This is a guest post from Alexis Bonari, a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at onlinedegrees.org, researching areas of online universities. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
Recently, my life as a freelancer was turned upside down. Granted I had slightly over nine months to plan for this lifestyle change, but nothing quite prepares you for how your life will change when you have a child. If you’re a freelance writer, organizing your work schedule around the needs of a baby and keeping ahead of deadlines is a surprisingly challenging experience. While I’m sure I’ll have to update my strategy as my daughter grows (she’s only 3 months old and isn’t yet mobile) here are four helpful tips for transitioning your freelance career when you’ve just had a baby:
1. Take advantage of any help you can get from your partner.
Understandably, not everyone has a partner who can devote their weekend or evening to watching the baby so that work can be done. If you do have such a person in your life; take advantage of it. Nobody is an island. Freelancing for a living is a full-time job. So is taking care of a baby. Four hours of completely uninterrupted work in the evening, and some extra time on the weekend, can make a huge difference in your overall productivity.
2. Look into a childcare exchange with another freelancer or another mother who wants some time off.
There are many mothers who want part-time childcare and are unable to find it for a reasonable rate. Find another mother in a similar situation and offer to trade childcare. As I already mentioned, a few uninterrupted hours can make or break your project.
3. Work around the baby’s sleep schedule.
This may seem obvious, but it often isn’t. It is not uncommon to fall behind on housework and laundry when you first have a baby. This is even truer when you have both a baby and a full-time job. Resist the urge to clean or do other household chores when you have a deadline coming up. Even though you’re at home, you’re on the clock. Schedule specific times for any housekeeping/cooking and stick to them. Otherwise, try to get through as much work as possible while the baby is sleeping.
4. Accept that it will take time to adjust to your new schedule, and that’s okay!
Go easy on yourself. Your life just changed in a very real way. There are many advantages to working from home when you have young children. That said, it’s not as straightforward as working set hours with no interruption. Enjoy your baby and slowly increase the amount of work you take on until you find the perfect balance for your life.
