Managing one or more endeavors as a mom can be challenging enough if you’re doing it in your spare time, but things can become especially difficult when you start to strive towards optimal productivity and profitability. Between raising the kids and staying on top of a burgeoning business, it can be easy to feel as though you’re already putting forth your best effort. However, as with anything else in life, there are almost always improvements waiting to be made in the daily operation of a company. With that said, here are 10 steps you can take to become the best mompreneur you can be:
1. Earn a Relevant Degree
There are a number of degree programs that will equip you with the skills needed to perform optimally as both a company leader and manager. Many of these programs can be competed online from the comfort of your own home, which would be the ideal approach for most self-sufficient moms. For example, you could earn a degree in operations management from an online learning institution like Kettering University. There are many different programs you will find online that you never knew existed.
2. Create a Sustainable Schedule
One of the reasons why managing a business and being an involved mother is so difficult is because both of these tasks are essentially full-time jobs. Of course, to manage that kind of commitment without experiencing burnout is a remarkable achievement and one that will require strict adherence to a sustainable schedule which allows for adequate sleep, recovery, and family time while still cramming in the hours needed to grow your businesses.
3. Use Small Time Blocks to Segment Tasks
Incredibly successful entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Elon Musk use 5-minute time blocks to segment their entire work day into micro-tasks. By doing this, you’re holding yourself accountable not on an hourly basis but on a per-task basis, as most individual steps or tasks can be completed within the span of a single 5-minute time block, or maybe a few at most. This might seem like a stressful and strict method of time management, but you’ll notice that as you get used to meeting those 5-minute deadlines, your heightened productivity and proficiency will actually create a less stressful situation because you’ll be more confident in your abilities.
4. Practice Stress Management Techniques
Speaking of stress, it’s absolutely imperative that you take steps to manage your stress levels as a busy mom who is managing one or more business endeavors. Take up yoga, meditation, listening to ambient or motivational music, consuming relaxing herbs and teas, and practicing mindfulness in the moment to start reducing your stress levels.
5. Have Brainstorming Sessions with the Kids
You might be thinking, “why would I ask children for business advice” but you’d be surprised at what you come up with when you put the creative abilities of young minds to work. Kids have a way of simplifying things to such an extent that they often think of those under-the-nose ideas that most adults just overlook because they’re too busy focusing on the complexities involved.
6. Squeeze in 20 Minutes of Exercise Per Day
Taking up a full-fledged exercise regimen when you’re already raising children and managing businesses might seem like an absurd challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Most moms can easily squeeze in 10 minutes of morning exercise and 10 minutes of afternoon or evening exercise. While such a minimal schedule won’t bring you the fast weight loss or fitness results, if you sustain this effort over time, you’ll get into great physical shape – which not only improves your looks, but also helps you become a better problem solver.
7. Hire a Few Virtual Assistants
If you’re familiar with The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, then you’ll know that one of them goes something along the lines of “never do for yourself what someone else can do for you.” If your day is being occupied by menial or tedious tasks that aren’t adding tremendous value to your business but are required to keep it operating, you may want to start outsourcing some of the workload to virtual assistants.
8. Create Revenue Streams That Match Your Lifestyle
Try to opt for business ideas that will be compatible with your lifestyle as a mom. For example, many moms buy and sell children’s clothes, toys, strollers, car seats, travel accessories, and other products that most moms are going to wind up using anyway. Other moms start cleaning, catering, or providing a laundry service because those are things they’re already frequently doing around the house. By profiting from items and activities that you’re already going to own or engage in, you can make your business management duties feel like they’re just another part of handling your business as a mom. Moms are rocking the digital space too. Recent trends show that more moms are venturing into online business opportunities. Whether it’s blogging or starting a dropshipping business, there’s surely something for every mom to explore!
9. Aim for the Best but Prepare for the Worst
Moms are always taking precautions to protect their kids, so it can be easy to be stuck in a strictly precautious and apprehensive mindset. While preparing for the worst is certainly a wise step to take, it’s important to set your goals and expectations based on a more optimistic outlook. That way, you won’t be settling for less-than-ideal results but you’ll still have a contingency plan in place to deal with such undesirable outcomes as well. This could mean monitoring your monthly expenses and bill tracking, to setting aside a little nest egg for the less-profitable times you might encounter. There’s no shame in being prepared.
10. Network with Other Moms
If you’re not leveraging your ability to interact with and influence other mothers, you’re probably missing out on a huge chunk of your potential customer base. Be sure to take time out of your day to build up your social network through major social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube.
Moms Are Capable of Superhuman Feats
In closing, it’s important to remind yourself that moms and parents in general are equipped with special instinctive abilities that allow us to tap into to reserves of willpower and strength for the good of our families. So, the next time you’re facing a seemingly insurmountable pile of work, remember that you have what it takes to not only do what is asked of you, but to go beyond even your own expectations.
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