In this episode of the #MakersTV I talk about how difficult it is to start a business from home whilst looking after young kids and I give a couple of tips on how you can make the best of your personal situation.

I cover the balance (or non-balance) of working from home with young kids, I ask how you’re prioritizing your day and how you might be able to get more focused, uninterrupted time for your business. I also go into starting vs planning your business whilst on maternity leave.

Working on your business with kids

I wrote a blog post entitled Working on your business with a young family and no time and I highlight that you actually have the time for anything you put your mind into but it’s just a question of how you prioritize and spend your time wisely. Trying to work at home with kids and creating a schedule that balances your time with your kids and your business is overwhelming but it is doable.

Of course, you definitely have to treat your business like a full-time job. The trick though is figuring out how to do the work while having the kids around. If you want your business to be long-term and to be profitable, you need to prioritize that but of course not over your kids. You have to be open to the idea that someone else has to look after them for you. It may take time to gain momentum in your business but going back to the core strengths of every business will guide you towards that goal. 

Focus and Balance/Non-balance

As a parent, you would want your kids to be well-rounded while running your business and it can be very hard to monitor everything. Again, don’t be shut off with the idea of putting your kids into day care or having other people look after them for some time in your week so that you can also focus on your business. At the end of the day, the success of your business and everything that will result from it will also benefit your kids.

I also wrote a blog post about focus, documenting how i focus my business by narrowing a million things into a short list of things which i really want to do. It made a huge difference on my stress levels and provided a balance.  Funny thing is the balance is that there really is NO balance, but you have to try and prioritize everything properly. What is important to you differs from other people’s priorities so you have to focus on your own situation and what’s best for everyone involved. 

Starting vs planning

We all want our business to succeed and from day 1, I have always believed that persistence pays off. But you have to remind yourself that this is not a race. I was concerned on making it happen then and there and missed out a lot in my life especially during Harriet’s first 12 months. So it is important to take a step back and finding that balance that really does not exist. You have to work out what’s best for you and find the best schedule for you and your kids to ensure you get to focus on your business for an uninterrupted business time. 

Speaking of uninterrupted time, you can use your maternity leave to PLAN your business and figure out what direction your business is going. You can strengthen the core elements of your business during this time as well. There is no pressure or stress to make a profit during this time especially if you are still starting your business and you have a newborn baby. Trust me, it will be hard and impossible to do everything at once with that situation. It is important to grow gradually and steadily in your business because I cannot stress this enough, this is not a race.

Do not give in to the pressures of society especially when it comes to how you should or should not run your business or how you should or should not leave your kids to pursue a career. Our personal choices are our own and just do what’s best for you and your family.

So that’s it for my short rant for this episode and if you still want personal 101 or if you need help in figuring out how you can start a business while having kids, you could consider joining the Maker’s Academy which is a membership for makers and creatives such as yourself.

You can also try my 5 day challenge and learn how to structure your business, get clear on your products and services, set some goals and LAUNCH in The Makers’ Co FREE 5 Day Challenge to START YOUR BIZ: https://goo.gl/CXZCMz

Thank you and I hope this has been helpful!