Hey there my mompreneur beauties!! Buckle up because we’re about to embark on a wild ride through the jungle of juggling business, family, and sanity. I know the feeling of overwhelm as a working mom and entrepreneur all too well. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard, “I have this great idea but I just don’t think I can find the time.” Or “I really want to try creating a business, but I just don’t know how you do it all.” The struggle of overcoming the time, guilt, and focus hurdles is REAL!

I’m never going to sugar coat it for you and say something frilly like “just be positive”. The reality is that it does take work. It takes work to build the systems and rhythms.

It takes work building the mindset you need to endure and keep yourself out of hole of suffering and self-persecution.

It takes work getting your family on board with your dreams and understanding your choices.

It takes work getting to know yourself and your needs so well that you can avoid burnout.

It takes work creating self-discipline to get the work done and to be the manager of yourself that your business needs.

Yes, it takes work. But it also takes work to keep things the same and cope with accepting that you’re not going after the ambitions and desires of your heart.

Let that sink in.

So today, I’m going to share with you my top tips to overcoming the time, guilt, and focus hurdles of being a working mom who is likely an entrepreneur. Because we’ve gotta get you out of your head and building your success story already!

From dodging guilt-tripping monkeys to mastering the art of time bending, we’ve got your back. Let’s blaze a trail through those hurdles like they’re obstacles on the path to mompreneurial greatness!

1. Time Management for Mom Entrepreneurs: Ever feel like you’re tangoing with time, but the music’s on fast forward? Welcome to the club! Balancing business and family can feel like a high-stakes tightrope act, but fear not! Here’s how to choreograph your time like a pro:

  • Start Your Week On the Same Page as Your Spouse: It might not sound sexy, but if you want to reduce your stress and increase support, you need to have a “board meeting” each week with your hubs. Read about it more here where I’ve given you the prompts. The best way to get your family on board with your goals and collectively support each other is to talk about it and plan your week together.
  • Schedule Like a Boss: Get cozy with your calendar and use Block Scheduling. Block out time for work, family, and gasp self-care. Prioritize tasks and stick to your schedule like glue. Approach your days as blocks of time and let yourself focus on one block at a time. We’ll talk about this more under the guilt trips and focus, but you have to leave things in their blocks. This means when it’s time to pause work to focus on family dinner that’s what you do and you are fully present.
  • Dump Lists: The best thing I ever did for myself was creating a dump list to get everything out of my head with assurance that I wouldn’t forget. Please try this one! Pair this with your block schedule for ease.
  • Delegate, Delegate, Delegate: You’re a superhero, not a one-woman circus. Rope in the troops—partners, kids, even the family pet—to share the load. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work! I’m not kidding. We’ve all heard the phrase “it takes a village.” Well, in this day and age, my village is the woman at Sprouts grocery store that does my shopping for my pickup order. It’s the landscaper when we can afford it so we have more time on the weekend. Think outside the box and utilize all your resources to create ease. But most importantly, ask for help and be clear with what you need and how you feel. But also, be willing to accept someone’s effort, that may not meet your standards, as a gift or act of service. Let that urge to correct it go so you can get back to the activities that move your life forward.
  • Prep the Night Before: The worst thing you can do to yourself is say, “I’ll just get up earlier to put things together.” No you’re not, mama! You’re going to be rushing and feeling like there’s not enough time. Lay out the clothes, pack the lunches, write out your schedule (and include your successes ahead of time – Read The Atomic Habit for more on that), and be kind to your future self to that you can have a peaceful start to your day.
a mom working on her laptop on living room floor

2. Guilt-Busting Strategies for Working Moms & Business Owners: Ah, the guilt gremlins—they lurk in the shadows, ready to pounce whenever you dare to put your business first. But guess what? Guilt’s got nothing on you! Here’s how to kick it to the curb:

  • Embrace Imperfect Perfectionism: Repeat after me: “I am not superwoman, and that’s perfectly okay!” Embrace the chaos, the mess, and the occasional burnt toast. Your journey is unique, and so is your success story! The sooner you accept that done is better that perfect the more peace you will find. And if this is extremely then I urge you to take a look at the value you’ve assigned perfection or having things put together. Whatever that dark voice in your head says, I can assure you that you are good enough. Your value is not in creating a presentation that you’ve got it together. It’s far more appealing to see someone embracing exactly who they are and celebrating the wins, imperfections and all.
  • Quality Moments Over Quantity: Your kids won’t remember that time you balanced the books like a pro. They’ll remember the impromptu dance parties and bedtime stories. Focus on moments, not minutes. Quality time trumps quantity every time! My best tip is wherever you are, be there. When kids consistently experience your ability to pause work and jus be with them they aren’t going to care that you sometimes have work while they play out back. Be mindful, be with them. To help overcome the guilt more, we’ve made it a routine to give each child 1 night per week to stay up a little later and pick an activity. It’s special and ensures that they are getting one on one connection every week.
  • Mindful Moments: Mindfulness is all about doing one thing at a time, participating in the moment, observing your experiences, and doing so non-judgmentally. Mindfully choose where you are. When the time block ends, it ends. I promise, you will always come back to what wasn’t finished and get to it in the next block. Give yourself permission to leave it there and shift to the next block. This is not only kind to your brain, but it lets you move past the guilt. It helps because you know you’re going to present when it’s time to be with your fam.

3. Focus-Fueled Strategies for Mom Entrepreneurs: Ever find yourself lost in a sea of distractions, struggling to keep your entrepreneurial ship on course? Yep, been there, spilt the coffee. But fear not! Here’s how to navigate those choppy waters and reclaim your focus:

  • Power Hour Pomodoro: Channel your inner ninja with the Pomodoro Technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes, tackle one task like a boss, then reward yourself with a victory dance. Rinse and repeat until you’ve conquered your tasks in your scheduled block. Don’t expect yourself to push through longer just because you’re willing it. Work with your brain, not against its.
  • Connect with Your Body: As women with menstrual cycles with ongoing hormone fluctuations we know that how we feel can vary depending on the week. It’s important to understand that your hormone levels impact not just how your body feels or it’s energy level, but also your brain’s functioning. Track your cycle and sync your work with it. When you understand where your body is at you can plan for your workload, and understand where your mindset is so you can work on it.
  • Zone of Zen: Create a sacred space for work. Whether it’s a cozy corner or a makeshift fortress of solitude, make it yours. Make it a routine. Your brain creates associations so creating a routine of working in a certain space, listening to certain music, practicing a mindfulness exercise or affirmation, etc. Be creative and have fun making a routine and rhythm that you can associate with a focused time.

Conclusion: There you have it, fellow mompreneurs—the blueprint for conquering time, guilt, and focus like the bosses you are! Balancing business and family may feel like a high-wire act, but with resilience, humor, and a sprinkle of mompreneurial magic, you’ve got this.

Keep slaying those goals, chasing those dreams, and remember: you’re not just building a business, you’re crafting a legacy built on connection, self-care, and being your full self.

Stay fabulous!

Xoxo,

Monica Jean