A Shoutout to all my Super-Parent Solopreneurs!
Managing your solo venture while juggling parenting duties is no small feat — especially when you’re adding a new skill like email marketing to your repertoire. I’ve got your back, because you’re going to get some clever tips that will keep you on track and motivated!
Side Note: although my inspiration came from a client who is a single parent, any solopreneur can benefit from these tips.
Swap Distractions for ‘Me’ Time
Your day’s tone is set by how you spend the first and last hour. Make these times tech-free zones. No phones, no emails, no learning. This is ‘me’ time.
In the morning, use the first hour to exercise, have breakfast, meditate or spend time with the kids. The only rule-breaker I’d suggest (and I swear by it, thanks to Eddie Pinero on YouTube) is listening to a motivational podcast. It’s a fantastic way to start and end your day on a high note, fueling your motivation to learn and conquer email marketing later in the day.
The last hour of the day, do a meditation to recap your day, spend quiet time with the kids, read or listen to calming music. Whatever you do, nothing energizing, especially TV. You’ve spent the day learning and implementing and need your sleep.
Combine Learning and Relaxation
Have you thought about creating a playlist of email marketing tutorials on YouTube? Listen to them while you’re cooking, running errands or even during your workout. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn on-the-go.
Just be mindful that, sometimes, an exciting new concept might get your adrenaline pumping and you might be eager to try it out immediately. If you’re not near a computer, you might lose that mojo or forget why you were excited. Pause the video, write down the idea, and get back to it when you’re ready. Never underestimate the power of a great idea — it can strike anywhere, anytime!
Modify Your Environment
Ensure you have a dedicated and inspiring workspace for your email marketing tasks. A well-organized space can do wonders for your motivation and productivity.
If you have tiny humans in your workspace, can you setup an area for them to play? or can you hire a babysitter to come to your home and take care of them while you’re learning and implementing?
If you have older humans, put a sign on your door that you’re in class and not to be disturbed unless it’s a real emergency. Ok, I’m laughing now, because I did this with my kids and everything was an emergency.
Adapt Your Schedule
Focus on your learning when you’re feeling most creative. Are you a night owl or an early bird? Tailor your learning schedule around when you’re most alert and focused.
Put Things in Perspective
Take a moment to ask yourself why mastering email marketing is important for your business. Reflecting on your goals can help you stay motivated during challenging times.
Eliminate Unnecessary Tasks
Are there tasks you can delegate or eliminate entirely? This can free up more time for you to focus on mastering and more important…implementing what you’ve learned.
Rearrange Your Priorities
Not all tasks are created equal. Identify which tasks are critical and which can be postponed. For each task that’s critical, ask “why” it’s critical.
Focus with Brain.FM
Having trouble concentrating? Try focus music from Brain.FM. This could help you absorb information better and apply your learning more effectively. And here’s a nifty bonus — if you’re neurodivergent like me (ADHD), Brain.FM offers options in the neural effects setting that can further enhance your focus.
Update: I’ve recently switched to the Balance App, which combines guided meditations, and tracks to help with creativity, focus and stress. My favourite is the “white and brown” noise sleep tracks.
Shrink Your Learning Goals
Learning a new skill like email marketing can be overwhelming. You may find you spend all your time learning and not having time for implementing. Instead spending 5 hours learning email segmentation (which will likely get interrupted by tiny humans needing your attention), you can break it down into smaller chunks like this:
Understand the Basics: What is email segmentation? Why is it crucial? Use resources like introductory articles or videos for this initial exploration.
Apply Theoretically: Sketch a rough outline of how you might segment your own email list. This helps in internalizing the concept.
Explore Segmentation Criteria: Learn about the different ways to segment an email list. These could be demographics, past purchase behavior, email engagement levels, etc.
Identify Relevant Criteria: Reflect on which segmentation methods allow you to deliver personalized emails to make your subscribers feel like you’re taking care of them.
Research Tools: Begin to investigate various email marketing platforms. Look at their features, pricing, and how they handle segmentation.
Plan Your Segmentation Strategy: With your tool selected and segmentation methods in mind, map out how you’ll apply these strategies using your chosen platform.
Implement Segmentation: Set up your initial segmentation rules within your email marketing platform.
Remember, it’s okay to adjust as you go — the key is to start.
When you break down a complex subject like email segmentation into smaller, more digestible chunks, it becomes less intimidating and more manageable. This approach allows you to steadily make progress without feeling overwhelmed.
Collaborate and Learn
If you’re taking a course to learn email marketing, reach out to other solopreneur/parents who are in the same class. Share resources, exchange ideas, and learn together. Community support can boost motivation immensely.
Wrapping it Up
Balancing business growth, learning new skills, and maintaining a harmonious family life isn’t easy, but it’s definitely possible.
Every great learner, every innovator, every leader has felt the same. It’s in these moments of overwhelm, that the opportunity to reshape our perspective exists. So, go ahead, reframe the overwhelming as an opportunity to shine brighter. Keep this quote in mind, “An obstacle is often a stepping stone” — Prescott Bush.
You’ve got this. Stay motivated. Stay amazing.
Until next time, stay inspired.
Gisèle
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