Women have historically borne the lion’s share of childcare duties and have often felt
torn between professional and parental ambitions. Today, many stay-at-home mothers
are striving to have it all, striking out as small business owners while still devoting time
to their kids. Creating a viable work-life balance is an important component of launching
and operating your business, and ensuring it doesn’t become an overly stressful
process is important to your mental health, your children’s well-being, and ultimately,
your company’s success. Mindsight Behavioral Group is a resource to
tap into if you find yourself getting overwhelmed.
Where to Start?
There are many ways to get started as a “mompreneur.” The first is to build a business
as an offshoot of your education or profession. For example, a marketing professional
might consider a consulting business devoted to helping small businesses develop their
brand. Another option is hobby-turned-business. Perhaps you’ve always gotten rave
reviews for your home décor, and feel ready to launch your own interior design
business. A third option is to look at the market and see what up-and-coming types of
businesses catch your eye. You might opt to buy into a popular franchise, work the in-
home party sales circuit, or delve into whatever industry is booming in your geographic
region. Do a bit of research into potential client or customer bases and evaluate what
makes the most sense from a time-and-money perspective.
A business plan is like a roadmap to how your business unfolds, operates, and thrives.
According to Inc., when you create a business plan, you essentially outline your
business concept, how you plan to establish operations, where funding will come from,
who will run day-to-day activities, and how the financial side of things will work. It
includes doing some market forecasting, evaluating your target demographic, and
putting together facts and figures with regard to start-up and operating costs and short
and long-term goals and projections. It’s a detailed process, and it’s essential to
determine if you’re going to seek start-up business loans or other capital.
While you could do it yourself, you’ll be better served using a freelance business plan
services development professional who can help ensure you’re putting your plan
together with all of the necessary components. Read reviews, and ask about delivery
timeline and costs before hiring someone.
Working from Home
If you’re planning to operate as a home-based business, create work-life boundaries from day one. Even if your impetus for starting the business is to create more quality time with your kids, you’ll find this is much more attainable when there’s a firm delineation between your work time and space and your mom time and space.
For example, carve out an office area that’s off-limits, and if possible, set work hours during the day where you’re to be undisturbed. Older kids can learn to respect these boundaries right away, and younger ones may need extra helping hands during work hours, like a mother’s helper or another childcare provider. If your kids are school-aged, you may be able to create a system in which you primarily work during school hours.
Managing Your Time
Effective time management is critical to being a successful home-based business
owner. Schedule as much of your day as you can to help you stay focused and on-track. If you need to interact with customers or clients during the day, and your kids are
home, you’ll want to ensure you schedule them for times when you’re sure you can be uninterrupted. Also, take some time that’s just for you, and just for your kids.
While home-based business owners always grapple with finding a tenable work-life balance, being intentional with your scheduling can help ensure everyone gets what they need. Launching a home-based business when your kids are young can be both challenging and rewarding. Take the planning process step-by-step, heed the advice of Startup Guys and set realistic expectations, and reach out for help when you need it.
Mindsight Behavioral can help. For more information call (606) 401-2966.
About the Author
Eva Benoit specializes in helping professionals with stress and anxiety but welcomes working with people from all walks of life. She works with her clients to discover and explore avenues that will bring them to balance, peace, and improved overall well-being that can last a lifetime. She is the author of the upcoming book, The 30-Day Plan for Ending Bad Habits and Improving Overall Health.
What's Next?
Ready to take your next step? Request an Appointment with a Mindsight counselor.
What online counseling options do I have? There are lots of great telehealth treatment options and lots of incredible therapists to choose from. Check it out!
What is Mindsight Behavioral Group all about? Mindsight has locations throughout Kentucky and they are dedicated to making sure their clients are cared for. Learn more here!
What if I own a mental health group practice and need extra support and resources during this time? We have just the thing! Kasey Compton, CEO of Mindsight Behavioral Group, is incredibly passionate about helping other practices succeed! Check out KC Consulting!
Looking for a supportive community for group practice owners, check out Mindsight Partners.