Parenting While Running a Business: 4 Tips for Solopreneurs
Running a solo business while raising kids requires intentional trade-offs.
When people ask how I manage running a business and raising three kids, I resist the urge to say "barely."
Working while parenting isn't about work-life balance, because that doesn't exist. It's about building a system that accounts for the realities of work and life outside of work. Some weeks, the business gets more. Some weeks, the kids get more. Most weeks, you're making trade-offs in real time.
I've always had childcare, and my spouse works a corporate job. I want to be upfront about that, because acknowledging privilege matters when you're giving advice about juggling work and family. Not everyone starts from the same place.
That being said, even with support, running a business while parenting requires real structure. Here are the things that have worked for me.
What does "juggling" actually look like?
Let me be clear: my days are rarely balanced. I’m constantly making decisions about how to spend my time, made week by week and sometimes hour by hour.
For me, that means most creative and client work happen during school hours. Admin tasks happen in smaller pockets. And some things — projects to grow my business, new content, strategic planning — happen only when there's space. Which means some weeks, they don't happen at all.
I have three kids. I cannot achieve the same things as someone without kids, because I don't have the same bandwidth. In addition to running a business, my days include making lunches, picking kids up from activities, and countless other tasks. That's the reality, and pretending otherwise just leads to frustration.
4 tips for running a business while parenting
I’ve been running a solo business for three years, and parenting for more than 16 years. These are things that work for me.
1. Block off time for your deepest work
Creative and client work need stretches of uninterrupted time. You have to find time on your calendar that you can get into deep work, with fewer risks of interruption. During this time, you work on one important thing, rather than multitasking with your never-ending to-do list.
For me, that's during school hours (roughly 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM). I also sneak in at least an hour early in the morning before everyone wakes up, which is often when I do my best thinking.
The thing to keep in mind is that the school day is shorter than a typical workday. Factor in drop-offs, pickups, half days, and in-service days, and you've got fewer focused hours than you think. Plan your week around what's actually available, not the time you wish you had.
2. Build buffer time into your schedule
My husband works a corporate job, and I’m the one with flexibility. So most of the time, I'm the one who handles doctor appointments, sick days, and early pickups. Unless I have a meeting that cannot be moved (like being a podcast guest), I have to plan for last-minute schedule changes.
Two of my kids are teenagers, and they’re responsible for adding events to our shared Google Calendar. But, they’re still learning so they forget. And I’ll get a last-minute request, like “I have theater rehearsal after school. Can you pick me up at 4:30 today?”
Buffer time means leaving gaps in your schedule that absorb the unexpected without derailing your entire week. I don't schedule client calls back-to-back all day. I don't commit to deadlines that leave zero room for error. When something comes up (and it inevitably does from time to time), the buffer absorbs it.
I am upfront with clients that I’m a parent. I’m a deadline-hitter, 99% of the time. But because I’m so consistent, if something comes up with my kids, they understand. Typically, that looks like delivering the next day. I’ll let them know as soon as possible, like:
“Hey [client] - my kiddo is sick today, and looks like we need to make a trip to the doctor. Since that’s going to eat into the time I had planned to finish up the deliverable today, is it ok if I send it to you tomorrow?”
3. Know your priorities and accept the trade-offs
My priorities, in order: family first, client work second, business growth third. That hierarchy means some things in my business overall move slowly. A new course launch? It happens when it happens. A client deadline? That gets protected time.
I share this because the hardest part of parenting while running a business is the comparison. It's seeing someone without kids ideate and ship a product in a weekend. You know it’s simply not possible that you do the same, yet you feel a twinge of jealousy.
In an episode of the Creator Science podcast, Justin Moore, founder of Creator Wizard, said:
“My moments of frustration are when there’s a lot of stuff to do family-wise. I would love to sit down and write or film a video, but I’ve got to do all these other things. For a long time, I felt a certain way about it. But I think I shifted my mindset pretty early on that that’s just not my path. My path is to be a dad, and I love being a dad.”
You're operating with different constraints. And that's not a failure. That's a decision you’ve made.
4. Automate as much as possible
Automation runs things in the background so I don't spend time on manual tasks. I've been doing this since day one in my business. Even back in my corporate life, I was the person automating everything I could.
For a parent running a business, automation is particularly valuable because your time is fragmented. Social media scheduling, invoice reminders, email sequences, task routing — those might be things you fit in here and there around your deep work. Every manual task you eliminate is time you get back for either work or family.
For example, when I sign a new client, an automation in Zapier with 17 steps adds new folders to my Google Drive, sets the client up in Quickbooks, and adds some follow-up items to my to-do list. That’s mental energy and a few moments of time saved.
If you’ve never automated anything before, you can start with something simple, like after every client meeting, you can add a follow-up to your to-do list. That way, you’re not relying on your brain to keep track of everything.
Anna Burgess Yang
Tips for parents who are running a solo business
- Don’t compare yourself to people without kids. Measure your progress against your own goals, not someone else's timeline.
- Build a buffer into your schedule. If every hour is accounted for, one sick kid or school closure throws off the entire week. Leave gaps on purpose.
- Treating business tasks as urgent when they're not. Client deadlines are urgent. Other business projects can wait. Know the difference.
- Don’t feel guilty, thinking you should be working more. If you’re prioritizing family, be proud of your decision.
- Don’t try to "make up" lost time instead of adjusting expectations. If your Wednesday disappears because of a field trip, you don't need to work until midnight to compensate. Adjust the week's plan accordingly.
We don't all have the same 24 hours
Comparison is real, and it doesn't go away just because you know better. I've had to learn to recognize when goals aren't possible in my current season of life. It's not because I don't try hard enough. It's because I've chosen to prioritize my family.
What I will say is that things have gotten better as my kids have gotten older. I’m a chauffeur for a lot of after-school activities, but that gives me a lot of time in the car. I do things like dictate a blog post to myself while I’m waiting in the school parking lot.
If you're parenting and running a business, give yourself permission to move at a different pace. Build the structure that works for your actual life, not someone else's highlight reel. The business will grow. Your kids won't be small forever.
Want to see what automation actually looks like in a solo business?
Check out my free guide.
FAQs
How do solopreneurs manage childcare while running a business?
Most solopreneurs with young children rely on some combination of daycare, school hours, a partner's schedule, and family support. Some parents also trade childcare with other parent-entrepreneurs. The key is building your work schedule around the childcare you actually have, not the working hours you wish you had.
How many hours a day can you realistically work with kids?
It depends on the age of your children and your childcare setup. Parents with school-age kids typically have 5-6 focused hours during the school day. Parents with younger children at home may work in shorter bursts during naps or after bedtime. You may have more with younger children if you have full-day childcare, but also have to be prepared for days when your kids are sick or school is closed.
Should I tell clients I have kids?
That's a personal decision. You don't owe clients an explanation for your schedule. What matters is that you deliver quality work on time. Some freelancers mention it to set boundaries around availability. Others prefer to keep it private. Either approach works.
How do I handle sick days when I'm self-employed?
Build buffer time into your weekly schedule so a sick day doesn't create a domino effect. If you have a deadline and a sick child, communicate with your client early rather than waiting until the last minute. Most clients are understanding if you're proactive about it.
Can I run a business during nap time and after bedtime?
Some parents do, especially in the early stages. But it's not sustainable long-term. Working only in margins leaves you exhausted and limits what you can take on. If your business is growing, investing in some form of childcare — even part-time — gives you the focused hours you need.
How do I stop comparing myself to solopreneurs without kids?
Remind yourself that you're operating with different constraints and different priorities. Follow people who are honest about parenting while running a business, not glossing over how hard it can be. Focus on the progress you're making within your reality.
