So you're a stay at home mum that has decided to do some extra work from home. A fantastic idea but what does this really look like? A quiet house with a dedicated funky work-space; you closing deals while cooking a fantastic meal for the family?.....Ummmm maybe not.
A recent study of 2,000 mums with kids between the age of 5 and 12 has found that they are averaging a 98 hour work week.*
That's right 98 hours!!!!
With so many hours already taken up, how exactly do you fit a profitable and fulfilling work life into this?
Here are strategies I've put in place to keep me sane whilst trying to grow my business.
1. PLAN, PLAN, PLAN.
Whether you're a physical planner kind of girl or you like an online management tool, sit down on a Sunday evening and plan out your week.
I personally like a good old fashion diary, pen and highlighter. Put in all the kid's activities and any appointments you may have that week. Then put in around those your work hours - if you know you'd like to work a minimum of 10 hours that week - make sure they are written in.
Mentally it feels harder to break these
"work hours" if they are written down.
Having a certain coloured highlighter for each segment of your life helps to easily have a visual of your day ahead.
Another thing that has been a game changer is meal planning for the week. This has not only saved my sanity at 5pm everyday but it is also saving us a tone of money (but that could be a whole other blog post!)
2. CHOOSE DEDICATED WORK HOURS.
I was the worst for this. I would always steal my work hours wherever I could. The kettle is boiling – “I’ll quickly check my emails”. The washing is almost finished – “I’ll find some graphics for my next blog”. My lunch is heating in the microwave – “I’ll jump into Tailwind and schedule some Pinterest pins". Doing this only makes you feel like you are always working. Always switched on. You always have one foot in each camp – home and work. It’s not great for your family, it's not great for your business and it certainly will end up doing your head in! My husband would say to me “you’re always working!” and in my mind, I never felt like I’d even got to scratch the surface. You will quickly lose sight of why you started your business and resentment kicks in on all fronts.
Having dedicated hours, even if it is 1 hour at a time
mentally prepares you for your day.
Schedule it into your diary, just like any other appointment. I know you probably started your business for the flexibility it would give you and there is a time for this. But, on the whole, I recommend sticking to regular work hours for everyone’s sanity!
3. HAVE A DEDICATED WORK-SPACE.
Trust me, if you don’t have a dedicated workspace you will feel like you’re always working. If your laptop or computer is sitting on your dining table or kitchen bench-top you’ll always be tempted to “check in” with what’s going on with your business - “I’ll just quickly check my emails”, “I’ll just see if anyone has commented on my post”… soon enough you’ve wasted 20 minutes of your day being not very productive at all.
Being able to sit down at a dedicated workspace means that
you are deliberately choosing that this is “work time”.
If possible separate yourself from daily life (a study, spare bedroom or formal living area are perfect) so you can mentally switch into work mode. Nothing ruins your productivity more than kids playing under your feet, toys piled up on your diary or your partner watching sport and screaming at the television. You’ll be more focussed and able to get more done in a shorter period of time which will make everyone happy.
Make sure to make your space feel like you! Add a plant or two, purchase some pretty stationery, find a gorgeous desktop background. It will make you WANT to spend time here.
4. DELEGATE OR RELEGATE
Having that nagging feeling all day every day that you just aren’t doing either job to the best of your ability can be very frustrating. We all want to be the best parent, partner and business owner we possibly can but there just isn’t enough hours in the day.
Instead of trying to do everything, there comes a time
when you have to delegate or relegate.
To free up a good chunk of time, why not utilise online grocery shopping. Instead of running around trying to get your shopping done, why not have it delivered to your door? Another option is to sign up to a subscription meal delivery service to really take the stress out of meal preparation.
Can you afford to get a cleaner in every fortnight? This may not be an option financially but if you can swing it, knowing that your house is clean when somebody drops by unexpectedly can ease a lot of stress.
Do you really need to iron your clothes? Is this something that you can just relegate all together?
Work out how long it would take you to do that specific task. How much could you earn in that amount of time if you spent it working? How much would it cost for you to delegate this to someone else? Is it worth the mental stress of trying to do it all?
I realise everyone’s situation is different. Figure out what works for you and make the change.
5. HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ME-TIME.
Switching between mum and #mumboss can be exhausting!
If you are anything like me, your “to do” list looks more like a short novel than a list. There will always be something that needs doing and having your own business only amplifies that fact. Despite all the craziness, you must make sure that your days include some of that mystical “me time”. If the only time you get away from the world is on the toilet with the door locked then this step is vital for you and your business.
I choose to exercise. This could be your bag too, or maybe its scheduling time to read a book, take a bath, go for a walk, catch up with friends, paint. Whatever it is, get that red pen out again and schedule it in that diary. I know I harp on about it, but scheduling in these things like an appointment prioritises them.
Don’t let mum guilt rule your life.
You are not superwoman, you can’t do it all.
Taking that little bit of time for yourself refreshes you for the next onslaught, making you a happier wife, mother and person.
6. CLOCK OFF!
Short and sweet – make sure your work-day ends.
With all of your planning make sure you have a dedicated finish time.
Once you are in the vibe of working time can quickly get away on you. Just 5 more minutes turns into 15 then 45 minutes and then your chasing your tail. The exercise you had planned to do has to be “postponed” (forgotten totally) so you can pick up the kids from school. This makes you angry that you don’t get any “you time” because now you’re cooking dinner, yelling at kids, cleaning mess etc.
If you don’t get everything done in one work block maybe look at extending one tomorrow or adding an additional block later in the day. Make sure your work isn’t the reason for the added stress in your life.
Most importantly make sure at some point you switch off your laptop, leave your phone in the other room and stop. The world won’t end because you stop and you may just become more productive because of it.
Working from home is meant to be about giving you independence, fulfilment and a sense of achievement. But all too often it becomes just another anchor dragging you down into a pit of despair. By using some or all of the tips above you will be able to take control back and be the best #mumboss you could possibly be. Take it from me, working from home can be everything you ever dreamed of. Just make sure you put positive work habits in place at the beginning and you will reap the rewards for years to come.
If you want to find out more about me and how I can support the growth of your specific business drop me a message and we can organise a time to chat.