I Took A Month Off Social Media For Business Planning + Here's What I Learned
Social media can be an incredible place for connection and learning, it can also be heavy and toxic. I want to preface this conversation in saying my plan starting out was to take off 1-2 weeks from social media to focus on business planning, and, well…2 weeks turned into a month. It’s been a very interesting month and I wanted to capture for you what I learned so that it might be helpful for you both in business and in life.
Here’s how it started.
When I started my few weeks of focused business planning, I had a lot of questions for myself and my business. As a solo-entrepreneurs, we can be in a constant state of doing because of all the hats you wear. Tweak your website here, streamline that process there, market all the things here. It’s exhausting without boundaries, and part of your schedule should be intentional time NOT doing things. Strategic time to think, plan, write, draw, let your mind wander around a bit. It is a hard thing for me to do, for someone who loves to be in action and doing all the time. Do you feel this way too?
In an effort to be more intentional about having clear boundaries for myself and my business, there were a few primary themes that surfaced that I hope will be helpful for you too. Alright, let’s dive in!
Questions that surfaced in my 4 weeks away from social media.
When I took a break from content creating and planning for social media, some vital brain space freed up and I started by asking myself a very important question that changed the whole trajectory of my energy for the next several weeks, and for good.
1. How do I want to show up + bring value?
Stick with, this is a big one right out of the gate! I asked myself at the core of everything: How do I want to show up + bring value to my current and future clients? How do I want to impact their lives? This question I knew needed greater clarity because some ideas were crystal clear, others had become a bit fuzzy.
So here’s what surfaced:
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO CREATE THEIR BEST LIFE in the home they’re in, by teaching them how their home environment directly impacts this + how to change it.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO TAKE ACTION AND MAKE CHANGES to their home environment + improve their quality of life.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE WOMEN TO KNOW THEIR POWER in their home, and help them focus on what they can control in practical steps that aim to reduce overwhelm + build confidence.
I WANT TO HELP WOMEN CREATE THEIR HOMES into a place where they feel restored, creative, joyful and productive (and anything else they’re after).
I WANT TO MEET EACH CLIENT WHERE THEY’RE AT and encourage them on their home journey, wherever and however they want to start.
I WANT EACH CLIENT TO FEEL EMPOWERED by the choices they have in their home and confident in their ability to start with small actions.
I WANT TO SHARE WITH EACH CLIENT the most effective tools to help them transform their current home with sustainable, long-lasting results with strategies that fit their current season of life.
I WANT TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE and teach my clients realistic ways to transform their home that don’t require a ton of time or money, and can be done with their own two hands.
As I got clearer on how exactly I want to serve my clients and how I want to take care of them, I started asking even more questions about where my energy was currently going in my business.
By the way, you can’t do any of this without SLOWING DOWN.
This is one of the first things I discuss in my Declutter Your Home Masterclass, that you must SLOW DOWN to SPEED UP and put new skills into action. You must start by slowing down, take an objective look around to figure out what is actually going in your space. What do you want to happen in here that’s not happening now? What needs to stay, and what needs to go to focus more strategically on your big end goal?
Taking an inventory of where your energy is going in your business (or life) I’ve discovered is incredibly similar to taking an assessment of a room that you want to improve because you know it’s not quite right.
Where your energy goes in your business (or life) in general is exactly the same as assessing what’s working and isn’t working in your spaces throughout your home.
( Thank you God for this revelation during my slow down time!! )
So where exactly was my energy going in my very limited amount of time I am working during the week? To answer these questions, I had to take a break from doing all the things.
Friends, you have to SLOW DOWN + STOP.
Here’s more about what surfaced through this slow down…
2. What do I wish I was doing LESS of in my business?
+ WORRYING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA. My remedy: Have clear goals + boundaries for how and when I will show up on social media.
All of this may seem like it’s a no-brainer, but the climate of social media has shifted in big ways that can be draining to you as a human and a business owner. I also acknowledge that it is one valuable way I can connect with each of you.
A few things I do know is that I will NOT show up on social media and contribute to reminding people of current and past trauma. For example, I will not be engaging in highly heated topics that can be triggers for my tribe/clients (I’m not going to list of them all, you already know what these topics look and feel like). One of my favorite Instagram accounts afrominimalist shared this so well the other day; that we need to be highly thoughtful before we re-post information we find that’s simply in another format of info circulating around — and to be incredibly mindful of what we consume while on social media. It effects your whole being. If we have a conversation around home on social media thru Fuzzy Hippo Shop, it will be supportive, encouraging and motivational.
I care about YOU + YOUR HOME. Period.
I’m finally at peace with these boundaries I have set for myself + my business. I also know how I want to show up offline to contribute actively + positively to the world around me, including how I raise/guide my children to do the same.
I hope you too will set whatever boundaries you need to support your physical, mental and emotional health as it relates to social media, and focus even more on how you want to show up to impact the world positively offline. This will look different for each of us.
+ STRESSING ABOUT MARKETING. My remedy: Continue to grow in business and marketing knowledge, while applying this in a more human way to the people I want to serve + support.
Marketing is hard for me. While I love talking about how I can support and help people, I don’t like selling product. But that is essentially what a business is, am I right? Sharing information about something you have created, asking people to learn about it, and then if it is a good fit, asking them to buy it. A business cannot survive without making money.
I have some lofty goals about supporting my family in a greater way financially, as well and setting money aside for my children for their future education/life goals, whatever that may look like. I will have to sell the products I offer and I will have to sell services to my clients. These things I have to accept, and it is not easy for me, as a person who is by nature an introvert but can turn on the extrovert button on occasion.
A helpful mindset shift I’ve had, that may be helpful for you as well if you’re a business owner, is that I am simply going to focus more on SHARING.
I’m going to give myself the space to share more intentionally, be highly transparent with what I offer in my business, and allow myself to feel confident that the clients that need the support I offer will join our tribe in whatever way makes sense for them + they’re comfortable with.
I’m at peace with this mindset shift and I am excited to put it into action!
3. What do I wish I was doing MORE of in my business?
How often do you ask yourself this, in business and in life? This seems to be a highly important question to revisit from time to time, as your values do shift.
Our values can shift in both obvious/large ways + subtle/small ways.
I haven’t noticed any large shifts in the last year (even during a pandemic, which feels shocking) but I have noticed that some things that I enjoy and I miss doing have strongly revealed themselves to me until I couldn’t ignore them anymore…so what do I wish I was doing more of in my business?
+ WRITING. My remedy: Write more!! I’m doing it write now!! Progress!!
I can’t say that I forgot how much I enjoy writing, but more recently its been pouring out of me in a big way. The ideas + topics I’m looking forward to taking a deeper dive into with you feel endlessly exciting!
I cannot dream up a more fulfilling topic to discuss with you than improving your quality of life through your home environment!! Honestly, I can’t.
I’ve always loved writing. I’ve also always disliked reading (however I love reading with my kids). I don’t like being short winded. I like discussing things thoroughly to share deep understanding, insight and provide support/ideas through writing. I hope that a greater focus on blogging will be both therapeutic on my end and offer a lot of value to you, my readers. Make sure you’re on my email list to know when my new posts are live!
+ HAVING HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOME. My remedy: More of this! Keep having them!!
I want to demystify and crack open all the old, unrealistic concepts about how our homes work.
I want to talk a lot more about what’s influencing us in society with our homes, ideas that have been passed down about home, and what it actually looks like to “fix” the things we might need to lean into a bit more to make our homes both lovable, livable, and make life easier.
Recently I’ve become very concerned about the idea that some of us think that we will never have enough time or money to make our homes feel like ours + become a place of calm and refuge. I simply cannot accept this. I can’t. I know it is possible regardless of your season of life, where you are financially, and with whatever time you have available. I will keep pressing on to prove this to you + show you how, that I can promise you!
4. What areas of my business do I feel most energized by?
+ INFORMAL EMAILS + DMs FROM YOU ON IG: I love it so so much when you send me a message telling me about something you’re working on + the benefits of your efforts in your home you’re starting to see + feel that I’ve helped guide you to! Incredible!
I mean, what’s better than this? I feel so energized + inspired by you and the changes you make with your own two hands in your home. You don’t have to wait for some else, or wait for the perfect day to show up. You simplify have to start. But the most important thing I’ve heard + feel from these conversations is that your confidence in your ability to act and create change in your home is growing and you feel empowered. That’s massively wonderful. I’m here for all this.
+ SHARING WHAT WORKS IN OUR HOME: Being able to share real life in our home as it applies to decluttering, simplifying your patterns + systems, all coupled with design and how it can all be possible for you.
It massively energizes me and motivates me to share more helpful tips with you to try out as needed in your own home that have already been put through the ringer in our home. Our home is not perfect, and in fact, likely has a lot of the same imperfections that you might currently be stressed out and obsessing over. I want you to know you can make your current home amazing.
5. What do I wish people knew more about me +/or my business?
+ THAT YOU WILL CREATE THE POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR HOME. No more saying you’re not good at it, or it’s not the right time or you’re waiting on something or someone else.
+ BEING GOOD/WELL-SEASONED AT DECLUTTERING, SIMPLIFYING + DESIGN ARE ALL SETS OF SKILLS THAT ANYONE CAN LEARN. Don’t sell yourself short, with the right tools + coaching, you’ll have it down and you’ll have it for life. Stick with me, I’ll show you!
+ THAT DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME WILL LIKELY NOT SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS. But it will solve a lot of them. I’ve narrowed down all home environment/space issues to 3 LAYERS that I believe whole-heartedly that if all are addressed in some capacity, you can “fix” your space, then only lightly manage from there.
You must DECLUTTER (be intentional about what you own and own less), you must SIMPLIFY (streamline and create more efficiency in your daily patterns), and you must intentionally DESIGN to complete the story and curate what you want happening in your space. If one part is left out, you’ll know it and feel it almost immediately.
+ MY PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND STARTED IN ARCHITECTURE, THEN SHIFTED TO INTERIOR DESIGN. I have a lot of technical knowledge about all things buildings/homes (I’m also a licensed Interior Designer) and take this into consideration with all 3 LAYERS (Declutter, Simplify, Design).
But all that aside, where I’m MOST interested in is digging in deep with you is the environment you’re creating in your home. Understanding HOW to create space that work well, are livable, easy to maintain, and actively contribute to your sense of well-being physically, mentally and emotionally.
6. What am I most excited about that’s coming up next?
+ CLEARER BOUNDARIES FOR MYSELF + MY BUSINESS! Woohoo!!!
+ MORE BLOGGING/WRITING!
+ LOTS OF GREAT TOPICS TO DISCUSS IN OUR EOW (END OF WEEK CHATS) ON INSTAGRAM! Feel free to DM me or send me an email with any ideas for future topics you’d like me to discuss!
+ A FEW NEW PROGRAMS I HOPE TO ROLL OUT SOMETIME SUMMER/EARLY FALL! Here’s a little sneak peek!
SIMPLIFY YOUR HOME GUIDE
REDESIGN + REFRESH ANY SPACE GUIDE
KITCHEN + PANTRY ULTIMATE GUIDE
