Lilian Fortune

   Have you ever just sat in your bed, lost in your thoughts, tears clouding your eyes as you stare deep on the massive quantity of paper work in front of you while you keep hearing the words “mum, I need you” over and over again from the kid’s room and at that moment, you wonder, “why did I even bother?” “I can’t do this.” “Why did I even try”. “I should just quit now.” “I should not have been so greedy.” Those thoughts, as familiar as it can be, might be the only thing you could think about for days while you’re trying to start up a new business or start up as a mom.

You know one of the most popular things I’ve heard since I became an entrepreneur? “Working from home has to be the best thing ever, you’d literally have the time to live how you want.” It took the entire year to make me realize that today, working from home has become twice as hard as working in an office. You’d be lucky if you even get any time at all to “live how you want.” Not when you’re trying to get some work done and then suddenly have to pause for a second to get lunch ready and while you’re at it, you suddenly remember you’ve got to pick the kids from school, or take your youngest to her recitals and what’s worse, get back home in time to prepare dinner. I mean, as a single lady, you could pull it off but as a mum, trust me, you’d need all the strength and luck in the world especially when you’re trying to start a new business.

After coming to a conclusion that I needed to invest in another line of work that suited my current educational degree, something that wasn’t exactly in line with my previous businesses, i with the great support of hubby decided to embark on a journey that filled me, broke me, healed me and engaged me in a conflicted roller coaster with my emotions. It was even harder trying to finish up my school work, attend to paper work and legal engagements with my lawyers, employee training and selection with my manager and still meet up in time to pick the kids from school. Some days I had it bad and other days, I felt like I just needed a break. I would usually sort out some paper work and be in and out of meetings with the legal team everyday until 12:30pm, while also trying to meet up with my other business engagements with my other establishments. While this is going on, I’d make sure I’m paying attention to my phone’s alarm as I have to get back home by 12:30 to prepare lunch for the kids and by 2pm, I’m out to pick them from school and back home. While this is going on, I’m back to talking calls ad coordinating the affairs of my other businesses. Most times, I lose track of time and never get the chance to get back to work after I bring the kids home and other times, I’m struggling with completing my school work and fixing dinner.

The first two weeks were tolerable. “I can do this, I mean, it’s no big deal, it’s just going to be like all my other businesses.” That was the excitement talking but on the third week, my confessions changed, especially when I had to wake early to prepare breakfast every school day and still do more paperwork. I felt a lot of things, anger, disgust, frustration, and misery. I remember calling my husband one day just to cry on the phone because I felt like the walls were closing in on me. I remembered how he rushed home right after to comfort me and encouraged me to get some rest while he picked the kids from school and ran all the other errands. It was like I was pregnant again and going through series of mood swings and he just had to deal with it as he should! Great man indeed!

I gave it a few more weeks and knew I had to do something about it. I had to find a way to do this, to be in control, to own my life, my business and my home. And right after that, I found the answer I was always looking for; the five tenets to being a successful mum, entrepreneur and boss chick and I can’t wait to share it with you in our next post.