The Freelance Mum Summary

Can moms really balance motherhood and a fulfilling freelance career? With confidence and smart planning, the answer is yes!

1. Craft Your Dream Job Vision

Before leaping into freelance work, it’s essential to define what you want your ideal job to look like. This clarity helps guide your path.

Many new moms feel overwhelmed with changes after childbirth, but their pre-motherhood skills and experiences remain valuable. Transitioning to freelance work starts with imagining how your work-life can blend seamlessly with family priorities. Do you want to work from home? Are weekends an option for work? Answering these questions sets the stage for making informed decisions.

Francesca McConchie, for example, wanted to spend more time with her kids and reduce childcare costs. Giving up her prior personal assistant role, she turned her love for baking into a thriving home-based cake business on weekends. Her clarity led to a fulfilling new career.

For others, starting freelance jobs might mean taking on smaller gigs or roles unrelated to their dream. Annie worked as a copywriter while aspiring to publish a book, which helped her develop relevant skills. Similarly, a slow buildup of experiences can pave the way for your passions to become financially rewarding.

Examples

• Francesca turned her baking hobby into a profitable career while managing childcare.
• Annie began with copywriting, gaining clarity and skills for her long-term goal of writing a book.
• Taking smaller, unrelated jobs as a freelancer can help build skills or networks.

2. Charge What You’re Worth

Determining the right rate for your work can be tough, but research and confidence are the keys to proper pricing.

Annie learned from experience when she started charging for sponsored posts on her blog. She mistakenly based her rates only on the time spent writing, rather than the value of her platform. This led to underpricing her services. Only later did she discover peers with smaller followings were charging significantly more.

Understanding your financial needs is equally vital. Freelancers face additional costs like taxes, equipment, and childcare. Knowing these ensures you set rates that support your lifestyle and responsibilities. Holly June Smith, a freelance coach, stresses having savings for at least three months to secure stability during lean periods.

Charging confidently transforms earnings. Annie eventually charged £1,000 for a sponsored post, reflecting the value of her audience rather than just time spent crafting content.

Examples

• Annie initially underpriced her blog sponsorships until she researched competitors.
• Freelancers like Holly June Smith advocate for budgeting monthly costs and savings buffers.
• Taking taxes, childcare, and tools into account ensures freelancers set sustainable rates.

3. Build a Purposeful Morning Routine

Success starts bright and early. Designing a purposeful morning routine is your way to stay ahead.

Freelancing provides flexibility, but it can lead to chaos without discipline, especially with young children. Annie found that rising at 5:30 a.m. allowed her to work on projects uninterrupted. The peace of early mornings enabled her productivity before family demands took over.

Prioritizing exercise also fuels momentum. Annie’s early runs energized her day, bringing a sense of accomplishment and boosting her mood. Avoiding screens during vulnerable times, like bedtime and wake-up, allowed her to focus on her thoughts and feel calmer.

Many successful entrepreneurs echo the power of set routines. Arianna Huffington starts her day with exercise, gratitude, and goal-setting. Creating your own morning habits can optimize your time and frame your mindset for growth.

Examples

• Annie’s 5:30 a.m. wake-up lifestyle allowed undisturbed focus time.
• Avoiding screens before and after sleep helped Annie stay grounded.
• Arianna Huffington built success through a consistent and intentional morning routine.

4. Reliable Childcare Is Non-Negotiable

Trying to juggle full-time childcare alongside a career often spells burnout. Freelancing moms flourish with dependable childcare options.

Annie relied on a part-time nursery for her daughter from the age of 18 months. It not only gave her focused working hours but also boosted her child’s social skills. Daycare-center workspaces have emerged as a game-changer, offering parents peace of mind with children playing nearby.

For parents with partners, fostering an equal childcare share is invaluable. While many individuals shy away from the role, open communication about fair parenting responsibilities can shift the dynamic. Annie’s husband’s support let her tackle urgent freelance work, balancing parenting responsibilities collaboratively.

Examples

• Annie utilized a nursery to carve out solid working blocks.
• Shared workspaces with childcare facilities offer flexible support.
• Parental teamwork eased last-minute work challenges for Annie.

5. Be Honest About Freelancing Challenges

It’s not always easy. Freelancing moms face real difficulties but masking the struggles can be harmful.

Food writer Anna Jones took on a cookbook project during her pregnancy, believing she could work as her baby napped. Instead, she faced sleepless nights and challenging days soothing her child, which tangled her work-life plans. Honest conversations could have prepared her better.

Annie herself experienced emotionally tough days but maintained appearances as a poised professional. Drawing from Sheryl Sandberg’s advice in Lean In, women can benefit from showing confidence—even if they’re fighting unseen battles.

Developing resilience and leaning into community support helps stabilize the freelancing journey. Moms need space to honestly acknowledge that these transitions are tough but ultimately rewarding.

Examples

• Anna’s expectations about balancing work and motherhood didn’t align with reality.
• Annie showed her clients confidence while managing feelings of overwhelm privately.
• Discussing challenges transparently validates others’ struggles.

6. Build a Blog to Strengthen Your Brand

Blogging is a powerful tool for creative expression and income generation—and it fits well into parental schedules.

Annie began blogging for personal enjoyment during journalism school, but it transformed into an additional revenue stream. Her platform, The Early Hour, gained a significant audience, eventually leading to paid sponsored content.

Similar success stories include Emma Paton, who started Finlay Fox as a niche parenting blog and now earns her primary income through it. The trick lies in building a blog on subjects you genuinely enjoy and maintaining fresh, SEO-friendly content.

Growing a blog requires patience, creativity, and audience engagement, but it can become a long-term asset for your career and brand.

Examples

• Annie transitioned her hobby blog into a paid sponsorship platform.
• Emma’s blog Finlay Fox turned personal passions into sustainable income.
• Regularly updated and SEO-focused content grows blog visibility.

7. Network by Making True Friends

Good networking goes beyond brief conversations—it’s about forming real relationships.

Annie learned this at a blogging event where a peer prioritized superficial connections but didn’t follow up. In contrast, some of Annie’s most valuable work connections started in casual settings, like her child’s playgroup. By showing genuine interest, she built lasting relationships.

Approaching new people with a curious, open attitude expands possibilities, even beyond planned events. It’s helpful to exchange social media details to continue conversations organically later.

Examples

• Annie made lasting contacts through genuine curiosity at her child’s playgroup.
• Follow-ups via social media helped Annie maintain potential work connections.
• Surface-level networking at events rarely leads to future collaborations.

8. Confidence Opens Opportunities

Confidence is your ticket to attracting opportunities. It’s all about projecting belief in your work.

Annie models this approach by embodying grace under pressure, like a swan paddling beneath serene waters. Her composed self-presentation reassures potential clients. And research shows men’s confidence often helps them land roles despite lacking full qualifications, a lesson applicable to women aiming to succeed as freelancers.

Building confidence starts internally with affirmations, preparation, and consistent practices to quiet doubts.

Examples

• Annie maintained outward composure during work challenges.
• Men’s tendency to apply confidently inspires women to adapt similar boldness.
• Preparation strengthens self-assurance in freelance engagements.

9. Freelancing Is a Long-Term Investment in Yourself

Building a career as a freelance mom may feel daunting, but every step contributes to long-term freedom and financial security.

Over time, freelancing can grow from a temporary fix to a thriving career. Setting clear goals, building networks organically, and continuously refining your brand turn setbacks into stepping stones.

Annie herself evolved from freelancing reluctantly to building an influential career, helping her family maintain balance.

Examples

• Freelancing moves beyond short-term problem-solving with dedication.
• Annie linked gradual gains to achieve high-value work as a seasoned freelancer.
• Long-term freelancing eases financial and lifestyle independence.

Takeaways

1. Clarify your ideal work-life scenario before pursuing freelance opportunities.
2. Research industry rates before pricing, and calculate financial realities like taxes and savings.
3. Stay invested in practical tools like blogs, networks, and childcare to sustain freelance growth.