You are a true powerhouse, April! The point you made about saying yes without guilt was so refreshing, i feel bad saying no sometimes, but saying yes without feeling guilty is hard for me. great story!
Thanks Danielle! My husband used to help me a lot with not feeling guilty. He’d say, “You’re already taking the day off–you might as well enjoy it.” Then, I started to say it to myself.
You mention saying yes to things and not feeling guilty; a lot of people seem to have a hard time saying “no” to all of the things that eat up their time!
People like me with small children don’t have the luxury of turning off those job responsibilities but it is doable. My husband created a thriving business outside of his day job so he is supportive of my early morning work hours. He also insists that I take time off for myself every week which has a tremendous impact on my business.
I like the idea of exercising together–I would like to do that more with my family!
I think what you said about your husband encouraging you to take time off for yourself each week is key in building a business, Erika.
If you work, work, work, all the time then you more than likely won’t enjoy it & will get burnt out on it…the business end of it that is. You can enjoy creating things, but a business is still a business & if you want it to be successful then you have to know & understand the business end of things.
That’s the part that I think most people get sick of & give up on. So taking a break, doing something fun & relaxing, & having a rewards system in place for yourself can make all the difference. At least it does for me!
I don’t have children–but from running a nursery and preK class in a daycare center, I know it’s a full time job and that building a business with young children is completely different from building a business without children.
Even though I can’t imagine what it would be like to run a creative business with young children {because I’ve never been in that situation}, I can tell you what I used to say to myself when I came across big obstacles such as having a day job or being sick. I used to be extremely sick for about two to three weeks out of every month, and I found out that it’s due to an allergy that I have to gluten. Thankfully, I can manage it now that I know what it is, but when I was sick and trying to build a creative business, I’d see other people doing things that I wish I could do, and I’d say, “You can do that, too, but it might take you longer.”
You have to work with what you’ve got, so that might mean that it’ll take you longer to reach your goals than someone who doesn’t have the added responsibility of young children.
I also suggest checking out meaganvisser.com. Meagan talks about building a creative business while raising children. Some of her tips might help you out.
Thanks, April! It is so helpful to know how others have made it work! And important to remember that sometimes we can say yes, and allow ourselves not to feel guilty.
This is awesome because I struggle the most with balancing my time with my 2 toddlers, my husband, my part-time job, and my full time creative business. Your advice/story is confirmation that this can work. Knowing when to say “NO” and “YES” without guilt is priceless.Thanks for sharing.
I am glad to hear your story. I am more of a night person. I get to work in my sewing room at night when the kids go to bed. Then we all wake up at the same time the next day. I do want to get up earlier so I can do more of the me time like exercise and do quiet time. Thanks for sharing your story. It makes me want to wake up earlier :-).
Some days I think I should just put my business on hold for a couple of years. I have two kids, one is home w/ me two days a week – can’t work much while tendering to her. And I also have a part-time job.
My son just said to me the other night “you always work and never play with me…” He’s right, I’m always on the computer, my husband calls it my other appendage. It’s times like that, that I think I should push my biz away and spend the time I have with the kids. They do grow up fast, I don’t want to miss it, and I don’t want them to have memories of ‘mommy never played with us, she was always working’ that would break my heart.
Don’t get me wrong, I DO play with kids, but boy they have a lot more energy than I do! LOL
After the kids go to bed, I have had it, I’m wiped and I hate starting a project that late. I either make mistakes or will work really really late because there is no ‘good’ stopping point.
And my mornings are the best… the kids wake up and come into my bed and we cuddle – i LOVE it and won’t give that up for the world (my daughter gets very upset if I’m not in the bed when she get up).
Although work/school day mornings are hectic getting them dressed, getting them to eat breakfast, making lunches, showering myself, getting them in the car and dropping them off at their separate schools then driving 45 minutes one way to work, then reverse that to get them when school gets out… it’s draining.
I don’t exercise and not sure I could fit it in! LOL
But, maybe I will try to get up with my husband at 4 or 5am and work a bit, then sneek into bed for cuddles when I hear the kids up.
Okay, enough ranting… maybe getting all that out will help me get into a groove!
Check out my reply to Erika above–because I talk about the same things you’re struggling with.
You ultimately have to do what’s right for you and your family–no one can decide what that is besides you. But, I know lots of moms who make it work. And, one of the tips that I’ve heard from other moms is that you have to cut yourself some slack and work at your own pace. You might try cutting down some of your goals. For instance, if your goal is to blog twice a week, you might cut it down to once a week to free up some time. Or, if your goal is to get 5 new products made each week, you might cut it down to 3 new products.
Don’t set expectations according to what other people are doing–set expectations that’ll work for you. And, like I said in the comment to Erika, I recommend checking out meaganvisser.com to get more tips on building a creative business while raising children.
And, if you’re feeling completely frustrated…take a step back and take a day off. Time away from your business and the computer might help you get some clarity.
april, just saw your reply to Erika and me… and went to Meagan Visser’s site! Amen sista! exactly what I need! Thank YOU!
i put too much pressure on me trying to do the mom/biz/work… and you’re right, i should not overwhelm myself w/ too many things and i will make time for me – I look forward to monthly PTA meetings just to get out of the house! how pathetic is that? LOL
It’s not pathetic–it sounds like someone who’s doing A LOT and might need a break 🙂
I used to look forward to exercising, because it got me outside. My friends would be meeting for the day in Central Park to relax, get some sun and chat, and I couldn’t wait to get outside for a 20 minute run. So, I definitely understand looking forward to things that others don’t necessarily look forward to, because it breaks things up.
You might try adding an artist’s date to your schedule each week. This is a concept that comes from The Artist’s Way. It’s where you take your artist side on a date for an hour or two each week. You get out of the house and do something just for you and inspiration. You might browse your local bookstore, take a long walk, go see a movie, check out a local art gallery…or something else that appeals to your creative side. This way you’d have one thing each week that you looked forward to that would get you out of the house 🙂
And, thanks for the well wishes–I’m glad that I’m feeling better, too!
Awesome to hear how someone else juggled a day job and building a creative biz. I love to combine things when I can. I love listening to your videos whilst I’m working on something like editing my product photos. I let it replay a few times to be sure I’ve absorbed it all in and it makes the tasks at hand more enjoyable to hear a bubbly happy voice.
I love your reminder to take small guilt free breaks. I find I work all hours until I feel unwell. I’m slowly learning what my boundaries are and that I shouldn’t do this at the cost of my health. As always, awesome advice.
I combine videos and podcasts with other stuff, too! I love to listen to BlogcastFM podcasts while I clean, package orders, photograph products, and create.
I think it takes a while to figure out what your boundaries are–I had to really start paying attention to my body. And, sometimes I still forget. I’d been sick most of last week. I felt better on Friday–and I worked like a maniac all day. At the end of the day, I felt sick again, because I didn’t take small breaks throughout the day to give my recovering body a break. I think figuring out what our bodies need is a skill that we have to build and it’s also a skill that we lose if we don’t practice it. It’s just like how we forget what it feels like when our bodies say, “I’m full” if we never pay attention to that feeling and just eat everything on our plates meal after meal after meal.
I really needed to find this today! Last night I had a teeny breakdown, just from feeling so frustrated and tired. I’m working a day job six days a week and doing my jewelry business in the mornings before I leave for work and at night until bedtime. On Mondays (my one day off from my day job), I often work all day on my jewelry stuff. It was so good to hear your story, to know that someone else has gone through this and come out the other end successful and still sane! 🙂 It’s just tough…my husband is out of work right now, so I feel like I have to push myself as hard as possible to generate as much income as I can for both of us. It’s so hard to know when/or how to stop. There’s always more work that needs to be done.
Its so refreshing to hear a warts and all piece rather than all these “I only work 2 hours a day” stories that are banded about. Starting up for yourself is difficult and takes guts. When people don’t admit this then they make everyone else feel bad and inadequate by comparison.
I was beginning to think my schedule was obsessive (full time day job then working on business stuff or classes at night all geared towards increasing my art and business skills), but seeing someone young like you April, who actually did it and was successful at leaving the dreaded day job is so motivational! Makes me feel like the exhaustion will be worth it one day. Earlier this week I said no to going out with friends for the first time and told them it was because I am working on my business. It felt good to verbalize the commitment I’ve made to myself. Also it’s an incentive to really work and not fall asleep on the couch since I willingly gave up a night out. Another benefit of saying no to social outing is saving money which can then go towards business start-up costs or a monthly subscription to ARTrepeneurs!
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do–you know? It’s not always pretty and it’s not always “fun”–but it’s what needs to happen to reach certain goals.
I’m so happy that you’ve joined ARTrepreneur! We’re gonna have so much fun working together 🙂 See ya on the inside!
Hi April, really great to watch your video and hear your story..Because that is the reality..!! I’m at a point now where if I do want to make my art my career I need to crack on with it seriously. You have got me thinking about changing my day plans..Thank you!
You are a true powerhouse, April! The point you made about saying yes without guilt was so refreshing, i feel bad saying no sometimes, but saying yes without feeling guilty is hard for me. great story!
Thanks Danielle! My husband used to help me a lot with not feeling guilty. He’d say, “You’re already taking the day off–you might as well enjoy it.” Then, I started to say it to myself.
I was doing really well getting up early until I got sick. I need to get back into the groove again.
You definitely have to give yourself a break when you’re sick. I’m glad you’re feeling better 🙂
You mention saying yes to things and not feeling guilty; a lot of people seem to have a hard time saying “no” to all of the things that eat up their time!
People like me with small children don’t have the luxury of turning off those job responsibilities but it is doable. My husband created a thriving business outside of his day job so he is supportive of my early morning work hours. He also insists that I take time off for myself every week which has a tremendous impact on my business.
I like the idea of exercising together–I would like to do that more with my family!
I think what you said about your husband encouraging you to take time off for yourself each week is key in building a business, Erika.
If you work, work, work, all the time then you more than likely won’t enjoy it & will get burnt out on it…the business end of it that is. You can enjoy creating things, but a business is still a business & if you want it to be successful then you have to know & understand the business end of things.
That’s the part that I think most people get sick of & give up on. So taking a break, doing something fun & relaxing, & having a rewards system in place for yourself can make all the difference. At least it does for me!
Hey Erika,
I don’t have children–but from running a nursery and preK class in a daycare center, I know it’s a full time job and that building a business with young children is completely different from building a business without children.
Even though I can’t imagine what it would be like to run a creative business with young children {because I’ve never been in that situation}, I can tell you what I used to say to myself when I came across big obstacles such as having a day job or being sick. I used to be extremely sick for about two to three weeks out of every month, and I found out that it’s due to an allergy that I have to gluten. Thankfully, I can manage it now that I know what it is, but when I was sick and trying to build a creative business, I’d see other people doing things that I wish I could do, and I’d say, “You can do that, too, but it might take you longer.”
You have to work with what you’ve got, so that might mean that it’ll take you longer to reach your goals than someone who doesn’t have the added responsibility of young children.
I also suggest checking out meaganvisser.com. Meagan talks about building a creative business while raising children. Some of her tips might help you out.
Thanks, April! It is so helpful to know how others have made it work! And important to remember that sometimes we can say yes, and allow ourselves not to feel guilty.
You’re welcome Andi! I’m glad it was helpful for you 🙂
This is awesome because I struggle the most with balancing my time with my 2 toddlers, my husband, my part-time job, and my full time creative business. Your advice/story is confirmation that this can work. Knowing when to say “NO” and “YES” without guilt is priceless.Thanks for sharing.
I am glad to hear your story. I am more of a night person. I get to work in my sewing room at night when the kids go to bed. Then we all wake up at the same time the next day. I do want to get up earlier so I can do more of the me time like exercise and do quiet time. Thanks for sharing your story. It makes me want to wake up earlier :-).
I’m a night owl too, so I’m going to try this with the opposite time of day. Thanks!!!
Some days I think I should just put my business on hold for a couple of years. I have two kids, one is home w/ me two days a week – can’t work much while tendering to her. And I also have a part-time job.
My son just said to me the other night “you always work and never play with me…” He’s right, I’m always on the computer, my husband calls it my other appendage. It’s times like that, that I think I should push my biz away and spend the time I have with the kids. They do grow up fast, I don’t want to miss it, and I don’t want them to have memories of ‘mommy never played with us, she was always working’ that would break my heart.
Don’t get me wrong, I DO play with kids, but boy they have a lot more energy than I do! LOL
After the kids go to bed, I have had it, I’m wiped and I hate starting a project that late. I either make mistakes or will work really really late because there is no ‘good’ stopping point.
And my mornings are the best… the kids wake up and come into my bed and we cuddle – i LOVE it and won’t give that up for the world (my daughter gets very upset if I’m not in the bed when she get up).
Although work/school day mornings are hectic getting them dressed, getting them to eat breakfast, making lunches, showering myself, getting them in the car and dropping them off at their separate schools then driving 45 minutes one way to work, then reverse that to get them when school gets out… it’s draining.
I don’t exercise and not sure I could fit it in! LOL
But, maybe I will try to get up with my husband at 4 or 5am and work a bit, then sneek into bed for cuddles when I hear the kids up.
Okay, enough ranting… maybe getting all that out will help me get into a groove!
Thanks for sharing your story April.
Hey Dana,
Check out my reply to Erika above–because I talk about the same things you’re struggling with.
You ultimately have to do what’s right for you and your family–no one can decide what that is besides you. But, I know lots of moms who make it work. And, one of the tips that I’ve heard from other moms is that you have to cut yourself some slack and work at your own pace. You might try cutting down some of your goals. For instance, if your goal is to blog twice a week, you might cut it down to once a week to free up some time. Or, if your goal is to get 5 new products made each week, you might cut it down to 3 new products.
Don’t set expectations according to what other people are doing–set expectations that’ll work for you. And, like I said in the comment to Erika, I recommend checking out meaganvisser.com to get more tips on building a creative business while raising children.
And, if you’re feeling completely frustrated…take a step back and take a day off. Time away from your business and the computer might help you get some clarity.
OMG – didn’t realize how long that was til i hit submit – sorry =( LOL
april, just saw your reply to Erika and me… and went to Meagan Visser’s site! Amen sista! exactly what I need! Thank YOU!
i put too much pressure on me trying to do the mom/biz/work… and you’re right, i should not overwhelm myself w/ too many things and i will make time for me – I look forward to monthly PTA meetings just to get out of the house! how pathetic is that? LOL
thank you, thank you, thank you.
ps-glad you’re feeling better =)
It’s not pathetic–it sounds like someone who’s doing A LOT and might need a break 🙂
I used to look forward to exercising, because it got me outside. My friends would be meeting for the day in Central Park to relax, get some sun and chat, and I couldn’t wait to get outside for a 20 minute run. So, I definitely understand looking forward to things that others don’t necessarily look forward to, because it breaks things up.
You might try adding an artist’s date to your schedule each week. This is a concept that comes from The Artist’s Way. It’s where you take your artist side on a date for an hour or two each week. You get out of the house and do something just for you and inspiration. You might browse your local bookstore, take a long walk, go see a movie, check out a local art gallery…or something else that appeals to your creative side. This way you’d have one thing each week that you looked forward to that would get you out of the house 🙂
And, thanks for the well wishes–I’m glad that I’m feeling better, too!
Awesome to hear how someone else juggled a day job and building a creative biz. I love to combine things when I can. I love listening to your videos whilst I’m working on something like editing my product photos. I let it replay a few times to be sure I’ve absorbed it all in and it makes the tasks at hand more enjoyable to hear a bubbly happy voice.
I love your reminder to take small guilt free breaks. I find I work all hours until I feel unwell. I’m slowly learning what my boundaries are and that I shouldn’t do this at the cost of my health. As always, awesome advice.
I combine videos and podcasts with other stuff, too! I love to listen to BlogcastFM podcasts while I clean, package orders, photograph products, and create.
I think it takes a while to figure out what your boundaries are–I had to really start paying attention to my body. And, sometimes I still forget. I’d been sick most of last week. I felt better on Friday–and I worked like a maniac all day. At the end of the day, I felt sick again, because I didn’t take small breaks throughout the day to give my recovering body a break. I think figuring out what our bodies need is a skill that we have to build and it’s also a skill that we lose if we don’t practice it. It’s just like how we forget what it feels like when our bodies say, “I’m full” if we never pay attention to that feeling and just eat everything on our plates meal after meal after meal.
I really needed to find this today! Last night I had a teeny breakdown, just from feeling so frustrated and tired. I’m working a day job six days a week and doing my jewelry business in the mornings before I leave for work and at night until bedtime. On Mondays (my one day off from my day job), I often work all day on my jewelry stuff. It was so good to hear your story, to know that someone else has gone through this and come out the other end successful and still sane! 🙂 It’s just tough…my husband is out of work right now, so I feel like I have to push myself as hard as possible to generate as much income as I can for both of us. It’s so hard to know when/or how to stop. There’s always more work that needs to be done.
Thanks for sharing your story April.
Its so refreshing to hear a warts and all piece rather than all these “I only work 2 hours a day” stories that are banded about. Starting up for yourself is difficult and takes guts. When people don’t admit this then they make everyone else feel bad and inadequate by comparison.
Thanks for stepping up and being truthful!
Djanira
I was beginning to think my schedule was obsessive (full time day job then working on business stuff or classes at night all geared towards increasing my art and business skills), but seeing someone young like you April, who actually did it and was successful at leaving the dreaded day job is so motivational! Makes me feel like the exhaustion will be worth it one day. Earlier this week I said no to going out with friends for the first time and told them it was because I am working on my business. It felt good to verbalize the commitment I’ve made to myself. Also it’s an incentive to really work and not fall asleep on the couch since I willingly gave up a night out. Another benefit of saying no to social outing is saving money which can then go towards business start-up costs or a monthly subscription to ARTrepeneurs!
Hey Michele!
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do–you know? It’s not always pretty and it’s not always “fun”–but it’s what needs to happen to reach certain goals.
I’m so happy that you’ve joined ARTrepreneur! We’re gonna have so much fun working together 🙂 See ya on the inside!
Hi April, really great to watch your video and hear your story..Because that is the reality..!! I’m at a point now where if I do want to make my art my career I need to crack on with it seriously. You have got me thinking about changing my day plans..Thank you!