1 print, 7 letterpress printed cards, 5 enamel pins, 5 pin backing card designs, 20+ mini illustrations, all the small biz tasks (ordering supplies, fulfilling orders, etc). All of this while caring for my second baby boy during these past 5 months of my maternity leave. It all feels like a blur. The number one question people ask me is how do you do it? I decided to write down my thoughts to that question, for myself and for anyone out there that might be in this place.
- Jot everything down - with no intent to actually do it. Writing it down helps to relieve keeping that long list of to-dos in my head. Believe me, that list gets LONG. I keep it simple by using the “notes” app on my phone.
- Every minute counts - I recently watched The Bear (and loved it!) where the restaurant has a sign that says “every second counts.” For me, every minute of the day is precious. The minute I put N down for a nap, I’m off to do that next house chore, print the next color on my card, etc.
- Phones away. Goes with the above - if I’m scrolling through posts mindlessly, then I’m not making the minute count.
- Prioritize, then re-prioritize. You might have your list of things you want to do laid out a certain way. But hey, maybe a large order came through or something else that demands your immediate attention. Tend to those important ones first.
- When you feel the need to rush, work slower. I make the most mistakes when I rush…do you? And then I end up wasting more time correcting those mistakes and worse yet, I feel frustrated the rest of the day.
- Expect less. I’m the type to want to squeeze in 1249875 number of things during that 30-50min (on very lucky days, it’s 1.5hr!) nap window, but I know at any given minute, it can all get derailed.
- Tiny steps. I break down what I need to do into very small steps. Sometimes, all I could do it in a day is count the sheets of paper I use to print the next day. Same goes for cooking and other tasks.
- Patience. Mostly with myself.
- Determination with a big dose of reality and an even bigger dose of grace. The days I need to print often require a lot of focus and time. I hype myself up this day and muster all the determination I have - I can do this! That’s how I was able to print my first baby’s announcement cards sometime within the first month postpartum when I was still very sleep deprived (okay, I don’t recommend this for any mom). My point is to give yourself some confidence. At the same time, know that the reality of your kids needing you or anything that happens in life can throw off your plans and that’s okay. Give yourself grace.
- Pat myself/yourself at the end of the day. Whether the only thing I did was take a shower or print a 3-color card, I tell myself that I did a good job. I told myself this the first week postpartum when my body felt like a wreck, and I still tell myself this now five months out.
- Embrace all the challenges and sweetest times with your baby. With all that said above that pertains to keeping my tiny business going, what is most important is my baby and my family. I don’t want to get so wrapped up in the neverending to-do list that I miss out on the precious moments.