School holidays and the self employed

 10 lessons on combining school holidays and work for the self employed.

 I know that you’ve just got through the latest school holiday and are probably in denial about the next. If you can’t face thinking about it now tuck this away to read in about 6 weeks time.

 The halt of the relentless routine of childrens’ activities can be a mixed blessing.  It’s great not to be dashing from tae kwon do to tennis with only 1 minute to spare but with the freedom can come frustration.  Just how do you keep work ticking over while enjoying golden time with your children?

1. Guilt-free day: Plan which days you are taking a complete break from work – very helpful with the guilt!
   
   
2. Early rise:  Get up 1 hour before the kids and enjoy the quiet!  Set just 1 main task to complete.
   
   
3. Short burst: Plan 2 – 3 things across the day which can be done in short bursts , E.g. make 2 phone calls, read 1 article, write 1 blog or 3 tweets.
   
   
4. Swap children. No – not for good! Plan a morning to look after a friend’s children and ask them to return the favour later in the holiday.
   
   
5. Reading box. Trips to a park or an outing where the children are happily swinging from the trees without your assistance are perfect for catching up on articles, business magazines or books.  (Keep a reading box in your office to tidy away publications as they arrive and grab 1 as you go out the door – perfect for Tweet material).
   
   
6. Combo day out. Could you arrange a business meeting or a networking event near to a friend you haven’t seen for a while?  Perhaps you could drop the children off for an hour or so with them and then catch up over lunch.
   
   
7. Network in the park. Chances are that some of the people you want to network with are also juggling school holidays and work – could you have that informal meeting at a play centre, park, ice skating rink ...?
   
   
8. Stay mobile. If you haven’t already invested in your smart phone – do it! However, a plea, there isn’t much sadder than the site of a crying and  ignored child and a permanently texting, tweeting Mum.
   
   
9. Kids clubs.  It’s not cheating – honestly.  A well chosen club to develop new skills, hone existing ones and make new friends can work for everyone.  (It does help if they already know some children – remember how it feels for you walking into a room full of strangers.)
   
   

And when you’ve exhausted all of your options there’s always the cupboard under the stairs – no!  Not to lock the children in, to dig out the games tucked away for a rainy day.