More and more women are launching businesses and juggling their careers with motherhood. If you’re a business owner and a mom, life can get hectic. Thankfully, there are ways to strike a healthy balance. If you feel like you’re swimming against the tide, or you never have a minute to yourself, here are some tips to take on board.
Getting into a routine
Most parents devote a huge amount of time to getting their kids into a routine. Routines are beneficial for children, but they’re also important for adults. If you work in an office, you know when to sign in and clock off. If you run your own business, there’s a risk that you’ll end up spending far too much time at your desk. It’s crucial to be prepared for hard work when you launch a venture, but you also need to take time out. Getting into a routine and planning your weeks and days in advance can help you manage tasks and find a balance between working, looking after your children and enjoying some downtime. Plan your working day according to your childcare commitments, and play to your strengths. If you’re a morning person, for example, consider starting work early and wrapping up by 5pm so that you have plenty of time to spend with your family in the evenings.
Taking advantage of technology
Technology is increasingly influential in the world of business. If you’re juggling multiple tasks and spending hours collecting and analyzing data or sending emails, now is the time to consider updating your equipment and exploring new software and programs. Technology saves time and effort, and in many cases, investing in new systems can also make financial sense. If you’re not up to date with the latest innovations or inventions, it’s worth spending some time with a business consultant, reading articles and features in business magazines and seeing what other companies are doing to improve efficiency through technology. Automated programs are a brilliant example of how you can lighten your workload and improve customer service at the same time.
Hiring virtual help
Even the most dedicated business owner can’t be accessible and available 24-hours-a-day. It’s critical to take time off and to have clear boundaries between work and play. If you tend to check emails from the moment you wake up until the second you get into bed, or you’re never technically out of office, hiring virtual help is an excellent idea. Take a look at sites like www.virtualheadquarters.com.au to get an idea of the kinds of services available to you. You can take advantage of virtual call answering so that you never miss out on a sale, or arrange for your voicemails to be forwarded to you via email so that you can keep in touch if you’re away from your home office or business base. Virtual assistants enable you to take time away from the phone or the computer without worrying about losing a lead or damaging an exemplary customer service record.
Sharing the load
If you’re finding it tough to balance business and babies, have you thought about hiring help? This could mean enlisting the services of a nanny, asking your family to help out with babysitting or employing people to join your company. If you have help with your children during the day, this will create time for you to work, and if you have a team of people to assist with work-related tasks, this will free up time to spend with your family. It’s also worth considering working with an external agency or freelancers if you need help with specific jobs that don’t match your skill set.
Rather than employing individuals, you could outsource tasks. A good example is digital marketing if you have an online business, but you’re not proficient in search engine optimization or social media marketing. This option is often more cost-effective than offering long-term employment contracts, as it enables you to keep wage bills low.
Learning to say no
When you’re living a double life as a parent and an aspiring business mogul, you might find that you’re inundated with requests. If you’ve got a schedule packed with networking events, client meetings, playdates and after school clubs, it’s incredibly beneficial to learn to say no. Many of us feel pressured into doing things and going places when all we really want to do is kick off our shoes, relax on the couch and take a break after a busy day. Learning to say no isn’t a sign of weakness, and it can help you to manage your time more effectively. You don’t have to go to every single business event or take up all the offers your kids get. There’s no shame in saying no from time to time.
Planning ahead
Being organized is key for mompreneurs. Sometimes, it’s impossible to plan ahead, but if you can make plans in advance, this will help you take control of your schedule. Start each day with an idea of what you’re going to do, and update your to-do list as you go. Use a diary or an app to remind you of what’s in store for the week ahead, and figure out the logistics. If you have a clash, try and find a way around it to avoid last-minute panics. If you need to take your kids to school, for example, and you have a meeting booked in, you could ask a family member or a neighbor to do the school run for you, you could move your meeting or you could work remotely.
It’s not easy to run a business or to raise kids. If you’re trying to do both at the same time, you may feel like there are never enough hours in the day. The good news is that there are ways of saving time, improving efficiency and striking the right balance.
