If you're a mom who feels like you're constantly juggling work and motherhood, know that you're not alone. The good news is that there are plenty of successful Momtrepreneurs out there who have spent time and energy working to refine the art of creating a healthy work-life balance (because mastering it or perfecting it isn't realistic, but we can always move towards a greater sense of balance!). In this blog post, we'll share some of their best tips to help you achieve success in both your career and your personal life. So grab a cup of coffee (or wine!) and let's get started.

To Kick Things Off

Here are a few quotes from just a few of our favorite momtrepreneurs to help motivate, inspire, and bring about a sense of “togetherness” on the wild journey of striking a balance between working and raising littles.

“I think every working mom probably feels the same thing. You go through big chunks of time where you’re thinking, “this is impossible – oh, this is impossible.” And then you just keep going and keep going and sort of do the impossible.” – Tina Fey

 

“There will be a few times in your life when all your instincts tell you to do something, something that defies logic, upsets your plans and may seem crazy to others. When that happens, you do it. Listen to your instincts and ignore everything else. Ignore logic, ignore the odds, ignore the complications and just go for it.” – Judith McNaught

 

“It’s important that we share our experiences with other people. Your story will heal somebody else. When you tell your story, you free yourself and give other people permission to acknowledge their own story.” – Iyanla Vanzant

 

“Give yourself permission to practice self-care and to make time for your own dreams, goals, and priorities.” – Ruth Soukup

 

“Your business is just a container for you to learn how to love yourself.” – Sterling Jaquith

 

“No matter how different women are, we all seem to share the guilt that we’re not doing enough. If anything, I would say that as long as you’re doing your best, it’s more than enough.” – Jessica Alba

 

“There is a tendency with anyone who loves any kind of work to fantasize that if you just had endless time for it, you’d be able to achieve perfection in this field. Yet what I’d discovered is that when you put love first, not only does your life improve, but your work improves.” – Jennifer Fulwiler

 

“If you can be successful in business while changing someone’s life for the better, there is nothing more gratifying.” – Julie Agner-Clark

 

“We mistakenly think that serving others means putting your own interests and talents completely on the shelf. That approach, however, is a recipe for burnout. If you’re shoving aside the interests that fill you with joy and energy, you won’t be able to keep it up over the long term.” – Lisa Canning

A few tips from us here at Elisamama

Elisamama is a black and mother owned business that is passionate about working with, supporting, and championing women and mothers. Although a "perfect" work-life balance isn't realistic (perfection is the thief of joy!) -- we've found the below tips to be helpful for balance, mental-health, and creating space for it all as a working mother. 

Define your priorities - what is most important to you in life, and what do you want to achieve?

Being working moms, we understand the difficulty that comes along with working and trying to maintain your priorities. It is essential to keep in mind what is most important to you in life because it will shape how you prioritize tasks. An honest reflection of what you want to achieve can reveal any imbalances between working and spending time with family & friends or other passions within your life. Having clear goals can make all the difference when it comes to staying true to our values, enhancing our satisfaction, and guiding decision-making processes. Knowing our priorities helps us lead more meaningful lives and makes it easier for us to succeed through aligning our actions with our desired end outcomes.

Set realistic goals - don't try to do too much at once, or you'll end up feeling overwhelmed

It's important to take a step back and set realistic goals -- we can't fight overwhelm and burnout if our expectations are too grand. It is much better to tackle smaller, achievable tasks one step at a time so that they don't pile up on us and cause an unnecessary heap of pressure. Set yourself up for success - not failure - by selecting realistic goals that you can meet with relative ease in order to keep sane and making progress towards your bigger dreams.

Create a schedule and stick to it - this will help you make time for both work and family

As a momtrepreneur, you know the challenges of finding balance between your work and family life. Creating a schedule and following it will help make sure that you can still keep up with both. Sticking to that routine can help you establish balance by setting aside blocks of time for tasks related to your business and devoting other blocks for family moments such as meals and leisure activities. This way, no matter how challenging the working mom life is, you'll always have plenty of quality time with your family.

Take breaks when you need them - even if it's just a few minutes, taking some time for yourself will help you recharge

It can be easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of being a working mom. But don't forget to give yourself permission to take breaks when you need them! Even if it's just a couple of minutes out of your day, taking a little time for yourself can help you recharge and recenter so that you can truly enjoy all that motherhood has to offer. Being productive doesn't mean running yourself into the ground - take the break, momma!

Find a support system - whether it's your partner, friends, or family, make sure you have people you can rely on

Being a momtrepreneur can be incredibly rewarding, however, it can also be quite overwhelming at times. That's why having a strong support system is essential. Let your partner, friends and family know that you need help in certain areas - whether it’s an hour of childcare after work so you can finish up a project or having someone pick up the groceries for you. Working moms are often stretched too thin, needing to juggle a range of responsibilities from both their business and personal lives. Having people who understand your workload and can reinforce what you do will make mompreneurship much more manageable.

Schedule time for yourself - just as you would schedule a meeting or doctor's appointment, put time aside each week specifically for YOU

Taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of others. That's why it's essential to put aside some time for yourself each week, just like you would for a meeting or doctor's appointment. It doesn't have to be an extensive or elaborate block of time - in fact, even 30 minutes a week devoted solely to yourself can make a huge difference in your everyday overall wellbeing. This could include exercising, meditating or reflecting, spending quality time with family and friends - anything that provides a sense of joy and rejuvenation! By setting aside some special "you" time every week, you'll feel more energized throughout your daily life and able to better handle its challenges. So don't forget - schedule time for yourself this week!

You’re not alone in your journey to achieve the best work-life balance possible. Finding a good rhythm that works for you and your family takes time, effort, and lots of trial and error. Remember to be patient with yourself, give yourself grace when things don’t go as planned, ask for help when you need it, and make plenty of time for self-care. By following these tips from successful momtrepreneurs, you’re on your way to achieving a work-life balance that feels right for you. And hey—if you ever need a break from it all, we invite you to shop our entire collection of African aesthetic dresses and apparel! :) 

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