how i’m FREELANCING while raising two young kids
You know that freedom people talk about when it comes to freelancing?
No boss, no fixed hours…sounds dreamy. And it is until you have two tiny humans at home who don’t care about deadlines, client calls, or the concept of “work time.”
I’m trying to write a client proposal, and my three year old is standing on the table like it’s Everest while my seven year old is loudly explaining the 20 rules of her imaginary superhero universe.
I used to think my problem was time management. I’d pack my calendar, wake up at 4 a.m., and track every minute. But I kept burning out.
Why?
Because the endless interruptions and the low grade family chaos were not stealing my time, they were stealing my energy.
By the time I finally got quiet time, my brain was so depleted it felt like mush.
This isn’t about productivity hacks, it’s about survival.
Here are the true energy killers no one talks about, and how I learned to fight back.
The energy drain starts before I open my laptop
I open my laptop, ready to conquer the day. But wait i’m already running on 2%. Why?
It’s the mental load.
It is the constant, invisible responsibility running in the background of my brain, like a demanding app that can never be closed.
“ Did I pack the swim bag?
Is that sound a fight or just roughhousing?
I need to start dinner by 5 P.M. or chaos ensues.”
Even before i type a single word, my focused mental capacity is already gone.
I’m trying to write a proposal, but my mind is constantly being pulled back to the invisible household checklist.
This is why I feel exhausted when I have “done nothing.”
Why “just 5 minutes” of kid time costs me an hour of focus
“Sure, I can just pause and grab you a snack,” i’d tell my toddler.
Five minutes, right? Wrong.
That’s the lie we tell ourselves while freelancing while raising young kids.
Every tiny shift from a work task to a parenting task makes my brain pay a heavy price.
Im not just switching tasks, i’m changing my entire operating systems.
I lose my rhythm, my thought process & focus.
And it takes up to 20 minutes to regain that deep focus.
If I’m doing this four times an hour , my 2 hour work block yelds only 30 minutes of actual work.
I stopped managing time & start managing my battery life
I stopped treating my work schedule like a prison calendar and started treating my body like a rechargeable battery.
Time is fixed & energy is fluid.
While focusing on my energy management I have scheduled 9.00 a.m to 11.30 a.m as a my work block as it is my high energy time to focus on critical works.
Low energy causes low value work. High energy causes high value work. Simple as that. Protecting my energy is the ultimate productivity hack.
My non-NEGOTIABLE (most days, anyway)
1. Deep work first
I stopped fighting my natural energy flow. I put my high focus work during my peak energy time.
When the afternoon energy slump hits, I switch to low energy tasks like invoicing, scheduling social media, or sorting emails.
This gives more high-quality work in fewer hours.
2. The 5-minute brain reset
When I feel the mental fog roll in, I don’t “push through.” I stop.
I use a micro-break to completely reset the context.
I put on a song and step onto the balcony for five deep breaths.
This isn’t wasted time it’s an immediate, high energy refill that prevents a full blown burnout crash.
3. Guilt free delegation
Freelancing isn’t a solo endurance test.
I ruthlessly identify tasks that drain me and find a way to hand them off.
Handing off the mental load of dinner to a food delivery service, or making my partner fully responsible for the morning school run.
Am I doing enough?
Freelancing while raising young kids is a daily lesson in managing my personal energy.
Some days it’s total chaos, and some days it’s magic. Most days, it’s both.
So if you are like me, protect your energy, laugh at the inevitable mess, and remember you are already doing enough to be a great parent and a successful freelancer.
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