Behind the Business #9: How I Actually Get Work Done With Three Kids at Home
Hook: How I stay consistent in my business—even when motivation is gone.
Welcome back to Behind the Business, where I'm taking you behind the scenes of how I actually run Classy Career Girl.
Last week, I took you behind the scenes of my life—motherhood, homeschooling, travel, routines, and the choices we've made as a family.
This week, we're going behind the business.
Yesterday, I shared the one-page business plan I actually use.
But here's the thing:
A business plan doesn't work if you don't actually do the work.
And that is what I want to talk about today.
Because I have three kids at home. We homeschool. We have gymnastics, activities, appointments, meals, laundry, and all the normal things happening around us.
And I still have a business to run.
So how do I actually get things done?
Especially on the days when I don't feel motivated?
Motivation Is Not My Strategy
One of the biggest things I've learned after more than a decade of entrepreneurship is this:
You cannot build a business based on whether you feel motivated that day.
There are mornings when I'm excited to work.
There are also mornings when I'm tired, someone needs me, the schedule changes, or I would rather do almost anything else.
Consistency comes from having a simple system I can return to.
And for me, that starts with knowing my priorities.
1. I Design My Work Around My Life
I don't start by asking:
"How can I fit my family around everything I need to accomplish in my business?"
I do the opposite.
I look at our family schedule first.
When are we homeschooling?
When do the kids need me?
What activities do we have?
When do I want to be completely off?
Then I decide where work fits.
I've learned that less time can actually make me more productive because I have to decide what truly matters.
I can't spend six hours making a Canva graphic perfect.
I have to focus on the work that actually grows the business.
2. I Know My Most Important Business Activities
There will always be more things I could do than I have time to do.
So I focus first on the activities that move the business forward:
Sales.
What am I selling? Who needs to hear about it? What conversations do I need to have?
Delivery.
What do my clients and customers need from me?
Marketing.
What podcast, email, social media post, or piece of content needs to go out?
Everything else comes after those things.
Because a full to-do list does not necessarily mean you're growing your business.
3. I Pick My Top Three
This is probably one of the simplest things I do, but it makes a huge difference.
Every day, I identify my top three priorities.
Not 27.
Three.
If the day completely falls apart but I accomplish those three things, I can still say:
"Today moved the business forward."
That helps me avoid spending my best working hours answering random emails, organizing files, or doing little tasks that feel productive but aren't actually important.
4. I Time Block the Work
Once I know the priorities, I give them somewhere to live.
I don't just write:
"Record podcast."
I decide when I'm recording the podcast.
I don't just write:
"Follow up with potential clients."
I put a block on my calendar to do it.
Your calendar forces you to confront reality.
You might have 15 things on your list, but only two hours available.
Something has to go.
And that's okay.
5. I Make Consistency Easier
I also use simple tools to reduce the amount of thinking I have to do.
I use things like ChatGPT to help me organize a messy brain dump into priorities.
I use project-management tools to keep track of what needs to happen.
I use Calendly so I'm not going back and forth scheduling calls.
I use ManyChat so someone can comment a keyword and automatically receive the resource they're looking for.
The goal isn't to add more technology.
The goal is to remove friction.
Every little decision you can eliminate gives you more energy for the work that actually needs you.
6. I Communicate My Boundaries
This is a huge one when you work from home.
My kids know there are times when Mom is working.
They also know there are times when they have my full attention.
Is it perfect?
Absolutely not.
There are interruptions.
Plans change.
Someone needs something.
That's life with kids.
But having boundaries and rhythms makes it possible for me to be present in both places.
What I Do When Motivation Is Completely Gone
And then there are those days.
You know the ones.
You don't want to record the podcast.
You don't want to write the email.
You don't want to make the sales call.
Here's what I do:
I make the next step smaller.
I don't tell myself I have to finish everything.
I ask:
"What's the next most important thing I can do?"
Open the document.
Record the first five minutes.
Send one follow-up.
Write one paragraph.
Start.
Because action creates momentum.
You don't have to feel motivated before you begin.
The To-Do List I Actually Use
I have a really simple Daily To-Do List that helps me do all of this.
It's one page.
It helps me identify my priorities, organize what needs to happen, and focus on what actually matters that day.
And you can download the exact template I use for free.
I'll put the link in the show notes.
Because you don't need another complicated productivity system.
You need to know:
What matters today?
When am I going to do it?
And what can I let go of?
That's how I've stayed consistent.
Not because I'm motivated every day.
Not because I have unlimited time.
But because I've learned to focus the limited time I do have on the things that matter most.
And sometimes, that's actually the gift of building a business with kids at home.
You learn very quickly what deserves your time.
I'll see you tomorrow for another episode of Behind the Business.
