Are You Showing Up Where It Matters? How to Clarify Your Priorities as a Busy Mama

Showing up when and where it matters most can be a real challenge for Mama Business owners, especially when crisis hits. But when we clarify our priorities we find greater success at home and in business, which is exactly why we’re chatting about this very topic on today’s episode.

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Before we jump into the meat and potatoes of this episode, I wanted to let you know that if you are struggling to launch or grow your own business, you don’t have to go it alone. Brumley Marketing is here to help. We’re a family-owned, small business focused on helping other small businesses achieve their biggest dreams. We offer done-for-you services as well as DIY resources. Our goal: to help you get recognized online, increase engagement with your dream clients and customers, and, ultimately – make a bigger impact – on your community and your wallet. To access our resources or to schedule a FREE consultation, head to brumleymarketing.com today.

Well hey there mama, I’m Sarah Brumley of Brumley Marketing and I’m super excited to be here with you today. If you listen to these episodes in real time, you know that it’s been a hot minute since the last podcast episode, and while I’m going to share a bit about why that was the case, I do think that it presents the perfect opportunity for us to discuss this topic today of showing up where and when it really matters.

And this is something that I’ve really struggled with over the past five years of running my business. I get caught up in my goals, in my plans, and I often forget that there’s more to my life than just moving from task to task and goal to goal.

But then we had a family situation happen that required a shift in where I placed my attention. In this case, we have a daughter that’s dealing with some severe mental health issues. And while I can’t and won’t share all of the details at this time you can imagine how quickly the focus shifted from achieving business goals to finding the right service providers for her, fielding calls from school, from facilities, from insurance companies, and, then, dealing with the emotional fallout that any big situation like that can have on everyone around you.

And this might come across as super vague, and yet…I have to say all of that not because I want your sympathy, but because when I say on this podcast that “each episode features *real-life talk about home and business, coupled with actionable strategies you can implement immediately”* I actually mean that. And one of the problems with me just talking on a podcast like this is that it’s really just one way. You don’t get to ask me questions in real time and hear my answers. You don’t get to see all of the behind the scenes of my life. So, the danger is that if I don’t discuss these things during my hard seasons, you might find yourself in a hard season and believe that you are the only one.

And mama, that’s just not true.

So, while I can’t go into specifics, you can know that life isn’t perfect for anyone – especially me. We all have things that we struggle with. And the beauty of doing mama business together is that we don’t have to struggle alone. That’s what this community is for.

With that being said, I’d like to take the time today to talk about creating a life and business that allows you to show up when and where it really matters.

How to Clarify Your Priorities in Mama Business

Quite honestly, I attribute my ability to show up when and where it matters to knowing what my priorities are.

And it might seem like a simple thing, but it goes well beyond what’s most important. For example, you might know that your family is a priority AND that your business is a priority, but what happens when one needs you more than the other? That’s where we have to take it a step deeper and look at what I call the bare minimums.

Because this podcast is all about Mama Business, let’s stick to those two things: having a family and running a business.

Navigate a Family Crisis

So, think about it this way: if a family crisis comes up that takes your attention away from your business, what’s the bare minimum that you need to do within your business? This will be different for everyone based on your business type, the financial needs of the business and your family, and the level of support you have from other employees or contractors.

In my case, I do one-on-one client work designing and maintaining websites. My bare minimum is managing the work of the current clients I have and ensuring projects are completed on time and without any issues. That means that many of the other things I love to do when it comes to marketing and promoting my business can take a backseat during times that my family needs my attention more. Thus, this podcast taking a summer break. Does that mean that I’ve bailed out of my business entirely? Absolutely not. It just means that, for a short time, I have to expend my resources elsewhere.

Navigate a Business Crisis

Likewise, if we flip the script and think about your business having a crisis, then what is the bare minimum you need to do within your home or family situation so that you can take the time or allocate your energy to the business issue?

Now, before I receive an inbox full of hate mail, I just want to clarify that I’m not talking about neglecting your family during this time of a business crisis. But, you and I both know that there are bare minimums that can be done to help you increase your time with that business crisis. Perhaps you can put off washing sheets this week and free up 30 minutes? Maybe your partner or a good friend can take your daughter to her basketball game – just this once – so you can manage that client meeting? It could be that you allow your son to watch a movie, or you order pizza so you don’t have to cook, or you have your groceries delivered, or you skip watching tv with your spouse in the evenings, or…whatever it might be.

And I do have to remind you – that we are talking about crisis situations. Things that come up unexpectedly. If your business is always in crisis – that’s an indicator of a bigger problem and not the reason to drop to bare minimums with your family.

Also, can I just say that knowing your bare minimums doesn’t give you an excuse not to get out there and achieve your goals? Because that would go against everything we know about how to grow a family and a business that thrives. Okay? So, as long as we are clear on that.

The best part about knowing your bare minimums is that if something really does come up – you aren’t scrambling to figure out what to do and what not to do. Instead, you are able to pull back to that bare minimum and focus your attention where it really matters.

Take Action: Clarify Your Priorities

So, this is where I encourage you to take action. And you know me – I’m a huge proponent of taking action, because action is where the dreams turn into the reality. And that’s why every Mama Business episode comes with action steps you can take immediately to up level your mama life and business. Ideally you’ll take action on all of the things we’ve discussed today, but if you only have time for one, it’s this:

Clarify your business and family minimums. There might be other areas of your life that need this clarification as well, but for now, just focus on those two. Because there’s nothing better than knowing that you are showing up when and where you are needed most when a crisis happens. And, take it from me – it’ll probably happen and some point or another.

As I said earlier in this episode, you can know that life isn’t perfect for anyone – especially me. But the beauty of doing mama business together is that we don’t have to struggle alone. So, if you are struggling when it comes to running your mama business – head on over to brumleymarketing.com/schedule and let’s chat about how we can help you manage all the things without the overwhelm.

Know that I’m cheering you on every step of the way and I can’t wait to chat with you next time!

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