Managing A Startup As A New Mom: How Do You Make It Work?

Moms have it tough, and while they are viewed as the shining beacon of every household that makes even the craziest situations make sense, there's no denying just how challenging it can get when trying to raise and care for a newborn baby. As a result, it's not uncommon for moms to have their schedules fully booked and constantly running around the house getting chores done while their spouses and loved ones deal with the other responsibilities that need attention.

However, it becomes an entirely different story for new moms who are simultaneously managing a brand-new startup. With these two conflicting schedules going against each other, work overload doesn't begin to describe how the circumstances feel. Then again, it's not the time to lose hope, and that's because plenty of professional working moms have been making it work throughout history, all with the help of proactive planning and foresight.

Mornings Are Your Best Friend for Planning

Firstly, you should start getting comfy with waking up early in the morning because these extra hours you get before the official start of the day are the perfect opportunity to plan what you need to do and how you plan to distribute your time for both work and parenting. Sure, some would argue that waking up earlier than five o'clock may not work for everyone, but it's everybody's best bet at some peace and quiet while staying productive.

In doing so, you won't have to worry about missing a beat or forgetting a crucial detail because you already have something in mind ready in the morning, a simple checklist that you can easily tweak should the situation change.

Plus, it's also the only time you get to go for a run on your treadmill and get some blood pumping before you're too busy to do anything else!

It's All About Efficiency for Your Professional and Parenting Life

Secondly, instead of investing too much into one project or responsibility, one motto you will desperately need to live by is the need for efficiency in both your professional and parenting life. You see, there's only so much you can do at a given time, and disproportionately allocating focus and effort onto one object will reduce your time for the next thing of concern. Specifically, we recommend that you don't do all the chores yourself, inspect for inconsistencies in business functions, and prioritize flexibility above rigid schedules.

Don't Try to Do All the Chores Yourself

Although we've long since progressed from gender stereotypes where mothers do the chores, we can't deny that it's ladies who are often the better candidate at keeping things clean and knowing where things should go in the house. But, while it may be tempting to do some yourself, please leave that responsibility for someone else because more important things deserve your attention. Instead, you could ask your spouse to do them or outsource the household work.

Inspect for Inconsistencies in Your Business Functions

Besides dealing with inefficiencies at home, we can't forget to treat business functions with the same detail-oriented microscope. Of course, we can't expect startups to be perfect on day one, but a few internal control measures never hurt, especially for detecting and correcting risks and errors. For example, you could partner with a reliable accounting firm for your bookkeeping services and financial management or even invest in industry-standard technology as soon as possible.

Flexibility Wins Over Rigid Scheduling Practices

Last but not least, when discussing efficiency, rigid scheduling practices on time management and workflow are something you should avoid altogether. When cycling through major responsibilities like managing a business and caring for your newborn baby, flexibility is always much better in emergencies. So, always leave some room for adjustments and don't concern yourself with stringent procedures in balancing your lifestyle.

However, Please Don't Forget Your Personal Time

One common problem that most entrepreneurial new moms end up running into is the risk of forgetting their personal time and devoting everything to their professional careers and life as a parent. Sure, it is commendable to show such a level of determination on paper. But we can't just sit back and let something unsustainable drain away all the fun and spontaneity from life itself.

At the end of the day, no matter how busy your schedule may get, always set some time aside for yourself, even if it's just for a small treat or trying your first hair botox.

It's Going to Be Difficult, but It's Not Impossible

Overall, nobody said it would be easy to manage a full-blown business while meeting your new responsibilities, but nobody said it's inherently impossible as well. So, feel free to tailor the advice mentioned above to work with your situation, and don't let the world dictate your schedule.