Walking The Tightrope

WOMEN AND CAREER

Female entrepreneurs often tend to stay away from pregnancy because they fear that their entrepreneurial journey would be hampered by the responsibilities of a mother.

Motherhood is a complex and overwhelming stage of a woman's life. It is one of the hardest challenges that a human can come to terms with. Watching a child grow and raising them gives an immense amount of joy to parents. However, it is also heart-wrenching at the same time if one is walking a tightrope between work and home. In the same way that a playbook for being a mother is rarely found, one wouldn't easily come across a guide that would teach how to balance life, bothas an effective mother and an entrepreneur. This indicates that probably there does not exist any definite way to go about it. Thus, for many entrepreneurs it is a constant swing between a sense of guilt when they are trying to choose how to prioritise their time between both. The range of emotions that a mother experiences during this journey of hers can often feel like a burden at times.

Entrepreneurs often tend to stay away from pregnancy because they fear that their entrepreneurial journey would be hampered by the responsibilities of a mother. A lot of women run away from it, so that it does not impact their business or people's perspectives about their ability to lead or function in an organisation. The heaviness that comes along with being an entrepreneur while carrying on with the responsibilities of motherhood can be unimaginable for most men. It involves a lot of physical challenges andmainly the challenge of developing a life. However, societal practices require men to be responsible for the creation of businesses and legislations, but the same has been changing with time.

The world is opening new doors and thus, focusing on motherhood and entrepreneurship as two sides of the same coin,has become a possibility for women. So, exactly what does being a mother while being an entrepreneur entail? What does motherhood for a businesswoman look like?

Women entrepreneurs who have been navigating their life through their business life and motherhood share certain tips that will help new moms focus on their businesses while taking care of their child.

Seeking help shouldn't be embarrassing

There is no shame in stating what you need. Knowing how it feels, other moms and entrepreneurs will step up to support you, but only if they know you need it.

Empowering everyone

You can do it all, but do you have to? Help relieve your own cognitive load by delegating what others can do for you, versus what you need to do yourself. By doing this, you're also empowering somebody else and freeing up space for you to do the important tasks that only you can handle.

Stand up to your time and advocate it

Time blocking can be essential. Making sure you carve out time for self-care is essential. If you are not filling up your own cup, you will not be able to fill up the cups of others — personally or professionally. Give time and attention to your full self, outside of being a leader and a mother. Stay connected to what makes you happy.

Increase your network with likeminded people

Your tribe is everything. Other moms, entrepreneurs, virtual communities, and especially now, in-person gatherings, will be crucial to helping you find the support you need.

Use an agenda

Maintaining a datebook comes handy at times as an entrepreneur. It can be in the digital form of apps and planners or an old-fashioned paper datebook. This will help you check your responsibilities before starting your day. Proceeding with your day becomes easier when one separates their home tasks from their work responsibilities.

An agenda can be a very important weapon for a mompreneur. It also helps one to review everything that they have accomplished for the day and paves a way to organize for the next day. Time spent on planning is always an effective use of your time.

Build a team of investors and advisors who are true partners and value you as a human being

The people who invest in you have a lot of power and sway over the direction of your business. Choose them wisely. Make sure your values are aligned. Make sure your goals are the same. And ultimately, make sure they have an understanding and deep level of respect for who you are as a woman, a mother and a business owner.

Take help of a virtual assistant in certain situations

As a busy mompreneur, you can hire specialised services for a few hours and adjust this to your budget. Don't think that having a virtual assistant is reserved only for big entrepreneurs: using platforms like Upwork, Fiverr or Freelancer, you can find an assistant that fits your needs.

Always plan your meetings early

You can use a regular calendar, your cell phone calendar, and even use different colours for each type of event. Try to attend all the meetings you have committed to. Think that rescheduling will take even more time.

Focus on the present work

Always take on one work at a time.

Have you heard about the Pomodoro Technique? It's an excellent time management trick. Something as simple as a kitchen timer allows you to divide your tasks into blocks of 25 minutes and stick to them.

Believe it or not, you will achieve more in less time.

Working from home

While working from home as a mompreneur, try to create a private working space for yourself. You can turn this space into an office. You should make other members of the family aware of the importance of your privacy. Ask them to maintain silence when you need it. This will help you line up a routine which will improve your productivity.

Finance Management

Take the help of blogs and other web content to teach yourself how to avail the best out of finances as mompreneur.

Rest when needed

To remain active in the work hours, you need to give yourself enough rest. Going to bed an hour earlier and waking up an hour earlier is a healthy practice. Our minds remain fresh in the morning and it is possible to be more productive.

Take care of your health

Your health comes prior to everything else. Always make sure to eat healthy. Don't miss any appointment which you have scheduled with your doctor.

Also Read: Answering the Call of the Wild

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