Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurial can get chaotic sometimes, but there is a way to do both.
Weโve been told that we can be one thing or another. We can be a great fully-present parent or a great leader for our business. Weโve been told we have to pick. For me, Iโve found thatโs false. The roles are so similar.
Motherhood and business both require intuition, fast decision-making, and doing difficult things on the fly.
As a work-from-home mama, you probably know the balance juggle struggle to be able to be home with kids and keep pursuing your dreams every day.
My struggles and triumphs
I work from home with my husband and my three girls (and one cat, a fish, and a gecko!). I knit, sketch, and run my businesses from my laptop, but then one of my girls starts crying, and I switch immediately into mom mode. This happens so many times during the day that itโs hard to be present in either area as much as I want to be.
Iโm a huge believer in starting the day from a place of filling up my coffee first before getting into mom and boss mode. Sure, if you have little ones who need to be fed and changed, thatโll take precedence, always. But try to protect your mornings, at least the first hour.
A few things I like to incorporate into my mornings before all the distractions hit are: a glass of water (thanks to the insistence of my husband), 5 minutes yoga (yes, not one more!) and a to-do list for the day with no more than 3 points for my business (usually sounds like: knit 10 rounds or write that pattern or blog post!).
A schedule is essential. Set specific days for errands, knitting, and laundry.
Give yourself the gift of planning so that you can create boundaries in your life that encourage balance.
Map out your days so you can create an easy-to-follow guide for what to do next, or in a few hours, or when itโs 6 p.m., and you want to knit one more round, but you know itโs time to unplug and connect with family.
Sometimes itโs hard to figure out where my time is most valuable and how to focus my efforts. But when you learn how to navigate that time, you can make decisions faster, and you become more focused when you do have an hour dedicated solely to your businesses.
My biggest advice for balancing motherhood with your knit business
โข Give yourself grace in the first year to learn your baby and your new flow of life, after it will become easier.
โข Get in touch with your inner voice, both in business and parenting. Block out the outside noise and focus on what you want your life to look like.
โข Do not compare to anotherโs journey; thereโs no right or wrong. Just trust your instincts
โข Cultivate patience, be tender and gentle to your baby and yourself.
โข Be okay with accepting help from others, prioritize self-care in your day, with โgood enough,โ and enjoy every stage. Even when it feels hard.
โข Donโt hold yourself to too strict of boundaries, and work where and when you can.
โข A certain amount of self-reflection, solitude, and quietness is perfect for the soul. It can bring about even more creative and innovative ideas.
There you have itโฆ balancing motherhood and knit business. We are so, so lucky and privileged to work from home and to be able to be with our little ones each day.
What are your ways to stay sane as you navigate this business and mama’s life?