By Rob Hatch Thirty-six weeks. Part of my process for planning my business for the New Year is to do a little reality check on exactly how much time I have to work with. What are you talking about, Rob? You have a year. Technically, that’s true. However, on closer inspection, I only have 36 […]

By Rob Hatch

Thirty-six weeks.

Part of my process for planning my business for the New Year is to do a little reality check on exactly how much time I have to work with.

What are you talking about, Rob? You have a year.

Technically, that’s true. However, on closer inspection, I only have 36 FULL weeks available.

36 is the new 52

My process is pretty simple. I set up a spreadsheet listing every week in 2025. Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the first whole week begins on January 6th.

Next, I block off the weeks when I know I will be on vacation and spending time with friends and family.

Then, I note each week a holiday or personal event occurs that will limit the time I have available for work.

I noted weeks when my children are on school break, and I want a lighter work schedule.

I look at the seasonal ebbs and flows of our family life, such as when we begin and end the school year.

Taking all that into account, I was left with 36 full weeks.

Thirty-six weeks is a very different number to work with than fifty-two.

Here’s what I found most helpful about this exercise.

1. I am starting my annual planning by prioritizing time with my family. I am deciding ahead of time to set aside significant time for that.

2. Many of the other weeks (holidays, school vacation, weeks of transition) will happen regardless. By planning for them, I can plan around them.

3. As I look at what I want to accomplish next year, I have a clear picture of the time resources available to commit to achieving them.

Thirty-six full weeks.

Your number will likely be different. The point is to figure out your number and plan accordingly.

When I visited Caldwell, Kansas, the manager of the co-working site said they had filled their private offices, but struggled to attract day users. People who work from home like working from home. They don’t want a full time office, so they said they don’t want to use the coworking space. How can the coworking […]

The Caldwell Workspace is on the right. Photo by Becky McCray.

When I visited Caldwell, Kansas, the manager of the co-working site said they had filled their private offices, but struggled to attract day users.

People who work from home like working from home. They don’t want a full time office, so they said they don’t want to use the coworking space.

How can the coworking space attract those work-from-home folks?

Promote the “co” part more than the “working” part.

At their best, co-working spaces are human spaces, Emergent Research has been saying for ten years now. Studies found that people who use co-working say it makes them less lonely. That’s the part to talk about, much more than the fact that you can work there.

Start by providing your work-from-home people with social hours and temporary events so they can connect and build community with each other. That will help their wellbeing right away. Plus, as long as they’re in the space, they’ll look around and found out more about the space and the services it offers.

Social hours also give you (the manager of the space) a chance to ask more about what they do, what they want and need. Do they want day time hangout events? Are they eager to be social? Do they really just need a copier? I don’t know, but they’ll tell you when you get them together to Build Connections. (That’s Idea Friendly, of course.)

Bonus: you can bring in business supporters like the chamber of commerce or advisors like the Small Business Development Center. When they meet each other in an informal setting, they may be more likely to connect.

Schedule a social hour, and set a goal of three people attending. Even three people is enough to start building community. Put the word out all the ways you know how: local Facebook groups, the chamber of commerce email newsletter, signs around town, and text some friends. Take a lot of pictures so you can use them to promote the next one.

Then try another one, maybe at a different time or a different day. Experiment. Take Small Steps. (That’s Idea Friendly, too.) Let me know how it goes.

Learn more

Find more practical steps you can take in SaveYour.Town’s video Remote Work Ready: Zoom Towns. Everything you’ll learn is do-able, affordable and scaled for small towns.