5 things that make the life of a social media manager undeniably better

Besides the obvious like my family, that is!

Mums in business – there’s so many of us now. And that’s great.

As mum’s, I believe we’re finding creative ways to balance running a business around our families.

Sure, at times we may rock up to the school drop off or sporting event looking a little haggled and rushed for time, but we’re doing it. And yes, working late nights after everyone has settled into bed is also acceptable if needs be!

 As a social media manager, I’m in multiple groups, many of which are filled with mums in business. It’s the support I see mum’s giving each other that makes me proud.

It’s the circle of women in business that can be your best support

Over the years, I’ve met some amazing women running a business and raising a family. They’re at all different points of life too – some starting out, others in the midst of raising kids, and others with kids who’ve flown the coop.

But all the same, they’re hard-working women who are doing what they can to support their families.

It’s this common link that seems to bond women in business.

They know what it’s like, and they offer support, encouragement and help us to grow.

Perhaps it’s a mum thing – the nurturing side – but mum’s supporting each other in business is by far one of the best things I’ve experienced.

But 5 other things have gotten me through my years as a mum/social media manager…

Here are the top 5 things that help me balance motherhood with business

1.      Robotic vac

Our household is busy, with animals and kids (with their friends) often coming and going throughout the day. This led to one thing that often distracted me and caught my attention – the ‘bits’ you’d see on the floor.

Dirt, leaves, crumbs…

I was constantly getting up from my desk to fetch the vacuum and clean up.

That’s when I discovered the world of robotic vacuums!

My robotic vac, lovingly known as Monte (after our previous labrador), is like having another pet in the family. Although this one is a pet that cleans up after itself!

2.      Business automation

As a social media manager, I’m a big believer in automating what you can in your business.

When it comes to your social media posting, I encourage you to create a heap of content in one go. Set aside some time (once a month, every second month, etc.) and write all of your posts with your content calendar.

Then use a social media scheduling tool. Once you’ve done this, your content is taken care of, and all you need to do is pop on and respond to comments and so on.

Email marketing is another way you can automate your business. From automatic responses to email campaigns that lead your clients through a sales funnel, you’ll find this kind of automation saves you time and makes you money.

3.      My inner business circle

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve found a fantastic group of support people through my business networking and groups. These ladies all understand the business/mum life, and we experience similar things in our businesses.

Through sharing ideas, supporting and encouraging each other, we’ve formed a close bond.

And each person brings a different perspective. It’s easy to get stuck in a bit of a business rut (especially when we’re juggling everything), so having a fresh set of eyes look over your shoulder and guide you now and then is absolutely essential (in my humble opinion!).

Network, network and network until you find people you bond with. You won’t regret it.

4.      Stationary addiction

Hey, there are worse things to get addicted to! But yes, I love, love, love stationary. From cute little notebooks to scribble down my ideas to paperclips, pens and more, I’m a self-confessed addict.

I’m the kind of person who enjoys the free pens at conferences, loves receiving stationary as a present, and secretly can’t wait to do the kids back to school shopping at the start of the year.

Listing shops such as Officeworks, Typo and Kikki K, among my top favourites, are dead set proof; I have a serious addiction!

5.      Gorgeous shoes

While gorgeous shoes may not be a complete necessity for business/mum life, I can assure you they go a long way as a reward for hard work.

As mum’s, we can’t be all work, work, work without allowing ourselves to buy nice things too. And I don’t mean spoiling our kids, family or friends, but rewarding ourselves for our hard work with something we love.

For me, it’s shoes!

I guess you could technically say I need gorgeous shoes for networking and presenting at conferences. But, honestly, gorgeous shoes are my treat for working so hard.

What are the top 5 things you can’t live without in your business/mum life?

Now you know my top 5 list, I’d love for you to share yours! Drop your list in the comments below.

And if you need any help with your social media (i.e. you’re looking to automate some parts of your business to make life easier), please get in touch for a quote.