Being a mother is a juggling act regardless of what career choices you make but being a self-employed Mumpreneur is a distinctly different juggling act. It requires a lot of focus and motivation. If not kept in check it is easy to lose motivation and although short term it is natural to have dips, long term it can have detrimental effects on your business, finances and even your own emotional well-being. Throw into the mix that your other half may be
I have been self-employed for over a decade now and have had my fair share of peaks and troughs but I have learnt so much in the process. As a Mumpreneur coach it is a pleasure to be able to pass on the nuggets of advice that got me through some of my own unmotivated moments.
I will ad in a point here that this post is a week late! I hit that trough and I could have berated myself or tried to get it out at a later part of the week. Instead of trying to put too much into my week, I acknowledged that stuff happens and I had been trying to do too much and nothing was getting done. I revisited my list below, had some special time with my family at the local show on the weekend and once again feeling empowered.
Here are my top 5 tips to staying motivated as a Mumpreneur.
1. Remember why you wanted to be a Mumpreneur in the first place
When you started your business you undoubtedly had fire in your belly (if you didn’t at that stage then you need to question if you are even in the right business). As time goes on though, it can feel as if the responsibility and workload is over powering you. It is easy at these times to lose touch with why you started the business in the first place.
Try this simple exercise;
- Set aside 10 minutes
- Think about why you wanted to be a Mumpreneur in the first place
- Ask yourself why this is important
- Ask yourself again until you have found the deeper meaning behind your motivation
- Repeat with different reason’s
For example;
- Why did I want to become a Mumpreneur?
I wanted to work around my family
- Why is this important?
So I can be there when my children need me
- Why is this important?
I love them!
This is a very powerful process because it forces you to get to the root of your motivation. In the above example when you focus on the fact that you are doing it because you love your children it evokes more powerful feelings than if you just say you want to work around your family. You can use the tool repeatedly to examine all the Mumpreneur choices you make such as your chosen business sector, goals or even why you want to be wealthy.
2. Make a vision board of your ideal Mumpreneur life
Once you have completed the task above and have a clear focused mind on your motivation and goals, set about creating a vision board. It is basically a collage of pictures and motivational quotes that represents what you want your life to be. You could include the car you want to drive or house you want to live in or the amount of money you want to earn. Don’t forget to include the parts of your life you love now, being grateful for what you have but still aiming high is an important balance for any successful Mumpreneur.
Also remember that the perfect life isn’t just made of material things, include images or quotes that remind you of how your friends and family feature in your vision. Once complete place it somewhere that you will see daily, ideally your work space. Whenever you feel a drop in motivation take 5 minutes to look at it and reflect on the emotions that this ideal life will give you (is giving you now).
I use a physical Vision Board that is on my office wall but I also found the power of Mind Movies helped as well (Digital Vision Board). All my images plus some of theirs in a short movie, with powerful words and motivating music! Great way to start the day or to perk up when the momentum is waning!
3. Plan your Mumpreneurial day
One of the main advantages of working for yourself is that you don’t have a boss or a strict timetable to work to, you set the rules. Although this can be a liberating feeling if you find yourself in a motivational slum then it can be a disadvantage.
If your workspace is in your home this can be even more challenging, if you are not in the right mind set as you will find a million jobs to do around the house to procrastinate. Get yourself into a good routine while you feel motivated, this will be much easier to keep up then on the slower days. Some people find they work better when they have washed and dressed as if going out to work where others can work just as effectively in pyjamas. Do whatever works for you.
As with all areas of motherhood your routine will undoubtedly focus around your children. Whether it is the school runs or toddler naps, when you are self-employed you will find a way to work around them.
As part of your daily routine set yourself small achievable goals, you will feel great satisfaction when you meet targets and this will spur you on to achieve your bigger ones.
4. You are what you eat – Eat like a Mumpreneur
A healthy lifestyle has a big impact on mood and attitude. Avoid high sugar or too much caffeine (I know, that’s a hard one), these stimulants will give you a short term boost but then will be followed by a drop in energy levels that won’t contribute to a positive motivational attitude. Bananas, almonds, carrots with hummus are all good energy snacks but also try to take the time out to make and eat a proper lunch too, stuffing down a piece of toast while replying to emails is counterproductive long term. You won’t be as focused and therefore produce work of a lower quality.
The same can be said for exercise. Getting your heart rate up daily is proven to increase productivity. This is a struggle for me each week as I can’t plan my exercise time with my husband’s work not being at consistent times. Work out how you can fit it into your day either with the kids involved or when they are at daycare or school (let go of the mummy guilt that you are sacrificing work, schedule it in if you have to, you are so much more important).
5. Network with other Mumpreneurs
It’s easy when you run your own business to feel isolated and yet there are so many Mumprenuers across the country doing the same thing. The problem is they don’t necessarily live next door to you.
The magic of the internet allows you to connect and when you do speaking to people who share some of the same challenges as you can be a huge comfort as you know you are not alone. It is also a great motivator to be connected to those who inspire you.
I provide a Mastermind Coaching group and a Business & Bubbles networking group, both are fabulous opportunities for Mumpreneurs to connect with each other and empower each other’s success. It’s also an excuse to get out of the house and have child free social time!
Being a Mumpreneur is a joy but it does have its challenges, I understand these. Together we can motivate you to the next level.
Why not take the first step today to increase your motivation by scheduling a free strategy call with me. I can help to identify where you need to focus your energy to get you fired up again.
If you have some tips you live by to staying motivated comment below. It is always great to hear other Mumpreneur’s strategies.
To Your Balanced and Motivated Success
Cheers
Kate
