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Working from home as an online freelancer is never a walk in the park. There are struggles that you have to go through, just like in the corporate world.
That’s something I didn’t know about when I was just starting out as a WAHM (work at home mom)!
I fell so in love with the idea of working from home that I failed to see the struggles that come along with it.
In fact, the moment I’ve learned about it, I can’t help but imagine myself at home, having coffee in front of my laptop, my favorite music in the background, kids already in bed, and a supportive husband by my side. A perfect set-up for a growing family, right?
Oh boy, I was wrong!
After a few twists and turns, I found myself working at home, but the scenario was totally different from what I’ve imagined it would be.
There I was, staring at the computer screen with my right hand on the keyboard and my left hand with my then 7-month-old baby, listening intently to my two daughters squabbling over toys (trying to discern when should I butt in), thinking how on earth will I finish the household chores while trying to beat my client’s deadline. And these were happening, all at the same time!
As for my husband? Well, he is in the same room with us watching his favorite team lose at an NBA game! Very supportive, huh?
Yes, I know. This is not what I signed up for and it’s far from the “PERFECT set-up” I have in mind.
But you know what?
I believe there’s nothing moms, like me, can’t conquer, especially if this career means we can provide for our family while spending more time with them.
So, how did I deal with this “Struggle-is-Real” thing?
First off, the struggle of a work-at-home-mom (WAHM) is not only limited to the difficulty of managing your home while doing work but also in keeping your sanity when you live in a world where your personal and professional space co-exists.
I will not go over the other challenges in this blog post because VA Bootcamp has already provided the solutions to these concerns through the detailed lessons on how to get clients, how to ace interviews, how to learn freelancing skills, and more.
If you want to know how to become a freelancer, sign up here: freevacourse.com
In this post, we will focus on how to get your work done without being stressed and getting distracted by things not related to work! Sounds good?
Okay, here are 5 Mommy Hacks that might help you do the trick.
Having a solid support system will help you move towards your freelancing goals especially when the going gets tough.
So, here’s what you should do.
It is very important that they understand what you are up to. They don’t need to know the details of your work though, but you have to educate them about your life goals and plans and how freelancing is essential in achieving them.
And yes, you should discuss it with your kids as well.
When I say family, that includes your kasambahay since they will be your great allies in maintaining your home. If you have no helpers (or even if you do), let your kids help on some chores that are appropriate for their age. Through this, they’ll learn to be responsible and independent. That’s hitting two birds with one stone.
Now that you’re a freelancer, it would be great to have friends who can understand your work. Imagine sharing your thoughts with your friends who don’t even know what a freelancer is?
As for me, I’ve made several friends online and I love talking to them whenever I take breaks from work. And since then, they become my source of positive energy.
Also, you’ll never know, these connections may lead you to your next clients!
Don’t fuss over the things you have no control of. If your baby cried while you’re working on a deadline, just carry him, make him go back to sleep, and then go back to work when he’s all settled. I used to take the stress out on someone else followed by a blame game when things like these happen. Believe me, that won’t help.
Whatever situation you are in right now, accept it and just find ways to deal with it!
In this case, I should’ve worked on the project earlier than the deadline, don’t you think so?
Having a routine will make your life easier but developing one that gives a balance between your personal and professional life isn’t as easy as 1,2,3.
It would be best if you can identify the activities that you value so much, so they’ll make it to your fixed schedule. These may include your everyday mom-kid bonding time, once a week date with your husband, church time, once a week K-drama session, or an 8-hour a day sleep (if you value health that much).
After coming up with a schedule, be sure to follow it and make necessary adjustments until you find one that will work best for you.
If you have nobody to rely on but yourself to take care of the kids and do all the household chores, then this is the time to take your creativity to the next level!
How about allowing your kids to have a longer bath time with bubbles and toys to keep them busy? This will give you some time to do household chores without being disturbed.
How about engaging them with physical activities in the morning such as dancing, running, playing outside, so there’s a higher chance that they’ll have a long afternoon nap? Which means you’ll get some more peaceful hours wherein you can finish some tasks at work.
And if you really don’t want to be disturbed because you have to finish something very important, well you can bring out every mom’s secret weapon nowadays – a phone or a tablet!
Have to warn you though! What works this day might not work the next day, and for sure, you’ve already figured that out.
But there’s nothing to worry since the sky is the limit when we talk about creativity. ?
Money matters!
What’s going to happen with our budget if the pay that we are counting on got delayed?
That’s a disaster, right? Thus, you have to find a reliable way to receive your hard-earned money, and seriously, what’s a better way to get paid other than PayPal?
First, it’s the most preferred and trusted option by clients.
Second, most freelancing sites, if not all, supports the PayPal payment method.
Third, there’s a lot of way on how to encash your money, and I prefer bank transfer.
I’ve been using it for a year now. Aside from receiving payment from clients, I’ve already used it to shop online (Yeah, moms should splurge on things they love, once in a while).
Very convenient and reliable, right?
If you still don’t have an account, make one now, it’s totally free!
There you go! Got all these hacks from my humble experience. And I’m sure, more hacks and tips like these are waiting to be unearthed and compiled. So, let us read some on the comment section.
Lastly, worry no more! It’s just a waste of energy. Channel your energy to the work itself where it is more needed!
“Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”
-Arthur Somers Roche
This is a great post! Good points. ? ?
#RelateMuch
It is a dream come true to have a work from home job, but expectation VS reality is so true. There's a lot of struggles working at home. Poor concentration especially if there's someone who always want your attention. Plus you need to do the household chores first, doing the laundry, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning the house and most importantly looking after your child. It is not that easy, but still a blessing from above.