A Day in the Life: Juggling Small Business & Mum Life
People often ask me, “How do you do it all?” The truth is I don’t. What I do is run my business in a way that gives me the flexibility to show up for my family, while also keeping the wheels turning behind the scenes. Some days it’s smooth, some days it’s chaos but here’s a peek at what a typical day looks like for me.
Morning: Mum Mode in Full Swing
The day starts with the usual chaos once upon a time it was breakfast, school bags, uniforms, and at least one missing shoe. These days, with teenagers, the chaos looks different. It’s more like knocking on doors, waking them up several times, and making sure they actually get on the bus.
I still grab my coffee and then switch into business mode. The beauty of working for myself is that I don’t have to rush into an office at 8:30 sharp I can ease into the workday once the house is (mostly) settled.
Mid-Morning: Deep Work Time
Once the house is (mostly) quiet, I block out time for the big stuff client calls, proposals, systems work. Admin and emails get batched into set windows, otherwise they spread like wildfire through the day. Finding out your most valuable and productive time is the key winner here. I am a morning person so getting those work related tasks done that require the headspace are always done when I feel the most fresh.
Of course, “quiet” is relative. The uni student is still at home, the dog wants in and out every five minutes, but hey at least I’ve got company working from home. The laundry fits in around it all: if it’s sunny, I hang it out; if a shower passes through, I can quickly grab it. Being home also means I don’t forget to take meat out for dinner anymore.
This is the beauty of working from home you can weave in the small stuff while still protecting time for the big priorities.
My Tools & Tricks for Staying Productive
Batching — social media, emails, invoicing. Get it done in blocks.
Digital tools — calendars, project software, automations (see my blog Work Smarter, Not Harder). And my fave digital tools that I use with my clients' daily
Family digital calendar — everyone knows where they need to be and no one needs to bug you for what is happening next. Get the kids to be responsible for putting their extra curricular activities in the calendar
Meal planning & prepping — cook extra, make leftovers your friend.
Lunch Break: Reset and Recharge
I make sure to take a break (because it’s far too easy to just power through). Sometimes that’s a quick walk, sometimes it’s gym time I treat it like a non-negotiable meeting with myself. Looking after my health ensuring I am eating enough is what lets me keep up with the never-ending teen taxi service later in the day.
Afternoon: Flexibility Kicks In
This is where business and mum life really overlap. Between sports practices, after-school pick-ups for appointments, and carpools with friends, my afternoons are often spent in the car. I’ve learned to work from the passenger seat with my laptop or catch up on calls while I wait.
My Afternoon Survival Hacks
Carpool schedules -shared drop off and pick ups helps lighten the load.
Plan buffer time - I don’t book back-to-back calls at this point in the day, because something always pops up.
Mobile-friendly work - I keep what I can do on my phone/laptop ready for those “sideline hours.”
Outsource where you can - laundry, cleaning, admin… whatever you can take off your plate. You don’t have to do it all yourself, and carving out that time means you can focus on the things that actually matter (in your business and with your family).
Evening: Permission to Switch Off
By dinner time, I’m grateful for all the shortcuts. Sometimes it’s Hello Fresh, sometimes it’s freezer meals I double-batched last week, and sometimes it’s just an easy “throw it together” dinner because the day has gotten away on me.
The kids help out where they can, and honestly, it doesn’t need to be perfect everyone’s fed, and that’s a win.
After that, I give myself permission to blob out on the couch. Netflix, scrolling, or what I like to call “professional horizontal networking.” It’s my highly strategic recovery time. Because rest is part of the juggle too.
Final Thoughts
The days can feel relentless it used to be toddler tantrums to now waking sleepy teens, juggling client calls, sports runs, carpools, laundry, and dinner. But I remind myself often: this stage won’t last forever. Before I know it, the kids will have flown the nest, and I’ll be able to pour even more into my business.
For now, I’m grateful for the chaos, the flexibility, and the ability to build something that works for us. It’s about working smarter: using digital tools, meal planning, and outsourcing what I can. At the end of the day, that’s what small business life as a mum is really about it isn’t about doing it all it’s about finding a rhythm that works for your family and your business.
If admin tasks are eating into your time and energy, outsourcing can give you back the breathing space you need. That’s exactly what we help small business owners with at Tailored Virtual Support.
Curious where to start? Check out our Tailored Business Support Services or book a free 30-minute call here.
