Episode 54: The Secrets to Growing Your Business, Even with a House Full of Kids

We all know that being a work-at-home mom can be tricky. Finding the right balance is key.

Set your boundaries by time blocking: this is when you set out specific time for work, the kids and family. You’re setting out blocks of time for every day, knowing exactly how much time is in the block. Take time each Saturday or Sunday to plan your week. Know when you have to be with the kids, when you want family time and therefore when you have time to work.

This is something that I have recently been doing more of and getting better at thanks to Chelsi Jo’s podcast on systemizing your life which can be found here.

When you have your work time block make sure that you use it to its fullest. Silence notifications, put your phone aside, let your spouse know that they should only contact you if it is vital and then grab a snack before you get started. This will get better with practice.

When you have any block not related to work, give your children and family 100% of your time and attention. Your kids will become fulfilled and content, making it easier for you to work undistracted as they won’t constantly be bothering you.

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Knowing that some days aren’t going to be as perfect as you hope is important. Your process will constantly evolve and improve, the most difficult task is to just get started! Once you’ve begun it will become much easier.

Speaker 1 (00:00):

Hey, business-minded mama. I’m so grateful that you are here and that you are ready to grow enough, authentic community and scale your impact. Hi, I’m Stephanie. Parenza the voice behind business-minded mama podcast, local and small business advocate and entrepreneur. I’ve created this community because I want to help business-minded mamas. Like you build your dream business by finding your authentic community and gaining control and clarity on the financial aspects of your business by managing your own books. Now let’s tap into your own potential. Hello. Hello,

Speaker 2 (00:45):

Today, let’s talk about the secrets to growing your business. Even with a house full of kids. We all know that being a work from home mom can be difficult depending on if your kids are at home with you full-time while you’re trying to work or whether or not they get to go to a preschool or daycare for a little bit of it. Or even if they go full time finding the right mix and balance to get everything done with motherhood and business can be difficult. So today, I specifically want to talk about what you can do if you are trying to work from home and your kids are there at the same exact time, or you have very limited time when they are gone, what it really comes down to. And, um, I did not always work this way. This is something I’ve really been working on the last couple of years, and it’s made a huge difference is to set your boundaries by time blocking.

Speaker 2 (01:48):

So you need to be prepared. You need to have a plan of action, um, for your week. And I recommend you doing that. Um, on a Saturday or Sunday before the week has even started taking, um, uh, 30 minutes, if even that an hour, when your kids are content, when they’re napping, when they’re playing by themselves, take the time each weekend to plan out your week, knowing exactly when you’ll have time to work, when you’ll have time for your kids, when you need to do family time, when you need to be this, or, you know, this place or that place will really set you up for success. And so time-blocking, I’m not going to dive too deep. I’ve learned a lot from Chelsea Jo, who does systemize your beds, um, and systemize your life. Uh, you can go check out her podcast. I’ll put that information in my show notes, but what I’ve learned is a lot of this has come from her.

Speaker 2 (02:51):

So time-blocking, um, what essentially that means is that you have blocks of time each and every day that, you know, you can work that, you know, you need to be with your kids, that you have your time, that you have your routines in place. And so without going into too much detail, what I want you to take from this is set this work block and set this family block, and the work blocks may need to come during nap time, maybe early mornings, late nights, perhaps you’re able to outsource a little help, a babysitter for a couple hours a day or a couple of times a week, or maybe your kids go to party preschool, whatever it may be, figure out how you can get a work pock. And I think that most of you as driven entrepreneurs will find that time as hard as it is as mothers, you will find the time.

Speaker 2 (03:51):

And so set these blocks up, know exactly how many hours you have in that block. Obviously, if you’re using nap time, this can vary. So all I say to you is estimate what the time is going to be and give yourself and your child, uh, the grace, and just knowing that it may not go as planned and that’s okay. We’ll shift all the things that don’t get done to the next work block. So the other things that are important when you are doing these time blocks, when you have your work time block, maybe sure you are using that time that you have to it’s fullest. That means silence your phone, turn off your notifications, put it in a different room, whatever it may be, have no distractions don’t have online shopping up on your browser. Don’t have, uh, you know, if you have a million things in your mind, take a few minutes to write them all down real quick.

Speaker 2 (04:56):

So you don’t forget, but then put them aside until your work block is over. The one thing that I do, or I try to do is just turn my phone on airplane mode. So that gets rid of all, uh, the noise there. I usually send a text to my husband and say, Hey, I’m going on airplane mode. So no distractions, if you really, really need me, you know, yeah. Email to my work, email or whatnot, or we work or both working at home right now. So I’ll say, just come get me. That kind of leads me to another thing. If email is a distraction for you, look at your email at the beginning of your work block, and then don’t look at it again until the end of the work block, completely get out of that. So really find the things that distract you. If you, um, work, if your workspaces in your room and your room’s a disaster, and that drives you crazy.

Speaker 2 (05:45):

Maybe take five minutes to pick up a little bit. Um, if you are starving, you need a snack to really focus, grab a quick, grab, a quick snack, do whatever is going to help you be more successful in your work time block. And some of this may take time. You may need to figure it out. I know the things that I need to do, the things that have to get off my mind in order to have a successful work block. Um, but that has taken me time. And so give yourself permission to figure it out along the way. Now, the other thing I want you to, um, do is when you have your family or your kid block. So your any block of time that is not related to work, give your children 100% of your focus and attention. If you are fulfilling their needs, if you are giving them your undevoted time and being there for them, then they should be, uh, fulfilled and satisfied and happy to give you your time when you need it.

Speaker 2 (06:50):

Our kids don’t require our attention 24 seven. Do they need help here or there along the way? I don’t think they have an expectation for us to play with them all day nonstop, especially if you’re giving them undevoted time throughout the day, you are setting up boundaries for them, letting them know that you also have things that are important for you and for your life, but that they are just as important. And that’s why each thing that’s important to you gets its own bucket of time. It may not come easy at first, but I think as you progress down this path and you really set these boundaries, even with them, even with your spouse, everyone will understand, and it will totally become okay with them. It will be natural. It will be a way of life. Everyone will be happy and fulfilled and content. The other thing you can do is when you have those gray areas of time.

Speaker 2 (07:52):

So I’m going to say, have a workbook each day have an undevoted 100% attention kid time each day. And then you have these other times we’re going to call them gray. I don’t know why I want to come a gray area. I’m an accountant. Um, during these times that you have blocked off, or maybe you need to do some laundry or dishes or whatever, if you find that you have a little extra work, you need to do during that time, and your kids are seeking your attention as well, have them get involved in your work. My kids love to pretend like they’re working right next to me, or, um, sometimes I’ll sit at their table with them and give them some craft materials and say, Hey, can you make me some pretty pictures that I can put on my desk? So then I can get a few emails done or a task or whatever it needs to be done, right? Then I can do that while they’re doing their little

Speaker 3 (08:49):

Craft or while

Speaker 2 (08:51):

They’re typing on a pretend keyboard, whatever it is, get them involved. Is there something they can do to help you? Because honestly, I think my kids get super excited when I ask them for help. They want to be involved. They just want to be with you. They just want your time. And if you’ve already given them their undevoted time, you know, their devoted time, that 100% like focus, they should be okay with you kind of going back and forth during this other time. Well, I hope, um, this is helpful. Really? The keys are time block, have a work time where you are devoted to your work, have a kid time where you’re devoted to your kids and then any of the extra fluff that needs to take place, get them involved or save it for the next day. Every day is going to be different when you’re working from home with a bunch of kids.

Speaker 2 (09:49):

Uh, so knowing that some days are not going to be as perfect as you hope is very important in this process of learning to work at home and to grow your business while you have all the kids running around. And, um, yes, if you really want to deep dive more into this time blocking and, uh, systemizing your life or your business, definitely go to my show notes. I’ll put Chelsea Joe’s information in there. She has been wonderful. I have learned so, so much from her. She also runs a free Facebook group. If you’re not wanting to commit to working with her or doing her course or being a part of her Academy, uh, go check out our free Facebook group and learn more. There it’s been a game changer for me. And with that, that is the end of today’s episode. And I will see you all next time.

Speaker 1 (10:41):

Okay. Did you like what you heard on today’s podcast or do you know a business-minded mama that could benefit from hearing this, take a screenshot and share best with your community? And don’t forget to give me a review, want to chat more with me on Facebook and the business mighty mama Facebook page or on Instagram at Mrs. And SIS or through my website, www dot business-minded moma.com.