'My kitchen table is the hub' | The Vicki Psarias Interview
Vicki Psarias is an award-winning parenting blogger and author of Mumboss, a practical guide for working mothers.
What does your typical day look like?
There isn't really a typical day. Over the summer holidays, I've been working like a night owl. I've been on LA time, basically. So my work day has been starting at 4 pm or even 8 pm, I think a lot of parents will relate to that. My kitchen table is the hub, it's where we eat, where I write.
What's great about being freelance is that you can work at any time, but the downside is that there can be a lack of structure. As a freelancer, you are your business so missing an email could mean missing your money for that month. Fear does drive us as freelancers. It doesn't matter how many jobs you've got in the bag, you're still worried.
Do you still worry?
I’ve been blogging for nine years now. So far, touch wood, we've been busy. But yes, I still have the fear, I'm still worried.
I always say to people, whether you have a baby or not, take nine months to build a business. If it's your side hustle, make sure you've got savings for those nine months. That really helped me make space to grow something. It gave me a chance to get off the wheel. Unless you're pushed off it, it's really hard to take that risk.
What was it like shifting to freelance?
There's usually a catalyst. My big shock was having a baby and realising that wasn't going to fit seamlessly into my life as I thought it was. I thought I could strap the baby on my chest and go back on set. The movies lied to me!
I do think though that every single job you have feeds whatever comes next. I know that sounds cheesy, but it's so true.
What do you wish you knew when you started out?
I think that as a creative, I'm quite sensitive and open-hearted. I wasn't ever prepared for the criticism that putting yourself out there can bring.
I would have had a talk with myself to prepare for that. Now, I'm thick skinned because it's nine years in. I remember being attacked about my body after I had a baby – I didn't understand how people could be so horrible. But I've come to realise that it's someone that you don't know, and they don't even believe that you're real.
Do you think that freelancing is for everyone?
No, in a way. I have friends, and even my husband, who just love working for a company. Not everyone embraces the instability because it does exist. We don't always know what is coming.
What's glorious about digital is that it's not going anywhere and it's just getting more powerful. But, as digital grows, people start to realise it's not all unicorns and rainbows. It can eat into your time, it can take you away from people you love. You're never going to regret the tweet you didn't send, but you will regret not spending time with someone.
We need to think about working smarter, rather than more.