Why Slowing Down Can Actually Help Your Business
As August winds down and the warm days of summer disappear, it’s tempting to dive back into business full steam ahead.
For so many of us, the fall is a busy time for work. But, what if we were able to hold onto that slower spirit we enjoy through the summer as the calendar changes? We’re all about seasons of hustle now and again, but there’s something to be said for learning how to slow down and focus on what matters most no matter what season we are in.
Part of being a business owner is understanding - and getting comfortable with - the ebb and flow of your business. No matter what kind of business you run, the truth is: hustling harder doesn’t always mean more revenue. It’s easy to confuse the idea of working harder and longer days with being “a good CEO.”
But, the reality is that creating space for slowness and mindfulness in your business is important to your success. Working ridiculously long days with no time for breaks, workouts, family, or friends will put you on the fast track to burnout. And we know you don’t want that.
Picture this…
What if we kept some of the slow energy from “lazy” summer days in our business year round? Think about it… your day starts with a slow cup of coffee (you’ve made the switch from iced to hot), and maybe some guided meditation.
You ease into your desk around 9 or 10 am, reviewing your goals for the week and deciding what tasks are most important for that day. You work with focus and intention, stopping for a lunch break (no more eating at your desk!) and an afternoon stretch, and you wrap up in time to take a walk with your partner, kids, or dog.
Maybe you’ll even enjoy a nice dinner outside and your favorite sweet treat to round out the day. Doesn’t that sound much better than spending 12 hours working with no breaks to breathe or get outside? While it’s definitely tempting to believe those 12 hours of work will get you ahead, it’s not often that actually happens.
Build a life outside your business and lean into it.
We invite you to look at our neighbors across the sea. In France, they work only 35 hours a week and get many weeks of paid vacation. Not to mention, no one’s shooting off emails after hours and expecting responses.
They’ve built a work culture that honors people’s lives outside the office. While it’s tempting to believe they must not be productive, research shows otherwise. With limited hours, they’ve learned how to focus during their work time and make space for their personal life outside the office.
And it’s not just there that we see this phenomenon happening! All over the world, it’s becoming more clear that giving employees time to have lives outside of the office, to do what fills their cup and fuels them, is important and results in the same or higher revenue earnings.
Avoid burnout by taking a breather.
Lean into the idea that you deserve time off, you deserve time to explore and be creative. Adding breathers into your day - like yoga, walks, time with loved ones - helps you be a better business owner and creative entrepreneur. When you rest your mind, you’ll find clarity in your business.
You may find yourself being more creative. Decisions will be easier to make because you’re not so bogged down and you can see the bigger picture.
Remember, we aren’t thriving CEOs if we’re burnt out and struggling to keep our heads above water. Instead, giving yourself room to breathe, think, and be creative. Call it CEO time if you’d like. Because that’s what it truly is.
Want more help?
If you want more guidance on how to work smarter not harder and grow a business that isn’t just more profitable but it’s more sustainable as well, join us inside the Upleveler Society. We teach business skills and strategies through coaching sessions that will help you grow your business without burnout. And we meet once a month for a designated Joy Session to tap into everything we just described up above. It’s a membership unlike any other with one goal: to help you find more abundance doing what you love with more ease.
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