
Running a biz & being a full-time mama is a very unique & wonderful experience. It is unique to the point that there isn’t a lot of advice out there on how to handle it all like a boss. Yes, we’ve got a biz to run from home, but we’ve also got laundry to fold, cuddles to give, & love to infuse to our littles.
1. Brain Dump
Using a Brain Dump is an amazing way to get everything out of your mind so you can focus! It will stop that voice in your head that reminds you at the most inconvenient times, and using a Brain Dump actually helps to collect all the fragments of your idea and piece it together.
“I pick a time on the weekend to brain dump and intentionally plan out my week. If I don’t make time to plan out my week, I won’t focus on my top priorities. Planning and sticking with it as much as possible is key.”
Danielle Poorman
2. Use a Planner
Mamas have so much going on already, but throw running a biz on top of that & you’re bound to forget something. Planners can be such an important tool to help yourself plan ahead. Bonus points if they help you manage & scale your biz!
“With so much going on between work and home life, I have to have a planner. Whether it’s on my phone or a physical book I write in; it’s a must that I can see future obligations and events quickly. I wake up early on my days off to work on my blog and stay up late to try and fit housework in. The other time is either work or twin
Jonellemomming !”
3. Plan with Your Family
Something you will never hear from biz or productivity gurus – plan your day with your family. Getting everyone on the same page & making sure everyone’s needs are satisfied is so important.
“As a homeschooling mom to eight kids, planning my time is essential! I’ve found it best when the kids help plan, so we are all on the same page. The kids and I meet every morning after breakfast to make a plan of the day. We talk through priorities, chores, school, my deadlines, and plan our time accordingly. Our days go much more smoothly when we plan and work as a team!”
Lisa Tanner
4. Prioritize
Have you ever
“When I plan my day, it’s essential that I complete a daily to-do list. My list is divided into three sections which include, “High Priorities,” “Moderate Priorities,” and “Low Priorities.” This allows me to focus on the most important things to do for the day. If I have time, I complete the moderate priorities and if I have more time, I complete the low priorities. “
Joyce Felix
5. Know Your Times for Working vs. Momming
There is nothing worse for your productivity than choosing the wrong time to work. Understanding your family’s unique schedule & how to fit work in stress-free is key.
“I block schedule everything and try to wake up early 2-3 days a week. I tackle the hardest task, like learning new technology or writing a blog post in the mornings before the kids wake up and take breaks from
Megan Kellymomming to network on Instagram and in my favorite Facebook groups. My kiddos have pretty regular slow times during the day (5, 3, 4 mths) so I will use that time to catch a webinar, do some planning, or training videos. As a health coach, I try to schedule client calls when I have the least amount of children so I can focus 100%, so these are often early morning calls or during nap time. Planning is SO important, being intentional with your days can be tough but I’m learning from the best!”
6. Accept That Your Days Won’t Always Go as Planned
Knowing, and accepting are two very different things. We all know that sometimes our days won’t go as we plan, but to keep that from setting us back or from throwing off our productivity, it is so important to lovingly accept when these days happen. It is such a sweet opportunity to appreciate our situation, so even though we didn’t get to finish our tasks for the day (or maybe you didn’t even open your laptop) this is the reason we do it all – to be there for our littles.
“What’s planning? I have a general to-do list in my head, but life dictates how much of that I actually get accomplished.”
Kathy
7. Find a System That Works for You
In this day & age, it feels like new technology & systems to boost productivity and efficiency are coming out faster than ever. It can be so tempting to try out the latest and greatest new tool all the mom-bosses you admire are using. But sometimes they just don’t mesh with your style – and that’s ok! Don’t push yourself to use a system that is supposed to make you more productive, but that honestly gives you a giant headache. Use a system that works with you & helps you grow your biz, even if it is a printable biz binder.
“I’m a single parent, and manage marketing and social media for several clients, as well as write a travel blog. I use a bullet journal to keep track of work commitments, and my daughter’s activities. Every morning I move tasks forward that didn’t get accomplished the day before, add new items and prioritize them. It’s probably odd that I work in the digital world, but can’t manage my life without scribbling in a book. I’ve never been more organized than I am with this system.”
Lizzie Lau
8. Don’t Let Yourself Get Distracted
Working from
“I’ve always been a list-maker, and good at prioritizing, but can get distracted and that really hurts what I can get accomplished each day. I use a lot of free tools that help me get better at managing my time!”
Kelly Sutter
9. Use Automation & Batching
Your biz, it is running 24/7, but you, you are working with the limited time you have during nap times, while the littles are at school, & after they go to bed. And even then, those hours are not set in stone. Which is why using automation tools & having a system for batching tasks is so important.
“I join pods to promote my blog. I also use tools to help me share or like other bloggers post. Since I am able to schedule out a lot of my tasks I then focus some time to write posts, create content images, etc.”
Carmen Edwards
10. Schedule Block
When you’ve got time, you gotta make the most of it! Schedule blocking, or time blocking, is one of the biggest strategies for cutting out some major productivity killers. Block scheduling as a mamapreneur also means that you can plan your blocks around the schedule that works best for your family.
“I schedule block everything! On M
Janelle Lara,W ,F&SUN I dedicate the day totally to mydaughter, and am basically a stay at home mom. Then on T,R&SATam I put my CEO hat on and work on my biz! We have a nanny come into the home on TR and a house cleaner on either Fridays or Saturdays. My husband takes care of my daughter on Saturday mornings,that’s his alone time with her. Itssooo important to delegate and give others the opportunity to help, so that you can bring your best self to everything that you do.”
I try to do a morning huddle with the kids on the weekends, so they know the game plan for the day especially if I have to get some work done.
I love this! Thanks for sharing, Toni 🙂
Wonderful tips. I need to work on the planning a bit better.
Thank you! Planning is definitely tough with little ones at home 🙂
Great tips. The distractions are a tough one!
Distractions are the sneakiest! Sometimes they even pretend to be “work” when it really just means I’m mindlessly scrolling through Facebook haha