After giving birth to my son, I was constantly feeling like I was falling short of the mark: at home, in my relationships, with my business, and most importantly, as a mom. Introducing a new baby to the mix of your life has a way of literally turning your world upside down and not always in the best ways. It can be hard enough running a small business by itself. But honestly when you try to do it AND be a parent simultaneously, how the heck are we supposed to do it all?! Of course, we want to be present and enjoy time with our children, but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of our business. Fortunately, through trial and error, I implemented new habits that have helped me run my business more efficiently, so that I can be present when enjoying time with my kid.
- Create a Daily Focus: Every day I make a written to-do list of all the things I’d like to accomplish. However, I also take the opportunity to identify one (1) daily focus for that given day. In other words, what is the one thing I can cross off my to-do list that would make me feel the most productive or have the most impact? Once I can identify what that task is, I make that a top priority for the day. Once I know I’ve completed my daily focus, I feel less guilty about taking an unexpected break to enjoy some time with my family.
- Rise and Shine: I was not always a morning person. But motherhood changed all that. I now start my mornings at 5AM. This time is what I like to call my “power hour” – my most productive part of my day. This is the time I try to tackle my daily focus or anything else that requires my undivided attention. On most days, my husband, son and our two dogs are fast asleep and I relish the alone time without interruptions. Getting the important things out of the way before the sun is even out, opens up the rest of my day for infinite possibilities.
- Maximize your Productivity: Let’s face it, our energy levels ebb and flow. Somedays, we can power through almost anything and then there are days, where were just have zero motivation So when I’m feeling particularly energized, my goal is to not only complete the tasks on my to-do list for the day, but try to get ahead of my tasks for the week. The more I can cross-off my to-do list during these moments of sudden energy (usually early mornings for me), the further along I’ll be for the days where I feel less invigorated or just want a little down time to spend with my family.
- Block Out Down Time: Up until recently, I had the bad habit of always overbooking my schedule. So I started being more intentional with my time off and making sure to specifically block off family time on the calendar so I can enjoy “guilt-free” time with my son and not stress about the never-ending to-do list. Not to mention, it’s so good for the soul!
- Outsource What You Can: Yes, I can do it all, but that doesn’t mean that I want to or actually should! I started outsourcing some time consuming and repetitive tasks when the budget allowed and it made such an impact on my overall stress levels and capacity! Not only did it lighten my personal load, it opened up time to do the things I really wanted to do: both in personal life and business.
