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Anna Rifle Bond of Rifle Paper Co. Shares Her Design Process and How To Keep Work Stress Under Control
Published 5/20/20
Advice
Anna Rifle Bond, founder of Rifle Paper Co., is running a thriving business, collaborating with her co-founder and husband, Nathan, and raising three boys all at the same time. When we feel like we just can’t do it all, it’s important to get a little inspiration from incredible boss ladies who have BEEN there. Here are Bond’s 5 expert tips on dealing with life as a mom and a business owner. And, if you haven’t checked out our Rifle Paper Co. designer cover Chatbooks, do it (we love them!). Also, keep track of all of your personal victories in our super easy and automatic Photo Book Series!
Do what you love.
Bond’s career started with designing her own wedding invitations, which turned into making her friend’s wedding invitations, and eventually evolved into Rifle Paper Co. She realized that her designs filled a need. “What I hear most often from customers is that our designs make them happy,” Bond states. That’s what makes her day-to-day worth it.
Embrace the change.
Each phase of your life comes with significant shifting in order to be successful. Things like marriage, kids, moves, and starting a business all affect how you work. Bond says you should embrace the changes that come along with new life stages, but also hold on to your constants. Having her husband as a business partner has created a steady, consistent foundation in the midst of a lot of change. Bond says, “what I love about it is that I have a partner that I can fully trust and we can always be open and honest with each other.”
Every moment counts.
“Being a mother means that 3 AM creative periods don’t really exist anymore,” Bond says. It’s forced her to be much more productive with the time that she does have. When she’s working, she’s working, and when she’s home with her kids, she’s mom. Letting every moment count in the office increases productivity and makes her successful.
Turn off your phone.
Let the bedtime routine be the bedtime routine, not the time to check last minute emails and get ready for meetings at 9 AM. Having your phone on and buzzing causes unnecessary distraction and stress during sacred family time. Bond recommends letting it go when you get home — don’t let the lights and noise get in the way of time with your family.
Learn to say no.
Bond’s go-to work mantra is: “There’s no such thing as an art emergency.” Learning that everything can’t always get done, pushing dates back, and outright saying “no" allows you to create boundaries and put things in perspective. What are the things that matter most? Ask for more time, take a step back, and realize that everything will get done in time.
For more real-life parenting tips and tricks, check out the MomForce Podcast! Vanessa Quigley, mother of 7 and co-founder of Chatbooks, hosts this refreshing take on all things mom. Along with her 4 sisters, they’ll get into the nitty-gritty of parenting together, bringing in experts to get to the source of your most-Googled "adulting" questions. Check out the#MOMFORCE BY CHATBOOKS FACEBOOK PAGEand find us on Instagram @THEMOMFORCEPODCAST.