Many of my creative clients are transitioning between a ‘9-5’ job and working for themselves - often with a long period of doing both. Making the leap between the two is scary, especially if with the change comes uncertainty about security and success. It takes grit, determination, commitment and a whole lot of positive thinking, so I’m always inspired by people who make changes in order to improve their lives and fulfil their dreams. I’m sharing conversations with these people on my blog so you can get a glimpse into their motivations, challenges and be inspired by their words of wisdom.

My guest today is Sophie who made the leap almost two years ago when she left her role as a full-time in-house commissioning editor to set herself up as a freelance digital content developer and editor so she could focus on the parts of the job she was most passionate about and be more available for her children. I met Sophie many years ago when we worked together as editors. We often had conversations about the pros and cons of freelance life, how it would be great to have more flexibility in the way we worked and desire to spend more time doing the parts of the job we loved. Sophie has always been determined, disciplined and action-focused so it was no surprise to me that when the time was right she made the decision to go it alone, and I knew that with her exceptional editorial talent, creative thinking and ability to self-motivate, she'd make every success of freelance life. Over to Sophie!

What were your motivations for building a different kind of life?

Primarily, it was having my children. I wanted more flexibility so I could cut down to three days a week and spend more time with them. I was also thinking ahead to my daughter starting school a year or so down the line and wanted to be more available.

Another major reason was to refocus my career on content editing with a view to authoring in the future. Freelancing was the best way to get the work I was most passionate about doing.  

What held you back initially?

I delayed until after having my second child as I thought I needed to clock up a few more years’ experience in the industry. Also, my second was definitely going to be my last(!) and I wanted to make the move after that period of maternity leave to avoid another long period of absence whilst being self-employed. Maternity rights for self-employed women is a major issue and something my local MP, Stella Creasy, has, in my view, rightly brought to attention – see here for more.    

So what made you go for it?

The timing was right. Practically, I was lucky to have a home office (well, a spare/junk room with a desk in it) and, mentally, I was prepared as I had been freelance before and knew that I would be able to motivate myself and not plonk myself in front of daytime TV or get sucked into an internet loop.

What has the change given you?

It has given me a much better work-life balance, although things have not quite worked out as first planned! I now work four days a week as I realised that, in order to keep up with clients’ schedules, I need to work around 25-30 hours a week. I ended up sat at my desk a lot of evenings and weekends which wasn’t fair on anyone, so I added an extra working day to my week.

Working four days allows me to spend a day a week with my two-year-old son, finish early one day a week to take my five-year-old daughter swimming after school, and – on less busy weeks – go to her reading group every Wednesday at 9am, as well as squeezing in a weekly lunchtime Pilates class (necessary for my sore back!). It sounds perfect, but in practice it never is! It is about as close to a balance as I’m going to get, though, and I’m grateful to only have to work the odd evening and weekend as an exception rather than the norm.  

What were the biggest challenges during your transition?

Initially, I was terrified about not getting the amount of work I needed but, thankfully (and luckily, so far) that hasn’t become a problem. However, finding a new working pattern that both suited me and could work around my new responsibilities – and also my poor aforementioned back! – needed to be worked out.

I’m much more productive in the mornings so I’m lucky that my husband can drop the kids at nursery/school at 8am so I can make an early-ish start, then I leave to do pick-up at 4.45pm. After a year away from work, productivity was a big concern for me – it was hard to get up to speed again! So, I had to create a working structure that suited me (see below).

I also needed to invest in a new office set up to avoid further injury to my aforementioned bad back. Nothing flash, but I needed a new desk, chair and large monitor. Also, on medical guidance, I adjusted my working pattern so I always stretch after 25 minutes in the chair.

What do you put your success down to?

This depends on your measure of success. I think I have a fairly low bar! I’ve just about managed to earn a low-to-average income whilst managing to spend time with my kids during the week and get the washing done. I’m not going to change the world at this rate but I’m gaining momentum and keeping hold of my sanity (just).  

What piece of advice would you offer for anyone thinking of changing careers or working for themselves?

Have faith in yourself! It’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage.

Freelancing doesn’t suit everyone. It’s a leap of faith and I can understand why this puts a lot of people off. However, you don’t need a swanky home office to make it work for you. There are workspaces to rent, and cafes (seek out the cheap ones) and libraries where you can hop on the WiFi.  

If you have the passion for your profession and the power to motivate yourself, then there should be no stopping you. Good luck!

What have you learnt about yourself in the process?

I need structure, and when you’re freelance you need to create that for yourself.

I read somewhere that working in 50-minute bursts and then taking a 10-15-minute break away from the screen makes you more productive, so I started trialling it. And, reader, I can reveal that it works for me! Rather than resting during those 10-15-minute breaks, I do a whole number of household chores which switches my focus, I grab a coffee, I dance like a maniac in the kitchen… and I’m amazed at the amount that gets done.    

Final word from Sarah

I love the honesty in Sophie's responses about the fact that it's not always easy and how she's had to make a few adjustments to her original plan. What's inspiring about her story is that she's kept a focus on her overall goal of spending time with her children and working towards being able to pick and choose the work that most interests her. I'm also impressed by the productivity tip of dancing like a maniac in the kitchen – I'll definitely be trying this one.

Sophie is a digital content developer/editor specialising in ELT (English Language Teaching) materials. Find out more about her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophiehern/