Building a Business, Raising a Family: Time Is a Myth: How I Manage Work With Kids Around

Time Is a Myth

My day does not look like a 9 to 5. It really has not since I left my last cubicle in 2017.

I get up with my two little girls because I have learned that maximizing sleep matters more than maximizing hours. Instead of rushing into work, mornings are about them. Diapers, getting dressed, breakfast, cleanup, and settling into play usually take a couple of hours before I am ready to open my laptop.

That is when I sneak in my first window of work. Emails, Slack, LinkedIn, and quick tasks that I can cross off without needing deep focus.

If I am lucky, their nap times overlap and I get a couple of uninterrupted hours for strategy, deeper work, and staff check-ins. The rest of the day varies. Some days are chores. Some are family outings. Some are spent caring for a sick toddler. Most evenings, I do not return to my desk until after bedtime.

The trick is not trying to force the day into a perfect schedule. It is working with what I have.

I plan just a couple of important work tasks per day, alongside home and family responsibilities. I keep task lists for everything: business, chores, and personal, including self-care. I also intentionally leave a day or two with very little planned. That way, when something unexpected comes up or I feel overwhelmed, I can shift tasks without guilt.

On the weeks when things actually go as planned, the kids and I celebrate with a trip to the zoo or the playground.

Since time is not something I control anymore, I do my best to roll with it. That mindset more than anything has made my days more enjoyable and has increased my ability to stay patient and calm as both a parent and a CEO.

The Babysitter Math

I get anywhere between four and twelve hours of babysitting each week. Those hours are reserved for everything that requires focus: client calls, partner meetings, sales conversations, contracts, strategy sessions, and any work that cannot be interrupted by “Mama, look!”

Because that time is limited, I manage it carefully. I schedule those hours early in the week, usually Monday through Wednesday. That gives me room to follow up, deliver, and adjust if something urgent comes up. It also leaves flexibility to add another babysitting block later in the week if a new project or customer request appears.

Anything that does not require deep focus happens in smaller pockets of time. Emails, finances, LinkedIn, and light admin work get done while I am with my kids, a little at a time. It is not perfect, but it works in this phase of life.

The hardest moments are when all childcare options are unavailable and a customer meeting comes up. In those cases, I am fortunate to have a supportive husband who steps in when he can so I can keep my commitments. It is rare, but it is part of the equation.

The babysitter math is not really about babysitting. It is about prioritizing energy and focus for the work that truly moves the business forward, and letting the rest fit around it.

My family comes first. Keeping my customers and staff supported comes a very close second.