Work? I don't even have time to sleep!
Well! What a whirlwind 3 months it's been welcoming baby Otis to the family and adjusting to life with three children. It has been wonderfully chaotic and has reminded me just how hard it is to work when you you're exhausted, overwhelmed and quite literally, cba to get your laptop out.
I've always been keen to get back to work relatively quickly after having my children but there is something about Otis being my third and (sob) final baby that is making me want to curl up at home and breathe him in every second of every day instead of working to move my business forwards...
So I am!
BUT that doesn't mean I'm not doing anything, it just means I'm not doing everything.
Here are the low energy things I like to do to move my business forwards whilst I'm sleep deprived and time poor:
Walk everywhere and listen to a business book/podcast whilst you do - the walking will do wonders for your mindset and reading business books or books about your specific area of expertise will bring your brain back from the newborn/sleep deprived fog.
Cluster feeding/Contact napping babe? Always keep your laptop close. Opening it to do even 10 minutes of work at a time will add up incredibly quickly.
Wear. Your. Baby. This is my top tip, especially if you have multiple children. I pop Otis on in the morning and unless he's playing/feeding he stays on me most of the time. He isn't a fan of me sitting down so you can normally find me wearing him whilst doing a bit of work with my laptop on the kitchen counter (who needs a standing desk right?!)
Write notes. That great idea you had for your business whilst you were awake feeding at 2...3...4...5am but were way to tired to deal with it? Add it to your Notes app and come back to it once you're feeling more alive.
Be kind to yourself. These tips are how I keep my work ticking over BUT that's only because I feel ready and actively want to work. If you don't and you are under no pressure to - then don't! When you are ready to dip your toes back in, these tips will still be here for you.
I will be writing another version of this article for when you have toddlers/pre-schoolers because as we know - they grow out of their daytime naps WAY too quickly!
My two have just finished their Gymnastics class now so it's time for the laptop to go away and being 'Mum' to resume!
Lizzie
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