Today I’m answering the most-asked question I get about growing a business while growing a family.
Before really diving into this topic, I just want to pause and encourage all of the parents out there. Whether you’re keeping everything on track at home or ruling it in the business world, parenting isn’t always easy and I want to encourage and commend you today. Seriously, you’re doing awesome!
Okay, so let’s talk striving to reach personal/business goals while having a family, being an active, loving spouse, and (trying) to do all the things to keep yourself healthy and happy. I’ve recently had friends and family members say things to me like, “Liz, how the heck do you do it all?” “Where do you find the time and energy to take on extra work on top of everything?”
Honestly? Having a family really helped define the kind of life that I want. My husband and daughter are my “why.” They are two most important people in the world to me so I want to build a life that allows us to flourish and to be generous with others. This is where building my own multimedia production business comes in… it allows me to work on a variety of creative projects, bring in additional income, tell important stories, and hopefully make a positive impact. I really try to only take on projects that invigorate me and align with my goals while still allowing me to fiercely protect my time. In short, if a project will motivate me to be better in other areas of life then I’ll say “Heck yes!” but if it’ll leave me drained and dreading the next one then I’ll know not to agree to it.
It’s also important to note that I’ve been working full-time for a company for the past 6+ years. Throughout this time, I’ve dabbled in wedding videography, done some extra design work here and there, and enjoyed the flexibility of freelance work with the stability of an 8-5 gig. When our daughter was born, life kinda got flipped upside down (in a good way) so I briefly stopped freelancing as I needed all of my mental and physical energy to figure out how to give my family the best life, choose joy for myself, and cling to every ounce of sanity during the challenging moments. Not to mention maternity leave is no vacation and then you have to go back to work while trying to keep a baby alive. Ahh! Thankfully through the grace of God, my awesome husband, and supportive family and friends, here we are over two years later with a crazy fun kiddo and baby #2 due in a few short months.
So how does one be a wife, mama, and full-time creative who is also building a multimedia business? To be honest it’s been a mix of little steps forward, some steps back, and then a huge leap followed by laying on the couch staring at the bottle of wine you wish you were drinking right now (pregnant = no wine, remember?). The biggest things that have helped me are setting small goals, listening to podcasts that inspire me to work hard to reach them, and then celebrating with my people after each win.
Realistic goals and expectations are HUGE! Sure, I could work 70 hours in a week but that would cause me to burn out so quickly that I’d resent each and every project I took on and I’m sure my family and friends would be negatively affected.
This leads me to boundaries… I set boundaries of how much extra work I’ll take on at a time, typically no more than 10 hours extra per week, and I’ll shift my hours depending on what’s going on around me. For example, I recently finished a web design project by doing the mom thing in the morning, working 8-5, spending time with family in the evening, then switching back into work mode by 8pm. I’d work 8-10pm, sometimes in my office or sometimes on the couch next to my hubby, then I’d sign off for the night and do it all over again the next day. When necessary, I’d block a good chunk of time on the weekends, typically during nap time so I could maximize my time with my family and/or have some rest time to myself.
The last thing I’ll say is that rest is key. Because I have an 8-5, I don’t have to take on back-to-back external projects and can allow myself to recharge in between jobs by grabbing coffee with a girlfriend or exploring and adventuring around town.
So to recap, figure out your “why,” set realistic goals and expectations, put smart boundaries in place, and take time to rest! I’m not doing it all at the same time. I’m being strategic in my choices so I can be present and give my energy to that one thing at that time. That’s really how it’s working to grow a business while growing a family. It’s never perfect but it is so fulfilling.
