If you’re a busy mom who craves greater control of your work/life balance, you might have found your way to the travel industry with dreams of running your own business and sending clients on amazing trips around the world.  

The flexibility of owning a business is often a big draw for moms who wish to create their own schedules and map out a business model that aligns with their family’s goals. But when business begins to take off, sometimes you begin to feel unsure of how to “do it all” while also maintaining your sanity.

Here are a few ideas for you, along with practical advice from some of KHM Travel Group’s travel advisor moms. 

Ask Your Family for Help 

When you’re busy researching trips, preparing documents, making payments, and posting to social media, tackling household chores, meal preparation, and other assorted projects might feel more stressful than usual. Can you enlist your family to take on a bit more around the house to lighten your load? Assign age-appropriate tasks to shorten your to-do list. Creating a visual for the fridge or kitchen bulletin board will keep everyone aware of their responsibilities.

If you have older children, can they assist you with your marketing goals? Tweens and teens are often quick learners when it comes to technology, and making your travel agency more of a family affair can provide children with good life lessons and permit them some ownership in your business. Why not enlist their help for creating reels, using Canva for assorted projects, or sharing posts to your social media?

Hire a Professional Service 

During your busiest booking or travel months, evaluate where you might want to spend some extra money to hire a professional. This could mean paying for babysitting, a house cleaning service, or subscribing to a meal preparation plan. Removing one major stressor from your schedule, even for a brief period of time, can be the reprieve you need to focus on your clients and their trips.

“As a working mother, you can have it all, but you can’t have it all by yourself. Some things that helped me manage business and family: hiring a housecleaner, using a meal kit prep service, teaching each child how to do their own laundry, and not being afraid to hire a nanny/babysitter.” 

Set Boundaries

The most common recommendation we see passed along in our travel agent group is that setting clear boundaries is imperative both for accomplishing tasks and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. This means posting specific office hours, using a scheduler to set appointment/consultation times, and dedicating certain days/hours to home and family. This structure helps promote productivity while avoiding burnout. That said, establishing boundaries doesn’t mean you can neglect urgent client needs or traveling clients, so you’ll want a plan in place for that, too!

“Boundaries are everything. Set your business hours and stand by them. Clients will respect what you enforce.”

“Time management for me comes down to structure and discipline. I time block my day and stay in my lane. My business hours are my business hours. When I’m in my business, I’m focused on that. And when it’s family time, I’m not glued to my phone. Everything can’t happen at the same time.”

Find Your Niche 

Forget about being everything to everyone. In the beginning, it might be tempting to take on any trip inquiry that comes your way, but over time you might feel more inclined to dedicate your time to the types of trips you really love planning (and those that will earn you higher commissions). Sometimes client inquiries will help determine how you focus your business, or maybe you will set your sights on a destination or type of travel you’re truly passionate about.  

“In addition to setting business hours and other boundaries, niche down! This will help to focus on your ideal clients and help to streamline your processes. I’m working on this and it’s been freeing to know exactly what you want to do without struggling to try to sell/be an expert in everything.”

Find a Time Management Strategy That Works For You 

Do you have a full-time career? Are you homeschooling your children? Are you a caregiver to an elderly parent? If you have the gift of a flexible schedule, do you find you work more efficiently during certain times of the day? When it comes to managing work, finding a process that is effective is almost as challenging as getting the tasks done, and the list of strategies to do this can be overwhelming. Pomodoro method? Time chunking? Where do you start?

Try mapping out your week to see when you have larger stretches of available time for more involved tasks. Jot down when you might be able to schedule consultation calls. Think about how to communicate your availability to your clients.

“For me as a homeschool momma, something that has helped me is getting up at 5:30 or 6:00am to check off my work tasks and teaching my son to be self-sufficient with a schedule for him. I work around our busy week of homeschool meet ups and sports and work a few hours before bed. The laundry and cleaning is a challenge, but we fit that in during the afternoons. I schedule posts when I’m watching my son practice sports. It has been an adjustment as I get busier, but we have found a flow for us.”

Be Honest with Yourself 

Don’t be afraid to reevaluate how you’re managing your business and be honest with yourself about where you’re falling short and what could use a bit of improvement. Part of the joy of running your own business is figuring out what works for you…so experiment to see what does!  

Use Tools Available to You 

Spend time educating yourself on the tools available to you that will allow you to manage your workflow and make a list of what could truly benefit both you and your clients. During slower times, attend webinars or experiment with free versions of services you’re considering implementing in your business.  

“Tools will save you. Having a CRM, templates, automated emails, clear invoices and solid terms and conditions will cut your stress in half. Stop trying to do everything manually.”

Organize Your Space 

A cluttered, disorganized workspace will only contribute to your stress. Set a timer and start cleaning your space to create an environment that feels like somewhere you can work efficiently. Designate a system for current clients and their trips, a visual for your marketing strategy, and hang calendars that allow you to see important dates at a glance. Jazz up your space with family photos or mementos that bring you joy.

If you don’t have a dedicated office space, get creative with your organization.

“When I had to give up my office space to my husband when he began working from home, I had to get creative with my organization. I purchased a teacher trolley cart bag and filled it with my office necessities, my client files, my calendar, and my computer gear. Each morning, I wheel it out to the dining room to set it up for my day. It’s not ideal, but it’s really streamlined my set up. (And I do like having a large table to work on!)”

Plan for Busy Season and Business Growth 

Throughout your journey as a travel advisor, you will find that you’ll have natural peaks and valleys in your year. During the valleys, spend time setting yourself up for success during the busy times. Work on automating certain aspects of your business. Batch write blog posts. Prep newsletters you can finalize down the road.

Above all, recognize that global events or personal situations can affect how you manage your business, and sometimes a reevaluation and reset is necessary.

We love these fantastic final thoughts from one of our travel advisor moms, and her reminder that you’re not superhuman and finding your groove takes time: 

“And honestly you can do all of this… just not all at once. Give yourself grace but don’t get lazy. Stay organized, stay consistent, and don’t build a business that drains you.

We’re building something bigger than just booking trips. Just make sure you actually get to enjoy it too.”