Taking A Proper Holiday When You’re A Freelancer

Working for yourself comes with many benefits. The chance to choose your hours, enjoy all the profits and work on projects you care about is wonderful, but freelancing also comes with its pitfalls. Perhaps the most difficult thing to do when you work for yourself is to take a holiday. Taking a break from work is important to save your sanity and give yourself a break.

Make sure you get the rest you deserve by learning to take a proper holiday when you’re a freelancer.

Set some money aside

A break from work for a freelancer means a break from earning money too. You might not get paid annual leave, but you can always pay it to yourself. Save a portion of your earning aside to cover you during these periods to allow you to have a holiday without worrying about your finances while you’re away.

Give your clients plenty of notice

Clients can be demanding, which is why it’s important to be firm with them on deadlines while also keeping in touch regularly. By letting them know periods that you’re going to be away well in advance, you can prepare them or help you establish the best deadlines for before you go. Make it clear that you won’t be answering emails during your time away and set your out of office to help the message sink in.

Have someone pick up your calls

You don’t want to be bothered by calls while you’re relaxing by the beach, so why not have someone else take care of them for you? A call answering service can make sure your calls don’t go unanswered during your time away, taking messages and relaying basic information to make sure you don’t miss out on business by being away. If you can trust someone to hold down the fort for you for a period, don’t be afraid to leave your work in someone else’s hands for a little while.

Learn to switch off

Switching off isn’t something that comes easy when you’re used to working hard all the time. But if you want to make sure that you get the most from your break, you need to learn to switch off from work. Leave your mobile in your room, pick a destination with minimal connectivity and remember what it’s like to relax.

Choose the right moment to go

Sometimes the best holidays are the most spontaneous ones, and now that you work for yourself, you can go when the best deals are on. From last-minute city breaks to amazing travel opportunities, you won’t want to turn them down. Make the most of your new working life and enjoy the perks it can bring for both your career, and your personal life.
Learning how to strike the balance between work and play is one of the growing pains that come with being a freelancer, but you’ll learn to manage it in time. Make plans to take a proper holiday – freelancers deserve a rest too!