The benefit of being an entrepreneur is that you get to set your own hours. Of course, there is the old joke that a business owner is the only person who does not want to work forty hours for someone else…so they end up working eighty hours for themselves instead!

This is further complicated if you have kids. Many business owners venture out on their own so that they are able to work around their children’s schedules and spend more time with them — I know, because that is exactly what I did! Over twenty years ago, I started my very own company so that I could work from home with my kids.

Back then, technology was not as sophisticated as it is now. I often found it difficult to juggle my kid’s activities with work; we are a big volleyball family, and looking back, I know if I had the tech we do today, I would have been far more productive with my business. Of course, I still did what I could by bringing along pen and paper to practices so I could jot down ideas or sketch out workflows in the carpool line.

However, there are many more options available to entrepreneurs nowadays. Working as part of a completely remote company, I have a few tips I can pass along on how to manage work and get your kids to all their favorite activities:

1.    Use This Time To Answer Emails

Stuck waiting for kids at camp or doctor’s office? This is the perfect time to answer emails. Schedule your day so that you have a designated time to respond to messages. People will get used to you responding on a certain schedule, and this is something you can easily do from your phone. This also ensures that emails with smaller questions do not distract you from larger tasks while you are at your desk.

2.    Set Up Automations

Remember, work smarter, not harder! If there is something you can set up to do automatically, schedule it to run while you are out of the office. This might look like transferring new form entries from a website to a Google Sheet or importing data into a CRM. If you’re on the design side of things, then this can be a great time to allow images and videos to render or upload while you’re away from your computer.

3.    Download An App And Create Your Schedule

While your kiddo runs around at practice or at camp, you can focus on creating your schedule for the next few days. Get an app that can host your to-do list, and you can work on updating it, or you can even assign tasks to your team. There are some really great systems out there like Todoist or even Asana. If you have a project manager, this is also a great time to look through the schedules they have created for projects to ensure they are on track.

4.    Learn More While On The Road

Use your commute to and from activities to learn more. Listen to a business podcast or download audiobooks from experts. This can help you maximize your time while still making it to your destination. As an entrepreneur, every second counts!

5.    Outsource Tasks Off Your Plate

Remember, you are not in this alone! Even though you want to maximize your time, it is also important to focus on your kiddos. While you might be able to work while your child practices for their sport, you don’t want to miss their actual game or performance. Don’t be afraid to outsource tasks to others whether that is a task for home or for work. 

6.    Take Care Of Yourself Too

Above all else, remember that there is just one you, and your kiddos depend on you. That means it is imperative that you take breaks. Schedule your day around some self-care time, and don’t be afraid to take those much-needed breaks.

With that in mind, I would like to end with a disclaimer. As business owners, we often feel guilty if every second of every day does not seem as productive as it should be. I know that I am often guilty of this. I take a break for a few minutes, and then find myself upset later on that I could have used that time for work.

I know this applies to all that goes into caring for our kids as well. Sitting in the pick-up line at camp or activities can feel frustrating. The whole time, you might be thinking to yourself “I could have finished this project by now” or “I might have gotten ahead of my to-do list if I wasn’t sitting here”. Those thoughts are normal. However, we don’t need to punish ourselves. We are humans too, on top of parents and entrepreneurs.

I want to remind you to take whatever time you need for yourself. You don’t always have to be working. In fact, you don’t even have to be productive with work all the time. If you want to sit in the car and zone out, that’s fine too. That in and of itself is productive because your body and your brain need breaks. With work and kids, being productive does not always look like being busy. Sometimes it looks like having a quiet moment to yourself in your car or just enjoying watching your kiddo practice their favorite activity. Do what works best for you, your schedule, and your family.

If you need help outsourcing some of your work, consider posting the project or role on HireMyMom. You may just find the perfect solution to working smarter, not harder!