A Busy Mompreneur’s Guide to Surviving the Summer Break
July 8th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
A Busy Mompreneur's Guide to Surviving the Summer
Work-wise, it would be ideal if my company would run on autopilot from June 1st to August 31st so I could play with the kids all summer long. The good news is that my company is growing. I have several upcoming sales meetings and tradeshows this summer—I’m launching the new Stikitty to retailers next week! There are lots of meetings and lots of preparations. Also, I have new PR and advertising campaigns that need nurturing. The bad news is no autopilot for me.
Kid-wise, it’s summer time! My elementary-school-aged children worked very hard this year and deserve a wonderful break. Sometimes they want to do their own thing; other times that want Mom time. I love that they want to play with me. My schedule isn’t always as flexible as I, or the kids, would like it to be, though.
So when both the kids and the company need energy and attention at the same time, what’s a busy mompreneur to do?
Below are things that have worked for me so far this summer. I know you have great strategies, too, so please share!
1. Summer Camps: school districts and local churches offer summer camps that are much less expensive than private camps and full-time daycare. And they provide a solid 3-4 hours to a full day of entertainment for the kids. Our school district offers a great variety of activities from fun and educational to sports related. As a side benefit, the camps let the kids to try out an activity, such as basketball or acting, without having to commit to a full season or 6-week session.
Pros: the kids love trying new things and I get a good block of work time. Also, some camps allow last-minute sign ups.
Cons: there’s a lot of driving.
2. Blocking & Tackling: I got this tip from another mompreneur. If I have work that requires a block of time, I bargain with the kids. If they give me half-an-hour of uninterrupted work time, as soon as I’m finished I’ll put my work away—no matter what—and do whatever the kids want to do.
Pros: I don’t feel as guilty for spending time on work.
Cons: The nature of running a business doesn’t always allow for starts and stops. When it does, though, blocking & tackling works well for me.
3. Bundling: When you work from the house and have kids home for the summer, there is no way to avoid interruptions. (My daughter just came in to show me her latest jump rope trick!). When I can, I try to bundle and wait on more time-intensive activities (e.g., processing orders or recording expenses and receipts) so I can do more flexible work (e.g., responding to emails, writing blogs, and working on PR and advertising campaigns) when I know the kids likely will interrupt me.
Pros: the activities still get done and the interruptions don’t bother me as much.
Cons: there’s more stress in knowing I have pressing obligations.
4. Reinforcements: there are times when I just need a helping hand, like when I have an important call or a meeting outside the house and I need someone to watch the kids. I have a list on hand of high school students who I can call at a moment’s notice. The high schoolers are on summer break, too, and many are getting pretty bored right about now. Most welcome the distraction of watching the kids for an hour or two.
Pros: I can attend my meetings and the kids have someone new to beat at Mario Kart!
Cons: Even high school kids want to be paid one way or another; for example, my nephew is a great babysitter AND he loves my homemade potato salad. I might just work out a deal with him. Either way, it’s well worth the price.
We still have those days when the balance of demands gets out of whack. For the most part, though, the kids are having fun and staving off boredom. My business is doing well and I’m less stressed. All-in-all, it’s been a pretty good summer so far.
