Freelance Writing As A Work-At-Home-Mum
Rule Number One: Time Management And Organisation
A 12-part series to help WAHM smash their goals and achieve their dreams!
The “12 Rules of Freelance Writing as a Work-From-Home-Mum” is a series of stories to help WAHM smash their goals and achieve their dreams of a successful freelance writing business.
And this first rule? It is the BIGGEST!
Why?
Because without time management and organisation your business (and home life) would be a hot mess!
Rule number one: time management and organisation.
Mastering these really is the million-dollar ticket.
But as a WAHM it is difficult, there are so many balls we are juggling. It doesn’t take much to muck up the rhythm and they all come tumbling down.
Here are a few things that I use in the course of my days to stay on top of my freelance writing business, and still be present with my family.
Batching
Holy smokes, I love batching.
Before I found and utilized this technique I would just work ad hoc, fitting it in where I could and just hoping I would finish it all in time. Honestly, this is not the way to work productively…at all.
Enter the incredible “batching tasks” technique that has boosted my productivity and streamlined my day!
What is batching?
Simply put, batching is where you group together similar tasks and complete them all at the same time using “task windows”.
Task Window 1: Research a month of blog posts.
Task Window 2: Outline a month of blog posts.
Task Window 3: Research and Outline client work. If finished that I start to write blog posts and projects.
Give it a try and see how it works for you!
Project Management and Planners.
It is no secret that I am a huge fan of a paper and pen planner. I know, I am old school. But I find the act of writing out a plan soothing. It centers me and I find I remember things more clearly when I have handwritten them, rather then if I have typed them into an online project management system or spreadsheet.
I have a huge yearly planner where I write when big projects are due, when I want blog posts, emails and other content published. It is super handy.
I also use Asana. By looking at my paper planner I can then input the tasks into Asana, breaking them down into smaller chunks with due dates.
For example, for “The Greatest Blog Post Ever” that I want to publish on the 31st March. I put a post-it note on the 31st March on my paper calendar with the blog title. Than in Asana I break it down into smaller tasks with due dates for each:
- Outline
- Writing
- Editing
- Graphics
- Schedule
- Sharing to social media.
To keep track of pitches, publications and guest posts I use good old excel spreadsheets! My hubby (computer savvy as he is) has even helped me create one where the cells turn different colours to remind me to follow up.
There is nothing more satisfying (or helpful) then a spreadsheet!
Create a schedule and STICK TO IT!
You have batching, you have your project management and planners….now you need to create a schedule and stick to it!
As a WAHM there is a lot to balance!
The best way to do this is:
Work out how many hours per week you have to work on your freelance writing business.
Break those hours down into:
- Marketing (promoting your business, your website, networking etcetera).
- Pitching (contacting potential clients, applying for jobs).
- Developing your portfolio (guest blogging, online publications).
- Client work.
Decide how many hours you want/need to spend on each of those areas and separate them into task windows.
Now you have your tasks windows, simply put them into your weekly schedule using the batching technique and you are set for a productive week!
Organise and time manage your children!
Time management and organisation is not just for us WAHM and freelance writers. You will not be able to achieve anything if your children are constantly interrupting you.
Utilise family, friends, babysitters and childcare. Even if it is only for a few hours a week, you will surprise yourself how much you can knock off your to do list during that alone time.
When my children were younger we used childcare. Now they are a little older it is a combination of school hours, kinder and childcare.
We try to be as routine in the evenings as possible, so both children are in bed and asleep by 7:30pm. My hubby and I will take it in turns to tidy, do the dishes and sweep whilst the other bathes and dresses the children. That way by the time they are in bed the house is all nice and clean and I can sit down to work!
Creating Support Systems As A Freelance Writer and WAHM
You don’t have to do it all alone
medium.com
My biggest time management hint…
Ask for help!
Yep. Super simple. One little word. Help.
Struggling to keep up with all the cleaning? Ask for help! Perhaps you and your partner can swap out week-to-week who takes on the majority of the cleaning.
Maybe you can fit hiring a cleaner into your budget.
Busy workweek? Book the children for an extra day at childcare. Or ask family or friends to entertain them for a few hours so you can get it done.
Do not be afraid to ask for help! It is not a failure. It is not shameful. You are one person and you cannot do everything!
My favourite mantra:
You can do anything, just not everything — David Allen.
I try to live by it. And the simple message is to delegate. Ask for help. Balance.
Time management and organisation is simple when you use the right tools and strategies!
- Batching!
- Paper Planner.
- Asana.
- Spreadsheets.
- Schedule.
- Child Minding.
- ASK FOR HELP!
Rachel Maree is a writer, mum and registered nurse. Bringing you the real truth to parenting, nursing and writing (even when it is downright ugly). You can learn more or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.
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