Achieving Work-Life Balance: My 20-Hour Week Strategy with a Baby

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Rethinking My Author Career
3. Balancing Work and Motherhood
4. Setting Realistic Goals
   1. The HB90 Course
   2. Enrolling in the Course
   3. Planning on a Quarterly Basis
5. Achievements in 2023
   1. Writing and Publishing "The Trail to You and Me"
   2. Creating Three Courses on Book Cover Design
   3. Preparing for Maternity Leave
6. Financial Goals and Avenues
   1. Different Income Sources
   2. Money Goals and Expenses
   3. Marketing Strategies
7. Social Media Presence
   1. Managing Instagram Accounts
   2. Consistent Posting on YouTube
   3. Promoting Courses on Teachable
8. Streamlining Book Cover Design Work
   1. Working with Fewer Clients
   2. Balancing Graphic Design Skills
9. Marketing Strategies for Books
   1. Email Sequences and YouTube Mentions
   2. Amazon Ads for Increased Sales
   3. Continual Book Marketing Efforts
10. A 20-Hour Work Week Plan
    1. Allocating Time for Writing
    2. Color-Coded Work Schedule
11. Weekly Workday Breakdown
    1. Sunday - Sharing YouTube Videos
    2. Monday - Social Media and YouTube Video Editing
    3. Tuesday - Social Media and Video Preparations
    4. Wednesday - Client Work Day
    5. Thursday - Book Marketing and Admin Work
    6. Friday - Social Media, Facebook Group, and Catch-Up

Article

Introduction

Being a full-time author and managing a career can be challenging on its own, but when you add the responsibilities of being a mother into the mix, it can feel overwhelming. As someone who is currently 36 weeks pregnant, I understand the fatigue and uncertainty that comes with this new phase of life. In this article, I will share my plans for the upcoming year and how I have rethought my author career to maintain a balance between work and motherhood. From setting realistic goals to streamlining my work hours, I hope to provide insights and inspiration for fellow authors who are navigating similar challenges.

Rethinking My Author Career

As I prepare to welcome my baby into the world, I have had to reassess my approach to being an author. It's important to acknowledge that my priorities will shift, and I need to adapt accordingly. I want to Continue pursuing my passion for writing and sharing knowledge with others, but I also want to prioritize being present for my child. This means finding a way to make money while working fewer hours and creating a more flexible schedule.

Balancing Work and Motherhood

Achieving a balance between work and motherhood is a common concern for many new parents. With the demands of caring for a newborn, it can be challenging to juggle work responsibilities. However, I believe that with proper planning and organization, it is possible to find a rhythm that allows for both productivity and quality time with your child. In the following sections, I will Outline my strategies for achieving this balance.

Setting Realistic Goals

To ensure that I am able to effectively manage my work and motherhood responsibilities, I have adopted a new approach to goal-setting. Instead of setting monthly goals that often felt overwhelming and unattainable, I now plan on a quarterly basis. This allows me to break down my goals into smaller, more manageable tasks and ensures that I am not overcommitting myself.

The HB90 Course

Last year, I enrolled in Sarah Cannon's HB90 course, which was a game-changer for me in terms of planning and setting realistic goals. The course teaches a methodology that helps authors evaluate their schedules, assess the time required for different goals, and Create an actionable plan. I highly recommend this course to anyone looking to improve their productivity and accomplish their goals effectively.

Enrolling in the Course

As an affiliate for the HB90 course, I believe in its effectiveness and have personally experienced positive results. If you're interested in signing up for the course, there is a link provided below this article. Enrollment is currently open until December 10th. However, even if you don't enroll, I encourage you to consider planning on a quarterly basis to ensure your goals Align with the time you have available.

Planning on a Quarterly Basis

By planning for each quarter of the year, I am able to better prioritize my tasks and manage my time effectively. This approach has allowed me to accomplish more without feeling overwhelmed. It is a flexible strategy that can adapt to the changing demands of motherhood and work-life balance. As my baby grows and my routine adjusts, I expect my plan to evolve accordingly.

Achievements in 2023

In the past year, I have successfully implemented the strategies I learned from the HB90 course, resulting in significant achievements. Despite being pregnant and preparing for maternity leave, I was able to accomplish several goals in my author career.

Firstly, I completed and published my book, "The Trail to You and Me." Although I started writing it in November of the previous year, the majority of the work was done in 2023. This accomplishment required careful time management and dedication.

Additionally, I created three different courses on book cover design, covering topics such as Photoshop, typography, and advanced techniques. These courses have allowed me to share my knowledge and expertise with others while generating income.

Lastly, I successfully prepared for my maternity leave, ensuring that all my ongoing projects and commitments were wrapped up before taking time off. This required meticulous planning and communication with clients.

Financial Goals and Avenues

Generating income as an author involves diversifying revenue streams and setting financial goals. In my case, I have multiple avenues for making money, including book sales, courses, YouTube ad revenue, and freelance work. By setting realistic financial targets and monitoring my expenses, I can ensure that my income aligns with my desired lifestyle.

Different Income Sources

I have broken down my income sources into different categories to provide a clearer picture of my revenue streams. This includes income from book sales, courses on Teachable, YouTube ad revenue, and cover design freelance work. Each of these sources contributes to my overall financial goals.

Money Goals and Expenses

To keep track of my financial progress, I set specific money goals for each income avenue. By comparing my Current earnings to my desired income, I can identify areas of growth and improvement. It's important to note that these numbers represent years of dedication and hard work, and individual results may vary.

Additionally, I review my monthly and yearly expenses to ensure that I keep them as low as possible. This helps maximize my income and maintain financial stability. As a YouTube member, you can access a separate video where I discuss my expenses in Detail, including tips for minimizing expenses.

Marketing Strategies for Books

Promoting my books is a crucial aspect of maintaining a successful author career. I employ various marketing strategies to increase visibility and drive book sales. These include email sequences, YouTube mentions, and targeted Amazon ads.

Email Sequences and YouTube Mentions

I utilize email sequences to promote my books to subscribers. When someone signs up for my newsletter, they receive a series of emails introducing them to my work and highlighting the different products I offer, such as my book cover design courses. Furthermore, I mention my books in my YouTube videos, exposing them to a wider audience and generating interest.

Amazon Ads for Increased Sales

Although currently on a break due to maternity leave, I plan to resume running Amazon ads to boost book sales. Amazon ads allow authors to target specific audiences and increase the visibility of their books on the platform. This, in turn, leads to higher sales and expanded readership.

Continual Book Marketing Efforts

In addition to specific marketing strategies, I emphasize the importance of continual book marketing efforts. By maintaining an active social media presence, consistently sharing content, and engaging with my audience, I can nurture a loyal fan base. Staying dedicated to book marketing ensures continuous growth and opportunities for new readers to discover my work.

Streamlining Book Cover Design Work

While cover design is a significant part of my author career, I have made adjustments to streamline the process and manage my workload effectively.

Working with Fewer Clients

To strike a better work-life balance, I plan to limit my client workload to one or two book cover design projects per month. This reduces the time-consuming nature of handling multiple clients simultaneously and allows me to focus on delivering high-quality designs.

Balancing Graphic Design Skills

By dedicating time to work with clients and maintain my graphic design skills, I can continue offering my expertise while preventing burnout. Balancing client work with other aspects of my author career ensures that I can cater to my clients' needs while pursuing my own creative writing and other projects.

A 20-Hour Work Week Plan

To accommodate motherhood and maintain a healthy work-life balance, I aim to limit my work hours to 20 per week. This plan focuses on tasks other than writing, as writing requires its own dedicated time. The objective is to create a schedule that allows for optimal productivity while still allowing flexibility for childcare.

Allocating Time for Writing

While the 20-hour work week plan excludes writing, it doesn't mean that writing is neglected. Instead, I prioritize writing during available windows of time. This may include moments when my baby is napping or when my husband is home to help with childcare. Finding these pockets of time ensures that writing remains an integral part of my author career.

Color-Coded Work Schedule

To visually organize my workdays, I have color-coded my schedule Based on the time of day and available assistance. This allows for better planning and ensures that I maximize productivity during specific time slots. By properly allocating tasks and setting realistic expectations, I can navigate the challenges of managing work and motherhood effectively.

Weekly Workday Breakdown

To provide a clearer understanding of how my workweek unfolds, I have broken down the tasks and activities for each weekday.

Sunday - Sharing YouTube Videos

Sunday is the day when I share my YouTube video for the week. This involves a checklist of tasks related to publishing and promoting the video. By having a dedicated time slot for these tasks, I can ensure that everything is prepared and ready to be shared with my audience.

Monday - Social Media and YouTube Video Editing

Monday focuses on posting to social media accounts and checking emails. Additionally, it is the day when I edit and prepare my next YouTube video for publishing. By designating specific time slots for these tasks, I create structure and consistency in my content creation process.

Tuesday - Social Media and Video Preparations

Similar to Monday, Tuesday involves posting to social media accounts and checking emails. Additionally, it is the day when I begin the process of editing and preparing the following week's YouTube video. By starting early in the week, I have ample time to refine and perfect the final version of the video.

Wednesday - Client Work Day

Wednesday is the designated day for client work. Although I plan to limit my client workload, Wednesdays allow me to focus on client projects while ensuring that I have ample time to deliver high-quality designs and meet client expectations. Wednesdays are also the day when I respond to client inquiries and provide necessary updates.

Thursday - Book Marketing and Admin Work

Thursday is dedicated to book marketing and administrative tasks. This includes email sequences, refining marketing strategies, and managing administrative aspects related to my books. By dedicating a specific day to these activities, I can maintain an organized approach to promoting my books and overseeing important administrative tasks.

Friday - Social Media, Facebook Group, and Catch-Up

Fridays are relatively lighter in terms of workload, with a particular focus on social media engagement and managing my Facebook group for course participants. Additionally, Fridays serve as a catch-up day, allowing me to complete any remaining tasks that were not accomplished during the week.

Highlights

1. Balancing work and motherhood: Strategies for maintaining productivity and quality time with your child.
2. Setting realistic goals: Shifting from monthly to quarterly planning for better goal management.
3. The HB90 course: A game-changer in planning and achieving realistic goals for authors.
4. Diversifying income sources: Exploring book sales, courses, YouTube, and freelance work.
5. Effective book marketing strategies: Email sequences, YouTube mentions, and targeted Amazon ads.
6. Streamlining book cover design work: Balancing client workload and maintaining graphic design skills.
7. The 20-hour work week plan: Prioritizing tasks, including writing, within limited work hours.
8. Weekly workday breakdown: Allocating specific tasks to each day for optimal productivity and efficiency.

FAQ

Q: Can I enroll in the HB90 course if I'm not an author?

A: While the HB90 course is specifically designed for authors, the planning and goal-setting strategies taught in the course can be applied to other areas of life and work. So, if you're looking to improve your productivity and set realistic goals, you may find value in enrolling in the course.

Q: How can I balance work and motherhood as a self-employed author?

A: Balancing work and motherhood as a self-employed author requires careful planning and prioritization. Set realistic goals, delegate tasks where possible, and establish a flexible work schedule that accommodates your child's needs. It may take time to adjust and find a routine that works for you, but with dedication and perseverance, you can find a balance that allows you to thrive as both an author and a mother.

Q: Is it possible to make a significant income as an author?

A: Yes, it is possible to make a significant income as an author. However, it requires dedication, hard work, and the implementation of effective marketing strategies. Additionally, diversifying revenue streams, such as through courses, freelance work, and other income avenues, can contribute to a sustainable income as an author.

Q: How can I effectively market my books as an author?

A: Effective book marketing involves a multi-faceted approach. Utilize email sequences to engage with your audience, mention your books in your YouTube videos, and consider running targeted Amazon ads to reach potential readers. Continual book marketing efforts, such as active social media presence and content sharing, can also contribute to increased visibility and book sales.

Q: How can I manage my work hours effectively as a new parent?

A: Managing work hours effectively as a new parent requires careful planning and organization. Consider allocating specific time slots for work, taking AdVantage of nap times or involving a partner or family member to help with childcare. Prioritize tasks and focus on productivity during dedicated work hours, allowing flexibility for essential parenting responsibilities.

Q: Can I adapt the 20-hour work week plan to fit my own schedule?

A: Absolutely! The 20-hour work week plan is adaptable and can be customized to fit your specific needs and circumstances. The key is to allocate time for essential tasks while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Adjust the schedule as necessary to suit your own work, family, and personal commitments.