The holiday season can be wild. Presents and events and finalizing projects can get overwhelming, and we might find ourselves stressed out and overworked.

But, the holidays also offer us the perfect moment to just… stop for a second. We have the opportunity to rest, reflect, and reset for the upcoming year.

So in this episode, I’m sharing a few questions you might want to ask yourself this holiday season, and six steps you can take as you reflect on the previous year. Let’s dive in!

What’s in this episode:

• [00:45] An important question to ask yourself this holiday season
• [02:43] How to reflect on your business this holiday season
• [04:08] 6 things we can reflect on for our business in the coming year

Tune in to this episode for a little kick in the pants about resetting for the upcoming year!

SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

---

Did this episode help you rethink how you’ll be resetting this holiday season? Check out this episode Giving Up the Ghost: Releasing the Stories Holding You Back in Your Photography Business.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Hey friend, welcome to the Art and Soul Show. I’m your host Lisa DiGeso, a mom, a photographer, and entrepreneur. Tune in here for pep talks, conversations, and advice on photography, creativity, mindset, business, life, and that messy in between. This is the place where you can go when you need a boost of encouragement, a kick in the pants, and inspiration to pick up your camera.

[00:00:24] This is the Art and Soul Show. Hello my friend. Now, as we move into the holiday season, it is so easy to get swept away in the busyness, wrapping up client sessions, holiday orders, client cards, Christmas concert, holiday parties, family events, wrapping kids gifts, and everything in between. But I want to ask you, did you overwork this season?

[00:00:51] It’s so important to pause and reflect. And did you hit burnout this year? Has the stress outweighed the joy of what you [00:01:00] do? Now, if you have found yourself depleted this year, now, my friend, is the time to rest, to reset, and strategize for the year ahead so you don’t find yourself in the same place next season.

[00:01:13] Because believe me, My friend, I have been there too. So first of all, I want to recognize that the holiday season has a reputation for being festive and magical and heartwarming. But to be honest, that is not everyone’s reality. For some, the holidays can magnify loss. The absence of someone we love can really make this time of year feel a lot heavier.

[00:01:35] And grief doesn’t follow a calendar. And when the world is celebrating, it can often feel lonely for those two. So I want to acknowledge you as well. And I want to let you know that I see you too. Family gatherings can also stir up old family drama, an old wound, and not everyone’s family experience is smooth sailing.

[00:01:53] Some holidays are filled with laughter, but others can come with tension and arguments and complicated [00:02:00] emotions. And add to that the chaos of shopping and cooking and wrapping gifts, and just meeting everyone’s expectations, it is no surprise we can often find ourselves stretched way too thin. So if this season feels heavy for you, Know that that’s absolutely okay too.

[00:02:16] You don’t have to love every single moment and it is okay to take some time for yourself. Even just a few minutes to breathe away from the noise can really feel monumental. So my friend, I have to ask you, did you hit burnout this year? Let’s be honest, how’d you do? The end of the year can often feel like maybe the finish line of a marathon and many of us are still just finishing our busy season and we’ve crossed that finishing line barely standing.

[00:02:43] So, if you found yourself exhausted by the demands of your photography business, now might be a good time just to pause and reflect. Did you say yes to too many sessions? Did you overspend on holiday mini sessions or client closet [00:03:00] orders? And maybe you’re not quite as profitable as maybe you should have been.

[00:03:04] Did you push through exhaustion and have all night editing marathons just because it’s the busy season? Did you neglect your well being in the process? Now, burnout isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s just a sign that you have been doing too much for too long. And if you’re running on empty, it’s time to ask yourself, how can I prevent this from happening again next year?

[00:03:28] Because the definition of insanity is literally doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. But before we tackle a plan, the first step, my friend, is to Rest isn’t just what happens when you’ve done all your work, it’s something that you plan for and you protect, just like any other commitment really.

[00:03:47] And rest isn’t only about doing nothing, it’s about doing what restores you. Whether it’s maybe taking a walk, spending time with your friends, or binge watching Hallmark movies like me, these moments of [00:04:00] stillness will really help you prevent burnout before it creeps in. Now, burnout is not a sign of failure, it’s a sign just that something needs to change.

[00:04:08] And the good news is, is you have the power to make those changes. You don’t have to wait until next year to rest. Start now and give yourself permission to slow down, to breathe and just to be. So let’s do a little strategizing on how we can avoid burnout next year. So number one is just review your capacity.

[00:04:28] How many clients felt manageable each month? How many were too much? When you use that knowledge to create intentional boundaries around your workload next season, you’ll be able to schedule in your vacation time. Were you able to do that this year? Were you able to take time off too? Number two is build in buffer time, and that’s leaving that room in your calendar for unexpected delays.

[00:04:50] Rest, or just time off. It could be rescheduling sessions. It could be planning for sick children. Life happens. So planning for that wiggle room [00:05:00] and doubling it will ensure you aren’t running on fumes by the end of the year. Number three is plan your fun. Schedule in some things in your life you’re really looking forward to.

[00:05:10] It could be maybe a girls trip, or a brunch, or just totally a day off by yourself. Build that into your life plan too. Number four, learn to say no. Not every opportunity or session is worth the stress. Not every client is going to be your client. It’s okay to turn down work that does not align with your well being or even your schedule.

[00:05:32] Number five, batch your tasks. Now if you’re feeling overwhelmed juggling multiple clients, maybe consider batching tasks like editing, burning USBs, or even culling your sessions. Grouping a similar task like editing or even client communication can make your workload feel way more manageable. Microsoft Mechanics And number six, schedule time off, plan your breaks and your vacations and your days off in advance.

[00:05:58] Protect that [00:06:00] knowing when rest is coming gives you something to look forward to and helping you pace yourself. Now, as the year draws to a close, I want you just to take a moment to reflect not on just what you achieved, but how you felt this year throughout the whole process. Did you make space for yourself?

[00:06:19] Did you allow rest to be part of your creative rhythm? And if you hit burnout this year, it’s okay. The important thing is to learn from it and to create a plan for next year. You don’t have to wait until next year to rest. Start now. Give yourself that permission to slow down and take a breath. Enjoy those quiet moments.

[00:06:38] And remember that rest isn’t a break from life. It’s just part of life. It’s where creativity and joy and inspiration grow. It’s what we need to do to reset. Now as you move through this holiday season, whether it’s filled with joy, or sadness, or chaos, or calm, know that you are absolutely enough just as you are.

[00:06:59] Your [00:07:00] creativity will still be there when you return and you’ll be stronger for giving yourself the gift of rest. Now, if you haven’t already, you’re going to want to download our free yearly planner. It’ll help you set yourself up for success in 2025. My friend, thank you so much for tuning in today. I love being able to hang out with you.

[00:07:20] I am sending you so much of my light and love today and every single day. We’ll see you next time.