As creatives, we have a hard time taking time off. We compare our work days to those of the people we see online and think we should be working when everyone else is. But the truth is, we need rest and time off in order to create space for more creativity. We need to allow ourselves rest so we can better serve our clients and customers. In fact, this time off will give your mind a break from the stress and will allow you to grow your own creativity.

Today, we are going to talk about why taking time off is important for you and your business. In addition, we will discuss how rest can help boost creativity, when to take time off, how to make time for time off, and how to mentally prepare so you won't feel guilty during your time off!

So, earlier this week, Emylee talked about what it was like to prepare for maternity leave. Boy, am I thankful for every waking minute of work she squeezed in before sweet Penelope graced this earth. It made my job a hell of a lot easier. As one might imagine, with Emylee gone I had grand plans to go into business overdrive, get #allthethings done, do all the research for the year ahead and take some much needed R&R while she was sneaking in snuggle time.

When I started my business, I knew that my daughter, Olivia, would be involved somehow. I had always included her in “big girl” things (age appropriately, of course!). She was my little sidekick, so I ended up naming the company after her. Over the years, I have been surprised by how much of the business she has been interested in. She has learned so much from being involved, and I am here to encourage you to involve your kids in your business, too.

We’re gonna start this one out with a mega truth bomb: no one (literally, no one) cares about the price of what you offer. Yet so many of us let this stage of launching our latest products, services or courses hold us up. We learned very early on that the actual number behind what we offered (whether it was photography session, canvases, logo designs, or branding) was the lowest thing on the list of concerns for our buyer. So we put our focus elsewhere.

The topic of pricing comes up a lot in our community (on Facebook and via email) and it’s a hot topic for the creative industry as a whole. We are tied so personally to our offers that it’s difficult to take our emotions out of the pricing. So we fumble with the numbers until we find something that feels comfortable and safe. Sound familiar?

Hate is a strong word. But sometimes, a job is THAT bad. If it is, you’ve got no business “sticking-it-out.”

Before starting my business, I was stuck in a toxic work environment. I didn’t leave because I didn’t think I could. I became someone I didn't recognize - stressed all the time, negative, and just plain unhappy.