It’s certainly tough being a mom. It’s also tough running your own business. So why do some moms combine the two? Many moms have become “mompreneurs”, which is of course a portmanteau of the words “mom” and “entrepreneur”. They look after their children – either alone of with the help of a partner – whilst running their own, usually home-based business.
Taking breaks from being a mom is important, and taking breaks from being a mompreneur is doubly so. Being overworked and overwhelmed leads to stress and a loss of enthusiasm. It can make tempers fray and leads to irritability. All this of course will impact on the important areas of your life – both your business and your relationships with your children, your family and your friends.
Here are a few ideas of how a busy mompreneur can take a break.
Pampering is a great idea. It doesn’t need to cost the Earth and can last as short a time or as long as you want it to. If you think your budget can afford it, book yourself in at a local spa and just spend as much time as you can relaxing. If that sounds too self-indulgent, all you really need to do is fill the tub with hot water and your favourite bath oils, light a few candles, have a bottle of wine and a glass to hand, and settle down with the latest by your favourite author.
If you need a break but don’t want your brain to turn to mush, how about a little online poker? Sign up to one of the many poker rooms available and enjoy a few hands of Texas Hold’em. It’s a fun game that relies partly on luck but mostly on tactical thinking and crunching numbers. It’ll divert your mind from all those tasks you have to juggle whilst keeping your mind sharp. Don’t think that by online gambling you need to risk all your hard-earned pennies as you are quite welcome to practice with play-money.
If you have a partner, perhaps you could persuade them to take the kids away somewhere for the weekend and let you have the house to yourself for a short while? You can order some take-out, watch your favourite DVD and just spend the time doing precisely what you like doing. Plus, you get the added joy of welcoming everyone back home once your weekend is over.
Why not escape yourself? There’s nothing wrong with taking time out purely for you. Kiss your kids and partner goodbye, jump in the car and find yourself a cheap but pleasant hotel for an overnight stop. If the hotel has a pool, take yourself along a bathing suit. If you’re uncomfortable about dining on your own, order room service. Let someone else take care of you for a short while.
If you indulge yourself for a brief time with any of these activities, you’ll be able to step back into your mompreneur role with re-charged batteries, a refreshed outlook and who knows, with even more zest than ever!
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great ideas great post! first idea is my favorite, although i dont have much free time im a stay at home mom but i work on the side and im a blogger so my time is usually used up!
I like these ideas for just being the stay at home mom. Yesterday, I was on the verge of snapping as this weather has up snowed in for three days (going on four today). I retreated to my room and read a book. I needed it!
As a massage therapist and an entrepeneur, I can relate completely to this article. We all need some down time to be our best for everyone else around us. Someone told me just yesterday, that to do what’s good for you is good for everyone. Hope you get a wonderful spa day to yourself to enjoy!
I definitely need to take some time for myself too.
I like the last two ideas best. Sometimes a day or so is all it takes to recharge.