Deciding to become a working mum is a very conscious choice. It takes a lot of soul-searching and weighing up your priorities. I became a single mother when I was a teenager. Even then, I had consciously decided that I was going to take control of my life for the sake of myself and this little baby I was bringing into the world. Then, almost two decades after the birth of my first child, I decided I was ready to have more children. In 2019, my son was born, and in 2021, I had my youngest daughter.

Motherhood is one of the most rewarding experiences I could ever wish for and is also one of the hardest. When I was a single teenage mother, I achieved my A'Levels in Business Studies and IT after revising all evening for the upcoming exam, holding a torch in the dark and lying next to my daughter, who was fast asleep. Life was really tough then, and despite the hardships of being a single parent who was raising a disabled child and going through my own emotional turmoil, I made it through. I eventually got my degree and set out into the daunting world of office work.

Juggling motherhood and my career before working remotely.

My eldest daughter was around 4 when I first entered the corporate world, and when she turned 8, we moved out of my parent's home. Juggling motherhood and work is hard. I felt physically and emotionally drained almost every day from rushing around to get my daughter ready for school and then heading to the office. I had already met my husband by this time, so we shared the family responsibilities. Even with two parents working full-time and using childcare services, we were always exhausted and had no time for each other.

Working remotely full-time.

My life has completely changed for the better since I started working from home at the end of 2020. I no longer feel stressed from rushing around to catch a train after dropping off the kids at school. I no longer feel anxious when watching the clock at the end of the working day. I no longer feel time slipping away when tidying up in the evening after the kids have gone to bed.

Working remotely as an independent contractor has given me my life back without compromising pay. I am doing the work I love and am there for my family when they need me. I can eat breakfast with them and drive them to school whilst casually chatting about all the fun things they will do today. I can log into work after I have done a quick tidy-up of the house. I can power through my work tasks with very few interruptions and attend all my online meetings with my cat on my lap and a cup of hot chocolate. I am living my best life right now because I have found my perfect work-life balance.

My typical working day at home.

I have sketched the things I do during a normal working day to demonstrate how I balance my responsibilities as a mum and a career woman. I've never really liked horizontal timelines, so you'll notice mine is a squiggly line, but represent the same things a normal one does. Here, I have mapped out my activities from 6am to about 8pm. I get the kids ready at around half-six, take just under an hour for the school run, and before it hits 9am, I have done a quick tidy-up of the house. When I say a quick tidy-up, I really do mean quick. I collect all of the things around the house that need to go into the kitchen and pop them beside the sink, tidy the beds, and fix the sofa cushions.

Then, at 9am, I am doing my most important work tasks of the day and am completely focused. My mobile phone is in another room (but the ring tone volume is on high in case the school rings), and I have my alarm on at 1pm to remind me to pause for a break and eat lunch.

During my lunch break, I continue to load the dishwasher and make any important family phone calls, like booking the car in for its MOT.

While finishing my last bite of lunch, I log back in to do more focused work until around 3pm, when my Google Hub alarm prompts me to take a break. I then start prepping the vegetables for dinner. By around 3:15, I am back at my desk doing more focused work until I log off around 5. I then make my way back into the kitchen to continue chopping the vegetables and start cooking; then, my husband takes over the cooking, and I hop into the car to collect the kids from school.

I listen intently to my children's stories about their day as I pop their seat belts on in my car, and we continue chatting as we drive home. We get back around 6 to warm, home-cooked food on the dining table and settle down for dinner. Just before 7pm, we get the kids up the stairs, bathe them, read two bedtime stories and give them each a big hug good night.

My personal downtime varies depending on how quickly my kids fall asleep, but when they finally enter dreamland, I sneak out of their room, finish tidying any last bits and pieces, and watch a film with my husband.

How working remotely changed my life.

I have gained so much freedom to prioritise what matters to me without compromising my money, time and values. Working remotely as an independent contractor has its perks. I can set up my home office however I please, take the dog for a walk in the middle of the day, and do the laundry before the weekend. I am able to have fun with my kids and spend quality time with my husband.

I earn a daily rate working in a field I love and can bring out the best in my team, who add value every day and produce high-quality work. I am also advancing my skillset by learning new skills and picking up new methods of working from each short-term contract I complete. Being an independent contractor also means I can raise money quickly, allowing me to take long holidays knowing that I have all the finances covered in advance. I have the best of both worlds: a fantastic family life and an amazing career.