Slowing down is not the same as falling behind
I know the guilt that creeps in during summer.
You are at the pool with your kids but your brain is running through the email you didn't send. Or an idea pops into your head and you can't stop thinking about it. Or you are trying to get work done and you feel guilty that the TV has been on a little longer than you would like.
It is a constant tug of war. And it is exhausting.
So today I want to share what the balance actually looks like for me this summer. Not the perfect version. The real one.
First, the mindset shift that changed everything for me
Slowing down is not the same as falling behind.
I've had seasons in this business where I pushed hard without stopping and those were also the seasons where I burned out, got frustrated, and was the least present for my boys. That is not the version of success I am building toward.
Summer is a cue for me to be more intentional. Not to stop, but to slow down enough to remember why I started building this business in the first place. And honestly, I am finding that this slower, more intentional version of myself is my favorite one. I am focused on what actually matters, my business is still moving, and I am building a deeper connection with my family at the same time.
That is the whole point.
What my actual summer days look like
Here is the real breakdown of how my days are structured right now.
In the mornings while my boys are waking up, eating breakfast, and watching their morning show, I use that window for myself. I read my scriptures, get through 10 pages of a nonfiction book, journal, do a little movement, and get dressed for the day. I am not talking full glam, just enough to feel like a person and not like I rolled out of bed into my inbox. I am really loving the slower paced mornings that summer allows in a way the rest of the year just doesn't.
After that I hop online for about an hour. I check emails, respond to anything urgent, and post on social media that was already planned and created ahead of time. By this point my boys are usually playing together or running around with neighborhood friends.
During the day we are at the splash park, playing board games, running around with friends. I am pretty present during this time. Phone is put away and I am just in it with them.
During afternoon quiet time I grab another work block, about an hour of focused tasks. And then in the evenings after dinner once we are all winding down and settling into a movie, I sometimes get in one more shorter session to wrap up any loose ends.
The key is that I have scheduled time for work and scheduled time for my kids and I am intentional in both. I am not half-working while half-parenting. I am in one or I am in the other.
On weekends when my husband is home, that is when I do my heavier work. Deep content creation, longer projects that need real focused attention. If he is also busy and I need a solid block, I arrange childcare for a few hours.
Scaling back on purpose
Something I want to be honest about: in the summer I intentionally scale back what I am working on in my business.
I am only focusing on the two or three things that actually move the needle right now. No in-person events, no networking, no podcast guest appearances. I am working on back end projects, keeping the business running, and prepping for the fall planner launch. When my kids go back to school, that is when I get more aggressive about being in front of people. Summer is for building quietly.
Batching is what makes all of this possible
If you are not batching your work yet, especially your content, this is the thing that will change everything for you.
I do this during the school year too but in summer I am even more aggressive about it. I sit down in one or two focused sessions and knock out all my writing, all my filming, all my emails for the week. Then the rest of my time is free to be flexible with my boys without feeling like everything is falling apart behind the scenes.
I batch by category. All writing at once. All filming at once. All emails at once. It saves so much mental energy when you are not constantly task switching.
Give yourself permission to have slow days
Some days the most productive thing you can do for your business long term is take your kids to the pool and fill yourself back up.
Be in the sunshine. Soak in the memories. Read a fun book. Journal. Let yourself just be a person and a mom for a day.
You built this business to give yourself freedom. Summer is a really good time to practice actually using it.
If you are feeling like you have to choose between a good summer with your kids and a good summer in your business, I want you to hear this: you do not have to choose. You just have to be intentional.
What does your summer schedule look like? Drop it in the comments. I would love to know how you are finding the balance.