I get it! Running a business with little ones at home is not a challenge for the faint of heart. They all have different schedules, require a lot of energy, attention, and presence, and every day is another adventure rife with chaos and intrigue. Not to mention, you have financial goals to meet in order to continue giving them the best life possible. So how can we realistically manage our time as a busy parent and business owner, without having to bail on Ezra’s baseball game or Micah’s soccer practice while making sure you also are available for Mila’s art showcase all while chasing little Luca around in the backyard? Here are my top tips on how to effectively balance being present for your family and your clients.
Tip 1: Transparency + Boundaries
It never hurts to be forthcoming with your clients about where your values lie. Mentioning that you are a family-first business before any issues or scheduling conflicts arise helps make sure you are both on the same page. Gone are the days of hustle-’til-you’re-dead, live-to-work culture, and sacrificing your child’s precious moments to meet your business’s bottom line. We are now living in an age of balance, where people understand and agree with the fact that you are a complete human outside of your business. In fact, the right clients will respect you more for offering this level of transparency, and it can give them permission to do the same in their own lives. If a client requests to reschedule because of a last-minute family function, you can show grace instead of frustration knowing they would extend the same sentiment towards you and your family.
Tip 2: Systematize your Calendar
Creating a calendar system that separates family time from work time gives you a huge edge and frees up a ton of mental space for you to pour back into each during those designated times. For me this means color coding my online calendar to know exactly what is on my schedule for days and weeks ahead. I even carry around a paper calendar that helps me make visualize the week ahead while my online calendar focuses on my daily activities. If you have the same block of time every day segmented for family time and work time, this makes it even easier and more automatic. It also gives you the ability to identify free time more readily, giving you more control over your schedule.
Tip 3: Automate + Delegate
Automating pieces of your workflow has the power to free up space in your day you didn’t even know you could. All of the little tasks of manually sending out a welcome email, checking your schedule and sending specific times for meeting proposals really adds up. Thankfully, we live in an age with ample automation tools for you to offload these repetitive tasks and free up more time to work on your business or spend with your loved ones. Some of my favorite automation hacks are standardized welcome and onboarding emails, complete with instructions and any attachments needed. Another huge time saver is utilizing tools like Calendly or any other scheduling calendar link. Lastly and maybe most importantly, hiring good staff can be a game changer! For me, Leanna has been amazing for my business and my time management. She acts as the liaison between my clients and I but also takes care of the things that I am just not good! Trusting her to be an extension of me really frees me up to focus the tasks that I do enjoy like being in front of my clients, developing solutions for our clients and developing new client relationships. As a wise mentor once said, “delegate everything but the genius!”
Being present in every role that you have seems overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Getting a grip on your schedule has the power to alleviate that stress that comes from having a plate full of all the things; clients, kids, spousal time, self-care, you name it. These simple hacks have helped me immensely, and I know they will give you the confidence to manage your time wisely so that you can cheer your little ones from the sidelines.
To discuss planning for your and your family’s future, reach out to Legacy Avenue here.
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