Push, pause, repeat: Finding your rhythm as a small biz owner

When you’re a small business owner, to push and hustle are as part of the process as pulling back and taking a breath. As Common Room’s Maan Agsalud points out, “Pushing and pausing both fuel growth—one drives the momentum, the other sustains it. It’s easy to forget that rest can be just as productive as the grind.”

The challenge though is knowing when to do which. You don’t want to lose opportunities, but you also can’t keep pushing yourself to the point of burnout. When’s the right season to keep going and when is it time to take a pause? We asked some of Common Room’s makers how they’ve learned to know those seasons and what pausing looks like for them now.

Riding the momentum

It’s no surprise that many makers and small business owners hustle when they’re starting. Catherine Limson of Bedazzled and Luna Maia admits that when she began her fashion accessory line, hustle was the only mode she knew. “I felt like every day had to be productive, that slowing down meant I’d lose momentum.”

After years of running multiple brands, she realized that there are seasons for pushing hard. “Like during events or launches, and may seasons for quiet work or simply breathing space.”

Maan adds, “Some seasons are for movement—when energy is high and opportunities align.” And this is when you ride that momentum and you push. In our episode, “10 Lessons for sustainable success,” Maan, together with co-founder Roma Agsunod, talk about knowing the peak seasons of your business so you can prepare for them.

Check your rhythm (not just your to-do list)

For Catherine, it was an eye-opener when she realized over time that there will always be tasks she needed to complete on her to-do list. “Hindi pala matatapos lahat—and that’s okay. Pausing is part of the process, too.”

Pausing isn’t losing momentum—it’s part of the rhythm that keeps your creativity alive. “Through the years…I’ve learned to listen to my body, and most recently, my mind,” says Trish Lim Francia, co-founder of social enterprise Woven. “I’ve developed a healthier mindset on what rest means for my well-being and even productivity.”

Recognize that seasons change

And with it so should your pace and perspective. Ann Poco of Gouache reminds us that one’s definition of busy can evolve with our life seasons. At the start of setting up the waxed canvas bag business with her husband Louie, she worked around business cycles. However, motherhood taught her to also honor family rhythms.

“I still respect the retail cycles—they’re part of our industry—but I’ve also learned to honor the seasons of family life,” says the mom of two. So when her children’s birthdays or school milestones are coming up, Ann plans her work in advance. “I’ve realized that pausing doesn’t mean neglecting the business; it means making space for what truly matters in that moment.”

It’s the same for fellow mom, Trish. “I try to discern what’s important for me at the moment… what fills my cup.” Oftentimes, it revolves around thinking what’s right for her family. “I try to juggle fewer balls so I can be 100% for each role and still get some much-needed me-time.”

Watch for signs of imbalance before burnout hits

Burnout can build when one part of your life takes over everything else. And for Catherine, Trish, and Ann, they’ve learned not to wait for that to happen before hitting pause. Catherine admits it was a habit she used to do—only pausing upon feeling burnt out.  “Now I pause before that happens. It’s more intentional—like checking in with myself if I’m still creating joy or just moving out of habit.”

Ann’s approach is to also catch it early. “When things start to feel off-balance, it’s my signal to pause, reset, and come back with clearer energy.”

Redefine what rest looks like

Rest or taking a pause doesn’t always mean doing nothing. For Catherine, it’s about small grounding rituals like tidying her workspace, journaling, or checking her beads with no specific goal in mind. That’s how she resets. 

For Ann, rest takes on a similar form—with a clear intention to step away from the business mindset. “I used to treat almost every activity as an opportunity to push my craft or grow the business,” she shares. “But I’ve learned that a true reset happens when I can fully compartmentalize—when I can just be Ann, not the business owner.”

And sometimes, rest can happen right in between your day’s tasks. Trish practices “10-second mindfulness exercises as a way to pause, ground myself, and reset.” It’s a habit she’s been trying to form. “I focus on a sensation in my body—my sense of touch, hearing, or just my breath—and let go of external thoughts for those 10 seconds. It's simple, but it's been really helpful in calming down. On an extra stressful day, I'll stay in the moment a little longer to find some semblance of balance.”

It’s not an afterthought

What all three makers shared with us is that pausing isn’t just recovery, it’s a way to sustain their craft, joy, and well-being. As Catherine puts it, “Before, hustle was survival. Now, it’s about sustainability—how to keep creating without losing myself.”

Growth isn’t just about how much you can push and do more—it’s also about knowing when to pause. Finding that balance is what turns the hustle into something sustainable, joyful, and worth all the effort.