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Are you a work-from-home mom with littles at your feet? Here is a list of my best productivity tips for busy mompreneurs that I believe will empower you, getting you going in the right direction.
I get it. I’m a busy mom, too, with small children and a household and a dream. Like you, I’m just trying to do the right thing. But it’s hard to decide what the right thing is, isn’t it? The kids are only young once. You know this. You cherish these moments with them. But you also want to do all.the.things. Or you need to do all the things in order to make ends meet financially. How do you juggle the many aspects of your life and a business on top of it, especially when you work from home? (Speaking of which, I paused the writing of this opening paragraph–which I was doing during nap time–so I could help one of my littles potty train. That’s how we roll around here!)
I’m a firm believer that as a wife and a mom, my family comes first before my business. I’m definitely not perfect at it, but I feel more aligned now than I did even months ago. If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, and trying to figure out how to balance it all, here is a list of productivity tips for busy mompreneurs I think you’ll love.
Productivity Tips for Busy Mompreneurs
Make a plan the night before
When you make a plan the night before, you have a positive, actionable direction in place the next morning. This sets you off on the right foot when you wake up, giving you a sense of purpose. Plus, you waste less time because you’re ready to begin the moment you have free time (rather than spending all your free time figuring out what you should be doing next!). I’ve certainly been guilty of that, and when I make it a habit to decide my basic to-do list the night before, I’m much more focused (and less stressed–yay!) the next day. Which is why this is #1 on my list of productivity tips for busy mompreneurs.
Create a solid morning routine
Creating a solid morning routine will get you moving in the right direction quickly. I don’t know about you, but my routine in the morning involves getting the kids breakfast and then squeezing mine in too, in and around it all. It’s a little chaotic for a bit, but I know what to expect, as do the kids. So ultimately, it moves along in the same order every day, and we can basically count on how long each step will take. When you know how long each step will take, you’ve got a better picture of how to break up your day. For example, if you have a meeting scheduled, you know how far thing need to be pushed back in order to keep to that timeline. A routine allows you to predict your day and better fit your business affairs in (while not sacrificing important family time!).
Actually utilize nap time and quiet time
We’ve all done it (or, at least, I think we have! Tell me I’m not the only one!). As soon as the kids go down for a nap, or leave for school, or head to their rooms for quiet time, we pull out our electronic devices fully intending to start work . . . and then look up however long later to discover we’ve just been sucked into social media or piddling through our inboxes.
Moms, this has to stop!
In order to actually get work done, we have to utilize the free time we have. So, if you’ve made a plan to batch blog posts during nap time, then by all means, work on that and don’t get on social media. It’s an easy trap, and we all fall into it from time to time. But I repeat: work time needs to be work time. Now, certainly, some social media is important to online businesses. I completely get that. But automate as much of that as you can (more on that below) and schedule the rest in your day. In other words, if nap time rolls around and you’re intending to use that time to schedule posts and answer social media comments, then do that (with a timer, but more on that later). Staying focused will help you get more done.
Offer grace & let go of perfection
I think we all could offer ourselves a dash more grace… or an entire gallon. As moms, especially, we find ourselves in the position where we always want to squeeze one more thing into our schedule. We don’t like putting forth effort that is less than our best. But here’s the thing: sometimes our best effort, the best version of ourselves, is less than the ideal image we have in our minds. Probably most of the time it’s that way. And you know what? That’s okay! We aren’t going to make the right decision every time. We’re not always going to meet every deadline. As busy mompreneurs, we need to be okay with falling short of perfection, and we need to do so with grace. I’m of the opinion that that means don’t neglect your faith, your family, and yourself in your pursuit of other things.
Put your head down and stop comparing
It’s so easy to do–comparing ourselves with others. And some comparison is good. For example, it’s good to see what else is going on within your niche so that you stay relevant. But I think the root of unhealthy comparison is insecurity. Maybe even pride. And spending time and energy weighing ourselves against others only feeds those emotions.
It’s far better to trust yourself and to listen to your own audience. (And your own family!) If you’re striving for what feels like a great thing (because that’s what your competition is doing) but your heart isn’t in the project or your audience keeps asking for something else, then you aren’t doing anyone a service. And if your family needs you to take a step back, or your health/sleep/self-care is suffering, in pursuit of keeping up, then listen to that. You are far more refreshed if you follow your gut and let go of unhealthy comparison. Trust that inwardly, you know a lot more about what direction you should take than you might give yourself credit for. Keep your head down and do the work that you are meant to do. The quality and authenticity will show.
Realistically understand your hours vs. production goals
One of my productivity tips for busy mompreneurs is to understand your limits. If you are getting stuff done, but not as much as you’d like, you’re not going to feel productive. However, what if that is literally all you can do with the amount of time you’ve been given?
I suffer from this one big time. When setting goals, I always think I can do more than I ought. I jam-pack my schedule and end up burning out and not getting nearly as much accomplished as I’d hoped. The better thing to do is pick 1-3 goals you want to accomplish that day. Be specific. For example, today, I want to finish a blog post, take the kids to story time at the library, and do a load of laundry start-to-finish. Then, if all those things happen, I can pick one thing to work on from an ongoing list of to-dos. If that task is completed to the best of my ability, and I’m still feeling like there’s room to add another project (without adding unhealthy amounts of stress) then I can do one more thing.
Operating through your day like this will give you a real sense of accomplishment (because you completed all the goals you set out to reach), as well as a lesson in grace. That’s why this is one of my productivity tips for busy mompreneurs. You might feel like you’re getting less done, but in reality, you might be getting more done to completion. Or hitting more of your actual goals. Or more fully aligning yourself with your values, which in turn gives us a sense of purpose, fulfillment, and energy.
Give your family the time they deserve
This goes along with everything I’ve been saying so far, but it’s worth repeating. Giving your family the time they deserve is a huge one on the list of productivity tips for busy mompreneurs. Because if you don’t keep your work life and family life balanced, then you have an extra serving of mom-guilt to deal with. The struggle is real. We’ve all been there and will circle through it many times over. (Remember how, earlier, we talked about offering ourselves grace?) Give your family the time they deserve, and do it with your heart in it. You just might find it gives you more energy and inspiration to continue with your career goals.
Have clarity in your goals
When I don’t know exactly what I’m shooting for, then I waste a lot of time piddling. I think I’m busy reaching my goal, but I’m often running on a hamster wheel instead. If you take five minutes (set a timer) and focus on nailing down the exact vision of the goal you’re about to tackle, then you’ll be more productive. For example, you’ll be able to make decisions quicker because you’ll easily be able to see if they line up with your overall goal or not. This should also build your confidence, increase that sense of flow as you work, and reduce stress.
Engage in the work you’re doing
Whether it’s feeding lunch to the kids or editing photography for your next blog post, engage in the work your doing. Period. Don’t let your mind wander and that feeling of guilt creep in. Whatever you are working on, listen to your gut and then trust that you’ve chosen the right thing. Now engage in it. Enjoy it. Drink it up. Life is too short to spend it thinking only about “what comes next” and never about “what’s happening now” in front of you.
A productivity tip here… if you’re engaged in your current activity and another one pops into your mind, just write it down. Then you don’t have to dwell on it while your trying to live in the present.
Turn off distractions (for reals!)
This piece of advice could work for any of your productivity tips for busy mompreneurs! But it deserves its own mention. Keep to the task at hand and turn off your phone, or email, or internet, while you concentrate. If you can, work in a place that allows you to focus. If you can’t, that’s okay–just control what you can (like leaving your phone on the table while you’re supposed to be writing a post).
Find your motivation to push and challenge you
What is your “why”? Lots of business gurus ask this question and for good reason. Finding your why, the burning reason inside you for doing the things you do, will fuel your motivation to push through when things get hard. Because they inevitably get hard.
Focus on one thing at a time
Multitasking isn’t a thing worth striving for. It can lead to a form of distraction, and if you’re not careful, you end up with a bunch of unfinished projects and a slew of open internet tabs. Pick a project and work on it to completion. This could be the product with the closest deadline, or it could be the biggest one you need to complete, etc. Whatever it is, trust your gut and take action on that one thing. Finish the work and then start something new. If you spend all your time jumping between projects, then none of them get done and chances are, you will feel like you’ve been busy all day with nothing to really show for it.
Batching is a good productivity tip here. If you’re writing a blog post, then why not focus on the whole month’s worth? Do all the writing together, and when it’s done, focus on doing all the images. Then add all the affiliate links. Then add them all to your social media queues. Find a systematic order that works for you and batch them in this way. The more you do a certain project, the easier it becomes to find a rhythm. Hitting that rhythm will up your productivity. And, bonus! If you do all of your blog posts (or whatever it is), at one time for the month, then you don’t have to worry about it again until the same time next month! It’s done and off your plate and not looming over you for weeks and weeks.
Find the meaning in what you do
Yes, yes, yes. Whether it’s changing diapers or coaching a client. Find the meaning, the joy, the desire, the purpose, and hold fast to it as you work. This goes hand-in-hand with being present and engaging in your present activity. When you find meaning in what you do, you automatically feel more energy to complete it. Your perspective changes for the better.
Cut out the tasks that don’t matter
Take an honest look at your work load. And your personal, day-to-day tasks. Is there something you could do 2-3 times a week instead of every day? Is there something you’re doing that someone else could do? Are there meaningless tasks that aren’t really giving you any ROI (return on investment) and so you could actually drop them all together? Cutting out the tasks that don’t matter will give you more time and energy to focus on the things that do.
Seek more efficient workflow (and household) systems
Similarly, figure out how to streamline your systems. One way to do this is to write down all of the things you do in each workflow or household system. For example, all the things you must do in order to get a blog post written and sent out into the world. Or, all the things you must do in order to get your laundry tackled for the week. Literally write down each step. Are there ways you can streamline? For example, batching similar tasks. Cutting out steps that don’t really need to happen (for example, I basically cut out ironing because I realized that the types of clothing we own doesn’t actually need it).
In fact, I know of someone who recommends not only writing down your workflow systems but also saving that information in a document and literally opening it and following it every time you do that activity. This might be excessive for something like laundry, but for writing a blog post, this is a good idea. There are a lot of little steps that go into certain projects that we have to complete over and over. Having a system created, and then following that system, means we don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time. This saves us time and energy that we can devote to other things. (It also makes it easier to delegate tasks to others, which leads us to our next point….)
Hire out what/when you can
When you have your tasks figured out and written down, it’s easier to see what tasks you can hire out or delegate to others. (And easier for those you hire to see a list of exactly what needs to get done.) This is where it gets hard for some of the Type-A’s among us. 🙂 It’s not possible to do all.the.things. Not if you want to keep your sanity. So to minimize guilt and stress, and increase productivity and joy, be willing to let go of perfection and hire out/delegate. Face the fact that you should only be doing the things you are a genius at. Other things can be done by other people and it will be okay! Train people to do things, and then step back and let them work in their genius level. Allow them that opportunity.
Re-evaluate often
I included this in my productivity tips for busy mompreneurs because if we don’t re-evaluate on a regular basis, then we might be productive in the wrong direction or on the wrong things. Things that seem good at first glance, but then on closer inspection, aren’t aligned with our core goals and/or values. It doesn’t do anyone any good to push, challenge, and motivate yourself down a path that you realize later you didn’t actually want to take.
Take frequent self-care breaks
Taking breaks doesn’t sound like it would help you be productive, but it actually can. Sometime you need a breather to refocus your mind and efforts. I’m not talking about getting distracted because whatever you’re task you’re performing has become too tedious, boring, or hard. Instead, I mean an intentional, timed break, in which you do something that fills you back up.
Master the skills you’re best at. Delegate the rest.
This was briefly mentioned earlier. It’s important to recognize your skills and your genius zones and your weaknesses. What are you terrible at (or hate doing), and what are you good at? How about things you are really good at? What are you absolutely AMAZING at? (Guess what? You should get to the point in your business where you are only doing the things you are AMAZING at, and delegating the rest.
Cultivate self-sufficiency within your children
I’m not suggesting you leave you kids to their own devices to the level of neglect. Definitely not! But I am saying that it’s good for them to help out and do things for themselves wherever they can. Are they able to load the dish washer with their dishes? Do their own laundry? Make their own breakfast? Look around and see if there are things they can do that will contribute to the overall family environment. Little things that they do can not only teach them to become self-sufficient, but it also clears some things off your to-do list.
Perform household tasks together
Another way to do this is to do household tasks together. Making supper together, for example, will not only teach them an important skill, but it will also give you a chance to be together. No, it may not always get done faster than if you’d simply done it yourself, but it will definitely allow you time to connect with your kids or spouse while also getting something else accomplished.
Eat well. Exercise more. Pray often. Get enough sleep.
That pretty much sums it up. 🙂 More balance for all aspects of your life means more mental clarity and peace (and more intentional activity, which is why I included it in this list of productivity tips for busy mompreneurs!).
Keep your perspective about life and stress
Perspective is huge. I have found oftentimes that when I’m overwhelmed, it’s because I’ve lost perspective. I’ve found that when I go to bed at night, I work to unwind my mind and really think about the situation that is troubling me. Often, I’ll come to a solution that is very manageable. A little perspective can go a long way toward freeing up your mind and schedule, allowing you to do more of the work that matters.
Rehearse activity transitions
When I taught middle school, we used a lot of stations throughout the class period. To get students from one station to another without chaos breaking out, we practiced our transitions. I had a timer on a PowerPoint that played silently in the background of class, and then as soon as the timer went off, a snippet of a song would play. As the snippet played, the kids knew it was time to end what they were doing, move to the next station, and begin working there before the song ended.
So we practiced it. And practiced it. Over and over until they were really good at moving from one station to the other. As mompreneurs, we have a lot of transitions to work through, especially when we have littles and work from home. So it’s helpful to know how to transition from one activity to the next. For example, what do you need to do to your mindset, to your workstation, etc. when you leave it to go make lunch so that you can be in-the-moment with your children? Having a strong sense of your transitions can help you move smoothly with minimized stress.
Practice gratitude
Practicing gratitude may not sound like it belongs on a list of productivity tips for busy mompreneurs, but here’s why it does. Gratitude will change your perspective, minimize stress, keep you present in the moment, and loving what you do–all of which increase your productivity.
Automate what you can
There are great sites out there that allow you to automate your systems. I love ConvertKit as an email service provider because it’s so easy to create a great welcome sequence and sales funnels that work well for automating your business. In addition, other good automation sites include Tailwind, Hootsuite, and MeetEdgar, which all give you the capability to schedule posts/pins on social media/Pinterest. Otherwise, you spend quite a bit of time doing all those things when you could be doing something else.
Use a timer
As I’ve mentioned multiple times throughout this blog post, a timer is one of the best productivity tips for busy mompreneurs that I can think of. What better way to stay on track than to have something reminding you when to move on? Try writing your next post to a timer, or preparing your images, etc. Your decisions will likely be snappier (and probably more on target) than doing these tasks without a timer. If you’re like me, you’ll be amazed at how much more you can get done with those numbers ticking down. I use the timer on Google, and set it off to the side of my screen while I work. (Just search for the word “timer” and it’s the first one that pops up.)
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