An ever-growing number of moms are becoming entrepreneurs, meaning that the necessity for and importance of at-home business management are as well.
That being said, the path to this kind of productivity will undoubtedly require careful thought and many efforts. Running a business from home and doing so while properly managing your time may prove to be a challenge to some mom entrepreneurs, not to mention taking care of your own family in the meantime.
Questions a mom might ask herself: “Am I using my time as efficiently as I possibly can? What steps am I taking to better my time management?
Asking yourself these questions and examining the following 5-step action plan will not only put you on that path to success, but will ensure that you’re well on your way to finding that essential balance that we all so desperately need.
Regulate With a Routine
Generally speaking, moms are the earliest risers of the household, and many moms use this time in the morning to take care of familial needs. Rather than going into each day without a plan, it would be beneficial to take a few moments the night before to create a list of your priorities for the next day in order of importance. For example, sending out an informative email to your clients would take precedence over walking your dog.
Even if you are not able to meet all of the tasks that you have laid out for yourself, you can feel accomplished and empowered knowing that you have succeeded in tackling your main goals for the day. In this way, you will start to see that glorious balance getting ever nearer.
Keep a Detailed Schedule
More than just regulating daily life with a routine, keeping a detailed schedule is a must. Investing in either a digital or physical planner will allow you to get a visual idea of how your day should play out. Think of all the time someone could be saving by not having to recall from memory what needs to be done! Wouldn’t you like that someone to be you?
Your schedule should encompass your business, household, and personal needs. So, if you know that you will soon be meeting a deadline but that you will also have multiple other obligations, try to plan around your work schedule. Once you get into the groove of establishing your work hours and appointments, finding balance in your scheduling will become second nature. Don’t forget to be realistic! Schedule breaks throughout the day to stay refreshed and energized. This will also help you stay in control and on task.
Keep in mind any openings that could be used for work. This is an excellent way of preventing wasted time.
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Stay Organized
Your workplace is your sanctuary. Having a way to separate your daily surroundings from work will create a zone conducive to you and your business.Investing in a work desk, filing cabinets, and folders is an especially practical idea to avoid a messy working area. Every file and paper should have their own place, just as every mom entrepreneur should have her own work space.
The necessity for a clutter-free work zone is one of the greatest. Not being able to find the information you need at that very moment would only serve to take away from your precious time and energy. Since wasting time is essentially wasting money, maintaining a neat and tidy work space is of the utmost importance. Do I find myself distracted by my work environment? Could I invest in any organizational aides to keep business operations running smoothly?
Plan for Your Goals
Just as you need a realistic schedule, you also need to create realistic goals, short-term and long-term, that you know can be attained. Gaining a certain amount of clients, exercising 3 times per week, or helping the kids get through the school year successfully. Whether a business, personal, or family goal, you should always have a plan to reach your goals. Think about your actions in pursuit of the goal and the possible reactions.
We all learn to expect the unexpected, and even more so do moms! Therefore, do your best to plan accordingly by leaving some space in your schedule as a buffer for possible illnesses, family emergencies, and unforeseen financial changes. You will surely thank yourself later for having done so. Ask yourself: Do I view these challenges as daunting? Or do I see them as an opportunity to measure my success and resilience? Taking on such challenges will help you assess your flexibility, adaptability, and strength.
Don’t Lose Focus
Of course, your principal objective is always to provide your clients and readers with content that they will not only enjoy, but identify with. This does not mean, though, that you should in any way neglect your own business!
Maybe you’ve noticed that your website could do with some enhancements, your inbox is teeming with emails, or that you have a list of calls that need to be made. Strive to keep your website looking good, your inbox at 0, and your voicemail empty. Doing so will keep you happy and your business healthy.
Just as you would make an appointment for a client to help them with these things, do the same for yourself! Your business is, after all, the very reason you have clients. You need to make a living, too. Will my business continue to draw in clients as it has been? When was the last time I scheduled an appointment for myself? Analyze seriously where you and your business currently stand and how you could make welcomed changes.
Effectively and successfully managing your time as a mom entrepreneur is not only doable, but it’s within your grasp! Using a routine to regulate your day-to-day life, keeping your schedule detailed, staying organized, having a solid plan, and backup plan, for your goals, and never losing your focus. Following these five tips toward time management it achievable and necessary.Your successful, flourishing, and balanced business future depends on it. After all, you get out of your business what you put into it. So, what do you say? Are you ready to take these steps to success?