1. BE PREPARED
Proper preparation prevents poor performance should be the 5 P's of being a mompreneur. Some moms may be like me and feel that they don't even have time to prepare but a little preparation is better than no preparation. I have found that even if I do little things they can make a huge difference. For instance if I know that me and my youngest three (4, 2, and 6 months) have to leave the house I pick out clothes, pack the diaper bag and snack bags the night before. Just that little bit of preparation saves me the headache of having to do it in the morning with three cranky kids! When I am really motivated, or if I have to go out of town I will cook meals and freeze them so that my husband or my older three (14, 12, and 11 years old) can just thaw out a meal or toss it in the oven.
2. Always have a plan B
Babysitters fall through, and it must be some universal law that babysitters will always cancel at the last minute, when you are late, and when you aren't able to bring the kids along. It is best to have a daycare center that you trust that takes drop ins, or a relative that you can have on call as a back up when you know that you have an important meeting or event.
3. Utilize technology
I work from home because I don't want to drag three kids out of the house everyday and sometimes I just want to wear pajamas all day. But even working from home I have meetings, somehow meetings can not be avoided. I try to set up conference calls, skype, emails and instant messages when at all possible. More often than not teleconferencing can be just as effective as face to face meetings, just remember to keep your phone on mute or schedule during nap time! Another way that I utilize technology is by setting alarms on my phone and Macbook as reminders for tasks I need to complete for the day as a way to help keep me focused.
4. Schedule break time
Working from home, with children can be very challenging and it can be a bit overwhelming. You can end up spending your day bouncing back and forth between sitting in front of the computer, chasing babies, and doing household duties, which can overload anyone. I set specific work times for myself, a schedule that I ignore on most occasions, but what I don't ignore are my break times. My breaks are 10-15 minute increments that I spend doing something that I enjoy. I may do Yoga, read, meditate, pray, eat, or even google random stuff. These breaks are important for my sanity and help me to stay fresh and focused.
5. Accept help
Once upon a time I was super mom, now I am realistic mom. I know that if I have a performance and I have to take my younger children there is a 50/50 chance that one of my little bundles of wonder will not just sit and chill out listening to poetry for 2-3 hours, heck most adults can't behave themselves for that long. So when I am at a show and a sister friend offers to sit next to my two year old while I perform I graciously accept.
I know that I am not the first woman to do this and I surely won't be the last. I chose this life, I could easily enroll my little ones in daycare and get a nine to five, but I want to live my life on my own terms. I believe that the time that I get to send with my children and the bond that we are creating is priceless and I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope these tips are helpful, feel free to comment with some of your own tips! Thanks for reading!!!
