How to Prepare Your Business for Summer (Without Losing Your Mind or Your Momentum)
I spent 8 years teaching physical education. What comes to mind when you first think about being a teacher?
Summer's off, right?!
And let me tell you... while I did spend some time "working" in the summer (I was the head volleyball coach for 2 years, so I spent at least 2 nights a week in June leading conditioning and hosting volleyball camp), having the summer off to spend time at the pool, go to the zoo, and do all the fun summer things with my family was AMAZING.
So it was quite a rude awakening when I went from 8 years of summers off to owning a business and actually having to work in the summer.
For the first few years as a full-time entrepreneur? I STRUGGLED.
I was trying to work my normal school-year schedule (8:30AM to 1PM, Monday through Friday) all summer long, and I ended up feeling resentful of my family... not nearly as "free" or "flexible" as I'd imagined being a business owner would feel. I felt like a slave to my business… and that was the LAST thing I wanted.
Fast forward to now, and I have a 5th grader and an 8th grader. Which means this May, I have TWO kids leaving their schools and heading on to bigger + better things next year. (So if you see me in the month of May, no, I am not doing well.)
Welcome to what I call... Maycember.
You know how December is supposed to be the chaotic, overwhelming, everybody's-running-on-fumes month? For a lot of us growing businesses while running a household, MAY is that month.
My calendar right now has spirit days, cheer practices, award ceremonies, end-of-year concerts, field trips, and a 5th grade clap out. Oh, and I'm coaching cross country in the fall, so add coaches meetings and camp planning on top of all of that.
The thought of thinking past one week at a time has me breathing into a paper bag.
And yet... I know I have to prepare for summer now. Because having the kids home and running them around to camps and practices while still trying to grow my business means something has to give.
Here's the deal… as much as I WANT to tell you that you can perfectly balance your family and your business in the summer, you just can't.
It will NEVER be a perfect balance.
The goal isn't balance… it's making intentional choices about what you're saying yes and no to.
So, instead of trying to maintain your school-year schedule all summer long (been there, do not recommend), here are the steps I take every spring to make sure my business keeps moving — even when my schedule looks completely different.
ONE || Understand your business priorities
When we talk about business priorities, we're talking about the things that DIRECTLY bring in sales. Not the Canva graphics. Not reorganizing your inbox for the third time this week. The things that actually make you money… what I call your Income Producing Activities (IPAs).
A few questions to help you figure out what yours are:
What is my main offer that brings in the most revenue?
What do I do regularly that leads to sales of that offer?
Are there any additional activities that consistently bring in sales?
These are the non-negotiables that stay in your schedule, even in the summer.
TWO || Create a summer schedule
This is the step that changed EVERYTHING for me.
Working my normal 8:30AM to 1PM schedule all summer was leaving me feeling resentful and stressed. So I had to rethink what work actually looked like for a few months.
For me, summer might look like 8AM to 10AM and then again from 2PM to 4PM when the kids are at camp or winding down for the day. Or maybe I take a day off during the week and make up a little time in the evenings.
The point is figuring out what actually works for your family – not just defaulting to your school-year routine and wondering why it feels impossible.
Once you know your priorities from step one, you'd be surprised how much you can fit into a smaller window when you're focused on the RIGHT things.
THREE || Delegate and outsource
When you know your priorities, you can figure out what ONLY you can do.
For me, I'm the only one who can coach my clients… and I'm also the one who writes all of my own content. (Partially because I love it, but honestly because I've learned the hard way that my voice just doesn't survive when someone else writes it.)
But I don't need to be the one scheduling emails or creating graphics. That's what a VA is for.
And outsourcing isn't just a business thing. For our family, it looks like ALL. THE. CAMPS.
VBS, choir camp, cross country camp, STEM camp, self-defense camp... some cost money, some are totally free, but they give my kids something to do every day AND give me focused work hours while they're there. It's not that different from the school year, just a lot more variety. (And a lot more snacks I have to pack.)
FOUR || Plan ahead
If you're reading this in April or May, this is your sign to start planning NOW.
Not in June. Not when school lets out. Now.
Write the blog posts.
Plan out your email content.
Map your promotions for the next 3 months.
The more you can do ahead of time, the less you'll be scrambling to do it when you're also trying to convince a 10-year-old to put down the tablet and go outside.
I'm writing this post in April – along with a bunch of other content – so it's one less thing on my plate when things get chaotic in June. I've also already mapped out any launches or promos for the summer so I know exactly what I'm doing to bring in sales.
You don't wait until the week before school starts to register your kids for summer camps. Don't wait until June to plan your summer business strategy either.
FIVE || Be flexible
I say this in almost every planning post I write. Mostly because it is 100% a reminder to myself.
I am a control freak. I am very all-or-nothing, and when things don't go according to plan, my instinct is to feel like it's a complete disaster.
But life does NOT go according to plan. A few summers ago, my daughter broke her foot the week before we left for Disney World. Could NOT have planned for that. But we adapted… figured out what she needed to get around the park, and she had a great time even in a boot and a stroller.
You can't control everything. So give yourself permission to adjust when life shows up unannounced.
SIX || Enjoy yourself
Say yes to the random trip to the zoo. Take the vacation. Walk to get snow cones.
What if, instead of thinking about summer as the months you "lose" in your business, you reframed it as the months where ENJOYMENT is the whole point?
You prepped your business. You planned ahead. Your priorities are locked in. So when an unexpected Tuesday pool day shows up... say yes to it.
That's the whole reason you built this thing, right?
By the time June hits, if you've taken these steps, you'll be in a COMPLETELY different position than if you just... “wing it” and hope for the best.
You can still grow your business this summer. You just have to be intentional about how you do it.
If you want a tool to help you plan your week around your priorities (not just your to-do list), the SYS Planner is exactly that — and it works during the summer AND all year long.
Or if you want a free place to start, snag my CEO Weekly Reset and start protecting your time this week.
