Being an entrepreneur can be difficult alone. Throw in a newborn and you’ve got yourself one heck of a wild ride. I didn’t take any time off with our final addition, little miss Octavia, but it definitely meant a bit of a tight adjustment. My guest this week, Ashley DeLuca, sums the whole situation up beautifully and leaves some important tips for those of you juggling an online business and a newborn (or getting ready to)…
I’m going to start off by saying that I do not recommend anyone to do what I did and take just two days off from your business after having a baby. It was just at the time, I was not able to prepare for my maternity leave enough to allow me off work for any longer than…well…the weekend like usual.
If you are reading this article with a newborn in hand, momma you are a trooper. I believe that what you just went through is a huge feat in itself. This part — the juggling is just another piece to the puzzle to solve. It will be a bit different for everyone, but as a first-time mom with three different businesses, let’s just say, the juggling has been overwhelming.
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Let’s be real — it’s downright hard too.
For myself if I had to categorize it, it would be top 3 hard things:
1). Pushing baby out
2). Juggling #allthethings after your help leaves (aka my mom)
3). Dealing with after-care (maybe more annoying than hard)
Regardless, I want to share with you my top three tips when it comes to juggling an online business and a newborn.
1). Use feeding time to your advantage
I have found that while feeding, I was able to plan, strategize, map out, and do things to help move my business forward. There is so much we can do on our phones nowadays that I found I could pull up my Trello board to input tasks, map out a new mini-training, and of course check on what my team was up to.
During that time, I also found ways to move my business forward by responding to emails, interacting on social media, and simply watching some video training I kept putting off. I also would do lots of reading whether on my phone or an actual book itself. These are all easy tasks to complete and do while you feed your little one.
2). Do your work when you have another set of hands
I found that in my first couple of weeks, I could really only complete my hardcore work when I had another set of hands around. I would schedule myself to work once my husband got off work or even before he went into work. Also once baby starts getting the hang of naps, I found that I could easily knock out some work in the hour he would nap in between wanting to be changed or fed again. Every little bit counts so even if you only get an hour — make the most of it!
3). Be realistic and get a swing
This is more of a reminder than a tip, but important all the same. I really have been struggling with trying to still do #allthethings without realizing that another human does take up a lot of time. Do not be so hard on yourself. Adding another human to the equation means there is a new shift in life. A new season of life. It may take some time, but it will all work itself out.
I also recommend buying a swing for your newborn. I do not know what I would do without my swing to help with those in-between moments. A lot of the time my little just wanted to feel like he was being held. Having a swing really helped free up those moments for me to work on my business!
I wish you the best of luck on your new adventure, momma!
Ashley DeLuca
is a Digital Marketing consultant who helps creative female entrepreneurs uplevel their web presence, establish authority, and develop their own spot on the internet to call their own with her step-by-step solutions. Follow her on YouTube here.
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If you have a little in diapers but aren’t sure which brand may fit the best for their little tush, feel free to try a mixed selection with the Diaper Dabbler!
Very good advice! I remember breastfeeding my babies was the most productive time ever. And networking on all social media while waiting until they fall asleep. Good luck to all the working Mamas, you can do it!!!
Love this! I find sometimes I feel productive and sometimes I feel confined, but keeping these tips in mind and positive reinforcement definitely helps!
Meal planning and freezer meals are very helpful also.
Absolutely!