While I’m no expert in business. I have been able to see some rhythms form of slow and busy seasons where I’m working TOO much or wanting to work more.

So I figured I’m not alone in this, and wanted to share a few tips with my fellow business owners on what you could do in a slower season.

The great thing about your business, the further you get into it, is that you can anticipate these seasons and work hard to make sure you aren’t idle or lose momentum for when the busyness does come.

Again, I am not an expert, but I’ve found that these things have been helpful as I have walked through a slower patch in my two years of business.

Review Your Client Process

This is the first thing I recommend. While you don’t have any clients, or if you have a few, take a deep look at your client process. Evaluate if it is working. Have you received some feedback that could spur you on and help your business improve? Then work on including that!

Take time to review the start to finish of each of your offerings and make sure that you’ve incorporated items that you may have skipped, or add in that thing you keep forgetting on every project.

I review all my checklists in my project management system. I also reorganize them to make sure they are easy to follow and include the items I need.

I pretend I’m a client and walk through the process to make sure it’s seamless and easy to follow.

Update Your Website

I’m not just saying this because I’m a web designer. But think about when was the last time you swept the cobwebs on your website?

Do you have the most recent images of you on there? What about the photos from your favourite session? Take some time to review the site and update images AND copy. Reread the text and see if you need to update any information.

Make sure you are putting your best foot forward with your website and utilizing this downtime can be just the thing to help give your business a nice little breath of fresh air.

And if you need help updating your website, don’t be afraid to pop into my inbox!

Batch Work on the Mundane Tasks

This by far is my favourite thing to do. Take all those blog posts you’ve been sitting on and finally write them. Or batch those IG captions you’ve been meaning to.

Take the time to write and schedule out work so that when you are too busy to brush your teeth in the busy season, you know that your marketing channels are taken care of.

Build Out a New Offer

Have you been sitting on a great idea for your business but don’t know when to publish it? Work on it in busy season!

This is such a simple and I’d say intuitive thing to do. But it can easily be overlooked because we are seeking more work. However, I think it’s important to take the time and build out the new offer in this slower season so that you have something you can market, and attract new clients with!

Get Your Backend of Business in Order

I’m talking about your contracts, payment systems, and finances. Maybe this is the time to talk with a lawyer to review your contracts. Or chat with your accountant to help plan out the rest of the year.

All those nitty gritty things that can be boring **sorry if you are a lawyer or accountant** and get them squared away so when the busy season comes, you feel prepared and confident you’re protected.

Do Something Fun

This one might be my second favourite thing to do. In slower seasons I’m working on creating passion projects, which you’ll see more of me sharing in the few weeks I’m on maternity leave. But also because WHY NOT!?

Go create something fun, host a styled shoot, or grab a friend and go take photos on a hike. Do something that is out of your normal routine and that you can stretch your creativity.

I find being able to create some passion projects helps keep my mind clearer when I am working with new clients. I also usually pick up some new skills while I’m doing that, so it really helps me become a better designer!

Rest

This I think is the MOST underrated thing we as business owners do. REST in your slow season. Take some time off! Read those books that are piling on your nightstand. Don’t feel like you have to schedule work in EVERY waking minute.

Take time for yourself and just be. Don’t bring your business with you. Don’t think about work. Take some time to unwind and get to know yourself in a slow season. Treat yourself to a YOU date, and celebrate all you’ve done.

What Would You Do In A Slow Season?

I’m FAR from perfect at these things. And honestly, I’m writing them for me to remind myself to do when I have a slower season.

But I want to be able to have a life and business. Not my life be my business. So I think being able to take advantage of rest and batch working can help me enjoy these slower days before work picks up.

I’d love to know what else you’d include on this list. Let’s chat on the ‘gram about it!