Back in March of 2022, circumstances arose that had me step away from the social media world for almost three months.

Based on the way people (and I) talk about showing up consistently on social media, this should have been devastating for my business and its growth. But guess what…it wasn’t.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to start my own business was the flexibility it would provide for me, and I knew that I wanted to do things differently. I want the people I work with to feel like this is a safe place, where there’s an understanding that real-life things happen, and know that they will always be met with an empathetic response.

So, if I am trying to practise these values with my clients, it’s important that I also use that approach with myself. That meant that when big life things were happening, I took time away from promoting my business without even thinking about it.

There were no reels, carousels or videos going up on my Instagram. Stories were few and far between. Engagement was non-existent.

Now just because I stopped posting on Instagram didn’t mean I stopped working altogether. I was still working with my existing clients, doing my best to meet their needs. It was really important to me that I kept those relationships strong.

As life slowed, I started to work on my business behind the scenes. It was actually one of the best things to come from my social media hiatus. The silence on socials meant, or at least felt like, I had no obligation to complete this internal work. And taking that pressure off, made doing it so much easier.

It was at that time I decided to completely overhaul my business. From the services I offered, to the visuals, and everything in between.

During this phase of my time away I started reaching out to people again. I attended an in-person networking event, where I met a now client, and connected with someone I had previously virtually worked with.

Stepping away from the pressures of the social media world was the best thing I could have done for my business at the time.

I accomplished things that otherwise would still be sitting on my to do list.

I continued to network, and meet with people.

I still signed clients.

My business did not fall apart.

I really hope that what you take away from my story is this – it’s okay to step away. Yes, a presence on social media is incredibly important for your small business. Yes, showing up on there consistently is beneficial. Yes, it does make a difference.

But it’s not everything.

So the next time you feel like you’re juggling too many areas of your business, and outsourcing isn’t an option, know that it is okay to drop the social media ball.