Definition of Insanity by Albert Einstein:

“Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results.”

Have you ever been guilty of doing the same things over and over and then come to the realisation that nothing in your life or business has changed?

For change to take place we need to understand our habits and behaviours and how they are holding us back.

Our habits are so ingrained in our lives that we do most of them without even thinking.  

Once you’ve done your habits assessment it’s time to look at what needs to change to make change happen.

1. Look at the stories that we tell ourselves.

2. Watch out for the triggers that kick start the old habits.

3. Make Success easy.  Look out for ways that you may be self sabotaging your success.

4. Set your goals

5. Create a reward system

6. Timing.  Make sure the time you are changing habits is suitable.  e.g. giving up alcohol at Christmas could be tricky!

7. Find yourself an accountability partner

8. Work on your discipline.

Watch the video for more on the above points and for a 7 step plan to change your habits to ensure the old ones are not holding you back.  It’s time to be the business owner and person that you WANT to be.

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We all get stuck sometimes and that’s ok.  As business owners and mums we often have a lot going and get bogged down in tasks that are not helping our business thrive.

The trick is to know how to overcome feeling stuck.

Firstly, it’s good to work out why you are stuck.  Is it fear or limiting beliefs that are holding you back?

Is it purely lack of time or perhaps lack of clarity about where you are going with your business.

In this case, it’s a good idea to take a step back and reset your goals.  What do you want to achieve, who are you serving and what problems do you solve for your audience?

The 8 steps covered in the video to get untuck are:

• Take action
• Go back to your why
• Change it up
• Prioritise
• Minimise distractions
• Network
• Big goals, small action
• Take it slow / meditate

Watch the training to delve a bit deeper into those points.

If you are a mum in business and you need help with to make your business thrive then grab my free checklist below and start with Reclaiming Your Time.  Plus get hot tips on how to be an action taker.

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Have you ever felt like you were completely out of your depth?  Like everyone in the room has their sh*t together except you?  Perhaps you feel like a fraud?  Or like you don’t deserve your success?

This is very common and is known as Imposter Syndrome.  But could imposter syndrome be affecting your productivity?

The short answer is yes.  These feelings tend to make people freeze and therefore stop making progress.  If this happens to you, you are not alone; it plagues many successful people.

For business mums, productivity is absolutely key to achieving our goals.  Our time is already stretched in many ways, that when the opportunity arises to work, it’s important to grab it with both hands and smash that to do list!  Letting imposter syndrome get in the way will stifle your productivity and therefore limit your success.

1. Do it anyway!

It’s likely that almost all successful people experience imposter syndrome, the difference is how successful people respond.

2. don’t freeze

Try sitting with the feeling.  Acknowledge that it feels like you may be out of your depth but keep going.

3. Turn it into a learning experience. 

Many people think that asking for advice is a sign of weakness or that by asking for help you are validating the imposter feelings.  In fact, it is the opposite.  By accepting the feelings you acknowledge that it is time to learn something new and therefore develop as a person.

4. Catch your inner thoughts

Spot how you talk to yourself when self doubt creeps in and turn those thoughts into positives.  Remember positive feedback you have been given in the past. 

5. No need to conquer

Just be aware that imposter syndrome is there as it is for many people.  Don’t feel like you need to conquer it but simply move through it and don’t let it control your actions.

This message was highlighted in a Ted X talk given by Mike Cannon-Brookes.  I highly recommend taking a listen.  You can watch his talk here.

I hope this helps a little bit when it comes to those feelings of imposter syndrome.  It certainly helped me to understand that these are feelings that most people experience.

I also hope this post cements the idea that we should all acknowledge the thoughts we have and carry on regardless!  Face the fear yet still create magic.

Working from home with kids around can quickly turn into a shit show.  Sometimes, it just can’t be helped. Kids have a lot going on and they are not always going to fit in with our agenda.

However, it is possible to make it work for the majority of the time.  Some simple planning and organisation can help to make the days flow slightly easier.  It’s good to understand the difference between how you manage your time and how you manage the kids.  Therefore, this post has been split into those two categories.

Read on to find out how to actually get some work done with young kids at home.

• Organising Time

Sacred Time

It may be useful to listen to Julie Stoian from Create Your Laptop Life.  Her podcast by the same name includes episode #32 Sacred Time and the 100/50/20 System.  If you feel hopeless about the amount of time you have compared to the long list of jobs that need doing, then this system could just about save your life!  Find the podcast here

Batch Your Work

I’m sure you’ve heard of batching but in case you are not yet putting it into practice, this is a little reminder.  This is a very efficient way to work. It means that similar tasks are grouped together and completed in one session.  For example, content production or accounts. Doing certain tasks on the same day once a week or once a month is a very efficient way to work.

Be Flexible

Life with kids is often unpredictable and messy.  It’s a good idea to remain flexible with your work arrangements and with your expectations.  Sometimes, it may be necessary to work at night and at others the work may not get done at all.  Kids get sick or sometimes just will not cooperate. If you are working from home for someone else, keep communication lines open with your colleagues and boss and ensure they understand that flexibility is required.

• Organising Kids

Create a Fun Box

Kids always seem to know when you need some quiet to focus.  A good way to keep them occupied while concentrating on work is to have a fun box setup.  The box can contain items such as:

• Play doh
• Cars
• Coloring in and activity sheets
• Stickers
• Blocks
• Picture or lift the flap books

Use technology at important times

Occasionally technology is a winner.  Whether it’s the laptop or TV, if you have an important conference call or client session, you are going to need some quiet.  Do not feel guilty about the occasional use of technology, just do whatever works.

Ask for help

Whether it’s paid help, a family member or your partner, sometimes we need help and we shouldn’t be afraid to ask for it.  If your kids are watched either in your own home or at a daycare centre for just 2 mornings a week, that is time you can use productively on your business without distractions.

Use Naptime

The great thing about little kids if they nap (if you’re lucky).  As long as you are getting enough sleep at night, you can use this nap time for work.  Yay! Naptime is the best quiet time. Just be careful about getting stuck into something for work, only to have your flow interrupted by a child waking up!!

Quality Time

Try giving your kid(s) some quality time first thing in the morning to do an activity that you are 100% focused on.  It’s amazing how happy kids can be to play on their own with something after having some quality 1 on 1 time with a parent.  

Take it easy on yourself.  Kids are demanding and work can be too.  Remember it’s not always going to work perfectly but there’s always tomorrow.  I hope this article has helped a little way with working from home with kids.  Let me know if you have any strategies that work well.