I struggle too.

Some days I switch between mother and business owner like a pro. I am one in the same person. I can feel super productive, creatively on fire AND be present, energised and engaged with my kids. Those are the best days. They are the days that light me up.

Some days the balance can feel completely out of kilter. 

I get distracted by an email on a weekend, plunging me in to work mode. I snap at the kids, shout at them for making noise because I’m trying to concentrate, feel guilty for it and frustrated with them all at the same time.

Then there are days when I am joyfully immersed in my role of being a mum. I feel relaxed and at ease while they play around, I potter around the house tidying up and doing jobs, I listen to their stories and laugh at their jokes. 

….but then a sudden thought pops up about work… and I realise I may have ‘dropped the ball’…I don’t feel 'on' it, I feel like I have taken my eye off the game..

Sound familiar?

You’re not alone. For me, this is one of the unique challenges that we face as mums in business, and the reason I wanted to create a support network for mumpreneurs.

During school holidays, many of my mentoring clients are having the same challenges,  and feeling like they are ‘failing’ to get the balance right. 

Perhaps they feel they are working too much and the kids are in childcare more than they would like. Or perhaps they haven’t been able to work on their businesses at all, and feel anxious that they haven’t made progress.

I get it.

But there is no right or wrong when it comes to work/life balance.

Only what FEELS good to you.

Over the 11 years of running businesses around my two sons I’ve worked hard at getting the work/life balance where I want it to be. I’m not perfect, don’t get me wrong, but most of the time I am able to flow between mother and business owner fairly easy these days.

But some days I can’t. And that’s OK. I’ve learned to give myself a tonne of grace ...and I'd love you to practice giving yourself a ton of grace too!

My advice to you is this:

1. Decide what your non-negotiables are….

These are the things that you are not willing to sacrifice. What are the things that are REALLY important to you? Things you don’t want to MISS out on? Things that would make you FEEL like the balance is there? If you can ring-fence these things it will make you feel more in control.

For example, what time do you want work to finish each day? How much childcare do you want over the holidays? How much of a break would YOU like to have from work

2. Plan accordingly

You get to decide….this is something we often feel out of control of, but as your own boss, right at the start you DO get to decide what your boundaries are going to be. And you need to plan around them... For example, limiting client calls or face-to-face meetings during holidays, not planning any launches unless absolutely crucial, doing as much preparation before the holidays as you can, outsourcing tasks to take the pressure off you.

3. Give yourself grace

Life doesn’t always go to plan. That’s one of the first lessons I learned having kids. Whether it’s school holidays or sickness, sometimes everything has to be dropped or placed on a back burner. And that’s OK. That’s why most of us do what we do, right? So allow it. And TRUST that things will return to normal. Go with the FLOW and bend like a willow tree with what life throws at you….

There is no magic recipe for getting the work/life balance ‘right’ so let’s take the pressure off right here and right now. 

But you do need to trust your gut….if something doesn’t feel right to you, if the balance isn’t where you want it to be…change it… the power is in your hands.

YOU get to decide.

Remember, you should be running your business….it shouldn’t be running YOU.

Erin x

Ps. Want to have a chat about getting the balance right for you? Book a free 20 minute Discovery Call and I’ll let you know how I could help