Do LESS on Substack in 2026

This might get me in trouble.

If I disappear for a while, assume I’ve been silenced, detained, or gently escorted away by the Great Lord Algorithm. But honestly? I’m feeling spicy, slightly ungovernable, and very done with pretending that more is the answer. Even on our favorite platform here at Substack.

I’ve started this year a little… radical.

In the last few months, I’ve made some fairly big shifts - on Substack, in my business, and in my personal life. And the thread running through all of them is this:

I am doing less.

Less of what drains me.
Less of what quietly resents my time.
Less of what keeps me trapped in polite, pastel hustle culture.

You know the one.

You scroll Substack and see Bestseller badges popping up like gold stars. The FOMO kicks in. You wonder if you’re behind. If you should be posting more. Launching more. Offering more. Collaborating more. Smiling more. Performing more.

But here’s the thing no one really wants to say out loud:

Those Bestseller badges are not a reliable indicator of sustainable income.

They’re an indicator that you’re very good at earning money for Substack. Usually through a high volume of low-cost subscriptions. $7 here, minus fees there. It works for some people - truly. No shade. But I don’t have the mental or nervous system reserves for that kind of business model.

If you look closely, you’ll see a lot of creators with those shiny badges quietly spinning their wheels - working very hard to attract and retain just over 100 low-paying subscribers.

That level of output? That kind of consistency? As a sensitive woman, it drains the actual soul out of me.

So this year, I’m focusing on fewer things - but deeper ones:

My Substack Sanctuary 8-week group cohort for Substack beginners (which kicks off with this free training I’m running on 10th Feb). As well as my 1:1 mentorship program, for those who have been experimenting on the platform for a while and want to take things a bit more seriously (lets’ talk).

The rest quite frankly is a bonus.

And I want to be radically honest about the things I am not focusing on this year - because while I sometimes feel a pang of guilt here and there, mostly I feel a huge amount of relief for all the things I am doing less of.

Here’s a few of them.

1. I’m not wasting my time on a “proper” website

Confession: I don’t really have a website.

I have a few sales pages. Some functional landing pages. But I am extremely light on digital infrastructure. And I regret nothing.

People spend way too much time obsessing over websites when they could just… use Substack as their home base. It already does the heavy lifting: email delivery, trust, distribution, payments, community.

Build simple workflows from Substack. Stop building digital mansions no one is visiting.

2. I do not post on other social media

Instagram? Hate it.
Facebook? Absolutely not.
TikTok? I’ve never downloaded it and plan to stay that way.

Yes, yes - every growth expert will tell you to diversify. Be everywhere. Start a YouTube. Repurpose into 14 formats.

Are you kidding me, though? In this (nervous system) economy?

As a sensitive, introverted human, I have a finite amount of daily capacity. I am putting it where it actually converts - without selling my soul.

Substack is currently the easiest, cleanest place to gain email subscribers and have real conversations with actual humans. I would rather go deep in one place than spread myself thin everywhere else.

This may be a hill I die on. That’s fine.

3. I am not obsessing over SEO (yet)

Two years in and I still haven’t gone hard on SEO.

Should I? Probably. Will I? Eventually.

But if you’re just starting, please hear me clearly: SEO is not your first job.

You can grow organically on Substack through writing well, engaging on Notes, and forming genuine relationships. You don’t need to optimize your way into burnout before you’ve even found your voice.

Cross it off your to-do list. For now.

4. I am deeply selective about collaborations

This might get me excommunicated.

Yes, collaborations can be powerful. Yes, Substack’s collaborative culture is far healthier than competitive creator spaces elsewhere.

And also: some collabs carry serious hustle energy.

They become transactional, over-structured, time-heavy and can be draining. And as a sensitive human, complex collaborations can overwhelm me fast.

Substack Lives? Love them.
Mini workshops? Great.
Guest posts? Sometimes.

But if a collaboration feels forced and require more of me than I can muster, I’m out.

You would probably get more subscribers from posting a few thoughtful Notes anyway.

5. I am not building my business on low-cost paid memberships

Friends.

The $7/month model can be a one-way ticket to burnout city.

You will over-deliver. You will feel like you owe people constant access. You will scramble to retain said people. And you will need a lot of subscribers to pay your bills.

Yes, I have paid subscribers - and I’m deeply grateful. (I’m sending you a free tool soon, promise) But I do not break my back trying to maintain relentless consistency.

After two burnouts in two years, I simply cannot and shall not.

Time-bound cohorts, on the other hand? That’s my sweet spot. Clear containers. Clear energy exchange and real transformation.

Which brings me to this:

If you want to avoid burning out on Substack before your work even has a chance to mature, I’m hosting a free Masterclass on Feb 10 where I’ll walk you through the key foundations that actually matter - so you’re not spinning your wheels six months from now wondering why you’re exhausted and resentful.

Doing less is not laziness - it’s discernment

I’m not alone in this shift.

Prajna O'Hara recently wrote in her latest (brilliant) article “Show me your teeth bitches about “doing less and connecting more” - a sentiment that feels deeply aligned with where many of us are heading.

Whitney Shook shared this reflection which resonated with my Type B heart

And Neela 🌶️from WorkmanShit wrote the following about the radical art of enough in her recent post “Choosing enough in the age of more”:

“What if this is sufficient?
What if the job is good enough?
The relationship stable enough.
The article finished enough.
The self whole enough.”

That question alone can dismantle an entire hustle-based identity.

It’s time to declutter

That’s also why I’m going live with Rebecca | Spark Joy & Flow on Jan 27 (9am PT) to talk about decluttering our lives - physically, emotionally, and in business. Not to optimize ourselves. But to make space for better versions of how we create and relate. More details to come.

Because when we declutter - not just our homes, but our expectations, our strategies, our emotional labor - we create breathing room.

Busy is a choice. Peace is too.

And this year, I’m choosing less.

Are you too?