The 5 Tips On Balancing Freelance and Family
Working from home — that’s the dream, right? Wake up, get your cup of coffee then make the long commute to your couch. But wait. What’s that noise? Your family’s up and your comfy couch-office is compromised. The kids are running around, the TV is blaring “Frozen” for the thousandth time, and your spouse is shouting on the phone.
Been there?
Here are the 5 tips on balancing freelance and family life that I’ve learned while writing radio ads from home with a wife and one-year-old. These aren’t magical solutions, but I hope they give you some insight (and encouragement) as you figure out your freelance and family rhythms.
1. Get Organized!
Just like my kid needs structure to thrive, so do I! Organization is your friend. Organizing your daily schedule will maximize your productivity. Having said that, I admit it doesn’t come naturally to me. But with a little planning (and a lot of help from my wife), I managed to get organized.
I’ve found that it’s helpful to break my day into bite-size chunks. My “chunks” are time frames, like “8 AM-11 AM”. The first chunk of the day, I’m reviewing my responsibilities and responding to emails. Next chunk, I’m writing and editing. Then family lunch (no more eating a sandwich in front of your computer — we’ll get to that later). After lunch, I respond to emails then tackle my next task. It’s easy to fall into the trap of working a little bit on a lot all at once. Don’t do it! Just focus on one thing at a time for a much more efficient workflow.
2. Clear the Space
Lounging on the couch with your laptop propped on your belly doesn’t cut it anymore. You’re not relaxing after a long trip, you’re working! Treat your work time the way you would if you were in an office. Having a designated workspace helps put you in the right mentality. Find a nook, closet, or corner of the house to be your work station. My desk is in the corner of my bedroom, two feet away from the bed. But when I sit down at that desk, my body knows it’s work time.
3. Set Boundaries
“Daddy’s working right now.” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said that and felt guilty. Trying to balance being a good dad and being a good employee is a constant battle. What I’ve found to be helpful is communicating with my family certain boundaries so that we can spend time together, and I can accomplish my tasks. We take a walk together before I start work, we eat lunch together, and whenever I need a coffee break, I make sure everyone gets a hug and a kiss. Having designated work time and family time is a game-changer. Our family lunch gives us all something to look forward to and doesn’t make me feel pressured to pop my head out of the bedroom (I mean office) every five minutes.
4. Know When to Quit
When it’s quitting time, it’s time to quit. Shut down the computer and walk away. When you work in an office, it’s easy to leave work behind because you have the luxury of physically leaving. At home, it’s not so easy. As much as possible, it’s important to literally and mentally “clock out” at the end of the day so you can be present with your family. At the end of the day, it’s time for me to take off my radio ads hat and put on my dad hat to focus on giving horsey rides around the living room.
5. Set Expectations
You’ve got your workspace set. Boundaries are in place. You have high hopes for a productive workday. Next thing you know, you hear screaming from the living room, and it’s all hands on deck to diffuse the unruly meltdown of a toddler.
There are going to be distractions throughout the day. It’s okay. You might not have the workflow you envisioned at the beginning of the day, but you’re still getting work done. The worst thing you can do is beat yourself up or get frustrated with your family because the perfect workday you hoped for isn’t so perfect. Like today, I ate in front of the computer again, even though I promised I wouldn’t. I’m not a failure. Tomorrow’s a new workday to try again!
