You’re considering starting a freelance business, but not sure if it’s right for you. After all, most of your days are occupied with taking care of your kids.

Or maybe you’ve started a fledgling new freelance business, and you’re wondering if it’s worth continuing.

While I can’t make a decision for you, I can share why I chose freelancing and still freelance today, including 3 full years as a stay-at-home mom.

(Today, my kids spend weekdays in daycare on a shortened schedule, but I’ve been there, done that as a stay-at-home mom for 3 full years so I’ll speak from that experience here.)

Why Start a Freelance Business as a Stay-at-Home Mom?

Wondering if freelancing is worth it? I’ll share the biggest reasons why freelancing can benefit stay-at-home moms, pulled straight from my own experience.

Reason #1 – You can earn money on the side

You’re going to spend lots of downtime around the house anyway. Why not use some of that to earn a bit of money?

When you have a little extra spending money, you can buy time-saving conveniences like meal plans or cleaning services. That buys you more time to build your business or spend time with your family. (Or you could just pocket it for a rainy day!)

Plus, earning even just a few hundred dollars a month boosts your self-confidence. You begin to realize that if you needed to, you could earn more money anytime, whether you’re employed or not.

Earning even just a few hundred dollars a month boosts your self-confidence. You begin to realize that if you needed to, you could earn more money anytime, whether you’re employed or not.

Reason #2 – You can find something exciting outside of motherhood

Look, I love being a mom, but if that was the only thing I did all the time, I would go absolutely crazy.

I crave “me” time and focus, and I always want to have goals and projects that are only mine.

Freelance is an exciting project for me. I can set goals, achieve them, build my skills, and contribute to others in a really tangible way.

It’s a welcome contrast to the messy and unmeasurable parts of parenting, and it helps me find balance.

Reason #3 – You could avoid going back to work

Before having kids, I worked full-time at a gigantic e-commerce company in Tokyo.

I braved the packed commuter train for 60 minutes or more each way and never got home before 6pm.

I knew I didn’t want to live this way while pregnant and raising kids, so I quit in 2017. (We had our first baby in 2019.)

Since I’d spent 2 years building up the business, I didn’t have to go back to work after my “maternity leave” ended. (It was a self-imposed maternity leave, anyway.)

There are no guarantees in freelancing, but if you put in the work and continue building your income, you can earn enough to remove the need for a job after the kids go to school.

And that freedom feels really good.

Reason #4 – It’s an excuse to learn and create

Besides having personal goals and projects to work on outside of motherhood, I love learning and making things.

And freelancing provides that constant push to learn and stretch myself, so I never get complacent.

Plus, freelancing by definition requires you to make things that benefit your client. So I’m always writing, publishing, creating documents, designing little graphics, and now, creating this blog to teach others what I’ve learned.

This is so fulfilling for me.

Freelance provides that constant push to learn and stretch myself, so I never get complacent.

Okay, okay, so there a bunch of reasons why freelancing might benefit you as a busy mom.

But, now let me slap a pair of police sirens on my desk, wailing and flashing neon red as I say this next sentence:

🚨 FREELANCING IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. 🚨

Got it? Ok.

So how do you know if it’s the right move for you?

Use this next section as your guide.

Is Freelancing The Right Move For You?

Compare yourself to the following statements, and you’ll quickly see if this’ll work for you or not.

Freelancing might be good for you if…

• You have enough savings for 6 to 12 months or can live on your partner’s income for a while
• You can stick to deadlines and reliably get things done on time
• You’re good at thinking on your feet and finding solutions
• You enjoy being alone or having alone time
• You like to learn new skills
• You don’t mind the uncertainty of not being tied to a job, and it actually excites you to build something on your own

On the other hand…

Freelancing probably isn’t a good idea if…

• You’re not sure you can finish your tasks on time or stick to your commitments
• You want the security of having a boss or a place to work that “guarantees” your income
• You don’t have enough money coming in or saved to survive for at least 6 months if freelancing doesn’t pay the bills (Though you could still freelance on the side of a part-time job until you can save enough)

If freelancing isn’t for you, you could look for a part-time remote job, teach English online, or look for a mom-friendly VA agency like Mom to Virtual Assistant. (I’m not affiliated with this website and know nothing about it, so this is not an endorsement! It simply came up during research.)

Think freelancing might be your next step?

I’m so excited for you!

Here are some more resources you can check out to learn more:

• 201+ Creative Business Ideas for Moms
• How to Find a Profitable Business Idea So You Can Work From Home
• Should You Become a Freelancer? (Honest Pros and Cons)
• 3 Ways to Find More Time for Your Side Hustle

Finally, I encourage you to sign up for my mailing list (found at the bottom of this page). I publish articles about starting and growing a business, finding more time in your day as a busy mom, and building self-discipline and good habits so you can do the things on your heart in the time you have ❤️

This can help you stay on track every week as you keep moving toward your goals.

Now, let me know in the comments: Have you ever thought about freelancing? What kind of services would you like to provide? Do you have any questions for me?