How to Plan Your Year Gently When You Run a Business With a Chronic Illness

The start of a new year often comes with a lot of pressure. There is an expectation that we should feel motivated, energised and ready to plan ambitious goals. For business owners living with a chronic illness, this can feel particularly difficult.

When your energy fluctuates and symptoms are unpredictable, traditional approaches to planning can feel unrealistic or even discouraging. You might want direction and clarity, but also feel unsure how to plan when you do not know what your health will be like.

The good news is that planning does not have to look the way it does for everyone else. You can plan your year in a way that supports your health and still make meaningful progress in your business.

Planning looks different when you live with chronic illness

If you have ever made plans that your health later made impossible, you're not alone. Living with chronic illness means working with uncertainty. That does not mean you lack commitment or ambition. It simply means your capacity is not always predictable.

Rather than giving up on planning altogether, a more supportive approach is to plan differently. A plan that takes your health into account is not a weaker plan. It is a more realistic and sustainable one.

Start with intention rather than pressure

Before setting goals or creating a to do list, it can be helpful to think about intention.

Intention is about how you want your business to feel in your life. It gives you direction without demanding a specific pace.

You might ask yourself questions like:

• How do I want my business to support my health this year?

• What do I want more of in my working life?

• What do I want less of?

Your intention might be about creating more stability, protecting your energy, working with greater flexibility or feeling more confident in your decisions. This intention can guide your planning and help you make choices that align with your wellbeing.

Allow more time than you think you need

One of the kindest and most effective changes you can make to your planning is allowing more time than expected.

If something might take a month, plan for two. If you think you can complete a project in a few weeks, give yourself longer. This extra space allows for flare ups, low energy days and the need for rest.

Planning with more time does not mean you are lowering your standards. It means you are building a plan that can cope with real life.

Break your goals into small, manageable steps

Big goals can feel overwhelming, especially when energy is limited. Breaking goals down into small steps can make them feel far more achievable.

Instead of focusing on the final outcome, ask yourself what the smallest next step could be. Something that feels possible even on a lower energy day.

Small steps still count. Over time, they add up to real progress and help you stay connected to your business without burning out.

Plan in phases rather than all at once

You do not need to have the entire year mapped out in detail. Planning in phases can feel much more manageable.

You might loosely outline the year ahead, but only plan the next month or quarter in detail. This gives you room to adapt if your health changes and reduces the pressure to have everything figured out from the start.

It also gives you permission to change your plans as you learn more about what works for you.

Make time for regular reflection

Reflection is an important part of gentle planning. When you live with chronic illness, it is easy to focus on what has not been done rather than what you have achieved.

Regular check ins can help you recognise progress and adjust your plans with compassion.

You might reflect monthly or quarterly and ask:

• What have I managed to do, even on low energy days?

• What has supported my wellbeing?

• What has felt draining?

• What would I like to change going forward?

Reflection helps turn planning into an ongoing, flexible process rather than a rigid set of expectations.

Your wellbeing is part of your business plan

Your wellbeing is not something separate from your business. It is central to it.

When planning your year, consider how you will protect your energy and support your health. This might include planning rest days, building in buffer time, avoiding over packed weeks or scheduling regular breaks.

Caring for your wellbeing is not a luxury. It is a necessary part of running a sustainable business when you live with chronic illness.

A gentle reminder for the year ahead

There will be times when progress feels slow. There may be weeks when very little happens. That does not mean you are failing.

A flexible, compassionate plan allows you to respond to your body and continue moving forward in a way that is realistic and supportive.

Slower progress is still progress.

Would you like support creating a plan that works for you?

If you would like help creating a business plan that fits your health and your goals, mentoring can provide personalised support.

Through mentoring, we can look at your energy, your symptoms and your business aims and shape a plan that feels achievable and sustainable. It is about working with your capacity rather than against it.

You can find out more about mentoring here:

You may also enjoy listening to the full podcast episode where I explore these ideas in more depth and share additional reflections. You can listen here: