Essential Tools That Help Me Juggle Life & Freelance Work - Beautiful Life of Tokyo City of one Women

“I Was Just a Mom with Wi-Fi—Why Tools Became My Secret Weapon”

If you had told me a few years ago that I’d be freelancing while managing housework, grocery runs, and kids yelling about Pokémon in the background—I would’ve laughed and said, “I can’t even update my phone without my husband’s help.” I wasn’t tech-savvy, didn’t know what a “workflow” meant, and thought “automation” was something only companies did.

But something shifted. I started craving more control over my time, a sense of purpose beyond my daily routines. I didn’t want to choose between family and career—I wanted both. That’s when I dipped my toe into freelancing, and quickly realized: skills are important, but tools are what keep the engine running.

For moms like me, time is sliced into strange little pockets—15 minutes here, 40 minutes there. You never get long, uninterrupted hours. That’s why the tools I use aren’t fancy or expensive. They’re simple, low-cost, and designed to work around life, not demand that life adjust to them.

I call it my “Digital Bento.”
Just like a bento box keeps different dishes organized in one small space, these tools help me manage the separate parts of my life—work, home, and kids—without spilling into chaos.

Let me take you into my setup. You don’t need to be a techie. If you can make a to-do list on paper, you’re already halfway there.

Why This Blog?

I wanted to write this post because I struggled to find practical, non-overwhelming advice about tools that actually fit a mom’s life. Most “freelancer toolkits” out there assume you’re working full-time in a quiet office. That’s not my world. I work from the dining table, often while someone’s singing Anpanman in the next room.

So this is my real-life, mom-tested toolkit—built for messy schedules, tiny budgets, and multitasking brains.

Whether you’re a beginner freelancer or just someone trying to reclaim a few hours for yourself, I hope you’ll find something useful in my digital bento.

Next up, I’ll break it down by category—starting with how I keep track of projects when life is anything but linear.

“Organizing Chaos: My Go-To Project Tools When Mom Brain Strikes”

Let’s be honest—when you’re managing meals, laundry, appointments, and deadlines, your brain starts feeling like it has 47 browser tabs open… and some of them are frozen. I used to scribble things on post-its, write reminders on the back of receipts, and rely way too heavily on memory (which, let’s face it, isn’t what it used to be after kids).

I needed something to hold my chaos. And that’s where digital project management tools came in—not as productivity buzzwords, but as life-saving, stress-reducing sanity savers.
Here’s how I use them without overcomplicating things.

🧩 Notion: My Life Dashboard

At first, Notion felt overwhelming. There were so many features, blocks, databases, and templates. But once I stopped trying to “do it right” and focused on what I needed, it became my personal control tower.

I now use Notion as:

A weekly overview: One page shows my tasks, kid-related errands, and content schedule all in one place.
A “content garden”: I jot down ideas for blog posts, Instagram captions, and even dinner recipes.
A client board: For freelance gigs, I track client info, deadlines, and notes.

What I love:
Notion feels like a flexible notebook with digital power. It grows with me. I started with one to-do list and now it holds my whole life. The free plan is more than enough, and there are tons of free templates online—just search “Notion mom dashboard” or “freelancer Notion layout” on YouTube or Pinterest.

👩‍👧 Mom hack: I even created a shared grocery list page with my husband. Now, if we’re both near a store, we don’t buy two bottles of soy sauce again.

🧩 Trello: The Visual Brain Dump

Before Notion, Trello was my first love. It’s simpler and more visual—perfect if you’re a “sticky-note” type like I was.

Here’s how I use Trello:

Content Calendar: One board with lists like “Ideas,” “In Progress,” “Scheduled,” “Published.” Each card is a blog or Instagram post.
Client Boards: For quick, kanban-style progress tracking.

Why I keep Trello in my toolkit even after adopting Notion?
Because it’s visual. Dragging a card from “To Do” to “Done” is oddly satisfying. It helps me see my progress, especially on days when I feel like I’ve done nothing but wipe counters and reheat rice.

💡 Tip: The Trello mobile app is super smooth. I often move cards while waiting for my kid at after-school pickup.

🧩 Google Calendar: The Invisible Assistant

Here’s a weird confession: I used to write my schedule on a paper planner and Google Calendar. Why? Because I didn’t fully trust the digital version. But once I synced everything—including reminders, kid events, and deadlines—it finally clicked.

How I use Google Calendar:

Color-coded categories: Blue for family, green for work, purple for self-care (yes, I try to schedule baths!).
Weekly recurring tasks: Blog writing blocks, invoicing time, even lunch breaks.
Shared events: My husband and I both add things like health checkups and school events, so we’re not constantly texting “Did you know about the PTA meeting today?”

What changed my life:
Time blocking. Instead of saying “I’ll work when I have time,” I make time by reserving it in my calendar—even if it’s just 30 minutes. When I treat that block like a meeting with myself, I show up.

🧁 Mixing Tools Without Overthinking

You don’t need to choose “Notion vs Trello vs Calendar.” I use all three—lightly and purposefully.
Here’s how they complement each other in my freelance-mom life:

Tool	What It Does Best	How I Use It
Notion	Custom planning & notes	“Home base” for everything
Trello	Visual task flow	For creative content & project stages
Google Calendar	Time management	For real-world commitments & routines

If one tool doesn’t work for you? Drop it. Tools are like shoes—you need the right fit, not the flashiest brand.

🫖 Real Talk: Start Tiny

When I first opened Notion, I closed it again. Same with Trello. It was too much. But when I decided to just make a simple list—today’s to-dos—it clicked. Then I added one more thing the next day.

Freelancing while parenting isn’t about perfection. It’s about staying just organized enough to move forward without burning out.

Start tiny. Use free versions. Watch a 5-minute tutorial, not a 2-hour masterclass. This isn’t about becoming a productivity guru. It’s about giving your brain some breathing room.

“Write Like a Human, Edit Like a Pro: Tools That Help Me Find My Voice”

Let’s talk about writing. As a Japanese housewife writing in English for international readers, I’ve gone through all the usual feelings: fear, self-doubt, hitting backspace 70 times… and yes, Googling “how to write like a native speaker.”

But here’s what I’ve learned: you don’t have to sound like someone else to be effective. You just need tools that bring your voice to life—clearly, confidently, and without a million grammar mistakes.

Whether you’re writing blogs, replying to clients, or translating your Japanese thoughts into English, here’s the tech I use to stay sharp (and sane).

✍️ DeepL: My Thought Translator

When I’m stuck expressing something in English, I write it first in Japanese—like I would in a diary—and run it through DeepL.
Unlike Google Translate, DeepL often gives me translations that feel natural, not robotic. It’s especially helpful when I want to keep the nuance of what I’m saying—like when I’m trying to sound polite, thoughtful, or quietly funny.

How I use it:

Write freely in Japanese, no pressure
Translate the whole sentence or paragraph with DeepL
Then edit the English, like I’m polishing a rough diamond

💡 Tip: Don’t take the translation as final. Use it as a base, then adjust tone and rhythm so it feels like you. That’s when your voice really shines.

✍️ Grammarly: My Invisible English Tutor

After DeepL gives me a decent English draft, I paste it into Grammarly—the free version is more than enough for casual writing. It corrects grammar, suggests better phrasing, and even tells me if I’m sounding too formal or too casual.

Best of all? It helps me learn.
Over time, I’ve started understanding patterns: “Oh, I always forget the article ‘the’ before this word.” Or, “Oops, I used passive voice again.” It’s like having a non-judgy English teacher on standby 24/7.

How I use it:

Final check before publishing a blog post
Email drafts for clients (especially when I’m nervous)
Sometimes just to see if what I wrote even makes sense!

🍼 Mom reality: I once wrote an email to a client while breastfeeding. Grammarly caught 5 typos and a sentence that literally said “thank you for your cat.” I meant “chat.” Thank you, Grammarly.

✍️ Google Docs: My Collaboration Hub

Google Docs is boring. And that’s why it works. It’s clean, auto-saves everything, and lets me write on my phone, laptop, or even at the park while my kid plays on the slide.

Why I love it:

I can share drafts with collaborators or clients easily
I use suggestion mode when reviewing someone else’s writing
It works great with Grammarly’s browser extension, making it my default writing space

My setup:

Each blog post gets its own doc
I keep a “master writing file” where I dump ideas, outlines, quotes, and half-written paragraphs I might use later
I also have a folder for client writing vs personal writing, so things don’t get mixed up

💡 Bonus: Google Docs works well with voice typing, which brings me to my next secret weapon…

🗣️ Voice Typing: Speak Your Ideas Into Reality

Some days, my brain is full of ideas but my hands are stuck doing mom things—folding laundry, wiping noses, stirring miso soup. That’s when I use voice typing.

Both Google Docs (via desktop) and smartphones (via the keyboard mic icon) let you dictate what you want to say. And yes—it’s not perfect. But for idea dumping, it’s gold.

How I use it:

Talk through blog ideas while walking
Capture the “spoken version” of my tone (especially useful for casual English)
Later, I clean it up with Grammarly and rewrite with structure

Here’s a real example:

🗣 “Okay today I want to write about juggling life and work and the tools that help me do it maybe start with Notion then Trello… oh and the part where I almost forgot a client deadline because of my kid’s dentist appointment that should go in too.”

…Then I turn that messy paragraph into something readable. It’s like making soup: throw everything into the pot, then season and refine.

💬 Why This Workflow Works (Even for Non-Native Speakers)

This toolset isn’t just about productivity—it’s about building confidence.
I used to think I couldn’t be a writer in English. Now, I know that with the right support, I can be. My words don’t have to be perfect. They just have to be true, and these tools help bring out that truth clearly.

I call it “writing in layers”:

Layer 1: My real thoughts, in Japanese
Layer 2: DeepL translation
Layer 3: Grammarly polishing
Layer 4: Voice typing when I’m stuck
Final layer: Me, with my lived experience, adding the flavor

☕ A Gentle Reminder

Don’t wait until your English is perfect to start writing. Write messy. Let DeepL and Grammarly catch your mistakes. Let voice typing capture your energy. That’s the beauty of these tools—they don’t replace you, they amplify you.

I’m not writing to impress. I’m writing to connect. That’s all you need to do too.

“Tools Can’t Replace You — But They Can Set You Free”

If writing and planning are the heart of my freelance life, communication is the lifeblood.
Emails. Meetings. Client messages. Clarifying requests. Following up on payments. Explaining that I’ll be late replying because my child suddenly has a fever. It’s all part of the dance.

But instead of being tied to my screen all day, I’ve learned to use simple tools that do the talking for me—or at least help me do it faster, more clearly, and with fewer mistakes.

This final part of my “Digital Bento” is about efficiency without burnout—so I can do the work I love while still being present for the people I love.

💌 Gmail Templates: Saying It Once, Using It Often

When I started freelancing, I would write each email from scratch—agonizing over tone, grammar, and whether I sounded “professional enough.” It was exhausting.

Then I discovered Gmail’s “Templates” feature. It lets you save pre-written emails and reuse them with a click. Total game-changer.

Templates I use regularly:

✅ Project proposal response
✅ Invoice follow-up
✅ “Thank you + delivery confirmation”
✅ “I’ll be away from my desk because of family responsibilities”

💡 Tip: Keep the tone warm but clear. I add a friendly line at the top like,
“Thank you so much for your message! I’ve prepared the following information for you.”

These small details build trust—and save time.

How to enable templates:
Gmail Settings → Advanced → Enable Templates → Compose email → More options (three dots) → Templates → Save draft as template.

📞 Zoom: 15 Minutes, Max

Most of my Zoom calls are short and focused—because I often have a toddler somewhere nearby making dinosaur noises.
I’ve learned to:

Set a timer before the call
Send an agenda ahead of time
Use Zoom’s chat to summarize decisions in writing

Also helpful:
I change my Zoom name to include my time zone, like “Hiro (JST) – Freelance Writer.” It saves confusion for international clients.

And yes—sometimes I keep the camera off and just use voice. Professionalism doesn’t mean perfection. It means showing up with clarity and care, even in sweatpants.

📱LINE Biz: For Japanese Clients

Many of my domestic freelance jobs come from Japanese businesses, and LINE Biz has been surprisingly useful. It’s like having a mini CRM (customer management system) in your phone. I can:

Send quick updates
Set auto-replies during busy times
Keep client chats separate from my personal LINE

This is especially helpful when juggling school events or housework. I can respond while waiting for rice to cook, without opening my laptop.

🍵 Real-life use: “Hello, I’ve uploaded the draft here. Please feel free to review at your convenience.” (sent from my phone while stirring curry)

⏱️ Bonus Tools That Save My Sanity

⏳ Time Tracking: Toggl & TimeCrowd

Freelancing means you are your own time manager. That used to scare me—but tools like Toggl and TimeCrowd (a Japanese alternative) helped me build awareness.

How I use them:

Track hours per project (important for fair pricing)
See where my time really goes
Learn when I work best (hint: usually after 9pm, post-kid-bedtime)

Even if I forget to start the timer, the act of planning to track helps me mentally shift into “focus mode.”

💰 Invoicing: Misoca (JP)

Invoicing felt like the most intimidating part at first—especially in Japanese. But tools like Misoca make it so easy.

Why I love it:

Clean invoice templates in Japanese
Client info saved automatically
One-click PDF download
Reminders sent when payments are late (without me being the bad guy)

For overseas clients, I use a Google Docs template with my PayPal info or Wise bank account details. The point is: don’t let invoicing be a barrier. Templates and tools are your friends here.

👶 Kid Tools: Keeping Them Busy (Sometimes)

Let’s not pretend the kids magically entertain themselves while we freelance.

Here are a few kid-safe digital tools I rely on for focused work time (with supervision):

YouTube Kids: I curate a list of educational videos (no junk!)
NHK for School: Japanese content with solid learning value
Google Family Link: Lets me control screen time remotely
Papago or PictureThis apps: Turn nature walks into mini lessons

Bonus tip: I sometimes give my child a “pretend laptop” and say, “Let’s work together!” We both type quietly (mine is real, hers is typing random letters) for 20 minutes. It works more often than you’d think.

🧘‍♀️ The Real Point of All This

It’s not about the tools.

It’s about building a rhythm that lets you:

Write without second-guessing
Communicate without overexplaining
Focus without guilt
Work without losing yourself

Every item in my digital bento supports that bigger goal:
A flexible, resilient freelance life that fits inside motherhood—not in conflict with it.

So if you’re thinking, “I don’t know where to start,” here’s what I say:

Start with one tool.
Use it until it fits your life.
Then add another, like stacking dishes in a bento box.
Keep what feeds you. Let go of what doesn’t.

🪷 Final Note: You First, Then the Tools

The tools don’t do the work for you—but they do hold space for you to show up fully.
Even when dinner’s burning, the Wi-Fi is glitchy, and your toddler just spilled milk on your keyboard… again.

That’s the beauty of being a freelance mom in the digital age.