Supermom...yes you! It is time for a chat. You are working in a corporate job, building a business (or should I say empire!) and have kids. As if all of that is not enough, there is cleaning, cooking, doing dishes and laundry. It's like the list never ends.
The thing is, there are only 24 hours in a day. Although it may be humanly possible to do it all, there are things that will be missed...been there done that. I regret to inform you that although you are a supermom, you are not a superhuman.
I know this because as a mompreneur, I worked full-time while starting my business and my son was less than one-year-old and breastfeeding. I did this for about 8 months until my daughter was born a preemie. I was unable to return to my corporate job due to her condition and I had to make working from home with 2 kids under 2 possible. Along the way, I learned some lessons that I want to share with you today.
The art of letting things go
I call it an art because it is something that I work on continually in my life and business. I have learned that it is so important to set priorities and stick with them. And honestly, sticking with the priorities can be the hardest part.
Knowing what your priorities are, what you stand for, your values and what truly matters to you makes decisions so much easier. Simply make sure that every decision is in line with those priorities. Every decision becomes crystal clear when you base them on priorities.
When we say yes to things that are not in line with our priorities, we are really saying no to the things that matter most to us.
Time is a limited resource. And as mom entrepreneurs let's decide to be picky about how we spend our time. Not to be snobby, but instead, to put the things that matter first.
Keep it simple supermom
Beyond time, we have a limited amount of energy. Which makes working on your business, having kids and working full time a quick route to burnout. Many of us driven high achievers are just go, go, go without looking at the consequences of doing too much. I am totally guilty of this. I am a doer. I love learning, strategizing and taking action. I like taking action pretty much immediately after I learn something, which I can say has really helped my business to grow quickly. However, I have learned that I need to schedule in time to unwind otherwise it just won't happen.
You see, the thing is if we push ourselves to burnout we could jeopardize our ability to help others, which is a big part of why many of us are in business. Even more importantly, we could jeopardize our families and our own health, making all of the effort completely pointless.
There is something to be said about simplicity in life and business and letting the excess go.
We cannot be everything to everyone.
As long as our kids are fed, happy and alive.
As long as we can put food on the table and a roof over our head.
Really does it make a difference if we have dishes piled up and stains on the carpet?
The same is true for business. Streamline your business so that you are doing the essentials consistently without fail. There are things that can be let go in your business, for example, the unimportant tasks or the things that can be outsourced. Focus on the things that make you money and do them well.
Sometimes the problem of overwhelm and burnout stems from our inability to let go of the things that don't truly matter. Or in some cases, not even knowing what matters and what doesn't matter at all.
The Perfect Mom
I feel that a lot of what we feel we are "supposed to do" comes from what I call "Pinterest Mom Syndrome". An unrealistic, photoshopped ideal that we place in our heads of what a perfect mom + entrepreneur is and what she is not (messy, sometimes forgets to brush her teeth until 1 pm and maybe even letting her kiddo play on the iPad for 2 hours so she can take a shower).
I have seen this comparison cripple people's ability to grow their business. Because the thing is, when you compare yourself to the "Pinterest mom" you are playing a losing game. You never know what the another person's life or business is really like on a day to day basis behind the scenes.
So Supermom, today I encourage you to let things go. No, things will not be "perfect" but they will be much more enjoyable. And beyond that, you will be able to remain consistent with the things that matter most to you.
Download the Free 3 Step Guide to Ditch Overwhelm Even as a Mompreneur.