Mummy Shares: What Being a New Mum and an Entrepreneur Taught Me

Before becoming a mother, I was an entrepreneur who ran a variety of businesses. From F&B to trading and freelancing, I've learned a vast range of skills. When I found out I was pregnant, I was concerned about my capacity to manage being an entrepreneur and a new mum. Also, whether I have what it takes to both care for and raise a child while working long hours. I'm sure most new mothers feel this way because motherhood is a life-changing experience. Even so, after holding my lovely baby in my hands and taking about a month and a half off work to focus on my newborn, I realised it wasn't so dreadful after all. Yes, life has changed socially and individually, but it has all been for the good. Certain skills and knowledge that I've gained as an entrepreneur has aided me in my role as a mother, and vice versa. Being a mum has also pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I've learned new abilities that assist me to be a better entrepreneur. Entrepreneurial Skills That Benefit My Motherhood Image credit: Canva Here are just a few of the major ones that I believe have helped me since becoming a mother: Never Stop Learning As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned to always continue learning because there’s always something new to discover. Take, for example, the rapid evolution of technology. The digital world is not the same as it was five or ten years ago. Things are moving and changing so quickly that I need to be willing to learn and adapt to what's new if I want to remain in business. As a mother, I realised that there is always something new to learn virtually every day as my child grows. Caring for a newborn is not the same as caring for a baby who has begun to roll over, crawl, and eat. There are things I've learned from my own experiences, as well as from books, research, web articles, and questioning close friends and family. Prioritisation is Key My work demands me to complete a variety of duties each day; therefore, I must prioritise which ones must be done first. This involves determining whether to accept an invitation from family or friends if I'm too busy at work. Sometimes I have to decline, no matter how badly I want to join. And if I really wanted to go; I'd have to bring my work with me. Now that I am a mum, I must prioritise my child over anything else. That means that if I need to take some time off to care for my little one who isn't feeling well, I will. The same is true when the nursery is closed and I need to care for my child at home. Only when I have satisfied my baby's needs, such as after eating and putting her to sleep, will I begin my work. I also have to work at night more frequently now, which is a sacrifice I must make to ensure my child's welfare first. Can’t Control Everything There are times when I have to accept that certain things are simply out of my hands. As much as I wanted to take on as many projects as possible, I realised I might not have the time to do them all. Also, not everything I do is going to be right and perfect the first time. Some tasks may require a few rounds before I get the hang of them. Raising a child is similar. I can't control everything that happens to my child. For example, in the evening, I give my baby lots of playtimes and nurse her until she goes asleep, hoping that she will sleep through the night so that I may continue working. But, most of the time, this does not happen. She still wakes up wanting me to nurse her or simply lie close to her so she can snooze. There are many things over which I have no control, and I must simply learn to go with the flow. How Motherhood Makes Me A Better Entrepreneur Image credit: Canva Simultaneously, some things I've learned while becoming a mother have aided me in my entrepreneurship, such as the following. Becoming more empathetic I'm not saying I wasn't empathetic before, but since becoming a mum, I've become much more conscious of my surroundings. I focus more on how individuals are feeling and what they are going through. Previously, when I wanted something done, I wanted it done right away, but after having to care for my little one, who has so many demands, and having to put some things on hold myself, I understand that many people are struggling as well. Never Disregard Mental Health Give someone the benefit of the doubt and some space if they indicate they are going through a hard period and are not feeling well emotionally. I had postpartum depression and baby blues when I first had my baby, so I understand how it feels to go through this emotional roller coaster. Juggling job and family life is difficult, so I make time to care for my mental health as well. This is critical in ensuring that everything runs smoothly and in order. Higher Patience Tolerance Without one, how can you possibly endure caring for a child that can test your patience to the breaking point? Sometimes I'm not sure where my patience came from. It wasn't there before, that's for sure. But now that I have to cope with all kinds of commotion and new things that a new mum has to deal with, I am becoming a really patient person. This is helpful for my work too as now that I am more tolerant, I am also more accepting of differences. And you know how difficult dealing with different people's behaviours can be. Natural Problem Solver Not to brag, but there are a lot of things that happen when caring for a baby growing into a toddler that pushes me to come up with solutions on the spot. For example, encouraging my little one to try new foods, overcoming breastfeeding difficulties, and a lot of multitasking regularly. Without realising it, all of the unique and diverse ways I have to think of only to please and comfort my child have made me a quick thinker to solve problems, and yes, I can multitask as I've never done before. Motherhood Is All About Learning Image credit: Canva Those are only a few of the abilities I've shared. They are much more, in fact, and I believe I have a long way to go. You will have plenty to learn too no matter what you do as you brace through being a mother. But the most important thing is to never give up and to cherish every moment. You've got this, mums! For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

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