how to balance your business and motherhood. www.iammichellegifford.com

How to Balance Your Business and Motherhood

Motherhood, Work Life Balance

How to Balance Your Business and Motherhood

Running your own biz and being a mom often feels like a crazy balancing act. It seems like you are constantly pulled in two different directions and you’re left feeling stretched too thin and not knowing which direction to give in on. There are some tips that can help you ease this balancing act and even notice some wins from it! I spoke with my friend Chynna, owner of Little Mama Shirt Shop, where she shares her tips and tricks on how to balance your business and motherhood. 

 

 

If you haven’t heard of Chynna or her biz Little Mama Shirt Shop, they are absolutely amazing! And you need to go follow them right now. While they are known for their cute tees for moms and families, their product is actually secondary. Their first priority is building a community where moms support moms. They know all about the messiness of motherhood and they are not afraid to talk about it. They have created a safe space for moms where you can feel all the things and not be judged for them. Motherhood is celebrated with them one shirt at a time!

Chynna grew her business from the ground up in 6 years. She went from creating tee shirt designs in her bedroom to building an entire warehouse so they can ship hundreds of thousands of tee shirts to women all over the world. But how did she do this in 6 years? And, especially, how did she do this with kids at home? Chynna shares her 5 tips on how to balance your business and motherhood, so let’s get to it!

 

best tips and tricks for balancing motherhood and your career. www.iammichellegifford.com

 

5 Tips on How to Balance Your Business and Motherhood

When Little Mama Shirt Shop first became a real thing, Chynna was working it all by herself and raising her three little boys. Her husband had a corporate job, so it was really challenging to find the balance at first. It takes so much of you to create and run your own business, and there are so many countless hours of work that no one sees or understands unless they are an entrepreneur too. 

But Chynna and her husband Tyler (who now runs the business alongside her) have had so many amazing moments from this business and family life balance, and they are so grateful for what this lifestyle is teaching their kids. If there’s anyone who can speak on this topic of business and motherhood balance, it’s Chynna!

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Tip #1: Get on the same page with your spouse.

It’s made a world of difference that Chynna has her husband Tyler to work with her in the business. They’re grateful they have the opportunity to work in the business together vs. how it was at the beginning. Because they work together, most of the time they can trade off each day, so at least one of them can be with their kids every day. Plus, it helps that their kids are very familiar with this lifestyle now. 

If this isn’t your situation then make an effort to at least be on the same page with your spouse. Make sure both of your expectations are met when it comes to working and taking care of the kids. If you’re to a point that you’re ready to hire out help with either your business or your kids, talk that over with your spouse and get on the same page. Having your spouse’s support with your business adds so much positive energy to your family and career.

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Tip #2: Understand guilt is not a bad thing.

Chynna admires what Brene Brown teaches about guilt, and that has guided her in her business and motherhood balance. Because mom guilt is REAL, so we need all the help we can get with that. Chynna finally realized that instead of thinking guilt is this terrible thing, you can see it as a guide to help you know where to put your focus and effort. 

For example, you can notice when your kids need a little bit more attention, so maybe that means pumping the breaks on your business until you get them in a good place. Don’t be afraid to depend on others to help you navigate this balance. And most of all, see guilt as a guide to know where to spend your time, rather than a burden of where you’re not spending enough of your time. 

 

biz and mom balance

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Tip #3: Wherever you’re at, be all there.

This tip is one Chynna has lived by for years. She tries really hard to master this principle and has seen amazing results from it. When she’s at her warehouse she makes sure she’s not just hanging out but using that time to be productive. When she’s at home, she tries to completely disconnect from work and be with her kids. 

So, wherever you’re at, be all there. To help adapt to this way of living/working, choose the things that are non-negotiable to you. For Chynna, it’s family dinner. She eats dinner with her family almost every night and she will never let her business take that over. What is non-negotiable for you? Build your life and work balance around those things.

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Tip #4: Realize the balance is not a destination.

Finding the balance between work and mom life is a journey. It changes every single day, so it’s not necessarily something you can get to. Rather, it’s something you’re working on every day. That balance can cause anxiety, so getting to a healthy spot mentally is so helpful for your family and business.

So, do what you need to get to a healthy mental spot. It’s OK if that means taking a pause on your business. You getting to a good mental place will help you build a long-lasting business and a thriving family. 

 

how to get rid of mom guilt as a working mom. www.iammichellegifford.com

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Tip #5: Involve your kids in your business.

Don’t be afraid to involve your kids in your business. Chynna and Tyler have given their kids a front-row seat to their business. They have their kids come to the warehouse and can see their parents hustle while they are there. Hard work is something really important to both of them, so it’s a value they want to instill in their boys too. They’ve taught them that all the nice things they have or the vacations they’ve gone on happen because of the hard work they put into their business. 

So, while it may seem easier or natural to push your kids away from your work, try involving them in places that work for you. We’re not saying to involve them in everything, and there are definitely times to keep them separate, but giving your kids a chance to see you work will help them understand what you’re doing for the family and grow your bond with your kids. 

 

Business and Motherhood Balance Bonus Tip: Feel the fear and then do it anyway.

Chynna has lived by this quote! There are tons of scary decisions that you have to make as a business owner. But, you cannot let that fear keep you from moving forward. For Chynna, it’s helped her to look back on past decisions that seemed huge and scary at the time, but now seem so small and insignificant. She remembers those and applies that to the decisions she faces now to help her feel peace in knowing things will be OK and this fear will pass. 

She’s also done so much praying about her business. So much, that she said people don’t want to know about it, haha. But praying is something she really believes in, and involving God in her life, and especially in her business. She has seen positive effects over and over again from her involving God in the process. 

Also, when Chynna and her husband have to take big leaps of faith and make scary decisions they always bring it back to their customers. They are always trying to stay really customer focused. They do this by listening to what they want, and then actually doing it. While you can’t accommodate every customer request, they have seen how letting the customers guide the business has been a really powerful thing. So, make sure you are noticing what your customers are saying about your biz and products. Use that to help guide you to the next steps of our business journey!

 

how to balance work and mom life. www.iammichellegifford.com

 

How to Balance Your Business and Motherhood

I hope you can feel the goodness from Chynna as she shared her tips and advice on how to balance your business and motherhood! I’m so grateful for her friendship. It’s been so fun to see her business grow and her family grow right alongside it. If you want to be a part of Chynna’s amazing motherhood group, you can join their Facebook community here. You can also follow them on Instagram @littlemamashirtshop

If you want more tips and tricks on growing your biz, you can follow me on Instagram @iammichellegifford. Plus, you can join my Money Makers Coaching Group to get all the advice and support you need to run your biz! 

P.S. There’s so much goodness left out of this post that you can catch in the podcast episode! So, make sure to take a listen if you can!

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