My growing business workload
Readers Question: I am a work at home mum and I run my own business. I have 2 kids which are my priority of course, but I’m finding it increasingly difficult to keep on top of my growing business workload. I am finding I stay up later and later trying to get everything done so I don’t get enough sleep which isn’t good at all – it is affecting my health and I’m really struggling with keeping on top of things – there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Do you have any advice for time management techniques or other ideas on how to successfully juggle a family and run a business from home? I would love to be able to employ someone to help with my business but it’s just not at that stage yet financially. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Answer:
I think it is our nature as women and mothers to do everything ourselves … I am a big culprit of this, and with a 2 year old at home and an 8 year old at school I do find myself in your shoes, often. Fortunately I really love what I have created for myself and my family so I don’t mind working harder than if I had “a real job … LOL”.
The biggest lesson I have learnt as a small business owner is that I cannot grow my business if I am too busy doing things that are not productive. So the obvious time management tips come to mind:
1. Have a clean and clear work environment – if you spend half of your day looking for things you are wasting your own time,
2. This also goes for your email, set up folders for things like access codes, receipts and important follow up – so you aren’t digging through hundreds of messages to find something you need.
3. Make a list ‘before you go to bed’ of what you want to complete the next day – by making the list before you go to bed you will sleep better because your brain will not be worrying about what you might have forgotten to do.
4. Have a business plan – I am a big fan of the one page business plan because you will read it over and over.
Tips for the kids, first of all you need to deal with your own mother guilt, a video is not a bad thing if you have something really important to do. I try to set up activities throughout the week like painting, play doh etc. things that I don’t bring out everyday, so the interest factor is always there. Child minding, well I am lucky that my mother-in-law wants to look after B2 one day per week, it gives him a break, and me too. If you have someone; family, friend, neighbour who can help you out for one day or half a day per week to free you up a little, then don’t be afraid to ask them to help you. You might be surprised who is willing to help.
Now I don’t want to sound like supermum, because I am not, for me housework is the thing that gets a low priority – it gets done eventually but I don’t worry about dishes on the sink. So that takes a bit of pressure off, I don’t know what your personal situation is like but think about any areas where you apply unnecessary pressure on yourself.
And finally, there are now some very good online job boards that help mothers to find work from home jobs. The upside of these for small business owners like us is that you can get some one to do a single task for a single price, such as bookkeeping once a month for $70.00 or 2 hours per week for $25 per hour, maybe you need to free yourself from writing newsletters. I have a lady who helps me to look for work from home jobs for 2 hours per week at an hourly rate, at first I felt I couldn’t afford it but now I can’t do without her. Actually my new projects would never have gotten started without her taking that workload off me. You don’t have to spend a fortune to find someone to help you. My experience has been that plenty of mothers are happy with a couple of hours per week as they still want the flexibility of being at home. You could try my company Hire My Mum; we have nearly 900 people waiting for jobs like this, or try the new Home Workforce and CareerMums.
Good luck and thanks for this great question.
Leigh
Provided By Mum Zone – Resources for Mums www.mumszone.com.au
Wow great question.
It all seems to be an intricate juggling act with the WAHM stuff. The problem is that not everyone is a great juggler! I love that tip #1 was about the environment. As an Organizing Expert this is the foundation to success. If you can’t find what you were working on yesterday how are you ever going to continue where you left off. Remember that organization is in the eyes of the beholder. It only has to work for you. So if your office looks messy but functiosn well and you can find everything in 10 seconds or less you are on your way. If not then take some time and get your office in order. The valuable time you spend now will pay off later.
I have a lady who helps me to look for work from home jobs for 2 hours per week at an hourly rate, at first I felt I couldn’t afford it but now I can’t do without her. Actually my new projects would never have gotten started without her taking that workload off me.
Thank you Leigh.*happy tears* You are a terrific ‘boss lady’ *wink* and I love helping you and your business. What beautiful words for me. Hugs, Bev