If you’re a business-owning mom preparing for maternity leave, you already know how full your plate is. You’re growing a baby and a business — both need your attention, both deserve your best energy.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned after helping hundreds of founders prepare for leave:
You don’t need more time. You need better focus.
There’s one simple tool I come back to again and again — the same method I used to write my book, The Sabbatical Method, and build Master Maternity Leave during my second maternity leave.
It’s simple, sustainable, and surprisingly powerful.
I call it The 90/90 Principle.
What Is the 90/90 Principle?
The idea is simple:
Spend 90 minutes a day focused on one single priority — for 90 days straight.
That’s it.
No massive overhaul. No late-night marathons. Just 90 intentional minutes of clear, undistracted work.
Why it works:
- 90 minutes is short enough to fit into a busy life, but long enough to make real progress.
- The 90-day window gives you momentum without burnout.
- And choosing one focus forces clarity — the most underrated productivity skill there is.
This principle helped me build an entirely new arm of my business while nursing a newborn. Not because I had endless energy, but because I finally had structure.
Most founders wake up to daily fires and let the conditions of their business dictate their week.
90/90 safeguards this creative and productive time for you to prioritize your most important work.
How to Make the 90/90 Principle Work for You
1. Pick Your One Focus
Start by identifying the single outcome that would make the biggest impact on your business before or during your maternity leave.
Ask yourself:
- What would bring me peace of mind while I’m out?
- What bottleneck keeps my team or clients waiting on me?
- What system or offer, if completed, would change everything?
Then, commit to giving it 90 days of focus — nothing else major, no side projects. This is your season of singular purpose.
2. Protect the Time
Quick note: I personally do my 90/90 time first thing in the morning. I know myself… well. This safeguards the time from being overtaken by something else later in the day. I know plenty of night owls who LOVE getting their best work done when their kids are asleep, so do what works best for your particular personality and energy level.
If you’re unsure where to start: try to schedule your 90-minute session early in the day — before inboxes, meetings, or family noise pull your focus away.
You don’t need a perfect morning routine. You just need a window that’s yours.
I like to think of it as my “clarity hour and a half” — a sacred space where I’m not the CEO, or the mom, or the friend… just a builder.
3. Share Your Focus
Tell your team or a business bestie what you’re working on and why. Transparency creates commitment — and it invites collaboration.
Encourage your team to adopt their own version of the 90/90 Principle. When everyone’s working with focus and intention, your business starts running on rhythm instead of chaos.
How the 90/90 Principle Prepares You for Maternity Leave
Every mom I’ve worked with wants the same two things before she steps away: clarity and control.
The 90/90 Principle gives you both.
By focusing your effort in small, consistent blocks, you can:
- Build or document key systems (client delivery, team communication, cash tracking).
- Train your team lead to take ownership.
- Create the structure for a true momentum leave — not just maintenance mode.
Imagine heading into maternity leave knowing your most important projects are complete, your team is trained, and your systems can hold without you.
That’s what these 90 days build — freedom through focus.
One Final Thought
If everything feels urgent, nothing is important.
The 90/90 Principle gives you a way to slow down, focus, and finish the things that matter most — before life shifts again.
Because your energy is sacred.
Spend it where it compounds.
Warmly,
Aly
