Why I Refuse to Build a Business That Needs Me 24/7
I’m about to have two babies under 15 months.
I run two businesses.
And I have no intention of working more than 35–40 hours a week.
People hear that and immediately fill in the blanks.
They assume I must be gearing up for burnout.
Or that I’m unrealistic.
Or that something has to give.
But the truth is this, my capacity has never been higher than it is right now.
Not because I’m doing more; but because I’m protecting it harder than ever.
This season forced me to get brutally honest about how I work. Not harder. Not faster. Just smarter, cleaner, and with far stronger boundaries than I ever allowed myself before.
“Doing It All” Isn’t What You Think It Is
Somewhere along the way, “doing it all” got twisted into “doing everything yourself.”
That version is a fast track to resentment, exhaustion, and quiet burnout.
Real leadership isn’t about white-knuckling your way through full calendars and endless responsibility. It’s about building something that keeps moving even when your hands are full with life, with family, with the realities that don’t pause just because you’re an entrepreneur.
Especially in seasons like this one.
What Actually Changed Everything
The shift wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t overnight. But it was decisive.
I stopped spending time where I wasn’t essential.
Meetings I used to attend out of habit are no longer on my calendar. If my team can run it, they do - and they do it better than I ever could hovering nearby.
I stopped confusing control with leadership.
Our COO now handles situations that used to land on my plate by default. Not because I’m incapable, but because my role isn’t to be everywhere. It’s to set direction, not manage every detail.
I stopped trying to be everything to everyone.
I chose depth over breadth. My zone of genius is where I move the needle; that’s where my time goes. Everything else lives with the people who were hired because it’s their genius.
And perhaps most importantly, I stopped treating energy like an afterthought.
I protect it the same way I protect revenue. Because low-quality hours cost more than fewer high-quality ones. I would rather have 20 powerful hours than 40 frantic ones.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
This phase of life made something crystal clear:
You don’t scale by adding more hours.
You scale by becoming the version of yourself who knows where you matter most — and letting go of everything else.
That’s not laziness.
That’s leadership.
And it’s the difference between a business that consumes you and one that actually supports your life.
The Year Isn’t Built in Q4 — It’s Built Now
If you’re craving a year that feels more grounded, more intentional, and less like you’re white-knuckling your way through it…
It doesn’t start later.
It starts now.
It starts with the systems you build.
The boundaries you enforce.
The roles you release.
And the trust you allow yourself to step into.
Hustle isn’t the badge of honor it once was. And it doesn’t come from doing more.
It comes from doing what actually matters - and letting the rest go. 🤍
If you’re in a season of protecting your capacity and want support to make it sustainable, learn more about how our Virtual Assistant services can help.