{"id":3528,"date":"2014-08-29T23:32:00","date_gmt":"2014-08-29T23:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossoceanfund.com\/?p=3528"},"modified":"2023-03-09T00:19:20","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T00:19:20","slug":"5-rules-for-becoming-a-guilt-free-momtrepreneur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossoceanfund.com\/5-rules-for-becoming-a-guilt-free-momtrepreneur\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Rules for Becoming a Guilt-Free Momtrepreneur"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This post originally seen on BlogHer<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No job description has more bullet points than a mom\u2019s: nurse, teacher, nutritionist, accountant \u2014 not to mention the voice of innumerable storybook characters. It\u2019s hard to juggle all this alongside a business, and you might feel like you\u2019re always sacrificing something, whether that\u2019s time with your kids, your business, or time for yourself (yes, that\u2019s still a thing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This balancing act can leave you feeling guilty, but that guilt is unhealthy and ultimately unproductive. It drags down your mood, hurts your work, puts more pressure on your relationships, and can eventually erode your health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you can beat your guilt. With the right mindset \u2014 and by being a bit kinder to yourself \u2014 it\u2019s possible to achieve that elusive work-life balance.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Change your work environment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Running your own business means you have the power to establish a family-friendly culture \u2014 an environment where success is defined by quality of work (rather than the number of hours spent at the office). Strive to hire people who are understanding when you need time away from the office. Parents\u2019 schedules are often unpredictable, and you need a team that understands you actually do <\/em>have to go watch your child perform the role of \u201cSecond Tree\u201d in the school play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Realize that no one is perfect.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re too hard on yourself, trying to be the perfect parent and the perfect boss, you will always be disappointed and could end up regretting your decisions. Life as a working mother has to be about balance, and the perfect balance happens when you let go of the idea of perfection. Sometimes, \u201cgood enough\u201d really is good enough.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Compete only with yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his TED Talk<\/a> about the difference between winning and success, John Wooden defined success as \u201cthe peace of mind attained only through self-satisfaction and knowing you made the effort to do the best that you are capable of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a mom and an entrepreneur, it\u2019s easy to look at others in your industry and imagine that they\u2019re doing better than you are. Resist the urge to compete. It\u2019s better to channel that energy into achieving your own personal vision of success.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t sweat the small stuff.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all make mistakes \u2014 as parents, as employees, as bosses, and as humans. You sometimes have to let go of the small stuff and just know that you did your best. One of the biggest sources of stress for a working mom is believing you have to \u201cdo it all.\u201d Sometimes, you just can\u2019t. Prioritize the important things, and stop worrying about the rest.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Ban regrets.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have been a working mom for most of my boys\u2019 lives. Do I feel guilty about leaving them? Of course. But regret can spoil both the time you have at home and the time you devote to work. I am so happy when I look at the two beautiful people I\u2019ve raised, and I feel the same way when I consider my professional achievements. I know when my boys are old enough to be proud of what my husband and I have achieved, it will all be worth it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re a momtrepreneur, you get used to tending to everyone else\u2019s needs before your own. You give to your kids, your business, and your partner, and it never seems to be enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But you must begin prioritizing your own needs, too. There\u2019s a reason flight attendants ask you to secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others \u2014 you can\u2019t help anyone if you don\u2019t save yourself. I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s easy to meet your personal needs as a mom and an entrepreneur, but being kind to yourself and letting go of the guilt is a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally from Turkey, <\/em>Zeynep <\/em>Ilgaz<\/em><\/a>and her <\/em>husband immigrated to<\/em> the United States with nothing but two suitcases, a love for each other, and a desire for entrepreneurship. <\/em>They co-founded <\/em>Confirm BioSciences<\/em><\/a>andTestCountry<\/em>,<\/a> where Ilgaz serves as president. As the global leader in the field of lab and instant testing for drugs of abuse and health, Confirm BioSciences is committed to being on the cutting edge of offering new, service-oriented drug testing technologies.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post originally seen on BlogHer No job description has more bullet points than a mom\u2019s: nurse, teacher, nutritionist, accountant \u2014 not to mention the voice of innumerable storybook …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-life"],"yoast_head":"\n5 Rules for Becoming a Guilt-Free Momtrepreneur - Cross Ocean Ventures<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/crossoceanfund.com\/5-rules-for-becoming-a-guilt-free-momtrepreneur\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Rules for Becoming a Guilt-Free Momtrepreneur - 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