Many people are faced with deciding whether to concentrate on their careers or their families. Each case requires a different approach. Each person has his or her own opinion about what is the best option. The good news? It’s possible to be an entrepreneur parent, and excel at both.
Throughout this blog post, I will share my experience as a successful entrepreneur and active parent. Specifically, I will explain what challenges I have faced and what strategies I have used to overcome the issues that arise.
The Challenges
I’ll be honest. Trying to balance my career and my family wasn’t easy for me — just like every other parent-entrepreneur does.
In my journey, what has been the biggest challenge? Time management. The reason is simple. Entrepreneurship often involves long hours of work.
Aside from that, I have to travel frequently for my business. As a result, I had difficulty finding time to spend with my family.
In addition, guilt posed another challenge. As a parent, I often felt guilty for not spending more quality time with my children. In my mind, I feared they would grow up thinking I didn’t value them.
The Strategies
As a result of these challenges, I developed strategies for managing time and guilt. For me, these strategies worked:
1. Identify your priorities clearly.
To start, you need to identify your priorities. Obviously, when everything is a priority, this is easier said than done.
To get started, follow these steps:
- Organize your tasks into a list. What needs to be done? You can use this list for work, personal, or any other tasks you have on your mind.
- Put each task in a ranking order. What is the importance of each task on your list? Is there anything time-sensitive? Which ones have the most significant impact on your goals?
- Realistically determine how much time each task will require. What is the expected completion time for each task? By doing this, you will be able to decide which tasks need to be prioritized first.
- Plan your day’s priorities using a schedule. A schedule can be created once you have identified your most important tasks, their duration, and how long they will take to complete them. As a result, you can stay on track and avoid distractions.
In short, making decisions based on your priorities is much easier once you know what they are.
Related: 5 Tips to Be The Best Par-entrepreneur (Parent Entrepreneur)
2. Find an area of expertise you’re passionate about.
Finding a balance between career and family will be easier if you are passionate about your work. After all, passion makes work seem less like work when you are passionate about it. And, as a result, you feel like you are fulfilling your purpose.
3. Make a 100% commitment and reduce distractions.
As an entrepreneur, getting sucked into the daily grind of running your business is easy. However, if you want to be a successful parent, you need to be able to balance both. To succeed in both your business and your family — you must devote 100 percent of your time and energy to both.
Additionally, it means minimizing distractions. For example, when doing deep work or having dinner with your family, turn off your phone and close your email.
4. Adapt your schedule to your needs.
A flexible schedule is essential if you have a family. During your child’s summer vacation, you could work from home. This doesn’t work really well for me because I’m intense when I work and don’t want to be irritated with the kids — but if you can work at home — sometimes it might be the right thing.
If you have no choice but to work with the kids there every day — you must learn how to do it well. Alternatively, you might be able to arrange your work schedule around your kids’ school schedule.
You can succeed while maintaining your family commitments when you run your own business.
Related: Entrepreneurs Are Scheduling Their Days Down to the Minute for Ultimate Success
5. Put your strengths to work.
A successful parent entrepreneur does not follow a one-size-fits-all model, according to Lola Wright, founder and coach at Lola Wright.com. You must focus on what you do well to become your best self.
“I’m a morning person who loves a schedule, so I can prioritize and be present,” Wright added. “I’ve set my family and business up to play to these strengths.”
Urban Air Adventure Park CEO and founder Michael Browning recommends hiring a specialist who can handle tasks you are weaker at performing.
“This will allow you to focus on the things you love and energize you and things that only you can do that move the company forward,” Browning said.
6. Ask for help when you need it.
Likewise, don’t hesitate to ask if you need help finding a balance between your career and family. You can talk to your spouse, partner, family, or friends. They will likely be able to offer you some advice or support you need.
Consider delegating, outsourcing, or automating less critical and tedious tasks at your startup. In turn, you’ll get more family time and be able to reduce your workload.
7. Look after yourself.
If you juggle a career and a family, taking care of yourself physically and mentally is crucial. Ensure you get adequate sleep, eat a healthy diet, and exercise regularly. I went so far as to go to a Dr. who is a sleep specialist. and received valuable training on how to sleep correctly. If you can’t sleep well — get help!
Exercising, in particular, increases blood flow to the brain, improving cognitive functions. It is more likely that you will make better business decisions when you have better brain function.
Successful entrepreneurs also practice meditation, notes Dane Panes in a post for Calendar. You can release work stress or start the day by muting the external noise and enjoying the quiet. When you meditate, you can reflect on your gratitude for everything you have. Furthermore, it can re-energize the brain and clear the mind. Even during a hectic day, it can promote calmness and relieve stress.
When you care for yourself, you will have the energy and focus to succeed in your career and family.
8. Schedule family time as a necessary appointment.
It’s important to schedule quality time with your family, like scheduling a meeting with a significant investor. To put it another way, block out specific times each day to spend with your family.
In addition, it means being present and engaged with them whenever you are with them.
9. The business and your children don’t have to be separated.
“My daughter is so incorporated into this business that she can run it by herself, and she’s nine years old,” explains Dr. Tammira Lucas, co-founder of The Cube Cowork, Maryland’s first coworking space for entrepreneur parents.
“I often have her at speaking engagements and meetings. Parents should never have to hide the fact that they are parents.”
10. Choose your meetings carefully.
Meetings aren’t just the top productivity killer at work. They can also bleed into your personal life.
However, part of my motivation for starting my own business was to disrupt my work culture. Despite my love for people, I loathe pointless meetings. What is the solution? When it comes to scheduling meetings, I’m incredibly picky.
11. Make sacrifices without fear.
Occasionally, you will have to sacrifice your career for your family. By this, I mean reducing my working hours, assuming less responsibility, and declining new business opportunities.
Conversely, this could mean missing your child’s recital or baseball game because you’re out of town speaking at an industry event.
12. Embrace the journey.
Balancing your career and your family is not a destination, but a journey. Along the way, you will experience ups and downs.
Ultimately, you will find a way to succeed in your career and a satisfying family life if you are committed.
Related: 4 Tips for Finding Happiness Along Your Entrepreneurial Journey
Final words of advice.
No one is perfect, including me. There are times when I don’t get it right as well. Despite that, I’m committed to finding a balance that works for both my family and me. It’s possible for you too, if I can.
Don’t give up on balancing your career and family despite your struggles. There are many resources available to you to assist you. Get in touch with family members, friends, or a professional counselor. There is also a lot of information available online.
Also, it is essential to remember that you are not alone. It is a challenge that most entrepreneurs face. The good news is that if you work hard and dedicate yourself to your family, you can find a balance that works for everyone.
John Rampton
John’s goal in life is to make people’s lives much more productive. Upping productivity allows us to spend more time doing the things we enjoy most. John was recently recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine as being one of the top marketers in the World. John is co-founder and CEO of Calendar.