Being a new parent can be challenging, but it doesn’t mean that you have to give up your life goals. If you’ve been planning on starting a business, but you’re worried about how much time you’re going to have, there are ways to juggle parenthood and entrepreneurship — you just need to be creative. Here are a few tips for starting a business and taking care of a new baby at the same time.
Develop a routine
Before you plan your schedule, take some time to get used to having a baby around. This way, you’ll know what challenges you might have with time management. Developing a routine will help you have the time to take care of your baby as well as get your tasks for the day done. Keeping a consistent routine is also good for your baby because they will learn what to expect.
Try to do the same activities in the same order every day. This will also help your baby understand the difference between night and day. Good Housekeeping recommends working when your baby is calmest. Take advantage of nap times, or right after your baby has woken up.
Choose a business structure
Selecting a business entity not only makes your business official, but doing so can also allow you to benefit from tax advantages. If you register as an LLC, you’ll only pay taxes once and won’t have to pay business and personal taxes separately. The profits you earn are taxed as income. LLCs require less paperwork than C and S corporations, so you’ll be saving time that you desperately need to take care of your baby. Having your own LLC also means that you’re not personally responsible for the company’s debt or liabilities. In other words, your credit won’t be affected if your business takes out a loan. Before you take any major steps, make sure you’ve checked your state regulations.
Combine your office and nursery
If you really want to juggle taking care of your baby and starting a new business, what better way is there to do it than making a shared space for both? This way, you won’t have to rush into the other room to check on your baby as he or she will only be a few feet away. And with a hands-free nursing bra, you’ll be able to handle caring for your baby and running your business.
Combining your office and nursery will also save you space in your home. Mother Magazine recommends finding items that have multiple purposes. For example, you might choose a dresser that can act as a changing table as well as store your baby’s clothing and your office supplies and paperwork. Get stackable storage bins to keep things in and label them, so you know what is where. Keep in mind that by creating a multifunctional room, you may raise the value of your home, so be sure to document any upgrades you make.
Take advantage of technology
Taking care of a new baby can be hectic. You have to keep track of when you last fed your baby or changed their diaper. Just getting them to fall asleep can make you feel like giving up. But there are several apps that will help you with your new baby. Firstly, there are apps that are specifically made to help you put your baby to sleep. These apps offer ambient sounds or recordings of your own voice. Some apps will walk you through the process as a new parent.
There are several other helpful apps, like baby tracking apps. With a baby tracking app, you log when your baby slept or ate or had their diaper changed, so you never forget. There are also apps that will give you daily parenting advice and help you keep track of your baby’s milestones.
While you’re at it, you might as well download a few apps that will help you get your business on its feet. Consider Square, a payment app for small businesses, or Wunderlist, a simple and effective to-do list app that you can share with your team.
If you put your mind to it, having a new baby might actually make the business-forming process easier because you’re forced to stick to a daily routine. Just remember to take some time for yourself, so you aren’t exhausted, and you’ll soon find that you’re fulfilling your life’s dreams.
By: Leslie Campos hopes to provide relief and tips for other busy parents through her site Wellparents.com. Parents can find a variety of information from stress-busters to exercise ideas to healthy eating tips.