My mindset around this business, and how my work week looks, has had to shift a lot this year. Although I knew we were wanting to try for our next baby, I really did forget how intense growing a human is. I was wanting to double last year's earnings and that's definitely not the path I'm on now. It's been tricky trying to convince myself I'm not a "failure" and that I haven't lost ground.
But I've come around and as long as I'm not losing money, I'm winning in business at the moment. It's probably not the wisest business mindset, but not everything needs to be about making the next six figures or getting there fast. Sometimes it's about learning to enjoy the journey more than the outcome. For as long as I can remember, I've always set business goals, or life goals for that matter, achieved them, then set the next goalpost without ever sitting back to appreciate the work and sacrifice it took to get there. A big thing I've taken away from having had this business for so many years now is that, just like in life, seasons for it will come and go.
Post my son's birth, I was pushing hard to make as much money as I could, and this year, as the "wake windows" have lengthened and I've been pregnant, it's been more about what I have capacity for and a lot more enjoyment.
I have set commitments in place that keep me somewhat consistent, but outside of those (being custom drops and bespoke work) I don't really have good systems in place yet. Maybe one day, but the current motherhood season very much keeps me heavy on the word "flexible." As a mum, you'll know how temporary and fluid everything has to be. Try to force too much control and everyone just ends up in a bad mood.
If bedtime goes smoothly I aim to get a chunk of work done each night. I definitely work better in the evenings regardless, always have, so that's a bonus. Since hitting the third trimester, though, I have definitely had a drop in energy levels, so I'm trying to prioritise more sleep where I can. The type of work I do varies, but a large component is always social media content, or just content in general.
The tasks I'm typically working on to keep everything turning over are bespoke work, customs, social media, content, email marketing, accounts, and new product development (the Twenty One Years of You book). Nothing's fixed, I just prioritise what deadline comes first. I could probably do with more forward planning and less reactivity, but again, it's been working, and as I've mentioned, I've really shifted my mindset this year (I do however rely heavily on my calendar). This business is more than just making money for me, especially while in early motherhood. It's an outlet for me, a cup filler, something that, if I keep consistently going, will be ready and waiting once I have more capacity to pour into it. Right now I just enjoy creating what I'm creating and feel myself continually developing at what I do. Taking moments to look at what I've created and how much my skills have grown has felt like a win in itself.
My son has recently dropped his day nap, so that's initiated a shift in the way I'm working too. I no longer get that chunk in the middle of the day. On the flip side of that though, he's now at an age where it's much easier for him to come along to the print shop, and I think it's pretty cool that he gets to see me do what I love to do.
Sundays are my one somewhat consistent block dedicated to Simple Prints. Michael and our son head out together, which they both love, and I get to work without any distraction or worry that he'll need something. It's really nice and I think it fills all of our cups. Although sometimes I find I put a lot of pressure on those days to be as productive as possible.
Running a business in itself is just a lot, so I'm saying this to myself as much as I am to you, if you've made it this far. Running a business in motherhood, even giving yourself space to follow your creative desires, is massive. Let's acknowledge how much effort it actually takes to carve out time for ourselves whilst mothering, even if it's in the smallest pockets of time! That's adaptation at its best!