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How to Navigate Entrepreneurship During Maternity
by Mary McWilliams
Being an entrepreneur is challenging, and adding a pregnancy into the mix can heighten the complexities of managing a business. This blog post aims to provide guidance for expecting entrepreneurial moms on how to navigate through this unique phase. From planning effectively before birth, managing your time efficiently, to embracing the changes that come with motherhood, these insights will help you maintain both your business and personal well-being. Remember, while every business and baby are different, there is always a way to achieve balance and continue thriving as a business owner and a mother.
1. Plan for pregnancy, not just maternity leave
When planning for the next months, it’s essential to consider the time and energy pregnancy itself will demand. Having appointments and regular check-ups will soon become a part of your schedule, integrating this into your business timetable is crucial. Giving yourself the extra cushioning can make a huge difference in how effectively you manage both worlds.
Consider delegating responsibilities or automating tasks that don’t need your immediate attention. Use technology to schedule social media posts or manage finances. This approach will not only reduce stress but also allow you to focus on nurturing both your growing business and your growing baby in a balanced way.
I felt like going to appointments was my new full-time job.
With the excitement of expecting a new life, the reality of increased medical appointments can feel overwhelming. This was genuine for me, where the medical visits seemed to occupy my entire schedule. Embrace the fact that it is okay to shift your focus or adapt your business routines to accommodate this aspect.
Remind yourself that investing time in health and wellness during this time is a priority. This mindset adjustment allows you to manage your business with a healthier outlook and energy, eventually benefiting you and your business in the long run.
Do yourself a favor and lighten your workload a bit. You’re already doing so much hard work growing that beautiful tiny human!
Reducing your workload where possible will feel like a much-needed relief. Reflect on the processes that can temporarily be reduced, stopped, or done by someone other than yourself. Are there processes you can pass over temporarily to a trusted employee or colleague?
This buffer allows space for rest, a crucial element not often highlighted in entrepreneurship. Your health and well-being will contribute significantly to your business’s health and your family’s happiness as well.
If you’ve planned to scale back a bit, then anything extra you can do is a bonus!
Scaling back can feel like a difficult decision, yet approaching it with the mindset that any additional work is a positive bonus aids in managing stress and expectations. Your primary responsibility is toward your forthcoming parent role, and this perspective shifts how you value personal and professional progress.
Adjusting benchmarks doesn’t mean slowing down your ambition but rather allows you to set more thoughtful, realistic goals. As time passes, returning to previous productivity levels or even surpassing them becomes much more manageable and sustainable.
2. Make plans for your maternity leave early on
Start strategizing your maternity leave far ahead of time. By laying out a solid plan, you can ensure the continuity and efficiency of your business even in your absence. Consider which tasks need your attention and which can be delegated, ensuring you’re not overwhelmed during this significant transition.
Communicate with your team, if you have one, about your plans anticipated workload and identify key individuals who can step up during this period. It will not only prepare them but also offer you peace of mind to enjoy your leave.
My business is still standing and yours will be too!
So make your list of everything you think you’ll be able to accomplish during your fourth trimester and then cut it in half, and then cut it in half again.
Taking a realistic approach when planning tasks during your fourth trimester is vital. There’s a natural tendency to overestimate what’s achievable, but remember to scale back ambitions initially. This act of caution prevents burnout and allows for better mental health management.
Knowing you’ve prepared for this moment helps sustain your business. Trust the plans and people you’ve put in place, and allow your business and personal life to thrive simultaneously without guilt.
Use them as inspiration but remember your business is unique so it’s better to devise a plan that works for YOU.
While numerous resources offer plans and ideas during this period, it’s imperative to remember your business’s uniqueness. Tailor your approach to fit your distinct business personality and individual needs. What works for one entrepreneur may not align with your setup.
Implement strategies and inspiration that complement your vision and strengths. Charting your path will make the transition smoother and leave you more empowered to handle any surprise hurdles, both personal and professional.
3. Accept that things will look different after the baby gets here
Babies bring a whirlwind of changes, and the sooner you accept and adapt to this, the smoother the journey will become. Realistically knowing that your time, priorities, and attention will now be divided means finding new ways of measuring success beyond traditional productivity.
This acceptance allows you not only to adjust strategies but also to embrace parenthood in its entirety, making the combination of responsibilities and personal joy a far richer experience.
So I decided that I needed to set some strict boundaries on my work time and mom time.
It was a huge help for me to label my days with specific priorities so I wasn’t in the constant stress spiral of deciding what I wanted to do with any second of free time that I had.
Setting boundaries for work versus family time became a lifeline. Structured time management can help channel energy and manage commitments without sacrificing key family moments or personal well-being. Intentional time allocations are invaluable in both areas of life, allowing for actual presence and fulfillment.
Allocating particular days or time slots to focus exclusively on family or business can be calming. Such planned spontaneity allows a sense of order, enabling you to fully participate in what matters without guilt or distraction.
So do yourself a favor and plan to prioritize baby cuddles remembering that the dishes can wait and this won’t last forever.
Prioritize moments that matter, like precious baby cuddles. Day-to-day tasks can wait, as the early milestones of parenthood happen only once with each child. Cherishing these moments pays back tenfold in joy and contentment, ultimately encouraging a more motivated mindset for work.
Recognize that these early days are fleeting, allowing you to be fully present. This focus on significant, special moments creates balance, reducing stress, and nurturing cross-aspect satisfaction.
4. Lower your expectations, then lower them some more
Understanding and moderating expectations from oneself is deeply liberating. Reducing pressure from both internal and external forces can help make the transition into parenthood while maintaining entrepreneurship far more feasible.
Knowing what’s critical and what’s flexible empowers you to distribute energy effectively. Decipher what tasks necessitate immediate attention against those that can wait without lasting repercussions offers essential breathing room.
What things will have significant consequences if they don’t get done (it’s a lot less than you think) and what things will bounce right back up if you drop the ball?
It’s essential to distinguish between what must get done and what can wait. Perceptions of urgency can often lead us into a whirlwind of stress. Take the time to assess which tasks genuinely carry significant weight and which can easily be deferred or reassigned.
Establishing a clear hierarchy not just smothers stress but enriches focus on tasks that truly make a difference. Decision making becomes more effective, allowing room for much-needed flexibility in your new dual identity as a parent and entrepreneur.
5. Don’t make any big decisions during the 4th trimester
It does get easier to find the time as baby gets a little older and you learn how to prioritize and I know it doesn’t feel like it when you’re in the thick of it, but you will sleep again.
Taking major business decisions right after childbirth may not be ideal. Adjusting to parenthood adds new dimensions to your lifestyle and trying to steer significant business changes simultaneously can be challenging.
Understanding that initial hues of parenthood might cast uncertainty on long-term decisions, it’s more worthwhile to invest this time in settling into routines. Life re-stabilizes over time, allowing you to take on bigger decisions with renewed strength and clarity.
I kept a running list of thoughts and ideas I had in regards to my business and by the time I went back to work, I was pumped to start planning and implementing!
As an aspiring or current entrepreneur, you’ll find that ideas frequently come and go. During this adjustment phase, keep a handy list of these inspirations for when decision-making aligns better with your circumstances.
Returning to work rejuvenated with ample ideas where you can chart new business paths or grow existing ones dramatically boosts morale. You strike an ideal balance once time and mind are fully equipped to channel these creative intuitions into practical outputs.
Remember how those early days as an entrepreneur felt totally chaotic and disorienting but you eventually figured it out?
The entrepreneurial journey is inherently chaotic, and has its parallels with parenthood. Recall that despite the early chaos of starting your own business, you discovered innovative solutions and flourished. This reassurance will encourage confidence, knowing you can adapt and thrive again.
Both roles encompass learning and adapting through the unexpected, empowering you to handle challenges effectively. Each phase marks personal and professional growth, equipping you better than before.
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If you found these insights valuable, you’ll appreciate additional resources on balancing work and family life, maximizing productivity while maintaining wellness, and stories of thriving entrepreneurial parents. Discover techniques tailored to unique entrepreneurial ventures and continue enhancing your business while nurturing family life.
| Section | Key Insights |
|---|---|
| Plan for pregnancy, not just maternity leave | Integrate pregnancy-related tasks into your schedule, delegate responsibilities, and use technology to manage your workload effectively. |
| Make plans for your maternity leave early on | Draft a detailed plan for managing your business during your absence, delegate tasks, and set realistic goals for the fourth trimester. |
| Accept that things will look different after the baby gets here | Embrace changes, set boundaries for work and family time, and prioritize precious moments with your newborn. |
| Lower your expectations, then lower them some more | Moderate expectations, focus on critical tasks, and allow room for flexibility to reduce stress during this period. |
| Don’t make any big decisions during the 4th trimester | Avoid major business changes while adjusting to parenthood, keep a list of ideas, and revisit them when settled. |
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