I used to have this mindset that if I sat in front of my computer longer and did more things, then I would receive a badge of honor because it was like a reward for being busy. I think that I’m not alone and I know most of my clients are brought up that way too.

The busier you are, the more successful you probably are, but nobody really knows. With this mindset, I just wanted to keep doing things. I wanted to prove to many people that I was more than a mom, a nine-to-fiver, and a wife. Although those things are amazing, I still felt pulled to do more. And so I thought if I keep myself really busy, then people will think I'm onto something. But really, I was just suffocating myself with a bunch of busy work. 

Fast forward to today, I was able to work ahead (case in point I am usually one month ahead with podcast episodes) while still maintaining balance so I don’t feel overworked while caring for my family, homeschooling, and working at my 9-5.

If I, a mom of three kids can do it, so can you!

What inspired me to work ahead on my business

I remember when I was pregnant with Violet, I wanted to give myself maternity leave with my business. So I just decided to take things slow and gracefully. This baby really forced me to take things slow. I wasn't feeling well and that whole pregnancy was just awful so I was physically forced to take it. 

I spent a lot of time writing for my business to work really far ahead. I've always worked ahead and I've always had that mindset to do so. But I wanted to really take this pregnancy, so easy as much as I could, and just take the time to nurture my business, in a sense that this is going to foster really long-term growth. 

So I remember feeling really uncomfortable with doing that at first because I knew that this wasn't going to be front and center showing up every day on Facebook, or Instagram, or anything like that. There's going to be a lot of behind-the-scenes quiet work, nobody's going to see the business of it at all.

But I remember feeling really good after a little while of doing it because I knew it was going to pay off, especially when you do things that were uncomfortable for you and your business. While that may seem weird, that writing and taking time off is uncomfortable, it is very uncomfortable for me. 

The first night after I had Violet, I remember being in the hospital and I had this necklace that I was eyeballing for months. This was a necklace on Etsy wherein they would inscribe your baby's names on there. I knew that when I had the opportunity to order this necklace, I was going to order so I could put my baby's name on there but I had no idea what my baby was going to be (if it will be a boy or a girl) so I had no name. 

So I remember turning on my phone to check Etsy and I was like, “Wow, I forgot about not having a phone for a day. This is weird.” I had this huge opportunity sitting in my inbox to be a part of some really big collaboration. I had no idea that this was even a thing. I wasn't even wanting it or yearning for it.

I thought this is what happens when you take a step back and give your business breathing room and give it some time to grow on its own. It's just like bringing up kids, you can hover over them. It's the same thing for your business. It's so amazing what happens when you let go of all these ties and outcomes that you set up for yourself. And what is it? What will it mean, if this doesn't happen? What will it mean if this happens, and just let your business grow for you? It's amazing.

I remember sitting there like I'm literally in the hospital and I had this amazing thing happen to me and I just marked it as unread, and just put my phone down and checked it when I had the time at home. But that was such an eye-opener for me that that idea of working less was actually a truth because I did not believe that for years.

Why work ahead?

Things happen in life and when these things happen, you can’t work in your business. When my son was confined in the hospital a few years ago, I was off the grid, of course, because this was way more important. 

When you have things set up ahead for you, you don’t have to worry about keeping the gears moving. You don't have to be in front of your computer thinking of things to say, promote or create. You don't have to be doing any of that. 

Do I have to work ahead so far along?

I strive to work at least a month ahead and I know this may be a lot of other people but it makes me feel good to have that in my back pocket. Something that I’ve learned over the years is to do what makes me feel good. 

What makes you feel good about your business? Is it going to stress you out knowing you have to have three months of podcast episodes or Instagram captions created? Then don't do it. It's so important to tune in to what makes you feel joyful because there's nothing higher than that feeling of feeling joy. If it makes you feel joyful then do it. Do it if it’s what makes you feel aligned with your business, it will make you feel like you are on top of the world. So in conclusion, it doesn’t matter if you are ahead for a week or months.

Just do what you think feels good for you and then start small and then build on that. So if it's just a week ahead then go for that and maybe next time you can do two weeks ahead and just build. You don't have to think that you need to be like somebody else. You have to be what makes you feel aligned with where you want your business to go.

Fill your cup first

Before you take on the task of working ahead on your business, it’s essential that you fill your cup first and do it regularly.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Have a morning routine. It doesn’t have to be three hours long. It can be as simple as getting out of bed, do some stretching, enjoy your morning cup of coffee or tea before you dive into some work.

• Practice gratitude.

• Get some movement for your body.

Are you working on getting ahead on your business tasks? Tell me your thoughts below!