Are you trying to run your own business from home with one or more children? Or is this something you want to do and are researching?
Well I hope I can be of some help as I am a mother and I am about to manage to cope with a small child and a newborn while working from home. I will give you some tips that I have thought!
So unsurprisingly it’s not easy so let that make you feel a little better! Even if some moms seem perfect in every way, I’m pretty sure they aren’t!
My 8 week old baby (yeah, 8 weeks already! So she had her first blows today which were pretty horrible. It’s horrible to see her so upset. My mom came to help me, as did my little boy, who very sweetly kissed injected leg and was worried about her crying), I digress! I will start over! My 8 week old baby usually lies down after feeding several times during the night, so I can pay attention to my toddler after making his breakfast by playing with his trains or puzzles. He loves his iPad so sometimes I think I might be doing some work like listening to training webinars or writing my blog while he watches it, but I would feel too guilty. Also, the main reason I want to work from home is so I can spend more time with my kids, so if I’m working, I’m doing the opposite of what I want to do!
Also, when you play with your children, you should give them your full attention, as they realize that you are looking at the phone with indifference. So it’s best to be in the moment with them and appreciate that playtime as you won’t get it back!
Yesterday was one of those mornings where little things kept going wrong, like porridge spilling in the microwave (which was really helpful because I gave it a good clean it needed!), Breaking a bowl, the floor got got very wet and so on. My favorite word that morning was the ‘F’! So I had to be careful not to use it when Tommy was copying now!
Beforehand I would have been more stressed because I would feel that if I don’t play with children I should be working in my business, but after reflecting on the things I chose not to let myself get stressed because it is unnecessary, it is not good for me or the children.
So here are my top tips that I use now!
Tip No. 1
Work while they sleep because they won’t know you’re not with them! For example, I am writing this blog now while I am sleeping on the couch! However, this is not a common occurrence, which is why most of the time I blog in the evenings when the child is in bed and the baby is sleeping on me.
Tip No. 2
In a weekly planner (you can get them online or from WH Smith) write down the hours you can spend some time on your business, for example, listening to the training in the car, while the babies sleep, during the lunch break (if is working), etc. Okay, your results may not come as quickly if you don’t spend hours and hours a week on your business, but they will still come. It’s called the compound effect, success is based on doing little things consistently.
Tip No. 3
Get out of the house! The days when we do things are easier and more satisfying for me. If you attend playgroups, your toddler can happily play and socialize while you babysit, or if you have made friends in groups who love to hold your baby while you interact with your toddler. Children learn and assimilate a lot while they are away from home, so it is good for both babies and young children. Then you also have experiences that can help with your business, such as networking or having topics to blog about.
Tip # 4
Use video. Video marketing is great for your business, whether it’s on Facebook Live or a YouTube video. It’s faster than typing and you can do it anywhere! It can be overwhelming at first, but just do a few practice and you’ll soon get the hang of it. I did a 90 day video challenge within the online business I do, where only other members see them and we would give each other feedback!
Tip No. 5
Just improvise! Basically BELIEVE you can and you will! You may think you are failing and how you can do all of these – take care of the kids, take care of the house, and work a home business – but you can! It’s your life that you’ve been lucky enough to live, so have fun, make mistakes, learn new skills, and go with the flow. It’s overwhelming, but as long as you keep trying and keep going, you will be successful in home life and in business.
Bonus Tip No. 6
Carry the baby in a sling! Last night I made dinner, bathed the child, and prepared him for bed while holding the baby in the sling! Useful when you need an extra pair of hands!
I hope my tips have been useful to you!
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