*This blog post was written over 3 days and in between making dinners, running forgotten lunches to school, driving to and from practices, taking the dog to the vet, stripping and washing bedding, picking up groceries, breaking up fights, looking for iPad chargers, getting myself to therapy and connecting with my husband.
Ah the life of an Entrepreneur Mom…
Oh and I was running my business too in all of that!?
When you are a mom and an entrepreneur the term “work/life balance” takes on a whole new meaning. We are a group with its own, very specific, set of challenges, frustrations, needs, victories and wins!
When you are the one at the helm of a business, and a household, it’s not as simple as “leave it at work”, because those lines blur a lot easier than other working moms.
So is it possible to build the business, raise the kids AND find time for your own self care? It is! Let’s get into the messy middle of the motherhood and business balance!
The Challenges of Entrepreneur Mom Life
In the last almost 5 years of running a business while also raising kids, I’ve had lots of conversations with moms just like me. And I’ve learned that there are a few universal challenges we all seem to deal with in some way.
I recently asked over on Threads, “What do you need most as an entrepreneur mom?” and over 70 women replied – these were the top 4 areas:
1. Rest & Self-Care
These two things were at the very top of the “needs” list. And honestly, I get it. When you are trying to build and run a business while also raising kids, YOU tend to fall dead last on the priority list.
But as someone who has worked hard to overcome the “putting me last” syndrome, caring for yourself is literally foundational to a healthy family and business.
2. Child Care
Help with kids came in number 2 among the women I polled. This seems to always be a challenge, doesn’t it? When we are the primary caregivers AND the sole business owner, there is an immediate need for reliable childcare.
3. Mindset
I was not surprised to see help or support around mindset as one of the top needs. Part of entrepreneurship is having a mindset that supports your dream and in motherhood, the mindset you have around your day-to-day is foundational.
4. Time
So this was sort of a ‘duh’ response. Time – lack of enough or better management of what we have – is a mom’s kryptonite. So when you’re running a business on top of everything else, time is the most precious commodity.
So now that we know what we are facing – the other ‘needs’ included things like a supportive community or spouse, better business know-how and hiring help around the house – how can we start to set ourselves up for the success we want?
Let’s start with the thing that matters most – YOU!
Strategies for Staying Grounded As An Entrepreneur Mom
When I think about “staying grounded” I think of ways I can remain centered, at ease and better able to manage all the parts of my life. And being in a place to create work/life balance is the first step!
Here are a few ways to start grounding yourself for better day-to-day life management.
Having A Mindfulness & Meditation Practice
One of the best ways to reconnect and ground is to get quiet and connect back to your physical self.
Mindfulness and mediation have been a staple in my life for many years and makes everything about life just a bit easier. Having these techniques and resources to come back to at a moment’s notice is invaluable.
Where to start:
- Calm app – (my go-to)
- YouTube – I’ve pulled together a playlist of my favorite videos & channels for learning and practice
- To Be Magnetic – this program takes mindfulness to manifestation level. I’ve learned so much and healed so much through TBM. (fyi, this is an affiliate link)
Creating a Dedicated Workspace
Early on in motherhood I realized that what is mom’s stuff/space/food, is everyone else’s too!
But when it comes to the business your building, having a workspace that is just yours – an almost sacred space where you can be, work and focus – is fundamental. If you’ve been working in and amongst the chaos of the house, maybe from the kitchen table or from the couch in the playroom, it can be extra hard to find focus and any kind of work/life balance.
Because while you’re trying to tend to your business, you’re also seeing the dishes that need to be washed and the dog hair that needs to be vacuumed up and the laundry that needs to be folded.
So find some space in your home, even if it’s a corner of your bedroom where you can put your back to the door, that you can make YOUR space.
Establishing Work/Life Boundaries
When you’re looking to find more centeredness, more of a grounded life, you have to create the mental and emotional space to support it.
As moms, we struggle with putting ourselves first, with stating clearly and confidently what we want and need, but if you’re needing to find that much needed work/life balance, it’s time to speak up.
Getting to a place of grounded centeredness starts with creating time and space for it.
How to start setting supportive boundaries:
- Set working hours and dedicated personal time
- Ignore drop ins, stop bys and interruptions.
- Speaking up regularly about the importance of your work boundaries and your need for personal time. Stress the fact that you’re not going to compromise them for non-emergency things
Finding Balance: Practical Tips
Now that you’re starting to find that solid ground, you can begin taking practical steps in your everyday life to create more work/life balance.
1. Prioritizing & Time-Blocking Your Day
Find a task management system that works for you – Trello, Asana & Notion are my favorites – and break up your to-do.
Once you know the hierarchy of to-do tasks, look at your week ahead (I like to do this on Sundays) and block the days and times you’ll focus on each task.
2. Leverage Technology For Work/Life Balance
There is so much amazing tech out there to help us automation, streamline and take a bit of the burden off our shoulders.
Within your business consider automating your marketing & sales process – I use a fantastic CRM, Automation On A Mission.
Other super helpful apps:
– Metricool – for social scheduling
– Canva – for all things visual
– ChatGPT or Claude – my favorite AI platforms
3. Delegating & Outsourcing (if possible)
When you’re ready, take stock of the tasks – either in your business or around the house – that you can delegate to someone else or outsource.
Sometimes we don’t realize just how much time and brain power certain things take up and when we are able to hand them over to someone else, we get back the precious energy!
Final Thoughts From A Fellow Entrepreneur Mom
Finding work/life balance as an Entrepreneur Mom doesn’t mean having to neglect either side of your life – business or family.
It really comes down to understanding how to use the time and resources you already have and then making sure the foundation of all of it is your personal self care.
Self-care is not selfish. It is a necessary part of the big picture that is your life and business. So if you want to find success – personally, professionally or ideally both – it starts with the foundation you lay.
Let go of the idea that you have to be the perfect mom or the perfect entrepreneur and focus on the progress you can make each day and each week. Celebrating those small wins and recognizing the hard work you are putting in is so important!
Remember it starts with finding that grounded center to build on.
What can you do today to ground a little bit and begin to put that work-life balance into place?
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And if you’re looking for more support on your journey as an Entrepreneur Mom check out The Haven!
The Haven is a community just for us, women who are building businesses while also raising families and prioritizing the self-care we need.
Click here to learn more about The Haven and jump onto my email list for weekly marketing and entrepreneur how-to tips and resources right to your inbox!
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