you don’t.

I’m just kidding! If you’re reading this, I only assume you’re a hard working mama running her business and taking care of some sweet babes at home. (Or maybe you’re some random who stumbled across this and was curious. If that’s the case, hello and welcome!)

Running a business is HARD. Running a business is FUN and AMAZING. Being a mama is HARD. Being a mama is FUN and AMAZING. And I truly believe that you can have the best of both worlds. Society tells us we can only do one or be one. But I’m here to challenge that and empower you mamas that running a business while raising babies is POSSIBLE. I’m definitely not a pro, and I still find myself struggling to find a healthy balance between the two. But here’s a few tips that I’ve found to be super helpful for me and my family!

1) Routines!

Now I’m personally a huge fan of having a (flexible) routine for my child, ever since she was a newborn. Some parents are not, which is totally fine! Everyone has different parenting styles. I’d love to share what a positive impact routines and schedules have had on me while running a business with a baby! It sets an expectation for how your day will go. If you know that your baby will be napping from around 10am-12noon and again from 2pm-4pm, it creates little pockets of TIME that would otherwise have been tangled in diaper changes, feedings, and one fussy baby. Absolutely babies will have a rough day, need extra care and that schedule of mine goes out the window. However, with having a baseline to go off of, I can expect when the best time is to schedule consult calls, editing sessions, or simply an uninterrupted phone call with a friend. Routines create comfort and stability within babies, and in turn, you have a few pockets of time throughout the day to run that business like the hard working mama you are!

2) Time Blocking!

While time blocking may seem similar to having a schedule or routine, they actually are very different! Time blocking is similar to when you were in high school and the bell would ring, signifying that Math class was over and Art class was about to begin. You would physically (and mentally) put that math book away and switch that brain over to art class mode. Time blocking in your daily lives is just like that. My morning block is from 7am-10am, and includes the tasks of getting ready for the day, making my bed, a quick straightening of the house, preparing breakfast and coffee for my family, unloading the dishwasher from the night before, getting my daughter up/fed/dressed and writing out a to-do list to accomplish during my work block that day. Blocks can range from 2-4 hours, and during that timeframe I work as hard as I can to get all my tasks completed. I set alarms for each block, and when that alarm goes off, my morning block has ended and my second block of the day begins. This allows me to schedule quality time with my baby, as well as having a block of time (usually during naps) to run my business! Maybe I will blog more on my personal time blocking schedule at a later time, but hopefully that gives you an idea of the framework that I use to be productive and stay on course when running a business with a baby!

3) Ask for Help!

I’m a horrible example of this, because I struggle asking for help myself. And the hard truth is that it truly does take a village to raise little ones. Having family and friends be a part of your children’s lives is so special (and helpful) even mores when you’re running a business with a baby! If someone says “Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you!” take them up on it!

4) Give yourself Grace!

Becoming a new mama is such a huge adjustment; and I’m still not convinced it gets easier the more you have! I feel like I am continuing to adjusting and readjusting my work and baby schedule. Our family continues to go through different seasons of life and we make adjustments to make our life work for us. And what’s worked for me may not work for you and that’s okay. There are going to be days that you may feel guilty for running the business and not spending enough time with your baby or you may feel guilty for not focusing enough on your business. Give yourself and your business grace during these transition periods.

Keep hustling mama! You are such a strong example for those babies.