What I'm doing for my home and businesses as we transition back to school
This is back-to-school week for us. We even had "meet the teacher" night tonight. It was a hot, loud, overstimulation mess (for me, a neurodivergent mom).
As we get back to our fall schedule, it means more time solo to work on my businesses. My private practice is pretty well set in how it runs, and I don't do the marketing for that. This means more time now for the coaching business and my writing business.
I've always enjoyed long-form content, and I feel like short-form, short-lived content is just too much for me.
So, as we go back to school, I'm giving myself a challenge. It's actually a big challenge that involves more short-form content than I'd like, but with a purpose. The purpose? To draw in more women into this mom community.
My desire is to connect and build a base of Millennial and Gen Z moms who know they want to build income for themselves and their family while also being home with and for their children.
My desire is to help moms recover from burnout and build work-life balance.
My desire is to build a community of moms who know there are ways to use their skills and passions to build businesses, income streams, and do so simply and slowly in line with their life rhythm needs.
Fall Mode: Activated
So, what am I doing this week for my home and my businesses as we transition back to school? I'm glad you asked, because I'd love to share!
For Businesses:
- Challenge myself in marketing for my coaching community and program. I shared the specifics of this challenge in my Substack, along with more back-to-school behind the scenes intel. Want in on that? Subscribe here.
- Keeping my private practice schedule for this first week.
- Letting myself take Labor Day off. It will be my first Labor Day in years to not work (I work a lot of Federal Holidays just because. I will likely continue that pattern, because clients are usually available, and I like being there for them.)
- Begin outlining the book I want to publish alongside my program and community. A much lower barrier to entry for moms looking to burnout-proof their life and build work-life balance from home with their kids.
- Continue to work on the second book in my new series under my pen name, Candice JeneƩ (find my latest book on amazon.)
For Home:
- Getting rid of kids' clothes that are too small.
- Getting them shoes for gym and new clothes if needed.
- Decluttering the storage closet, front entryway, and laundry area.
- Decluttering kids' toys.
- Making after-school snacks that will be filling and somewhat nutritious, so they are actually held over until dinner. My kids are always hungry after school, and due to our son's neurodivergence, sometimes eating at school is hard. Feeding them immediately after school makes a WORLD of difference in our house.
- Establishing a new, simple weekly cleaning routine that I can stick to as an AuDHD, chronically ill momma running businesses.
- Prioritizing family dinner around our table. Reconnection is KEY at the end of a long day for everyone. This year, I plan to bump our dinners up a little earlier than we previously had them.
- Adjusting bed-time twenty minutes earlier to accommodate for school. (And continue to thank God we live in a late-start part of the district because no one in my house is an early riserš¤£)
For Me:
- Decrease the amount of coke I drink each day.
- Increase my water intake.
- Exclude gluten as much as possible. (I'm gluten intolerant, and I'm not the best at honoring that. I plan to get back to honoring my body in that way.)
- Walk more. This school year, we will be able to walk to school more. Outside of that, I just want to walk more on my own.
- Get rid of my own clothes that no longer fit my size and how I want to present myself.
I know this all seems like A LOT, but it's not all just for this week. We spent a lot of the summer in go-with-the-flow mode. I don't hate that. As a matter of fact, it was wonderful to be back there again. However, a little more structure and stability will be great for all of us.
This list seems like a lot, but it's in small increments. I'm a mom of two, working around their schedule and flexible to be there with and for them. I get to live the dream of bringing in a sustainable income while also being able to be the drop-off, pick-up point parent for them. It's a blessing.
I have to make sure not to ghost my businesses in the transition season, as I've been known to in the past. So, this is a redo, and a hard push.
That said, I've been adamant against hustle-culture and doing things that drain you. I'm the one who is out here crying about "don't burn out" and how we find balance. I know for many, this list may seem out of balance, but it's not.
It's about the rhythm I'm creating in my home. In my businesses. And within myself.
That rhythm means that to whatever extent these tasks and goals get done will be the right level.
That rhythm means I will get to be present with my kids, celebrating all the back-to-school moments, and still see my businesses grow and thrive.
That rhythm means not burning out, even during a short period of what appears to be "hustle."
Something I want other moms to know is that it's possible to build something sustainable using their skills and without burning out.
It's possible to transition into a new way of looking at their profession.
It's possible to work from home with their kids, for the community, and in the community.
That's why I'm doing this. That's why I'm showing up.
And that's why I'm modeling a rhythm of a short burst season to move into a slow-go season.
If you're a millennial or gen z mom who is feeling burnt out trying to build a business or grow a business while home with and for your kids, but you know there is another way. You know you can heal the burnout, find the balance, and you can have it all without doing it all. This is the place for you.
Follow along because there will be a new blog post every day this week.
Consider joining the Cultivating Cadence Community so you don't have to do it alone - that's my coaching membership that currently has life-time access available for a limited time. In it, you can know you're getting support from a mom who has been there, who is also a licensed therapist, trained coach, and who has been through this creative business journey successfully.
