Posts Tagged ‘mompreneur’
Attention WAHMs: How to Run a Household and a Business!
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
Trying to run a business and a household at the same time may not be easy, but it is rewarding. Having the freedom to set your own schedule, spend time with the kids and build a new business sounds like a dream to many moms stuck in a 9 to 5 job. Today more than ever, more moms are ditching the rat race for a chance to become a WAHM (Work at Home Mom), starting their own business and spending more time at home. But with all that juggling between family and work, how can a busy new mompreneur make the best use of her day, spending time with family and helping to grow a new business? Here are some tips to help make sense of what may feel like a constantly overlapping day:
Set boundaries - If you’re going to work out of your house, you’ll need to let family and friends know that even though you’ll be home, you won’t always have time to talk on the phone or over coffee. If you don’t set clear boundaries in the beginning, you might find that your day is consumed with chit chat and pop ins. The same goes for your kids and husband too. If you’re making a business call, they can’t interrupt you like they usually do, or call loudly to someone else in the background. “Work time” at home needs to be respected as such, or else what should only take you two hours to do will end up taking five hours.
Create a workspace - It’s hard get into work mode if you’re typing on a laptop at the kitchen counter. There are just too many distractions to pull your attention away from the task at hand. To make the most of your work time, between taking the kids to the park and going to the grocery store, set up an office space for yourself. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have an entire room to devote to your business (yet), for now a desk in the corner of the guest bedroom will do just fine. Have everything on the desk that you’ll need to squeeze in some work during naps or in the evening.
Plan a rough schedule - Face it, being a mom and a business owner means it will be nearly impossible to have a fixed work schedule every day. Kids will need a shoulder to cry on, or an afternoon snack, whatever. So, instead of trying to force a regimented schedule into your day, be flexible with a schedule that moves with your day. Plan out when you think you can realistically get some work done, maybe 6am-7am (before the kids wake up), then 1pm-3pm (during naps) and then 6pm-9pm (after dinner). Of course, the kids may wake up earlier or sleep later, a nap may not happen and dinner out takes up the night shift. But, don’t fret, with a flexible schedule you can make up the time: maybe you’ll wake up at 5am or work until 10pm the next day, perhaps you’ll work during naps on the weekends. The point is, be flexible with your work schedule, because trying to stick to specific work hours will end up making you frustrated and stressed.
Make weekly task lists - What can be helpful to moms who own a business is having a weekly work “to do” list. It not only brings structure to your week, but it also gives you an incentive to work more efficiently (so you can clock out early and take everyone out for ice cream)! You can also use it to your advantage when trying to get some work done: “As soon as I finish everything on my list, I’ll be done working and we can have some fun”!
Enlist help - Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it, either for your business, or running the household. An overwhelmed mom is bound to be less productive, both at home and at work. So, make a list of babysitters, housekeepers, and temporary office helpers that you can rely upon with short notice.
According to the Center for Women’s Business Research, there are 10.6 million women business owners in the United States, earning $2.5 trillion in annual revenue. So, what are you waiting for, claim your share and become a mompreneur today!
Tags: advice, Carrie Hinkel, home based business, mompreneur, tips, WAHM, work at home mom
Posted in News & Articles | No Comments »