I’m back in action! In my pre-baby post, 9 Tips for Freelancing and Maternity Leave, I outlined my plans for time off with my new daughter, Julia. I’m happy to say that everything went swimmingly! It made me wonder how the heck I ever survived my haphazard maternity leave with my first child, Quinn (that left me dealing with running-late projects when he was 3 days old).
This time, even though Julia was two weeks early and I had to wrap everything up quickly, it all fell into place. I tied up loose ends, put my plan into effect and took my leave. My clients were great, my partners were reliable, and nobody was frantic. This way—the carefully planned way—was so much better!
I even did a few things in my (albeit limited) free time:
- I browsed the web on my phone. You know I believe that responsive sites are the only way. After spending so much time on my phone, I’m going to take that a step further. If you do not have a responsive site, you are making people want to bang their heads against walls. I give you two choices—get a new site, or take down the old one. Either way, that non-responsive site has got to go!
- I had fun making invitations for my for my friend’s baby shower. This made me remember that having time to be creative in other outlets is awesome—it inspires us for what we do the rest of the time.
- I updated my website. Remember all those website updates I talked about making? Well, they’re done! I’m happy to say that my entire site is fresh as a daisy.
My biggest realization after 3 months on maternity leave is this…
I’m going to be 37 years old. I have two kids. I’ve made websites galore. I put tons of energy into being good at what I do…and, wait for it…I don’t have time for bull$hit. There. I said it. Truth be told, I’ve been lucky to work mainly with amazing, proactive clients who let me do my job. They are cool and reasonable and we have mutual respect. In other words, we share these values. But for the few that have not fallen into that value-honoring group of clients I heart, I have no more time.
Because of this, I have chosen confident as my word of the year. (Choosing a word for 2016 was inspired by the Creatives Roundtable Group that I’m part of.) It’s a reminder to stick to my guns, set and keep boundaries, avoid red flags and only work with awesome people. Like Demi Lovato, I’m sayin’, What’s wrong with being confident?
Hi Jill – Congrats! Glad to hear all went swimmingly. I’m returning to designing after an extended maternity quasi-leave (1 year!) with Baby #4. I can totally relate. Love your new attitude!
Thanks, Robyn!!
Congratulations on your new little one! My children are grown, but I remember the day I walked out of the agency I worked for and started working from home. It was the best decision I ever made. My kids had a lot of health problems, and working at home allowed me to take care of them while I continued to work. There were some hairy times, but it was truly the best of both worlds. Best of luck to you!
Thanks, Sheri! Working for yourself is so liberating. I love the flexibility it provides. Glad to hear it worked out for you and your family 🙂
Jill, you are so inspiring! Thanks for sharing your personal and professional experiences on motherhood and being a business owner. This can be a hard transition for a lot of solo biz owners. I’m glad you’re still kicking butt.