Seven Things I Learned About Preparing for Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur - and how they can help you (even if you’re not pregnant)!
In April, my husband and I found out that our little family would be gaining a new member! While it was my second baby, it was the *first* time that I had been pregnant as an entrepreneur. I had no idea how much it would teach me!Here are just some of the things I’ve learned along the way:
Nesting Looks Different. When I was pregnant with my first little one, I spent the months leading up to his birth by washing and folding baby clothes, researching sleep schedules, reading parenting books, etc. For my second pregnancy? Nesting looks a little bit different. Not only am I pulling down the bins of baby clothes and talking to my toddler about his new baby sister, but I’m also preparing my business for my maternity leave. I’m getting my systems and structures set up, training my VA for new tasks, outsourcing what I can, cutting out unnecessary responsibilities, and completing *six* months of content in advance! I’m embracing this season by focusing on what it will take for me to feel good about moving into this next phase of motherhood and making sure that my business is taken care of, as well. As you grow - in life or in business - what steps do you need to take to prepare for that change? New systems or structures? Outsourcing to a VA? Preparing content in advance?
Passive Income is Your Friend. I firmly believe that - for many online businesses - it’s important to start with 1:1 work. It helps build your income, grow your audience, connect with the needs of your clients, and boost your confidence. But nothing screams - “I’m ready for passive income!” - like knowing that you’ll have less time to trade for a steady income. Start building a source of passive income today, no matter how small!
Best Over Good. Over the past few months leading up to my maternity leave, I’ve become really good at saying “no” - even to the good things. It’s tough, but it helps to remind myself that I’m only able to do the “best” things for me and my business because of all the “good” things that I’m releasing. What good things do you need to say “no” to - in order to say “yes” to what’s best?
Best Over Perfect. I used to drive myself crazy trying to run a perfect business and make perfect decisions. I’ve got news for you: there’s no such thing. Every single decision has pro’s and con’s. What’s important is to figure out which decision is BEST for you, your family, and your business. Once I learned this, decision making became clearer - and so much easier!
There’s Always More to be Done. Your “Out of Office” message is turned on in your email inbox. Your sales funnels are automated. Your VA knows what to do and how to do it… and yet, it still feels like there’s more to be done. The truth is that there always will be. But, at some point, we have to get comfortable with unplugging and embracing the journey. Because there’s more to life than our email inbox. I promise. Start here: create a MUST-get-done list and a SOMEDAY-get-done list. Check off the things that are most imperative for your business, and be gentle with yourself in getting the rest done. Be willing to ride the wave of the in-process journey and embrace that there will always be more to be done.
Left Behind Feeling. When I thought about the fact that I’ll be “pausing” in my business, I caught a serious case of FOMO! I thought, everyone else will be moving forward without me! Learning new programs! Launching new things! It pulled me out of my abundance mindset - and fast. Now more than ever, I have to be intentional about celebrating the wins of those arounds me, staying in my lane, and remembering that I’m on my own path to success. Being able to take time away from my business? That’s what success feels like to me. I have to remind myself to trust the journey and not get distracted by what I might be missing out on.
It’s Okay to Find a New Normal. Already, things have started to look and feel different in my business. Looking forward, I have faith that I will adjust to and love my “new normal” with two kids in tow! I’m releasing control, embracing the unknown, and having faith to believe that my “new normal” will be beautiful, too.
What about you? Have you ever experienced a major life transition that has caused you to look at life and business a little bit differently? If you want to start to life-proof your business so that you can show up consistently even when your busy, get started with the first step-- that's getting the most mileage out of your content by repurposing. Download my free PDF here to help you turn one original content piece into ten impactful pieces with ease.
