How to turn your hobbies into a profession

Getting back to work after a long break is really not for you? All the degrees, certificates and accolades won at work do not motivate you enough to undertake the corporate journey once again? But you are still itching to do some remunerative activity? No problem! Open up your horizons. Yes you have worked hard and you were rewarded but circumstances are such that they do not permit you to continue on the same professional path. So what? Look at your hobbies. They will provide you with what you are looking for. 

There are few lucky ones who really enjoy what they do despite repetitive nature of work. One of the times it happens is when you turn your hobby into a profession. My mum has always been good with kids: non-interfering, patient, youthful in thoughts and friendly approach. Hence she is a teacher since the past 40 years and counting! Whereas me, I gave up teaching in the first 10 years of pursuing it as a profession. I am just not made for it. I lack the necessary patience and after a time it starts getting boring for me. So the big difference here is the hobby! My mum loves teaching and hence she looks at work with pleasure but I could only do it as it brought in the mullah for me. I am glad I got out of it as now I am in a much better position professionally. 

Here are some tips on how you can develop your hobby into a profession

    1.       Advertise

Oh yes! Market your hobby. Let people around you know that you are willing to replicate what you are good at for a price. If you love cooking, you can start a tiffin business. If you are good with scissors and sewing machine, you can become a designer. If you are good with animals, start pet services. But without letting others know about your talent, it won’t pay you. Forget the adage, ‘Oh it is just a hobby!’ 

    2.       Let your inner circle sample your offer

Let your close friends and family sample your talent – either by designing a lovely lehenga for your cousin or by baking a lovely cake for your niece’s birthday or by choreographing your own little kathak masterpiece at a family function. Showcase your talents and people will automatically approach you for more. 

    3.       Give it a professional touch

Scale up and go pro. Print business cards, set up a basic website, mark your presence on social media. Give your hobby a professional makeover and voilà you feel back in business. The difference is that you’ll be in a much happier space.

    4.       Do not be afraid to explore

Well what about someone who doesn’t have a hobby or was not able to pursue it? No problem. Develop one. You have a creative bend? Take up a course in graphic designing. You are good with numbers? Pursue a short-term course in finance. You love dressing others? Learn hairstyling and dressing up with make-up course and see where that takes you! But make sure you are good at what you do.  

    5.       Believe in yourself

Yes. I put this last but it is far from the least. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you. Yes there may be struggles. It’s not all cakewalk. But so far as your belief in yourself is unwavering, success has to kiss your feet. Go girl go! 

Snehal Agrawal Sharma

Flexi-Work Options for Women

Working mum's guide to get back to work

A working mum’s guide to getting back to work post pregnancy

For previously-working new mums, post –delivery of our bundle of joy, we are often faced with the dilemma of whether we should continue holding on to our 9-to-6 job or quit and stay at home with our newfound love interest for which we can lay down our lives!

This spot is not an easy one to be in especially with our world already in topsy-turvy mode. Our whole lives we’ve been working and have always found great satisfaction and passion in our careers. So why is returning to it so hard? The strong-headed mums who can easily take decisions and have clarity in their minds are strongly envied but those of us who are constantly on the fence go crazy trying to decide and end up in a bigger mental mess than ever before!

Well, being a returned-to-work mum myself, I can share a few tips to bear in mind that may facilitate your decision in favour of work:

- First of all, think of how badly you need the money!

It is brutal but the truth. Seriously! You are lucky if you can handle the double whammy on your home finances – single income, triple heads with the third head taking up most of the budget. But for those who need a good dose of income infusion in order to be able to deliver the best to the baby, work is very, very important. 

- How good is your previous organization?

Sometimes, we just assume that our previous company will not allow us flexi-work timings but you will be surprised. In this case, I love the Tata Sky tag line “Poochhne mein kya jata hai?” At most they’ll say no for which you were already prepared. But other times you may be surprised at what can work out in your favour. It happened with me.

- Focus on getting to work instead of debating

Instead of wasting time on your inner conflict, use that time on enlisting resources that can help you to organize your baby’s routine in your absence. You can ‘maska lagao’ your ‘saasu maa’ or your mum or if you are lucky get a good nanny for your child. Dads are also not allowed to go scot-free. Try and get a commitment out of him. See if he can also get some sort of flexi-time. Keep your ears and eyes open for a good day-care centre near your house or place of work. Keep an open mind. Do not be over possessive of your child. You’ll be doing the baby more harm than good. There are thousands of parents who leave their children at day care centres and the children do well for themselves. They develop immunity, become social, develop good eating habits, are on a time-table, etc. 

- Once at work, behave professional

Please do not go around wearing the ‘new mother’ tag. Be as professional as you were before. I know you won’t be the employee you once were – and that’s OK. There are different aspects of ‘professionalism’. Sure – you’re not the first one in the office and the last one to leave anymore – but you’re a better leader, coworker and employee now because you’re a mum. Your multitasking skills have gone through the roof. Your compassion and empathy are higher than ever before and time management skills are better than ever. It might take you a few weeks to realize your new attributes, and it might take your employer a few weeks to recognize the value that the new-you brings to the table. But please do not go pleading around that you have a baby at home, you need to leave early, you can’t do this and you can’t do that. You will command a new respect among your co-workers.

- Think five years down the line!

Yes.. If you think long-term, you’ll immediately want to decide in favour of work. It is just the initial phase that weighs you down. Once your baby is on a schedule and once s/he starts school, it gets a lot easier to work. 

- Being away from your child is good for her/him

You heard that right. Being away from your child helps you to care for her/ him much better than being there 24/7. If you are in a good frame of mind, you bring the same positivity in your love and care for your LO. It also helps your LO to develop her/ his own personality, develop social skills, learn to become more independent and bond better with other members of the family. 

- Be a bit selfish

Eeks. Yes. Think of your mental well-being as well. Ultimately a happy mum nurtures and nourishes a happy bub. If working makes you a happy, independent, self-respecting individual, go for it. Don’t give second thoughts. Instead work towards making it happen.

- Switch

Alas, there are many instances where mums cannot get back to work owing to the circumstances. But do not despair and give up. Instead switch to something new. Try your hand at flexi-work from home options. Take up a new course. Brainstorm to start a small business of your own using your skills and potential. BUT DO NOT GIVE UP!  

- Snehal Agrawal Sharma

flexiworkoptionswomen@gmail.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wfhwomen/