Whether you’re currently on maternity leave or staying home to look after older kids, you’ll know that the job of taking care of your babies (whatever their age) is the most important, rewarding, and challenging one of all.
However, homeworking could appeal if you’ve found yourself thinking you’d like to spread your wings a little and boost your household income simultaneously. After all, if you can manage the demands of kids and the house while maintaining your sanity, there’s probably not much you can’t achieve.
So, from entrepreneurial opportunities to work-from-home freelancing roles that could earn you big bucks, we look at the whats and hows of homeworking.
Get the Tools You Need
Whichever entrepreneurial or business route you go down, there are a few basic professional tools you will need. Access to a device is crucial; here’s the rest:
- A website – even if it’s a basic one. Get on board with a website builder to create a cost-effective, customized, and professional-looking site.
- Printer.
- Software such as the Windows suite or a more niche application depending on the market you’re planning to enter.
- Tools to create digital marketing materials, such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Google Slides.
- Business cards.
Make Your Passion Pay!
Whether you’ve been crafting your own jewelry, and giving finished items as gifts to family and friends for years, love to bake, or have a flair for writing, you may be able to monetize your hobby.
If you’re skilled at a particular craft, try approaching small, independent local stores to enquire if they’d be willing to stock a small selection of your wares to sell on a commission basis. You could also set up an online store offering your products and start advertising to your local community. Markets, local fairs, and seasonal events are other opportunities to get started.
If writing is your thing, then there are plenty of opportunities to turn this into a work-from-home career. Sign up for a freelancing site or check online job listings for companies looking for copy or content writers to get started. Depending on your experience, you may need to begin in entry-level roles that don’t necessarily offer the greatest pay rates. Still, as you build your experience and reputation in the field, you should be able to move on up the ladder.
Freelancing Roles
The new virtual world has opened up a near-infinite vista of freelancing opportunities, which could be perfect for you if you’re a stay-at-home mom.
The beauty of freelancing is that you’ll be able to choose your hours to fit around your kids and other commitments and only take on the work you want to do and have the capacity for.
Here are some examples of freelance roles to consider:
- Virtual Assistant (VA). This is a fantastic opportunity to work entirely from home and to make the most of any transferable skills you have. The sort of responsibilities that a VA will be required to undertake vary, from, for example, diary management, audio typing, and file management, to the taking on of projects or control of financial records.
- Accounting. If you have experience in accountancy, these skills are very in demand, and you should be able to pick up freelance work relatively easily.
- Consulting. Freelance consultancy roles are another great option and could allow you to use your expertise in a certain industry or field.
- Web developer. Whether you’re experienced in front and back end, or full stack development, many of these roles can be worked from home and freelance.
- Video editing. Video is now the most consumed form of content, so, as you’d expect, there’s a lot of demand for people who can edit raw videos into engaging pieces.
This is just a small selection of freelance roles you could undertake in a working-from-home capacity!
In terms of finding these roles, several popular platforms are explicitly designed to match employers and jobs to freelance workers, such as Upwork and Fiverr. There are also niche platforms for particular jobs: ProductionHUB, for example, is an excellent place to look for freelance video editing roles.
Things to Remember
Working from home as a stay-at-home mom could be a fantastic, fulfilling experience that fits perfectly around your life! There are some key things to remember, however.
Firstly, whether you choose to set up a formal business structure and register a company or, instead, work on a self-employed basis, you’ll need to pay tax on any earnings you make, so seek professional advice regarding this to ensure you’re compliant and paying the correct rate of tax.
Secondly, you’ll need to create some sort of dedicated space in which to work. If having an entire room set aside as an office isn’t possible, think creatively: setting up a computer table in a living room nook or dedicating a section of the kitchen counter where you can sit down to work is important.
Thirdly, this way of working completely blurs the line between your professional and home life. To avoid burnout or imbalance, try to have clearly designated working hours and a set clocking-off time. Undertaking a couple of small rituals at the end of the work day – such as running a bath, taking the kids for a walk around the block, or putting on a playlist- can help make the transition effective.
And finally – best of luck as you embark on this amazing new adventure!
