How do I make the most of my skills and earn enough to live and not survive?

[whatjobcanido]

I have deliberately posted this in chat so please be kind.
I am 46 and don't know what I want to do when I grow up!

I have 25 years experience working in comms - nearly 20 of it freelance - have some good names on my CV. But I am tired of freelance life - being at the beck and call of so many people. I think I would like a job where I get some paid holiday. And a pension. And a team to work with rather than being on my own all the time.

When people meet me they often want to work with me. I am knowledgable and helpful. I can easily identify problems and advise on what the solution is - I am less good at the follow through/bringing to fruition of the problem solving - this is a definite weakness.

I think I have ADHD. I am not formally diagnosed, and I know it's a "trend" but all the actual guidance/questionnaires, including childhood stuff is there and I tick all the boxes. Plus now have anxiety worsened by peri - am working on diet, meditation, bit of gentle exercise to help with this and barely drink alcohol now.

Recently I have been struggling with deadlines and have always struggled with charging enough. I do a lot of work now with small businesses which I enjoy but of course they only have small budgets so I am scrabbling round for them to pay me etc.
What kind of role can I do where I have some flexibility (still have 10 y/o and two teens to get to places) ?

how many hours a week do you currently work? and your income?
would you be looking full or part time?

You need to put your CV on LinkedIn for a start also look at job ads for posts in Comms. You can’t have the best of both worlds - if you move to a permanent post there will be restrictions and requirements. It sounds as if you would be good at consultancy.

I think you'd find a lot of big companies a lot more flexible nowadays than they were 20 years ago when you went freelance, particularly since lockdown with an increase in hybrid working.

Thank you for the kind replies
I recognise I can't have it all.
I am working roughly school hours at the moment but am only turning over £1k a month with a fair wind... some months better than others

I think I would be good at consultancy but don't know how to get to it.

consulting on…. what?

I'd also put your CV onto job sites, be prepared for a rush of calls but I put mine on in 2014 when I was looking for a new job, and I still get emails now that if I was in the UK still, I'd be interested in looking into.

Just put "communications" into the job description on indeed.com and have a browse of the type of things that are out there and the skills / experience companies are looking for.