A highly effective way to live in accordance with your own aspirations – at work and personally – is to prioritise your needs and how you want to spend your time. When you decided to set up a business that would work around your family life, you did so to manage your own time effectively, contribute to the household income and be there when your family needs you. Sometimes balancing everything equally can be difficult, especially when one aspect of your life demands attention over another. How can you confidently and quickly make decisions that enable all aspects of your life to function in harmony?

Identifying the importance of each aspect of your life and how you want to spend your time will help you to align your business needs and other responsibilities with your personal life. Here is an example of how you can allocate your priorities. Remember this ought to be altered to suit your own needs and desires. If you are the breadwinner of your household, your business may have to take priority over everything else. If your relationship with your partner is of utmost importance, other aspect of your life will have to fit around it. However you decide to prioritise your time, ensure it fits with your personal values, ideal and aspirations.

Priority 1

You! Always make time for self-care, as it will invigorate and energise you. If you are in a good place, everything else will be okay, as you will be in a more patient ‘can do’ mindset. Diarise time on a weekly basis to focus solely on your personal needs. This could be a trip to the gym, beautician or time with friends. Whatever you choose to do to improve your wellbeing and happiness, ensure it happens regularly!

Priority 2

The children. If you have young, pre-school children, you may not be able to work full time. You therefore have to prioritise your time with your children and use it to invest in their wellbeing. When you are with your children, switch off your e-mail access and focus entirely on their needs.

Priority 3

Your business. When your children are at school or with carers, focus entirely on your business commitments. If you have accepted work, you must deliver it. Close the door to the rest of the household and concentrate on your business tasks. Include time to work on your business as well as in your business to ensure you maximise growth opportunities.

Priority 4

Your partner. Raising the children and running your business can often get in the way of your relationship. Ensure you remember why you established your company in the first place. Ensuring your relationship is on your priority list will enable you to be there when your partner needs you and it gives you the opportunity to enjoy quality time together.

Priority 5

Household tasks. Ensuring your family is enjoying a healthy lifestyle is essential, so food shopping and the preparation of wholesome meals forms a regular and important task. To maintain a tidy, clutter-free home, enlist the help of your entire family so housework does not become your burden. Work together to ensure chores are completed efficiently and effectively!

It really is up to you how your commitments are ordered but do so in accordance with your aspirations and lifestyle. Outlining a hierarchy provides an easy way to make sound decisions but always allocate a degree of flexibility so you can react appropriately should something crop up out of the blue. I hope you can incorporate this technique to ensure your home and work life operates in harmony in 2014 and beyond!

Start your journey today – achieve confidence, balance and clarity for an easier, happier life!

Empowering Mums is on a mission to empower a million mums and mumpreneurs just like you with greater confidence, balance and clarity to activate your infinite capabilities within! Enabling you to enjoy an easier, happier life alongside running a highly successful business. Aligned with enjoying time out for an essential self-care routine that fulfils your own needs and delight in quality time spent with your children being the mum you really want to be!

For further support please contact Empowering Mums today on 01606 334 015, alternatively visit our website at www.empoweringmums.com for more information.