Setting Goals As A Freelance Writer And Mum
Goals help motivate, inspire and drive you forward
Setting goals and knowing your WHY is so important as a freelance writer and a work-at-home-mum.
Why?
Because these things help motivate, inspire and drive you forward.
I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day at home with the children, I just want to curl up on the couch with wine, chocolate and Netflix. I don’t want to move. I don’t want to think. So, what gets me up and in front of my computer at the end of the day?
Knowing my WHY and moving one step closer to achieving my goals does. It gives me that little kick that I need to shake off the fatigue and brain fog and knock out some work.
What is your WHY?
Why do you want to be a freelance writer?
Why do you want to be a work-at-home-mum (WAHM)?
Be honest with yourself here.
Initially, I thought I wanted to be a freelance writer so I could be home with my kids. I am good at writing so I thought; why not give that a crack. Being paid to write sounds easy!
However, if I am being 100% honest with myself, it is not ALL about being a work-at-home-mum, or being present for my children. I genuinely LOVE writing. I love helping businesses out with their website content and blog post strategies.
The freelance writing world is exciting and brings something new every day. I cultivate great relationships with businesses, companies and other working parents. So no, it is not all about my children. Balancing a career that allows me to be home with them more is just an added bonus.
In short, my number one why is simple.
I love to write and use that passion for writing to help others.
My number two why is being present for my children and family more.
For over a decade now I have been a nurse. Shift work means that I have missed countless family functions, birthdays, Easter, Christmas, family dinners, trips and more.
Nursing takes a physical and emotional toll. At the end of many a shift, I would walk through my front door with nothing left to give.
Freelance writing is a fantastic way to contribute to the household budget with the freedom to work as often, or as little as I like. And without sacrificing my physical or mental health and time with my family.
When you know your why it helps create a clear vision for your business, as well as setting achievable goals.
What are your goals as a freelance writer and WAHM?
Do you set goals?
In the beginning, I was hopeless at setting goals. I just kind of bumbled my way from here to there.
Now I set weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals. It sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn’t.
Look at it this way.
Visualise where you want to be in your business in 12 months time. What do you need to achieve to make that happen? That right there is your big 12-month goal.
Write it down.
Now break that big goal down into smaller goals. Write those goals down too! Now you can divide those up into your weekly, monthly and quarterly goals.
By breaking larger goals down into smaller, actionable items you won't become overwhelmed.
Make sure you set REALISTIC goals.
Do not aim to make a full-time wage when you have limited time.
It is easy to be sucked into the belief that as a freelance writer you will make thousands upon thousands of dollars. A quick Google search for freelance writing will bring up plenty of articles touting how to make x amount of money fast or how to make your first million freelance writing.
The thing is though, many of those articles are written by individuals with endless amounts of time and energy. They are not pulled in many different directions that a work-at-home-parent tends to be.
As a working mum, or should I say a working parent, we know that there are limits to what we can achieve in one day. We only have so much time available to dedicate to our writing business.
Most of us work around an insane schedule where writing simply fits in where it can. We have to make sacrifices to find even an hour to work in a day…such as sacrificing sleep, or folding laundry, or mopping. I know which ones I prefer to sacrifice!
Right now, as a work at home parent, I would say do not aim to make a full-time wage from freelance writing. Not until you have established a name for yourself and can demand premium rates.
Don’t focus on huge numbers; focus on the bare minimum you need to make in a month.
Don’t forget to review your goals!
How do you know what progress you are making if you do not take the time to review your goals?
At the end of each week, I like to glance back at my weekly goals and see which ones I have ticked off. I compare to my bigger goals to see what progress I am making towards them.
It gives me a thrill when I see that I am getting closer to ticking those big goals off. And this helps me to keep going when I don’t have much fuel left in the reserve tanks.
Reviewing your goals is a great way to keep you on track and moving forward.
Do you review your goals? Or do you set and forget?
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 read more articles or hire her to write amazing content for you — Rachel Maree.
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