Claire Baker - Period Coach
This Freelance Insights interview features period coach Claire Baker.
I discovered Claire and her work in mid-2019 when I heard her interviewed on the Goal Digger Podcast. My mind was blown to discover that those of us who have periods don’t just experience a daily cycle of energy but also a monthly one! I signed up for Claire’s free resources, then a few months later bought her Adore Your Cycle eBook and took her FLOW course online.
Claire has written a book entitled ‘50 Things You Need to Know About Periods’, which is now available to buy. It’s illustrated throughout and is full of relatable real-life advice that encourages you to experiment with a whole new way of living and bleeding.
Claire offers a free 20-minute video class all about starting to chart your menstrual cycle and understanding your different inner seasons. If you’re new to this and want an overview, get access to the class by clicking the button further down this page. You’ll also receive printable cycle charts and a short written guide to the menstrual cycle when you do.
How do you describe what you do for work?
I help women understand their menstrual cycle in order to find their flow across all areas of their life. I teach online courses to do this, I run workshops, and I coach one-on-one. Most women I work with never received this information about their bodies and the 4 different phases of their menstrual cycle, so it’s a real pleasure and honour to do this work.
What's your favourite thing about working freelance?
My favourite thing is that I get to work on my own timeline. I was a really bad employee because I was always trying to negotiate with my boss about holidays, and when I worked and didn't work! I've always been a hard worker and I'm very self-motivated, so it's not difficult for me to work for myself, but I just need to be able to do it in my own time. I work based on my menstrual cycle, taking days off if I can when I'm bleeding and scheduling different tasks according to the phases of my cycle.
Where do you usually work from?
I'm always at home, to be honest. My partner and I both work from home, so we're normally both in the house together. Occasionally I'll work from a cafe, if I want some different energy, or maybe even the library, but I have to say that 90% of the time I'm at home. I see clients over Zoom and I teach all of my courses online, so I do everything from home.
What does a normal working day look like for you?
It varies a lot! I tend to work the same hours: around 10am to 4pm. If I'm working after 4pm, it's generally not my best quality work, but sometimes it needs to happen. I try to work 4 days a week. What actually happens during my workday might be quite different - I might be with clients, or preparing course content, or doing admin... I don't really have a daily structure, but I do have a weekly structure. I only see clients on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays - I never book meetings for Mondays and Fridays. And every second week I have a week off, with no client appointments, so I know that if I need to create something I've got a full week without any distractions. I really need that, creatively.
What one tip would you give other freelancers about running a freelance business?
You have to be responsible for your business. It can't run itself - your business is an entity of its own but it doesn't have any authority. You have to be that authority - you have to show up for it, do the work, make the decisions, and give it energy, time and love. It can't do it by itself! Whenever I'm making a tough decision in my business or I have to have an uncomfortable conversation, I always remember that because it can't protect itself, speak up for itself or grow itself. I have to be that person who does that. Seeing it as a separate entity that needs us but isn't us - so we have to feed it and give it energy - that's been really helpful for me.
Free resource
Claire offers a free 20-minute video class all about starting to chart your menstrual cycle and understanding your different inner seasons. If you’re new to this and want an overview, click the button below. You’ll also receive printable cycle charts and a short written guide to the menstrual cycle when you do.