Single Mum: It’s Time to Start a Biz

The kids have been back in school a couple of weeks now.

Lucky me: I have a co-parent who shares the heavy lifting on a Monday, but the rest of the week I am back into the crazy busy schedule of getting the little nose pickers out to school.

It was hard enough when I had a partner.

In some ways, it’s harder on my own.

But, conversely, I have found an advantage to being busy. It forces me to be more organised, focused and productive.

If you are a working parent and don’t want to be overwhelmed, you need systems in place to get through the day. And perhaps a smattering of outsourcing, if you really need to relieve the pressure in some areas.

Remember days before kids, and all those responsibilities you have now? When your time was your own. How much did you get done?

Tell me I am wrong, but I bet it was the bare minimum. Can you honestly tell me you achieved more with your time than you do now?

I balk at how much time I frivolously frittered away. Even now when the kids are at Dad’s I kinda lose my focus as the day is almost too long to fill.

The structure of kids and having to get things done helps me in pursuing my work goals.

It seems counter-intuitive, but if you want something done - get a busy person to do it.

I get way more done when there are events in my days that are ‘have-tos’. Get up, write, get kids up, feed them, take them to school, go to my part time job, pick up kids, feed them, get them to bed, work, sleep.

There is also a flip side - when I am occupied by something structured I don’t waste time wondering what I should be doing because I am carried along by the flow and rhythm of the day, which means I complete tasks without faffing about.

Parenting and running a business demand similar strengths: strong personal values, a set of guiding principles, and goals to keep you focused.

And the stamina to be in it for the long haul.

A friend used to run a busy pub and restaurant said to me once that it paid to hire busy mums.

You could get a young lad fresh of the turnip truck with no other responsibilities, but the reliability that is baked into a hard working woman who is juggling kids with work is just hard to beat in terms of focus and time management skills.

Not to say you shouldn’t hire a youngling- in fact you should. A blend of different skills and experience is probably optimal.

But my point is - single mum use your super powers of time management, focus and no-bullshit attitude to start your own business today.

And if you need a copywriter who understands your needs and will maximize your budget and time, look no further.

rachel@rachelhuntercopywriting.co.uk