You can stop the insanity when you are starting a business - and a family
Special guest author: Shannon Cherry (more on Shannon at the end of the post)
Being a mother and an entrepreneur is tough, especially when you have toddler twin girls in addition to a demanding business. As difficult as it can get, it’s also absolutely wonderful. The key to survival is simply to try not to go insane, and I want to share some of what I’ve learned so far about being a parent who works from home.
1. Make a plan BEFORE you have the baby. A lot of people think they’ll jump in after the baby is born. Wrong move! You need to plan ahead for it to work. That may mean getting extra help as you transition. I used a virtual assistant to keep me on track and got extra help with by using a college intern.
2. Develop a schedule for the baby right from the start. Babies need a schedule; it helps them and you to know what to expect and when to expect it. Once you have a set schedule for them, you can schedule your work around it.
3. Keep a list of what you need to do. Late night and pre-dawn feedings can take its toll, making you get the infamous ‘mommy brain’. Keep a notebook with you and whenever you remember something you need to get done, write it down and refer back to it when you get a chance.
4. Get the day started right after the 4 A.M. feeding. Getting work done before the house wakes is an efficient way to use those times when you can’t get back to sleep.
5. Go to bed early, TiVo your favorite show that you are missing and watch it during lunch when you can use the pick-me-up. It’s important to give parent some time too.
Shannon Cherry shares many of her ideas on working at home at http://www.mommy-inc.com , the only blog that focuses on the life of an entrepreneur mom raising twins. She talks about experiences, thoughts and interesting details she finds with others who may be interested in this type of journey. She also shares tips and techniques to start up a successful business at http://www.startupspark.com.
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POSTED IN: Personal Thoughts, Resources
1 opinion for You can stop the insanity when you are starting a business - and a family
Mark
Oct 24, 2007 at 6:06 am
Thanks Shannon - nice post!
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