It happens to all of us – yes school holidays come around again and again and when you own your business it can be very distracting and even unmotivating to get anything done in your business!
I am a mum of two boys (14 and 7) and my youngest in particular wants to play football and be on the go the entire holiday period!
And I hear “Mum”, “Mum please can you play with me” over and over again! How can I possibly keep motivated when the sun is shining and my son wants to play?
Well, I have to say that it is easier said than done!
BUT, I have discovered an easy to way to be motivated – at least for 50% of my day during the school holidays.
Here are my top 5 tips!
1) Set aside time with your children
Let your children know that you do need to spend some time on your business during the holidays but that you will spend an equal amount of time with them. But do just that – leave your computer and your phone on your desk and BE WITH YOUR CHILDREN…. When you have spent time with them, then make sure they are equipped to spend the next 2-3 hours on their own (obviously in ear shot of you). Perhaps they could colour in, play lego, watch a movie or play a game (or a combination of all of these).
2) Arrange to share play dates with friends
Remember you are not alone in the school holidays, so why not speak to friends and other mums at your school and arrange a day for you to look after their child/ren and in return they will be able to offer to spend time with your child/ren. It is a win win for both of you.
3) Create activities in your business where your children can help
There are times when your business can seem exciting to your children. Why not get them to help. Depending on their ages will depend on what you can get them to help with.
But some examples are:
* finding suitable images for your upcoming blog posts;
* helping you upload your events to specific websites;
* help you put stamps on envelopes and/or go to the post office;
* help you file your paperwork.
4) Schedule a camp for a few days in the holidays
Remember it is fine for your kids to go to a camp even for a few days – it can be just what you need to get on top of your business and then you can spend the next few days spending quality time with your children. Don’t just put your kids in a camp just for some time out for you, make the time you have for your business – worthwhile!
5) Call in some babysitting favours
This could be from a younger child’s sibling – if they are trustworthy and old enough, it could be some extra pocket money for them. Or it could be that your parents would love to spend a day here and there with their grandchildren – to take them to a movie or just to spend time with them playing. Perhaps you have thought of getting a babysitter to help out a few hours each day whilst you get on top of your workload. This is just another suggestion which can help you.
Remember the above tips are all about ways to keep motivated whilst you know you want to spend time with your children in the holidays. It is hard to juggle both your children and your business, but it is doable and I have managed to use all of the above tips and keep motivated…. So can you.
Would love to hear your thoughts and comments on how you keep motivated during school holidays.
Hazel
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