Embracing the freedom of freelancing.
As a creative freelancer, my passion for my work has always burned brightly. I thrive on the freedom and creativity that freelancing offers, but along with this freedom comes the responsibility of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Over the years, I’ve gathered valuable insights on achieving this delicate balance.
I’d love to claim that I’ve managed to establish a rigid routine, but as a parent of two busy kids who works from home, agility is what keeps me sane. Flexibility allows me to spend quality time with my children in the afternoons, and I compensate for this by working in the evenings or early mornings.
In the juggling act of managing multiple responsibilities, I often find that the ‘self-care’ ball is the one most prone to dropping. I am a firm believer in setting SMART goals for both my personal and professional life, which helps me to divide the two key areas of my life and drives my creativity and motivation to new heights.
Setting boundaries is crucial in the freelance world, especially when it comes to separating work from personal life. Everyone’s set of boundaries will be unique to their own situation – but for me, the sacred boundary is no emails over weekends. Turning off email notifications and putting away work-related devices on weekends help me switch off and fully engage with my personal life. Dedicating weekends entirely to my family helps me strike that elusive balance and alleviate the ever-looming “mom-guilt.”
The most valuable piece of advice I’ve ever received is to remember that there are no rigid rules. I get to set my own rules. Working with my kids playing beside me? Absolutely! Conducting late-night meetings to accommodate different time zones? Certainly! Putting in a few night-time hours to enjoy a day at the park with my kids? Why not?
Much of our stress is self-inflicted. Reminding myself that there are no predefined guidelines on how to navigate this path has allowed me to embrace the freedom that freelancing offers. I now get to enjoy more moments with my children and colleagues alike, all while maintaining a fulfilling work-life balance.
I love my job with every ounce of my being, which is why I just need to remind myself every now and again to take a break. What a great problem to have!
