4 Tips for Balancing Your Small Business With Parenthood

1. Make a list every day. No matter how detail-oriented you are, there are just too many things to think about between running a business and a family. Jot down your goals and keep a fresh list going every day. If you rewrite a list daily, you’ll be more likely to remember the items on the list and appropriately formulate it to your day’s needs. I like to make a monthly goals list, then divide it into weekly goals lists, and then from those make a new daily goals list each day.

2. Eliminate distractions. Sitting down to check Facebook pointedly is different from being distracted by Facebook. The same thing goes for watching TV. What’s accidentally taking you away from your business and family duties? If you can identify your distractions, you can tackle them. You can use Self Control to ensure that you’re making active decisions on when to visit certain websites. If you’re likely to get distracted by TV, turn it off completely or work in a room without one.

3. Delegate. If you feel like you’re doing it all, you’ll burn out. Even if you really are the best at everything (you’re not), not every little job requires “the best.” Take a close look at your home and work life, and make a list of all of the things that need to be done that don’t necessarily need to be done by you. Once you figure that part out, delegate those responsibilities to someone else. Just because you load the dishwasher the “right way” doesn’t mean you can’t live through someone else loading it the “wrong way.” Get over it. Everything will be fine. And you won’t save money at work by doing all the work. Know when it’s time to hire someone.

4. Take a quick walk. Taking a brisk walk—even if only for a couple of minutes—has a way of resetting your brain. This is a good way to rejuvenate you amid any type of task, whether it’s paying family bills or writing an email to a client.

Mostly, do indeed keep calm. Although it can be stressful trying to juggle it all, stress is never worth it.