Big Cartel Takes a Winter Break

Everyone deserves a break.

Unfortunately, in a world with next-day shipping (psst! that’s not really free), not enough people get to take time away from work to recharge and reflect. Although Big Cartel is considered a small company in an industry where our competitors have thousands of employees, it’s important for us to set a good example every chance we get.

This year, like the last few, we’re going to do just that by giving the entire company time off to end the year.

As an all-remote company, how the Big Cartel team collaborates is of the utmost importance. Working remotely informs everything we do from how we schedule meetings to the time we take away from work.

And when your team lives across several time zones, you might think it’d be easy to ignore the lines of work-life balance. But we don’t. And sometimes the best thing we can do to facilitate better work is to intentionally step away from it.

By giving the entire company time off to end the year, we're making it clear—it's important to unwind, enjoy the company of loved ones, and come back re-energized for the start of a new year.

And we invite you to join us in whatever way works for your artistic practice, business, family, and community. Try working in a break (or mini-breaks) into your routine. Don't stress if you can’t manage a whole week or even a day—grab anywhere from five minutes to two hours (work with what ya’ve got!) this December to:

• Listen to chill music

• Watch your favorite movie

• Have a good conversation with a friend

• Get a massage

• Close your eyes and take five deep breaths

• Take a 20- to 90-minute nap

• Go for a walk

• Read a few pages of your favorite book

• Eat a cookie

You've just survived the most breathlessly busy time of the year, after a couple of the most stressful years for the 8 billion people on this planet. It's a big accomplishment, and you should give yourself the space to appreciate how far you've come.

One last housekeeping note: We want everyone in the company to be refreshed by this break, and that includes our Support team. A few folks have generously stepped up to keep an eye on things in case you need urgent help, and we’ll be back in full force in January. In the meantime, support will be limited between December 23 and January 2.

See you in 2023!