I am not a parent. There are multiple reasons why I won’t be welcoming the patter of tiny feet into my life, other than from my Serbian rescue dog. As such, I used to think it was really odd that the vast majority of my clients, are parents.
My clients are typically those that are juggling parenting and running a business while still trying to maintain some level of sanity and self identity. And that’s how they end up at my door – because it’s really hard to spin a lot of plates, and while kids aren’t a plate I spin, I know what it’s like trying to keep several streams of life moving smoothly. I know what it’s like to be an overwhelmed, ambitious business owner.
A conversation with a client recently shed light on why it might be that being a childless coach, might be the reason I end up working with so many business owning parents: I come at things from a totally different perspective. It’s objectivity you can’t get from another parent, because all other parents will simply join in the struggle with you.
So I thought this week, I’d give you this handy guide – not just from my perspective, but from the situations and circumstances of all my busy parent entrepreneur clients who are, with my help, working out how to do it all. Hope it helps! And if you want to get started on improving yourself and having a crack at being the super successful parent business owner, don’t forget to check out the Super Human scorecard and work out exactly where your strengths and weaknesses lie…
The Survival Guide
- Set Realistic Expectations
Despite what you might be thinking, YOU CANNOT DO IT ALL PERFECTLY. Acknowledge your limitations and set realistic expectations for yourself as a parent and a business owner. Remember, it’s better to excel in a few areas than to spread yourself too thin and risk burnout.
- Prioritise and Delegate
Make a list of your top personal and professional priorities, and focus on completing those tasks first. Learn to delegate tasks to your team, spouse, or even your children (age-appropriate chores, of course – no chimney sweeping). By doing this, you’ll free up time to focus on what truly matters to you AND your family. This can also help your family feel less distant from your struggles if they feel included in the process.
- Schedule Family Time
Just as you would set aside time for important business meetings, schedule regular family time in your calendar. Whether it’s a weekly family dinner, game night, or a weekend getaway, prioritise this time and make it non-negotiable. This will ensure you’re present and engaged with your family, rather than half in the room and half on your phone checking emails and worrying about the business.
- Establish Boundaries
Creating boundaries between your work and parental life is crucial. Set specific work hours and communicate them to your team, so they know when you’re available. When it’s time for family, disconnect from work by turning off notifications, setting up an out-of-office message, or even using a separate device for personal use. This is often the thing my clients struggle to get to grips with the most, but they all say, that once they’ve mastered it, it’s also the BIGGEST sense of relief and gain in terms of getting time back to be a parent.
- Take Care of Yourself
Self-health is vital for maintaining your physical and mental well-being. Incorporate regular exercise, a healthy diet, and enough sleep into your routine. Make time for hobbies or activities that help you recharge, whether it’s meditation, reading, or a sport. A healthy and happy you will be better equipped to handle both personal and professional challenges. And remember that self-health is about nobody else but YOU. So ignore what everyone else says it should look like and don’t confuse it with family time. It’s you-time to recharge and be the best parent, boss and whatever else it is you need to be.
- Develop a Support Network
Having a support network of friends, family, or fellow entrepreneurs who understand your unique challenges can be invaluable. Share your experiences, seek advice, and offer support to others in similar situations. One of the biggest drivers for us as human beings is being included. We have a deep, primitive need to “belong”. Networking groups or online forums can be an excellent resource for connecting with like-minded individuals, so get stuck in and use them.
- Embrace Flexibility
Both parenthood and business ownership are unpredictable. Embrace the unexpected by being flexible and adaptable in your approach. When things don’t go as planned, assess the situation and adjust your strategy accordingly. Having anchor points that are non-negotiables such as meditation time, gym time, sit down family meals or whatever it is, will help you to control the controllables, maintain some sense of grounding but also be flexible when you need to be if you can accept not everything is written in stone.
Go do cool stuff!
If you can take all those points on board, you’ve nailed it! But we also know that that’s harder than it looks, so if you want some help with it, come find me for your FREE intro call where we can chat about how coaching might help get you life and your business back on track.