Advice For Juggling Freelancing & Parenting
Parenting is more than a full-time job, which can make it hard to juggle a career with looking after your kids. Many parents find freelancing to be a good option as it can give you greater flexibility and control over your work, but there are also challenges with this route. You need to find work and keep it to a high standard that will help you bring in more work. Therefore, you will need to make sure that you have the time and energy to work enough while still looking after the kids. So, how can you manage freelance work while still being a good parent? Here are a few tips and tricks that should help.
Create A Routine
First, you need to find a routine that works for you. The great thing about freelance work is that you can set your own schedule, so you can work around the important parenting tasks that you have throughout the day. Having a routine will also help you to focus and concentrate when working and hopefully help you to get enough done each day. Crucially, make sure that you are also scheduling regular breaks and that you have enough time off to relax in the evening. You should also let your clients know that you are a parent and always put them first.
Set Up A Home Office
Being able to work remotely can make looking after the kids a lot easier and save you from having to arrange any kind of childcare. It is important that you have a dedicated space for working, though, ideally in a quiet area of the home. If your kids are old enough to be unsupervised, you should tell them to let you work during this time.
Have An Office Space
While being able to work from home is a major plus, you will find that it is not an ideal environment all the time, as there may be times when you need to find a quiet space. Plus, you may want to have meetings with clients that is somewhere other than your home. A great option is to hire a serviced office for the days you need to work away from home, as this will provide you with everything you need and give you the feeling of going out to work. You can find an office to rent in St Albans that will provide the ideal environment for freelancers and could even give you a chance to extend your network. It is also an easily accessible area and will provide a base for your business near the capital.
Streamline Your Chores
Juggling freelance work and parenting can be hard enough, so when you add in various chores that need taking care of, it can be a bit much. It is vital that you have some downtime and enjoy the evenings and weekends. Find ways to streamline the chores in your life. There are many ways to do this, such as creating a chore rota for the family, meal prepping for the week, buying a robot vacuum, and hiring a housekeeper if you are in a position to do so.
Freelancing can be a great option for parents, but it will still create challenges. Hopefully, these tips will help you find the right balance and provide enough attention to your kids and your work.