“The key to juggling is to know that some of the balls you have in the air are made of plastic and some are made of glass.” – Nora Roberts

Want to know the art of balancing work and motherhood? Become a better juggler and figure out what’s essential. 

You will drop the ball at some point in time. It’s impossible to keep them all up in the air simultaneously, no matter how hard we might try. The difference is in recognizing the plastic from the glass. Knowing which balls should stay in the air and which ones are okay to drop every now and then. 

Running a business is really no different from running a family when you truly stop to think about it. It’s ingrained in us early on, in either role, how to juggle a lot of things while wearing a lot of different hats.

When you’re the boss of a corporation, either small or large, you are in charge of essentially EVERYTHING. Sure, part of building a team means delegating various tasks to other members of the team, but at the end of the day, you’re the one signing your name on that dotted line. You’re the one responsible for the ultimate success or failure of that business. And you’re the one that all eyes are on: The person people look to to make decisions, set new goals, and ultimately lead the company to success.

Welcome to motherhood, fellow boss babes. Because that’s exactly the same job description that comes with bringing tiny humans into the world and preparing them for the great unknown. The only difference here is a paycheck (or lack thereof).

These sweet little babes become our team members. Some days, the entire team will function on the same page, and other days, you’ll be separating employees off to their separate offices and taking some much-needed time apart to work independently. 

You’re the one they’ll come to when something is wrong, but you’re also the one they’ll come to when they do something so amazingly right. You’re responsible for training, teaching, and disciplining when the need arises.

Top Lessons Learned in Business + Motherhood

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. In order to succeed when it comes to business, you need to give your brand the same hustle and attention you would your kiddos. And quite frankly, when you’re the CEO of your business AND your household, there are a lot of the same principles that can be applied to both. Here are 3 ways that being a boss has made me a better mom

Learn to Accept Failure

Being a boss and a mom sometimes leaves me feeling tired as a mother. Yep, it may not be the fanciest motto, but 2021 for me is all about embracing my truth, and sometimes, this mama just wants to put her feet up and RELAX! 

But as much as I say that I’d like a few hours of downtime (and while self-care is definitely super important, don’t get me wrong!), it’s just not in my nature to sit quietly with nothing to do. I thrive on constant energy. I thrive on building, and fostering, and growing not only my family, but my businesses. And I think that drive, which was drilled into me from a young age by two amazing parents, is what has given me the chance to succeed in my life.

That doesn’t mean I’ve succeeded in everything I’ve done. Heavens, not even close! I’ve failed more times than I can count. But I’ve never let a failure hold me back from trying again—from making my next move. And I think that’s the true characteristic of grit. That’s what separates the dreamers from the doers in this magical in between where we are allowed to be both dreamer and doer and watch those dreams come to life.

It’s easy to feel defeated when a project doesn’t produce the desired outcomes. It’s also easy to get defeated when you feel like you’ve let your kids down or when you have a particularly trying day. As a business owner, AND as a mom, I fail all the time. And I used to let it define me. 

But I promise you: In any of your failures, you are not alone. Learning to view failures as opportunities for growth and a chance to try again is the biggest form of grace. And when your kids can watch you dust yourself off after a fall and get back on that horse. they will respect and remember those moments and learn to do the same when they fall down as well. 

Put Your Heart Into It

I have this general rule in anything business-related that I touch that I will do it with heart. Meaning, if it’s something I believe in (and I wouldn’t invest my time, energy, money, or mental space into something I didn’t believe in), then I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. I’m going to care, and I will make sure that the amount of love and attention I’ve given a project pours out of it in every possible way.

The same idea can go for our kids and our family. If they don’t know how much I care about them, then what does that say about me? My desire to make a difference in the world should start at home. The attention I give to my clients and my work team shouldn’t be reserved for them and only them. I should be empowering, uplifting, teaching, supporting, and encouraging every single member of my family, first and foremost.

This doesn’t mean that I can’t prioritize life outside my home or away from my kids. But it does mean that I’ve made them my top priority, and that they know it. It means that I will make time for whatever it is that’s important to them. Not distracted time, and not multitasking time where I’m on a work call while also watching Ruby dance and helping Matix with homework. It also means that I will give them my undivided attention and really focus on our time together. Being more present, in any relationship, whether it’s work or personal, will help solidify those bonds and will help foster growth and trust and will also aide in boosting self-confidence. 

It’s also one of the best perks of being a mom.

Stay in Your Own Lane (Stop Comparing Yourself to Others)

“Heidi, stay in your own lane!” I can practically hear my dad speaking those very words. It gets so easy in life to let our heads slowly turn to the side to see what someone else is doing. But what happens when we do this is that we get so fixated on what’s happening in someone else’s life—how they’re performing, the successes they’re earning, the lifestyle they’re portraying on the ‘gram—that we start to sway. Our vehicle starts to cross that divider, and we start to swerve into their lane.

I’m not going to pretend like it’s easy to not compare ourselves to others. Social media gives us a daily highlight reel into perfect, multi-million dollar businesses, clean homes, perfect families, and the list goes on. But guys, that highlight reel doesn’t exist. And if we devote all our time to what everyone else is doing, we will miss a huge opportunity to focus on doing the things that bring US joy and to create our OWN highlight reel of moments that make us proud.

Stop focusing on other businesses in your arena. Focus on the impact that you’re making. And then take that same practice into your home. Stop comparing yourself to other mothers. Stop comparing the way you look, talk, dress, cook, clean, and the way you parent. There is not one person out there that has the same exact uniqueness that you have. So own what you do, keep your eyes straight ahead, and stay in your own lane. 

Building a business and raising kids are not for the faint of heart. But they are two of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had, and I wear my titles of Boss and Mom proudly. What are your best tips for balancing work and life? How do you apply your pillars for success to all the things you do in both arenas? I’d love to know, so comment below!

xo,

Related reading:

How to Become a Boss Babe, Rule One: Turn Your Passion into a Career
How to Become a Boss Babe, Rule Two: Do It with Heart
How to Become a Boss Babe, Rule Three: Stop Comparing Yourself
How to Become a Boss Babe Rule Four: Be Unapologetically You
How to Become a Boss Babe Rule Five: Embrace Failure