This Freelance Life

I started writing this over a week ago but got interrupted and never completed it:

I've been pondering a lot over what being freelance means to me lately.

I think it came to a head when, over the weekend, my husband and my mother were going through the job 'page' in our local paper and reading out advertisements for me. I came up with many, many excuses for not applying.

A lot of them were based in schools - examinations coordinators, admin managers and similar. Although these had the plus of being term-time they were all 30 mins drive from home and the hours were 8.30am till 3.30pm.

1. This would mean that I wouldn't be able to take OR collect my son from school - the school gate isn't opened until 8.30am and children should be collected at 3pm.
2. My mother's assertion that she would retire from work and do the drop of and collection duty sounds great but it's a big commitment - she'd have to be at our house for 7.30am every morning and her day would be tied up with the need to be back at school for 3pm. Plus we sometimes have a volatile relationship and I'd hate for my son to be left stranded because she's suddenly decided I'm ungrateful.
3. Quite frankly I don't want to return to a full time office job.

I love being freelance. I love doing what I do.

One of my Twitter followers tweeted the other day 'Are there any other freelancers out there and what do you do?' a few hours later she tweeted again 'I know at least 3 other freelancers follow me on here but no reply - what if I was looking to place some work?'. She was quite right of course and had it not been for the time difference (about 9 hours) I would usually have answered pretty promptly - except I didn't have much work on and it was Sunday.

Sunday?! Well as most freelancers will tell you - I do often work Sundays. I have been known to work late into the night as well. It's a small price to pay for the freedom to be able to look after my son during the week and get all those little jobs that running a house and volunteering for charity entail. Family and friends help out with childcare at the weekend (and in the week) so I can do this.

So I'm digging my heels in over the job front as long as I can ...

Well it hasn't turned out to be so long as this weeks' paper had the perfect job for me - working with books, term-time, school hours - keep your fingers crossed for me!

I won't be giving up the freelancing though - as long as the work is out there!

Working hours

I enjoy being freelance - being my own boss, keeping my own hours, being able to take time off if needed (well that's the theory). What I don't enjoy is the view by some clients that as a freelance you are available to work for them 24/7 (even hang around for 10 months just waiting for them to call) and the view of my nearest and dearest that I'm at their disposal 24/7 too.

I always describe myself as being a part-time freelancer. Mainly because my son is under 5 and though I do have childcare for him on some days it is not all day everyday (the cost of childcare was one of the deciding factors for my not going back to work in-house in the first place). Some of my childcare arrangements are quite fluid - grandparents have him for the odd afternoon and nursery is only open term time. Therefore I am always open and honest about my situation in dealing with clients and let them know my main work days. I try to check my email throughout the day and have my mobile on hand if I am out of the house. I have missed jobs in the past simply because I haven't answered a general email shout out in time.

I've taken steps in the past to ensure that I also manage some family time and get to talk to my husband once in a while but all this has become increasingly difficult at the moment.

There are several factors to this - relatives who think they can drop by for a visit at a moment's notice (and even stay for a few days); friends who think I can babysit their kids at a moment's notice (as I'm at home anyway); my OH thinking I can sort out that lengthily phone call with our gas/electric/tv provider or pop into the bank for a lengthily discussion about the mortgage - whilst still keeping up with the washing, drying, cleaning etc; my OH thinking that because he has a day off we can spend half the day in Ikea (twice in the last few weeks); being on watering plants/feeding cats duty for those off on holiday; the leader of the mum's group I belong to thinking I can take over from her because SHE is GOING BACK TO WORK; and clients who are a bit economical with the truth about how much work is involved in a project.

I am considering having a sign printed with my various 'functions' and times available to wear around my nearest and dearest to guilt them into giving me space

5-7am alarm clock (at set intervals - normally involves physical violence and paired with 'will you switch that b***** thing off?' or 'If you are only going to get up with the LAST alarm bell why do you have so many?'
7-8am wardrobe assistant (to 3 yr old)
8-8.30 taxi to nursery
9-11 Work (Mondays and Thursdays this is extended to 1pm)
11.30-1 Taxi to Grandad's (Tuesdays) (Thursdays - at 1pm)
1pm -5pm Work (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
1pm-5pm entertainments officer (for 3 year old)
6pm dinner followed by 7pm bath time
8-12pm Work (when OH is absent - 2-3 times a week- work starts when 3 year old asleep - latest 10.30pm)

I average about 20 hours work a week but when you throw in other 'responsibilities' that have been put on me of late you can see why I struggle. I think there is a secret conspiracy to get me back to 'going out to work' - though I'm not convinced that less would be expected from me if I left the home to work maybe I would be less inclined to do it).

Maybe installing a soundproof glass box and screening my calls would help. How much are conservatories going for nowadays? ... scrap that - I'd have to go and 'discuss' the mortgage again to fund it.

I've seen lots of similar moans on forums and Facebook really so I know I'm not alone. So should freelancers work the same hours as their clients? Personally I'm not giving up my current arrangement (though OH has been given a serious talking to) and will be reviewing it again next year when my son will be at school full-time.