Top class businessmen often tell us about their successful habits and we can learn a lot from what they tell us. But as a mumpreneur or work at home mum, running a business and a family means that such habits are not always easy to adopt.
If you have ever tried juggling the task of being an entrepreneur and a mum, you can see why many turn to online life coaching providers to help them with this difficult task. By coaching women I can understand the difficulties and the particular circumstances, between work, family and being a woman. I also focus her in on seven fundamental “habits” that will help her to juggle it all without feeling overwhelmed.
Habit No. 1 - Learn to prioritise.
It is a truism that time is our most precious commodity and we just don’t have enough of it. Have you ever noticed that time flies when you’re having fun, but the opposite is also true?
On the other hand, when we are busy, time appears to fly and unless we grasp the concept of time management, we are likely to feel overwhelmed.
Most professional coaching experts will tell you that time management is rule number one.
Look at all the tasks ahead of you, get a piece of paper and write it all down. Sort the list and prioritise and work on whittling the list down until it is workable. It is easy to be put off when you begin this task, as it appears to be unworkable. Remember, you are very ingenious and it is amazing what you can accomplish with a little determination. When you have finished, print it all out and make sure you display it prominently, so you can always refer to it.
Habit No. 2 - Did you forget about yourself?
Mumpreneurs should not forget about themselves, as this is the second habit of those who are highly effective. Without rewarding yourself and enjoying valuable “me” time you will quickly burn yourself out and be far less productive.
So make personal time a priority and understand that this is not about being selfish, but is in fact a vital investment in your business and your life.
Habit No. 3 - Inject some routine.
Setting up a routine is one of the best habits you can practise. By placing a routine and sticking to it, you will become more effective, even though it may take a minimum of 14 tries before you get into the habit.
Some of us do not like to be structured in this way, but experience has shown that injecting some routine markedly helps with daily management.
Habit No. 4 - Block out time without distractions.
Whilst phone calls from close friends can sometimes be a welcome relief, don’t let distraction become the enemy of efficiency. It’s essential to section off time where you can switch off your smart-phone and apply the voice-mail option.
I’m certainly not saying that you should be ignoring people, but taking some “quite” time to concentrate on bigger projects can make all the difference when it comes to major accomplishments. You can then allocate time to return calls once you’ve completed the tasks and projects that are essential to grow your business.
Habit No. 5 - Create sacred space to work.
Habit number five is about creating your own special and protected area. A surprising number of mumpreneurs operate their businesses from their homes. If you are a work at home entrepreneur, don’t try balancing a laptop on the kitchen table and putting your file cabinet in your bedroom!
Wherever it is in your home, make your workspace sacred and ideally place it in its own room, off-limits to the kids when you are working. Set this room up with ergonomics and efficiency in mind, and don’t use the room for any other purpose than work. If possible, have another computer set up elsewhere for personal use.
Habit No. 6 - Healthy body, healthy business.
If you don’t take care of yourself, all the rest of your habits will be tough to maintain. It’s essential that exercise and fitness become a regular habit and you should ensure that you have not less than three exercise sessions every week.
Pick anything, just take up whatever is the most convenient for you to get started on as a new exercise habit. So if you don’t live near a gym, it’s unrealistic to plan to go to a gym three times a week, as you’ll find that you don’t have the time to travel to and fro. Keep it simple - walking, running, cycling or dancing in front of an exercise DVD are all examples of keeping your body moving that are easy to adopt into your life as a mum.
Habit No. 7 - Build a superstar success team.
You’ve heard the expression “no man is an island” and the same applies to women! None of us can run a business alone and we all need support in various guises - mothers even more than most as we’re juggling so many commitments. Ask yourself what sort of support you need to become a highly successful mumpreneur and start to look for ways of building your “superstar success team.”
Professional coaching for women can help you to achieve your business goals much more quickly than you would on your own and is an important part of any highly effective mumpreneur’s success team.
But however you choose to build your team, don’t try to do everything on your own as there is so much to be gained from seeking the wisdom of good friends, confidants, associates and professional coaching experts. They can be superb sounding posts and lynchpins to your business success!
Amanda Alexander is Director of Coaching Mums and a highly acclaimed ICF-accredited coach who delivers professional coaching programmes to working moms who yearn for success, balance and fulfilment. Are you a juggling mom? Download our free eBook for working moms that will give you 5 simple and instant ways to balance your life right now!