How to Balance Motherhood and Entrepreneurship: Finding the Work-Life Balance that's Right for You

Oct 30

As most of you probably know, I am a mom of two little boys (ages 7 and 4 as I write this) and I also run this business (I’m a brand photographer, in case you missed it). For the past 7 years, I’ve been trying to figure out what balancing my two main roles in life looks like. I’ve worked through all the mom guilt (not like I’ve finished with working through it, but like I’ve been in the weeds of it 😅). I’ve struck the wrong balance at times and been miserable. And I’ve come to a place of relative peace about how much I work and when I work, learning how to set boundaries that work for me and my family along the way. I’ve by no means “arrived” and that’s certainly not why I am writing this blog, but on the contrary, I am still learning and want to share that with you because I think it is so so important to the well-being of our families, our businesses, and ourselves.

I know that I am not alone in the challenges of motherhood and entrepreneurship paired together. Please comment if you’re in the same boat, if any of this resonates with you, or if you have something to share that you think will help others on their journey as well! Okay, here we go, here are a few things I’m learning as I navigate being a mompreneur ❤️

First, define what success looks like for you, not the other mompreneurs you follow on the internet.

Success means different things to different people. For some, it's achieving high business growth, while for others, it's spending quality time with their children. Finding a balance between these two aspirations starts with defining what success means to you. Answering these questions truthfully will help you to not feel guilty in whatever direction you go because you will be grounded in your goals. Consider the following:

What are your professional and personal goals?
How do you want to feel at the end of the day?
What are your values and priorities?

For me, I have a certain amount of clients I want to serve (and monetary goals to go along with it) per year. I also know that it’s important for me to be there at school pickup every. single. day. and to take school holidays off with my kids (including summer!) So I had to line those two goals up and find the middle ground (for me it meant working through the end of June and dialing down my work goals but it might not be the same for you). Now that I have this clear definition in my mind, I don’t feel guilty about where I am spending my time and energy during a certain time or season.

Scheduling is key to making it all work.

Effective scheduling is a game-changer for moms who are also trying to balance running a business. If your schedule isn’t aligned with your goals then you won’t achieve them and you’ll feel pulled in all directions or as I like to say, “like a chicken running around with its head cut off” 🤪

Here are some scheduling tips that I’ve found to be helpful:

Time Blocking: Allocate specific time blocks for work and family. This helps you stay focused during work hours and present during family time.
Prioritize Tasks: Identify your most important tasks and tackle them first. This ensures you address essential responsibilities in the short amount of time you may have.
Utilize Technology: Use digital tools and apps to streamline your schedule, set reminders, and share calendars with your family to synchronize activities.

I think one of the biggest game changers in how I looked at things was when I started actually scheduling to have extra time in my day for little things like spending quality time with my kids. For instance, there is an hour after we get home from school that is set aside for helping the kids with homework, playing with them, or simply snuggling with them before I cook dinner (and that’s on my schedule too!)

Learn to say no before you feel overwhelmed.

In this day and age, we often face the pressure to do it all. We see other moms making amazing homecooked meals or detailed crafts with their kids, and still others are killing it in business with 6 figure months, showing up all the time on social media, etc. I know I can feel pressured to be in all the places and do all the things, especially when I look at social media, but what we have to realize is that there is only so much room on our plate, only so many hours in a day, and we simply cannot do all the things. This is where learning to say no (and that it’s okay to say no) comes in.

Here are some steps to get you thinking in the right direction:

Prioritize Your Commitments: Evaluate every opportunity or request that comes your way. If it doesn't align with your goals or will overburden you, consider politely declining.
Delegate: Delegate tasks both at home and in your business. This can free up time for you to focus on what matters most.
Set Boundaries: Communicate your limits to clients, friends, your kids school, and family members. When they understand your boundaries, they're more likely to respect them.

Two examples of this in my own life. I stopped doing every type of photography out there, even when I feel like I have extra time. I politely decline any photoshoot that is not for a business that aligns with my values. No more family shoots for friends, or weekend weddings. In my personal life, it means I don’t usually cook every night of the week or everything from scratch. Hello, meal boxes and Trader Joe’s freezer section 😅

This might be the hardest of them all: respect your own boundaries!

Establishing boundaries is essential, but equally important is respecting them! You’ve gone through all the trouble to set your goals, schedule out your time, and say no to the extra things that aren’t important, so now stick to those boundaries you’ve created for yourself or you’ll still feel guilty, overwhelmed, and unhappy with how you are living your life.

Some ways to maintain your boundaries include:

Regular Check-Ins: Periodically assess your goals and your work-life balance to ensure they still align and are working for you and your family. Adjust your boundaries as necessary.
Stick to a Stop Time: (This goes back to scheduling) Set a specific time to finish work each day, and adhere to it. This will help you transition into family time not always be working on the side.
Give Yourself Grace: When you slip up and say yes to something you know you should have turned down, or you are distracted from family time by work, or stressed out about a situation with your kids, give yourself grace. Don’t let it be your undoing when things don’t go as planned. Pick yourself up and try again. You’ve got this!

Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship is a journey that requires continuous reflection, adaptability, growth, and commitment. By defining your vision of success, effectively scheduling your time, learning to say no, and respecting your boundaries, you can create a work-life balance that's right for you. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all solution and someone else might disagree with how you’re doing it, but that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Give yourself grace, embrace the unique journey you are on, and keep refining your approach as your life evolves.