Episode 176: Why I Revised Do Less 6 Months After It Came Out

Over here in my little corner of the world in Maine, things are kind of weird and weirdly quiet. I know that’s not the case everywhere in the world, and however this odd global moment is affecting you, please know that I’m thinking of you and sending love, healing, and prayers your way. We’d already planned for March to be an exhale month, so it turns out the slowdown is in sync for the most part. Our kiddos are home with us for a minimum of 2 weeks, so Mike and I are doing a bee-bop of parenting, "homeschool Pre-K" (which basically means circle time and coloring), and running our business. I’m changing my expectations across the board, and while I wish this moment had been precipitated by different circumstances, I’m welcoming the mandate to do less. At times like this I really think it’s important for us as business owners to check in on whether our messaging is appropriate for the global temperature. We’ve gotta check in and see if what we’re promoting is relevant and helpful given the moment (while not trying to please everyone, which is ultimately impossible). The big thing we have coming up is the newly revised paperback release of Do Less with a brand-new subtitle, new stories, new data, and some reworking so that it’s now geared toward "ambitious women" instead of "busy moms." In celebration of the revised paperback edition, I’m hosting a free, virtual Do Less Book Club starting the week of April 6th for anyone who pre-orders the new edition. When I checked in with our team and myself as to whether or not it feels appropriate to move forward with our plans given the developing global health situation, I decided it does. Lots of us are home unexpectedly with kids. Lots of us are trying to work and care for loved ones simultaneously and navigating new challenges around managing our time and energy. Lots of us are in a situation where we need to continue to earn money while doing less. Turns out, I wrote a book about how to do that, and I revised it to make it even better. This week on The Kate & Mike Show we’re talking about: • Why I decided to revise Do Less less than 6 months after its release despite people being thrilled with the first version • How to navigate times when marketing wisdom doesn’t exactly align with your inner knowing • Niching down versus broadening out • How to identify your creative process and own it for peak output and joy • What the Do Less Virtual Book Club is going to be all about and how to get in on it During this bizarre time I’m taking the opportunity to simplify, be super present with the people I love the most, serve my existing customers in an even deeper way, tend to my nervous system, and savor the space. I hope you join me in whichever of those sounds useful to you. Would you, or a company you know, be a good fit to sponsor The Kate & Mike Show? If so, let’s talk! You can email [email protected] regarding current sponsorship opportunities. Show notes and links for this episode can be found at http://www.katenorthrup.com/podcast.