‘Mompreneur’ is the label given to a mother who decides to become an entrepreneur. Motherhood is very important to most women in the world. And nowadays, so is being financially independent and succeeding in the business world. The good news is that these things are not mutually exclusive. But, how can you balance work and personal life and survive to tell the tale?
Owning a business and having a kid are very much alike in that they both require your constant care and attention. For those of you who have children, you know that being a mom is a full-time job. But so is starting a business. However difficult it may sound to have two full-time jobs such as these ones, it is possible. In fact, more than 11.6 million firms in the USA are owned by women. Many of them are also mothers, and they have found different ways and methods to be successful at running a business and a family at the same time. If your goal is to become one of them, take a look at these 5 tips to become a successful mompreneur.
Know Your Priorities
Before you start working on your business plan, it is crucial you clearly establish your personal and professional priorities. You should lay out your goals for the present and for the next couple of years. This includes financial, professional and personal goals. Instead of having an endless to-do list every day, set and organize your priorities from the very beginning. This will help you improve your focus, reduce disruptions and be able to give your all to each role.
Other entrepreneurs can sacrifice some aspects of their personal life in order to put all their focus on their business. As a mom, you can’t sacrifice certain things like sleep or your health. Determining what you can and can’t do given your specific circumstances can help you focus on what’s most important and avoid sacrificing too much of your personal life.
Drop The Guilt
For many centuries, the main responsibility of women was giving birth and raising their children. They were brought up with this idea and it was the role they got to play in their lives. Some people still believe this is what women came to this world to do, but, in general, the world has started to think otherwise. We now know that women are as able to raise children as they are of running a business, and there is no reason why they should choose one between these two options. And as long as you enjoy and feel comfortable being both a mom and an entrepreneur, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
Minimize Distractions
Getting things done in time is crucial both in motherhood and business. If you really want to commit to both tasks, you need to eliminate as many distractions as possible. You should establish a daily schedule and commit to your productivity. Setting rules at home in order to minimize disruptions is a good way to make sure you will get things done. This goes for your personal time as well. The only way you will be any good at both roles is by dedicating your full energy to both of them. When you’re spending time with your kids, avoid doing anything that’s work-related. While multitasking is important for mompreneurs, at times you’re going to need to focus on one specific task, and when this is the case it is important that you’re a 100% committed to that one task.
Put Yourself First
You can’t expect to be a successful mom and entrepreneur if you’re always sick, fatigued or stressed. Focusing on your family’s and your business’ wellbeing and neglecting your own can lead to a series of health issues. Have you ever skipped a meal because you were too busy? Or stayed up way past your usual bedtime doing something work-related? These sacrifices may seem harmless, but sooner than later they will take a toll on your health.
Putting yourself first includes giving up any bad habits that may affect your health long-term. Eating junk food, smoking, or having one too many glasses of wine a night are some examples. This last one is important. While having the occasional drink isn’t necessarily a big deal, when you start drinking to relieve stress, it may become dangerous. Sooner than you think you may start depending on it to be calm, and, without even noticing it, become addicted. And you certainly won’t be able to be a mompreneur while going through the whole process of alcohol detox and recovery, so it’s best to be careful from the start.
Build A Support System
One of the most important things to understand before becoming a mompreneur is that you can’t do everything by yourself. If you attempt to do so you will get burned out and it will be counterproductive. Instead, you should focus on building a support system to help you find balance. Rely on friends and family to help you with the kids every now and then. Maybe consider hiring a cleaning service to help you with the house chores. Make sure you have someone you can turn to when things aren’t going well and you need a shoulder to cry on. Having a healthy support system can help you be more emotionally stable and bring some balance into your life.
Being a mompreneur can be very challenging, but the rewards it brings makes it completely worth it. Don’t get discouraged when things get hard. Frustration is a feeling you get often both in motherhood and in business. You have to stay focused on your goals and dreams in order to succeed. These 5 tips can be of great help along the way. You can also look up to successful mompreneurs and learn from their journey.
Do you know any other tips to become a kickass mompreneur? If you’d like to ask or suggest something, please leave a comment below.
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