Are you ready to have a baby but can’t stop working? Yes, it’s possible to continue freelancing while on maternity leave. But, before you get excited about the extra income, there are some important things to consider.
Are you ready for late nights with a newborn and even later nights writing articles about Canadian curling? What about nursing in between calls with your client?
And what if your client doesn’t understand that you’re going to need extra time for doctor visits or those middle-of-the-night trips to the emergency room?
I’ve been through all this and more as a freelancer on maternity leave, so here are some of my best tips for navigating work and motherhood while staying sane!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Plan and communicate your maternity leave in advance to manage client expectations. |
| 2. Set realistic goals and prioritize tasks during your maternity leave to avoid overwhelming yourself. |
| 3. Delegate or outsource certain tasks to maintain a balance between freelancing and caring for your newborn. |
| 4. Build a support network of fellow freelancers, friends, and family members who can assist you during this time. |
| 5. Take care of your physical and mental well-being by incorporating self-care practices into your routine. |
| 6. Consider adjusting your pricing or working hours to accommodate your new responsibilities as a parent. |
| 7. Stay updated on industry trends and developments to remain connected and engaged with your freelance career. |
| 8. Keep track of your finances and explore potential financial assistance options available for freelancers on maternity leave. |
| 9. Continuously assess and adjust your workflow and schedule as your baby’s needs and routines evolve. |
| 10. Be kind to yourself and remember that it’s okay to ask for help and take breaks when needed. |
1. Be Clear With Your Client
Be clear with your client. If you’re going to be taking maternity leave, it’s important that you communicate this upfront.
Do not wait until the last minute to tell them and then scramble around trying to figure out how they’ll handle your absence. If you’ve got a good relationship with the client, they will understand and be happy for your child’s arrival.
Do you also need to think about what happens if there is an emergency while you’re away? Who will take care of things in this case?
If possible, have someone on hand who can step in for an emergency such as covering an extra shift during an emergency or helping out with a major project if one comes up.
This way both parties know exactly how things are going to run while you’re not available so there won’t be any surprises!
Balancing motherhood and freelance work can be challenging, but with the right strategies, it’s possible to find time for both. Our article on How to Mother & Freelance: Tips on Finding Time for Both provides valuable insights and practical tips to help you navigate this juggling act.
2. Carve Out Some Personal Time For Yourself
While you may feel like you’re the only one who could do all of the things, that’s not true. There are probably plenty of people out there who would be happy to help you with some of those tasks. You should also give yourself time to relax and recharge your mental batteries.
Remember that it takes energy to manage multiple tasks, so make sure you don’t overdo it! If there’s something on your plate that just isn’t working out, don’t feel guilty if you need help or can’t do something right now it’s much better than burning out and falling behind on everything else because of stress or fatigue.
3. Go Easy On Yourself
As the weeks go by, you may find that your energy level drops and stays low. If so, don’t feel bad about it! You’re not alone in this.
This is a natural part of pregnancy and will continue after birth: Your body is working hard to grow a baby and heal from childbirth. As your hormones settle down after delivery, your energy usually returns but it might take some time before it does.
If you are having trouble getting motivated to work (or if focusing on the task at hand seems impossible), consider taking frequent breaks throughout the day instead of trying to push through until quitting time.
When I was freelancing during my maternity leave after both my first two pregnancies, I made sure that each morning started with breakfast with my husband before heading off for an early lunch break (so no working straight through lunch).
My afternoon routine included half an hour on Facebook followed by another hour taking pictures of our cat doing cute things (this killed me inside because I knew those were tasks that could have been done at any other time).
Then when 4 o’clock rolled around, I would mark all my tasks as complete so no clients would think I wasn’t working hard enough.
The nature of work is undergoing a transformation, and freelancing is at the forefront of this change. Discover how freelance work is shaping the future of employment in our article Freelance Work: Changing the Nature of Work, exploring the benefits and implications of this evolving landscape.
4. Get Out Of The House Once A Week
You may feel like you’re trapped inside your house 24/7, but getting out once a week is crucial to your sanity and peace of mind.
If you have a partner or other family members nearby, it’s easy enough for them to step in and help out with the baby so that you can get some time away from them. If not, maybe different friends in the area could babysit one day per week.
If all else fails, consider hiring an occasional babysitter for a few hours at a time (perhaps someone who works at the child’s daycare center) so that they can take care of things while you go shopping or do something else fun with friends.
To make sure that this happens, set up reminders on your phone or calendar system; if necessary (and depending on how old your kid is).
Leave him/her with notes explaining what they should do while they’re unattended such as “No playing with knives” or “Call 911 if he/she stops breathing.”
5. Be Honest With Your Client About What You Can And Can’t Do, Especially In The First Few Months
Be honest with your client about what you can and can’t do, especially in the first few months. If you are on maternity leave, it might be tempting to take on as many projects as possible to fill your time.
But that’s not fair for anyone involved: you won’t be able to give each project the attention it deserves, and even if you are successful at juggling multiple clients, they’ll be frustrated when they realize their project isn’t getting the attention required.
If someone asks for something unreasonable or unrealistic (like an infographic done in three days), let them know that it won’t happen before accepting the job.
Take some time after receiving such requests to decide whether or not this is something worth taking on or passing along to another freelancer who is available right now or doesn’t take any new work until after maternity leave!
The bottom line: be clear about what kinds of assignments are reasonable during this stage of life, so that everyone knows what they’re signing up for from day one.
6. Get Everything In Writing
Get everything in writing. Even if you’re working with a client who has been with you for years, and even if they are like family, don’t go into the project without having a contract and timeline.
Make sure that you have a way to communicate with your client. I used Slack while I was on maternity leave because it allowed me to communicate with both my team back in the office and my freelancers at home.
It also gave us a place where we could upload files and check on things as needed.
Make sure that you have a way to communicate with your freelancers too! We used Skype more than anything else for this purpose, but there are plenty of other options out there (Facebook Messenger is another good option).
Maintaining your well-being is essential when working as a freelancer. Learn effective strategies to stay healthy physically and mentally in our comprehensive guide, How to Stay Healthy When Freelancing, and prioritize self-care in your freelance journey.”
7. Even While On Maternity Leave, Freelancing Still Works
Even while on maternity leave, freelancing is still a viable option. You just have to be realistic about what you can do and make sure that it fits into your budget.
You can still earn money from freelancing, but many people find that it’s not as easy as it was before they had children. Even if you have a partner who supports your family financially, there will be times when the bills need paying and no one else has any extra cash in their pockets to help out with them. How does this work?
For starters: Try not to worry about spending time with your baby when you first get home from the hospital (or at least not too much). Remember that having a child is expensive!
It costs money for formula or food if breastfeeding isn’t working out well; diapers; clothing; toys; transportation costs back and forth between home and daycare so you don’t lose your job due to absenteeism due _________(insert reason here). The list goes on…
8. Always Have A Backup Plan And Be Ready To Use It!
It’s important to have a backup plan because you never know what could happen. You may get sick, or your partner might get sick. You may need to take care of family members who are ill or travel for work unexpectedly. You might even want to take a vacation!
Whatever the reason is for needing your backup plan, it should be ready and waiting at all times so that when you need it, you can just go ahead and use it without having to worry about being unprepared.
Make sure that if something happens where one of these things isn’t working out how they normally do (for example: getting sick).
There will always be another way available so that nothing else gets thrown off balance too badly by having such an occurrence occur unexpectedly mid-stride.
Embarking on a freelance career can be daunting, but with the right knowledge, you can overcome challenges more effectively. Dive into our article Freelance Administrative Support: 15 Things I Wish I’d Known Before I Started for invaluable tips and lessons from experienced professionals in the field.
9. Hire Help If You Need It, Even If It’s Only For A Few Hours. It Will Be Worth It
Fortunately, there are lots of ways to save money on hiring help. One way is by using some of the sites that allow you to hire people on a freelance basis.
You can also ask friends and family members if they’d be willing to do small tasks for you while you’re away from work and save some cash in the process.
Another idea is to hire a student or recent grad who needs experience as opposed to an experienced professional who will cost more but not necessarily do as good a job overall.
One thing that we want to emphasize here: don’t wait until everything falls apart before hiring some extra help!
Even if it’s only for a few hours per week or day, it does make life easier when someone else is doing simple tasks like taking care of laundry or walking your dog while you focus on recovering from giving birth (and maybe have time left over for yourself).
10. It’s Possible To Do Freelance Work When You’re On Maternity Leave But You Have To Be Realistic About What You Can Do!
Don’t expect to take on the same workload as you did before you were pregnant. It’s fine to continue with your current projects and clients, but plan for a reduced capacity. If you’re worried about being too tired or emotional, don’t be afraid to hire help!
Or if it makes sense for the work, consider offering discounts or refunds to clients who want their work completed by a certain date and are willing to wait until after your child is born (and preferably several months after).
You should always have a backup plan in case something goes wrong with your delivery or breastfeeding schedule. Can someone else at your company pick up any slack? Or perhaps another freelancer could help out with some of the work?
Have some kind of contingency in place so that things go sideways for whatever reason.
There’s no risk of missing payments or deadlines because nobody knows how long it will take for things to get back on track again once everything settles down again between new parents which can take up weeks!
If you’re considering leaving the world of freelancing, it’s important to make an informed decision. Our article 10 Tips to Consider If You’re Freelancing and Want to Quit offers valuable insights and practical advice to help you navigate this transition and ensure a smooth career shift.
Conclusion
Remember, you can do anything! Just because you have a new baby doesn’t mean that your freelance career has to suffer.
It can be a great time to explore new opportunities and find exciting clients who will offer flexible hours so you can be both a great mom and a great freelancer. Remember: preparation is key, don’t wait until the last minute to plan out your maternity leave schedule.
With some careful planning ahead of time, you’ll know exactly what projects need attention (and which ones should go on hiatus) before your bundle of joy arrives which means less stress for everyone involved!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on freelancing while on maternity leave:
Nine Ways to Maternity-Proof Your Freelance Business: Discover nine practical strategies to help you navigate freelancing during maternity leave and ensure the sustainability of your business.
Guide to Freelance Maternity Leave: IPSE offers a comprehensive guide to freelance maternity leave, providing insights and advice on how to plan and manage your maternity leave as a freelancer.
10 Side Hustle Ideas for Mums on Maternity Leave: Explore ten side hustle ideas that can be pursued during maternity leave, allowing you to leverage your skills and interests to generate additional income.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) related to freelancing while on maternity leave:
How can I prepare my freelance business for maternity leave?
To prepare your freelance business for maternity leave, consider:
- Building a solid client base and nurturing relationships.
- Saving money to cover expenses during your leave.
- Documenting processes and creating standard operating procedures.
- Communicating your plans with clients and setting expectations.
How can I manage client expectations during my maternity leave?
To manage client expectations during your maternity leave:
- Communicate your leave dates and availability in advance.
- Consider referring clients to trusted colleagues for temporary support.
- Set up automated email responses to inform clients about your absence and alternative contacts.
How can I stay engaged in my freelance career while on maternity leave?
To stay engaged in your freelance career during maternity leave:
- Schedule regular check-ins with clients and maintain open communication.
- Stay updated on industry trends and developments.
- Explore opportunities for professional development and online networking.
How do I handle freelance projects and deadlines while on maternity leave?
To handle freelance projects and deadlines during maternity leave:
- Prioritize and plan your workload in advance.
- Consider scaling back or rescheduling projects if necessary.
- Communicate any changes or limitations to clients as early as possible.
How do I balance freelancing and taking care of my newborn during maternity leave?
Balancing freelancing and newborn care during maternity leave can be challenging. Here are some tips:
- Set realistic expectations and allow yourself time to adjust to your new role as a parent.
- Establish a flexible schedule that accommodates both work and baby’s needs.
- Consider outsourcing certain tasks or seeking additional support from family and friends.
How Much Should I Work?
There’s no right answer to this question. It depends on how much you’re comfortable working and how much you can afford to take off of your regular job.
You might want to get an idea of what your regular income is like before you start freelancing so that you know what kind of budget you’ll need to stick to while freelancing.
What If I Run Out Of Money?
Freelancing is a great way to earn money while on leave, but it doesn’t always pay as well as a regular job does.
If you’re worried about running out of money, it might be worth looking into some ways that you can increase your earnings (like finding more clients or offering more services).
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.