Hi friends, I’m writing this from a warm and cozy bed in my apartment (upstairs from where I’ll be staying for the next few months with my family) as I recover from a long labor and am about to meet my baby daughter.
As you may know, I plan on taking some time off to bond with her, but also plan on doing some freelance work in between breastfeeding, changing diapers, and of course staring at her all day long.
I wanted to share the strategies that have worked for me over the years some of which are old favorites and others are new for hopefully helping you plan your maternity leave or time off while freelancing (even if only part-time).
Of course, there’s no perfect way to do this, so if any of these resonate with you then keep them in mind as you take time off:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| – Planning is essential for freelancing during maternity leave. |
| – Communication with clients should start well in advance to ensure a smooth transition. |
| – Creating a backup plan and identifying trusted freelancers or agencies is crucial. |
| – Financial preparation, including saving money and exploring insurance coverage, is important. |
| – Balancing work and family responsibilities requires careful time management and setting realistic expectations. |
| – Maintaining client relationships during maternity leave requires clear communication and alternative contact information. |
| – Taking care of oneself and seeking support from a community of freelancers can make the transition easier. |
| – Flexibility and adaptability are key traits to succeed as a freelancer during maternity leave. |
| – Returning to freelancing after maternity leave may require a gradual transition and adjusting workload. |
Set Expectations Early And Stick To Them
The first thing to do is set expectations early. This means being clear about what you can and cannot commit to, as well as setting expectations for yourself.
For example, if your job has specific deadlines that need to be met for work to be completed (like a writer who needs content by a certain date), let your manager know this before taking maternity leave so they can plan accordingly.
You may even want to set up a schedule of deadlines from which you’ll work backward when determining when you’ll be returning from maternity leave so there isn’t any confusion about what needs to be done when.
“This is probably the most important part of preparing for freelance work on maternity leave,” says Emily Hohler, who specializes in working with freelancers at her company The Freelancer’s Union.
“No one wants loose ends or unplanned changes once they’re off-the-clock.”
Discover how freelancing can positively impact your life during maternity leave. Read about my personal experience in How Freelancing Affected My Life When I Was on Maternity Leave and find inspiration for your own freelancing journey.
Stay On Top Of Email
Set up a folder for all your emails. I use Gmail and have created an “Inbox” folder to store all my emails, with sub-folders in the main inbox for each project.
Use an email system that allows you to set up rules to automatically file emails: If it’s about work, send it straight into the “Work” folder; if it’s about personal stuff (like this article), put it in another folder called “Personal”.
Use a system that allows you to archive emails: In Gmail, this is done by clicking on the tick box next to each email. This will then move that email out of your inbox into an archive where they’ll stay unless you specifically want them back (and can still be found).
Set up filters if possible: Filters are great because they allow you to automatically file incoming emails into certain folders based on certain criteria (for example, any messages from my editor go straight into the Work folder).
I don’t have filters enabled on my account but apparently, there is something called Boomerang that does and seems quite handy!
Block Time
When I was working full-time, I had a monthly calendar that I filled in with all my work commitments and personal events. When you’re freelancing, you can do the same thing! This is called “blocking out” or “blocking time.”
Create A Schedule
Now that your calendar is ready and waiting for you, it’s time to create a schedule based on what needs to get done first and how much time each task will take (and if they’re even worth doing).
Make sure this list is realistic there’s nothing worse than setting unrealistic expectations for yourself when trying to accomplish something!
Are you a freelancer mom looking for alternatives to traditional maternity leave? Explore Maternity Leave Alternatives for Freelancer Moms to discover flexible options that suit your freelance career and family needs.
Create A Schedule With Your Partner
A good plan includes time for you, your partner, and your family. It also includes creating space to learn and grow as an individual.
If you’re a musician, maybe it’s time to go back to music school or take some lessons if you haven’t in a while. If you’re a writer, maybe it’s time to read the classics or write something new (I’d love some ideas on how I can improve my writing!).
As much as possible, try not to plan too much so that there’s room for spontaneity and creativity as well!
Find The Right Mentors And Collaborators
Find people who are willing to help you, but not just by saying yes or giving advice. Try to find mentors who will be honest with you about your work and willing to point out what isn’t working as well as what is working.
You may also want someone who can teach you things that you don’t know how to do yet this could be anything from building websites or coding apps to handling finances and budgeting effectively and show you how those skills can help your business succeed in the future.
Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there! It’s important for creative individuals like ourselves (especially when pregnant) that we surround ourselves with other creative individuals around us so that we continue learning while on maternity leave
Reduce The Time It Takes You To Create High-Quality Content
Here are some tips for reducing the time it takes you to create high-quality content:
Use Templates
Templates can help you save time and money while producing professional-looking content that meets many of Google’s SEO requirements. They also make it easier to create mobile-friendly pages and increase your site’s speed.
I’m using Thrive Content Builder, which offers a large selection of ready-made blocks that I can drag into my page editor, customize as needed, then add on top of their original design. A few mice click later, I have beautiful blocks with text and images that fit my brand perfectly!
Curious about freelancing while pregnant? Gain insights into the challenges and rewards of freelancing during pregnancy through my personal experience in Freelancing When Pregnant and My Freelancing Experience. Learn how to navigate this unique journey.
Get Personal When Making Introductions
It’s tempting when you’re starting, to feel like you need to keep your head down, work hard, and hope that the right people will notice and offer opportunities. But that doesn’t always happen.
You can’t rely on luck so it’s up to you to create opportunities for yourself. That means making connections with people who have influence (and ideally clout) in your industry, but also getting personal so they know who you are (and what makes you unique).
Even if they don’t end up hiring or collaborating with me directly as a result of this approach, I’ll at least have met some awesome new people along the way people who might go on to recommend me for jobs in the future.
It’s important not only because it gives them more context about my skill set and experience as well as letting them know that I’m committed enough not just to do good work but also to get involved in other ways such as speaking engagements or events put on by local organizations like Girls Who Code or Girl Talk DC (both organizations whose missions align perfectly with mine).
Communicate Often (And Overcommunicate) About Changes In Your Availability And Priorities
You probably have a lot of work you’d like to do, but with a baby on the way, there are going to be periods where you’re just not available for work at all.
And even when you can work, it may be that your priorities have shifted enough that some projects will take priority over others everyone involved (especially clients) needs to know about this ahead of time so everyone can make decisions accordingly.
The best way I’ve found to communicate these changes is through email or text messages I try my best not to use voicemail if I don’t have anything too important.
Or urgent that needs saying because they tend not to get read as much as emails do (and people tend not to answer their phones these days either).
It may mean sending several emails instead of one voicemail message, but it’s better than trying something less effective you want everyone on board!
Focus On Being Productive, Not Busy
I’m sure you’ve heard the adage that you can have it all: quality work, a healthy work-life balance and being a great parent. But what if you could have it all by doing less? Sounds crazy, right? Well in my experience that’s exactly what happened when I went on maternity leave.
One thing I learned during my time off was that being busy does not make you more effective or efficient.
Being busy often leads to doing things poorly because there simply isn’t enough time for proper research or preparation; or worse yet you end up wasting time spinning your wheels because things just aren’t working out as planned (which leads to stress).
Instead of focusing on how fast I can get through my tasks each day (and rushing through them), I started taking the time to learn how to do better work and it made me more productive!
Do Fewer Things Better Vs. More Things At Once (And Do Fewer Meetings)
The best way to get things done when you’re on maternity leave is to focus on quality over quantity. By this, I mean that instead of trying to do a whole bunch of things at once, it’s better to do fewer things and make sure that those things are well-done.
To accomplish this, you need to break your tasks down into bite-sized pieces and remove any unnecessary items from your schedule. If the task isn’t important or doesn’t matter (like most meetings), then don’t waste time doing it!
Don’t let other people’s calendars dictate yours; if they have a meeting scheduled that doesn’t need you there, decline the invitation and spend some extra time working on your priorities instead.
Have a passion for writing and interested in the building industry? Learn how to leverage your writing skills in the building industry with our comprehensive guide on How to Become a Freelance Writer in the Building Industry. Unleash your creativity and explore new opportunities.
Make It Easy For People To Work With You
Your freelance work should be a breeze to get started so that you can spend more time focusing on your family and less time fumbling around trying to set up your business. Here are some tips:
Make sure you have an email address that is easy for people to find, like [email protected] or something similar.
It should also be the same as your name (so [email protected]), and it should say somewhere in the body of the email like in the signature that this is your official business account and not just an old personal one that no longer works.
Make sure you have an online presence where people can find out about what services you offer, such as a website or blog, LinkedIn page, Facebook page, or Instagram account.
If possible, post pictures of yourself doing work-related tasks so potential clients see who they would be working with!
Also, consider setting up some sort of testimonial page on social media where past customers can leave good reviews about their experience working with you; this will help build trust around how good of a worker they think they will be when hired by them later down the line…
Be A Battery, Not A Drain
Be a battery, not a drain. I know this sounds like some kind of faux-Confucian analogy, but it’s important.
Don’t let your moods affect the moods of others. You shouldn’t be a burden on other people because they’ll resent you for it and that will lead to drama and bad vibes all around.
Don’t let your moods affect your work. Being in a funk can make you want to work less or focus more on things that are already done instead of tackling new projects (or worse: procrastinate).
This is just going to make things worse for everyone else down the line if there’s no one around who wants or needs help with their stuff either!
So try not to get too deep into whatever feelings might be plaguing you go out with friends instead! That way at least someone else gets something out of it besides just being an outlet for frustration 🙂
Wondering how to find time for yourself after having a baby? Discover the secret to reclaiming your free time in The Secret to Free Time After You Have a Baby. Explore practical tips and strategies to balance your responsibilities as a freelancer and a new parent.
Use Tech Tools To Help You (Like Email Autoresponders)
I’ve found that using an autoresponder can help me keep my inbox organized, and it also helps me know when I need to follow up with someone. Having an autoresponder in place lets you know when you need to follow up with someone.
For example, if someone emails you about a project but doesn’t get back to you, then the autoresponder will send that person another email asking them if they need help.
In addition, an auto-responder can allow people who have sent their requirements or projects through your email address permission to view all past messages from that address so they can see what other freelancers are submitting for their projects or job opportunities.
Another feature of some auto-responders is the ability for people who contact you through it (even if they don’t get a response) through it (even if they don’t get a response).
Still, be able to access any documents attached directly from those messages so they won’t have any problems accessing the information needed while waiting on replies from those individuals who may not respond quickly enough due to work commitments or other reasons.
Why this might occur frequently within organizations such as ours where many employees are either pregnant women themselves or working mothers who might not always be available at times because of family commitments etcetera…
Prioritize Self-Care
As you’re searching for ways to make it through the next six months, I hope this helps! In my experience, prioritizing self-care (and making it a habit) is one of the most important things you can do to survive your maternity leave.
What does that mean? Well, for me and my family it means being able to go outside and enjoy the fresh air together. It means having time for meals together at home without rushing around or going out. It means doing something fun with our kids every week.
It’s about carving out time in our schedule so that we don’t just exist from minute to minute but live life as fully as possible regardless of whether people are watching or not.
If you’re struggling with how to prioritize self-care in your life right now, here are some ideas:
Figure out what makes sense for your family right now (i.e., would going on walks every day work? Or maybe taking an afternoon nap each day?).
Write down those things on paper so that they’re visible and tangible; then start incorporating them into your schedule every day or week (or whatever works best).
If there are multiple people involved in raising children together, make sure everyone has their way of doing things too!
This might mean different schedules at night or different ideas about how often they’d like to take off during daylight hours but whatever works best should be honored by everyone involved
Plan Time Off, Way In Advance, And Take It Without Guilt!
I’ve always been a planner, but my recent pregnancy has brought out the worst in me. I am constantly putting off things that need to be done until “tomorrow” (or later).
It’s especially true when it comes to planning time off. I’m not sure why this is, but I think it’s partly because taking time off makes me feel guilty and lazy.
The truth is that taking time off is important not just for you and your sanity, but also for your career growth.
Take Advantage Of Others’ Slow Periods To Get Ahead During Yours
There is nothing more frustrating than being scheduled to work and feeling like you’re sitting around. This is when it’s important to remember that there are always ways to be productive.
You can read, you can learn new skills, and you can write blog posts or other content for your website. And by doing so, you’ll be in a better position when things slow down again.
You could also take on projects that would require a lot of work from others like creating a curriculum for a course or starting an initiative like How I Plan To Freelance When On Maternity Leave (or whatever).
Creating a project like this during your slow periods will give you something meaningful and impactful to do during the next peak season of workloads for others (who may need help completing their projects).
Plus no one will have any excuse not to get things done once they see how committed someone else was!
Allow For Things To Fall Through The Cracks … Then Let Them Go
I’m sure you’ve heard it before, but allow me to reiterate: you’re not going to be able last long doing everything by yourself. Not now, and certainly not when you have a newborn in your home who needs your attention.
This is the time to let go of wanting everything done perfectly, or even at all… If something isn’t working out and isn’t going as planned? Let it go! Do what you can with what you have, but don’t try to do everything at once it’s too hard on yourself (and frankly on those around you).
It’s weird how much this has been a lesson for me lately; I haven’t been able to let things go until just recently when I had my second child six months ago.
And while I’d like some credit for finally learning this lesson (and hopefully not forgetting again), I think the real reason why it took so long was that there was always something else that needed doing something more important than whatever else had fallen through the cracks.
Here Are The Tips I’m Using. Some Worked For Me Before My Baby Was Born And Others Are New
Set Expectations Early And Stick To Them
If a client wants something done in 24 hours, I’ll tell them that’s not going to happen. I should be upfront about it than let them down later on by not meeting the deadline.
Stay On Top Of Email
There is no excuse for not answering an email within 24 hours. If you’re busy with life or your baby, say so!
Block Time
You can’t always keep a work schedule when you have a newborn at home but try your best! Block off chunks of time on your calendar for working (or create an “office” space at home) so that you stay focused during those periods.
Create A Schedule With Your Partner
Even if both of you work from home, things may change once there’s someone else around all day every day and especially if having another little one means taking care of two kids rather than just one child and parent.
If possible, meet with one another regularly during business hours to discuss priorities as well as any big projects coming up soon so that everyone knows what needs doing when it comes time for actual execution;
Then divide up responsibilities accordingly depending on who has more free time or which project seems like less hassle overall based upon its scope/complexity/etcetera).
Conclusion
I hope that this article has been helpful for anyone who is in the same situation or thinking about going on maternity leave. I hope these tips will help you achieve your goals and make the most of your time, while also enjoying every moment with your family.
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources on planning maternity leave as a freelancer:
Plan Maternity Leave as a Freelancer: Learn valuable tips and strategies for planning maternity leave as a freelancer, ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining your business.
Planning Maternity Leave as a Freelancer: Discover practical advice and real-life stories from fellow freelancer parents on how to effectively plan and navigate maternity leave while freelancing.
You Can Take Maternity Leave as a Freelancer—You Just Have to Plan Ahead: Find insights and guidance on how to successfully manage maternity leave as a freelancer by preparing in advance and setting up support systems.
FAQs
How can I plan my maternity leave as a freelancer?
Planning maternity leave as a freelancer involves careful preparation. Start by assessing your workload and clients, communicating with clients in advance, setting financial goals, and creating a backup plan for ongoing projects.
How far in advance should I notify my clients about my maternity leave?
It is recommended to notify your clients about your upcoming maternity leave at least a few months in advance. This allows them to plan and adjust their projects accordingly while ensuring a smooth transition.
How can I maintain client relationships during my maternity leave?
To maintain client relationships during maternity leave, communicate your leave dates clearly, provide alternative contact information for emergencies, delegate or refer clients to trusted freelancers, and set expectations for your return.
How can I financially prepare for maternity leave as a freelancer?
Financial preparation for maternity leave as a freelancer includes saving money in advance, reviewing your budget, assessing your insurance coverage, exploring government programs, and considering alternative income sources.
What should I consider when creating a backup plan for ongoing projects during maternity leave?
When creating a backup plan for ongoing projects during maternity leave, consider identifying reliable freelancers or agencies to handle your workload, ensuring clear communication and documentation, and discussing expectations and timelines with both clients and backup resources.
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.