7 Business Lessons From a Write at Home Parent

I can’t remember what it’s like to run a writing business without having to think about parenting. That’s probably because I launched the business AFTER I became a mom. But even before that I learned some lessons that still affect my business today.

Lesson #1: Becoming a parent blows a hole through whatever passed for a routine in your previous life.

When my daughter was born just over 11 years ago I was working as a journalism lecturer at a UK university. I took a year’s maternity leave (that’s how we roll in the UK) and then went back to work part-time. It was a constant period of adjustment where I learned how to manage my life while being a zombie (it took years for my daughter to have that sleep pattern that many kids get after 6 weeks).

My take? You have to be realistic. There’s just no way that you can accomplish everything you used to accomplish and still be a committed parent. I never wanted to build my business at the expense of my family but nor did I want to let it go down the pan while I was busy playing ring games in play group. You have to choose which activities in each category are most important to you and focus on those.

Lesson #2: It never hurts to double check

If you’re doing too much on too little sleep, then checking what you’re about to submit to the client isn’t just recommended; it’s essential. Hey, we can make mistakes when we’re supposedly in full possession of our faculties, so when we’re in zombie mode it’s time to check, double check and triple check. Doing that meant that clients got the standard of work they expected, every time.

Lesson #3: Support is key

Whether support comes from your child’s other parent, another family member or a very good friend, you need help. Luckily, my daughter has a committed dad, so there was no hard sell needed when he had to get up at night to check on her because I’d only just got to sleep after a very late night transatlantic meeting (I had quite a few of those when I was still in the UK).

Lesson #4: Lower your expectations — but not your standards

This is about working smarter. If you have less time to work because you have parenting duties then you either have to:

• take on the kind of job that you can continue to do well your daughter plays on the floor in the same room.

• aim for a big job knowing after some short term pain you can cut back after it is finished.

Lesson #4a: Change is inevitable

After the initial shock of becoming a parent, you have to be ready to adapt your schedule as your children grow and change. I’ve had several work patterns over the years. When my daughter was young, on days when she was at nursery, I’d start work around 8 and stop just after lunch, leaving the afternoons free for activities. On the days when she was at home, it was about keeping things ticking over with early morning and late night email checks. We kept afternoon naps going right up until she went to school, and that was prime work time for me.

These days, I generally run an 8 AM to 3 PM workday which is slightly shorter during the holidays and I make that up with additional email checking on my smart phone out of hours. So far none of my clients have complained.

Lesson #5: Plan ahead

I plan my deadlines with plenty of leeway so that there is room for the unexpected, because the unexpected always happens, whether it’s an illness, an injury or deeply worrying tale of lost friendship or lost items that has to be sorted out NOW!

Planning ahead also means I’m able to attend all school events without having to do too much juggling. If it means that once in a while I have to work late, so be it. I’m happy to do it.

Lesson #6: Schedule time with your kids

Children want their parents’ attention, especially before they hit the teenage years. So if you have a heavy work schedule, it’s a good idea to put in a slot for your kids. If I have a deadline and my daughter wants my attention, then I’ll either:

• resign myself to finishing later

• let her know I have a deadline and promise some time with her as soon as I’m done (and I always keep my promises)

• suggest an activity she can do in the same room so we’re spending time together

She understands that sometimes I also have to do homework even though I’d rather play.

Lesson #7: Get them involved

I don’t know about your kids, but my daughter loves to be helpful. She’s a creative type, too. That means she’s happy to sit with me and help me choose images for blog posts or listen to me read a paragraph aloud to see how it sounds. That allows me to finish my work and spend time with her. Sure, that won’t work if your kids are toddlers, but for entrepreneurial work at home types, it’s worth thinking about as they get older. I know others have done it too, getting their teenaged kids to help upload blog posts, manage social media and more.

The best bit of being a parentpreneur is that I’ve got the best of both worlds — a thriving writing business and more importantly, a thriving daughter and family. I wouldn’t trade that for anything!

This post is part of the Word Carnival. This month new dad Nick has inspired the topic Parentpreneurs: What Being a Parent Can Teach You About Business. Check out the rest of the posts at that link.