Five things I’ve learnt about myself, business, and life since becoming a mum

Pablo is eight months old now and things are different from when I last wrote about juggling being a mum and a founder. I can’t really take him with me to serious work events anymore because he is out of the docile, sleepy stage and into the crazy, active, babbling stage (harder, but also so much cuter than before).

Now he is beginning to transition into nursery, I’ve been reflecting on what becoming a mum has taught me. I was anxious before he was born about how I would manage both (be a mum and run a business) but I actually think that so far, becoming a mum has made me a much better business owner. I’ve learnt lessons over the last few months that have changed my outlook on life, and therefore the way I work. These are the five most important things that I’ve learnt about myself, business and life since becoming a mum.

1) Being productive doesn’t mean having your laptop open 9-5

I don’t know if any other business owners or self-employed people can relate to this but I’ve always felt like I have to have my laptop open for the full working day every day of the week: nine to five and a one hour lunch. The reality is that when running a business there’s weeks when there’s loads to do, and then weeks when there is barely anything. In the past I would just find tasks to do, things that weren’t exactly make-or-break, but kept me busy on my laptop to reassure people (or maybe just myself) that my work was just as important as everyone else’s. Since I’ve become a mum, that approach is completely un-realistic, and actually just doesn’t make sense to me anymore. My job is different to everyone else’s, it’s different to what it was last year, and it’ll be different again next year. My workload changes and I intentionally decreased it this year in preparation for having a baby. Now, I have a succinct To-Do List in order of priorities and I only open my laptop intentionally. I get done what I need and want to do without it interrupting me being a present parent. I never sit with my laptop open wondering what to do anymore. I’ve learnt that because I run my own business, I get to choose what hours I work. There isn’t one “proper” way, my way is just different now I’m a mum.

2) You can do a lot on a little sleep when you’ve got a human to take care of

Anybody that knows me knows I LOVE sleep. I always go to bed early and get up early. I’m always most productive in the mornings and tired at night time. Throwing a baby into the mix was probably the most drastic lifestyle change for me. Discounting the first few weeks when you probably sleep 3 hours a night, It’s still rare that I manage more than 4 hours of sleep in a row. The old me would have been horrified to hear this. In fact, a survey of 1,300 parents actually found that in the first year post-partum, mums lose an average of 133 nights of sleep (Snuz, 2022). Shocking!

That said, losing sleep when you have a human to look after is different, because somehow our bodies just keep going. I’m not sure on the science of this, but there is without doubt a huge shift in what our bodies can physically manage before and after birth.

I’m excited for the first time sleep through the night again (will that be in 18 years?) but becoming a mum has taught me that you can still do the same stuff (and sometimes even more) with less sleep.

3) Letting things go is how to grow

I had heart a lot of people talk about the transition from doing everything in your business to letting others take the lead. It’s something I probably wouldn’t have done so ‘soon’ if it wasn’t for Pablo, but has been the best business decision that I’ve made. In July 2023 when I founded Our Goal, I set up a tiny new company from a big idea that I had. In my mind, it always had to be me that did everything at first because I had the vision, the contacts and the knowledge that I was building my idea on. Then as time went on I realised that a part of Our Goal which developed organically is actually one of the most important and powerful aspects of our business model. As soon as I started working with students, I realised that they are actually often better placed than me to deliver our work in schools and the community. They are actively studying courses which are related to sport, health and activity and are part of the communities we work in. They also each bring unique and different experiences to their role as mentors. They offer a different perspective to the way our sessions are run and that ultimately makes the programmes better for the girls we work with. Since Pablo was born we’ve actually been able to achieve way more as an organisation than I had on my own, and at the same time, Our Goal currently offers paid work experience opportunities for 10 women across Greater Manchester.

4) Time and health are precious, and you can’t buy them

Outside of lessons within business and productivity, becoming a mum has definitely shifted my outlook on life. I am a person who is constantly on the go, I’ve always got plans, I hate being bored and I rarely take time to do reflect. However, every single day that I wake up and see Pablo I feel a new sense of gratitude and love for his existence and my own health to be able to take care of him. The world feels at the same time a bit more threatening and a lot more beautiful to me. Pablo experiences new things every day with wonder. He loves being outside and he gazes at the leaves on trees and watches them move in the wind. He makes me more aware of the world around us and how much there is that we take for granted. Because of him, I feel as though I am much less tunnel vision on what the next thing is that I will do or achieve, and more present, and grateful to have been given this opportunity to spend time with a new little person. It’s a new perspective on life itself.

5) Physical activity has the power to improve our lives throughout our lives

Finally, going through pregnancy, birth and post-partum has brought me even closer to my why, and made me even more passionate about the reason that Our Goal exists. Physical activity has the power to change lives. Our bodies were designed to move, and when we move them we feel good. It’s pretty much guaranteed. I truly believe that healthy habits which get us out and exercising are key to leading happier healthier lives. After having a baby, the world is instantly and undeniably different. You go from feeling like you know everything, to feeling like you know nothing. But for me, having the opportunity to move my body and be physically active everyday has kept me feeling like me. I’m not saying I’ve been doing sport by any means, it’s been way over a year since I played football. The way I move has changed and adapted to my new life. My morning dog walks on the meadows have remained my constant in my new and often chaotic motherhood life. They are now resistance training too, with my 10kg weight taking it all in from the best seat in the house. Physical activity doesn’t have to be fast, competitive, or expensive. It has to meet our individual needs in a way that works for us. And it will and always does make a positive difference to our physical health and mental wellbeing. I founded Our Goal because I have lived through and seen the power of physical activity to improve peoples lives. And now, since I’ve become a mum, I’m more sure of that than ever.

I definitely don’t have it all figured out as a new mum, but I have learnt a lot over the last eight months which is changing how I approach business and life, with more purpose, more intention and more gratitude.