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Today’s talking points:

Does everything on your to-do list feel like a top priority? Let me show you the top three things to focus on right now. Everything else can wait…for now.

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We’re continuing with our theme and going a little deeper so let me know if this sounds familiar…

You're in the thick of busy season. Your head is spinning. Your to-do list is multiplying each day, and you have this feeling of just desperately attempting to keep your head above water.

If you are in that situation, you're in the right place Boss.

Last time, I shared with you 3 strategies to help you not just survive but thrive during busy season. Now? I’m going to talk to you about how to know what to do, and when.

What do you prioritise, what do you cut, what actually MATTERS?

My goal for you is to walk away with clarity on what is top priority for you in a busy season versus what isn't.

I’ll give you permission to cut tasks from your to-do list so you can stay focused and peaceful even in the midst of your busiest work season.

Are you ready to dive in? Let's go!

this is what you should prioritise

Ok, the answer to the big question: What should you actually focus on when you're in the thick of it and when you feel like you're drowning? Let me tell you.

1) Customer experience

This is the thing you should absolutely not drop. Ever.

What do I mean by customer experience? I mean detailed communication and how you interact and treat your clients and customers, as well as response times and delivery times.

These things need to be the top priority in your business because that's what's going to keep your business continuing and thriving.

Plus, having clients that rave about you is super powerful marketing for your business, as they will keep on referring you.

2) your health and family

I understand how easy it is to neglect meals, forget about lunch, and work long hours during the busy season. Staying up until 3 am becomes the norm. However, I want to emphasise that you will actually produce better work, be more productive, and feel significantly better if you prioritise healthy and regular eating, sufficient sleep, and taking breaks. If possible, aim to take at least one day off each week, or even a full weekend. I recognise that during the busy season, especially if you're juggling a full-time or part-time job alongside your business, this can be quite challenging. However, incorporating time off into your schedule will make a big difference, so please try not to forget it!

I'm not suggesting taking three or four days off every week because that may not be feasible. I've been in situations where it definitely wasn't. Instead, try to take one day off as frequently as possible, or make sure you rest in the evening.

So often our industry glorifies working long hours, making sacrifices, and being available 24/7. Let's take a moment to laugh at how ridiculous this is. Burnout would be inevitable.

3) Marketing your business

Now, if you have any capacity beyond your client experience and taking care of your health, maybe you can fit in some marketing your business. After all, you want to keep getting clients and sales. (However, I would argue that your client experience is a form of marketing through word of mouth!).

Why not show up on Instagram, and give your audience a sneak peek into your work or workflows? Don't forget to showcase those rave client reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility.

I know it may seem like a lot, but you don't have to do it all. It's totally cool if you're swamped and can only handle a few of these strategies. Give yourself permission to prioritise what matters most—yourself and your clients. Sometimes, in the midst of a crazy season, you might need to temporarily hit pause on your Instagram marketing, and that's alright.

what not to prioritise

Now, let's discuss what not to prioritise during busy season. What should we remove from our to-do list? What can we drop?

These are the things that are not a priority and don't require our immediate attention because the items we just mentioned are our priority.

So, number one for what not to prioritise would be the expansion of your marketing. For example, if we don't already have a system in place for Pinterest, we shouldn't try to tackle it during a busy season.

Busy seasons are not the right time to take on something new. It's better to handle such tasks when things slow down a bit, during a slower season when you can focus on expansion. Trust me, slow seasons will come; they do for every business. So, don't feel like you have to do everything. If you see someone on Instagram getting sales from Pinterest, don't immediately jump on the bandwagon and overload yourself with a massive to-do list. Focus on what is most important. If you're currently overwhelmed with work, you don't have to tackle those additional projects during a busy season. You can save them for a slower season when you have the capacity for it.

Number two, what to drop, would be updating anything that's not broken. For example, avoid rebranding during the height of a busy season. Also, think ahead about this. I know if you're in the middle of a busy season right now, you might think, "Of course, I wouldn't attempt a rebrand or a new website design in the middle of this." However, from experience, I can tell you that I have miscalculated my own timing before. You might plan to schedule it in January when things feel fresh, but end up having to do all the work on your website during the busy season because the designer is busy until April. So, it's important to think strategically in advance. We'll be discussing this topic more in the 30-day Boss Project, finding the balance between planning for the present and planning ahead for the future. Other examples of updating what's not broken include updating your website in general, such as switching up your photos.

I want to be clear that I'm not saying to ignore or delete these tasks in your business. These are simply not the top priority during a busy season. Client communication, family and health, and marketing should take precedence over these tasks. Again, this is not a list of things to completely ignore during a busy season; it's more about which tasks you can drop if necessary.

Moving on to number three, what to drop from your list during a busy season is building out new products or offers. This may vary from business to business, as some businesses may experience their busy season when they are actually creating something new. That's what my busy season looks like right now. However, for many business owners, busy seasons involve marketing and delivering existing goods or services. For example, let's consider a wedding photographer whose busy season is usually from spring to autumn when they are editing and delivering numerous weddings or sessions. If you're in the midst of a busy season like that, don't worry about starting to build something new. If you're considering expanding your offers or adding a new big and shiny product, if you're trying to diversify your revenue streams by offering mentoring sessions or creating a new course, I strongly advise pushing those ideas to the back burner. I know it's tempting as a multi-passionate business owner to see those opportunities as big, needle-moving tasks that could greatly benefit your business. However, if you're in a busy season and you take on that big, new product or service, you'll either lose your sanity or you are going to drop the ball on your client experience.

The last thing that can come off your list that you do not need to focus on during busy seasons is being the “perfect Pinterest mum or wife”. Now what do I mean by this? It doesn't imply neglecting your family; rather, it means you don't have to aim for picture-perfect perfection as a mum or wife while drowning in a busy season. Let's break it down. Do you need to volunteer for your kids' cake sale during the peak of a busy season when you have numerous other tasks? No, you do not. Consider this as your permission to let go. Do you have to throw elaborate parties for every birthday and invite all the kids in the class just because other mums do it? No, you don't need that permission, boss.

You don't have to be the perfect mum or wife while simultaneously running a business and keeping your head above water. Social media puts tremendous pressure to excel in all areas. We see Person A doing something amazing and think, "I should do that too." Then we look at Person B and feel the same way. But those people aren't doing the same things.

In each of these areas, I encourage you to ask for help. Don't be afraid to let go of the facade of being a flawless, perfect human being who effortlessly manages everything.

you are not alone!

So, if you are in the thick of it, boss, I just want to encourage you to breathe. Just take a deep breath right now you are going to get through this, I promise you, it's going to be okay.

I want you to know if you're in the middle of a push season you are not alone. Even though it feels like it's just you drowning right now, you will get through it!