How I Work Less and Earn More with YouTube in 2025
This past summer, I worked less than I ever have before—yet I made more money than in previous years. When I say that to clients or friends in the online business world, they usually give me that wide-eyed look and immediately ask: “What changed?”
The truth is, it wasn’t about hustling harder, launching a new product, or creating more content than I could handle. The biggest shift was learning how to treat YouTube as my sales system instead of just another social platform. I want to walk you through exactly what that looks like in a real week of my life so you can see how I’ve built a business that supports my lifestyle instead of the other way around.
Why I Stepped Off the Content Hamster Wheel
Not long ago, I was exhausted from posting everywhere; Instagram stories, reels, static posts, TikToks, you name it. I was spending hours every week creating content that disappeared within 24 hours, and for what?
I’d pour my heart into a reel that took as much editing time as a full YouTube video, only to get a couple of hundred views that never translated into sales. Meanwhile, random posts about things unrelated to my business would get attention, which only fueled comparison-itis and shiny object syndrome.
It took a real gut check for me to finally run the numbers. And when I did, I realized something game-changing: leads that came from YouTube converted at double the rate of leads from Instagram. In other words, I could reach fewer people on YouTube but still make more sales than with all my Instagram efforts combined.
That was my turning point. I stopped trying to be everywhere, and I started designing a business around fewer, more strategic actions that actually produced results.
A Week in My Life as a YouTube-Focused Business Owner
To give you a realistic picture of what this looks like, I’m pulling back the curtain on a typical summer week. Keep in mind: this isn’t a highlight reel. This is the real blend of business, kids, and life that makes working online both challenging and rewarding.
Monday — Client Work and Weekly Webinar
Mondays always kick off with client audits. Many of my clients spend their weekends drafting YouTube game plans, so by Monday morning, I’ve got a full queue waiting. These audits take me about 90 minutes and are usually delivered as Loom videos or quick voice memos, where I review scripts, titles, thumbnails, and calls-to-action.
By the time I wrap those up, I roll straight into a team meeting with my full-time employee, followed by a mastermind call. Mondays are busy, but I batch them intentionally so that the rest of the week can run lighter.
The highlight of Monday is my live webinar at 1 p.m. I run it every week, and while not every single webinar is a home run, the consistency is what matters. One off day doesn’t derail me, I’ve got three more chances that month to bring in sales. That’s the beauty of a repeatable system.
Tuesday — Client Calls and Catch-Up
Tuesday mornings are slower. My mom usually comes to watch the kids, which means I can dive deep into client calls. These are short, about 20 minutes each, but packed with strategy and feedback.
I always start my day by reviewing my weekly to-do list, which I prepped on Sunday. Without that plan, I’d be scattered and overwhelmed. On this Tuesday, I crossed off two big money-making tasks: scheduling sales emails and setting up webinar reminders.
But not everything got done. Some lower-priority tasks, like scripting onboarding videos, got bumped. That’s an important shift I’ve made this year: asking myself, “Does this task make me money now, or can it wait?” The answer helps me prioritize what matters most.
Wednesday — Working with Kids at Home
Wednesdays test my time management because the kids are home with me. I set up a laminated chore chart to keep them busy, things like making their beds, unloading the dishwasher, or reading for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I try to squeeze in about four focused hours of work.
That day included catching up on audits, writing flash sale emails, and even scripting internal onboarding videos while sitting in the car during golf practice. Was it ideal? No. But that’s the flexibility this business model gives me, I can catch up while life is happening.
And despite the chaos, sales keep rolling in. That Wednesday alone, I had seven organic sales come through, all without running ads.
Thursday — Client Coaching and Content Planning
By Thursday, I was ready to shift focus to bigger projects. My morning started with compiling webinar sales emails to send to my coach for review. We’re always testing ways to improve click-through rates and replay conversions.
I also outlined a talk I’m preparing for VidFest. Breaking big tasks into smaller pieces helps me fit them into my week realistically. Instead of trying to design slides in one sitting, I just outlined key points. The slides can come later.
Client audits were heavier that day, too. Reviewing YouTube video game plans takes time because it’s not just about checking a script; it’s reviewing the entire strategy, from title options to hook to call-to-action. But this is the work that makes my clients successful, so it’s worth every minute.
Friday — Wrapping Up and Resetting
By Friday, I’d caught up on everything I needed to do for the week. Some days flowed better than others, but that’s the rhythm of summer with kids at home.
What mattered most was that my non-negotiables were handled: client audits, weekly webinar, sales emails, and content planning. Everything else was secondary.
That Friday ended with me sitting at golf practice again, reflecting on how different my business feels now compared to when I was chained to Instagram. Instead of chasing views and likes, I’m seeing consistent sales every single day, all fueled by a YouTube system that works whether I’m at my desk, at the pool, or watching my kids play.
The Big Shift That Changed Everything
The turning point wasn’t just quitting Instagram. It was finally treating YouTube like a sales system instead of a content platform. I built what I call a playlist funnel, a series of videos designed to move viewers from awareness to belief to action.
Instead of chasing views with broad “how-to” content, I focus on creating videos for my ready-to-buy viewer, the person who already knows they have a problem and is actively looking for a solution. When they binge-watch my content, they see my unique perspective, and by the time they get to the final video in the funnel, they’re ready to buy.
This system has worked not just for me but for countless clients. One replaced her Instagram reels with a YouTube playlist funnel and booked a $2,000 client from a video with less than 20 views. Another landed a $10,000 brand deal. Others have made sales in less than 24 hours from videos with under 10 views. These aren’t flukes, they’re the result of strategy.
Why This Works Better Than Instagram
Instagram is a feed. Content disappears in hours. YouTube is evergreen. Videos I posted years ago still bring in leads and sales today. And now, with AI tools like ChatGPT crawling YouTube content, videos have an even longer shelf life because they can be surfaced as expert recommendations long after they’re published.
The truth is, YouTube doesn’t require me to create more. It requires me to create smarter. One video a week, planned strategically with a clear offer in mind, works harder for me than seven Instagram posts ever did.
Building a Business That Supports Your Life
At the end of the day, I didn’t start a business to be a full-time content creator. I started a business to have freedom. Freedom to take vacations, to spend afternoons at the pool with my kids, to work 20–25 hours a week instead of 60.
And that’s exactly what this YouTube strategy allows me to do. My videos are out there working for me around the clock, generating leads, building trust, and making sales even when I’m off the clock.
So when people ask me what changed, the answer is simple: I stopped hustling for likes and started building a system that actually sells. And I’m never going back.
