While New York state has gotten it's first snow already in September, we just got the first freeze last week and I'm sitting on the patio typing this newsletter in fuzzy socks and sweater while it's a crisp and cool 65 degree morning here in the plains.
The weather is starting to finally change and the reality of November being just a few days away is hitting me upside the head.
This is also as good a time as any to bring up that next Sunday is already daylight savings again 🫠 lol
It's time to finally admit that summer is over and fall/winter is upon us.
And with it, the desire to shift my routines to match the energy around me. I feel myself (and the dogs) sleeping in a bit later as it stays dark later, and the evenings seem to be "less productive" as I start to wind down earlier with the sun.
It's got me thinking about previous fall seasons and how I haven't always been able to shift my routines with the energy changes. I have an immense amount of gratitude that I have the option the make more shifts than I ever have before instead of trying to push through to be the same level of productivity 24/7/365.
I know that your life may and likely looks different, so with this week's topic, the goal is about finding where you can shift, where you do have control, so you can start making changes there for the coming months. Focusing more on gaining information about your needs than being worried about perfection or mistakes.
Making Room for Change
In life, there are seasons and cycles that we are either subject to or surrounded by. Everything from:
Years of change and struggle and years of ease and flow
Childhood, teen years, and your 20s, 30s, 40s, etc.
Seasons like spring, summer, fall, and winter
Circadian rhythms like your sleep or body temp cycles
Infradian rhythms like menstrual cycles and in nature, hibernation and flowering cycles
Ultradian rhythms like Basic-Rest Activity Cycles, heart rate and blinking
Whether it's reduced sunlight impacting your circadian rhythms and cortisol cycles,[1] shorter days affecting mood and energy,[2] or temperature changes (hello climate change) impacting sleep quality[3]...
None of us are immune to the natural energy shifts that come with seasonal changes.
And I'm sure it's no secret that modern life conflicts with so much of this.
Standard work hours don't adjust
Hyper-productivity usually results in longer periods in indoor lighting throwing off natural light/dark cycles that impact sleep
Productivity expectations rarely account for fluctuation unless it's the most intense or difficult times in life
All of this leads to feeling like we constantly need to "push through."
In the intro of today's letter I put "less productive" in quotations because what is productive for me is relative based on the season, current health conditions, the menstrual phase, etc.
What I've noticed most is that fall and winter require me to flex my prioritization muscles. What has to get done? What activities give me the most bang for my buck? What can I do to be most focused during the days during this season?
Every little bit helps because the pressure to maintain consistent output regardless of seasons, hours worked, or individual or familial needs seems absolutely unsustainable no matter how you look at it.
Not to mention that social expectations seem to be highest during the naturally slowest part of yearly energy levels.
Holiday seasons ask a lot and throw us into:
Spending increased amounts of time on social events—balancing personal and professional obligations.
Dealing with sleep habit disruptions due to events, travel, food changes, and most likely of all—stress.
Being exposed to social pressure, expectations, and commentary on food choices, how food impacts energy, and balancing that all with your baseline energy management needs.
The physical toll of travel—adapting to different time zones, changed sleep environments, and disrupted exercise and other routines.
Expending emotional energy, balancing family dynamics, and setting and maintaining boundaries.
And last, but certainly not least...
Asks us to recover from all of the above with little to no additional time or support.
Have you ever said "I need a vacation after my vacation!"? Makes sense, right?!
As business owners or working to lead teams, you are also asked to account for varied energy patterns and capacities across teammates, supporting different cultural celebrations and traditions, and ensuring commitments are still met during time off.
Every business handles this differently.
Some completely close during holidays to create boundaries that protect time off.
Others expect teammates to be reachable during holidays.
Another may reduce deliverables or project load during the holiday season and focus on internal system clean up or optimization.
All of which require communication internally and externally.
Sometimes this is just an email footer reminder, a conversation on the last call before the holiday break, or it may start during the sales process 3-6 months before when booking needs to account for where holidays fall in a larger project timeline.
There is no one right way.
(Though I will forever be adamant that teammates being expected to be reachable when OOO is bullshit.)
At the end of the day, we have to set realistic expectations for ourselves and communicate them to those around us.
So this week, let's...
Try This:
Holiday Capacity Planning
The holidays are coming (whether we're ready or not!) So let's take a deep breath and instead of letting the overwhelm sweep you away, let's take 20-30 minutes to intentionally plan how you'll honor your energy and capacity during the next two months.
By setting realistic expectations now, you can create space to celebrate without burning your candle at both ends.
HOW-TO:
Grab your calendar and look at any commitments you've already made:
Look at November through January and note any existing commitments, deadlines, and events already confirmed.
For the known high-energy demands like travel, family visits, and major projects, go in and mark transition days. This is intentionally holding time to prioritize day or days after travel, post-holiday recovery, etc. to make sure you are refilling your cup.
Now do an inventory of any events you know are coming but might not know exact dates or times for yet:
This is a great place for getting clear on your recovery needs in preparation. This is a quick refresh and for me this looks like, reminding myself that appointments that could pop up should always be in the afternoon, I need to take the day before and after big family events off work, and I'm my best self when I prioritize outdoor time and/or movement through my busiest weeks of the holiday season.
Next, you'll create your capacity map:
For each week from November through January, label each week as High, Medium, or Low capacity based on the events planned (and for people who menstruate, be sure to keep track of expected cycle phases so you can take that into consideration!)
Use the below key for sorting each week based on the amount of commitments already planned in a given week:
High: Regular energy and availability
Medium: Reduced energy but available
Low: Little to no energy available
This allows you to easily respond to flexible social requests or make strategic changes to deadlines, new requests, etc.
Build in a few extra buffers:
In step one and two, you already placed recovery time and priorities around events.
If you said to yourself "I'm good, I don't need to add anything." This is me asking you to challenge yourself and try something new.
Pick your longest or most high-energy event of the season, and add more buffers than you think you need.
Add a buffer day before travel if you only added recovery after.
Block "no meeting" afternoon before your high-energy event.
Schedule a slow mornings after late-night events.
The worst that can happen is that you don't need the time and you can do some extra focus work 🤷🏻♀️
Set clear boundaries by writing them down:
What are your "office hours" during holiday weeks?
Which days you're completely unavailable?
What are response time expectations during low capacity periods?
Do any deadlines or delivery timelines need adjusted after reviewing the next two months?
Set aside time during the week to complete any communication needs that came up from this exercise:
Inform clients of holiday schedules
Set up reminders to set out-of-office messages or email footer updates
Communicate capacity changes to your team
Send deadline adjustments or updates
PERSONALIZE IT:
Buffer and recovery times should be based on your unique needs
Consider your energy patterns when scheduling flexible timed events
Factor in any seasonal health considerations
Account for family-specific traditions or obligations
Include your non-negotiable self-care practices first, then see what you have capacity for
This time of year asks a lot of us and that's not a bad thing. It's when it asks more than we can reasonably or sustainably give that I have a bone to pick. So this week, I have two reminders for you to close out your exercise:
Plans can (and will) change, and that's okay! This exercise gives you a framework to get started with, but remaining flexible and compassionate with yourself as the season unfolds is key to reducing stress.
The sooner you communicate your needs—whether personally or professionally—the easier it is to be flexible and make adjustments. Protect your peace, but also don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone when your needs and best interests are at heart.
From My Journal
I had my first therapy session after a few weeks on my new medication and it's been interesting to watch the daily shifts but also how I show up differently in the same spaces I always occupy.
Seeing my ability to dive even deeper and hold the various parts of myself easier. It's exciting and I'm trying to stay open-minded and curious as I move through what is always my most difficult time of year. Reminding myself that there will be ups and downs no matter what.
Part of our discussion lead to how I've spent much of my burnout recovery collecting and integrating all the different parts of me. This process got me thinking a lot about all the "versions" of myself that have existed. Not in the past "25 year old me" type of version or even the Internal Family Systems "parts" type of versions, but externally curated "office Hannah" and "family Hannah" and "lettering Hannah" and "friend Hannah" and "wife Hannah" tailored to the different environments I've inhabited over the years. Geez, it's exhausting just typing that out 🙈
While I've never struggled with authenticity (I'm too stubborn to be anything I don't believe wholeheartedly lol), I learned too early in life how to morph into whatever version of me was needed by those around me—instead of just being myself.
And it's f*@king exhausting.
As I've gotten older and farther down my recovery, I've focused more on how I can share levels of myself instead of versions with the world. I'm not an expert by any means and some days are easier than others. Sometimes I'm still not sure how this will look in action but the shift of thinking this way has alleviated a weight I have never been able to let go of before. It has me hopeful as I head into the holiday season that I can spend less energy, feel more comfortable in my skin, and still protect my peace at the same time.
WHAT I'M LOVING:
This month I hit two reading milestones: reading my 250th book of the year and reading for 100 weeks in a row. Next up will be hitting my reading everyday for 2 years (730 days) in December 💪
I'm testing a new app for energy and habit tracking as I get ready to do my annual Holiday Energy Protection Plan and hopefully it's an option I like enough that I can add it to my resources list to help make energy tracking more accessible.
I've been relatively off the internet this week, but I did run across a series on TikTok of a mom predicting everything her toddler says and I'm dying from cuteness overload. Enjoy!
HAVING A GREAT TIME HERE?
Here's a few ways you can let me know:
Option 1: 💌 Share with a fellow creative or business owner. Community starts with each of us and friends don't let friends chase their dreams at the expense of their mental health! If you know someone seeking more sustainability and harmony in their life and/or business, send this their way.
Option 2: 👋 Say hi! Hit reply and share a sentence or two about anything you enjoyed or hit home for you. I always hope these words find the right people at the right time, but it's always makes my day to hear from you!
