Balance is so hard to find regardless of what type of work you do. We are so connected these days, and it seems like work-life, emails, and texts from coworkers seamlessly blend into kids’ school assignments and bake sales, and date night. So, how can you achieve balance as a freelancer, especially if you work from home or have a flexible schedule? Hopefully, these three tricks can help.
Trick #1: Set Specific Times for Connecting With Your Other Half
I find that freelancing has been great for me to balance a relationship with my kids. Because I freelance, I’m able to spend a lot more time with them and see them throughout the day. However, it’s been hard on my relationship with my husband since I work better at night and that’s when he’s home.
Many freelancers can probably relate that the trouble with freelancing is that you work at all different hours of the day. It’s not a typical 9-5 day (unless you specifically set it up that way) and it can be hard when your other half expects you to spend time with them but you have to work late into the night.
In order to improve this, set specific times for connecting with your other half, whether you have a sit-down dinner with them every night or promise to finish your work by 9 PM so you can spend 9-10 PM together each night. As long as you make the effort, your other half will appreciate that you are thinking of them and trying to find a way to spend more time with them.
Trick #2: Have a Separate Work Space
As a freelancer, it’s beneficial to both you and your family for you to have a separate workspace. This allows you the opportunity to turn off your work self and become a family person again. When your desk is in your living room or your room, it’s hard to balance work and family life because your work life is always calling out to you.
Make sure you have a space to work where you can shut the door, both when you need to be in your office to work and when you need to be out of your office interacting with your spouse and kids.
Trick #3: Give Yourself Some Grace
You can read every trick in the book on how to create a balance between your work and family life, but the truth is that some days, balance just won’t be possible.
There are going to be times when you have to finish up work while your kids watch a TV show or stay up late to meet a deadline. There will also be times when, because you’re a freelancer, you’ll get to be the parent chaperone on your child’s class field trip or get to tag along to your spouse’s work trip.
So, just remember that when balance seems challenging or even impossible, give yourself some grace. There will always be a day when the balance works in your favor too.
Are you a freelancer? Do you struggle with balance and relationships?
