By Amber Ramsey
In life, we have many major milestones to navigate. Two of these are starting a family and, for many of the more ambitious types, starting a business. When these two events happen at the same time, you face either a recipe for disaster or success. When the latter is your preference, you have to prepare. Here are some tips on how:
Keep yourself healthy.
Regardless of where you are in life, exercise is important. And, if you’re pregnant, keeping your body fit is not optional. Exercise during pregnancy is great for your heart and circulatory system and can lower your blood pressure. Further, exercise is known to reduce stress and is an excellent way to prepare your body for the strain of childbirth.
Clear your calendar.
Having a baby means that you’re going to give up most of your free time during the early days and weeks. This means it might be best to clear your calendar and start on your business once you’ve acclimated to parenthood. According to the University of Michigan Health, during the first weeks after childbirth, you should allow people to help you and sleep when your baby sleeps.
Register your business.
Once you are ready to get up and running, you’ll want to take the time to register your business. Even if you plan to start as an LLC, you can also create a DBA so that you’ll have the freedom to expand without establishing a new structure later on. Further, a DBA makes it easier to find a website and segue into a new brand later.
Invest in invoicing software
Getting paid on time is critical to running a profitable business. Cloud-based invoicing software enables you to send electronic invoices, and you’ll be alerted the moment customers view and pay invoices. You can also automate the invoicing process by scheduling recurring invoices.
Ease into your new life.
Now that you are rested and have your business set up, you face new challenges. Try to avoid the temptation to do everything all at once. This is difficult, especially given your excitement as a new parent and entrepreneur, but, as the old proverb says, “slow and steady wins the race.”
Embrace pandemic-era changes.
Nobody really likes the pandemic. But, as far as business goes, it’s actually had lots of positive changes, particularly for parents. Many companies have learned how to embrace a supportive culture where employees work remotely so that they can handle their personal business on the time clock. Executive search consultants Horton International notes that even major corporations have switched to a largely remote staff, and, surprisingly, babies showing up during Zoom meetings haven’t affected productivity for the worse.
Get help.
You already know that you should have help with your little one. But, you can also reach out for assistance with your new company. Don’t be shy about asking friends and family for help or hiring a virtual assistant to keep you on track on the days your little one refuses to let you out of their sight.
Look for free or budget-friendly tools like cloud based access control as well. For example, if you want to design a custom infographic for your website, try a free infographic maker. This tool has a variety of templates you can tailor with your own copy, shapes, colors, and logo.
Create routines, but expect them to be broken.
While the Happiest Baby blog acknowledges that rigid schedules don’t work with infants, the truth is that routines can be a lifesaver for your family. As you ease into parenthood, pay attention to your baby’s natural patterns. How long do they sleep? What time do they tend to wake in the morning? How long does it take them to eat? You can loosely plan your professional endeavors around your baby’s rhythm. The keyword here is “loosely,” since you should be fully prepared for some days to be wildly off track.
Design the perfect home office.
Finally, put some thought into your home office. You will need your standard work equipment but also a safe space for your baby. For now, you can work while they rest, but the older they get, the more likely they are to want to be awake and near you, even while you plug away on the keyboard.
Having a baby is huge. Starting a business is similarly life-altering. Both of these together can give you a whole new world of opportunity that you never imagined. But, just like heading out for a major road trip, you have to be prepared. The above are a few tips to get you through some of the greatest challenges you’ll face as an entrepreneur/parent.
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