*Guest post contributed by Alyssa Strickland of millennial-parents.com. 

As a new mom, you have even more motivation than ever to work from home. Often, this means starting your own business, which is a great opportunity to both reduce your resume gap and stay home with your little one. Ready to get started? Here are some mompreneur-approved tips. 

Network When You Can

Networking is one of the main things you can do to get your business up off the ground. Tinley Park Mom offers an extensive list of local women- and mom-owned businesses in the South Suburbs of Chicago. More than just building a professional network, you may also find a new friend in the process. 

Create Your Business Structure

Even if you plan to stay small, having a formal, legal business entity, such as an LLC, is a great option. As an LLC, you’ll likely pay a lower tax rate and you won’t have to deal with piles upon piles of paperwork. The rules on starting a business in Illinois may be different than where you’re from, so, if you’ve recently moved to the area, look for more information online. You can also save time and cash by using an online formation service.

Master Your Routine

Once your baby arrives, you will want to focus on them before you jump headfirst into business. Part of this means learning their habits so that you can plan ahead for business hours and decide when you will have an opportunity to be most productive. Your family routine will be different – it will change often based on your baby’s age and temperament – but make sure that you can carve out time for a diaper change, breakfast, and lots of snuggles before baby’s first nap.

Understand Your Child’s Limitations

If you plan to work and take care of your baby by yourself, it pays to know what you’re up against. Remember, infants have zero attention span, something that doesn’t change until about the age of two when they can focus their little brains for about six minutes, according to Brain Balance Achievement Centers. Because of this, you might need to call in help every once in a while, learn to break down your tasks into smaller steps, or handle certain aspects of your business, such as returning phone calls and emails, while your baby nurses or takes a bottle.

Maximize Your Child’s Snooze Time

The most obvious time to get any work done is while your baby sleeps. But how much sleep do babies need? Parents magazine explains that newborns take between three and five naps each day for a total of about seven to nine hours of daytime sleep. Work during these hours, but do make sure to sleep at night when your baby sleeps.

Set Up Your Space (For Your Business From) The Beginning.

Setting up a home office can be tricky. When you’re setting up a home office and bringing home a new baby, there’s an even greater challenge ahead. But a home office is exactly what you need. Make sure to get your office together before the baby comes, have comfortable (and professional) clothing available to work, and, perhaps most importantly, make sure that your baby has a safe and space-saving bassinet within arms reach of your workspace.

Starting a new business is a lot like having a baby. When these two events coincide, things can get messy. But, with a bit of planning, which should include networking with other moms and setting up your workspace, you can get started on the right foot and enjoy all of the benefits that come with being both a working and a stay-at-home mom.

“I believe in the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, but I also think it takes a village to raise a parent! I’d like to think that my website, Millennial-Parents is that village. Today’s parents can be more connected than ever and she hopes her site will enrich those connections. On Millennial-Parents, I share tips and advice I learned through experience and from other young parents in three key areas — Education, Relationships, and Community.”

— Alyssa Strickland, Writer