Busy Mom Hustle: How I Manage Freelancing, Affiliate Marketing & Self-Care

Are you also a mom who aspires to work from home but doesn’t know how to start? Or maybe you think you need to spend a lot on expensive equipment just to begin. The truth is, you don’t need an expensive setup to start the grind. In fact, all you really need is a decent tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard—especially if buying a laptop or a customized personal computer feels too expensive for you.

As moms, we wear multiple hats and fulfill many roles. Moms in the 21st century are no longer limited to household chores alone. We need to find ways to start a side hustle nowadays because the struggle is real. Expenses are piling up, prices are rising, and of course, gasoline prices keep increasing—we’re all aware of that.

The salary from a 9-to-6 job is not enough to cover expenses, nor is the payout from monthly freelance work. There are pets to care for, daily emergencies, sudden doctor visits, dental issues—you name it. Life is not a walk in the park for most of us.

I want to share that you are never alone in this struggle—I feel you. Hopefully, by resonating with my experience, you’ll feel inspired to keep going, no matter how hard it gets. Being a mom can be challenging, but it’s also deeply rewarding at the same time.

Juggling Roles as a Mom, Freelancer & Affiliate: What Makes Me Busy Nowadays

It’s fun to be busy. It can be tiring and make our backs ache, but finishing tasks from our daily to-do list feels like an achievement. Being so busy juggling freelance work, daily errands, grocery shopping, taking care of my five-year-old daughter, and creating videos for my affiliate account, I can hardly find time to watch movies or series on Netflix.

I can only watch one episode per week since my client recently gave me a new workload. I’m happier with the extra work, though. It’s really more fulfilling to stay busy than to do nothing at all. Anxiety creeps in whenever my client starts running out of writing tasks for me—lol.

Plus, I make sure to include a quick daily workout to keep my body moving and my blood circulating. Since I don’t leave the house or commute to work every day, I don’t always get enough physical activity. I spend hours writing—at least 4 to 5 hours a day—plus another 2 to 3 hours brainstorming and researching topics and keywords.

I also take care of my child and make sure we always have quality time together. Most of the time, we go out, and I include her in my 15- to 20-minute brisk walking routine by going to the grocery store and giving her simple treats like hotdogs, dumplings, or sometimes ice cream.

Before, I used to reward myself with coffee or a latte once a week, but now I’m cutting back to reduce the risk of palpitations. Instead, I brew green tea at home, which also helps lessen my cravings for food, especially salty snacks.

What equipment Do I Use for my Freelance Work and Affiliate Marketing?

Amazingly, I'm not using any laptop or computer with my work. During the pandemic I used to work using a laptop and I was just borrowing a DELL laptop from my partner. However, it was too old that using it makes me feel frustrated because it's too slowww. So, my partner gave me a tablet for a present last Christmas in 2023 and it was a Redmi Pad Pro.

For work I use the tablet paired with a bluetooth keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse with it, which is so fun to use because of its clickable keys. It allows me to work and type as fast as I can—that’s just how I like to work. I enjoy typing quickly while still ensuring the quality and grammar of my writing. It’s definitely worth the purchase. I use it for work, affiliate marketing, downtime, listening to music, workouts, and posting on TikTok or YouTube.

For my affiliate marketing side hustle, I use my Redmi Pad, my smartphone with my Powerbank (to make my phone last for hours), and a pink tripod to film my videos.

How Often Do I Take Break Times In Between Work?

Just like a person working onsite, even if I'm working from home, I already developed the habits of taking breaks in between work. Studies show taking breaks are important to increase a person's productivity.

With this, I always take a breather. My first break is around 10:30 AM to 11 AM and this is my early brunch where I could I eat up to 150 grams of white rice, protein, and more veggies. After that, I wouldn't eat rice anymore because that's too much carbs and I'm working on my calorie deficit. 3:00 PM is my next break where I eat snacks like mooncakes or 40 grams of chips or I would just drink my favorite habitual green tea from Lipton.

I haven’t mentioned that I also read my tarot daily for entertainment. It serves as my guide, or like a fortune cookie, every day. Yes, even during my break time, I read a lot.

My next break is at 6:00 PM, when I eat a protein-rich meal—no rice, just more water to stay hydrated. Around this time, I also feed and bathe my baby girl, and I make sure to feed my guppies as well. I usually log out of my freelance work around 6:30 PM, then work out from 8:30 to 9:30 PM. That’s also when my fasting starts—there goes my routine.

How Often Do I Reward Myself?

I truly believe in the power of delayed gratification. I don’t splurge on myself as much as I did when I was still single. Of course, adulting also means becoming more aware of the value of money—learning to be more frugal and wiser when it comes to saving. So, simply drinking my favorite tea already feels like a reward to me. Haha.

Being a mom has really taught me how to be more thrifty. However, when I shop for groceries, I make sure that my family and I get the nutrients we need, so I don’t hesitate to spend more on healthy food. I reward myself by choosing nutritious options like fruits and vegetables, oats, almond milk, plain yogurt, tea, honey, and chia seeds—foods that support a calorie deficit and a healthier lifestyle. We’re not the typical family who goes out and splurges every weekend, but we still make time to bond by talking, downloading, and watching our favorite movies at home, or catching something on Netflix at least once a week.

Thoughts

Life as a mom, freelancer, and affiliate marketer is definitely busy—and sometimes exhausting—but it’s also rewarding in so many little ways. From juggling work, errands, and quality time with my daughter, to finding small ways to reward myself with healthy food or a favorite tea, I’ve learned that balance doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly—it’s about making progress, staying consistent, and enjoying the moments along the way. Being busy doesn’t have to feel stressful; it can be fun, fulfilling, and even motivating if you embrace it with a little planning, self-care, and a positive mindset.