I was a new mom on maternity leave when I started freelancing. At first, it was simply a way for me to make some extra cash on the side. But then I realized that I could actually earn WAY more than my full-time job by freelancing online.
As my freelance business grew, so did my income. And eventually, I decided to leave my full-time job and become a stay-at-home mom who also freelances! But how do you start freelancing while on maternity leave?
This is a question lots of moms ask me all the time. So today, I want to share with you how to start your freelance career while still on maternity leave (or even if you’re just thinking about becoming pregnant soon).
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Freelancing while on maternity leave requires careful planning and balancing of responsibilities. |
| Utilize the available resources and guides to navigate the challenges of freelancing and motherhood simultaneously. |
| Setting clear boundaries and effective time management are crucial for maintaining work-life balance during this period. |
| Networking and maintaining client relationships can help in finding new freelance opportunities during maternity leave. |
| Preparing for the transition back to freelancing after maternity leave is essential for a smooth re-entry into the workforce. |
Set Clear Client Expectations
As a new mom, it can be difficult to set clear client expectations. In the early stages of freelancing, you might be tempted to work at all hours of the night and on weekends. This is not sustainable!
But if you don’t set clear client expectations upfront, people will expect your availability for anything and everything throughout the day.
This can lead to burnout (for both you and your clients) and makes it harder for you to keep up with your other responsibilities as a parent (like taking care of your family).
So here’s what we recommend: make sure that each new project has an agreed-upon timeline that includes deadlines, milestones along the way, etc., so everyone knows exactly how much time they have left before things need to get done.
At this point in our careers and most likely yours too we’re lucky enough that we don’t have any clients who expect us around 24/7;
However, our process used to involve working late nights several times per week when starting (if only because we had no idea what else fill those empty hours).
Freelancing while raising a newborn can be challenging, but with the right strategies and support, it is possible to achieve a work-life balance. Explore our guide on freelancing when you have a newborn to discover practical tips and insights for successfully managing both responsibilities.
Establish Work Hours And A Work-From-Home Schedule
Establish a routine of work hours and stick to it. While you’re still on maternity leave, your schedule is flexible, but once you officially go back to work, it will be harder for you and your employer (if you have one) to adjust.
Set up a schedule for when you will be working from home. For example: “I will be working from home every day between 9 AM and 2 PM while my baby naps during these hours.” If possible, try to spend some time with your family during these times as well!
Set aside specific slots in the day where they can come over so that they get used to seeing each other again; this will make things easier when everyone has returned to their regular lives full time again down the road too!
Start Small By Testing The Waters Before Jumping In
Do a few projects first, instead of diving headfirst into a full-time freelance career. This will help you get comfortable with the workload and demands of freelancing while also giving you time to learn what clients are looking for and what they’re willing to pay.
If your first project is successful, then great! That’s one more data point on what works for your business model and which way is best for you going forward.
But if it doesn’t work out or isn’t worth as much as you thought it would be, at least now you know how many hours this particular type of project takes (and how much per hour).
This means that next time around when someone asks about pricing information from potential clients who want something similar done (or even better).
Those numbers will be readily available without having been calculated from scratch again each time someone contacts us with similar requests.
Balancing the demands of motherhood and freelancing can be overwhelming, especially during maternity leave. Learn how to effectively work for yourself while on maternity leave by following the valuable advice in our comprehensive guide: How to Work for Yourself While on Maternity Leave.
Build A Sustainable Freelance Business
It’s important to know your skills and strengths. What do you do well? What are the things that come easily to you? Where do your skills overlap, complement each other, and create synergy?
What is your intended audience or market for the work that you will be doing on this project? Who will benefit from it, and how does that fit into their lives or business model? Who is not part of this intended target audience and why are they not included in it?
As for competition: who else is working in this space, what do they offer, what makes them stand out from one another (e.g., price point vs quality), and how does your proposal compare with theirs (i.e., would any client choose yours over theirs)?
Create A Cash Flow System
Track Your Expenses
The easiest way to create a cash flow system is by tracking your expenses.
You can do this in an excel spreadsheet or if you prefer, the built-in service on Mint.com where they will automatically categorize everything for you and show you what’s left over at the end of each month.
If there are irregular payments (like a mortgage), it helps to put those into separate categories so that they’re not mixed in with all of your other spending decisions.
Make A Budget
Now that we know exactly how much money we have coming in each month and how much we’re able to spend, let’s set up some rules for ourselves and stick with them!
This means no going over budget unless there was an emergency or something unexpected came up (like a major car repair). You may want to make these rules even stricter by saying “I’m not allowed any new clothes until I’ve paid off my credit card.”3. Pay Yourself First:
This is one of my favorite ideas because it forces me into saving money every single month without fail! It works like this: When your paycheck comes in each month, take 5% off of what’s left after taxes (if applicable) before depositing it into your account!
That way there won’t be any temptation later on down the road when bills start piling up like snowdrifts outside…
Maintain A Balance Between Freelance And Families
As a freelancer, you must maintain a balance between freelance and families. Your children need to spend time with their parents. Your partner needs to spend time with his or her friends.
You need to spend time with yourself so that you can stay sane while working from home all day (you’ll be surprised how easy it is for your brain to take a turn into a crazy town).
Maintaining this balance means making sure that at least one night during the week is set aside for child care and family dinner; also, every weekend should be spent doing something fun together as a family (or if single, perhaps something fun by yourself).
Of course, children should always come first in any plan made for them but this still applies even when their parents are busy working!
Prepare Your Family For Your New Role As A Freelancer
While your family and friends are excited for you to pursue this new path, it’s important to prepare them for what that means.
Explain that freelancers work from home, which may be different than where you’ve worked before. This may mean that they see less of you than they’re used to, or that they don’t know who exactly is coming in and out of the house at odd hours of the day/night.
If there is an office associated with your freelance work (such as a coworking space), explain how and when this office will be accessible by non-freelancers.
If there isn’t an office associated with your freelance work (as is often the case), explain how and when people can reach you by phone or email if necessary, and make sure those details are very clear!
Are you considering freelancing during your maternity leave? With the right approach, you can make the most of this time and maintain your sanity. Discover ten essential tips for freelancing while on maternity leave in our detailed guide: Freelancing While on Maternity Leave: 10 Tips to Save Your Sanity.
Clear Out Tasks That Don’t Serve You
You might be surprised to find how much of your time and energy is spent on tasks that don’t serve you. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, let me give you an example.
Let’s say that you have a daily goal list (which we will discuss soon), and one of the items on it is “write out client invoice.” On Monday, this task may take up to 10 minutes of your day.
On Tuesday, it might take 15 minutes because it takes longer than expected for some reason; maybe there was a number missing from the address or something like that.
On Wednesday, it takes 20 minutes because now you don’t have enough information about the project for invoice preparation.
On Thursday morning, before leaving for work in the evening after dropping off your kids at school, it occurs to you that this invoice needs to be completed before Friday so that clients don’t think they are being ignored.
And then suddenly an hour has passed while getting everything ready just so they can see how professional their communication looks!
Know When To Hire Help
If you’re a freelancer who has worked from home for years, it makes sense to continue your work from home when you have a new baby. But if this is the first time you’ve ever tried it, there may be some bumps in the road.
Many moms find that working from home is easier than going into an office every day no commute and no annoying coworkers! But when all of your focus is on taking care of your newborn, it can be hard to keep up with business tasks like invoicing or answering calls.
That’s why I recommend hiring someone part-time at first to help out as needed. In addition to making sure work gets done, they’ll also provide extra support during those crazy times when getting out of bed seems impossible (which happens often).
Some people hire their husbands or partners; others hire assistants through sites like Upwork or Fiverr;
Still, others hire part-time babysitters or nannies who are not just watching but helping them with chores around the house while they’re away doing other things like grocery shopping or running errands.
If possible, look into daycare services that offer flexible hours so parents can pick up kids after school rather than have them stay all day long (which means more money saved).
Find Local Support Groups And Resources To Help You Along The Way
One of the best ways to get connected and find support is by joining or starting a local business association.
You can also sign up for incubator programs, which are often sponsored by community colleges or universities that provide training in areas like marketing, accounting, and legal matters that will come in handy as you grow your business.
Additionally, there are many online resources available for freelancers and entrepreneurs who want to start their businesses from home. You may even discover new opportunities through these groups!
Juggling the responsibilities of motherhood and freelance work requires effective time management and finding a balance. Our guide on how to mother and freelance offers valuable tips and insights to help you navigate this unique situation and find success in both areas of your life.
Always Be Promoting Your Work
If you want to make a living as a freelance writer, you must never stop promoting yourself. To do this, you’ll need to be active on social media and other online platforms. You can use these sites as a way to reach out to new clients and expand your professional network.
You can also use them as an excuse for not being able to meet in person when someone requests it as a way of saying “sorry I’m not available” without actually having to say sorry!
Your blog is another great tool for promoting yourself as well as your work: write articles that showcase what you’re capable of doing, including samples of previous projects;
Include links back here so people know where they can find more information about who exactly wrote this piece!
Continue To Network Even While On Maternity Leave
Networking is a great way to find new clients and opportunities, as well as maintain existing relationships with existing clients.
It’s also where you can get support from other freelancers who may be in the same boat as you.
Maternity leave isn’t always easy for everyone else either, so it’s nice to know that there are people out there who understand what you’re going through and can relate their own experiences!
Networking isn’t just about finding others; it’s also an opportunity to connect with mentors who have experience doing what you want to do or need help doing something specific in your business/area of expertise (like finding freelance jobs or managing invoices).
These mentors might even become collaborators on projects together!
Use Your Time Wisely While On Maternity Leave To Plan Ahead
Being a freelancer is more than just getting your work done. It’s also about building up your business, making sure that you are in good financial health, and helping yourself grow as a person.
So, here’s some advice on how to make the most out of your time off:
- Work on side projects
- Work on your business (if you don’t already have one built) or get started on one if you’ve never had one before
- Work on yourself think about what skills or knowledge gaps you want to fill in while away from work so that when you come back home with things like cookbooks and sewing patterns under your belt there will be something new waiting for them too!
Make Room For Learning And Growing Amid Chaos
As you may have already noticed, parenting is not exactly conducive to learning and growing. You don’t have the same amount of free time that you did before your pregnancy, and there are many more demands on your attention.
But it doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement in your skillset. Try using some of the downtimes during nap times or nighttime routines as an opportunity to learn something new.
Learn a new language or take a course on computer programming; read some books about topics you’re interested in but know nothing about (such as philosophy).
You can also use this time for self-improvement by taking care of yourself physically and mentally: eating better; exercising regularly; getting enough sleep; maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family members the list goes on!
This will help keep you motivated throughout the day when things get tough or at least give yourself something positive to look forward to when working from home gets too overwhelming.
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Do One Thing Every Day That Will Make You Feel Like A Successful Freelancer When You Return To Work Full Time (Even If It’s Just For 15 Minutes)
Doing one thing every day that will make you feel like a successful freelancer when you return to work full time (even if it’s just for 15 minutes) is important because it helps you build momentum, which makes it easier to get back in the saddle.
If you sit around and wait for inspiration to strike, nothing will happen. You need to put yourself in situations where ideas are likely to come.
To start with, figure out 1-3 things each week that will help your business grow. These can be new clients or different types of clients;
They could be new skills or learning something about the industry; they could simply be researching what opportunities exist in your field right now so that when someone asks how business is going, there’s no hesitation before answering “great!” with confidence
You Can Successfully Freelance From Maternity Leave
You can do it! You may be thinking, “But I have a newborn!” or “I don’t know how to work from home.” Or maybe you are thinking, “Working from home isn’t feasible because I won’t have people around me all day. How will I make meaningful connections without the office?”
Well, what if we told you that freelancing while on maternity leave is not only possible but also has proven benefits for both you as a freelancer and your team at work? In this article, we’ll talk about some of those benefits and how they affect your business in the long run.
Conclusion
The truth is, when you become a new mom, your priorities shift, and your life changes. You may not want to get back to work five days a week and you may decide that you want to stay home with your baby.
Becoming a freelancer can be an excellent way for moms who want to work part-time or full-time after having children. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to do this, just do what works best for you!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources that provide valuable insights and advice on freelancing during maternity leave:
The Guardian: Advice for Freelancers on Maternity Leave – This article from The Guardian offers advice and practical tips for freelancers who are planning to take maternity leave while self-employed.
Fast Company: How to Take Parental Leave as a Freelancer – Fast Company explores the challenges faced by freelancers when it comes to taking parental leave and provides strategies to navigate this important phase of life.
Doing It For The Kids: Planning Maternity Leave as a Freelancer – This resource offers insights and advice specifically tailored to freelance parents, providing guidance on planning and managing maternity leave as a freelancer.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about freelancing during maternity leave:
1. Can I continue freelancing while on maternity leave?
Yes, it is possible to continue freelancing while on maternity leave. However, it’s important to consider your personal circumstances, workload, and the availability of support systems to ensure a healthy work-life balance.
2. How should I prepare for freelancing during maternity leave?
Preparing for freelancing during maternity leave involves planning ahead, setting realistic expectations, and communicating with clients about your availability and expected workload. It’s also crucial to have a contingency plan in case unexpected challenges arise.
3. How can I manage my workload effectively during maternity leave?
To manage your workload effectively during maternity leave, prioritize tasks, set clear boundaries, delegate when possible, and consider adjusting your working hours to accommodate the demands of parenting.
4. What are some tips for finding clients and projects during maternity leave?
While on maternity leave, networking, leveraging existing client relationships, and utilizing online freelance platforms can be effective strategies for finding new clients and projects. Additionally, maintaining an updated portfolio and staying active in relevant professional communities can help attract opportunities.
5. How can I ensure a smooth transition back to freelancing after maternity leave?
To ensure a smooth transition back to freelancing after maternity leave, gradually ease back into work, communicate with clients about your return date and availability, and seek support from family, friends, or childcare services to help manage your workload effectively.
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.