Dear ladies,
My students and followers often ask me: How the hell do you do it??? 4 kids? And who looks after them when you work? How do you manage it?
Perhaps you're wondering how to combine your passion for creation with the daily carousel of children, household chores, and other responsibilities. The good news is that you don't have to sacrifice either – it's possible to manage it all!
Today I'll reveal to you 7 proven ways to successfully run a handmade business without neglecting your family or completely burning yourself out. I've been through it myself – I started as a mother of two and an entrepreneur creating children's clothing. Today, designing patterns and courses is what I do for a living, and I still have time for my family, and now I have four children instead of two!
Want to know how? Let's get to it!
1. Set Realistic Goals and Expectations
When I started, I thought I could do everything myself and right away. Can you imagine where that led? To frustration. That's why I advise you – set goals that align with your current situation.
🔹 Don't aim to sell hundreds of products a month right away – focus on quality, not quantity.
🔹 Accept that not every day will be productive. Sometimes the kids get sick, sometimes you'll just be tired. And that's okay!
🔹 Take smaller, planned steps – sketch designs one morning, sew the next day. Break down your work.
2. Set Priorities – Focus on What's Important
Your time and energy are valuable – you must invest them wisely. The 80/20 rule applies: 80% of results come from just 20% of activities. Think about it – what activities truly bring you profit and joy? And what is just an unnecessary burden?
🔹 If you don't enjoy communicating with customers, find ways to simplify it – for example, with auto-replies.
🔹 Stop doing things that are not essential – you don't need a perfect Instagram from the start.
🔹 Delegate some household chores – involve the children, your partner, or occasionally order cleaning services.
3. Create a Daily and Weekly Routine
Parenthood is unpredictable, but daily habits will help you gain certainty and stability. Routine saves you time and energy in decision-making and helps you effectively integrate business with family life.
🔹 Divide your day into blocks – for example, mornings for family, late mornings for creating, afternoons for marketing.
🔹 Set fixed times for work, but be flexible – sometimes working in the evening is more effective than during the day.
🔹 Plan your weekly goals – e.g., one day for material preparation, the second day for sewing, the third day for product photography.
4. Use Every Spare Moment
Young children often don't allow for several hours of focused work at a stretch. But what if you used even ten-minute segments throughout the day?
🔹 Waiting at the doctor's office? Plan social media posts.
🔹 Kids playing? Jot down notes for a new project.
🔹 While children are falling asleep, visualize the next steps of your business (this is my favorite exercise!)
Even small steps lead to great success!
5. Automate and Simplify What You Can
Time is your most valuable commodity. If there's a way to do something faster, use it!
🔹 Use templates – pre-written email responses, graphic templates for social media.
🔹 Schedule your Facebook and Instagram posts in advance – there are great planning apps, for example, Metricool.com
🔹 Delegate routine tasks – consider hiring someone to handle your accounting, for example.
6. Make Time for Yourself and Your Children
Don't forget why you're in business – you want to be free, but your family needs you too. If you can't find time to rest, you'll burn out sooner or later. And we don't want that!
🔹 Set "boundary times" – for example, after 6 PM, work ceases to exist.
🔹 Dedicate yourself fully to your children – the time you spend truly present with them will give you a ton of inspiration.
🔹 Allow yourself moments just for yourself – whether it's a peaceful coffee, sports, or perhaps a relaxing bath.
7. Be Patient and Adaptable
Business (just like motherhood) is a journey full of changes. What seems challenging today will be easy in a few years. But that requires patience.
🔹 Be prepared to adjust your plan according to the situation – sometimes work will dominate, sometimes family. That's okay.
🔹 Life with children is dynamic – what you struggle with now can be completely different in a year!
🔹 Allow yourself to be imperfect – we're all learning, every day.
Conclusion: Try to Apply at Least One Change Right Now!
You don't need to do everything at once. Choose one thing you could improve today. Perhaps plan firmer work blocks or start using short free moments more effectively.
Being an entrepreneur with children is a beautiful challenge, and I know you can do it! If you want further support, follow my articles, videos, and join the community of amazing handmade moms.
I'm rooting for you!
Your Helena a.k.a. Šibabi 🚀💖
