Stay productive with these 5 habits

Magnet Me via Unspalsh

Let’s not pretend that we’re productive 100% of the time. We all know we have the same amount of time in a day as Beyonce, but let’s face it - sometimes we just can’t even.

“I’m not a morning person” does this sound familiar to you? (that’s me, btw) Chances are you’ve said it before. You’ve seen multiple articles telling you, “This CEO gets up every day at 5 am,” and you think; maybe you would be a mogul by now if you were an early bird. But don’t start rewinding your alarm just yet. The fact is we have multiple unproductive slumps because, well, we’re human. Social media hasn’t helped one bit with procrastination at our fingertips, but being in a creative field can also make this extra difficult. We can’t just turn that creative tap on and off between 9 and 5 and expect to produce the most revolutionary outcomes regularly. So how do we stop those pre-coffee blank stares or the mindless scrolling through our social media feeds? Here are a few handy tips that might get you back on track.

1. Stop working

Crazy, but hear me out. The reason your mind is wandering is that you’re in a creative rut. Or you might just be bored with whatever you’re working on (which is totally fine, by the way). So don’t force it; step back, take your eyes away for 5 minutes and just stop thinking about it. It’s like turning yourself OFF and ON again, restart that system and let the creative juices flow.

2. Get Moving

Ok, step one isn’t working for you. You got back into that rut. You need to get off your butt and move those legs! Our best ideas always come to us when our body is in movement. This isn’t just an excuse to wander around your workspace; this is science, (think IDEO problem solving). Rather than sitting with our bodies in passive mode, sending the shut-down signal to our brains, there is a direct correlation between creativity and productivity when we get upright. So one way to break out of ‘too-tired-to-do’ routine is to think on our feet for a bit.

Georgia De Lotz via Unsplash

3. Stop distractions

Don’t allow distractions during work - that includes being the distractor yourself. To start, try putting your phone slightly out of reach or turning off Slack notifications. At the same time, you work so you don’t get sidetracked by every witty GIF popping up. Finally, close all the tabs, browsers, and applications you don’t need - you can’t work with a messy desk, so how can you work with a cluttered desktop. So, organise your workspace so there’s less clutter - let “tidy desktop, tidy mind” be your new mantra.

4. Think big

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Sometimes attention to detail is your enemy! Sure, it’s great to say you have it in a job interview, and it’s helpful in a plethora of circumstances. Still, when you’ve been staring at the same project on your screen for ten minutes, thinking, “how can I possibly? There’s just too much,” that’s when you need to step back from the micro and look at the macro. Think about the big picture and ask yourself:

• What is it that I am trying to achieve?

• Do I have a list of priorities I need to set?

• Divide tasks based on importance, not just urgency.

• Are there any pain points or blockers that I can reach out to others for some guidance?

5. Know your workflow

You’re a morning person and want to message me at 6 am - no worries, but don’t expect a reply. Knowing when your productivity is likely at its peak helps others understand your flow. Know when you need in-the-zone time or when you’re ready to collaborate and problem-solve to achieve your best work, utilising your peak productivity times. There is no right or wrong formula for the average person; you’re the only one that can figure it out. Be protective of your workflow; if you know your best time for being creative is in the middle of the day, clear your calendar - don’t schedule any meetings for that time. That’s your focus time. Let that energy carry you throughout the day.

Brooke Cagle via Unsplash

Productivity is about how much you can create and deliver.

These are only five simple ways that you can keep your mind on track. Still, there are so many more out there. Talk to your circle about managing their productivity - sharing is the best way to get personalised suggestions. Don’t be that person that forces themselves up at 5 am only to crash at 9. Gone are the days of bragging about a 12hr day because being ‘busy’ doesn’t mean you’re productive.

Top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane

Photo by Allie Smith on Unsplash

3 min read

A message from the President

Ok, well just when we thought the kick-off to 2020 couldn’t have gotten much worse, we have suffered the unwelcome birth of COVID-19 taking over the world like an 80’s Armageddon movie. TOTALLY INSANE!!! This week I have committed to dedicating no further energy for negativity and will be attempting to enjoy some of the benefits self-isolation and working from home will bring us all. Here are my top five COVID-19 “glass half full” benefits to keep me sane:

1. No Peak Hour Traffic

Typically I drive to Melbourne each day in hideous peak-hour traffic and am typically filled with rage after the 1hr 50mins journey. Nope - not anymore. For the unforeseeable future I will be enjoying the beautiful surrounds of my quiet surfcoast town in Victoria and partaking in regular beach walks and consumption of fresh coastal sea-breezes. Ok, so I know you may want to punch me now but seriously, most of the year you would empathise with my 18hrs of commuting so please, allow me this little gloat!

2. Home Improvements

I’ve attached a few images of the things we have done this weekend to make our home working space more serene. We painted the walls of our bedroom a cosy Dulux Wentworth blue (once Bauhaus minimalist white) which seems to have really given a kick to our prints and plants. I am lucky enough to have two office spaces to use and this weekend we did a mini make-over on both of them so we can stay sane over the coming weeks and months (insert awkward emoji). 

3. Memes

If there is one positive I can take from the last few weeks is the sheer volume and quality of pant-wetting social media content in circulation. I have been saving up my favourites and have attached for your viewing pleasure (although no doubt you have seen them in high rotation anyway). 

4. Leggings & El’ Natural

I’m not one to conform to social norms for the sake of it and I do proudly call myself a feminist but at the ripe age of 44, I don’t have the radiant skin I once did and do feel more human when I spruce up with a bit of make-up and actually blow-dry my hair (which is naturally mousey blonde and so thin my scalp is visible). The last few days, I have enjoyed my sans-make-up face state, the frequency of my pyjama bottoms, yoga pants and leggings. I’ve even held multi-person Zoom meetings “newsreader style” with a blazer and black T on top, and some daggy over-stretched leggings and Uggboots down the bottom. This is genius and I am not ashamed of adorning this attire during Covid-19 times. I do fear this may become a habit hard to break but for now…. 

5. Out of the woodworks…

I have heard from more people over the past 2 weeks than I have in 2 years! It has made me feel loved and of importance which has been reassuring. Of course, it also promoted thinking “Holy shit, I should call…. And reach out to…. And Skype…” 

6. Take-away…

OK, I know I said top five but this is critically important. All my favourite restaurants down in the surfcoast are now doing free delivery or take-away and hell, what sort of community-minded person would I be if I didn’t support them and order copious amounts of Devonshire teas (not joking, I can do that now!), Italian, Japanese and Vietnamese? I have told my husband (who does 80% of the cooking) that it is our civic duty and therefore we must continue on this culinary path (insert wink and dancing girl emojis). I am anticipating significant weight gain and bank account depletion but at least I will be content and helping other small businesses stay afloat! 

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So this is how I will be surviving, and I hope you are too. Remember to be kind to yourself and to others. Meditate, breath and try to get outside for some fresh air and sanity. In coming weeks all of us at CWC will be looking to bring you all some new content via digital forums - be patient with us while we work out the best way to do this. Sending you all virtual toe-taps + elbow pumps!

- Amber Bonney, CWC President

Starting a creative business when you have young children

Kerri Hollingsworth with her daughter

5 min read

Whether you start a side hustle at night after the kids go to bed or launch a business during maternity leave, choosing the freedom of a business or freelancing is an increasingly popular choice for women who have young children. But there are questions. A lot of them. How, exactly, does it work? When do you work, how do you work, how do you decide what type of business to start? 

To answer some of these questions, we interviewed three Creative Women’s Circle members who have forged this path for themselves. They give us some behind the scenes insights into the process of starting their businesses, and how, exactly, it all works. 

Our interviewees

Nadine Nethery, based in Sydney with three children, runs Can Do Content. She is a copywriter who works with female entrepreneurs, helping them to find their brand persona and their ‘why’. A lot of these women are also juggling their business with family life, and it is Nadine’s mission to help them find their voice. 

Nadine Nethery. Image: Sister Scout Studio

Kerri Hollingsworth runs antiquate from her home in Gippsland, Victoria .  Combining two passions, one for upholstery and weaving and the other for sustainability, she uses recycled materials to create one-of-a-kind armchairs, each piece telling its own story. Kerri runs her business alongside being a mum to her three year old daughter. 

Kerri Hollingsworth

Melbourne-based Tess McCabe is a familiar name in CWC circles. The previous president of the Creative Women’s Circle board runs Creative Minds Publishing, a boutique publishing company that produces and sells high-quality books and resources that provide practical advice and inspiration for creative professionals­. She juggles this alongside part time work and caring for her two kids.

Tess McCabe

What prompted you to start your business?

Image: Kerri Hollingsworth

Kerri: I started out doing standard upholstery before my daughter was born, while I was working as a flight attendant. But I was getting frustrated with the amount of waste I was producing in my home and my business. I was looking at the fabric scraps— my business of upholstery art, Antiquate Artistry, came from wanting to be less wasteful. The idea just evolved. If you let it evolve then its amazing where it goes.

Image: Tess McCabe

Tess: I could say that wanted to diversify my income to incorporate products, but really I just wanted to design nice books and make all the decisions! Plus publishing is not a big money-earner (at least the way I do it!)

Nadine: The flexibility, and being able to do what I love. Corporate life isn’t for me. 

How did you get started?

Image: Sister Scout Studio

Nadine: Like many female business owners I started my business as a side gig, around my day job in corporate events in communications. One of those boring days in the office I decided to give it a go. At the time I had two kids and was working full time. I thought, no pressure, and see how it goes. Then I got to the point where I almost had too much work, and went on maternity leave with my third child and have been working on Can Do Content since then.

Kerri: I was on maternity leave from my job as a flight attendant and when I was waiting to get the call to go back for retraining, I thought I would just give the upholstery business a go. Qantas called a few months later, but by then I had got into a magazine and had a front cover feature, had held an exhibition and I had three orders – one for eight chairs. I decided to leave flying. It was a really hard decision, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling, it was like my heart was bursting. And I knew I couldn’t combine flying and being away with motherhood.

Tess: It started unofficially through self-publishing Conversations with Creative Women in 2011, and was formalised into a company in 2014.

Image: Tess McCabe

What obstacles and challenges have you faced?

Tess: Books need marketing to sell, so once the book is produced, while there is no more ‘making’, you have to find time to keep on top of marketing. Finding time is always a challenge!

Nadine: Probably confidence – imposter syndrome. I know I can write, I have a background in marketing, I know there is a need for my services but I still questioned myself. The self doubt and wondering if I’m good enough.

Kerri: I think the biggest challenge was probably my mindset. I’ve always been a really positive person, but you can’t help the fears that come up where you wonder if people think it’ll be silly, I’m constantly working to quiet those little voices that say ‘you’re stepping outside the norm’. A lot of us a fear of success because then people might react in a certain way.

What are the pros and cons to running a business vs having a job when you have a family?

Nadine: As a mum the paid sick days are a pro of a job. Whereas in your business everything stops and comes to a halt. You need a big support network if you have a deadline, partner, family and friends that can help. But the flexibility and the reward for finding a passion that you happen to get paid for, rather than showing up to an office everyday to get paid for something that you don’t want to do are the highlights of having your own business. And I love that no day is the same, no client ever has the same story.

Kerri: Financially having your own business there is more pressure. With a job you turn up and do your job and you go home and you know you’ll be paid. There was so much I loved about flying, but I know not being in the job I remember the good and not the hard parts – like the 23rd hour you’ve been awake and you still have to drive home.

Tess: I was running my own business as a graphic designer for various clients before having kids, so working for myself on my own books meant that I didn’t have external deadlines, only my own. But the money is different when you have a product-based business vs a service-based business. Time is not the only outlay and there is more financial risk.

How do you structure your business around your family?

Image: Tess McCabe

Tess: Because I’m mostly the primary carer (and I have a p/t job) and my husband works full time, I use one weekend day when he is home to concentrate on my business. Outside of that, it’s night times.

Nadine: Before going on maternity leave, I worked on my lunchbreak, and then also in the evenings. I tried to keep the weekends free. At the moment its during naptime and the evenings and I still try not to work on the weekend.

Kerri: It looks different everyday – when my daughter was younger, it was a bit easier, because I would go into my workshop and work while she was sleeping. Nowadays when I’m working, if she wants to stay with me and I have to keep going, then she loves to help so I’ll give her something to do alongside me. I’ll set up a little loom and she’ll weave alongside me. I try and include her in everything so she doesn’t feel like she’s excluded. I hope that she sees it more as we’re playing together rather than ‘mummy’s at work’. We go on walks around our property if need be to reset. The two days she’s in daycare I do the things that I need to do that I can’t be interrupted for.

Final words of advice

Image: Sister Scout Studio

Kerri: The main thing is to remember who you are. It’s so easy for mums to lose touch with yourself. If you’ve got a bit of an idea, don’t say its silly, because the voices that say that are just trying to keep you safe. Push through that because its really worth it. Your children and family fill your heart in one way but having your own purpose – they don’t take from each other if you give each their space. 

Nadine: Don’t wait for the perfect moment, if I waited for the perfect moment it wouldn’t have happened. If you have that underlying passion and desire for something, just do it. If you think too much then you can always find a reason not to do it. Just give it a go and the worst that can happen is it doesn’t work out. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. Don’t listen to the mum guilt, something has to give, if the dishes aren’t done, whatever, its going to be ok.”

Tess: It takes a village! Utilise and ask for help. And don’t be too hard on yourself – businesses can evolve as your kids grow.

Connect with Nadine, Kerri and Tess on Instagram:

@candocontent

@antiquate_artistry

@creativemindshq

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Bec Mackey is a freelance feature writer who has worked in the media industry for over fifteen years. She writes about wellbeing, work, personal development and parenting, and when she can muster the energy and courage, she writes about Things That Matter. Connect with Bec via Instagram or at www.becmackey.com

5 blog posts to get you started in 2020

Photo by Evie S. on Unsplash

2 min read

Now that it’s January, many of us may be reflecting on the year that’s just gone, or looking towards new horizons. There are all sorts of things you might be thinking about in your creative practice. Do you take the leap and start a brand new endeavour? What can you improve with what you are doing now? And how do you start the year in the most organised efficient way?

So, this month we are revisiting the blog archives with some valuable tips, tricks, and reflections to help you along in the new year.

For getting yourself organised…

Andres McArthur

For getting started in January…

Lizzie Stafford

For changing careers this year…

Bec Mackey

For making things happen…

Dannielle Cresp

For understanding why desire and motivation pull us in different directions…

by Emily Willis

How to prioritise when you're a solo business owner

When you’re a solo business owner you’re a one-man-band playing the drums, guitar, keyboard and singing all at once. It’s hard to keep the juggling act in the air and know where to start on your long list of competing tasks.

I always find knowing what to prioritise is the hardest thing about working for myself. But I’ve picked up some tips over the years that help sort out the ‘ticked that off my to-do list’ feeling, as opposed to ‘I went down the rabbit hole on admin’ or ‘got completely bamboozled and decided to look at Instagram instead’. Yep, it happens to all of us.

So instead of feeling the guilts, try out these 5 tips and you’ll get to tick things off, as well as do those fun, yet highly distracting, sneak peeks at Instagram. 

1. Write a list

I’m a massive nerd when it comes to lists (or maybe that’s all the time!) I love getting it all down on paper and out of my head. In fact, I’ve been writing myself a daily to-do list each day of my work week for a very long time. There’s nothing more satisfying that crossing out what I’ve achieved that day. I don’t even stress myself out if something just moves from one day to the next, as I’ll know that wasn’t a real priority to get done that day and it will be a key priority for the next day. 

So if you write your to-do list, you’ll then instantly be able to see what the priorities really are and what doesn’t need to be done right now. Take advantage and push out the stuff that’s not as important until later in the week. This will hopefully save you from the overwhelm feels and keep you focused on achieving stuff each day.

2. Break up your time.

Something that Madeleine Dore from Side Project Sessions has introduced into my routine that I find really works, is the breakup of focussed work for 45-minutes with a 15-minute break. Breaks are important, so that you can get up and move around and have a cuppa and a snack and then get back into more focused time. I find this keeps my brain fresh and focused for longer and really helps me kick goals on my to-do list.

You might like to use a segmented time approach and give yourself blocks of time with short breaks – whether 25-minutes working with a 5-minute break or 60-minutes working and 10-minute break – find your groove and stick to it. Giving your brain (and body) a rest and a stretch. Getting away from the computer is a must-do with your breaks.

3. Top 3 tasks

Only having 3 top tasks that you need to complete each day, takes a big load off your mind. This is a great thing about migoals notebooks as they have this integrated into each page and they give you lots of tips on how to get more done. Awesome.

I find that if I nominate only one task for each of my 45-minute concentrated work sessions, I get a whole lot done in half a day, rather than moving from one small, unimportant task to the next. That way if you get your top 3 things done in the morning and out of the way, you can spend your afternoon doing that thing you really want to do. Laptop window shopping, anyone?

Or you can get even more nerdy and split your day into 3 x blocks of two hours where you focus on 3 long tasks to fill your day.

4. Breakdown larger projects

Sometimes I have large projects that can take months to work through. This is when I need to breakdown larger projects into tasks I need to do right now. So there’s nothing like a plan and a timeline to help you focus on what’s next and not stress about that thing that’s happening further down the track. 

I write on my to-do list the first few things, and only the next steps, that I need to do that day or week, so I don’t get overwhelmed by the enormity of a project. All big things are made up of a lot of little, tiny tasks that can become not so big if you work through it in this way.

5. Remove yourself from distractions 

As much as I love my house of furry creatures, they are not the best co-workers and don’t really let me get things done. I find getting out of the house and going to a cafe or co-working space is the best use of my time and allows me to really focus on my task. I find the buzz of people and background noise really motivating, but you might like the silence of a library.

If you work from home too, find some other spaces that work for you where you can remove yourself from distractions – a park on a sunny day, the library when it's pouring outside or a cosy cafe where people bring you pots of tea (yeah, that’s me!).

Depending on how you like to work, finding somewhere out of the home, where you can talk to some humans, other adults and just generally feel the vibe of other people does wonders for productivity. Well for me anyway!

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Sarah Lawrey is the owner of Collectus Studio, a Melbourne-based branding and graphic design studio. Creating beautiful brands for nice people with purpose, helping her clients achieve their branding goals, both visible and invisible. 

One eye open (or, how I learnt to squint and survive online)

I have a confession to make. I manage four Facebook pages, three Instagram accounts, three Pinterest accounts, a Twitter account and a YouTube channel and you know what? I still love being online. So, when I read yet another (ironically online) think-piece about how creatives need to wind their anxiety back by getting offline I am often the dissenting voice in the room.

As creatives it is impossible to not have an online life. But it can be a force for good, rather than something that forces you into a fetal position. Not that I recommend becoming part cyborg like me. Instead, I’d like to advocate for a One Eye Open policy. Essentially, this means to take in what you need and avoid what you don’t. Sometimes you may have to squint at the screen, but with a few strategies and outlook adjustments you can absorb all the online world has to offer but in a mindful and positive way. This way, there’s no need to go off the grid just to escape yet another Instagram post detailing someone’s breakfast/book launch/homewares line.

If I had heeded all the well-intentioned advice and walked out on my online life, what would I have missed out on? The week I wrote this post, I learnt the Home-Work design team had a book launch coming up, Kit Palaskas (whose web page is shown above) was offering piñata workshops and Beci Orpin was delivering four events during Melbourne Design Week. I watched the latest Chanel show, learnt about a new exhibition space, saw a controversial film that had its funding pulled but went ahead and screened anyway and attended a free lecture series at the NGV. I saw there was an ARI gallery putting a call out for applications and that a high-profile magazine had some new opportunities for content providers.

I choose to take only what I need from this content (information, inspiration, opportunity) and close myself off to things that don’t help (envy, overwhelm and self-doubt).

I also assert mindful consumption of social media. Here are some strategies that have helped me reclaim some much-needed work hours that would otherwise be lost to viral cat clips and Busy Phillips’ Insta stories.

Pinterest

Think of Pinterest as a library rather than a gallery. Decide what you are ‘looking up’ before you get in there, make yourself a dedicated board, search and get out. Those who scroll endlessly are doomed to suffer image fatigue with the added bonus of insomnia.

Facebook

Notifications — while deemed a danger by many — ultimately save me a lot of time. Just because you get a ‘ping’ doesn’t mean you need to react to it. I can see if my business boosts are working, if workshop tickets are selling or if a student or client has a query. I don’t have to respond straight away, but my phone acts like my little silent secretary, keeping me informed. I only look at my personal page once a day because, really, how many Guardian articles on Meghan Markle can I justify reading in any twenty-four-hour period?

Instagram

Beci Orpin's Instagram page

You love it. I love it. We all love it. But the recent shifts in algorithms and added functionality mean that looking and posting require far more babysitting than it used to. That little square is the most curated gallery on the planet, and is the most effective means of reaching your audience — or even just learning who they are in the first place. Dedicate two sessions a day and trust me, in fifteen minutes you can see your feed, comment and even post without coming to any undue harm or image exhaustion.

Twitter

Content providers of all walks are on here, but wordsmiths (for obvious reasons) use it in the same way visual creatives use Instagram. Find your tribe and define your voice. If it’s not for you, don’t add it to your already crowded alphabet soup of social media commitments.

YouTube

Stay off it unless you need to learn something or you’re there just for LOLs. (This is where the cat/hedgehog/film trailer lives.) It’s like brain sugar: addictive and no good! YouTube is an amazing learning tool but it’s also riddled with distractions and fake news. Buyers beware!

It can be easy to think that creatives with high profiles and beautiful online content have all their ducks in a row while the rest of us are floundering around trying to wrangle Snapchat filters. You’ve heard the term ‘curated’ content and you may believe successful content is hard work. But in all honesty, fellow creatives don’t put things online with the express purpose of making you feel badly about yourself or igniting your imposter syndrome. Sometimes it’s there to entertain, advertise, inform or inspire, so put your defences down a little and let it do all that for you. Take the time to share, comment and applaud people’s online efforts, even if they are creative superheroes. They aren’t stealing your oxygen. Those lucky enough to have made it to the top of the pyramid are more often than not the most generous with their knowledge and content.

Jess Wright and Lara Davies from Home-Work

Creatives with successful online profiles have worked out their voices and who they are pitching to, but that doesn’t make what they present any less authentic. Jess and Lara from Home-Work really do like each other and celebrate each other’s creativity. Kitiya Palaskas is as colourful and expressive as her work implies. And Beci Orpin, while now at superstar status, only got there by being her generous (albeit genius) self.

Online life can be a force for good, change, inspiration, networking and all-round motivation. But it’s important to recognise that the One Eye Open policy also means one eye closed.  Rest and reflection will always be an important part of the creative process; your mental and even your physical health will suffer if you run at it 100 percent of the time. If online content is coming at you as a wave of blue-light midnight anxiety rather than morning coffee happiness, your mind and body are telling you to back away from the devices. Every now and then we all need to turn down the volume no matter how great the music.

Ramona Barry is a writer, curator and maker based in Melbourne. She is currently coordinating the Art, Craft and Cookery Competition and the Makers’ Pavilion for the Royal Melbourne Show; curating a series of workshops, design field trips and public conversations for RMIT University; and running a creativity course in partnership with the Bundoora Homestead Art Centre. Ramona is also co-author of The Craft Companion (Thames & Hudson).

Five lessons learnt from working from home with children

When I grew up, I wanted to be an artist, complete with the romantic notion of living in a loft full of canvases, drinking red wine with poets and writers. Alas, my foray into painting at university was less than satisfactory and my creativity took a different path when I discovered gold- and silver-smithing. Tools, gold, gemstones! After becoming a jeweller and working in the industry for several years, my journey took another turn when I decided to become a stay-at-home mum.

For three delightful years, I cooked, cleaned and cared for my son and husband, filling in my spare time with creative hobbies. I began playing with my tools again, and after much urging from family and friends, I started my own business. Over time, I taught myself everything I needed to know as I needed it. While I researched how to run a business, I learnt many lessons on how to run that business with a child, then two children, and now three children...

Five years, and many nappies and sales later, here are five of the lessons I have learnt.

1. Make time instead of finding time

This was a huge mindset shift for me. When I was trying to ‘find’ time, I could only find the odd block of free time. But somehow when I had an appointment booked, it was non-negotiable. When I changed my mindset from hobby to business, I realised I needed to ‘schedule’ in work. If I don’t schedule time to go to the gym, I don’t go. If I schedule in work time, I say no to playdates, ignore the laundry and get to work.

I was told early on that if you give your child ten focused minutes of your time, he or she will give you an hour to yourself. This depends a little on the age and temperament of the child, but I have found that even as toddlers, getting down to my children's level and joining in with them, or simply listening to them fills their cup and they are less likely to even notice that I am now doing my own thing.

Naptimes, nighttime, weekends are all great times to get to work. Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to work at your laptop while your children play beside you. Think about when you work best. Are you a morning person or a night owl? I know I am fresher in the morning for tasks like writing, while I can do repetitive tasks at night. Schedule time for chores, too. Embrace the flexibility of working from home to create a routine that works for your whole family.

2. Enlist help

I am blessed to have a father-in-law who comes to our house and babysits one day a week. That is my bench day. I have tried working with my children in my workshop, and while it is sweet at first, it almost always ends in disaster. There was the time my toddler dropped a steel block on his toe, which resulted in a trip to emergency to stitch it back together. Or the time another of my little ones drew beautiful pictures all over my professionally printed postcards. Or the time my daughter was playing with my metal ring size gauge, which does make a lovely rattling sound, and which has never been seen again.

If you don’t have the convenience of grandparents, enlist friends for babysitting swaps: you take her child one day, she takes yours the next. The kids get two playdates and you get a whole day of work. Think creatively about other blocks of time you could use to work. My gym offers two-hour crèche sessions, which means I can work out and then write on my laptop in the coffee room before collecting my treasures.

Free up your time in other ways by enlisting help. You may not be ready to hand the reins over to an employee, but perhaps you could hire an intern, get a cleaner, hire a courier to pick up your parcels rather than going to the post office, have your stationary orders delivered instead of picking them up at the store and indulging your paper addiction… Think about your rate of pay as a business owner. Is it worth driving half an hour to pick up that item yourself, or would you be better off paying a ten-dollar delivery fee? Can you hire a bookkeeper, invest in a product photographer or ask for guest articles for your blog to free up your time to do the things that only you can do?

3. Batch your days

When I was working full-time (before there were small humans dependent on me), I answered emails, ordered supplies, posted to social media, did paperwork, did bench work and went to the post office each day. Now, I have themes for each day. It stops me from multitasking and is the best use for my time.

One day might be for emails and ordering, another day is my bench day, another is for scheduling social media and another day for packaging and posting orders. Even if I am interrupted a million times, I know exactly what I am up to that day and there is no time wasted getting out the packing supplies five times a week, or making five trips to the post office.

4. Set boundaries

This applies to both yourself and others. It’s easy to get lost in your workday and forget to make time for your children, too. When your scheduled work time is up, resist the temptation to do just a little bit more and focus on your children instead. Go to the park, take a walk, paint a picture, read them a book, bake with them or do your chores with them. These are the things they will remember. These opportunities are the reason you are working from home.

At first, I felt ‘mama guilt’ whenever I was working, feeling like I should be with my children instead, while with my children I felt guilty that I should be attending to my business. I couldn’t win! Over time, I have realised I need to be where I am in the moment. By scheduling my time I can be present with my children while I am with them and forget about work, and while I am working, I need not feel guilty about expressing my creativity and contributing to our finances.

Setting boundaries for others can be more difficult. I am a people pleaser and try to oblige whatever is requested of me. Oh, you need that tomorrow? Sure, not a problem! Argh! It is your business. You make the rules. Learn to say no. Ask for what you need: the time you need, the money you need, even the help you need from your partner.

 5. Take Sundays off

Your business won’t love you back, but your children will. Early on, I treated my business like a newborn, attending to its every need immediately. Now I realise it is more like a tween. It needs my help, but can exist independently for longer periods of time without my undivided attention. The separation between home life and work life are blurred when you work from home. There is always so much to do on both fronts that it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Several cycles of overachieving followed by burnout have taught me that much of the pressure is of my own design. Everything doesn’t need to be done at once. Give yourself at least one day off a week when you don’t think about work and focus on your family and yourself instead. Reconnect, do self-care, ignore your emails, work on projects for fun with no pressure or financial goals attached to them.

It's not always easy, and I am often asked how I do it all. I think all business owners have a streak of crazy! But the satisfaction of having my children home with me and being able to build a business and watch it grow as they grow has been the best decision I have ever made.

Christina Lowry is a designer and jeweller who creates fine jewellery for creatives. Her work is featured in several Australian galleries, as well as in her online store. Christina fell in love with jewellery making while studying a Bachelor of Fine Art/Visual Art. Each piece is lovingly made by hand in her Brisbane workshop, incorporating precious metals and gemstones and using traditional metalworking techniques. To see more of her work, visit her website, Facebook page, and follow her on Instagram (@christinalowrydesigns).

Photos by Trudi Le Brese Photography