We frequently hear about the habits of slick entrepreneurs and there are plenty of nuggets of wisdom to pick up from them. As a mumpreneur, working from home, juggling a family and a difficult business, forming these habits can be quite a proposition.
If you have ever tried juggling the task of being an entrepreneur and a mum, you can see why many turn to online life coaching providers to help them with this difficult task. By coaching women I can understand the difficulties and the particular circumstances, between work, family and being a woman. I also focus her in on seven fundamental “habits” that will help her to juggle it all without feeling overwhelmed.
Habit No. 1 – Prioritise!
It is a truism that time is our most precious commodity and we just don’t have enough of it. Have you ever noticed that time flies when you’re having fun, but the opposite is also true?
If we are busier than ever and time is flickering past, we have to be able to understand the management of time, or we will be quickly overpowered.
Most professional coaching experts will tell you that time management is rule number one.
Evaluate all that you have to do and take time to jot it all down in a list. Sort the list and prioritise and work on whittling the list down until it is workable. When you embark on this task, it can seem daunting, if not impossible. However, with a little ingenuity and application, you can make it work. When you have finished, print it all out and make sure you display it prominently, so you can always refer to it.
Habit No. 2 – Don’t forget about you!
The second habit of highly effective mumpreneurs is that they remember to think about themselves! By focusing some time on yourself, you will ensure that you will not become overwhelmed, burnt out with a corresponding effect on your productivity.
So make personal time a priority and understand that this is not about being selfish, but is in fact a vital investment in your business and your life.
Habit No. 3 – Inject some routine.
Become a creature of habit with a set routine. They say that it takes a minimum of 14 attempts at something before a habit becomes ingrained, and we all seem to work better if we adopt a routine.
Some of us do not like to be structured in this way, but experience has shown that injecting some routine markedly helps with daily management.
Habit No. 4 – Don’t get distracted!
Whilst phone calls from close friends can sometimes be a welcome relief, don’t let distraction become the enemy of efficiency. It’s essential to section off time where you can switch off your smart-phone and apply the voice-mail option.
I’m not advocating that you ignore people, but just try blocking out some “do not disturb” time to focus on larger projects. You can then allocate time to return calls once you’ve completed the tasks and projects that are essential to grow your business.
Habit No. 5 – Create sacred space to work.
The fifth habit is about setting up your own personal and private area. A surprising number of mumpreneurs operate their businesses from their homes. If you happen to be a work from home entrepreneur, you’ll know from first-hand experience that it’s not a good idea to try balancing a laptop on the living room table and placing your file cabinet in the lounge!
In whatever spot it is in your house, make your workspace special and if possible set it up in its own room, away from the children when you’re trying to work. Design this room with efficiency and ergonomics in mind and don’t use it for leisure purposes. If feasible, try to have another computer set up in another spot for personal applications.
Habit No. 6 – A healthy body and mind, equals a healthy business.
If you don’t take care of yourself, all the rest of your habits will be tough to maintain. Exercise and fitness must become a habit and you should plan on getting at least three exercise sessions in per week.
Do whatever is easiest for you to take on as a new exercise habit. So if you don’t live near a gym, it’s unrealistic to plan to go to a gym three times a week, as you’ll find that you don’t have the time to travel to and fro. Always try to keep it simple – walking, running, cycling or dancing to an exercise DVD are all excellent examples of ways for you to keep your body moving, and they’re easy to integrate into your daily life as a mum as well.
Habit No. 7 – Create an outstanding superstar success team!
You’ve heard the expression “no man is an island” and the same applies to women! None of us can run a business alone and we all need support in various guises – mothers even more than most as we’re juggling so many commitments. Ask yourself what sort of support you need to become a highly successful mumpreneur and start to look for ways of building your “superstar success team.”
Professional coaching for women can help you to achieve your business goals much more quickly than you would on your own and is an important part of any highly effective mumpreneur’s success team.
But however you choose to build your team, don’t try to do everything on your own as there is so much to be gained from seeking the wisdom of good friends, confidants, associates and professional coaching experts. They can be superb sounding posts and lynchpins to your business success!
Amanda Alexander, Director of Coaching Mums, helps pressure-cooked, stressed working mums who long for more hours in the day. Through her coaching programmes and online life coaching courses, Amanda shows mums how to create fulfilling and successful lives. For your simple 5 step guide to balance as a working mum, download our free eBook today!
Tags: (coaching, (working mother, business, Family, mother, Parenting, women, work life balance)
