From my experience of supporting clients who are both a small business owner and a working parent, life often feels like a balancing act they didn’t sign up for—constantly juggling client emails, creative projects, and family responsibilities.
My clients come to me overwhelmed by a never-ending to-do list and the pressure to be everything to everyone. Trust me, you’re not alone if you’ve tried various productivity methods and still struggle to find one that sticks. If the constant pings of email distractions and the pressures of daily life (with or without kids) have you spinning your wheels, this post is for you.
Let’s explore real-world strategies for creating a productive system that works, setting healthy boundaries, and regaining control of your time.
Struggling with Systems That Stick
If you’ve tried different productivity systems—planners, time-blocking, apps—you might have found that none seem to work for long. This is a common frustration for small business owners who wear multiple hats. You have to be creative, responsive, and strategic, all while handling day-to-day operations.
Helping clients find a system that aligns with their work style and personality is my jam. What I’ve seen time and time again is that it’s okay to experiment, but it’s also important to build flexibility into your process. Remember, productivity isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Whether it’s time-blocking your creative work or setting aside chunks of time for admin tasks, choose tools and methods that allow for the unexpected, so you’re not derailed by every new priority.
Overcoming Email Overload
One of the biggest productivity killers is the constant barrage of emails. As a business owner or freelancer, you may feel the pressure to respond immediately to client requests, but this often comes at the expense of focusing on your most important tasks. Creative work, strategic thinking, and planning can easily get sidetracked by the endless notifications of a busy inbox.
To overcome email overload, try these strategies:
- Schedule Email Time: Instead of keeping your inbox open all day, schedule specific times to check and respond to emails. Maybe it’s once in the morning, once after lunch, and again before you finish work. This helps you stay focused on deep work in between.
- Use Filters and Folders: Set up filters that automatically sort your emails into folders based on urgency or importance. This way, you can address client requests promptly without being pulled into less critical conversations.
- Set Expectations with an Out-of-Office Reply: If you’re feeling pressure to be available 24/7, communicate your working hours through an out-of-office message. Something as simple as, “I’ll respond to emails within 24 hours,” can give you the breathing room to focus on your work without worrying about missing urgent messages.
By managing your email time and setting boundaries with clients, you can reduce distractions and free up mental energy for more important tasks.
Managing Boundaries and Setting Priorities
It’s not just about inbox overload—boundary-setting is a major challenge for many small business owners and working parents. You might feel pressure to take on everything—being responsive to clients, doing quality work, and making sure you don’t miss family time.
Boundaries are the key to managing your workload without burning out. As a client shared with me recently, the pressure to respond to client emails immediately detracts from the actual work you need to get done. This can be managed by setting clear boundaries around your availability with yourself and your clients. By communicating these boundaries up front, you give yourself permission to focus on the important tasks that will move your business forward.
Prioritise your daily tasks by asking yourself: “What’s the most important thing I need to get done today? What is taking me forward?” That single focus can help you tackle your biggest challenge first and give you a sense of accomplishment. Once you get into the habit of setting priorities, it becomes easier to manage the inevitable surprises and curveballs.
Building Confidence as a Working Parent
For many working parents, returning to the workforce after having children can bring new challenges. You may feel less confident in your ability to juggle work and family responsibilities, especially if you’re used to being highly productive. It’s common to feel like your capacity for work has changed, but you’re also growing in new ways.
To rebuild confidence, start by being 1% kinder to yourself each day. Recognise that you’re adjusting to new roles, and progress might look different from before. Focus on shifting your mindset—embrace the present moment and celebrate small wins. These small victories, whether at work or home, can help you regain your footing and feel more capable.
Productivity doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even on days when it feels like everything is coming at you at once, focusing on what you can accomplish, no matter how small, will make a difference.
Finding a Balance That Works
Achieving balance is often seen as an impossible goal, especially when you’re wearing so many hats. But balance doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly—it’s about blending your priorities and making space for what matters most. As a small business owner or working parent, it’s okay to admit that some days work will take priority, and on others, family or personal growth might come first.
I like Shonda Rhimes’ (television producer and screenwriter) honest answer from her Dartmouth 2014 Commencement speech to the question “Shonda, how do you do it all?”:
The answer is this: I don’t. Whenever you see me somewhere succeeding in one area of my life, that almost certainly means I am failing in another area of my life. If I am killing it on a Scandal script for work, I am probably missing baths and story time at home. If I am at home sewing my kids’ Halloween costumes, I’m probably blowing off a rewrite I was supposed to turn in. If I am accepting a prestigious award, I am missing my baby’s first swim lesson. If I’m at my daughter’s debut in her school musical, I am missing Sandra Oh’s last scene ever being filmed at Grey’s Anatomy.
To help you find what works for you, here are a few techniques:
– Integrate Work and Life: Rather than compartmentalising work and family, find ways to blend them. For example, schedule family time into your calendar just as you would client meetings, and carve out self-care moments during the day, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
– Delegate When Possible: Don’t hesitate to ask for help—whether it’s outsourcing tasks for your business or getting support at home. Delegating frees up time for you to focus on higher-impact activities.
– Embrace Flexibility: Be open to changing your routine when life throws unexpected things your way. Flexibility is your greatest ally in maintaining balance. Trust that things will get done, even if they don’t happen exactly as planned.
By allowing room for flexibility and focusing on what’s most important, you’ll create a balance that feels right for you.
Conclusion
As you navigate the complexities of running a small business or managing family life, it’s important to remember that balance is a journey, not a destination. Whether you’re working through email overload, setting better boundaries, or rebuilding your confidence as a working parent, small steps forward make a big difference.
If you’re ready to find balance, focus, and take your next step with confidence, florandorder can help. Book a free consultation today and start your journey toward a more organised, productive, and fulfilling life.
