Let’s be honest: parent entrepreneurs don’t get neat 9–5 days.
Some mornings you’re firing on all cylinders, other days you’re running on cold coffee and sheer willpower. Add neurodivergence into the mix and your energy might look more like a rollercoaster than a flat road.
That’s why I like to think of it as energy economics — treating your energy like currency. You’ve only got so much to spend each day, so you need to invest it where it gives the best return.
Here’s how to make your business work with your rhythms (instead of fighting against them).
1. Know Your Energy Highs and Lows
You probably already know when you’re most switched on. For some, it’s early mornings before the kids are up. For others, it’s late at night when the house is finally quiet.
👉 Map it out: Track your energy for a week. Notice when you feel sharp, creative, or flat.
- High-energy times → do strategy, client calls, sales conversations.
- Medium-energy times → tackle admin you can’t outsource (yet).
- Low-energy times → delegate, automate, or give yourself a break (yes, that’s allowed).
This isn’t laziness — it’s smart business.
2. Delegate the Drainers
There are tasks that zap your energy faster than a toddler with scissors. Those don’t belong on your plate.
At Beyond the Maze, we’ve seen this play out with financial planners, psychologists, and coaches alike. Once they hand off their scheduling, inbox triage, or invoicing to a VA, their focus and creativity shoot through the roof.
🔑 Rule of thumb: If it takes more energy to force yourself to do the task than the task itself takes, it’s a job for your VA.
3. Build in Energy Buffers
Parent life comes with “surprise drains” — sick kids, school events, meltdowns, endless snack requests.
Instead of pretending it won’t happen (spoiler: it will), plan for it.
- Leave white space in your calendar.
- Batch deep work in your highest-energy times.
- Keep buffer tasks (like clearing your inbox or checking ClickUp) for those in-between pockets of energy.
This way, when life eats half your day, you haven’t blown your whole business plan.
4. Match Workflows to Real Life
The magic of running your own business is you don’t have to follow corporate rules. You can design your workflows to match your family rhythms.
- School holidays? Hand bigger admin chunks to your VA.
- Appointment-heavy weeks? Schedule client-facing work for your best hours and leave the rest light.
- Neurodivergent focus cycles? Stack important work into those hyperfocus bursts, and let your VA carry the repetitive stuff in the background.
Your systems should flex with you, not the other way around.
5. Don’t Forget Recovery Is Productive Too
Here’s a radical thought: rest is part of your business strategy.
Because when you burn out, your business stalls. When you rest, your creativity, patience, and problem-solving actually improve.
Sometimes the best “energy investment” you can make is closing the laptop and watching Bluey with your kid. (Bonus: Bluey episodes are basically leadership training in disguise. 😉)
Conclusion: Spend Your Energy Wisely
Parent entrepreneurs don’t fail because they’re lazy. They fail because they try to spend energy they don’t have on things that don’t matter.
When you match your tasks to your rhythms, you unlock a sustainable pace that keeps both your family and your business thriving.
Start today by:
- Tracking your energy highs and lows
- Picking one energy-draining task to delegate
- Building a buffer into next week’s calendar
Because energy, like money, should be invested — not wasted.
And if you’re ready to stop wasting yours on admin that drags you down, Beyond the Maze is here to be your pit crew. We’ll handle the grunt work so you can put your energy where it counts most.
