Work-Life Balance
Finding time to write can be challenging, never fear there is always time to make it better. One of the reasons I chose becoming a Freelance Writer is because the time I spent with the children wasn’t very conducive to phone work. While I received a low wage income for phone work, it did not resonate within me, it caused me additional stress not to mention, I hated it and I had other needed responsibilities.
So how do I find the time to write?
How to find time to write
I would suggest searching for positions or creating opportunities with your desired pay.There are job boards everywhere, most websites are written by a content creator, also known as you. The wording may be different but in actuality the job titles are interchangeable. Remember the old but relevant saying, content is king!
Take a gander of my life, my 6-year old is home schooled by me and I usually do the drop-offs for my son and pick him up. Not to mention my oldest 19 just started working an odd shift so I will probably be taking or picking her up.
Since my day is so out of whack, don’t underestimate the hubs, he has his time as well. I wake up early to exercise and to beat the family up. I like to get in a 30-min exercise routine and fill my water jug for the day, this is part of my self-care.
So here is my schedule:
Granted this could change at the drop of a hat, but I like to have something to go by in case of scatter brain. Those little interruptions can be epic, a sample schedule puts me back on track quickly . This will help greatly to decrease non-productivity and ineffectiveness.
5:15 am – Wake up
5:30 am – Exercise
6:00 am – Review plan for the day and begin social media posting
6:30 am – Wake up son for school – prepare breakfast
7:00 am – Prep for school for son – prep for homeschool for daughter
8:00 am – 11:00 am – Homeschooling begins – Check emails & Create Outline for Blog Post – Start Draft
11:00 am – Lunch & Housework
(My husband comes home for lunch, so I try to act like I been working hard all day, LOL)
12:30 pm – Work on FB Group & Social Media Engagement
1:30 pm – Pitching Time (Goal 7 a day)
2:55 pm – Son pick up
3:30 – Homework and Homeschool work + Email Marketing Strategies
4:00 – 4:15 pm – Put dinner on
5:00 – 6:00 – Study time
6:00 – Make the plan for the next day – F/U, personal appt’s, etc.
So this is a real-life example on how my day goes if there is nothing that interrupts it past the norm. Now, this is simply a daily list, any paid projects would take precedence, I would home school and post to social media if I were unable to complete my daily. If I decide to work more hours in a day, it would be simply writing a blog post. Sometimes I can work better once the children are fast asleep, their bedtime is 8:30 pm.
Please know that I will slip a nap in at any time, sometimes sleep will get the best of me because I can push myself to midnight (old habits die hard). Especially since my hubs works at night, so it’s much easier for me to work during the late hours.
Don’t let time constraints get to you…
Please use the constraints method to find the time, it will help you to become more efficient with your time. Trust I have worked without a plan, like the one written above and without true start and stop times. I ended up being less productive and spending even less time with my family. Productivity can be measured greatly by writing down your daily tasks, especially if you are confused about what to do on a daily.
Find your write time….
Overwhelmed – Fancy Freelancers
The perfect time is based on when your writing flows the best, I can tell you right now, I am writing this blog post at 10:00 at night on a Sunday. I know your wondering, that is not in the plan above, my plan is never concrete. The children are asleep, and the house is quiet enough for my words to flow from my fingertips.
When is the perfect time to write?
So maybe there isn’t a perfect time of day, maybe there are perfect moments like when the children are napping or when they are pre-occupied. My school-aged children are 6 and 7 years old and we have been training for 2 years for them to be quiet when mommy is on a business call or when mommy is engrossed in her work. It’s not foolproof but if you can work on tasks you can be interrupted in while they are in your presence, it will be easier. For example, I don’t need quiet time to complete graphics or post to social media. However, I do need quiet time to complete my blog posts, it requires greater concentration for me, but for you, it could be the opposite.
What about my family?
Your family will need you more than before, especially if you’re working from home full-time like myself. You are everything and the glue to the center of the family, so you will more than likely juggle the balance. It’s okay if your balance is not even for the first month or so, my balance came after about 6 weeks. We were back at a routine as if I were working outside of the home, keeping a normal schedule is great for the kids as well. Yes, your family will wonder how bloggers get paid, so be prepared for that question, LOL.
Many work-from-home moms have considered childcare or nanny’s for when they want to increase their productivity. I for one can’t wait until my husband says, YES, hire a nanny. However, if you have a family member that can watch your small children for you while you work a couple hours, that would be awesome.
What’s the secret to writing super-fast? 
There is no secret to writing super-fast, it will honestly take practice for you to write faster, but if you organize your thoughts, this should help. Plus try to avoid writer’s block, exercise, drink your water and never neglect your self-care.
Some even consider hiring a Babysitter, sitters are much cheaper than a nanny by the way. Once your business starts to turn profit, you can use a small portion to pay for the services.
Getting organized is one of the best efficient and effective ways you can be extremely productive. There are many ways to write with small children and be productive.
I hope you enjoyed this article; keep in mind we are launching Fancy Freelancers Academy on January 1st and you don’t want to miss it!
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