New Practices for 2019
I had illusions of grandeur… you know, have all of the things ready for the business when the clock hit midnight on December 31st. I took some time off around the holidays and had every intention to spend some of that down time to pour into my business, plan out my marketing, design ads for the Peach and beautiful graphics to accompany all of the eloquently written blogs I was going to write.
Then the holidays happened and my week off was spent playing with all of the gadgets and toys Santa delivered, stuffing my face with all of our family favorites, and just being “mom”. That time unplugged was priceless.
During the hustle of January I learned a few things that I’m going to put into practice in 2019 that will help me SIMPLIFY. (Yeah, that is going to be my word for the year.)
Office Hours & Brainstorm Sessions
Have you ever felt like taking time to pour into your own business means you aren’t making money? Just me? It’s alright, I can own this one. Over the past (almost) 5 years, I have spent countless hours working on pretty things for everyone else, but have left my sluggish and dried up ideas to myself. That is awful. I work on making others look fabulous, but my own business ads are dated and super slack. As my son says, “LAME!”
That’s changing in 2019. I have reorganized my design schedule to include “office hours” and “brainstorm sessions” every day (EVERY SINGLE DAY). Here is a peak at my daily schedule:
8:45- 9:45 = Office Hours
10:00-12:00 = Design Hours
12:00-12:45 = Lunch
12:45-3:15 = Design Hours
3:20-4:00 = Brainstorm Session/Client Calls
Kicking my day off focused on my business helps me put my best, coffee-filled ideas towards my business. Ending the day with a brainstorm/decompress session and client calls gets me excited for the next day and helps me recap what worked and what didn’t from that day.
Goals
I have been the WORST entrepreneur when it comes to goals. When I first opened the Peach, I just wanted to be able to pay bills and work from home so that I could be a much more present mom. The company grew and my goals never changed… I never dreamed about what I wanted the Peach to become. Last year, we received the honor of being named one of the Best of Gwinnett! That award opened my eyes. Other folks were recognizing how awesome the Peach could be, but I didn’t even see it. Last year, I took a step back to have a baby. This year, it’s full steam ahead as we strive to reach that BEST status again and reach more businesses with our awesome design talents.
Days Off
I’m including this here for accountability. Putting it out into there for all of you to see is going to help me keep my work to myself. During my days off, I was able to FINALLY feel refreshed. In order to be the best designer and business owner, this time off is crucial. Each month I’m planning at least one day where the Peach will close - no computer, no email, no phone. We will unplug and refresh.
We all have grand plans, but then life happens and we are busy in the hustle. My hope is that this year we realize that the hustle isn’t always the answer; that it is ok to step back and refresh. By setting hours to pour into my business, ending my work day at 4, setting goals and taking days off, I plan on 2019 being the BEST year the Peach has ever seen. The timing is nothing short of perfect since we will celebrate 5 YEARS of being in business in April. I’m scheming and dreaming up exciting things for that. Stay tuned.
