With blooming professionals refusing to idealize the traditional nine-to-five job as the end-all-be-all, many seek alternatives to conventional cubicle environments, such as home-based businesses. Not surprisingly, home-based businesses have proved cost-effective and personally advantageous for self-starters.
For entrepreneurs determined to refine their skills and manage their time, a home-based career may be more favorable than a cookie-cutter office job. Although an at-home business may be the right choice professionally, the blurred line between your work and home can be challenging to navigate.
For working parents, balancing child-care and office tasks takes time, patience, and practice. Many working parents struggle to find the time to cook dinner and have meaningful interactions with their children, let alone setting apart some “me time.” Demanding work hours and increasing responsibilities at home can pose enormous obstacles for any working parent. For instance, you might spend hours trying to integrate your business calendar with the kids’ bustling extracurricular schedule, only to throw your hands up in frustration.
Parentpreneurs often end up feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day to spend with their kids and achieve their business goals. But working parents generally raise independent and resilient children, often growing up with a strong sense of confidence. While it may seem insurmountable at times, consider these five ways to achieve the ideal work-life balance.
Step one: Set your business up for success
Without the right tools and foundation, your young business will be doomed to an unfortunately short lifespan. To maintain business vitality, construct a thorough business plan in which you will address tax obligations, structural basics, and entity refinement. Research your market’s competition and decide how you will reach your target audience. Remember, every business is built on branding, so consider the benefits of wholesale t-shirts such as these for branded-merchandise purposes.
Step two: Establish a workspace
If you spend every day working from the living room couch, the shared space will eventually lose its relaxing effect. To effectively separate work from your everyday hustle-and-bustle, you’ll need a dedicated home office. Here, you’ll switch into work mode and leave the rest of the house as a business-free zone.
Step three: Dedicate time in your routine for family
Successful at-home workers establish a strict schedule and stick to it. You must devote a considerable amount of your time to the advance of your business, but your family deserves your attention as well. Commit to bedtime stories or breakfast chats with your kids. Communicate your business goals with them while assuring you will always make time for their lives.
Step four: Outsource whenever possible
If you are beginning to drown in everyday business tasks or home chores, it could be time to outsource. Consider hiring a freelancer to handle your business’ marketing initiatives or invest in a part-time caregiver to taxi the kids to after school activities. A responsible working parent knows when to ask for help, and both your kids and business will flourish when you do.
Step five: Stop yearning for perfection
Juggling business demands and family needs is hard, and that’s okay. As a working parent, you’ll need to take a breath and live in the moment. After a draining day of work, the kids might end up eating take-out for dinner, and that should be considered a win. Take pride in your passion for your business and the ability to spend time with family.
A penny for your thoughts?