If you’re in the process of building a business as a working mom, you’ve probably wondered if you’re slightly crazy for taking on this much. I know I did. Between client calls squeezed into lunch breaks, responding to emails during nap time, and trying to be present for family dinner, it felt like an impossible juggling act.
But here’s what I learned during my journey of building a web design and copywriting business while working full-time and raising two daughters: it’s not about doing it all perfectly. It’s about getting strategic with the time and energy you have.
For me, that strategy started at 4 AM. The house would be quiet…except for the coffee maker doing its thing, of course. This was how I built my business in those hours before my daughters would wake up and before my full-time job started. Was it easy? Not always. Was it worth it? Absolutely.
In this post, I’m sharing the five key strategies that helped me build my business while maintaining my sanity (most days). These aren’t just theoretical tips – they’re the real, sometimes messy methods that worked for me as I built my web design and copywriting business from the ground up. My hope is that by sharing my experience, I can help make your path a little clearer and remind you that yes, building a business as a working mom is possible.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Before diving into strategies, take a moment to get crystal clear on your ‘why.’ Understanding what’s driving you to build a business while managing other responsibilities will help you stay focused when things get challenging.
When people ask me how I managed building a business as a working mom, they’re often surprised when I tell them it started with setting my alarm for 4 AM. I know it sounds crazy – and trust me, there were plenty of mornings when that alarm felt impossible. But those early morning hours became sacred time for me.
I developed a simple but intentional routine: down 16oz of water while my coffee brewed (because hydration before caffeine is non-negotiable). Then, I’d spend 15 minutes journaling to clear my head and get focused. By 4:20 AM, I was at my desk, ready to tackle the most important tasks for my business.
The transition to 4 AM wake-ups wasn’t easy – that first week, I was definitely dragging. But once I found my groove, something clicked. The house was quiet, my mind was clear, and I could focus without feeling like I was taking time away from my family or my full-time job.
I’d tried the night owl approach initially, staying up late to work on my business after the kids were in bed. But no matter how much I slept in the next day, after managing work and family responsibilities, I was too exhausted in the evenings to give my business the energy it deserved. Getting up early and using my most productive hours to build my dream just made more sense.
The key to making this work was protecting my evening routine. Being productive at 4 AM meant going to bed early, which meant being intentional about family time after work. We’d have dinner together, spend quality time with the girls, and then once they were in bed, it was time for me to wind down too – usually passing out right after tucking them in.
Did my schedule hit a snag sometimes? Absolutely. There were mornings when one of my daughters would wake up early, and I’d have to pivot. That’s when having a backup plan became crucial – whether it was setting them up with an independent activity like Magnatiles or adjusting my schedule to work during lunch instead.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Your power hours might not be at 4 AM, and that’s okay. The key is identifying when you’re most productive and protecting that time fiercely. Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, commit to your schedule and build routines that support it.
There’s a moment in every entrepreneur mom’s journey when you realize you can’t do it all – at least not all at once. For me, that moment came when I found myself trying to juggle elaborate home-cooked meals, maintain an Instagram presence, keep up with client work, and be present with my family. Something had to give.
Building a business as a working mom taught me the hard truth about priorities: everything can’t be equally important. I had to get ruthless about what actually moved the needle in my business and what was just keeping me busy. The endless Instagram scroll? That had to go. Those complex dinner plans? Simplified. The pressure to maintain a perfectly organized house? Not as crucial as I thought.
Instead, I focused on what truly mattered: delivering exceptional work to my clients, spending quality time with my daughters, and taking care of my basic needs (hello, squeezing in workouts and sauna sessions during lunch breaks). Everything else became negotiable.
This meant embracing solutions I might have previously dismissed. Factor meals and Kevin’s dinners from Costco became regular fixtures in our meal rotation. The laundry might sit unfolded for a day (or three), but my client projects were completed on time. My Instagram feed wasn’t perfectly curated, but my clients were getting websites that would help them grow their businesses.
The interesting thing about getting ruthless with priorities? It actually made everything else easier. When I stopped trying to do everything, I could focus on doing the important things well. Client work got my best energy. Family time became more intentional. And surprisingly, letting go of the pressure to do it all made me more productive, not less.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Make a “not right now” list alongside your to-do list. Write down all the things that might be important someday but aren’t essential for your current phase of business growth. Give yourself permission to set these aside without guilt. (This is your reminder that you don’t need to be on every social platform all at once and try all the marketing tactics. Focusing on blogging and SEO worked for me while Instagram sat dormant for a bit.)
One of the biggest game-changers in building a business as a working mom wasn’t working harder – it was working smarter. Enter: systems. Specifically, time blocking and task management that kept me focused and prevented the constant mental juggling act.
Asana became my second brain. Every task, deadline, and idea had its place. I color-coded my tasks and organized them by project, which might sound excessive, but when switching between client work, business development, and family responsibilities, that visual organization became crucial. The satisfaction of checking off completed tasks didn’t hurt either.
Time blocking transformed how I approached each day. Instead of constantly switching between tasks and losing momentum, I dedicated specific blocks to specific activities. Client work got its own focused time. Business development had its window. Even my full-time job benefited from this approach – when I was working on that, I was fully present there.
But here’s what really made the difference: building flexibility into these systems. Because let’s be real – no matter how well you plan, life with kids means expecting the unexpected. Having everything organized in Asana meant I could easily move tasks around when one of my daughters woke up early or wasn’t feeling well. The system bent but didn’t break.
I also got strategic about using my PTO days. In addition to using them for family time, I started using PTO days that might have previously been spent on housework or simply carried over for focused business development when the kids were in daycare. These power days became invaluable for tackling bigger projects or catching up when life had thrown our schedule off course.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Start with one simple system. Whether it’s a task management tool or time blocking, master that before adding more complexity. The goal isn’t to have the most sophisticated systems – it’s to have systems that actually work for your life.
I’ll never forget interviewing a woman for my day job’s podcast when she shared something that completely shifted my perspective on work-life balance. She shared that, to her, work-life balance wasn’t about giving 50% to work and 50% to family all the time. Sometimes work needs more attention, sometimes family does – and that’s okay. Success isn’t about perfect equilibrium; it’s about feeling fulfilled in both areas over time.
This revelation transformed how I approached building a business as a working mom. Instead of beating myself up when work demanded extra attention, or feeling guilty about stepping back from the business for family time, I learned to ride the natural ebb and flow.
Some weeks, this meant pouring extra energy into client projects during those early morning hours. Other weeks, it meant closing the laptop completely to focus on family dinner and bedtime stories. The key was making whatever time I spent – whether on work or family – completely intentional.
Creating these intentional moments became crucial. When I was working on my business, I was fully present there. When I was with my girls, the phone was away, and they had my complete attention. We made dinner time sacred – no phones, no distractions, just family time to connect and share our days.
This approach actually made both my work and family time more meaningful. Without the constant guilt of feeling like I should be doing something else, I could fully invest in whatever I was doing in that moment. Plus, my daughters got to see me pursue my dreams while still prioritizing what matters most.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Stop aiming for perfect balance every single day. Instead, look at balance over longer periods – weeks or months – and focus on being fully present in whatever you’re doing in the moment.
Through all the early mornings and careful planning, building a business as a working mom taught me something crucial: your business should work for your life, not the other way around. This realization shaped not only how I ran my business but also the solutions I eventually created for other entrepreneurs.
I noticed that the more I streamlined my own business processes, the more time I had for what mattered most. This wasn’t just about time management – it was about creating systems and solutions that made running a business more sustainable. After all, what good is building a business if it leaves you too exhausted to enjoy the life you’re building it for?
This mindset led me to start creating website templates for other busy entrepreneurs. I knew firsthand the overwhelm of trying to build a professional online presence while juggling multiple responsibilities. If I could help other business owners skip some of the struggles I faced and get their businesses online more quickly and efficiently, that felt like a win-win.
Because here’s the truth: when you’re building a business as a working mom, you need solutions that simplify your life, not complicate it. You need tools that work while you sleep, systems that scale with you, and support that understands where you’re coming from.
Quick Tip for Fellow Entrepreneurs: Before adding anything new to your business, ask yourself: “Does this serve my vision of an ideal life?” If it doesn’t, it might not be worth your precious time and energy.
Looking to take website design off your plate? My Showit templates are designed specifically for busy entrepreneurs who need a professional online presence without the overwhelm. No coding required, no design skills needed – just beautiful, functional websites that you can customize to match your brand. Take one more thing off your growing to-do list and focus your energy where it matters most.
Want more resources to help streamline your business journey? You can also visit my free resource library for guides and tools to support your growth.
Building a business as a working mom isn’t about doing everything perfectly – it’s about being strategic with the resources you have. Whether you’re waking up at 4 AM like I did, finding your own rhythm during lunch breaks, or making the most of weekend nap times, remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. What matters is creating a system that works for you and your family.
The journey might look different than you imagined. Your house might be a little messier, your meals might be simpler, and your path might take longer than someone who can dedicate all their time to their business. But here’s what I know for sure: if you’re clear on your ‘why’ and willing to get strategic about your time and energy, you can build something meaningful while still being present for the moments that matter most.
Your turn to make it happen.
Note: I’ve included my Factor referral link so if you use it, I’ll get credit. I genuinely love this service so if you give it a try, I’d love to know your thoughts!
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