Tips For Running A Business When You Are Expecting
More and more women are setting up businesses and becoming successful entrepreneurs. For many, running a business means balancing work and raising kids. While it can be difficult to juggle lots of balls simultaneously, there are ways to enjoy the best of both worlds. If you’re expecting, and you run a business, here are some top tips to bear in mind.
Preparing in advance
If you are pregnant and you are a business owner, it’s hugely beneficial to make plans in advance. You’ll need to think about who is going to manage the company while you are on maternity leave and liaise with employees to ensure that they know what is going to happen while you’re out of the office. Everyone is different and some people want to return to work shortly after having a child. Even if you do envision taking a short period of leave, it’s advisable to have a contingency plan in case there are complications or you find that you’re not ready to go back or that you want more time at home with your baby. Being flexible will help you prepare for every eventuality.
It’s also wise to write a list of everything you need to do at home, for example, making your home safe for a newborn and stocking up on essentials at stores like For Your Little One. Give yourself time to nest, to buy everything you will need for the first few weeks and to create a serene, soothing, beautiful nursery for your baby. It’s also a good idea to contact friends and family and ask them to be on standby in case you need any help with grocery shopping, getting around or looking after pets, for example.
Delegating and outsourcing
When you run a business, you have to wear multiple hats and take care of a diverse range of tasks. If you’re having a baby, it’s advantageous to get comfortable with the idea of delegating and to consider outsourcing. Outsourcing can help you lower costs if you can’t afford to hire new employees and it enables you to free up time for your core team to focus on the tasks that are most important to the success of the business. Issue clear instructions if people are taking on jobs you would normally be responsible for, implement a transition period and communicate openly with your team so that everyone knows what their role is. If you do want to outsource, take the time to carry out research, compare different agencies and offers and analyze examples of previous work.
Using technology to save time and effort
Technology can be hugely beneficial for entrepreneurs and the business as a whole. Technology improves efficiency and productivity, and for busy moms who are also business owners, it can also save time, effort and energy. Look into investments that will benefit your business, as well as tools, apps and software you can use to make managing your schedule easier.
Embracing flexibility
Flexibility is key when you run a business and you’re a parent. Life with a newborn is unpredictable, and nobody knows how they will respond to welcoming a new addition or cope with a lack of sleep and other stresses and strains that can affect you when you have a baby. There may be obstacles, such as illness or frequent hospital visits, to overcome and you may find that you want to stay at home more or return to work sooner than planned. Try to embrace flexibility and identify solutions that will work for you.
More and more women are choosing to become business owners and continue working while having children. If you’re preparing to become a parent and you’re an entrepreneur, it is possible to run a successful business and a happy home. Hopefully, these tips will help you prepare.