Balance is important. We all know this is true. We also know that parents and entrepreneurs can easily live in a constant state of burnout, and when you're doing both at the same time, leading a balanced lifestyle can feel impossible. I've spent the last 10 years in varying states of balance and burnout, and I finally feel like I've landed on a schedule that truly brings me work/family/personal life balance, and I'm excited to share it with you, along with some free resources to help you block out a schedule that works for you.
My Schedule
Here's a typical day in my life:
7:15 Wake up, Breakfast, Get kids ready for school, Start a load of laundry
8:15 Take kids to school, Morning errands
9:15 Exercise (Yoga class, home strength training, or a treadmill walk)
10:30 Snack
11:00 Move laundry to dryer, declutter and wipe down kitchen
11:30 Shower
12:00 Rest/Read/TV/Computer time, Lunch
1:00 Work on KMB Prints, Cabooties, or this site
4:00 Pick up kids, Run errands
6:00 Dinner, Family Time
It's worth noting that on top of parenting and running 3 online businesses, I also live with a chronic illness, so I have to prioritize time for fitness, food, and rest more than most people. The beauty of these tools, is that they'll enable to you to identify your own priorities and make time for what matters most to you!
Your Schedule
Want to create a daily schedule of your own? A schedule that will allow you to take care of your family, yourself, and your income? I've got just the thing! I use two tools to create and refine my daily schedule - a goal wheel, and a blank block schedule. I suggest filling out the goal wheel first. Set a measurable goal in each area, like "read one book a month", "spend 5 minutes per day writing in a gratitude journal", "go out with a friend once per week". Pay special attention to the areas where you're currently allocating a lot of your time, and the areas that are falling through the cracks.
With that in mind, fill out your block schedule. Start with the fixed time commitments (like taking your kids to school) and then start filling in the blanks with your daily and weekly priorities.
To get started, grab these free resources now:
Now that you've got the tools you need, get started building out your own block schedule! I hope you enjoy all the balance these scheduling tools will bring you as a parent and online entrepreneur.
This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no cost to you.