If you’re a stay-at-home parent and feel like you rarely have a quiet moment to think, keep reading.
Many of you have been there, your baby is napping and your toddler is watching a show. You’re finally making progress with freelancing, and the ideas are flowing. All of a sudden, “Mom! I’m hungry!” Not too big of a deal, you get them a snack and then carry on.
Five minutes later….”Mom! I’m sick of this show! I want a new one!” You sigh and switch the show but then?
“Mom! I’m bored!” Your concentration is now officially lost, and it’s not coming back anytime soon, because the baby is now awake.
Sound familiar?
Welcome to the world of freelance writing with young kids. Freelancing is a great job for stay-at-home moms and dads, but it can be so challenging to get any work done.
Your kids need your undivided attention and help, but you also need to make money. How do you do it?
1. Get Your Partner to Help You
If you have a spouse, ask them to take the kids for an hour or two when they’re home.
This makes a huge difference, just having a few quiet hours dedicated to yourself and your business can help you move forward.
And not just with your writing, but emotionally you feel better-which helps you believe in yourself and keep going!
2. Accept What Time You Have
Accept how much time you’re able to write a day, and don’t let yourself get frustrated you can’t do more. Time is passing regardless of you freelancing or not, so take the wins as they come.
You’re not always going to be able to do as much as you like, and that’s okay.
Before you know it your kids will be grown and you’ll have all the time in the world to freelance, so accept that your progress will be slow.
3. Set Realistic Goals
Don’t expect yourself to get your website up and running-with multiple guest posts linked to your portfolio – to happen quickly if you’re starting from scratch.
You will become frustrated very easily if you set goals you can’t possibly achieve while caring for young children. Start small-your business WILL get up and running eventually but it will take time.
4. Write Down Ideas as They Come
If you have an idea for your business come to you as you’re with your kids, simply take a minute to write it down and move on.
Don’t think of how you can incorporate it in your blog and let that distract you from your family, just take a quick second to make a note of it.
Ideas can come at any time and that’s great, but make sure you write them down so you can save them for later. That way you still will be moving forward, and your kids also get your full attention. Win-win!
5. Be Proud of What You’ve Accomplished
Is your website hallway done?
That’s great!
Have you emailed about a guest post but were denied?
Good job for putting yourself out there! Instead of focusing on how far you still have to go, focus on what you’ve already achieved.
Think of it in the sense that six months ago you didn’t even HAVE a website and weren’t even trying to guest post.
Guest posting will come, and your website will eventually be finished. You can do this – you are doing it! Focus on that.
Some of the best advice I’ve received was to not expect so much of yourself, especially when you’re raising young kids.
Will getting your freelance business up and running take you longer than someone else? Most likely. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and feel like you’re never going to be able to do it, and you’re just not good enough anyways.
But when these feelings come, just keep trying. Do what you can each day, even if it’s only commenting on a few blog posts or sending out a few pitches.
Because if you’re paralyzed by your fear and doing nothing as a result, then you’re not going anywhere. The time will pass regardless of you trying or not, so just try as much as you’re able each day.
You may feel like your business will never be up and running, but it WILL.
My three year old had a tonsillectomy as I was trying to get started, which resulted in two whole weeks of me doing nothing with my business.
Sound discouraging? It was.
But I kept moving forward, trying as much as I was able each day.
Success will come if you’re determined, and who is more determined than a stay-at-home parent?
You got this!
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