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Permalink Reply by Katrina M Harrell on July 22, 2010 at 10:57pm

Oh wow no one has responded yet? LOL
Ok Reeshemah it's just me and you then! LOL first things first, kudos to you for being able to work your side-hustle fulltime and still support your family! Major accomplishment and that alone leads me to say...never give up!

Now, I recently become a full-time stay at home entrepreneur mom and let me tell you from my experience if you are not a ultra-organized person prior to this, it will be a challenge! Not difficult but very challenging. It has taking me several weeks to develop a "groove" but there are still days (like today) that i just want to curl up in my bed and take a nap b/c nothing is going right! Here are my "tips" or suggestions but of course you and I are different so feel free to modify or adjust my experiences/tips based on your experienc.

1. Develop a plan. Every Sunday I sit for an hour or two and work on a plan for the next week including a schedule. The plan is a bit different though, it's my checklist for the week. Everything listed in order or priority that I need to accomplish that week. I write it both in a notebook and a whiteboard I have in my kitchen. I get a thousand distractions all day long so having the checklist on the kitchen wall reminds me what I need to be doing once I get the kids settled again.
2. Realize that you CAN'T do everything in a day (or a week for that matter). Now even though I have that checklist, I have yet to finish everything on that list in the exact timeframe I allotted! Never happens, BUT the good news is b/c I sort if in order of priority, I don't feel overwhelmed, I just try to tackle the most important stuff and push the rest to the next week. --keeps my anxiety down.
3. Pace your workload based on priority - Like #2. Don't try to do everything in one day.
4. If you are able to afford a virtual asst for a few hours work a week, do it. I ahven't done this one just yet, but I desparately want/need to. My plan is to hire one for a hour or two a day to simply answer my calls and take messages, return client calls, book appointments, etc. that way I can have time to spend with my kids and my clients won't think I'm lazy!
5, Invest in a scheduling software like google calendar or tungle.me. And take a sunday evening and make out your schedule, block out time each day for a couple hours (straight) to spend with your kids. then it won't feel so bad when you have to let them entertain themselves while you handle client calls.
6. Schedule client calls during your kids nap time (or if they are pass nap time, schedule "quiet-time" each day for an hour or two so you can have some quiet time of your own to think)
7. Make the computer/internet your friend! I invest in tons of "free" cloud software that help me do everything from book appointments, maintain project plans with partners, keep my documents, even evoice which gives me a "office number" for my business that I can route to my cellphone, home number, virtual asst, whatever. this keeps my work space clean too b/c I use so many virutal tools (many of the low cost or free) that I simply only need my laptop, and printer for the occasional time when I must print something out.
8. Don't forget to schedule time with your kids. a couple mornings a week I don't do any business. I set aside the entire morning to them. Today for instance we did science experiments and my 7 y.o and I worked on teaching my 3yo how to read using the "Color Purple Method" where we wrote word on paper and taped them on objects in the house. Another day we baked cookies, etc.
9. Plan for late nights. --especially days when I spend with my kids, I know I'm going to be up late (like tonight) so I plan for it so I don't get annoyed or frustrated.
10. Plan meals in advance --cook 2-3 days in advance. If you have older kids, let them help you out getting kids meals prepared.
11.If you can, reserve weekends for your family. To make balance out time during the week. Plus you need the mental recharge. No matter how tempting, don't do any work (except the planning you do Sunday night after dinner)

I could go on. but I will say you have all the answers already as far as what you need to do, just listen to yourself and what you already know you need to do to be organized and it'll come to you. Use my suggestions as a guide. Everyday is a experience and I work HARD and sleep LITTLE, but I'm amazingly am able to get things done for my business and thus am growing it faster then when I was working outside the home. Make the decision each day that you can do it and find peace even when your kids may be more clingy then usual right when you are in the middle of a important project. When it happens, just go ahead and stop and give them the attention b/c at the end of the day "balance" is relative and subjective.

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Permalink Reply by Vivian McKelvey on July 23, 2010 at 10:22am

Great Advice Katrina! I don't have kids, but I do tend to be unorganized at times. Your tips actually helped me also as far as balancing my schedule. Kudos.

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Permalink Reply by Reeshemah Williams on July 23, 2010 at 1:37pm

He Katrina, Great advice as always. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. I feel now I am on the right track. You right I need to trust my instinct. Most of the suggestions you gave I have started implementing them. So, Thanks again I really appreciate it.

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