselves to the limit, telling ourselves that the short-term sacrifices will be all worth it in the end, but the reality is life is happening right now. The holidays are a time to slow down, savor the simple joys, and connect with loved ones.
and watch really, really good holiday movies. And if you work your way through it, you will have missed the magic of just being with your family and slowing down. Use it as an excuse to slow down if you need to. So rather than trying to maximize every single working hour till the end of the year, I encourage you to shift your mindset.
Appreciate the process of building your business, but don't let it consume you entirely. Be intentional about the time you spend working, and then be just as intentional about the time you spend being present with the ones you love. Or just some solo time by yourself. What a concept, right? My CEO has a little one. She's four years old, and she's my CEO, so she is incredibly busy. And the other day, she got 24 hours alone.
And just listening to her talk about how wonderful it is. And she loves her baby girl and she loves her wonderful husband. But she just had a smile on her face. She said, I just got 24 hours alone. Her husband and little girl went camping for the night. And I looked at her and I thought, Oh my gosh.
I have so much love and respect for parents of little ones because I don't, you know, Kate is 22 years old. And so I get to sleep in on a Saturday if I want to. I have a lot of time alone or just with Hobie, but for those of you who are raising children, I give you so much love and respect. And I know that some of the things that I sometimes talk about aren't as easy for you.
And I always know that when I say it and I just want to give you a shout out. But I will say, you have something that I don't have. I think holidays are so fun with little ones. I remember Cade running in the family room in the morning. I remember the year he got a bike and it was like the coolest thing he's ever gotten. I remember making cookies with him and doing fun things and taking him to look at the Christmas lights.
I just don't have those moments, at least not in the way of looking at them through little kid's eyes. So I want you to have the time to love that because before you know it, they're 22 years old and they're in college in another state. Don't make me cry. Okay. So I know that we're all in different seasons of life in general. So I just wanted to give a shout out and say, I get it. I get it.
But I do want to remind all of us, including myself, at the end of the day, the memories you create, the laughter you share, and the connections you deepen. Those are all the true markers of success, not the number of emails you answered or the projects you checked off in Asana before the end of the year. So my challenge to you is to approach this holiday season with the spirit of gratitude and balance, or at least intentionality.
Celebrate your business wins, but don't forget to celebrate the people in the moments that truly matter. I promise, if you can strike that harmony, you'll end the year feeling proud, fulfilled, and ready to tackle an even brighter new year. I hope this episode has given you some helpful tools to navigate the holiday season. And if nothing else, just to remind you how precious time is. So don't waste it all on business.
And that says a lot coming from me who's obsessed with my business. So if I can do this, so can you. All right, my friend, I hope you have a wonderful, beautiful, magical, expansive holiday season doing the things you love with the people that you love most. And although it's not at the end of the year, I will say, because I have the opportunity right now, I wish you nothing.
but a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year. We're not there yet, but I just wanted to say Happy Almost New Year. All right, I'll talk to you soon. Bye for now.
