My business started before I had my son, a few years in fact. But it was because of my son that I took things full-time and have continued to grow year after year. Being a mom and a business owner isn’t for the faint of heart. You feel pulled in a million directions just about every moment of the day. But I have never felt like the challenge wasn’t worth it. Throughout the years, I’ve learned there’s a few important tips to survive being a mom and a business owner. So whether you’re a mom, a mom-to-be, or a fur-mom (or parent, let’s not leave dads out!), I hope these lessons help you!
Learn to set boundaries.
I talk about boundaries A LOT on the blog… so it must be important. Boundaries will protect you mentally and emotionally. And they protect your time in and out of the office. Learn to set boundaries with your clients about when you’re working and available. Set reasonable turnaround times and stick to them as much as you can. But, it’s not just about your clients. Set boundaries with your family. You have a job and a business to run, and when you’re in the office, those responsibilities are what your focus should be. Having a good village behind you will make the time in the office a LOT easier to manage.
Know there’s no way to balance it all perfectly.
Everyone talks about finding the balance between parenthood and being a business owner. But the reality is there is no perfect balance. Some days are going to be really family heavy and others will be more about your business. One time, I read an author talk about how she balanced writing books and being a mom. She said things in life are balls – some are glass and some are plastic. Glass balls will break when you drop them, plastic bounce. And as a working parent, you’re juggling these balls. Family might be glass one day and plastic the next. But the reminder from it all was that sometimes, you have to let go of the plastic balls and watch them bounce. It just reminds me that our priorities shift day-to-day and we have to decide which is the focus for that day, or hour even. And it’s okay to let things go when it’s necessary.
Remember your why.
Being a mom and a business owner has always been about creating flexibility for my family. I wanted to be here with my son so I could teach him and be here for his special moments. This was about creating a lifestyle our family wanted. But, I’ve not always gotten it right. Sometimes I’ve worked too much for my clients and sacrificed time with my family. And other times, I’ve failed as a business owner. When I start to feel like I’m doing something wrong, I stop and think about WHY I did this. It was for me, for our family, for my son. It doesn’t mean I can always just shut off the business, but it helps me re-align what I need to do for the day (or week, or month). And it’s always made me feel better leading up to big trips or time off when I cram a ton of work in so I can be fully present on our trip. It’s my purpose.
Like I said, there’s no perfect way to be a business owner and a mom. It’s about trying to balance the best you can, giving yourself grace, and remembering what’s most important. Those are all different for each of us, but at the heart of it: know where your purpose is and follow that. And remember, you’re doing GREAT, so please cut yourself some slack. It’s way easier to be hard on ourselves, but I promise you: you don’t deserve that. Give yourself a little break, mama. You’re amazing – don’t forget that.
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