As I write this, the summer holidays have just started. If, like me, you’re a freelancing parent working from home you might be wondering how on earth you’re going to get stuff done while keeping the kids entertained.

As freelancers, we don’t get paid holidays and still have bills to pay, so taking the summer off isn’t usually an option. Throw in the kids being home all day, and that puts the pressure on.

I’m no parenting expert, but as a freelancing mum of one primary school aged person, who needs lots of attention, I know the struggle is real. So, I’ve put together some tips that have worked for me. I hope you’ll find them helpful.

1. Have a plan

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” ― Benjamin Franklin

At the beginning of the holiday it feels like there is plenty of time to get stuff sorted. But before you know it, September has rolled around; you haven’t done any of the amazing things you wanted to do, leaving you to wonder where the time went. Sound familiar?

Without a plan, it’s easy for the summer holidays to run away from you. Consider what work you need to get done, and what can wait. When will you be working? How many hours? Will you be taking time off to go on holiday?

Don’t forget to plan stuff for yourself and the family too. Do a brain dump of all the things you’d like to do over the summer, for example, go camping, take the kids to a theme park, or go for a picnic at the park.

Your brain dump will give you an overview of what you need to get done and what you’d like to do. Then, as you plan each week, you can pull stuff from this list and put it in your diary.

Sit down once a week to plan the week ahead. I like to do this on a Sunday or Monday morning with a cup of tea. Block out the times you’ll be working and think about what you need to get done this week – for work and home.

For example, do you have a client meeting this week that you need to prepare for? Are the kids going to clubs or play dates? Is your family visiting? Do you want to take the kids to a water park? Get it all in the diary so everyone knows what’s happening.

2. Adjust your schedule and let clients know

Your availability will look different over the holidays. Maybe you’ll be working fewer hours, different times, or a bit of both.

Will you be working early mornings, afternoons, evenings, weekends? Which days of the week? Are you going on holiday and won’t be available during certain dates? Also, don’t forget to factor in time for interruptions.

Does your summer schedule affect how and when clients can contact you? For example, I don’t get much in the way of quiet time for phone and video calls, so I prefer to keep communications to email during the summer holidays. You may decide you only want to take calls on a Tuesday morning or Thursday between 2pm and 3pm.

However your schedule looks, be honest with your clients. Let them know how and when they can contact you during the holidays. And don’t be afraid about upsetting them, good clients will understand. They may even be facing the same challenges.

3. Create a summer routine

Routines help make things run more smoothly and can stop you feeling overwhelmed. Even though your usual routine will change over the summer, try not to let it go out of the window entirely. Stick to regular meal times, bedtimes and wake-up times for you and the kids. Plan your meals ahead and keep it simple.

What will your days look like? For example, you might decide that mornings are for working and afternoons are for getting out of the house, or vice versa. Or you might alternate an hour of work with an hour spent with the kids. Tuesdays might be for days out. Find a routine that works for you and your family.

4. Be flexible

Now that you have a plan and some routines in place, remember that stuff happens! And even with the best laid plans, things aren’t always going to go the way you expect. But that’s ok. Your plan is a general outline to give you an idea of the direction of your day. Prepare to be flexible and go with the flow of the day – whether you need to change your plans or slow down a bit.

For example, last year, we wanted to go on lots of amazing days out (I had a list!). However, it rained nearly every day, which scuppered our plans, so we did a lot of indoor activities instead. Other days you might need to slow down a bit. For example, the kids are sick or you’re feeling low energy. You might even decide to throw your plans out of the window and do something completely different that day! For example, maybe you’re ahead on your work and have no meetings, so you take a day off and go on a family day trip to the zoo.

Additionally, allowing buffer time in your schedule helps with flexibility as it allows for extra time if things overrun a bit.

5. Set a timer

Timers are one of my favourite productivity tools. Setting a timer helps me to focus and reminds me to take breaks. A visual timer is excellent for letting your kids see how long you will be busy. Set an activity they can do while you work and pop on a timer so you can both see how much time is left. Talking of activities…

6. Plan activities the kids can do while you work

Having some engaging activities up your sleeve will help keep the kids occupied while you get on with some work. I keep a running list of activities that I can pull from when I need to.

Activities will depend on the age of your children, but might include:

• Reading time
• Crafts
• Puzzles/ games
• Learning/ activity books
• Colouring books
• Lego challenges

Extra tip: Get your little one to sit next to you while they do their activity and you do some work. Then you are spending time together while getting things done, like checking email. A win-win!

7. Use screen time to your advantage

Opinions are strong on this one – some parents are really strict with screen time, while others are more relaxed. If used well, and in moderation, I think screens are another good tool to keep the kids occupied while getting some work done.

During screen time, I’ll set a visual timer, so my son knows how much time he has left. I’ve found this works really well for both of us. Because then I don’t let my work overrun into his time, and screen time doesn’t take over the day.

Extra tip: Make a snack and let your kids snuggle down with a movie – that’s two hours of uninterrupted work time right there!

8. Have a snack basket ready

I find that one of the most common interruptions while I’m working is being asked for snacks. Is it the same for you?

Try setting up snack baskets with healthy snacks that the kids can help themselves to. With this approach, you can let them decide how much they want to eat at each snack time. But when the snacks are gone, they are gone. My son has now gotten quite good at spreading out the snacks over the day.

9. Get up before the kids

This is probably by far my favourite tip. Getting up early has been invaluable as it gives me much needed time to focus. There is something so peaceful about getting up early, before the hustle and bustle of the day starts. I can make a cup of tea, take things slow, and gather my thoughts. By the time the rest of the family rises, I feel less rushed, and more organized and prepared for the day.

With fewer distractions, I also find that I get way more done in the early morning than at any other time of the day. I’ll get up around 5:30 to 6am to get ready for the day and do a good chunk of writing before my son wakes up around 7:30am to 8am.

However, don’t feel like you have to be getting up super early every day. Even if you get up 15 minutes early to enjoy a quiet moment, it’ll be beneficial as you’ll have a moment to mentally prepare for the day, which will set you off on the right foot.

But maybe you’re more of a night owl?

Getting up early isn’t for everyone; I get it! You might find that you work best in the evenings, after the kids are in bed. Find the rhythm that works best for you.

10. Spend quality time with the kids

The summer holiday is the perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids and create treasured memories, which is easier said than done when you also have to work.

Balance work time by using your breaks to play with the kids, read a book with them, or go outside. That way you get a break and the kids get the attention they need throughout the day.

You could try alternating an hour of playtime with an hour of work throughout the day. Or, another parent I know likes to work in the mornings and then spend the entire afternoon with her kids. Or you could take your kids to the park in the morning to wear them out so you can get work done in the afternoon. Do what works for you.

11. Remember to look after yourself too

With the kids at home, you’ll be spending a lot of time making sure their needs are met. But remember that it is important to fill up your own cup too, so that you are more able to look after others and do your work.

Practice some daily self care. This doesn’t have to be hour-long spa treatments (although that would be nice!). It can be as simple as sitting down with your favourite novel for 15 minutes. Or taking yourself off into the garden for five minutes to admire the flowers or watch the birds.

I have a daily teatime ritual where I’ll retreat to a quiet spot with a cup of tea, a treat and whatever book I happen to be reading. Bliss.

Other ideas for self care can include exercising, eating nutritious meals, or simply having a still moment where you just do nothing.

I hope this list of ideas will help you to embrace the summer, find some balance between work and play, and spend quality time with your kids. I’m not a parenting expert, but these are the things I’ve found to work for me and my family. Not all the tips will work for everyone, so try what inspires you, keep what works, and ditch the rest.

And remember, it’s only temporary and school will start again before you know it. Try to make the most of this time with your kids and create some great memories.

What tips would you add to the list? I’d love to read them in the comments.