Keeping the Plates Spinning
There is so much to be said for being an entrepreneur - the ability to create a vision, choose a direction, and hours. I know this pull. But, as every coin knows, there is another side. There is no one else to call into sick, or anything else, for that matter.
Sound familiar?
Doing it all can be difficult, daunting, or downright impossible
Insert mom for entrepreneur and the whole “call in the sick” thing is an instant, uh…yep! In fact, parents are often something of CEOs of their homes.
Thus as a mompreneur, (fun word, right?), it’s like being the leader of two companies at once. So, how do we keep all those plates spinning?
Schedule Time For Both
A lot of this comes down to effective time management. We often are good at scheduling for our business needs, but if you are like me, not so much for family time. My calendar is filled with work commitments, but for family, it’s limited to appointments. It’s important, however, to not count on “finding” time with family but rather “making time on the schedule with family. As the CEO of the family, prioritize that time and tighten up the schedule and make it more realistic. Because, like it or not, we can’t do it all.
Put a ⭐ Star ⭐ on it
On that note, consider having dedicated family times. We often have movie and pizza night even though my kids are older. Or board game nights. By making it part of the routine, everyone plans around it and it is more likely to happen.
Holidays are also special times. Whether we go out or stay in, we want to make them special. For example, with Easter coming up, it used to be Egg Hunts, now we enjoy finding some Easter movies on streaming and hanging out together eating the candy that would have gone into the eggs.
Whatever it is, make it special enough to enjoy, but DON’T make it something to stress over. It should be fun for us, too!
An Extra Set of Hands
With both home and business, there are plenty of people willing to give you a hand, and I recommend it, if possible. I currently have a virtual assistant, and would love some help around the house with cleaning and laundry. For you, that might be a nanny or a part-time employee in your business.
Sometimes, hiring an extra set of hands can make all the difference!
Whatever the case, it helps with freeing up time. Whew! I am breathing better just typing that. That is something I want across all fronts.
Have a Partner
Finally, when having a partner, personally or professionally, make sure they are sharing the responsibilities. In other words, make sure the partner is an actual “partner”. In my case, I am on my own in business, but I have a husband, (Hi, hunny!) When my kids were little, I didn’t let him do much. Truly! What a fool I was.
It took some time, to retrain him, Hr..rum..mmm, I mean me, and now he and I are much more partners. This is a win for all parties, actually. So, if you struggle with letting others help, don’t be a fool (like me),
Remember, you’ve got this!
All in all, there is no perfect way to keep the plates spinning. China will crash. If we do it right, however, limited damage will be done and we can run the disclaimer that no children or animals were harmed in the making of this life.