Why I Step Back From Business During the School Holidays

Every school holidays, I intentionally step back from my business.

Not because I don’t love my work.
Not because I’m burnt out.
And definitely not because my business can’t run without me.

I do it because this season of life matters.

The school holidays are a pause in the year that I don’t want to rush through. They’re loud, slow, messy, beautiful and fleeting. And as a Mum, I’ve learned that these weeks aren’t something to ‘work around’ they’re something to honour.

What stepping back actually looks like

Stepping back doesn’t mean disappearing or abandoning responsibility.

It means:

• Planning ahead instead of reacting
• Setting clear boundaries with clients and communication
• Creating offers, systems and containers that don’t rely on constant availability
• Trusting the foundations I’ve built

I still support my clients. That doesn’t stop.
But I’m not glued to my laptop.
I’m not forcing productivity.
And I’m not sacrificing presence for the sake of appearances.

Instead, I choose slower mornings.
Afternoons at the beach or camping.
Reading books in between snack requests.
Letting the kids lead the pace for a while.

And honestly? My business has never suffered because of it.

The biggest myth about time off in business

One of the biggest fears I hear from women in business is:

“If I step back, everything will fall apart”

But what I see time and time again is the opposite.

When your business is aligned with your values, your season and your energy, it continues to support you even when you’re not ‘on’ all the time.

Clients still come.
Sales still land.
Opportunities still unfold.

Not because you’re hustling harder but because you’ve built something sustainable.

Why this matters so deeply to me

I didn’t start my business to miss school holidays.
I didn’t start it to feel torn between being present and being successful.
I didn’t start it to live in constant tension between life and work.

I started it for freedom.
For flexibility.
For choice.

And school holidays are where that choice becomes real.

This is what a life-aligned business looks like for me.
And it’s what I help my clients create in their own way based on their values, their goals and the season of life they’re in.

A gentle reminder, if you need it

You don’t need permission to slow down.
You don’t need to earn rest.
And you don’t need to justify choosing your life.

Your business should support you, not cost you what matters most.

And if the school holidays are calling you to step back, soften your pace and be more present, that’s not a problem to fix.

That’s alignment.

If this resonates, know that you’re not doing business ‘wrong’, you’re doing it intentionally.
And that’s something worth standing behind.