Owning your own business can be an exhilarating and rewarding experience. You get to work your own hours, be your own boss, work from wherever you like. Depending upon what type of business you run, of course. Then there is the other side. The challenging side. You know, the business ends up running you, sometimes you might feel like you are a slave to your clients and work seems to never end. You end up asking yourself, “What happened to my life?” Add into this the fact that you are a mother as well and let’s just say life can get a little overwhelming!
Sally with her daughter, Mia
How can you run a successful business while juggling the responsibilities children bring AND still have a fulfilling life?
Believe it or not, this can be done! Here’s how:
Manage your time wisely – Probably one of the most important and useful tips you can ever be given as a mother and business owner. Find ways to organise your life better so that you can increase your productivity and still do the things in your life that you love. Understand yourself and how you operate. When are you most focused during your day? When are you most creative? When do you need to zone out? Obviously there are times when we just need to get things done regardless, but if you can do the tasks that are needed in the times when you are most capable this will make life much easier. Also, having tried and true systems in place both at work and at home can free up a lot of time. Can you automate? Things like bookkeeping tasks, marketing tasks and emails. So much can be done with technology now, it is definitely worth investigating and catching up on if you are little behind. Finding Balance, that Work life balance that sometimes seems impossible, is a journey. A lifestyle worth fighting for.
Delegating will also free up some time for you to work ON your business instead of just IN your business.
Delegate – This will also help with managing your time. Are there tasks you are doing both at home and in your business that you really don’t need to be doing? Could you get a cleaner at home? Someone else to pick up the kids from school? Are you trying to do your own marketing, bookkeeping or other tasks for your business that you could easily delegate to someone else? It is possible to even hire a Virtual Assistant now, who can take phone calls, answer emails and countless other menial tasks you don’t necessarily need to do yourself. Delegating will also free up some time for you to work ON your business instead of just IN your business. Which can be encouraging and inspiring and set your business up for future growth. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Just because we women think we need to be Wonder Woman doesn’t mean we have to be! Perhaps there is another business mum who is struggling with something you could help her with and vice versa. Working together may make life a little easier and more productive for both of you!
Be Authentic – Just be yourself! You don’t have to do things the same way everyone else is doing them. People love people who be themselves. It works in business and in life. It is inspiring and let’s face it, very freeing, when you are able to just be you. Be honest with yourself and with others. What are you good at? What are not so good at? What makes you unique? Often you can incorporate this into your business, creating ways to think outside the box and do things differently than how someone else does them. Your clients will love you for it!
Lastly, listen to your audience – They will let you know what you are getting right and where you can improve. Without them, you wouldn’t have a business. They can be your greatest asset. Communicate regularly, provide services and products based on what they need and your business can grow via positive word of mouth as well.
Incorporating these tips into your business and life will help you become more productive and give you some of your life back. It will help your business to grow and to run without you always being there giving you time to take a step back and look at your business with fresh eyes and perhaps a more creative outlook.
About our Ausmumpreneur Expert :
Sally Hams is the founder of Balance Books, a progressive bookkeeping and small business management based business embracing change in the financial sector to navigate business goals and needs of its clients. Sally is passionate about supporting women in business through financial services.