Every July, I embrace a month without Zoom—no webcam, no virtual meetings, no online webinars. For the entire 31 days, I disconnect from Zoom entirely!
So, how do I pull this off, especially considering how much I rely on Zoom to market and run my business?
That’s what I want to share with you in this week’s blog post.
If you’re like me—an introvert with a virtual business who uses her webcam for visibility marketing—you may want to see how I implement “No Zoom July” and consider how you can adapt it for your business.
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Zoom has been a cornerstone of my entrepreneurial life for almost 10 years. When I was a marketing coach, I coached through Zoom. When I taught marketing classes, I did so through Zoom. And when I founded Virtual Networkers in 2018, I chose Zoom as our platform for meetings.
While I love Zoom and connecting virtually, as a low-energy introvert, I realized I needed some time away. That’s when I started implementing “No Zoom July.”
I love “No Zoom July” because it gives me time to play and create, without worrying about appointments on my calendar.
Perhaps you’d like to implement some “No Zoom” time too? If so, here are some tips to help you make this sacred time a reality:
Know You Are Worthy of the Time
Before diving into logistics, let’s focus on the mindset. You need to recognize and accept that you’re worthy of the break. You have to trust that it will be okay.
This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your Ego may criticize and worry about taking time off Zoom, triggering a scarcity mindset. Thank your Ego and remind yourself, “I am worthy of taking time off Zoom.” Then, plan to do it.
Plan Your “No Zoom” Time
As you work on your mindset, you’ll need to plan. I do my yearly planning at the end of the previous year, and I block July for my “”No Zoom” time. That means I’m not facilitating Virtual Networkers meetings, I don’t have availability on my Coffee Date calendar, and I’m not signed up for meetings with other networking groups I belong to.
I hold that time as sacred and don’t book any Zoom-related appointments in July—despite my Ego’s insistent advice!
If you don’t do yearly planning, you can still pull this off. Pick your time and block it on your calendar. Give yourself permission to cancel or reschedule existing appointments. It’s okay to postpone that coffee chat!
How To Keep Earning Income
One of the fears you may have about implementing your “No Zoom” time is its impact on your income. That’s a legitimate concern!
I worried about this too when I first implemented “No Zoom July,” but now I’ve figured out how to keep sales coming in while I’m off Zoom.
I run a promotion, usually with a monetary discount.
For example, for “No Zoom July” in 2024, I will be promoting an upcoming price increase for Virtual Networkers, which will go into effect August 1. In essence, July is the last time a woman entrepreneur can join Virtual Networkers and lock in the annual membership rate of $299. If she waits until August 1, she’ll invest $399 for the annual membership.
Final Words
That’s how I do it. My implementation may not work exactly for your business, but I hope it inspires you to consider sacred time off Zoom for play, creation, self-care, or whatever else you want to do. Whether you take a week off Zoom or a month, know you are worthy of the break.
And trust me, if I can do it, so can you!
I am rooting for you!
