9 Productivity Tips for Parents

As a parent and a business owner, productivity is often the number one focus. How much can I get done in one day to feel accomplished and move towards my personal and professional goals?

Balancing one’s time between doctor’s appointments or after-school activities can be daunting and overwhelming.  I have compiled 9 productivity tips to not only meet the demands of your business but also have that quality time with your family.

Plan with flexibility

Sitting down and creating a plan for 90-days with the bigger picture in mind, provides you with clarity on the everyday tasks that need to get done. Every Sunday evening, I review my 90-day plan and look at the week ahead from doctor’s appointments, field trips, and business activities.

Planning meals ahead of time so you don’t have to figure out last minute what’s for dinner will also help as you are allotting time to cook or use your crockpot.  I mentioned flexibility because life happens and so do accidents. It is better to be prepared than becoming stressed by the crisis. If important meetings or tasks are on the schedule, have a backup plan can help you manage the unforeseen. Of course, in some instances that are impossible unless you have a stand-in double but knowing what to do will go a long way in your business and for your family.

Include your kids in business activities

Having your kids help in your business with the task they can manage has multiple benefits, not only is work getting done but you are teaching your kids skills that they may not learn elsewhere. You are also sharing with them that business is hard work but also the perks of being self-employed so that you can spend quality time with them.

Block your time

Now that my kids are older and in school, I have a lot more time without them but even on evenings and on the weekends, I can be found working. Blocking time allows me to stay focused on one task such as content creation or client calls. I share with my kids ahead of time what is on the schedule with sort of a “do not disturb” announcement. After that, my kids can come into the office and talk to me and have their needs met.

Remember your Why

Every morning, I sit down with my journal and write about my goals, the tasks on hand and the reason of why I am in business. Reminding myself every single day that I am setting an example of what is possible is my driving motivation of getting the work done. It shows my kids what is possible with focus and determination as well as hard work.

Don’t try to do it all alone

As business owners, we don’t need to work in areas that are not our zone of genius. Instead, hire someone for help and pay people for tasks that are too daunting, don’t light you up in your business so that you can focus on the reason you are in business in the first place.

Make time for your family

As more parents work from home, we find ourselves working all the time, not only in parent duties but for our business. We know the saying “all work and no play…” well this holds very much true for parent too. We created a business to have an income so that we can spend more time with our family and often neglect to do so because we are told we should be working all the time. Giving yourself a break from work and having fun with the kids will help you feel reinvigorated and inspired to focus on your business and get things done.

Focus on money making and networking activities

Every morning I sit down with my planner and look at the top 3 activities and make sure they are the money generating actions or networking activities. Getting those projections and activities completed will get me a lot closer and faster to the result I want than spending hours on social media.

Attitude and Mindset are everything

Being successful requires a positive attitude and continuous mindset work even if you already have a strong mindset. Fears and doubts always come up, even for the best of us but by surrounding ourselves with like-minded mom’s we can have the support the stop negative thoughts and give ourselves the positive pep-talk to keeping moving forward.

Don’t allow guilt into your world

We can be hard on ourselves, especially when the kids are at home but you should complete this project or spend time on the phone with the client.

This goes back to remembering your why but also taking time off to spend time with your family.

When you have planned your week ahead, you can make time for everyone – and you don’t have to feel guilty. I often reward myself with things that I like to do that don’t include the kids and that was a tough one at first but one of the keys to success is to take care of yourself too.

About the author

Petra Monaco is an artist, author, and professional problem solver for creatives, rebels, and multi-passionates.

She is here to help you remove frustration from your life and achieve your creative dreams with more ease and confidence.

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