In this episode of Productivity Hacks we dive deep into the expectations we had when we first embarked on our journey of running a business and how those dreams often clash with the reality. From the idealised visions of time freedom, financial abundance, and joy-filled days to the realities of time poverty, financial stress, and isolation, I am sure you relate to the gap between the dream and the experience.
But there’s hope! I’ll walk you through how you can bridge that gap and reclaim your dream by making small, purposeful changes to your life and business. Let’s rediscover how to live with zest while balancing family and business!
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Being a self-employed mum is no joke, is it? You start out with dreams of freedom, flexibility, and the joy of working on your own terms. And then reality hits, juggling business, family, home, and somewhere in the mix, trying to carve out a tiny bit of time for yourself. The latest episode of Productivity with Zest dives into exactly this, and if you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by the juggle, then this one’s for you.
When you first start your business, you imagine the dream: working from a cozy café, setting your own schedule, being present for your family, and having control over your time. But let’s be real. More often than not, it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day. There’s the endless to-do list, financial pressures, and, oh, the guilt. Guilt about working too much, guilt about not working enough, guilt about missing moments with the kids. It’s exhausting.
One of the things I really wanted to highlight in this episode is the power of dreaming again. When was the last time you paused and asked yourself, What do I actually want? Not just in terms of business success, but for your life as a whole? So many of us are so busy keeping everything running that we forget to check in with ourselves.
The key here isn’t to overhaul your entire life overnight (as tempting as that might be). It’s about making small, intentional changes. Maybe it’s setting clearer work hours. Maybe it’s asking for more support. Maybe it’s as simple as finding 10 minutes a day for something that lights you up. Small shifts add up, I promise.
Being self-employed can feel lonely. Even though you’re surrounded by family and clients, there’s something different about having a support system that gets it—other people who understand the highs and lows of running a business while also running a household. This is why finding a community is so important. Whether it’s a Facebook group, a mastermind, or just a couple of like-minded friends, having people to cheer you on (and vent to) makes all the difference.
Oh, boundaries. We know they’re important, yet they’re often the first thing to slip when life gets busy. Without them, work spills into family time, and before you know it, you’re answering emails at the dinner table or working late into the night. Setting boundaries isn’t about being rigid—it’s about protecting the things that matter most. That might mean having set work hours, creating a dedicated workspace, or simply learning to say no to things that don’t align with your priorities.
Your environment massively impacts your productivity. If you’re constantly working from a cluttered kitchen table, it’s no wonder it’s hard to focus. In the episode, I share some simple ways to create a workspace that helps you get into the zone—whether that’s a proper home office or just a designated corner that feels yours. And if you need extra help with this, I’ve got a free guide on my website with practical steps to set up a space that works for you.
At the end of the day, no one has it all figured out. But taking small, consistent actions can create a life and business that feel good. Whether it’s reconnecting with your dreams, setting better boundaries, or finding your community, each little step counts.
So, here’s a question to ask yourself: What’s one small change I can make this week that will bring me closer to the life I want? Write it down, commit to it, and take that first step.
If this episode resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you! Come and join the conversation over in the Productivity Hacks community on Facebook, and don’t forget to tune in next week for more tips on balancing business, family, and everything in between.
Because, honestly? You deserve to build a life that works for you—not the other way around.
Speaker 1:Â
Hey there and welcome to Productivity Hacks, your go-to podcast for quick hacks to help you to get things done and to do them well. I’m Jasmine, your host, productivity coach and consultant, and my mission is to help people increase their productivity so that they have time for what really matters. Each week, I’ll bring you a short episode packed with tips that you can implement right away to boost your output. So let’s dive in. Today, I wanted to address the reality that we experience as mums that are growing businesses whilst we’re growing families. There’s often a really big chasm between the life we were sold, or that we sold ourselves when we started, and the life that we’re experiencing today Definitely not what we hoped for. I want you to just pause this podcast for a minute and think about what you thought running a business would be like Pause it and then restart, pause it and then restart.
Speaker 1:Â
So what I thought I would have was freedom in time and freedom financially. I thought that it would be empowering and joy filled and productive. I just imagine sitting there in a coffee shop with a nice cup of tea or a hot chocolate and my laptop and just tap, tap, tapping away, conquering the world. I imagined endless lunch and coffee dates with my friends, with clients. I imagined being at home with the kids after school, making lovely meals and them definitely learning their spellings and doing reading. I imagined not needing to put my baby or toddler in nursery as much, so that I could be around more in those early years.
Speaker 1:Â
However, the reality that I experienced was very different. Instead of freedom in time, I had time poverty. There’s just not enough hours in the days there to get everything done and I thought when they went to school it’d be better, but the school hour is very, very, very, very, very short. Instead of financial freedom, I’ve had financial stress, with slower months and with that reality of knowing that if I don’t keep working at it, and with that reality of knowing that if I don’t keep working at it, the money will slow or it will stop. Instead of feeling empowered, I found it very disempowering. At times I felt very ineffective, unimportant, at the bottom of the pile, and instead of joy-filled, at times it has been joyless. The endless things to do, the constant spread of work into all areas of my life, have zapped me of that joy that I was hoping for and, believe it or not, I found myself unproductive.
Speaker 1:Â
Yes, I know, it’s so easy to start the day or the week with great intentions, knowing how I’m going to use that precious school time to achieve my goals, but suddenly it’s 2pm, I’ve got an hour until pick up and I’ve been lost in a mountain of washing. The cup of tea I made at 10am is sat cold mocking me on my desk and I haven’t even remembered to have lunch. So I grab whatever’s easy and it will not be nutritionally good for me. I quickly respond to emails or messages until that very, very last minute. I grab my coat and, feeling frazzled, make my way to school. I feel rushed, adrenaline’s high and I know I’m already on the edge of my seat before the after-school arguments in the back of the car start.
Speaker 1:Â
Instead of lunches and coffee dates, there is a surprising loneliness. I’m surrounded by people my children, clients, people that I work alongside but you can feel alone, feel quite isolated, without colleagues to bounce off of, and this can drive me into social media binging, which does anything but make me feel connected and part of a community. Time with the family can be tense, with me bringing feelings from work into the early evening, resenting them for being there and needing me, when all I need is five more minutes on my business, being there and needing me when all I need is five more minutes on my business, five minutes to go to the toilet in peace, just five minutes, without anyone or anything demanding something from me. Those precious days with my toddlers felt anything but precious. They felt endlessly long. I remember looking at the clock and counting the hours until bedtime, being incredibly disappointed it was nine hours to go and feeling that sense of hopelessness. I found myself snapping at the clock and counting the hours until bedtime, being incredibly disappointed it was nine hours to go and feeling that sense of hopelessness. I found myself snapping at the kids. And then the guilt strikes. I’m a bad mum, I tell myself I’m failing as a mum and in running my business. Please tell me I’m not alone. Please tell me you relate to some of these. I have been there and I often still am, but I’ve learned through my own trial and error and working with other mums who run a business that it is possible to create a new reality which is more aligned to the dream.
Speaker 1:Â
My invitation to you today is dream again. Think about life in five years time, or one year from now, or even by the end of the year? How old will your kids be? Where will you live? What will your business be like? What will family life be like? What would you love your life to be like? Pause this again and I want you to take a moment just to think forward. Close your eyes, take a deep breath. What do you want your life to be like? It doesn’t matter how big or small it is. It’s your dream and no one else’s. That is what matters. Pause this now and restart when you’re ready.
Speaker 1:Â
Looking at your current reality, what is one element that you’d want to change to bring that future that you want? So it might be tackling that feeling of loneliness and finding a community to support and lift you up. I’ve got a Facebook group which does just this. If you’d like to join us, head to facebookcom. Forward slash groups. Forward slash productivity hacks for mums. It could be bringing boundaries in to stop the spread of work into your whole life. It could be increasing productivity while on your business so you can get more done in less time.
Speaker 1:Â
Pick one thing. We are more likely to do something if it feels achievable and, although it’s tempting, don’t pick more than one thing at a time. You will overwhelm yourself and not do anything. Believe me, I have been there. So, in your area, what are some small steps that you can make towards this new reality? Can you look at planning and productivity, time management, habit formation? Can you reach out to a friend you haven’t seen in a while to arrange a chat? I personally love walking and chatting with people on the phone early in the morning. My lovely friend, lisa is my current morning chatting companion or network. To try and find a kindred spirit in a similar business who you can support and who can support you, just pick one, maximum two things, write them down and write when you’re going to do them. The sooner the better. Why don’t you send a text to that friend now and ask them when they’re free to catch up? Why don’t you suggest a 7am walk and talk on the phone if someone’s around to watch the kids? That’s what I do. I just love getting together with my friends on the phone first thing while getting out and moving my body. It really, really sets me up for the day.
Speaker 1:Â
Every action you take is a vote for the future you will get. Are your actions voting for the future you want? And what can you do today to vote for the future you are craving. There is a real disconnect between the reality that we live in and that dream that we thought we would have as self-employed mums. It can be really tempting to stay in the current reality. Change can be hard, but allow yourself to dream of a new reality. Make small actions now and build that life. You want that life you deserve, that life your family deserves.
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