A Day in the Life of Planning Life

As a mompreneur, I tend to wear multiple hats with multiple outfits and multiple mindsets. I have to be doctor, counselor, disciplinarian, assistant, chauffeur, cook, and so much more as a mom. When I throw being an entrepreneur in the mix, it just gets even more interesting. I wanted to share a day in planning my life as a mompreneur to encourage - and perhaps entertain those who have made the choice to wear all of those hats along with me.

Kids Just Don't Understand

Will Smith came out with the song, "Parents Just Don't Understand" in 1988 (Yeah, I'm telling my age). The song was the new anthem of pre-teens like myself, and at times especially now, I think that my kids just don't understand. Case and point:

I'm over 40 okay? So when I'm in my work "zone," I'm in. My creative juices are flowing like crazy, spitting out genius like nobody's business. I mean, I'm amazing myself that this stuff is coming from my brain, and then it happens... "Ma!" The kids need me... now. So when I can finally turn back to my computer screen, I can't even remember my last thought. This awesome e-book that I was about to publish is gone, because I can't even remember what content I was going to share! They don't always understand how crucial it is for me to push through my hundred million ideas in my head to focus and develop just one. The idea of being balanced can be a challenge, but it is possible. Learning how to communicate boundaries and structure systems with even your children was one thing that I really found valuable, and it is a constant teachable moment with them, because as I grow, they grow. We're growing and planning together.

Adding To The Plate

As a single mompreneur who runs her business solo, the stress of it all can be so overwhelming that I have to just sit in my car just to get a breath in. It seems like everything and everyone needs me. No matter how I try to downsize and manage my tasks, I always end up adding something to the plate.

Someone asks for help on a project that is due... tomorrow. Now I love the opportunities to make money, so I usually just say 'yes.' And then I'm stressed all over the place trying to squeeze a new project onto my already full plate. My mindset is fixed to not passing up opportunities, because I need the experience and the money. And it's not their fault I said yes, but it doesn't make me feel any better about looking at my plate.

The Pressure

I don't know about anybody else, but as a mompreneur, I feel pressure. I feel pressure to be perfect as a virtual assistant and mom. Case and point: two months ago I had a deadline to get some tasks done for a client, and it just so happened to be the week my kids had activities out of the wahzoo. I was so stressed trying to be there to represent them, but make time to be the super VA that my client tends to believe that I am, and it was making me crazy. The pressure to be perfect had me all over the place, and it kept me from being 100 percent for either of them.

Planning Life

There is no planning life. But there is developing systems that can help make it easier. Life happens to us all, but as a mompreneur, we have to have endurance and seek balance. When you're trying to do it all - business and family, the stress can make you feel like you're not reaching the mark. And that leads me to my next point: Define your mark. Set goals. Set attainable goals for your business and your family. We all want to be superwomen who save the world in stilettos, but the truth is we have only 24 hours a day, and 4 of those are usually dedicated to sleep. What I have learned, and am learning, is to set small weekly goals - no more than 3 a week. There is nothing worse than setting goals that you don't achieve to make you feel like you're unaccomplished! Plan to succeed, plan to make the most out of your day, and plan to make the most out of your life.

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