By Valerie Conway
According to Harvard Business Review, ‘loneliness and weak social connections are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking 15 cigarettes a day’! Now that is scary!
As humans we are social creatures and depend upon each other to survive, but taking the journey into self employment coupled with motherhood can leave us with a recipe for mental health distress.
Being the boss in business and family is a huge undertaking but it is doable and also incredibly rewarding and if you take care of yourself properly, then the benefits will totally out weigh the hard work.
Making yourself a priority can be very difficult as a woman and as a mum but is crucial if you are going to not only survive, but thrive in your business and life. I’ve compiled 5 tips that have helped me enormously. And I’m sharing them in the hopes that you will implement and find benefits from them too.
1) Online Groups & Communities
Since you are reading this online, I figured what better way to start. Even though you can be miles away from the other people in the groups/communities, it can actually be easier to open up and share your struggles from the safety of your phone/laptop than to those close to you or face to face.
Just knowing you are not the only one is such reassurance in itself. There are online groups for absolutely everything now, so join in and get involved.
2) Networking/Conferences
These are fantastic ways to meet people in person and build relationships with. A quick google or Eventbrite search will let you know what’s happening in your area, and making time to attend what is of interest to you will be so rewarding.
My recommendation is to always approach these events open minded and interested in other people. As I wrote about in a previous blog The Fear of Business Networking, if you go in trying to just makes sales you will leave very disappointed. It’s all about building relationships first!
3) Time Blocking
I spoke about this before and will dedicate a blog to it in the near future. This is such a great way to designate your tasks to specific times so when you are spending time with family, you are actually focused on them and not thinking about what has to be done. You can relax fully and enjoy the present moment knowing it is all scheduled and planned out.
It is such an easy and applicable tool to use! You can also grab my FREE time blocking printable when you subscribe to my weekly newsletter to get you started! 😊
4) Using Hobbies to Connect
No matter what your interests, you’ll always find someone who shares them with you. Sometimes it just takes a little digging, but don’t give up.
I blend one of my hobbies with motherhood as I’m part of a baby/child friendly crochet group that meets once a week. Not only is my sanity kept in place by being around other mums and sharing a wonderful skill, but my child enjoys the social aspect too and looks forward to it every week.
Psychologists have found that the more people feel connected to a group, the more satisfied they are with their lives and the stronger their sense of purpose and security.
5) Ask for Help
This can be a toughie as we have become such independent women, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get! Reach out, let people know you need help be it in business or motherhood.
There is no shame in it. In fact, people love to help. It makes them feel important and needed. So by not asking for help, you’re denying them the opportunity to feel good. Bet you hadn’t thought about it that way 😉
These are just a few ways that I personally have found made a huge difference in my life being both a mother and an entrepreneur.
I know how hard it is to put yourself out there, and sometimes it takes a while before you find your groove or your people, but please don’t give up.
Keep going, keep putting yourself out there because when in the right environment, you will create the life you truly want to live.
Until next week…
Moms Mean Business 