Maternity leave was an amazing time - spending my time with my baby, watching her grow and helping her to develop. I loved having that time to truly focus on being a mother, but I did feel there was a dark cloud hanging over me. That cloud was my return to work, to a job I loved, at a place I loved to work, but for some reason it still felt like a dark storm approaching. I just couldn’t imagine saying goodbye to my daughter at the start of each day, and not seeing her for the following 10 hours.
After many sleepless nights, hours of discussion and a moment of clarity, I decided not to return to work. I thought, at the time, that I just needed a few more months with my daughter. That when she was a little older, I would happily leave her. And so, I handed my notice in. It was a difficult month that followed, with many hours spent worrying I may have done the wrong thing. I loved being with my daughter, but would I one day resent her for missed opportunities? Would I struggle to define myself without my passion for my work?
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In that month, I wondered whether I might be able to make money from home. I had always had a passion for writing, and had done plenty of writing in my various roles. I decided that I would try my hand at copywriting. I was lucky, and quickly found my first job.
Today marks one year since I first became a freelance copywriter. I spend the mornings playing with my toddler, and then run downstairs to start working when she goes down for a nap. I get as much work done as I can in that hour or so of peace and quiet, and then spend the afternoon with my daughter again. If I have any work outstanding at the end of the day, I do it while my husband is bathing and reading bedtime stories. If I have a lot on, the grandparents pop round to entertain my daughter for a couple of hours so I can get up to speed. It is the perfect arrangement.
I don’t miss out on time with my daughter, but I still get to do something I love, while making money. It’s not a lot of money, of course, I am restricted by the number of hours I work, but it’s enough. I feel like I have found the perfect balance.
It’s hard to predict of course, and there is an element of fear that comes with freelancing, but for the moment it is working well. I love that the extent of my commute is a short walk to the dining table. We’re hoping to move house within the next few months, and I hope I will be able to have an office in the new house. I would love to have a space to truly call my own, where I could sit to work without first moving crayons, paints and glasses.
I often think about my work in terms of luck - I am lucky I am able to work from home, I am lucky I get to spend so much time with my daughter… but actually, I work pretty hard, so I think I deserve some of the credit.
Here are the articles I’ve written over this past year:
If you are ever in need of a copywriter, find me to mrsfionapeacock (at) googlemail.com