Being a mom is one of the most rewarding “jobs” a woman can ever have. Yet, it can be one of the most challenging as well.
The same can be said of entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur can be tons of fun and enable you to experience a fulfillment, excitement – and even freedom – you don’t always get in your career, especially if you’re working for yourself.
On the other hand, entrepreneurship can be grueling. YOU are ultimately responsible for your success… or failure. And often the success or failure of others as well. This can mean a whole lot of stressful “lows” in addition to the “highs.”
But what if you are trying to do both at the same time? Moms who are entrepreneurs even have their own catchy name… “mompreneurs.” It sounds cool, hip, and fun. Yet, the story this cool, hip, and fun title doesn’t tell, is how combining these two highly-rewarding roles can make you feel as if you are totally losing it at times!
So how to balance being a mom and entrepreneurship simultaneously, when it sometimes feels you’re more unbalanced than ever?
Below are 4 tips to help you achieve more balance and be the best mompreneur you can be—without losing your mind in the process!
Mompreneur Tip 1: Lose your pre-conceived notions about entrepreneurship AND motherhood, specifically, what it means to be “good” at both!
Stop trying to fit into the mold of others or what you think you should do, shouldn’t do, or can’t do… Basically, stop judging yourself and stop feeling sorry for yourself too.
Most women are always their harshest critic. Most of this critiquing you do on your life – being a mom and what you see as your successes and failures in entrepreneurship – are self-judgments based on what you think others see.
If your kids are happy, healthy, and safe – and your business is moving forward – there are no hard and fast “musts” regarding how you travel these roads. The specific hours or times you think you “must do” this and that, in most cases don’t matter. If others are judging how you do things, remember… that’s on them not you! You need to find what works for you, your family, and your company.
Similarly, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself as well. This is the life you CHOSE and with the high’s, will sometimes come lows. The key is sticking in and enjoying the ride. Sure, you may sometimes feel like your kids see mommy working all the time. However, your kids are getting to see what dedication and hard work look like and the example they are getting – that you are setting – is priceless. It’s something that can’t be taught to them in school, anywhere else, or by anyone but you!
Mompreneur Tip 2: Remove things – and people – from your life that don’t support your goals or who are out to make your life harder rather than easier.
Likewise, ignore the nay-sayers who would try to tell you what you are doing right or wrong. Better yet, remove them from your circle of attention. You don’t have to excise them from your life if they are good friends are family who mean well. But stop giving their opinions dominion over your life or how you feel about yourself and the job your doing personally or professionally.
The best – and really only – “mirror” of your efforts in motherhood and entrepreneurship, are the results you are getting. If your results are on point, then nothing anyone else says about your path to get there, is consequential. Learn to tune out the opinions or actions of others (even if they are well-intentioned) and watch how much happier you’ll be!
Mompreneur Tip 3: Look for ways to blend the two so that neither is “unbalancing” the scale and both get the benefit of your presence.
If you sometimes feel like either motherhood or entrepreneurship is getting somewhat ignored because the other is currently demanding more time, can you look for ways to blend the two? At least somewhat?
Can you take your kids on a business trip and spend time with the family at night or when not in meetings? They likely won’t even realize that they are “coming along” on this “vacation”—they will think it’s all for them!
Similarly, on vacations or holidays with the family, give 100% during planned outings or events. Then, when everyone has gone to bed with the night, can you get 3 or 4 hours of work in under the radar? Even just answering emails, dealing with any matters that need your attention over anyone else’s, or doing research will keep you from falling behind and allow you to relax and enjoy your time away!
Mompreneur Tip 4: Consider seeking “harmony” instead of the traditional definition of “balance.”
Truth be known… balance is a hard concept to consider, much less achieve, when you consider it on the micro level. Daily, it’s going to be difficult to balance all the things needing your attention. Thus, trying to get to that point every day is frustrating.
Let that go. Instead, strive for harmony—where nothing suffers at the expense of something else but rather, all factors complement each other. It’s a give and take that IN THE END – in the big picture – balances your life in a way that is more fulfilling than you ever imagined.
