How Freelancing Affected My Life When I Was On Maternity Leave

When I became pregnant with my first son, I had just started a new job at a great company. But even though the work was interesting, I loved the idea of staying home with my baby more. I wasn’t making enough to justify quitting entirely and considered freelancing instead.

It took me several months to get going mostly because of how hard it is to start anything when you’re running on no sleep but once I did, I had an entirely new world opened up to me: freelance life!

You see, freelancing isn’t just about cobbling together work so that you can be a stay-at-home mom. Freelancing is an entire career path worthy of serious consideration by anyone who wants more freedom or flexibility in their workday, including (or especially!)

Parents who are juggling childcare duties alongside professional tasks. If you’re considering working as a freelancer while raising kids at home, here’s what you should know before diving into this unique life:

Pregnancy as a freelance musician… | Team Recorder

Takeaways
Freelancing during maternity leave can offer flexibility and work-life balance.
Maternity leave can be a challenging but rewarding time for freelancers.
Planning and communication are essential for successfully managing freelancing and maternity leave.
Building a support system and seeking resources can help navigate the unique challenges of freelancing during maternity leave.
Freelancing during maternity leave can provide opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Table of Contents

Freelancing Can Be A Viable Career Choice, Even While Staying Home With A Newborn

Freelancing can be a viable career choice, even while staying home with a newborn. It can also be a great option for those who want to continue working from home or traveling after they retire.

While freelancing isn’t right for everyone, it’s certainly worth considering if you’re looking to take control of your life and earn money outside of the traditional office environment.

Maternity leave can be challenging for freelancer moms, but there are alternatives to ensure a smooth transition. Explore our article on maternity leave alternatives for freelancer moms to discover options that allow you to balance work and motherhood effectively.

You Don’t Have To Jump Into Full-Time Freelancing Right Away But Ease Into It

If you’re considering taking on freelance work in the future, it’s important to try it out beforehand. This way, you get a sense of what kind of projects and clients are available to you, and how much time your freelance work will take up.

I recommend starting small: take on some part-time work while still working at your day job, or ask for help from friends or family members with projects that need doing around their house (they’ll appreciate having help too).

You’ll also want to make sure that the jobs are appropriate for your level of expertise you don’t want to overreach just because they’re there!

Freelancers Are Go-Getters!

Here’s the thing about freelancers: they’re go-getters. They’re motivated, independent, confident, creative, and flexible.

Freelancers are self-starters who can adapt quickly to changing environments and work independently with little guidance or supervision. In other words – freelancers are like you!

Freelancers tend to be hard workers and passionate about their craft which means that you will be surrounded by people who want nothing more than for YOU TO SUCCEED while on maternity leave!

This can make all the difference in how comfortable you feel returning to work after having a baby (and if there’s one thing I learned during my maternity leave it was how important it is for me not only as a mother but also as an artist).

It Can Be Very Lonely, If You Let It

I’m lucky to have a bunch of people in my life who support me, but it can still be hard to find someone who understands what I am going through.

I could talk to my husband, but he has no idea what it’s like to be a freelancer. We also don’t live together anymore, so that limits our ability to speak about work-related things when we do see each other (which isn’t very often).

I did some research on the internet and found some great advice from other moms who were also working from home or trying to start their businesses after having kids.

Freelancing has the power to positively impact your life, bringing a sense of fulfillment and happiness. Read about one freelancer’s journey in our post on how freelancing made me a happier person, and discover the transformative potential of pursuing a freelance career.

Freelancing Has Financial Ups And Downs That You Need To Consider When Deciding Whether To Create Your Own Business

You will need to pay taxes on your income and make sure that you have enough money in a savings account to cover any expenses that may come up. It’s also important to invest in insurance for yourself as well as your family.

This can be anything from health insurance to life or disability insurance.

You will also need office space, equipment like computers and software, marketing materials such as business cards and websites, and training for yourself and staff if you decide to hire anyone else on board with the business once it gets big enough (which is generally what happens).

Freelancing Can Help You Reconnect With Old Friends Or Make New Professional Connections

Freelancing allows you to work from anywhere, so you can work with people all over the world. You’ll meet a lot of people this way, and it’s a great way to stay connected with old friends or make new professional connections.

You can also find clients whose values align with yours, which means that your work is more meaningful and fulfilling for both parties involved.

I freelanced during my maternity leave because I wanted something flexible enough that I could do from home while caring for my newborn son Cali (Cali is now 4 years old!).

Work/Life Balance Is More Important Than Ever When You Have Children At Home

While you’re doing this, keep in mind that work/life balance is more important than ever when your children are at home. They need you to be present and available to them, and your family should always come first.

It’s also important to keep yourself healthy and happy during this period. You’ll have less time for yourself now than ever before.

So you must find ways of staying on top of things like exercise and eating right not only for the sake of your well-being but also because they’ll help keep your spirits up while facing challenges as a new parent (which will happen).

Once The Baby Sleeps Through The Night, You’ll Probably Want To Sleep Through The Night, Too

Now that the baby is sleeping through the night, you may find yourself wanting to sleep through the night, too. Sleep is important for everyone (especially new parents), and when we aren’t getting enough of it, we can start feeling ill-tempered and more stressed than usual.

Getting enough sleep helps us feel rested and ready to work. It also makes us more productive while working, which means that our clients will be happier with our work!

Finally, feeling rested will make you happier and a little bit less stressed out about balancing work with your other responsibilities as a new parent (like laundry).

Wondering how to navigate freelancing while on maternity leave? Find valuable insights and tips in our guide on how I plan to freelance when on maternity leave, where we share strategies for maintaining your freelance business while enjoying precious time with your newborn.

You May Need To Bring In Additional Training Or Someone Else’s Expertise To Learn New Skills Or Stay On Top Of Technology Trends

One of the benefits of freelancing is that it puts you in control of your career. You can work from home and set your hours, but this also means that you need to do a lot more than just show up for work and do what’s expected.

You’ll need to figure out how much time you have each day to dedicate to building your business and making sure that everything runs smoothly.

You’ll also have to decide what skill sets you to want or need to acquire so that you can grow professionally while working remotely full-time.

For example, if traffic on your website has dropped off significantly since becoming pregnant, then maybe it’s time for an overhaul before launching a new campaign with Google Adwords or Facebook Ads?

Or perhaps there are specific training videos around social media marketing best practices? And don’t forget about keeping tabs on new technologies coming down the pipe (e.g., virtual reality) which may impact how we interact with our clients/customers tomorrow versus today!

You’ll Work Harder And Longer For Yourself Than For Someone Else

I learned this lesson the hard way when I started working from home as a freelance writer. At first, I was so used to working for my editors that it took me some time to get used to doing things on my schedule and in a different way.

I had to learn what types of tasks were best suited for the online environment (which I enjoyed) and which ones were better left for offline environments (which didn’t seem worth it).

If you have ever considered taking on freelancing opportunities but haven’t yet done so, here are some important points about how freelancing affects your life:

The Customer Isn’t Always Right…But That Doesn’t Mean You Should Ignore Them Either

Despite the challenges, I am glad that I decided to freelance during my maternity leave. While it was stressful and difficult, freelancing gave me a chance to work on my terms and set boundaries for what I could accomplish in a day.

In hindsight, it was probably not a good idea for me to take on such an intense workload while caring for an infant and at the same time learn how to be a mother again after being away from her for so long.

It made sense at the time because I thought it would be easier than trying to find full-time employment amidst unemployment rates above 10% nationwide (and higher than that in many places).

However, as difficult as it was at times and there were times when I wanted nothing more than just curl up under my bed sheets with my daughter I wouldn’t have traded those experiences with anyone else’s either!

Balancing the demands of parenthood with freelance work can be a juggling act. Discover the secret to finding free time after having a baby in our article on the secret to free time after you have a baby, and learn practical tips for optimizing your productivity while still savoring precious moments with your child.

Plenty Of Online Tools And Social Media Platforms Exist To Help You Find New Clients And New Opportunities For Collaboration

Plenty of online tools and social media platforms exist to help you find new clients and new opportunities for collaboration. For example, there are sites like Bonsai and Upwork that help freelancers find work.

These sites can also be used to collaborate with other freelancers in your niche (or even outside your niche). Another tool is LinkedIn Recruiter, which has a talent consulting feature that allows companies looking for talent to connect with potential candidates.

Another great way to find work is through networking or reaching out directly to people you know who may be able to recommend you for jobs.

Getting Out Of The House Once In a Awhile Is Crucial, Especially When Your Kids Are Small

While I was on maternity leave, I was able to find and maintain a few clients. It wasn’t easy to find more than one client initially and it took some time for me to build up my freelance business again.

But once I got going and established a steady stream of work, I was able to add additional hours each month until the point where most of our household income came from freelance sources rather than my husband’s salary (which he still draws).

When you’re home all day with young kids, it’s important to remember that you’re not only their mother you’re also an adult who needs some time away from them as well!

For me, this meant getting out of the house at least once every other day even if it was just for a walk around the block or an afternoon at the library with friends while their father took care of meal preparation and bedtime routines.

The fact is: Your kids will be fine without you if they have something fun planned during those times when they can’t see Mommy or Daddy for various reasons (like work).

If possible he’ll try his best but there are only so many hours in a day and sometimes we need breaks from family life too!

You Need To Get Used To Charging Hourly Rates, Not Working On Salary (Which Is Usually A Good Thing)

When you leave a job, there’s no longer someone telling you when to work and how much they will pay for it.

You’ll have to get used to charging hourly rates, not working on salary (which is usually a good thing). You’ll also have to learn how to say “no” if something doesn’t fit into your schedule.

You need to be more organized than you were before because freelancing adds an extra dimension to being responsible for yourself and your income.

This means knowing what your monthly expenses are going to be so that when the time comes for payment, there aren’t any surprises or delays in getting paid.

Are you considering freelancing while pregnant? Gain valuable insights from a freelancer’s firsthand experience in our post on freelancing when pregnant and my freelancing experience. Discover the joys and challenges of freelancing during pregnancy and gather useful tips for a successful freelance journey while expecting.

Conclusion

The main takeaway here is that freelancing can be a great way to boost your income and get back into the workforce. It’s flexible, convenient, and could even help you find your next full-time job!

As always though, there are pros and cons so make sure you do your research before taking that leap! If you’re interested in getting started with us at WeWorkRemotely then head on over here where we have some great resources too.

FAQs

How can I balance freelancing and maternity leave?

Maintaining a balance between freelancing and maternity leave requires careful planning, setting realistic expectations, and effectively managing your time and workload. Consider delegating tasks, adjusting your schedule, and communicating with clients to ensure a smooth transition during this period.

What are some alternatives to traditional maternity leave for freelancer moms?

Freelancer moms have various alternatives to traditional maternity leave. Some options include outsourcing tasks, hiring temporary help, reducing workload, working flexible hours, and setting up a support network. These alternatives allow freelancer moms to balance their work and family responsibilities effectively.

How can I smoothly transition back to freelancing after maternity leave?

Transitioning back to freelancing after maternity leave requires gradual reintegration into work, careful planning, and effective time management. Start by taking on smaller projects and gradually increasing your workload. Prioritize self-care, set realistic goals, and establish a support system to ensure a successful return.

How does maternity leave impact a freelancer’s career?

Maternity leave can have both positive and negative impacts on a freelancer’s career. It provides an opportunity for personal growth, bonding with the baby, and reevaluating professional goals. However, it can also result in a temporary decline in income, client base, and professional network. Proper planning and effective communication can help minimize any negative effects.

What resources and support are available for freelancers during maternity leave?

There are several resources and support systems available for freelancers during maternity leave. These include online communities, networking groups, mentorship programs, and educational resources specific to freelancing and maternity leave. Engaging with these resources can provide valuable guidance, support, and a sense of community during this time.

Costantine Edward

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.