As a mother and a businesswoman, we just want to say it now; you rock. Not only are you doing the hardest job any woman could, but you’re also building an enterprise. Most of us struggle to do one, but you’re juggling both like a pro. If anyone has ever deserved a pat on the back, it’s you.
While we’re fully aware that juggling business and baby are never easy, they are usually possible if you’re willing to push yourself when working from home. The chance to stop and start as baby needs you is invaluable. What’s more, your home office doesn’t have a cut-off point. You can keep working until the early hours of the morning, and no one’s there to tell you otherwise.
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But, as your business starts to grow, you may find that it’s harder to juggle motherhood and work. And, no; that’s not just because your to-do list will get longer. More, you’ll find that you can no longer keep things afloat at home alone. As orders pile in and profits soar, you’ll have to employ others, and take your business to a commercial space. And, when that happens, keeping on top of your two responsibilities could get harder. At least, it will unless you consider the following things during your office hunt.
Look for proximity to playschool
Even if your baby isn’t in playschool yet, it’s worth your while to rent office space within walking distance of decent options. While you’re at it, take a look at any schools in the area. This may seem a little far in the future, but the last thing you want to do is establish your company here and then move. Relocation is best avoided at all costs. So, you need to make sure that your office space suits your needs as a mother above all. And, that means being close by your children in case anything should happen. Pick an office in the right spot, and even a sick call at nursery won’t take too large a chunk from your day. As well as being reassuring for your kids, this is one of the best chances you have to manage both your business and motherhood responsibilities. And, that can ensure both aspects of your life keep ticking along nicely. Oh, and the other mothers on your team are sure to appreciate this, too.
Consider whether you could have children onsite
Any mother will tell you that taking the kids to work for the day is NOT the recipe for productivity. But, there may come times when you have no choice. If they’re sick or off playschool for whatever reason, you at least need the option of taking them in with you. Sadly, not all offices out there allow for this option. A unit in a large business block, for instance, is unlikely suitable for screaming babies at any time of day. The other businesses around certainly wouldn’t appreciate your child zipping up and down in the elevator. As such, it’s worth looking out for offices which stand alone from other units. If you can’t find anything suitable, at least look for a first-floor unit which will save those cries ringing out across the floors above and below you. As well as making your life easier, any mothers on your staff are sure to appreciate this effort. If there are a lot of you on board, you could even consider setting up a day-care room for these situations. But, that just won’t be an option if you don’t consider this beforehand.
Image: Kurt_Niemans
Ensure you can work remotely if you need to
If you can’t or simply don’t want to take your kids onsite, you could always put remote plans in place. These will ensure you can stay productive if you’re at home with them. Old filing methods mean you have to be in the office to stand any chance of getting things done. But, by taking your storage to a Cloud computing system, you stand to get tasks done no matter where you are. This could be a real lifesaver for those sick days we spoke about. Not only will your kids get to stay in their own beds during illness, but you won’t have to worry about concentrating with them next to you. Instead, you can sit downstairs in silence, and get on with the work which needs doing. All you’d need is a computer and an internet connection. That’s magic mothers like you could put to good use.