Our lives are so busy these days, it is hard to fit everything in and we end up having to prioritise. Even prioritise how long we spend with our kids.
Running a business is a tough gig and, if allowed, can add to the busy life instead of making it easier.
There’s the emotional ups and downs, the day to day running and the constant planning to ensure money is always coming through the door.
Add in the role of motherhood and it all starts to get that little bit more complicated… and busy!
So how do you keep your business profitable and the family happy whilst making sure you don’t burn out in the mean time?
Here are out top 5 tips to make sure you achieve balance as a Mum in business:
TIP 1:
Be flexible and allow your business to be flexible too. As a Mum, our days never seem to go to plan. The perfectly planned day can go out the window in literally seconds when your kid wakes up sick or worse, daycare is closed!
Building your business to be flexible and creating a culture so your staff and workers can also have the work life balance they need. This will not only keep staff happy, but it will also build productivity and in turn profitability as happy workers always do more than is expected.
If you are in business alone, then practicing a flexible working arrangement will allow you the time to step away from your business and enjoy family time or even just some much needed you time.
TIP 2:
Don’t be afraid to use technology. There are so many new apps, platforms and systems around now that we don’t need to be doing everything manually anymore. You can save a lot of time and sanity by scheduling posts in apps like Post Planner or Hootsuite and automating emails in programs like Yesware. While your social media is ticking away, you can be at the park with the kids.
We are so lucky we live in a day and age where there are so many useful tools to help make our lives easier. Just don’t get too sucked into the “social technology”, this can be a time sucker rather than a time saver!
TIP 3:
Make your business about more than profits. If you are just working for money or for profit, then you will find that you will burn out quicker than if you are enjoying what you are doing. Love your business, so when you are working, you want to be there.
Maybe even give your business an element of “feel good” that gives you a pep in your step when you business achieves a milestone. For example, having a favourite charity you donate a portion on profits to. This helps build trust and rapport with customers and also benefits the charity you are donating to… and it just feels good too!
TIP 4:
Make sure you set yourself down time. There is no point working endless hours in your business because you will find that your productivity lessens and your creativity dries up. Creating a routine or even working hours if you will, will enable you to have work time and play time which will help with your overall well-being.
When my kid are home, I try and spend quality time with them in the morning and then when we come home after lunch, the kids are more content to sit and play quietly. This gives me time to do some urgent work tasks without feeling the Mummy guilt or losing time with my kids.
TIP 5:
Think big but don’t bite off more than you can chew. You have created your business to bring you freedom and profit, but this doesn’t have to happen overnight. In fact, most success stories happen over years of hard work and/or planning. You generally only get to hear about the last few months!
So don’t think you have to be a millionaire within 6 months, because the odds aren’t stacked in your favour. Work consistently at your business and plan for scale an growth and how you are going to cope with that, but take your time if you need to. Your business will not do well if you are burnt out or feeling exhausted.
The bottom line is, don’t forget the reason your started this journey in the first place and make sure you look after you and your family first, then your business. Because a happy Mum equals a happy life.
