Struggling to stay encouraged and motivated to keep working on your side hustle as a working mom?
Life can get overwhelming and you basically have 3 jobs: full-time job, part-time job (aka side hustle) and being mom.
That’s a lot for anyone to manage, but you’re doing it. Even though you’ve got it handled most of the time, there are going to be times when you’ll need some extra encouragement and motivation.
In this article, I’ll share how to keep going when the going gets tough and you really need that extra bit of motivation and encouragement to keep working on your side hustle as a working mom.
As a working mom, it’s tough to fit in the kids, home duties and work. Add a side hustle in there, and stress can feel like an everyday emotion.
Staying up late or waking up early (or both!) and giving up big chunks of your weekends to work on your side hustle business becomes routine.
At first, this can feel exciting because you’re figuring out to make money online. You’re working toward a life where you can work from home and be with your kids as much as you want.
But what about when this goes on for a while.
Most side hustle businesses don’t just take off in the first month. You’ll likely have to adapt this stretched lifestyle for months or even years. All the while sacrificing time with your family, and they’re the reason you’re doing this side hustle in the first place.
Where you’re working on your business and making all of these changes in life but you aren’t seeing the results you want just yet. It can feel defeating in this phase.
It’s here that you’ll need the most motivation and encouragement to keep pressing forward.
I want to share the one thing I used to help me keep working on my side hustle for 2.5 years until I finally quit my job in 2018.
The secret to finding side hustle motivation
The number one thing that finally clicked for me with motivation to make my side hustle a priority was getting really clear on my “why”.
What does it mean to “Find your why”?
If you’ve been listening to anything entrepreneurial lately, then you’ve probably heard this phrase a lot. It’s used quite a bit to encourage entrepreneurs when things get hard.
But what does it really mean?
Basically, it’s THE reason that you’re wanting to do this whole entrepreneurial thing in the first place.
Yes, there are a ton of benefits to having a side hustle, but there is something that really got you to start taking action and get going on this business.
That’s your “why”.
But as Christian entrepreneurs, we actually have two layers to our “why.”
We have the personal why and then we have the kingdom why.
How do you define your “why” as a Christian entrepreneur?
First, let’s talk about what I mean when I say a “kingdom why”. This is why God would call you to run a business in His name. There is the big why that we all have and that’s to share the love of Christ with others, teach them His ways and ultimately, further the Kingdom (see Matthew 28:18-20).
But what if your business isn’t faith-based necessarily? It still applies because it applies to everything we do. Even if you’re teaching moms how to declutter, you are going to be kind in your interactions with customers, share your Christ-centered values through your content, and potentially your faith.
But when it comes to business and figuring our your “kingdom why”, I believe that we all have something that’s on your heart to do. There’s a person to serve or a cause you really care about.
This is the kingdom why. When you realize that God has prepared you to do specific work for Him, then you will see your passion for decluttering as more than just something you can make money with. You’ll realize that God is calling you to share this to help the moms out there that are struggling with clutter and have no idea how to get out from under it, and are praying for help in this area. Help that you can give when you write the posts or make the courses that God has put on your heart to create.
See how different that is? It’s a deep reason that will keep you going time and time again.
To really solidify your motivation, this is where the personal why comes in.
This one can be found by looking at your life and what’s not quite how you want it to be.
Is there something that you are missing out on that having this ability to work from home would allow you to change? It could be your kids or traveling or simply being your own boss.
You can ask yourself this to help: What is my biggest reason for wanting to work for myself?
For me, it’s that I wanted to have my own business because I wanted to be home with my son to be the one to raise him and have freedom with my time and money.
You know you’ve nailed it when saying this reason makes you yearn for that to happen. The immense desire for that life will overwhelm you with motivation and drive.
That’s the kind of “why” you want and are going to need.
How does having a “why” help with motivation as an entrepreneur?
Sure, the “why” sounds nice, but how is it really going to help with motivation as an entrepreneur?
When things get tough and you consider quitting or start asking yourself why you’re putting yourself and your family through this, pull out your “why” to remind you of the whole point.
Using the “why” to motivate and encourage yourself
When life gets crazy (and it will), that passion and drive you had for killing it with your side hustle will likely be the first thing to go.
It’s not something you HAVE to do, so it makes sense. Sometimes life can get so hectic that you may even lose sight of why you’re doing this side hustle at all.
The thing that’s going to keep you focused and on track?
Finding you why. Your purpose.
Once you have this, put it on a sticky note or in your phone or where ever you need to be reminded of it daily.
I’d suggest even setting up a daily reminder on your phone to have it pop up and tell you why you are doing this. Or frame it above your workstation. Or both. Whatever it takes to not forget your “why”.
Final Thoughts
This entrepreneur thing is hard.
Working long nights after the kids have gone to bed will eventually get to you. It’s in those moments you’ll need to come back to your “why” to keep you going.
The biggest thing to remember is that you may be sacrificing now, but it’s so you can live the life of your dreams later. Missed time with the kids now will yield so many hours to be with them later.
Keep working hard, Momma. You will get there eventually. You just have to stay focused on your “why” and keep moving forward.
Do you have a why statement? If so, how has it motivated you in your business?
