Society has a tendency to glamourise the “hustle”, over-working and embracing busy, which often leads to increased levels of stress and burn-out.
This year, I left a 9-5 employed role, one of which I was lucky enough to find after deciding to return to work post maternity leave. I’m not afraid to say that, although I enjoyed my job, I discovered that I was struggling with that wonderful work/life juggle that comes with being a working parent.
I wanted to “have it all” a full-time job, whilst still being present full-time for my child, which in the end felt as though it was moving further away, due to me feeling over-worked, with my work/life balance totally off kilter.
Then in April, I made the decision to reevaluate my pattern of working… *enter freelancing*
Freelancing and working for myself has always been on my radar, I skirted with the idea when I was on Maternity Leave, running my own floristry business part-time (a story for another day, however, something I’m still working on in the background) but to be a freelance marketing consultant? Somehow that just felt so out of my league, even though it’s what I’d been doing day to day for the past 7-8 years for other companies.
In the end, it’s with supportive people around me that have encouraged me to take the leap, and for me, it’s been such a blessing! Yes it’s intimidating, but it’s allowed me so much more freedom and a better headspace in the last few months, which I hope is only set to continue.
I’m also mindful not to knock working a 9-5 too much, there is something special about deciding to work in a job you love, leave your work at the end of the day and go home, there is power is choosing stability, if it works for you. So by no means am I telling you to quit your job and go it alone, this is just what is working for me right now.
I’m pleased now that I’m free to choose how and where I want to work, who I work with and when, all of which is totally fluid and I change my routine when I like within reason and however much my child allows.
Are you a working parent? How do you manage your working week?
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