How to Stay Focused as a WAHM with a Newborn Baby
Being a work at home mom is no easy task. It takes discipline, focus, and motivation to stay on task and build a business that generates a profit. When you have a new baby, it adds a whole new layer of challenges to the mix.
Realistic Planning and Adapting
As an entrepreneur you already know the power of planning. You know that setting goals and then creating a plan or map to achieve those goals is the key to success. When you bring a newborn baby home, it’s important to continue with that process. Create goals and a plan to achieve them.
However, it’s important to remember two key things. The first is that your goals will likely need to be smaller in scale. For example, planning on writing an eBook in a week might not be a realistic goal. Planning on writing one in a month or two months may be more achievable. You’re already under a bit of stress adapting to your new family member, and you probably don’t want to add to the stress by setting unrealistic goals for yourself.
The second thing to remember is that newborns are constantly changing. One week they’re sleeping for several hours a day and you’re able to get a lot done. The next week they’re active and busy and you get very little done. Make sure you have plenty of room in your plan to adapt to your baby’s changing needs. Your schedule will change as theirs does. That’s okay. Go with the flow.
Take Time for You
While you’re scheduling time to work on your business around caring for your new baby, it’s also important to take good care of yourself. Babies are hard work. Chances are you’re sleeping less. Your body probably needs to recover and your priorities have shifted a bit. You’ll be better able to focus on your business if you’re taking good care of yourself.
Taking care of yourself means embracing healthy habits. It also means taking time to relax, enjoying time with friends, and doing things that make you smile.
Ease Back into It and Get Help
Initially, you may only be able to spend an hour a day focusing on your business. That hour may be spent checking email and simply maintaining your business. If you can, consider outsourcing some tasks to help you stay on track and focused. For example, hire an assistant to field your email messages so you can focus on planning your business and tending to tasks that generate a profit.
If you start to feel overwhelmed, take a step back. Focus on the tasks that matter most, get help to manage the others and plan for contingencies. A new baby is a wonderful thing. Enjoy this special time together and trust that your business savvy will help carry you through the transition.
