Juggling the responsibilities of motherhood and a growing online business can look like magic from the outside. Whether you’re launching a children’s book, running a Mom blog, or selling digital products, the right time management recipe is an absolute game-changer.
Naturally, as your business expands, so does your remote team. But this doesn’t mean your juggling act has to add more stress to your plate. It’s about improving your winning recipe with strategies to keep your team productive and connected wherever they are.
This guide breaks down remote team management tips that you can integrate into your mompreneur workflow without disrupting your family life. We’re going over the basics, like setting up your business line, and digital lifesavers, including Zoom video must-haves, cloud hubs, virtual coffee breaks, task briefs, and more!
Set Up Your Business Phone Line
If you haven’t done so already, establish separate phone lines for your business. As a rule of thumb, keep business communications separate from your home phone and cell. You’ll need a main business landline and a mobile line for your remote team.
As you set up your phone lines, carefully choose the right phone systems and business mobile solutions for your needs. For instance, some telecom providers offer tiered mobile plans that are built to scale. You could start with a flexible data plan that ranges from 60GB to 480GB, which is perfect for a growing online business.
Once you have an established business phone line, you can set up a Google Business Profile. It’s such a smart and easy way to supercharge your online business. Plus, visitors can call your business directly from your listing using a “click-to-call” feature.
Create a Cloud Hub
Business-level mobile data plans also let you run remote operations entirely in the cloud!
Build the foundation of your “cloud hub” with a popular project management platform, such as Asana or Trello. You could also set up a Google Workspace for your team to integrate free tools like:
- Docs
- Sheets
- Slides
- Calendar
- Gmail
- Drive
- Forms
Your next task is to choose a collaboration app your whole team will love. Slack is excellent for collaboration and lets you create multiple project channels. Remote team members can upload files, lead video meetings in Huddles, and high-five each other with fun emojis and GIFs.
As a digital mompreneur, social media is the marketing lifeblood of your online business. Take this time to review your current social media marketing platform, whether it’s Buffer or Hootsuite. A well-connected remote team of social media managers and coordinators can better strategize content, schedule posts, and analyze campaign results
Make sure your website’s content management system (CMS) is fully accessible in the cloud, so that your remote team can update the blog, refresh featured products, and run homepage promotions. Check whether your website is synced with Google Analytics, another free and invaluable tool that gives you actionable insights into your website’s performance, like unique visitors per month and click-through rates.
Shift to Asynchronous Communication
As a mom and business leader, you don’t want to be glued to your phone all day. Embracing asynchronous communication can help you and your remote team stay productive without feeling the need to respond to every non-urgent message immediately. This approach also frees up your workflow.
You don’t have to be beholden to time-sucking meetings, either. Meetings should be reserved for strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and client relationship-building. You don’t need to schedule a meeting to share information that could easily be shared in a team-wide Slack message.
Consider integrating video tools, like Loom or Vidyard, into your workflow. But instead of scheduling a 30-minute Zoom call, you could record quick and concise video memos and send them out to your team. Plus, your team can refer back to these memos when they have a question.
Writing detailed task briefs can save time spent on answering questions. For instance, when assigning blog posts to your team, be sure to include the target audience, reference links, word counts, and deadlines. You could also create Canva templates for blog posts, social media graphics, and newsletters, ensuring brand consistency across all content creation tasks.
Virtual Coffee Breaks and Check-ins
Asynchronous communication certainly doesn’t mean zero communication. It’s about improving communication.
Consistent check-ins also signal to your team that their presence is valued. They’re a chance to provide genuine appreciation and feedback, ensuring everyone has a chance to be heard. Slack is an excellent tool for this.
Start the day with low-pressure morning check-ins, like “What are your goals for today?” or “What was one thing you did on your weekend that you were thankful for?” You could create check-in polls that team members can complete at any point during the day.
Virtual coffee breaks are another form of check-ins, but even more fun! Who doesn’t love coffee? You could hold quick 15-minute breaks where each team member describes their coffee of the day along with a milestone they’re focused on.
Consider creating a separate Slack channel for your virtual coffee breaks. This could be a lighthearted “water cooler” space where people can share what they did over the weekend, post photos of their pets, or discuss their favorite shows. Creating a sense of camaraderie and belonging amongst your team uplifts morale, which spreads positivity about your Mom-led business!
Strike the Perfect Balance
Try different strategies to get your remote team management recipe just right.
Get your phones and mobile solutions up and running. Build a user-friendly cloud hub with collaboration apps, social media management platforms, and content creation tools. Stay connected with voice memos and virtual coffee breaks.
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