An End-of-the-Year Message for Creative Entrepreneurs: Taking a Break Is Not Falling Behind; It's Caring for Yourself & Your Business

Why rest, reflection, and alignment matter, especially at the end of the year

As the year winds down, there’s a natural invitation to pause.

The holidays bring a shift in rhythm.

The end of the year brings reflection.

And the winter solstice reminds us that rest is not a detour. It’s part of the cycle.

Still, many of us struggle with this.

We’ve absorbed the message that progress only happens when we’re working. That momentum requires constant output. That slowing down means we’re losing ground.

But our brains and bodies tell a very different story.

Breaks aren’t a luxury. They’re essential.

Our nervous systems aren’t designed for nonstop productivity. Creativity, focus, and problem-solving all require space to recharge. When we don’t allow for rest, burnout becomes inevitable.

Inside the Pattern Design Circle resource vault, we’ve talked often about what “taking a break” actually means. It doesn’t have to look like doing nothing.

Breaks can look like:

• caring for kids

• cooking or cleaning

• going for a walk

• creating something just for fun

• stepping away from screens

These activities use different kinds of energy than business work does. And that shift matters.

From both neuroscience and lived experience, we know that our brains function best when we build in intentional rest. Some general guidelines, that I learned from Ash Wylder and share with my clients include:

• short breaks every 50–90 minutes

• at least one full day off each week (ideally two)

• longer breaks built into the year, not just when burnout hits

Rest allows our creativity, imagination, and enthusiasm to refill. Without it, even the work we love starts to feel heavy.

And when we don't take breaks, it's much easier to lose our passion, find ourselves in burnout, and get stuck in dread. All of which ends up taking away more time and energy than if we'd just taken the breaks!

There’s nuance here (as always), and that matters

This is where I want to be very clear.

Slowing down does not mean everyone should stop working right now.

For some people, this season actually brings more space. If your business doesn’t usually take up much of your time, and the holidays give you a quieter schedule, it might feel really aligned to focus more deeply on your work right now.

That can be exactly right too.

The question isn’t “should I be resting or working?”

The question is:

• What do I need in this season?

• What feels most aligned right now?

• What supports my mission and my well-being this month?

Alignment looks different in different seasons. The work is learning to check in with yourself honestly, without judgment.

Why habits, energy, and vision matter more than hustle

In one of our workshops inside Pattern Design Circle, high performance coach Ash Wylder led a powerful conversation on habits, goal setting, and energy.

One of the most impactful exercises invited designers to imagine themselves three years in the future. Wiser. More confident. Already having navigated the challenges they’re facing now.

From that future perspective, the question shifts.

Not:

“What should I be doing right now?”

But:

“What actually matters?”

“What kind of energy do I want to bring to my work and my life?”

“What supports long-term sustainability, not just short-term output?”

One of the biggest takeaways was this:

Hustle isn’t what creates momentum. Alignment does.

When you understand how your energy flows, when you give yourself permission to rest and recalibrate, work often becomes more effective, not less.

An invitation to reflect

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to take a few quiet minutes and ask yourself:

• Where am I feeling stretched or depleted right now?

• Where might a break, even a small one, support me?

• What would it look like to choose intentionally, instead of automatically pushing?

Inside Pattern Design Circle, you can watch the full replay of Ash Wylder’s Habits and Goal Setting workshop and explore Reflection Prompt #17: Taking Breaks, which dives deeper into these questions with journaling prompts and real-world application.

If you’re craving support, clarity, and a space to build your knit or crochet pattern design business in a way that actually fits your life, you’re warmly invited to join us inside the resource vault.

Because rest isn’t quitting.

Slowing down isn’t failing.

And taking care of yourself is part of building something that lasts.