Going freelance is a great option for mums who want to get back to work but don’t want the pressure of a 9-5 working day. It may be that you want to work from home for a few hours a day while your baby is sleeping, or perhaps this is more of a lifestyle choice and you want to try something new.
Whatever your reasons for going freelance are, you need to be aware that as well as all the perks and freedoms that come with this career choice, there are also some things to think about first.
How Will You Fund Yourself?
You might not expect it but going freelance does have a start-up cost. You will need to have somewhere to work, a decent laptop and a website promoting your services at the very least and all these things add up. While you can happily work from home, you might also consider whether you would prefer the sociable nature of a shared workspace and create a budget for this too.
If you are a new mum, you may need cash fast in order to set yourself up as a freelancer. As you may not get regular work for a couple of months, having some money in an emergency fund is always a good plan for your to fall back on too.
How Will You Get Work?
When you are working for a company, work tends to just appear on your desk. As a freelancer, you need to know how and where you can get work regularly to support yourself. While there might be a few companies who want regular freelance work from you, you might also wish to try networking events to meet new people and broaden your opportunities.
Like all small businesses, you should also have a plan for the future in place, even if it is only a vague one. This should help you to work out which jobs are best to take based upon where you want to get to and how they will help you achieve your bigger goals.
How Will You Achieve Balance?
Though many people think that freelancing is a great idea because you can work whenever you want and however much you want, it isn’t always that simple. You will need to earn enough to support your family, which may make it harder to reject some work. Plus, while you are setting yourself up, it is likely that you will have to spend significantly more time than you thought sorting out your website and getting in touch with people set up work opportunities.
Over time, everything will balance out and you will get better at saying yes and no to the right jobs. You will also learn how to use your network to set up the next opportunity over and again, always making sure there are irons in the fire. Going freelance is a great opportunity and if you grab it with both hands, you can make it work for you and your family.
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