Creative business owners! How to do more every day! My 5 tips!
This is for all the moms pulling double duty, trying to launch a creative business and do everything at home. The doctor appointments, constant meals and snack, the cleaning, the soccer mom, baseball mom, football mom or maybe all 3, the mom who is constantly pulled in a million directions. We have all been there. Here I want to give you guys 5 of my best tips for figuring out how to do it all. I by no means have it all together but I have a learned a few things.
1) Realize you cannot do everything. Repeat; YOU CANNOT DO EVERYTHING! Dear sweet mama, you are going to have to let something go. I often get told "I don't know how you do it!!" To which I typically will text a picture of my sink full of dishes or my laundry pile or my bedroom that gets to borderline hoarders level. I say I DON"T, get a look at this right here!!! " I try with all my might to keep it real. So just acknowledge that you are now a small business owner, a mompreneur, and you're going to rock at it and for that to happen you just need to let this season of your life not be perfect!
2) Get up early. I know it suuucks! I HATE getting up early but there is something about being up before the whole house awakes and the madness begins, Maybe you can get up just an hour early and at least have your coffee and knock out a few messages. You can also stay up late, either way if you want to make this work you gotta find some kid free time. If your kids nap, great! Use that!! I use to run around like a mad women once I laid my kids down for naps. I would work with laser focus during the hour or two they laid down and you'd be surprised how much you can get done. I swear I got more done when they were babies and toddlers than now when they are 5 and 7! Anyone else feel this way?
3) Close Social Media- Facebook, IG, Twitter, email, etc. If what you do doesn't require the computer, close them down, put your phone on do not disturb and just crank out your work! I find that setting a timer can come in handy. I'll set a timer for 30 minutes...OK I'll go 30 minutes without checking my phone or computer. It's so sad but it's kind of crazy what you can get done without the distractions of social media. We check our phones WAY too much, am I right?
4) Hire out some help. I know it may seem counterproductive since you're working this business to MAKE money but some days it's great to just have some help and I'll show you how you'll actually be able to make MORE money but paying for help! . For example, Say I can get a mothers helper to come over and she charges $10 a hour to just hang out with my boys and play some games, feed them lunch, etc. In ONE HOUR I can get done 3 signs, that I can then turn around and sell for $40 each minimum. $40x3- $120...You just made $110 by getting a helper for one hour! See how that works? Maybe you hate to clean (uh who doesnt?!) so say you want to get someone to help out with the housework.
You're average housekeeper can clean a 2 story house top to bottom in about 6 hours or so. For me to clean my house top to bottom would be all day probably 2!! I'm pokey, they are efficient! If you Paid someone once every 2 weeks $150 or so and see what you can get done in 6 hours? Using my math from before that's about $480! Worth it right? You can find helpers for all sorts of things! Are you in a place with grocery delivery or pick up? Dry cleaning pick up, I have contemplated on hiring someone just to run to lowes and home depot for me! Plus it's a win win! You're helping someone make a few dollars so you can make a few dollars! It's the perfect solution! Also bartering with your friends is a great option. Maybe start a dinner swap, or a babysitting swap or carpool! Get creative! You can find all kinds of ways to find a few more hours in the day!
5) CHARGE MORE!!! You won't feel so overwhelmed if you realize how much money you truly are making! I get bogged down a lot with friends and family all wanting something from me. When we first start out we all want to get orders orders orders! That's all fine but you'll quickly realize you're doing more and the money in the bank isn't as much as you would have hoped. You have to realize EARLY ON that you need to charge what it's WORTH. You're never wrong to charge what you feel you are worth! Start your prices higher than lower, you can always have a sale! It's a lot harder to increase prices than to run a special for a few days to drive customers you way.
Hope this help you guys!!! Let me know if you have any things that help you accomplish more every day!
xoxo
Sarah
