#288 Do Less in 2021 with Kate Northrup

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I think it’s fair to assume we’d all be happy doing a little less in our business. 

Balancing work and wellness is an ongoing struggle for most small business owners; it’s the #1 problem new students in our programs express. The worst part? They’re afraid to rest or take time off because it could compromise their sales and success.

But what if I told you you’re actually hurting your business (and yourself) with this mentality?

Meet Kate Northrup, an entrepreneur, best-selling author, speaker, and mother. She’s passionate about supporting ambitious women to light up the world without burning themselves out.

Her most recent book, Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time Management for Ambitious Women is all about releasing the culturally inherited belief that your worth is equal to your productivity, and instead of creating a personal and professional life that's based on presence, meaning, and joy.

Kate sat down with me this week to talk about how to lean into the seasons in your biz so you can do less with more impact…

#288 Do Less in 2021 with Kate Northrup Show Notes

“Even though I wrote the book called Do Less, and even though this is what I teach, the cultural programming, that we are more valuable, the more we do and the more we hold is really deep. And it takes vigilance to work on it.”

Welcome to Thrive by Design, the podcast for ambitious independent jewelry brands, looking to profit from their products, get ready to make more and sell more doing what you love, without spending every single waking minute doing it. Hey, and if you're a creative fashion or product-based business, I want to welcome you to the show. I'll be dropping big tips on launching, growing, and scaling your business. Spend more of your precious time using your creativity to make you ready. All right, let's do this.

Tracy: Welcome to the Thrive by Design podcast episode 288. Hey there, it's Tracy Matthews, Chief Visionary Officer of Flourish and Thrive Academy and Creatives Rule the World. And I'm here today to talk a little bit more about something that I think we would all like to do more of which is less. And one of the biggest problems that entrepreneurs, makers, designers etc. typically have, especially before they join our community is that they are overwhelmed with everything that they have to do. And I get it running a business is overwhelming. 

I've been there myself. And so that's why I think you are going to love today's episode. I have a special guest on the show Kate Northrup, and I'm going to be introducing her in a minute, but she's going to be talking about how to kind of lean in to the seasons in your business so that you can do less with more impact. And this is going to be a really fun episode. Before we dive in, I wanted to mention, you know, a couple weeks ago, we wrapped up our Marketing Makeover Masterclass. We definitely heard stories of people who were struggling with all the things that they have to do and trying to get it all done. And we offer something over at Flourish and Thrive Academy and help you kind of get to the next level in your business. 

Now we know that we just started a new year, and the beginning of the year is a great time to invest in yourself in your business efforts. And that's why I would like to invite you to get our eyes on your business and apply for a free Business Accelerator Audit. Now, you might be wondering, hey, Tracy, why would I want a business accelerator audit? Well, let me tell you a little bit more about what it is all about. First, we're going to take a look at the three year vision for your business and really help you expand where you want to go. 

This is really important, because I think if you don't have a crystal clear vision of where you're going, it's really hard to create a plan and set goals around what you're trying to achieve. Next, we're going to take a look at what you're doing. From a marketing and sales perspective. This is really important, especially if you're trying to make more sales on your online store and make more sales online in general. Because there's a lot that you have to do to keep that going. And we want to make sure that you're using your precious time in the right way. And in that process, we start to see any of the roadblocks that might be preventing you from getting or achieving that three year vision and making it a reality and so at the end of the call, we're going to talk a little bit more about your next steps forward and we're going to share how we can help you reach those goals a little bit faster. 

So if you're ready to do big things in 2021, and you want to feel less overwhelmed and make a bigger impact and reach your financial goals online and off to create financial security, freedom and a sense of accomplishment with your business because you know you're doing the right things, then this business accelerator audit is perfect for you. So if you'd like to join in, all you have to do is head on over to https://www.flourishthriveacademy.com/strategy/ and apply for a business accelerator audit right now. And it's free. 

That's all. Alright, so let's dive into this episode with Kate Northrup. Now I share in the episode how we met Kate has been a friend of mine for a very long time. And I'm sad I actually just moved out of New York City. I'm still in New York City as I'm recording this but when it goes live, I will have moved out already. And it's kind of a bittersweet moment because she was one of the first people that I met in New York City in the online world and it honestly shifted everything for me because if it wasn't for Kate, Flourish and Thrive wouldn't be here. And it's weird because it's in an indirect way because she introduced me to coaching online and education in a very fun way. 

So I'm super excited to introduce Kate, you're gonna love this episode because I think we all would like to do less for a bigger impact. She's an entrepreneur, a best-selling author, a speaker, and a mother, Kate Northrup has built multimedia educational platforms that reach hundreds of 1000s globally. She's committed to supporting ambitious women to light up the world without burning themselves out. Kate teaches data and soul-driven time and energy management practices that result in saving time, making more money, and experiencing less stress. Through her Do Less planner, and her books do less and money, a love story. Kate's been featured by today's show, New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Yahoo Finance, Forbes, Women's Health glamour, and more. Kate's with her husband and their daughters in a cozy town in Maine. Alright, let's dive into today's episode. Well, I am super excited to have my friend Kate Northrup back on the show. Kate, thanks for being here.

Kate: Thank you so much for having me. Happy to be here.

Tracy: So we just spent a little time catching up. And it's so funny because I think I first met you through an introduction through our mutual friend Danielle. Yes, maybe like 2007 or 2008.

Kate: and it's a million years ago.

Tracy: Well, I love the story cause she was setting us up like kind of on like a business date or something you were, you're gonna share with me your vitamins. We got to talking about jewelry. And then you're like, I do Feng Shui. And so I tell people this like, whenever your name comes up, I'm like, it's so random. Like when I first met Kate, we like bartered for jewelry for Feng Shui for my apartment.

Kate: Oh my gosh. But oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that. I love it. Yeah, I still wear some of that stuff.

Tracy: A lot. Well, yeah, I keep wearing I love it. It's like you might be charged?

Kate: Well, no, I mean, we've had some Yeah.

Tracy: Anyway, so I'm excited to have you here. It's through a series of events. I feel like this is the perfect timing. Quay who is our customer service manager is in your membership. What's your membership called, again?

Kate: Origin. Yeah, 

Tracy: She's in your membership. And we were talking about our students and how sometimes they feel so overwhelmed with all the things that they have to do. And they have a hard time filtering through the noise. And she suggested that I have you on the show. And because I interviewed you back when your book Money Love Story came on. I hadn't thought to recycle it at that moment. And I felt like this came at the perfect time. Because even though I interviewed you like six or seven years ago, whenever that was, now that you have this new book out, and this new methodology, and everything that you're doing, it couldn't be more timely, we just ended our Momentum retreat. And two of the sessions that we taught the students they were how to filter through a whole list of things, when you have all these things to do, like how do you identify what's going to actually move the needle first and what you should move forward with, so that you're not overwhelmed, and also how to identify what to let go of so,

Kate: So important,

Tracy: So important. So before we talk about all that stuff, I really want you to share with our listeners a little bit more about your journey, because you are much younger than I always remember this, like you were so much younger than I thought you were because you had such a mature maturity about you, you've done so much in your time on this planet. So tell us a little bit about your journey.

Kate: So I started out, you know, as one of those entrepreneurial kids, like I was just like always selling stuff. Starting little businesses, like from the time I was seven. So I've always been an entrepreneur at heart, I've always just been fascinated by business and how you can sort of create your own economy in terms of if you can figure out a problem somebody has and you can solve it, then you can have a business and you can essentially have the freedom to be able to make your own choices about your own time. I mean, at the end of the day, that's what it's always been about for me.

I was raised by two doctors, who, you know, absolutely by societal standards are incredibly successful. And there was a lot of sacrifice, in terms of sacrificing time with families sacrificing, you know, sleep, sacrificing, personal time, all of that for career. And I always knew that I wanted to see if I could create something different. Not that I'm not grateful for everything, you know, that my parents handed along to me, but I was kind of like looking to upgrade the legacy as far as our relationship to work and time. And so my first book, Money Love Story had a lot to do with taking a look at our relationships with money and upgrading our relationships to money and how we feel about money so we can create a different financial reality and then this new body of work that I've been working on, is really about changing our relationship to time and at the end of the day, it's like it's an incredibly similar conversation. It's just a different resource, that we all have our living under the illusion that it's a scarce resource. And so it's all about changing our relationship to scarcity and upgrading it to a relationship with abundance, specifically with the Do Less work around our time and the way we relate to our work. And I certainly in this context, you know, the way we relate to our businesses.

Tracy: Okay, so I'm so excited. But before I ask you my next question, let me ask you a different question. What was your first business?

Kate: My first business was actually oh my gosh, this is so perfect. My first business was my sister and I made jewelry. And yes, and we sold it. I was seven, she was nine, it was called Queen Anne's Lace and Katie did my sister's name. My name is obviously Kate. And we sold it at this little gift shop on this island off the coast of Maine that we spent summers at growing up and we sold our jewelry and then we also sold bouquets of wild flowers by the side of the road.

Tracy: Oh my gosh, that's amazing. And that is like, I can't believe I didn't know that about you. Kate was a designer. 

Kate: Yeah, yeah. I have made so many things in my life.

Tracy: That you really run the gamut girl like from Feng Shui, jewelry to now having membership, some and so many other things in between all the things. Okay. So, you know, in our culture, we are crazy busy and right this year. I mean, we were talking about it in the pre show. It's just been the weirdest year. Everyone's off kilter. I'm sitting here in a closet, in the upstairs room, because Jason's kids are downstairs doing remote schooling. And I can't record an interview in the normal area. So what do you say like when people are like, out of sorts and everything's going on? Or they use that phrase, which I think comes up a lot. Like, I don't have enough time, like what is?

Kate: Okay, so first of all, I really want to just acknowledge the fact that I am assuming that most of your listeners are female. Is that true? Tracy?

Tracy: Well, the majority, but we do have some awesome dudes listening. 

Kate: Okay, awesome. Welcome everybody. And for especially like, especially just with gender roles as they are, for better or for worse. Especially if you identify as female right now, like we have a lot on our plates in 2020, in particular, and all of us, no matter how we identify, just have a lot more on our plates, because navigating the stress of the pandemic navigating the intensity of a racial justice, awakening, you know, certainly in the United States, and also globally, navigating now with the forest fires and and then remote schooling, and then, you know, your feeling of safety and your family's feeling of safety and friends and neighborhoods, and just all of it's like a lot. And so while I don't have time, I think at times can be an excuse. I also just think it's very important that we acknowledge ourselves for how much we're holding right now. Because it's a lot. 

Tracy: Yeah. 

Kate: And so if you're in a place where you're finding that you are overwhelmed, I think that's a perfectly reasonable response to the current moment.

Tracy: And I'm laughing because like, it's like, like, cuz I'm like, if that's not the word that comes out of everyone's mouth every morning. Yeah,

Kate: Like, it's a lot. And so if we were having this conversation a year ago, I think my answer would be a little bit more like tough love. But this year is really hard. And, and, and there are some gifts. And we were discussing before we started recording that, for some of us, you know, and again, we've all heard we're all in a different, you know, in the same storm in a different boat. So for some of us, it has given us an opportunity to get more clear on what really matters. And so when it comes to I don't have time, I'm sure you've heard, you know, personal growth, time management, people say, well, it's not that you don't have time, it's that you don't have priorities. And I do actually think that's true to some degree. And so I had on Friday, this last week, like a really bad day. And it's pretty rare that I have like, I mean, I'm not Susie sunshine all the time. But like, I really love my life. And most days I come home, and I'm like, that was an awesome day. 

But Friday was a really bad day. And I will tell you the reason it was a really bad day is because I was so overly identified with I have too much to do. And I don't have enough time. And what I realized is, first of all, I gave myself grace and compassion. Just as I said to you, this year is a lot we're holding a lot. You know, I have my own individual things that I'm holding, you have your own individual things that you're holding. It's a lot. So I just was like loving myself up and just being like, Honey, you're doing great. You're holding a lot of things. And I then said to myself, would it be possible that you could hold them more lightly? Because that's where the choice comes in. And I was holding them with a death grip, like and I was really in this martyr place. So Like, look at all the things I'm doing to keep this ship going, right.

So like I was so hyper identified with, I'm so busy, and I'm so important, and I'm so valuable, would somebody please acknowledge this. And that's really where the sickness comes. So if you are in that place I am, I'm telling you this story, just to let you know that like, even though I wrote the book called Do Less, and even though this is what I teach, the cultural programming, that we are more valuable, the more we do, and the more we hold is really deep. And it takes vigilance to work on it. You know, it's just like, Tracy, I loved you know, I loved going to your yoga class in New York, right, like yoga is a practice. And so just the Do Less way is a practice. 

And so one of the practices that I invite you to is asking yourself each day, okay, yes, here are the things that I'm holding. And and look at, is there anything on this list that I could put down to the questions are, when you look at your list, does this need to be done? So does this need to be done period at all, for example, today, we were on a team meeting for my company. And I noticed that we were talking about a project, and it was starting to feel heavier and more complicated. And I stopped everyone. And I said, Hey, I feel like we are over complicating things right now. Like, do we even have to do this? And we realized, no, we don't like this is not a necessary thing, in order to get to our results and our goals. 

So we just let it go. We just crossed it off the list. So first of all, does it need to be done? Second of all, then go through everything on your list? Right? Second of all, does it need to be done by me? So that's a huge one. Another practical example. Last night, I was doing my weekly scheduling meeting with my husband. And I have been meaning to reschedule my children's dentist appointment for months. And I was looking at my list of things to do. And I said, Honey, can you call the dentist and reschedule this appointment? And he was like, Sure. 

Right? Assuming that like the world has to fall on our shoulders, and we have to do everything. There is no freaking reason why my husband can't call the dentist, and he was thrilled to do it. And then number three, does it need to be done right now? So is this something that we could move out? So another example from the team meeting, I was just on, we realized that there were some late deliverables around this email promotion we're doing. And we really was just like, feeling tight, and heavy. And so we just said, well, there's really no reason why this can't be just done next week, like it doesn't have to be happening right now. So we gave ourselves space, we gave ourselves more breathing room. That's one of the ways that we as a company hold things more lightly, is we actually reassess deadlines, and we don't just stick to them, because most of the time, they're arbitrary. And so does it need to be done? Does it need to be done by me? And does it need to be done right now? Those questions are gonna save you a lot of energy.

Tracy: I love I love all these questions. But in particular, like, I love the flexibility you have like, sometimes we impose these like hard. I mean, I'm the worst when it comes to deadlines, I'm like, must be done now. And this is what we committed to and we're sticking with it. Even if everyone's running around in their hair on fire. And about a year and a half ago, I started changing my tune. Even though I don't like to change the process. There were many times this year that I like literally, almost didn't even have a choice because of things that were going on in the world. And I sat and I just had to sit back with myself like, in like a check in. I'm like, this doesn't it doesn't feel right to move forward with this. I think it's better to actually like, wait, even though it's not my natural tendency, like sometimes you just need the space, and it was absolutely 100% the right decision. And, like, I think we need to check in with ourselves a lot more doing those kinds of things.

Kate: I completely agree. And like

Tracy: So hard when you were talking about your day on Friday, and how we feel like oh, like almost getting in that like pity party for ourselves. Really think about like three times last week I was doing that. 

Kate: Yeah, and like there are so so when I look at my plate, I really one of the most empowering things we can do is to say, like, I chose these things, right now, of course there are things that are on our plate that we did not choose. However, most of the time, most of the things we actually chose. And so then that helps us get into a relationship with them a little more lightly. Because it's like well, if I chose to put this on my plate then I like maybe I could engage with it from a place of choice.

Tracy: Exactly. And when you, you know, the interesting things happening right now we're working with my boyfriend's children to try and get them to buy in to do chores. And if Jason doesn't, like, you know, enforcing those kinds of things that, you know, he has, for whatever reason, but we're trying to get to a place where they're like, no one's ever going to really be excited about the chores. But part of that is like getting them to buy in to like, what, what they want to do. And it reminds me kind of like making like, if someone's like buying in and making a commitment to that, and you're doing the same thing with the things that you accept and agree to do like you, you kind of get to this place where you're like, Okay, well, maybe, whatever it is, but I agreed to do this. So like, I own it now. And there's ownership or something? I don't know.

Kate: Yeah, no, I think that's so true. I think that ownership and choice, it just, it just, it's it saves so much energy, because if you think about like, the push pull of like, Oh, I have to do this thing, then there's this extra friction. Yep, that just goes away when you're like, I'm choosing to do this.

Tracy: I love it. Okay, so let's talk about your book, because you have a whole system that you run through the books called Do Less: A Revolutionary Approach to Time Management for Ambitious Women and you talk about how most people are overworking themselves, which we spoke about earlier. And that actually ends up being like super destructive to success and your productivity, at least that's how I'm kind of understanding it, I'd love for you to kind of break down the concept of your methodology and how we can use like our monthly rhythm to move forward in whatever it is that we have to do for our business.

Kate: Great. So the whole concept of Do Less means there's like a lot of different elements. But the main thing to know is that most all basically all time management systems that I have found are based on a 24 hour cycle. However, people with periods experienced time in a 28-ish day cycle. And it's normal as a normal cycle is anywhere between like 24 and 35 days. And so we live in this world that is expecting us, you know, according to the business schedule to show up or the school schedule to show up every day, and be the same and do the same things that you did the day before. But ideally do more of them with more energy and get even better results. But a full 50% of the population, actually slightly higher than 50% of the population does not experience time that way. And so actually, people with periods have these four phases that happen throughout the month, and they mimic the four seasons. And they also are mirrored in the four phases of the moon. And so there we have each month, a personal time where it feels like more winter time, that's when we're having our period. And then more of a springtime is when it's kind of the six days after our period ends, it's called the follicular phase. And then we have about six days, that's our personal summertime, that's called the oscillation phase. It's like the day that you oscillate, but also kind of the window a little bit before and after that. And then we have our personal autumn, which is the luteal phase, which is the 10 to 14 days before you start to bleed. 

So that is really different than, like, dial in your morning routine, go harder, go faster, push more. And so it's a fundamental shift, where we begin to see time, and our energy as cyclical, as opposed to linear. And once you begin to look at the world this way, you see that it's everywhere, that there are cycles in everything and what I saw. So I became obsessed with tracking my period and learning everything about it after my period came back after I had my first daughter. And then I started to apply this same cyclical thinking and these same four phases to my creativity and to my work projects. Because I thought, well, if these phases are good enough to be responsible for human life, and then also responsible for the Four Seasons on the planet that's responsible for all of life on Earth, and then also for these four phases of the moon that's responsible for gravity, then what if I applied this same framework to my business and to my business projects, because if it's good enough to keep life on Earth going and also the rotation of the earth and also gravity, it's probably good enough for my business. And that really shifted everything for me. And so that's really the fundamentals of the do less philosophy is looking at everything through a seasonal four phase lens, so that we can increase our I'm going to switch metaphors. 

It's what we have like, because our whole philosophy, culturally is that the whole idea is to plant as many things as possible and grow as many things as possible and do it as close to each other as possible. But we forget that the fields need to lay fallow. And that winter is an incredibly important season, as is the autumn when we are clearing out and letting go. And we forget that from a business and productivity standpoint, but if we actually embraced the more inward more slower phases, we have two more outward, higher energy phases and two more inward lower energy phases each month, and each year as well. When we do that, we have fewer harvests, but much more plentiful ones. So we don't plant as many things. But the things we plant grow more fruitfully are more abundant, or more nutritious and are stronger. So that's essentially the whole Do Less way.

Tracy: I like it, because you're spending like autumn and winter are kind of like building like the not building because that's not the building time. But like, I guess like nurturing and like, like, if I think of like, you know, my cycle, like, you know, it's like, my period, I just want to like roll up in a ball, like, usually can't do that, but like, and, like rest and relax. So it's like, I think of that like more of like the nurturing phase of when you're like, yeah, audience or whatever it might be.

Kate: I love that idea. I mean, I really map it out into like, so I have these phrases that I've given the four phases as it applies to business. So the more winter time is, I call it the fertile void. And that would be the place when you're just nurturing your audience, you're doing your regular weekly deliverables, you know, you're, you're being in relationship, it's the rest and restore and reflect phase. So it's really the time like in between launches, it's kind of your offseason. And then the emergence phase is when you're really planning and initiating and getting things going. So that would be your pre launch phase. And then your visibility phase is the same as winter time, it's the same energy as oscillation. And that would sort of be your launch phase, when you know, people can buy the thing or sign up for the thing, or you're on the stage or you're teaching the workshop or the retreat is live, you know, and then the culmination phase is more like that autumn where you are, then wrapping up loose ends and delivering on your promises and sort of doing the post launch analysis and, and that kind of thing. So, so those are, that's one way to look at the phases.

Yeah, we can think of that like as like in terms of like a big launch you're doing for your company, or, like a collection launch or something along those lines. So like, we're kind of like, and when we say launch, like it's really like anything that you're bringing to market or doing right and getting absolutely i mean, a launch could be like you put something in an Instagram post, like, you know, a launch can be so complicated or could be like you email your list and you're like, this thing is here.

Tracy: Yeah, here we go. Oh, shoot, there was something that I wanted to so how do you like break this up into a yearly cycle? Because we're talking a little bit about a monthly cycle? And we're also talking about women like how do how do you address? Okay, I have two questions for you. How do you break this up into a yearly cycle? And then the second question is, how do you? What about the people are like, not don't have a regular 20 day cycle for 

Kate: Absolutely. So in a yearly cycle, you know, I think about it a little bit more just in terms of the seasons, and what my personal needs are each season and what my family's needs are each season and what my business's needs are each season. So, for example, I live in Maine, and our summer is really short. And so while you might think like based on the the four phase model that I've just explained that I would like really go for it pedal to the metal with my business in the summertime, from an energetic standpoint, I actually don't I go more like go for it, you know, pedal to the metal family time being outdoors in the summer, and I try to really dial it back workwise and then I really go for it workwise more in the winter time. Because the weather sucks, it's cold, it's dark, and like you know, so so I think about it like that a little bit more as well. And then I think about we know what are our needs in this in the fall and what's the energy what's what's going on with our customers in the fall and in the springtime. 

So I really think about it that way. And then if you do not have a unmedicated healthy, relatively predictable cycle, for whatever reason, first of all, you might be a cisgender male, you might be a transgender female, you might be postmenopausal. You might have had a hysterectomy. You might be pregnant, you might be nursing, you might be on the pill. Like there's so many circumstances, then my recommendation is to track your own energy just based on you. And just each day I have a, I have a daily energy tracker tool for this. But you could do it with a simple journal if you wanted to, and just ask each day, you know, how is my energy today, mentally, emotionally, physically, sexually, and just jot down a couple of notes. And you could also jot down the phase of the moon, and just start to see if you notice any patterns over doing this for you know, 28 days, and then and then maybe maybe two months, and then maybe three months, just to start to notice your own patterns, because all of us will have patterns. And all of us need to embrace, the more Yin times that are more focused on restoration and intuition. And going inside and slowing down our whole planet really needs that. And interestingly, this, this 2020 moment has been an opportunity for some people to do that. And also for some people not to, but we're seeing the repercussions in our environment and on, on Earth. 

You know, in those early days, when things were really in shutdown, we saw that the Earth was really happy about that. And in some ways, some of our bodies are really happy about slowing down and staying home. And so I think it's just really important to know that no matter what's going on with your cycle, if you have a cycle if you don't have a cycle if you never did, we are still cyclical beings because we live on a cyclical planet in a cyclical galaxy. With a gravitational pole that cyclical like all it's it's just happening, whether you're aware of it or not. So I think we might as well use it.

Tracy: Yeah, I love you know, some funny because years and years ago, I was talking with the ex boyfriend of mine, we're talking about time, like how do you see time? And I was like, Oh, I'm like, how do you see time? It's like, Oh, it's like a straight line. And I was like you do and like I didn't really understand I'm like, why seed in circles like like, as like something like when I look at a clock almost like that, that a clock is like, the calendar. And I've always thought like that. And my my thinking is cyclical are circular to like the way I'm always coming up. So cool back around. And yeah, just to like, I know that everyone kind of relates to time differently. And I thought that was interesting to kind of pull that in because people think differently in different ways. And so if you think about it, cyclically, it can help. And the other thing that I wanted to just kind of highlight, it's like if there was like a blessing of about anything during this year, in this time, really has forced us all to slow down. And honestly, I was talking with one of my business mentors the other day, and she's like, you kind of having to flee New York, like the Mad exodus from New York, and having to flee New York and like, go, almost being like, forced into quarantine and Arizona and then ended up being there for so long was actually like the best thing that could have happened to you this year. Because it forced you to like, step back and like, slow down and you would not have done that. Had you been at home? And I think you know, yeah, it's a weird blessing in disguise. So I want it and also I have to just say one other thing. Like, I'm all for it. Like I as much as I possibly can, will not work hard in the summer.

Kate: I know. I know. Although in Arizona, see if I lived in Arizona. I might flip it.

Tracy: Yeah, it's hot. so freaking hot. It is way too hot. So yeah, I'm gonna have to figure out I did actually work really hard this summer. But also, you can't really walk outside. So yeah, until we're summering elsewhere outside of Arizona. Maybe I'll be like, taking the autumn off or something like that. Yeah, I want to talk a little bit about your membership in your planner. So do you want to tell us a little bit about that?

Kate: Absolutely. So my planner I created based on the philosophy in my book, it was so funny after Do Less came out. I heard from so many people, like I love this so much. Can you create a planner so I can basically do all these things practically on a daily basis? And so I quite frankly, I wanted the planner. So I just said yes. So I created a whole planner system based on the daily energy tracking and cyclical energy and tapping into what phase of your cycle you are in? Or what phase is the moon in? And how can you optimize that and work cyclically instead of linearly and so it has annual planning pages, Moon pages, quarterly seasonal check ins and then a weekly planning spread and then daily energy tracker. 

I use it religiously and so that planner has just been like, it's like this little gift just going out into the world helping women relax and get more done. But get it done in a in a sort of like easeful, graceful way. And then the membership is about how to use the do less strategies to grow your business, because many of us in business came up to believe that if we want to be successful, the only way to do that is to do more things and to work harder. And what I found every time over the years is that the fewer things I do, the more successful I become, I was actually just looking at my revenue numbers from the year before I started my membership. And the year after I started my membership. And I remember distinctly all the different launches and all the different promotions and all the different things we were doing before I created origin. And then the year after, and our revenue increased by $400,000, the year we started the membership. And we also offered so many fewer things. And it was really like dramatic to see the numbers. And while this is not by any means a pitch to start a membership, though, if you want to go for it. What this is, is a reminder that we really need to do fewer things better, in order to live out like our truest potential and have our best impact and also make our highest income.

Tracy: Yeah, this is it's this is such a timely time for this timely time. for so many reasons, I think a lot of us are feeling like we have to do so much. And one thing that I think is really powerful for a lot of art, my students at Flourish and Thrive Academy is that they were kind of forced to do last this year, because all their shows got canceled or hotel shut down, or their brick and mortar retail store was closed. And so they had to focus just on the online sales. And the people who were really we're leaning into that and in working towards it for you know, the months and you're like the year months, and months before COVID even hit and everything shut down. Like literally are having record breaking years like they replaced all of their income from all these other places just doing one thing. And it's actually been a goal of theirs for so long. And to see that their customers are now trained to buy from them online and all the things. And it's been also the same things happen over here at Flourish and Thrive Academy. 

Kate: You know, we've gone through so many iterations we had like at one point like seven or eight courses, and we're just like, nope, we're only going to do our signature program, we're going to have our Momentum program as the second step. So there's two steps. And then for people who aren't ready for momentum like they can, and they've already taken or Laying the Foundation program can join us for our Diamond Insiders program. Like we're no longer or Diamond Insider's membership, which is really like the mentorship where we're helping them implement what they learned in the program. Because I just felt like launching all these things, like it wasn't really a service to our community. And really, I wanted to have like one streamlined system that like everyone starts in the same place and they just like filter through. Yeah, and it's, you know, it takes time to get it there. But it's been so helpful because it's super crystal clear for people to understand like what how we actually help them. And, you know, just go through the system and there you go, you're gonna have a successful business. So anyway, Kate, thank you so much for being here. Do you want to share like where people can find out about Origin or where they can find your planner? Absolutely.

So you can find the planner at DoLessPlanner.com and you can find out about origin at OriginCollective.com, if you want to just grab a free resource, you can get a free Do Less weekly planner guide over at https://katenorthrup.com/list/ And that's a great place to get started. And also, you can connect with me on Instagram @katenorthrup That's the social media channel I hang out on the most.

Tracy: You're amazing. Kate thank you so much for being here. It's so great catching up. 

Kate: Thanks, Tracy. 

Tracy: Thank you so much for listening to the show today. I just adore Kate and I'm sure you do too. Thanks for listening. And if you feel so inspired, definitely go check out Kate buy her book. She's incredible. And if you haven't done so yet, make sure that you apply it for a free business accelerator audit. If you're ready to reach big goals this year. We'd love to be part of that process. And to help you get there. All you have to do is head on over to https://www.flourishthriveacademy.com/strategy/ Thanks so much. This is Tracy Matthews, signing off. 

Click here to download the show notes

Acknowledge How Much You’re Carrying

Being overwhelmed may be a perfectly valid response to your current moment. 

The cultural programming that says we’re more valuable the more we do is intense. And sometimes, feeling overwhelmed is an appropriate reaction to that mindset.

Give yourself grace and compassion, and be proud of what you’ve accomplished so far. The work you’re doing isn’t easy.

Ask Yourself 3 Questions

When you feel like you have too much on your plate, Kate advises you to look at your to-do list and ask yourself three critical questions about each task:

  • Does it need to be done? – Don’t overload yourself with tasks that aren’t even necessary to get you to the results you’re striving for.
  • Does it need to be done by you? – Don’t assume the world has to fall on your shoulders. Asking for help is part of running a business.
  • Does it need to be done right now? – Not all deadlines need to be set in stone. Give yourself breathing room when you can.

Lean Into Your Seasons

All of us have energy patterns. Practice tracking your mood and energy each day for a while. See what patterns emerge.

Kate encourages you to lean into those patterns. Nobody is on all the time. By assessing your needs during any given “season,” you’ll be able to lean in when you’re high energy and ready to be productive, and embrace the times when you need rest.

There’s a lot more to Kate’s philosophy. Listen to the full episode above to dive deeper into how you can do less in your business without sacrificing productivity.

xo, Tracy


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Origin: Grow Your Business While Doing Less

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