Got Kids and a Business? Follow These Tips to Juggle Both

What are some ways you can juggle owning a business with raising your kids? Here's some handy tips care of Jenny Silverstone, founder of parenting blog Mom Loves Best.

When you’re a parent, it can feel hard to concentrate on anything else some days. You struggle with the guilt of being away from your child or not paying full attention to them when you’re with them.

But when you have a business, you can feel that same struggle. In some ways, a business is like a child -- it needs a lot of attention if it is going to grow to be healthy and thriving.

So what are some ways you can juggle owning a business with raising your kids?

Don’t Be Scared to Delegate

Parents sometimes feel like we need to take on the world by ourselves. Many of us hate asking for help or have a hard time giving up the reins to someone else. But as a business owner and a mom or dad, you have to change that mentality.

Doing everything by yourself is difficult. Ask your partner, grandparents, siblings, or friends for help when you truly need a hand. Chances are, they’ll be more than happy to help just as you would if the roles were reversed.

So whether you need a babysitter for a couple hours to get some work done, or you need a hand giving the house a quick cleaning, you’ll be better off if you learn how to rely on other people.

Make Sure You Save a Little Time for Yourself

We all need some me-time -- that time you reserve for yourself to do something relaxing or that makes you connect with the person you used to be and still are somewhere deep underneath those titles of parent and business owner.

Whether it’s going for a morning run, or relaxing with a book, you should put yourself first for a few minutes a day if you can. It will help things feel a bit easier.

Hire a Housekeeper

This may seem a bit indulgent, but you basically have two full-time jobs as a parent who owns a business. To save some of your precious time for the things that matter to you, bringing someone in to clean the house a couple times a week can be a huge weight lifted off your shoulders.

If you can’t afford it though, you may want to hold off on hiring a helper until you can afford it. You don’t want to be even more stressed worrying about meeting your bills.

Know When to Multi-Task

There are some situations made for multi-tasking and other times when you need to give a task your full concentration.

If you’re a mother, pumping breast milk for your baby so they can have a stash to take the sitter, is an easy way you can multi-task. Get a hands-free breast pump so you can do your bills or look over emails for your company while you’re pumping that liquid gold.

Dads can strap on a baby carrier, and get their daily exercise while listening to their favorite business podcast or audiobook.

As a busy working parent, the only way you’ll cram everything into your day is if you do two tasks at a time whenever you can.

Learn to Say No

This can be a tricky one for working parents -- not so much with their kids, but with their work obligations. It can be hard to say no, even if your workload is so huge you already feel you’re short changing yourself and your family.

You have to be protective of your time away from the office. You can’t work all the time. You have a child depending on you now. If you struggle to say no to people, think of what you’re giving up at home for every additional task you take on. It should be easier to turn people down after that.

Stay Focused

Don’t let your work encroach on your time with your kids. When you’re at home, you should be focused on your kids. When you are at work, don’t let anything stop you from concentrating on what you’re doing there.

If you have to wrap up a few work tasks in the evening, wait until your kids go to bed and do it then. That way, they won’t feel ignored in favor of your job.

Don’t Forget to Keep Yourself Healthy

Protecting your health should be one of your top priorities. That means getting enough sleep, eating well, and getting your exercise. If you don’t have your health, both your business and your child will suffer because of it. So make sure you’re meeting your basic needs.

Give It Your Best

No one is perfect and sometimes you’ll feel like you’re stretched too thin as a business owner and a parent. Realize you’re going to feel like that at times, and that’s okay. Just continue to do your best and that’s all anyone can ask of you.

While you may have some days where you struggle, keep in mind that things will get easier as your child becomes a little more independent.