Freelancing can be a challenge, even without the pressures of having to deal with the seemingly never-ending needs of children. The stress of being a freelancer can be overwhelming at the best of times, but add dependents to the mix? You’ve got yourself a whole new beast. This article will help you learn some tips on how to have a healthy work and family life balance as a freelancer.
- Introduction
- Benefits of Freelancing as a Parent
- Challenges of Freelancing with Children
- Strategies for Balancing Freelance Work and Parenting
- Time Management Tips for Freelancing Parents
- Childcare as Self-Employed
- Leveraging Support Systems
- Self-Care and Mental Health
- Success Stories from Freelancing Parents
- Conclusion
- FAQs
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Introduction
Freelancing gives workers the ability to choose their own clients, work on their own time, and manage their own rates. As a freelancer, you are in charge of your own business operations and there really is no limit to how much you can earn. It’s no wonder then that the freelance world is experiencing a boom, especially since the pandemic came to an end.
The flexibility that freelancing provides is one of the biggest reasons why people choose to become full-time freelancers.
In fact, according to our study, a majority of 66% stated that independence and flexible working hours was the main reason why they chose to become a freelancer in the first place.
That being said, it can be difficult to juggle your work with your parental responsibilities. Managing time, dealing with distractions, financial instability and emotional stress are just some of the key difficulties you have to deal with as a freelancer with kids.
Benefits of Freelancing as a Parent
Before we talk more about the challenges of freelancing with kids, let’s take a look at the many benefits it also offers.
#1 Flexibility in scheduling
As a freelancer, you have the option to schedule your work around your children’s needs – which is something permanent workers don’t have the luxury of. This allows you to be there for your children while still earning a living.
You can easily attend recitals, sports games, or parent-teacher meetings without having to ask your boss for leave.
#2 Ability to work from home
Most freelance jobs allow you to work from home or from remote locations. This eliminates the need for commuting and allows you to stay closer to your kids. You also save up on things like office attire and, if you are able to manage your kid on your own, childcare.
#3 Opportunities for better work-life balance
Freelancing gives you the opportunity to be more present in your childrens’ lives without the constraints of a traditional job. You don’t need to spend hours away from home and are always present for when your kids need you.
#4 Ability to choose clients and projects
Another benefit of freelancing when you’re a parent is the ability to choose who you work with and what projects you take on. You don’t have to worry about office politics and bureaucracy and can instead choose projects that you’re genuinely interested in and collaborate with people you like.
#5 Opportunity to stay employable
A lot of women fear having to place their careers on hold after having a child. But as a freelancer, it’s up to you to decide when you want to get back to work.
Freelancing allows you to be active in your industry and lets you maintain professional skills while also fulfilling family responsibilities.
Challenges of Freelancing With Children
As mentioned above, there are also challenges that come when freelancing with children. Some of these include:
#1 Difficulty managing time and staying focused
Managing your time is perhaps the biggest challenge when it comes to freelancing as a parent. It can be difficult to balance deadlines and meetings along with your childrens’ needs, especially if they are on the younger side. This is especially true for mothers.
Elina Jutelyte, a member of Freelance Business Community, tells us of the challenges freelance parents face and how we need to ensure that there are better systems in place to help them.
“Parents who freelance are confronted with a difficult choice: prioritising the best care for their child and being present for the child versus fulfilling professional commitments.
While discussions often revolve around the challenges of returning to work post-birth, there is a notable absence of discourse surrounding the pregnancy period itself and the potential complications that may arise during this time.
It is imperative that we shine a light on these issues and advocate for better support systems to ensure that freelancing parents can navigate their dual roles with greater ease and understanding.”
#2 Juggling childcare and meeting deadlines
Children, especially younger ones, can have unpredictable routines. This could be due to illnesses, nap times, feeding, etc. As such, it can be a challenge to get your work done on time, making it hard to stick to deadlines.
#3 Limited separation between work and family life
Unlike employed workers, you don’t have the luxury of an office environment separating your work and family life. This means you constantly have to deal with interruptions and distractions, which can result in loss of productivity and focus.
#4 Overwhelming feeling of stress
Having to choose between spending time with your children or completing your work on time can cause you a significant amount of stress over time. It can also lead to feelings of guilt and frustration in both aspects of your life.
#5 High risk of burnout
The abovementioned stress can eventually lead to burnout if you’re not careful. Constantly balancing your work and family life can lead to copious amounts of pressure which affect both your physical and mental health.
Strategies for Balancing Freelance Work and Parenting
Let’s take a look at some of the strategies that you can put in place to help balance your freelance business and parenting:
- Setting boundaries: The first thing you need to do is set boundaries. Designate time for both work and family time and make sure these hours don’t intersect.
- Creating a flexible routine: Make sure to build a schedule around naps, school, and other activities. This will make working hours easier and allow you to be more present during family time.
- Utilising childcare options: Consider getting external help if you can. Reliable childcare can make all the difference, especially if you’re just starting out as a freelancer.
- Workspaces that work: Create a workspace that’s both kid-friendly and allows you to be focused and productive. For example, you could create a corner where your child can be entertained with toys or other materials – this will allow you to keep an eye on them while working. If you can’t work with your kids in the rool, have a space in your home that is only for working. Clearly communicate that your kids should disturb you as little as possible when in work mode.
- Part-time work: If freelancing full-time is too much of a hassle for you, you could consider doing it part-time instead.
- Use technology: Automate wherever and whenever you can. This will save you time and allow you to stay organised and efficient.
Time Management Tips for Freelancing Parents
As mentioned above, time management is probably the biggest challenge when it comes to freelancing with children. To effectively manage your time, consider the following tips.
#1 Prioritise tasks and set realistic goals
Start every day by listing out your priorities. Choose the most high-priority task and work on it by breaking it into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Remember to leave the less crucial tasks for later and use your most-productive hours on the more important work.
#2 Use productivity tools and time-blocking methods
Using productivity tools is another efficient way of staying organised and using your time wisely. Tools like Trello, Notion, Evernote, etc. are all good examples for when you want to manage your workload and time and streamline your business.
You could also consider using time-blocking methods or techniques like Pomodoro (25 minutes of work followed by a quick 5 minute break) to maintain productivity.
#3 Be flexible
Accept the fact that there are going to be interruptions no matter how hard you try to plan out your day. For example, you might have to handle urgent work when all of a sudden your child demands your attention (due to an injury, illness, etc.). At times like these, it’s important to know how to move things around. This will be easier to do if you’re already planning your time.
If a task can be pushed back, push it back. If not, break the task down into smaller 10-15 minute bites and work on it that way.
#4 Leverage childcare whenever you can
If you are able to enlist the help of your partner, a relative or your neighbour, use it! This will be especially helpful on the days when you need to meet an urgent deadline or have back-to-back meetings.
#5 Say no
Lastly, learn to say no to certain tasks or commitments. Saying no to non-essential activities can help you save time for the things that really matter.
Plus, it can give you a chance to take a break and focus on your own well-being – something that is crucial, especially if you’re feeling rundown.
It’s also important to stay mindful of how many projects you take on as a freelancer at any given time. Even if a project is tempting, if you already have a heavy workload, say no! It’s not worth the risk of burnout.
Childcare as Self-Employed
Different countries have different criteria when it comes to childcare as a self-employed individual.
Europe
Lots of countries in Europe offer parents childcare benefits. For example, in the UK, you may be entitled to tax-free childcare. You can receive up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children for the purposes of childcare. There are of course stipulations for tax-free childcare and eligibility usually depends on things like work status, income, child’s age, etc.
Similarly in Germany, you can benefit from ‘Kindergeld‘ or German Childcare Benefit. The Kindergeld is a monthly fixed sum paid by the Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse), and the most anyone can receive is €250 euros per month per child. Keep in mind that you need to be a tax-paying German resident in order to receive this benefit along with other requirements.
Another example of childcare benefits in Europe is in the Netherlands. If your child is part of a childcare facility, you may be entitled to receive benefits for the hours you spend on your business. You can apply for at most 230 hours of childcare per month.
In France, freelancers are entitled to the same family benefits as salaried workers. They are paid by the Family Benefits Fund (Caisse d’Allocations Familiales/ CAF) for childcare along with other expenses such as births, dependent children and back-to-school expenses.
The exact amount paid depends on the household income and varies from family to family.
USA
In the US, if your child is under the age of 13, you could claim a tax credit. You can use tax credit to reduce your final tax amount seeing as it is a direct dollar-for-dollar reduction. For example, if you owed $10,000 in federal taxes, but had a $2,000 tax credit, your final tax would be $8,000.
You may be able to claim a tax credit calculating total expenses up to $8,000 for one child, or up to $16,000 for two or more children.
Again, there is a certain criteria you need to meet in order to be eligible for these tax benefits. The best thing to do is to get in touch with a professional to help you and make things easier come tax season.
LATAM
Unfortunately not a lot of countries offer childcare benefits as a freelancer. For example, in Argentina, alimony, education and childcare expenses are not deductible from PIT returns (Personal Income Tax).
In Mexico, private childcare can cost anywhere between 500 MXN ($23) and 5,000 MXN ($250) per month. There is no concrete information for tax benefits for childcare in the case of self-employed individuals though with their relatively new digital nomad visa scheme, it may be a matter of time.
Leveraging Support Systems
The importance of leveraging support systems cannot be overstated. As a parent, you need to balance the dual responsibilities of raising a child and growing a business and so, you need to take advantage of all the help you can get.
Whether that’s family or friends, having trusted people to lean on during busy days allows you to focus on work while knowing that your children are safe. Plus, if you don’t have access to free childcare in your country, having support from friends and family is paramount to saving on paid childcare.
You could also consider getting in touch with other freelance parents. They can offer you advice from their personal experiences and, if you both work in similar industries, can collaborate with you on a project or more.
Self-Care and Mental Health
One of the most important things that you can do as a freelancer with kids is take care of yourself. Afterall, you can only take care of your children properly if you yourself are rested and both mentally and physically healthy.
Not taking time for yourself can eventually lead to increased stress levels and the potential of burning out. It’s important to establish boundaries and engage in regular self-care activities in order to promote a healthier work-life balance.
Make it a point to schedule breaks regularly so that you have time to recharge every now and then. This will help you return to work with renewed focus and productivity and improve your overall efficiency.
Success Stories from Freelancing Parents
It may sound overwhelming and impossible but freelancing with kids can actually work. Take a look at some of these success stories that prove so:
A freelancer writer who specialises in the field of Real Estate, Alicia P states that time management is the most crucial thing to freelance success as a parent.
“When your kids are very young, you need to start slow. Your best writing will be done when you’re undistracted, usually early in the morning, during nap times, or after bedtime. Though this means that your days will be extra long, you’ll slowly build a clientele.”
She also states that she only says yes to projects she can handle and seeks help whenever she needs it.
“I’m now very meticulous with time management. The night before work, I set up a schedule and divide the day hourly to plan everything, from work I have to get done, to errands I have to do, to designated time to check social media. It has been vastly different than my life before, and I think for the better. Mentally preparing for a schedule and goals has made it much easier to get into the productivity zone.”
Shawna X is a Brooklyn-based freelance artist who also says that having stress outside work eventually ends up affecting the work itself.
Diana Levine’s secret to freelancing with kids? Planning.
“Yes, it is possible to juggle a successful freelance life with motherhood. It just takes a lot more planning, and the willingness to draw boundaries and truly stick to them.”
She also says that it’s okay to give yourself a break on tough days. Even if you plan out your day perfectly, there’s bound to be something that comes along to disrupt it – and that’s okay.
“We must plan, budget, and sometimes put things on hold until the money comes in. But we are almost always able to pick up a sick kid, grab a coffee on a random afternoon, and never have to change out of our pajamas if we don’t want to. It’s not a bad way to live.”
Colleen Thomas, freelance writer and founder of Cafe Mom, shares that in order to maximise work and relaxation time, she gets an early start to her day.
Conclusion
Freelancing can offer parents the flexibility they need to be more present at home with their children and make a living. And while it can be a challenge to balance your business while also raising your kids, implementing strategies such as effective time management, setting clear boundaries, seeking all the help you can get, and more, it is possible to succeed in both aspects of your life.
Remember, every situation is unique and it’s up to you to find a process that works for you and try to balance your work and your family life.
FAQs
Is childcare tax deductible for the self-employed?
This primarily depends on where you reside and what your government’s policies are. For example, in the US, you are eligible for childcare tax-credit instead of a tax deduction. This means that you can subtract the cost of childcare (up to a limit) from the combined sum of all your taxes.
How to freelance with a baby?
One of the best ways to get your work done when there is a baby at home is to work during nap hours. Babies nap a lot and so you want to take advantage of this time and schedule meetings or focus work for when they’re snoozing.
How do I create a productive work environment at home with children?
Designate a specific workspace for your freelance work. Make sure your kids know that the space is off-limits and set clear boundaries. If you are unable to create a workspace, invest in some noise-cancelling headphones if you have to.
