How to go from SAHM to WAHM: Part 2

Today I'm going to answer that crazy, crazy question:  How does she do it all?


Well, I don't.

Last fall when I decided to enrol in a business course, I was really nervous that I couldn't handle adding anything new to my list of daily activities and responsibilities. The training is offered through live teleconferences and webinars and they are at times when I am generally home alone with my 4 children, so I wasn't sure how that would work.  Also, it seemed prudent to actually start to DO the tasks we were taught about, since talking about making money is one thing, but actually doing things that produce an income is quite another!

As it turned out, the training calls are recorded, so I download them to my iPod and listen to them at night before I fall asleep.  Sometimes it takes me 5 nights to listen to a 90-minute training, but I love that I can go back and listen as often as I want.  Many of the trainings involve coaching in Belief Breakthrough, so I am often repeating the words of the meditations as I lie in bed with my sleeping babes around me.

Getting started on product creation was actually been really easy to find time for.  You see, when you find something you love to do then it doesn't feel like work.  In other words, we easily make time for our priorities.  Like most people, I had never really thought about the possibility of getting paid for something that I love to do, so it has been a most pleasant experience to discover all the different ways that I can use my skills and knowledge and experience to make money.

Finding time is really all about changing the way you think:  If you believe that you never have enough time, you won't have enough time.  Instead, if you change your thoughts to a belief that you always have time for everything that you love to do, you will find the time.  It seems so simple, and it really works.

In the fall, I hired Partner-Guy's teenage niece to come over for 5 consecutive Saturdays so that I could participate in a live training call.  She folded the laundry and cleaned up the kitchen and played with the kids.  I loved the help, and I highly recommend finding a way to get involved in some LIVE training and coaching if you possibly can.  Since Christmas, I've arranged for Partner-Guy to take the kids out every Saturday for a few hours so that I can focus on product creation.  I also occasionally do my work when all the children are asleep at night.

So I haven't had to take much time away from my family at all.  In fact, I consider it to be a GIFT to my children that they are getting more time with their dad than they would if I were not trying to start a business.

But my family is YOUNG, and Julian is still nursing about 12 times/day and even the older children are not interested in being sent here and there on a regular basis so that Mommy can sit at the computer.  And I get that.  It really is a balance and I'm not one to put my agenda ahead of my children's needs.

If you come to my home you will see that my floors are not clean enough to eat off of (although that doesn't always stop us!) and there are probably toys and books all over.  But the kids are always fed and happy and doing their own thing.  I pick up toys and books just once per day (at bedtime) and I cook just one hot meal per day.  We eat homemade bread and fruit and raw vegetables for our other meals and snacks.  I admit that there has been some complaining from my older daughters about the lack of food selection, but they are not malnourished by any stretch, and they are even learning to make some food for themselves.  (Last week my 7.5 yo made muffins all by herself and even put them in the oven!)

Here are my suggestions for finding time for a new business when you are home with young children:

1. Let go of any schedules.  Be flexible and never worry about not finishing something that you are working on.  Whenever you put your children ahead of your 'work' you will be rewarded with peace and freedom.
2. Realize that change happens.  You can't add 30 hours of business-related work to your life every week and still meet all your old obligations.  This is a great time to EDIT things from your life that don't bring freedom and joy to your life or to your family.
3. Lower your standards.  (My mom is probably laughing about this--like, how much lower can MY standards get??!!)  But seriously, do you HAVE to vacuum every day or clean the bathroom every week?  I don't.  And we survive.
4. Rejoice and be glad!!  Life is AWESOME and you are exactly where you need to be and you are worthy and enough RIGHT NOW.  Embrace every part of your day, every day.  Whatever happens is exactly what you need right now to move you to where you want to be.

Next post:  What it means to start a 'wellness' business and why you are totally amazing!