Welcome back to another episode of the podcast. I’m so excited that you’re here. In today’s episode, I’m peeling back the curtain and getting a little more personal. I am excited to dive deeper into the topic of balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship because it certainly is a balance and while it is rarely a 50/50 split, we all are doing our best to make sure both our business and children thrive.
I only have one child and he’s almost three years old so I’m definitely not claiming to be a parenting pro by any means but I have had experience running my business pre and post children which not everyone has so I feel like I have some insight to share.
Just a disclaimer, everyone’s businesses are different even though we’re all service providers and if you’re listening to this you’re likely thinking about or already offering some form of podcast management services.
Some of us might have more time and resources than others and that’s completely okay. This episode is meant to inspire you to make the most of what you have instead of playing the comparison game because that can be so easy to do with social media. So no matter what, you are doing great mama, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed juggling both motherhood and entrepreneurship, then just know you are not alone and it is only a season.
Figure out the nonnegotiables and then go from there – As a mom, you don’t have the same amount of time as people who aren’t parents so it’s important to figure out your absolute must-dos as a business owner and focus on those. Anything else you get done is just a bonus.
I like to have my 3 must-do tasks each day and as long as I knock out those 3 things then I am content. Having a to-do list of 20+ items every day is overwhelming and a lot of the time those 20 items don’t need to be done that exact day so minimizing your list to only focus on your priority items for the day will really help you power through those instead of feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending list.
Be flexible – Raising littles and running a business is tough so being able to be flexible and go with the flow is key. I used to get super stressed at the smallest inconvenience like my son not taking a nap but the reason I went into business for myself in the first place is because I wanted to have a flexible schedule so when times get tough, remember your why for starting your business in the first place. That always grounds me on the hard days.
If you need to do work in the evening for a few months or even longer, that is the beauty of having your own business because you don’t need to complete work in the typical 9-5 timeframe if that doesn’t work for your schedule.
Give yourself grace – As moms, we tend to be the default parent so that means a lot of the day to day responsibilities with our children fall on us, so on those days when your kiddo needs a little more attention or maybe they were sick and had to stay home from school, just remember to give yourself grace. It is just a season and they won’t always need you. Your business can wait.
Find your village – In full transparency, my son is in daycare 5 days a week and has been since he turned one. I usually drop him off around 8:30 and pick him up around 4 so he’s not there from open to close but it still allows me ample time to get work done on a daily basis without having to work around his naps (which are generally only an hour at home) and at nighttime. So if daycare is a part of your village, no shame. I think so many entrepreneurs get shamed by having daycare as a part of their village but I am a huge believer in doing what works for you and your family.
Your village might be someone coming over to watch your kiddos for a few hours a couple of days a week. It might even be signing up for a gym and utilizing their childcare facility. I know my gym has a 2-hour limit so I could go workout for 30 minutes and spend the other hour and a half working if I wanted to. Do what you can with what you’ve got. Every day may look completely different but embrace your current situation and make it work for you.
Outsource what you can – I’m a huge believer in outsourcing what you can in both life and business.
Even if it’s just doing something like Target or grocery pickup, that will save you so much time and likely money because you’re not being tempted to pick up random things you don’t need as you peruse the aisles of the store. Some other things you can outsource if it makes sense for your budget is getting someone to come in maybe once or twice a month and do a nice clean of your house. Obviously, daycare is something that is a part of our village as well so that’s included in this category too.
Business wise if it’s in your budget you can outsource some tasks to a VA like help with social media or admin tasks so that you can focus on showing up and serving your clients.
Honestly, in my opinion, it is impossible to do it all without a little help somewhere because we don’t have unlimited time to get things done because sleep and self-care are extremely important to our well-being too.
So figure out what types of things you can either eliminate or outsource so that you can focus on showing up as your best self as a parent and business owner.
I just want you to know that I am so proud of you. It takes so much courage to start a business and I know that a big reason for why you’re doing it most likely is because of your kids so cheers to you mama.
If you are a mom or pregnant with your first child and about to step into motherhood soon, I would love to know your thoughts on today’s episode. I really hope you learned something new or even got some inspiration or validation. You can DM me over on Instagram – my handle is @jenny.suneson.
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