How I’m finally taking the time to find out ‘what’s next’
It’s strange to me that now I’ve decided I’m taking a break my mind is saying, ‘Of course you are, that makes total sense’ but for years it’s been something I’ve wanted to do but have always found good reasons not to.
A little back story:
In 2010 I registered the domain BootcampIdeas.com and started a blog there about running fitness bootcamps. I never imagined at the time that I’d still be working on it most days nearly 15 years later.
Back then I was experimenting with all kinds of blogs. I made 3 different video gaming blogs (some that did okay), some useless blogs designed to host ads, a personal fitness blog, a free online workout site and others I can’t even remember.
Once it was clear that Bootcamp Ideas was getting the most traction I went all in on it but then after about 5-6 years I began to get some itches to try other things.
Each time I tried something new, the lure of the success of Bootcamp Ideas brought me back.
I love that audience, but have also known that it’s not really where my heart is, and I think that’s become obvious over the last 3-4 years as it’s slowly declined and I’ve been unable to adapt to the new way of online business. I feel if my heart was really in it, I’d be finding more success because I’d simply be willing to do things I don’t have the energy or enthusiasm for right now.
My Worries
I’ve always been worried with Bootcamp Ideas that I’m not doing enough.
I’m not doing enough to grow it, to serve and to create. But that’s waged war with my desire to not do too much. To not overdo it.
So I’ve been stuck in this weird in-between, and while I only work 15-25 hours per week I still freak out about:
Stopping the weekly newsletter
Stopping updating or writing new articles
Stopping the podcast (again, because that’s failing right?)
Not feeling a general sense of productiveness about the business
Not providing new content for my members
Letting my foot off the peddle
But here’s the thing, I took significant time away from my business after the birth of my 2 children. And everything was fine.
Why I’m Doing This Now
While taking time off from your business when you have kids is great, having a newborn doesn’t really give one the space or brain power to contemplate, experiment and explore what’s next.
And while I’ve taken a week or two (or more) off since then it’s usually during times of the year when we’re busier as a family, so again, not really time to take some space.
As we’re coming into Winter here in Australia, I feel like now is a great time to just be idle with this discomfort. There aren’t a lot of demands on my time right now.
Also something has shifted to make me feel okay about this.
If I had to say why, I think it’s because I’ve been focusing on two things:
Being calmer and more intentional about how I work
Freeing up time to explore new things (like this newsletter)
As I’ve done that I’ve realised how much Parkinson’s law had been in effect with my Bootcamp Ideas work and, perhaps, how when I’m not frantically working the work is less… satisfying? Like I’m off that rollercoaster of frantic and then feeling good that I did a thing.
Parkinson’s law: “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”
How I’m Planning to Take Time Off
As I mentioned in my worries, part of what’s held me back from taking time off has been the idea that the universe will implode if I stop doing something like sending my weekly newsletter.
And that that’s backed up by more practical thoughts like ‘What about my paying members? I rely on that income right now.’‘
Those two thoughts would often send me back into my Bootcamp Ideas work even harder. For some reason, I couldn’t separate these as two different things. I can still serve my paying customers while taking time off from the other things. Again, working calmer has helped me realise this.
So my plan is:
Go about this gradually, I’m currently in the middle of a launch for a course for Bootcamp Ideas. I’ll finish this launch and the 4-week course and plan to go on hiatus a week or 2 after (about 6-7 weeks from now).
Stop doing: Writing and sending weekly Bootcamp Ideas newsletter, recording and publishing my podcast, launching and creating new products for Bootcamp Ideas, creating and sharing social media content.
Keep doing: New content for my members (should only take 2-3 days per month). Still check-in with emails at set times each week.
Start with 30 days at this new pace with the option to extend to 60 or 90 days.
What Will I Do With My Time?
One thing that I’ve been drawn into again and again is coaching. I’ve gotten a bit burned out on coaching fitness trainers though as they don’t place a lot of value on business-type coaching. They’d rather do another fitness-related course or accreditation.
So every time I would try to move into coaching I’d focus on my current audience and end up feeling bitter and resentful.
Recently I realised that my issue wasn’t with coaching but that I needed better clients.
I’m wanting to explore coaching online creators and knowledge workers around how they can best use their own energy. I’m not sure if this is fitness/health related or more executive-type coaching.
I’ve also had a pull to return to work as a fitness coach, particularly for other dads. So this is something I want to explore doing in my local community.
Giving myself space to explore these rather than feeling like I have to hop between the sometime frenetic energy of running and online business and a slower, more thoughtful and experimental mindset feels very spacious.
Have You Done Something Like This? (Or Thought About It?)
I’d love to hear about your experience or what’s holding you back too if you feel like sharing in the comments.
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