If you’re a working mom and also an entrepreneur you’re the CEO of your business and you’re also the CEO of your household.
You’re the one mapping out marketing plans, sending invoices, developing offers, all while making sure there’s milk in the fridge, the field trip form gets signed, and someone’s laundry makes it out of the basket.
And often, no one claps for this kind of work.
No one sees how much of it is invisible.
But I do and so do the mother’s who do the same.
I live it too. It’s a challenge
🌿 The hidden weight of dual roles
When people think of “working from home or working for themselves” they often picture flexibility and ease (And yes, there are beautiful parts to this life.) They think it’s easy and that it’s ideal and there is a lot less hardship. Kind of how many people view maternity leave.
But they don’t see how:
- You switch from writing a proposal to hunting for lost shoes.
- You juggle client calls with a mental grocery list running in the back of your mind.
- You carry the family’s schedule, plus the financial projections for your business.
- You still juggle daycare schedules or nanny/mother’s helper schedules with your work.
At the end of the day sometimes you still feel like you didn’t do enough.
Because you’re holding two full-time loads, simultaneously. Yes, this may only be for a time but many times as a solopreneur or an entrepreneur starting out, you aren’t able to delegate tasks out as much as you would like!
💛 Why systems matter so much as an entrepreneur
If you were only running your business or working for someone else, you’d probably have processes:
standard operating procedures, automations, clear project timelines, and tasks delegated to you and others would have their own responsibilities that help create more balance.
If you were only running your home, you’d have rhythms or systems as well:
school routines, chore charts, grocery days.
Both of these alone can be overwhelming at times during stressful seasons but combining both? That’s where most of us get stuck trying to hold all of it in our heads.
This is why systems aren’t just a productivity hack.
They’re a kindness to yourself.
They make the invisible work lighter.
They are habits that help lighten the load and pull in others where you can!
✨ Systems that lighten both loads
I could write for hours here because there are so many variations to how you can lighten your own personal load as an entrepreneur as everyone’s journey or story is unique. Here are a few small but powerful ways to use systems that honor your role as a parent and an entrepreneur that help you feel calmer, clearer, and more in control.
📝 1. Weekly planning for both sides of your life
Don’t keep a separate planner for home and business — your brain doesn’t separate them, so why should your system?
Every Sunday, look at:
✅ School events, practices, early dismissals.
✅ Client deadlines, content plans, networking calls.
Map it all together. Think about when you operate at your best and what you need focused time for and block off your most focused work for when you both operate at your best for focus and when you have support. See where you need to soften expectations. Maybe you’d love to do two more hours of work in the afternoon but you don’t have help with the kids so you need to change that to a different time.
⏳ 2. Batch your work and your home tasks
It’s not just about batching emails or social media.
Try batching errands on one afternoon. Batch laundry into two dedicated days instead of “whenever the hamper overflows.”
This stops constant task switching and preserves your mental energy.
Batch work tasks as well.
Email can be checked two or three times a day at set times so you can focus on your priority tasks that will move the needle.
📅 3. Automate what doesn’t need your brain
- Use grocery delivery or click-list.
- Set up auto-pay for recurring bills.
- Use scheduling tools for discovery calls or client sessions.
Free up your bandwidth for decisions that actually need you. The mental load is easily bogged down by small tasks that you bounce back and forth between. If you know that nap time gives you one hour, it’s probably not the best time to focus on returning emails if you need to work on a client presentation. Even though your mind may tell you that emails need to get done and it feels good to be productive and check things off your list.
Being an entrepreneur is all about learning that you make the big and small decisions when you start out.
💛 4. Share the load (even if it’s hard at first)
It can feel easier to do everything yourself. But long term, it’s a fast track to burnout.
- Delegate tasks at home.
- Use technology to your advantage. Instacart, ChatGPT, Notion, Trello, etc.
- Bring on a VA or even a part-time bookkeeper for your business.
You’re still the heart and soul of the business but you don’t have to be every single moving part. Does a virtual assistant sound expensive, yes. Could you afford $10 an hour for a virtual assistant. Yes, there is a good chance you can.
🌱 Bottom line: you don’t have to hold it all in your head
Being a mom and an entrepreneur means you’re carrying two sets of invisible labor.
The to-dos, the worries, the “mental tabs open” at 2 am.
Systems aren’t about rigid structure. I think that’s one of the hardest things to grasp, it feels overwhelming to think about. I don’t have time to set this up, I have so much to do. That’s the key though. Systems are about creating room to breathe.
So you can enjoy your work, your family, and your life more fully.
💛 Want more calm?
I specialize in helping working moms build systems that honor both sides of who they are.
Whether you are a solo entrepreneur or run a small business with a team, I’ve got you.
You don’t have to go it alone. There are many experts like me who specialize in auditing, coaching and helping you create systems to help you improve your business and execute your day-to-day in a more efficient and effective way. To get you where you want to be in growing your business so you can live your dream life.
Follow along here on the blog and on social media or send me a message if you are interested in talking more. 💛
Leave us your thoughts in the comments!