Editorial Team
Freelancing Mother Raising Young Children
I believe that freelancing while raising a family is one of the most rewarding, challenging, yet highly motivating decisions a mother could ever make. Not only does it allow the freedom to build your own schedule and take on your own clients, but it also allows you to be at home and present with your kids (if they are not yet in daycare or school). It is not easy, and it takes quite a few rounds of trial and error. But with a checklist in place each day to accomplish the most important tasks and items, and the ability to stop, step away from work, and take care of the children, you can have a very successful and lucrative freelancing business.
I can attest that running my own business venture and mommy blog while raising two young kids (a 6-month-old and a 2-year-old) at home is both time-consuming and challenging, especially when I launched my digital marketing agency amidst a global pandemic, but it’s achievable for moms who want to take control of their career and have the freedom to make their own schedules. Read this article here that explores 11 tips for working from home with kids if it sounds too daunting to schedule blocks of time to get things done during the day while your children are at home with you. Decide whether having a babysitter or a nanny may be a better option for you and your family.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help set you up for success with managing your freelancing business from home:
1. Me Time – Wake up before the kids do and get in a workout, meditation, or (if you have help) go for a walk around the block. This will help clear your mind and get you ready to tackle the day
2. To-Do List – First and foremost, prioritize your projects. It can easily be overwhelming if you have multiple clients asking for different projects and items. Prioritizing big-ticket items and breaking your day out in chunks will make you more productive, i.e.:
- 7 AM – Draft email blast for client #1
- 8 AM – Make kids breakfast, go to the park.
- 11:45 AM – Create content for e-newsletter for client #2
- 12:30 PM – Make lunch for kids, put them down for a nap.
- 1 PM – Phone call with Dave about new article opportunity for client #3
3. Use FREE tools – Getting started with your freelancing business shouldn’t cost a fortune. Instead, use these five free tools to help you track your time, set up your business logo, and give you access to much-needed worksheets and documents so you don’t break the bank with startup costs.
4. Set realistic expectations – I can’t stress this enough. There are some days when all I’ve managed to do is get the kids fed and do a few loads of laundry and pick up the toys. And that’s okay.
5. Be kind to yourself. Being a mom is hard enough and having your own freelancing business will still be a challenge. But I promise it can be a rewarding experience. If you know your limits, set realistic expectations, and be kind to yourself.
Mallory Green is the blogger and content creator for MammaMallory.com. She is the President and Lead Copywriter of REINS Marketing and is currently working on publishing her first short story. When she’s not writing, she’s chasing after her busy two-year-old son with her adorable six-month-old daughter in tow.