Planning for maternity leave when you're a VA
There’s no better deadline than your baby’s due date!
It’s an event that’s going to happen - maybe when you least expect it - so dragging your feet around planning is pretty useless.
And when you’re a VA or an OBM, there’s probably more to plan for than when you’re an employed PA or EA.
I fell pregnant with Izzy during my first year as a VA and I had terrible morning sickness for the first 5 months. I did the bare minimum of work, and even that was done whilst lying in bed. But once the morning sickness fog eventually lifted (with the help of a prescription from the doctor) I began to plan, plan, plan.
Planning is so key when you (and you alone) are responsible for the success of your business.
Here are the 5 things I did in the run up to having Izzy:
Conversations with clients
I was genuinely worried my clients would ditch me as soon as I told them I was pregnant! I began to think I’d need to start from scratch once I finished my maternity leave, which was rather daunting. But my clients were absolutely lovely when I told them the news. They immediately said they’d want me back if I was planning to start working again, which was fantastic. It made me realise that I‘d massively underestimated my value to them and their businesses, and how much they appreciated me. Plus, as relatively new start-ups themselves at the time, they go with the flow a lot more than a traditional employer, and they also appreciate the flexibility of hiring freelance workers.
Client coverage
As well as being open about my return-to-work plans, I promised my clients I was in the process of finding my own maternity cover for them. I did this by finding someone in my existing network of VAs – someone I knew would cover my role well and keep things ticking over until my return. Even if you don’t plan on having a baby it’s really helpful to build relationships with other VAs. You can find cover when you go on holiday and pass overflow work if you have too much on your plate, plus if you’re asked to do a piece of work that isn’t in your area of expertise, you’ll have someone in your network to hand it over to. Just be sure to have an agreement in place so you are both clear on finances and responsibilities etc.
Finances
As a self-employed woman in the UK, I’m afraid to say that Statutory Maternity Allowance won’t cover a cheeky Mulberry handbag as a new mummy gift to yourself (that’s a thing, right?) Your eligibility depends on several factors, including how long you have been paying Class 2 National Insurance Contributions. You can find out more information here. I’m afraid i't’s pretty dry reading.
Aside from the maternity allowance, I’d highly recommend putting money aside as soon as you find out you’re expecting. As a self-employed person this should be one of your habits anyway, as you’ll also be saving for your tax bill.
Social media
I didn’t go overboard but I did schedule a few social media posts before Izzy arrived. This way I knew I would maintain a certain level of visibility while I was off.
Looking back now, I would have also carried on some light touch nurturing while I was off. This may sound like an odd thing to do when you’re not able to work, but it’s always a good idea to have potential client conversations. If you’re planning on taking 6 months off work, you could start initial contact via email / LinkedIn etc a few months before you are planning on working again. ‘I’ll have an opening for a new client in September, so if you would like to have a chat about how we could work together perhaps we could have a call this week?’ Of course, this is only if this feels good to you and is absolutely not compulsory.
Let creativity flow
I read somewhere that while you’re pregnant and have a new baby the creative part of your brain becomes more active (no idea where I read this, and I can definitely put this memory lapse down to baby brain. Which I’m adamant I still have…)
I’m sure I became more creative when I had Izzy because the idea of this website and The Virtual Assistant Toolkit was born while I was on mat leave. I began to think of ideas outside of the day to day running of things, even when utterly sleep deprived. There’s a great Stylist article (one from the archives) showcasing women who went on to reinvent their careers and/or businesses while they were on maternity leave. Very inspiring reading!
I took around 4-5 months off when I had Izzy and when I started working again it was for short periods of time when my sister could help with childcare. One of the many things I love about being a VA is the flexibility of the work, so I fit it in during times that worked for me (hello nap time worker).
Do you have any top tips for planning for maternity leave? I’d love to hear them!
