How Coworking Helped Me Spend More Intentional Time With My Children | Haven Collective | 614 Mom

Wow. This blog post has been weighing on my heart for awhile now and it feels so good to sit down and get it all typed out.  There are a lot of articles about the benefits of coworking and I would have to agree with anyone who tells me coworking is great for business.  Coworking has helped me in my business tremendously and I remain thankful every single day for my membership at Haven Collective. The one thing I never predicted?  The way coworking would help me spend more intentional time with my children.

As a work from home mom my days are looooong. The day starts early with breakfast, school drop off, and playtime for the youngest two. We typically head to the park where I ask them to sit in the car just a few extra minutes so I can respond to that one email that turns into three and then we get out to play.  I check my phone a few times throughout the day, like a high school student in class, trying not to get caught….but they catch me. Every. Single. Time. I’m still TOTALLY in the moment though, I lie to myself.

I’m not trying to ignore them - I’m trying to help a client.  A client who pays me so I can pay for tball, ballet, random trips to the LEGO store, and everything else their little hearts desire. Because they deserve the world, and I’m going to give them the freaking world.

We head home and I make lunch and put them both down for nap.  Nap time - great that’s my work time. First though let’s switch laundry and run the dishwasher so those things can be working while I am. Work smarter not harder...right? Crap that dish hit the sink too hard and now the baby is crying.  Get her back down for nap and now I’m exhausted. I sit. For the first time all day, I sit. I email a little on my phone, scroll through social media (that is part of my job after all) and try to cram in as much work as possible in the precious hour that I have before going to pick up my oldest from school.   

Next thing I know it’s 9 pm and all the kids are in bed, I grab my bestie (AKA my laptop) and open it up to find an overwhelming amount of work that is going to keep me up until at least midnight.   I’m pretty sure in that day I wasn’t as in the moment as I thought I was, I saw my husband for all of twenty minutes, and I’m exhausted.

This isn’t the life I dreamed of when I first decided to go into work for myself, but it’s all part of the grind I try to tell myself while wishing I could be in the moment more.  It’s that stage of business that’s hard and I just happen to be going through it while also raising three young children.

My first time ever at Haven - February 27, 2018!! Taken from the Haven Collective Instagram.

When I decided to tour Haven Collective it was mainly just to see the space and say hi to two women I felt like I knew through the power of social media.  I had also recently won an award and part of that prize was a one month membership to Haven, so I was excited to talk about maybe turning that in and claiming my free month just to see what it was all about, I wasn’t ready to start paying for office space and my business wasn’t making enough to justify the expense.  Plus - what about my kids? Where would they go?

From the minute I sat down on the green couch to talk with Melissa (co creator of Haven) I felt like this was my space. They get me here, the struggle is so real being a business owner and then throw in being a parent, especially when you’re the primary caregiver for your kids, it’s tough. The guilt is so strong and hard to shake most days.  I could have sat and talked to Melissa for hours (and maybe we did?)

As soon as I left I could just feel that the change in my business was going to happen there.  That was where I needed to be to become the business owner I had always dreamed of being. I can’t really explain it, but I have proof because as soon as I got home I sent one email and took the rest of the day off.  That email - was to Melissa telling her to sign me up for my one free month and that I didn’t really have any plans on cancelling once that month was over. I was ready to dive all the way in.

Also from my first time at Haven on 2/27/18 - I needed so much to see this sign. Haven gave me the confidence to start growing my business like I knew I needed to.

When I started on March 1, 2018 I was still figuring out a lot about myself and my business. I was at a point of growth with very little vision on where I wanted to be other than I knew it was time to hustle hard. Does that make sense?  That was basically my brain for a few months, chaos. Thankfully the owners of Haven, Melissa and Danielle were there for me in ways that I desperately needed. I needed someone to talk through ideas with because I have A LOT of ideas and talking about them to myself in the shower just wasn’t cutting it anymore.  They helped me see the light, they push me when I’m doubting myself, and my business growth has a lot to do with their encouragement.

I now spend at least once a week at Haven and sometimes that’s all I need. A few uninterrupted hours to H U S T L E.

Haven does have onsite childcare serviced by the best babysitting service in Columbus - Sitting Made Simple and it's so fun for the littles. They are opening up new playgroups for members this fall and I've got my youngest ready to go so mama can hustle every single Monday. 

I can get everything done that I need to in one day at Haven that used to take my two weeks when juggling kids, house and work. Don’t get me wrong, I have a creative brain, there is always work to be done, but the most important stuff gets down so I can spend my nights working when I want to.  I’ve met some amazing business owners who have turned into some of my closest friends, I’ve grown my business and I’m making three times the income I used to make. The best part though? When I’m home with my kids, I am home with my kids. I can turn off email and notifications because I’m caught up. I’m not always behind.  I can just go to the park and catch them as they slide down the tallest slide. I can take the day off and drive to the candy factory without once checking my email and now when I turn on the laptop while they’re awake it’s to crank up Kidz Bop on Spotify for an epic dance party. My kids definitely get their love for a midday dance party from their mama! :)

This is the perfect image to sum up how I feel about being a member of Haven!! Sitting next to a friend and someone I admire so much - co creator of Haven, Danielle Lim.