It’s 4:15 a.m. and my newborn baby just fell asleep. I’m hoping I have enough time to do some work. I quietly open my laptop and begin to send press releases, knowing most editors and news anchors will be in the office early and my emails will be the first to be seen. I just gave birth a week ago but unlike most women, I don’t have the typical maternity leave. I’m a mompreneur, a mom whose also an entrepreneur.
The Fantasy
Admittedly, before my baby arrived I thought this whole work-from-home mom role was going to be a cake walk. Well, maybe not cake, but definitely not as complicated as it has become. In my fantasy, I’m to experience all of the precious first moments with my baby, have the house cleaned, and dinner cooked every day while still being a financial equal in my household. Ladies, was I wrong.
The Reality
It took me a while before I found a sense of balance, and let me tell you, the juggle is real. Nevertheless, I found the light at the end of the tunnel again. Now, three months into life as a mompreneur, I feel like I’m starting to get my head above water. I work, if and when, my daughter naps as well as in the evenings when my husband comes home. I also need to find a way to complete chores around the house. Tasks like, quickly run to switch out the laundry, or other household to-dos, while the baby entertains herself in her rocker. I even cook dinner in the middle of the day to reheat at later that evening. Whatever you do to balance the the different aspects of your life, always remember having a system is the key.
Pro: “Entrepreneurship gives me the flexibility we need to care for our baby.”
Con: “Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with breaks.”
What I Learned
I quickly learned there’s no way I’m going to have time to work during the day. My baby girl constantly cried during the first month. Not only was I struggling to nurse, learn to care for her, and manage my client workload, but we were also moving. Fun times, right? I was that sleep-deprived mom with a laptop on one side of me, a screaming baby in my arms, while trying to quickly pump. (Amazing what you learn to do while attached to a breast pump).
The most important lesson I’ve learned in motherhood thus far is I won’t ever be able to get everything done. The laundry is piled up, finger paint is on the dining room table, spit up on your new shirt, and there’s work for a job that takes more time to get done than available. There’s always an everlasting to-do list. I won’t ever be able to completely balance my responsibilities seamlessly. However, isn’t that what motherhood is, a beautiful mess? Motherhood is giving the best version of yourself possible knowing that you’re going to come up short and praying it’s enough.
You’re Not Alone
There’s always so much to do in a day and it can be overwhelming. Being a mother is difficult enough, but taking on the task of being, not only a working mother, but an entrepreneur can seem down right impossible. The truth is, we all go through the same periods of adjustments, trials, and frustrations that come from wearing different hats. However, it is not a hopeless struggle.
- Figure out what tasks you need to accomplish.
- Prioritize those tasks from most important to least important.
- Tackle what you can when you can.
- Try and stay calm.
- Be your own cheerleader.
Being a mompreneur has also taught me that it’s not only about productivity or checking a task off of your to-do list, but embracing each and every day and living moment by moment. Now, I wake up with no expectations for myself. I do the best I can and I don’t allow myself to feel guilty for not completing tasks that are not essential.
My new motto is, “It may not get done today, but it will get done.”
If you’re a working mom, props. If you’re a stay at home mom, props. If you’re somehow trying to balance being a working mom and stay-at-home mom, balancing babies and business, may your coffee be strong and your days be short. No matter what kind of mom you are, the juggle is real.
What stories or experiences do you have to share? Do you have any tips or suggestions that can help? Give us a shout out! We would love to hear from you!
