Hey sis, have you got the working-life balance thing down?
I’m shaking my head no.
I Feel the balance between working and life is hard!
Here at sarachinakwe.com, there are women just like you who offer support to the working mom, stay-at-home mom and entrepreneurial mom.
I asked Kaylee from mamaandmore.com to explain what work-life balance as a Christian woman means to her…
Meet Kaylee a Jesus follower, mama, freelance writer, DIY addict, and so much more. You’ll find DIY tutorials, totally honest reviews, and lots of tips for making your home fit YOU. Find her at mamaandmore.com
Tell me about your business
I blog at mamaandmore.com, but my primary business is freelance writing. I just started freelancing at the beginning of May, and it’s grown very quickly.
Why is a balanced business so important to you?
When life Happens
I came out of college with a massive amount of debt and a degree I ended up hating. I had no clue what I wanted in a career, but I had just paid 6 figures for the wrong thing. When I had my first baby, it was undeniably more important for me to stay home with her. I am still SO thankful that I made that choice, even though it was hard. A few years later, I started struggling as a stay at home mom for the first time. I now had 2 under 2 and was itching for something outside of motherhood… but I honestly didn’t know what or didn’t understand it. I started my blog, hoping it would help us generate a little extra money to throw towards our debt. I had always loved writing, so it seemed like an exciting project.
The month before I went for it, about 10 different people told me “You should start a blog!” To this day, I have no idea why so many random people told me that. But I believed God wanted me to start it, so I did.
The Blogging world
I ended up absolutely loving the blogging world. However, our family went through some huge challenges and the blog absolutely fell on the backburner over the next year. Actually, the burner was full, and the blog wasn’t even on it. Then, when my husband got hired by Youversion, we moved across the country and an amazing opportunity for childcare fell in our lap. At this point my stay at home motherhood was really not working for me, we were ready to get rid of our debt, and I saw an amazing opportunity in the freelance writing/digital marketing world. I really, really struggled with this decision, but it was crazy how everything fell into place.
I really didn’t know if freelance writing or having my kids in daycare would last more than a week, but I trusted what God was showing me and went for it.
This business has changed my life
It’s been 4 months, and it’s undeniably clear that this is what God wanted for us. We are working hard to pay off our debt and set ourselves and our kids up for a financially strong future. My kids are thriving. And I have found what I want to do for the rest of my life. I wasn’t sure this would ever happen! I love what I do every day, and it gives me the flexibility to be there for my family whenever they need it. We also believe God is leading us to start a ministry.
What systems do you have in place for work-life balance…
The most important “system” I have is my time with Christ every single day. I have noticed that if I miss a day, I am significantly less productive.
I also had to learn the best way to organize and schedule my day. In the beginning, I would spend every single moment until 5 pm on my computer, pushing myself. As time went on, I found that I was actually more productive if I scheduled breaks and made my workday shorter. My mind needs the rest, and I can get my home ready so that all my time with my kids is quality time.
Best and worst parts of work-life balance?
The best part is the flexibility. I don’t have to ask for time off! I also love working with business owners and solving problems. Now that God has called me back to the workforce, I definitely see how spending time on my abilities to contribute to the world has actually made me a better mom.
The worst part about owning a business or working online is that there is no “clock out” button. I sometimes feel like I have tasks to do at every moment, even if I worked all day. Working on my own is hard, too. While it’s great to be my own boss, that also means I am the one responsible for my schedule, goals, deadlines, budget, and management. I have to be really disciplined–which is hard when you’re on your own!
How important is prayer and time for God in your work-life balance?
Absolutely non-negotiable. After my husband takes the kids, the first thing I do is spend time reading and praying. I would have never gotten here without God leading me and providing for me every step of the way, and I need Him at every moment.
Advice for women who wants to start a business…
Make sure it’s the right choice for you, your kids, and your family. Starting a business is no small thing–it will affect everything and everyone! But when God calls you to something, do it. Even though there are ups and downs, He can do more than you could ever imagine!
Kaylee offers us some awesome advice in balancing the art of working and being a Christian woman. My favorite part when she explained that she needs her time with God!
Take the time to check Kaylee out at mamaandmore.com you can find everything from DIY projects and saving money as a mama!