The last almost two years have definitely changed me as a career woman in the real estate industry. Being pregnant for the most of 2019, followed by bringing a beautiful baby boy into this world all while juggling a busy career and coaching business, has been challenging to say the least. I believe that as a working mother, we have all struggled with trying to keep a balance with life itself, a career and a baby. But rest assured, you are not alone Mama.
I’ve often felt less than professional as a working mother at times and that feeling is so normal. But don’t let it get you down or make you feel that you are any less f a professional in your industry. I’ve managed to keep a journal of how I have felt over the past two years and have narrowed down some of the important elements that has helped me to balance it all: Life, Real Estate Broker, Coaching Strategist, Relationships and of course, a beautiful Baby.
Own Your New Role
You're not a stay-at-home mom, and you're not a work outside the home mother. Your role is different, and you have to own the fact that you don't fit into those other categories. Your life will look different from those women. Once you accept your new role, you learn to adapt to different occurrences and understand yourself as a professional better, all whilst being a full-time mother.
Your Purpose Is What Makes You Genuine
You don't have to look like one of those Instagram mothers who always seem to be put together. Despite how you do it, you are getting the important work that needs to be done completed and that makes you extremely good at what you do. Some days I wake up and I’m on my email responding and delegating and getting things done – still in my pajamas and haven't yet brushed my teeth, but guess what: that to-do list is decreasing by the minute.
Imperfect = Beautiful
Working with a baby beside you makes things messy and imperfect. There's spit up, fewer showers, lots of tears (baby's and yours) and that's ok. Give yourself credit that you are doing the best YOU can. And remember that being able to work at home with your baby is a beautiful thing. You get to be there with your baby day in and day out. There's a huge blessing sitting right in the middle of the craziness and chaos.
Learn to Delegate
With the realization that you can't do it all comes another realization: there's still a lot that simply has to be done! Learn to delegate those tasks that aren't part of your top priorities. Hire help – whether that's for your personal life or your business. Trade services or babysitting with a friend. And be willing to cut things out of your life that simply aren't the best for you and your family in this season.
Create a list of little to-do's.
Working at home with a baby means that there aren't often long stretches of peace and quiet to get work done. Work happens in the tiny margins and bits of time in between your baby's schedule. I have developed my own little system of having a running to-do list in my planner of the things that can be quickly completed in a little amount of time that often go forgotten when there are limited distractions.
Reserve naptime for your most important task of the day.
Whether your baby naps for 20 minutes or two hours, chances are this is the largest chunk of uninterrupted work time that you'll have during your day. Write down your top priority for the day early in the morning or the night before, and work like crazy during nap time to complete that task.
Create Realistic Goals for Yourself
Your business may not grow as quickly as you'd like while you're caring for a baby at home. Unrealistic expectations will leave you feeling frazzled, and maybe even discouraged enough to completely give up. Don’t forget to take time out for you and your family. Your business will not explode overnight. Set a slow and steady pace and keep on climbing.
Compartmentalize, when possible.
I tend to use this strategy quite a bit to keep my business and family life balanced, but at the same time, I do recognize that this is much more challenging with a baby at home. When possible, spend work time doing nothing but work. And always spend baby time doing nothing but enjoying the moments with your baby. If it's break time, give yourself a true break. Most importantly, cut out all the little unimportant distractions that come up during your day that can drain your energy and make you feel like you've accomplished nothing. Maybe it's social media, email, or answering the phone throughout the day. Whatever those things are for you – compartmentalize them too and tackle them all at once.
Create a designated workspace
I need to have my own little work space to really focus. Even though I get the majority amount of work done in my bed, having that designated workspace helps to keep everything organized. Wherever the space may be in your home, make sure it is your own space that you can use for your work and use that work space just for work. Get yourself into the right frame of mind. You can even tack up your top priority for the day and other to-do's within that work space. Just create a space you can call your own that's ready to go with your computer and other work materials.
Give your baby quality time first.
Most children are much more content if they feel like they've gotten their parents' full attention for a time. It can be hard to turn off that business brain, but your kids need you to be present. Investing in them is not only important (we all know this!) but an added bonus is that they'll often play happily on their own after they've gotten enough “Mommy time”.
Be Flexible.
No matter how many systems you put into place or how brilliant your plan is, inevitably your baby will have other ideas! Don't be afraid to drop your work and take your baby for a walk on a sunny day. The beauty of working at home is the flexibility it provides. You certainly don't want to drop hours of work every day, but sometimes it just makes sense to set the work aside and pick it up later in the evening or the next day. Remember your “why” for working at home.
Enjoy Your Days
Every night I get into bed, I look through my phone at the photos I took that day and take in each moment. Doing this helps me to appreciate my family and appreciate all the wonderful things that are happening each day. In the midst of the constant chaos, there are all sorts of beautiful moments to enjoy.
What do you think? Have you tried all the tips on this list? I know it's easy to look at posts like this and think, “I've done it all, and I'm still feeling overwhelmed!” If that's you, take some time to write down what your day looks like, then write down what you'd like it to look like. Finally, write down all of the stressors that have you feeling overwhelmed. What can you fix or adjust?
How are you balancing a baby and a business?
With Love | Nikki xo