108: Working Less, Living More: Heather’s Summertime Schedule
Summer’s here, and in this episode, Heather gets real about what it looks like to run a business and soak up the season with your family.
She shares how she is balancing work and life right now and how she keeps both businesses thriving while working just a day and a half a week.
Whether you are diving into a new project or simply trying to enjoy a slower pace this summer, this episode is your reminder that success can look different in every season.
And yes, it is absolutely okay to build your business around your life, not the other way around!
Key Takeaways:
- (02:10) Reflecting on summer and the work-life balance shift
- (04:15) Creating a schedule that fits your life
- (09:00) Heather’s summer schedule; working while still prioritizing summer memories
- (12:00) Tools, systems, and communication strategies that keep things moving
- (14:50) Giving yourself permission to slow down and define success your way
Resources Mentioned:
#83: How to Get Work Done with Kids at Home
#77: Say It, Don’t Schedule It! The Best (FREE) Business Communication Tool
#62: 5 Strategies for Working Less in the Summer
#52: 4 Strategies for Starting Your Teacher Biz This Summer
#51: Creating a Work Schedule that Revolves Around Your Life
Listen on:
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Maximizing Summers Off: Planning, Batching, and Thriving as an Online Teacher Entrepreneur
What if you could run a thriving, full-time business in just a day and a half a week this summer?
Busting the Busy Myth: Productivity Doesn’t Require Burnout
Heather is open about her journey from “hustle” seasons—waking as early as 4 a.m. to work before her kids awoke—to deliberately dialing things back. She emphasizes that you don’t need to grind at all hours to be successful.
“I have not woken up early in every season of my business,” she says. Life changes, and so should your schedule.
The secret: know when to sprint and when to step back.
Early in her business, with a newborn at home and the world in lockdown, Heather worked around naptimes and relied on creative solutions (yes, even the occasional TV session) to get things done.
Those moments honed her focus, forcing her to drop non-essential tasks and become a ninja at prioritizing.
Seasonal Shifts: Designing a Summer That Works for You
Now, with both her children heading to school in the fall, Heather faces a major life transition—and she’s choosing to savor every moment. Her bold decision? This summer, she’ll work just one and a half days per week. That’s right: a multi-six-figure business, supporting five staff, running in less than two full days a week.
How is this possible? Planning and systems. Heather did the upfront work:
- Batch working: She scheduled her Kindergarten Ready emails well in advance, mapped out sales cycles, and created content pipelines so the business runs on autopilot.
- Leveraging a team: Smart delegation is key—editing, repurposing content, and admin work are taken care of by dedicated team members, leaving her with just the tasks only she can do.
- Intentional program design: Even new offers, like her Membership Mentorship program, are structured to provide maximum value to clients while protecting her time.
Owning Your Choices: The Freedom and Responsibility of Being Your Own Boss
The real magic of Heather’s business isn’t just the income, but the independence. As she says, “This is the power of being an online business owner, of being the owner of the business, of being your own boss.”
The freedom to set your own schedule is a gift, but it’s one that requires discipline, boundaries, and clear planning.
Heather knows there will be seasons of hustle again—like when school resumes and she has those precious quiet hours. But she’s honoring the current season by dialing down, putting family first, and preparing her business to thrive while she does.
Practical Tips and Resources for Teachers Ready to Make the Leap
If you’re inspired to create your own Teacher Biz story, Heather offers several actionable resources, drawn from her own experience:
- Episode 51: Creating a Work Schedule That Revolves Around Your Life (for insights on hustle vs. harmony)
- Episode 83: Strategies for Getting Work Done with Kids at Home (spoiler: it goes beyond just TV!)
- Episode 62: Five Strategies for Working Less in the Summer
- Episode 52: Four Strategies for Starting Your Teacher Biz This Summer
And for those ready to get started, the free Teacher Biz Starter Guide is a must.
Choose Your Summer, Your Way
Whether your summer looks like working full throttle on a new venture or deliberately slowing down to soak in family time, you get to decide. Heather’s story is proof: with clarity, planning, and smart systems, you really can design a business—and a summer—that fits you.
So what will your summer look like? The possibility is wide open.