Being a Mum and a Freelancer: How I Make It Work

Tracey Clayton - 28 Apr 17

Being a mother of two is a job by itself, and if you want to have a successful carrier on the side, you’re pretty much going to lose your mind unless you work from home. Freelancing offers you something no other job can: Flexibility and control. These characteristics make freelancing perfect for mums and their tricky schedule.  If you want to try your hand at freelancing, here are some things I learned through trial and error and some good decision-making.

The beginning

Before I became pregnant I used to work at an interior design company and did some designing on my own as a freelancer on the days that weren’t so busy. I can safely say that I loved freelancing more than my day job, so when I got pregnant the decision was easy. Bye-bye day job! And so I became a work-at-home mum. I definitely remember almost hating my job at the company because it took up a big portion of my day and energy I would’ve rather spent on my freelance projects.  I managed to make some connections at my old job and meet some entrepreneurs who had ideas similar to mine, so I sort of didn’t have to start from scratch when I finally quit, but I was just so happy to be my own boss that it didn’t really matter.

Managing the money

Transitioning from the company to being my own boss wasn’t all roses. At that time I struggled with morning sickness and other pregnancy issues, plus we still had to pay our mortgage and constant visits to the doctor. I simply had to push through my fatigue and work as much as I could in that period. We cut our expenses and took on a lot of work and finally we came out clean.

Baby in the house!

Let me tell you something. Kids are the greatest but most demanding gift you can ever get and being a new (and inexperienced) mum at that time didn’t really help, so the first six months were crazy. Surprisingly, after some time I became a pro at breastfeeding with one and holding mouse in the other hand. This multitasking is just something you need to learn if you want to succeed at being a mum and a successful business woman. You will also learn to work like a machine during nap time. I would gladly recommend finishing design school because design is profitable and practical to do from home.

Balance between work and family

It’s tricky to find the right balance. You will want to be there for your kids every step of the way, but on the other hand you have work to do. Sometimes you will just have to leave your kids waiting a bit, even though you’ll hate it, but you will also hate not being able to provide for your family. After you finish with your job, then you can make up for the lost time and direct all your attention to your loving family. Plus, you’ll feel great knowing you have enough money to get them anything they want and need.

Mum to mum pro tips

• Be organized: there’s nothing worse than when your child interrupts your work flow and when you come back, you have no idea what’s happening on the screen. Organize your work plan so that you can always jump in and out of work without losing your place.
• Ask for help: you and your husband are a team and you should handle parenting together. Don’t try to do everything yourself.
• Rest: regular breaks and naps are a definite must when being a work-at-home mum.

Now that I have two kids and a good reputation as a freelance designer, I feel tremendous pride for what I achieved. Oh, just how many times I questioned my decision to quit my job, but now I’m so grateful I did it. I love my family and I love my freelance job and for me, being a work-at-home mum is the best choice.  I hope you feel the same way after reading this text.

Tracey Clayton

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