Balancing Motherhood, Business, and Change: How To Manage Husband's New Job

Life as a mompreneur is already a juggling act, but when my husband started his new job at a car dealership—with longer hours and less time at home—it added a whole new layer to the mix. 

Suddenly, I found myself handling even more at home while still running a growing business. At first, it felt overwhelming, but I quickly learned how to adjust, stay productive, and still make time for myself.

In this blog post, I’m sharing how I’m balancing it all—family, business, and self-care—while embracing the changes in my household.

When family dynamics change, whether it’s a new job, a new baby, or another major shift, it’s easy to feel like you have to do it all perfectly. But the truth is, the first step to managing change is accepting that things won’t always feel balanced—and that’s okay.

When you're navigating a new season in life, you have to understand that it took some time to get used to your current dynamic.  Yes, change may be scary and uncomfortable at first, but when you get prepared, you can still operate in the excellence you're used to. 

Some important things to consider when making big changees in your household is:

It’s normal to feel a little resentment when you’re suddenly handling more, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t grateful for your partner’s hard work.

It also doesn't mean that you don't miss your old routine. It's natural to feel anxious when shifting to something completely new.

Another important key to remember is that you don’t have to be a “supermom” 24/7. Sometimes, the dishes can wait, and that’s okay.

Remind yourself that you’re adapting, not failing —grace over perfection.

Instead of aiming to do everything at the same level as before, focus on what matters most each day. When my husband first started his new position, I realized very quickly how much of a help he was around the house and how his time contributions were a significant part of our daily routine. I tried to continue my usual schedule and inherit his, and that left me feeling extremely exhausted most days.

Instead of trying to do it all, I instead allowed myself to first feel human and then snap into reality. A two person job will always be too significant for one person to handle.

Some days, your business will take priority; other days, your family will. That’s normal.

Creating a weekly priority list (not a to-do list) helps you focus on what actually needs to be done.

Effective communications is one of the greatest gifts you can have in a marriage. Be honest about how the change is affecting you—don’t bottle it up until frustration builds.

Avoid shifting blame. Don't assume that you're the only one feeling the strains of the new schedule. Remember you're a team!

Find small ways to stay connected, even if it’s just a quick check-in before bed.

Ask for specific help instead of assuming your partner knows what you need (i.e., “Can you do bedtime so I can finish emails?”).

Having a set schedule and a daily routine has been proven to help with productivity. The kids start to:

•  pick up on time cues
• help more with balancing expectations
• facilitate bed and bath time with ease
• know when things are out of place

With longer solo parenting hours, time blocks will be a really great tool with helping you restructure your day so your can still show up as a CEO and as a present mom.

Time blocking is used to batch together work-related or personal tasks to help with proficiency. 

This can look like dividing your day into work blocks and mom blocks instead of trying to multitask everything at once. 

An example of a work block could be:

• a power hour in the morning for fitness
• early mornings 6:00am-8:00am for emails and planning; 
• afternoons are for hands-on mom mode i.e. making lunch, doing activities and facilitating nap time.
• Evenings are reserved for either finishing work or relaxing—because burnout isn’t an option. 

Whatever works best for you, just remember that each day won't look the same and it's okay if you have to pivot to prioritize the need for that day.

Grocery delivery and meal prepping during the week has been a game-changer and one less thing to worry about on the to-do list. I find that having this set eliminates random trips to the store and cuts back on shopping time.

Creating quick morning and evening routines for my kids (and myself) helps keep things running smoothly. My husband and I find that have a set routine on who does what has been most helpful.

Another great tip is to either batch housework into designated days instead of stressing about doing everything every day and/or hire housekeepers to help take off some of the load. 

While you will likely need to do daily household maintenance like tidying up the living room space or doing laundry, those deep clean days can be saved for a cleaning service.

Busy moms not only need help with their personal lives, but creating systems in business is important too. I’ve leaned into scheduling content, automating emails, and outsourcing tasks that don’t require my personal touch.

Bringing on a virtual assistant has allowed me to focus on what actually grows my business instead of getting stuck in admin tasks.

And I use J35 wearable pumps while working—so I’m not tied to a wall while running my business.

One of the biggest mistakes moms make? Neglecting themselves while taking care of everyone else. I’ve learned that self-care isn’t optional—it’s what keeps everything running.

A few things you can do are:

• MAKE TIME FOR SMALL SELF-CARE MOMENTS. It doesn’t have to be a full spa day—even 15 minutes of peace can make a difference. Hair appointments, hot showers, and solo grocery runs all count as self-care. My new rule: If I schedule work calls, I can schedule me time too.
  
  
• FIND "RECHARGE" ACTIVITIES THAT ACTUALLY WORK. Mindlessly scrolling my phone doesn’t recharge me—but journaling, a quick walk, or listening to a podcast does. I’ve started getting ready every morning (even if I’m home all day) because feeling put-together boosts my mood and productivity. Drinking water and actually eating meals sitting down —because not taking a break from serving usually leads to overstimulation.
  
  
• LETTING GO OF "MOM GUILT" FOR TAKING BREAKS. Your kids need a mom who takes care of herself , not one who’s exhausted 24/7. The house doesn’t have to be spotless for you to deserve rest. Prioritizing your well-being makes you a better mom and CEO, not a selfish one.

While you navigate life's new seasons, you'll quickly realize how great of a village you have, or how important the need is to have one.

When I first started my motherhood journey over a decade ago, I wanted to share my experiences with other moms who could relate, without feeling the pressure of being perfect or perceived.

I had also had a great relationship with my family, but because this was a new journey for me, I pushed myself to want to prove that I was an excellent mother, and thus wanted to share my struggles with strangers. 

I share this to say, having a village can help you navigate motherhood without feeling isolated. Sometimes just venting to another mom who "gets it" makes a world of difference.

It's not uncommon to feel guilty for wanting to ask for help, but the truth is, accepting help is a form of self-care.

We are not meant to struggle in silence or do everything alone. Think of each time you go to the grocery store, there's usually a greeter, a store clerk, someone at the customer service desk answering help questions or handling returns. There's generally a team of people bringing in new inventory and stocking the shelves, and there's even someone there monitoring the security systems.

This is important because your life should be ran with help in mind. Having people and systems in place to help navigate life's changes, make things that much smoother.

Whether it’s asking family for a quick babysitting favor, hiring a part-time assistant, or letting your older kids help with small tasks, it can make your life easier.

Adjusting to a new dynamic isn’t always easy, but with grace, structure, self-care, and community, you can find ways to manage motherhood, marriage, and my business without losing your mental health in the process.

If this article has helped you, share it with a friend.