Freelancers can often struggle to step away from their work. After all, without the structure of a typical 9-5 job, it can be difficult to take time off, especially if it means you lose income or clients. But taking a holiday isn’t just a luxury, it’s a necessity. Let’s take a look at why time off is vital as a freelancer and what strategies you can use to disconnect.
- Facts around Freelance Holiday – Freelancer Study 2024
- Why Freelancers Struggle with Taking Holidays
- Planning your Freelance Holiday in Advance – Checklist
- Managing Client Expectations for a Freelance Holiday
- Freelance Holiday Strategies
- FAQs
- Conclusion
Facts around freelance holiday – Freelancer Study 2024
According to our survey, freelancers work an average of 40 hours per week – which is almost equivalent to a full-time regular job. And just like regular employees, freelancers deserve to take breaks every now and then.
Taking a holiday break is crucial for both your mental and physical well-being. Being away from work has the potential to improve your work-life balance and even boost your professionalism.
Join our freelancer community today!
Create your profile in just 2 minutes and start attracting new clients.
Enjoying regular vacations gives your body a break from the worries of your freelance work and everyday routines – this can help reduce stress and boost productivity in the long run.
According to our latest survey, freelancers take an average of 27 vacation days per year. Other facts regarding vacation and downtime that were found in freelancermap’s survey include:
- 70% of freelancers consider breaks and vacations the most important work-life balance measure.
- 36% saw downtime (like unpaid vacation) as a challenge and;
- 33% stated that they advise other freelancers to plan enough vacation time.
Why freelancers struggle with taking holidays
Freelancers often find it a struggle to take holidays primarily due the following reasons:
#1 Fear of lost income
One of the biggest reasons why freelancers find taking holidays to be a challenge is because of a fear of lost income. Unlike traditional employees, freelancers don’t get paid time off and so taking days off work directly translates into not earning. This can cause financial difficulties and stress.
#2 Client retention concerns
Since clients are what make or break businesses, many freelancers fear that taking a break can cause clients to turn to someone else when they’re not available. This can create pressure to always be available and on-call.
#3 Workload
Many freelancers experience a fluctuation in workload which can cause them to overwork during busy periods and delay taking vacations.
#4 Lack of boundaries
Due to the flexibility that freelancing provides, there is often trouble setting boundaries between personal time and work. This can cause freelancers to work more and make it harder for them to completely switch off from work and take a break.
It’s no surprise that holidays can improve both our mental and physical well-being. According to a study conducted by US researcher Elizabeth Scott, travellers who went on holiday felt well-rested, less anxious, and in a better mood than when they left.
Similar to how taking periodic work breaks throughout the day can boost well-being and performance, taking prolonged breaks can help boost productivity and sharpen your mind, leading to a better work-life balance.
Planning your freelance holiday in advance – Checklist
To effectively make the most out of your holiday, consider the following:
1. Plan ahead
The best way to stay on top of your work (and sane) during the holiday season is to plan out everything as best as you can. This means making sure you complete all your projects before you go and also saying no to new ones.
Scheduling your holidays months in advance will help you plan for a time where you can just sit back and enjoy yourself.
2. Clear any looming deadlines
As mentioned above, you’ll want to complete all projects before you head off on a holiday, especially the ones with immediate deadlines. Plan to turn things in the week before your trip and make sure no incoming projects have deadlines that fall during your holiday.
3. Notify your clients
Communication is crucial when it comes to successful freelancer-client relationships. And so, make sure you let your clients know that you will be away at least a couple of weeks in advance.
This will allow them time to do a little forward planning in their own schedules and give them time to prepare for your absence.
4. Organise your workload
You will want to organise your workload so that you can finish projects ahead of time or, if possible, plan the workflow in a way so that deadlines fall well after your holiday.
5. Automate
You’ll also want to make use of automation tools that can help you run business operations while you’re away. For example, apart from the email autoresponders, you’ll want to consider using tools such as Mailchimp and Omnisend for email marketing, Buffer and Hootsuite for social media scheduling, Zapier for task automation, etc.
Look into tools that specifically help your business and choose ones that can give you the break you need to take a real vacation.
6. Prepare your finances
Finances can get a bit shaky during the holidays and so it’s important to save up a bit of money before your break. Consider the following tips:
- Reduce unnecessary expenses: Make sure you reduce or eliminate any unnecessary expenses in the months leading up to your holiday. Review your monthly expenses and see what you can cut out to increase your savings.
- Set a firm vacation budget: Calculate what you’ll spend on travel, accommodation, food, activities, etc and make sure it’s well within reason.
- Track your spending: Create a daily spending limit to avoid draining your holiday budget. You can easily track your expenses during your vacation using digital budgeting methods such as Quickbooks, Goodbudget, etc.
- Consider passive income: A stream of passive income can be especially beneficial for freelancers who are looking for a vacation. It allows you greater freedom to take holidays without having to worry about income.
- Take on additional work before your holiday: Try taking on extra work in the weeks (or even months) leading up to the season. This way, you’ll be compensated for the days you won’t be working.
- Create a holiday fund: It’s good practice to set up a holiday fund as part of your regular financial planning. This way, you’re not tempted to dip into your emergency fund and won’t have to stress as much when on vacation.
- Consider your hourly rate: It’s a good idea to include your vacation days when calculating your hourly rate. This will help you earn a sustainable income while accounting for unpaid time off.
7. Hire a VA
If you don’t want to check up on any of your work while you’re away, consider hiring a virtual assistant to do it for you. They’ll be able to screen all your calls, messages or emails and only reach out to you if it’s of the utmost importance.
8. Utilise your break
The festive season is a great way to take a step back and look at all the things that you’ve accomplished over the course of the year.
Use your break to go through and analyse your goals and achievements. This will have you feeling fresh and ready for the new year!
9. Recharge your batteries
Lastly, take the time to give your mind the rest it deserves. Switch off your phone when you can and take the time to just be present in the moment.
Spend time with your friends and family and try to take in every opportunity that you can to recharge so you don’t start the new year feeling all burned out.
If you do need to stay connected, consider setting aside a specific amount of time each day to check your email or work messages. Doing so allows you to relax the rest of the time and gives you a chance to actually enjoy the holidays.
Managing client expectations for a freelance holiday
As stated above, notifying your clients is important before taking a holiday. Clients need to be told in advance if you’re planning on taking time off for a week or two. Make sure you are transparent and communicate clearly with them by giving them plenty of notice before you leave.
Consider informing them a month in advance. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to finish up any work they might assign you and organise your workload effectively. It also gives them time to organise any urgent tasks they might have and have you do it before you leave.
If you plan to unplug from your work completely while on vacation, arrange for automated emails to reply to any clients who might try to get in touch with you. For example, you can set up an out-of-office message that says something like:
Example 1:
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently out of office and on vacation and won’t be back until [Date of Return]. During this time, I will not have access to my emails, nor will I be available for phone calls. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible upon my return. I appreciate your time and patience while I take some time off to recharge.
Regards,
[Name]
Example 2:
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I’m currently out of the office on vacation and will only be back on [Date of Return]. During this period I will have limited access to my email and phone. I will respond to your emails as soon as possible upon my return.
Thank you,
[Name}
The most important thing you need to remember is that your out-of-office message should clearly explain why you are gone, how long you will be gone for and when you will return.
Avoid giving off too much information and try not to set the expectation that you’ll be able to respond to an email immediately upon your return. After all, you will need time to catch up on things when you get back.
Freelance holiday strategies
There are a few different approaches on how you can take time off as a freelancer. You can either choose to take a full break with absolutely no work or partial break where you limit yourself to a few working hours.
Taking a full break as a freelancer
Planning to disconnect completely during your time off involves a complete shutdown of work. This means notifying clients early, finishing up your work in advance, and politely declining any last-minute work requests.
Taking a full break also means you don’t check in to work until your return. To avoid being overwhelmed, make sure you plan properly for when you come back, so you can hit the ground running.
Advantages of taking a full break as a freelancer
The pros of taking a complete break from work include:
- Complete rest: Allows you to recover both physically and mentally and lets you recharge your batteries.
- Quality time: Gives you the opportunity to spend quality time with your family, friends, or even yourself without disruptions or distractions.
- Clear boundaries: Reiterates to clients that you value your work-life balance and that you are more than capable of separating the two.
Disadvantages of taking a full break as a freelancer
Taking a full break also has its downfalls, some of which include:
- Financial strain: Taking days off work means no earnings unless you get back, unless of course you set up passive income streams.
- Missed opportunities: Could potentially lose out on high-paying projects.
- Coming back to work: Could feel overwhelmed about returning to work after a complete break.
Taking a partial break as a freelancer
If taking a full break is not something you can do, you may consider partial availability. This means limiting yourself to a few working hours and communicating your limited working times clearly to your clients in advance.
You can choose to offer limited services during this time and make the most out of technology to stay efficient.
Advantages of taking a partial break as a freelancer
The advantages of being partially available on your holiday include:
- Income continuity: Allows you to still earn while you take a small break.
- Client retention: Enables you to stay connected with clients and reduces the risk of them going to your competitors
- Smooth transition: Allows you to resume work without feeling overwhelmed and out of the loop since you’re not entirely disconnected.
Disadvantages of taking a partial break as a freelancer
The cons of taking only a partial break include:
- Disrupted rest: Can disrupt your rest time and reduce quality time.
- Blurred boundaries: Clients may want more of your time and may not understand what partial availability incurs.
- Divided attention: Can lead to divided attention between work and relaxation time, lowering the quality of both.
Choosing the right approach is key before taking a holiday as a freelancer. Consider taking a full break if you feel burnt out, have passive income streams, and have no commitments or critical deadlines to complete. On the other hand, if you feel like you can maintain a light workload while on vacation, consider taking a partial break.
Choosing a low-season for a break
Another holiday approach that you can take is choosing a low-season when planning your vacation. Many industries slow down during certain periods of time during the year and this is what you’ll want to plan your vacation around.
During this time, you’ll be less likely to miss out on any high-paying projects and clients and it will be easier to pause your work without disrupting client workflows.
Workation
A workation is when you combine your work with your vacation and visit a destination while still working. This type of approach is perfect for freelancers and self-employed individuals and has seen a rise recently as a result of the uptick in remote working.
In fact, according to Google Trends, searches for the term “workation” have surged by over 2,438% since 2020. Many freelancers can provide their services remotely from almost anywhere in the world, and they are increasingly taking advantage of this opportunity.
According to the US study “Global Digital Nomad Study“ by ABrotherAbroad.com, travelling freelancers are on average 40 years old, and 85% of them stay away from home for more than a year.
Whether you book a trip by yourself or with your significant other, the number one rule of taking a workation is setting a schedule. You can’t properly enjoy a vacation if you’re always trying to decide between working or going for a swim.
It is crucial that you plan ahead. Ask yourself how many hours you want to work during the days of your vacation and what does that equal per day.
Having a full work day is probably not in your best interest – after all, you are having a vacation. Pick only the most important tasks and focus on them.
Tips for a summer break
As a freelancer, your summers won’t always be free even if there are moments when you get fewer jobs. But don’t despair. You have a degree of freedom that no 9-to-5 employee can enjoy, you just have to figure out how to use it.
Here are some of the best ways to utilise the summer as a freelancer:
1. Take your office outside
Many freelancers don’t need much more than a good Wi-Fi connection. That opens up a variety of possibilities – your office can be anywhere you want it to be!
Whether you go out on your balcony, have the luxury of your own garden or simply visit the nearest park or café with tables outside, working under the open sky can be a blessing.
With the sun, a cold drink and fresh air, working can feel like vacation. You can even schedule your meetings outside.
Special tip for writers: leave your laptop home, take a notebook and a pen to the park and try working there. A whole new way of working can inspire you in a variety of ways.
2. Change your hours to fit in more leisure time (the good kind)
Even if you’re not having a vacation in the sense of going somewhere for an extended period of time, you should still consider switching up your working hours.
Try finishing work until the late afternoon and spend the last several hours of the sunny day outside. And if you’re living in a place where the summer heat tends to get too much, try to start working after lunch. Spend the morning outside while the air is still cool and fresh.
Flexibility is one of the greatest boons of freelancing – and it can be utilised on a day-to-day basis.
3. Consider sports
Staying fit will keep you happier and more motivated. And summer is the best time for all sorts of activities. Swimming, running, even just taking a walk is a bit more pleasant when you’re not getting weighed down by three layers of clothing.
Even better, consider participating in a sport as a social activity. The advantages are easy to spot – you keep healthy, interact with other people face-to-face (which isn’t exactly a daily activity in the work life of most freelancers) and spend more time outside.
FAQs
Do freelancers get holiday pay?
No, freelancers do not generally get paid for time off. Freelancers and self-employed individuals don’t have statutory rights to paid annual leave like regular employees and workers do. However, you can always try to negotiate holiday pay with your clients.
What if a client has an emergency while I’m on holiday?
Before you go on holiday, define what constitutes an ‘emergency’. Clarify this with your clients so you’re not called in for non-urgent issues.
If possible, you’ll also want to consider setting up a backup contact. This can be a trusted colleague or freelancer that they can communicate with in your absence and one who can act as a backup.
It’s important that you plan ahead and communicate clearly with your clients about boundaries. This will help you maintain your professionalism and also improve your overall well-being.
How long should I plan for a freelance holiday?
The exact length can vary depending on factors such as project cycles, workload, and personal preference but you should aim to plan at least one to two weeks in advance for a meaningful recharge.
What tools can help me manage work while I’m away?
There are lots of tools available that can help you manage your work while you’re on holiday. These tools will help you automate tasks, improve time management and communication and can also help you with remote access.
Some examples include:
- TeamGantt for project management: Allows you to track deadlines and marks and also helps you plan, schedule and manage your projects.
- Mailchimp for email scheduling: Allows you to easily set up automated email campaigns and choose the exact date and time for each email to be sent.
- Time doctor for time management: Helps freelancers achieve a better work-life balance by facilitating remote working arrangements and organising their tasks and priorities, as well as managing their schedule.
- Kanban for project management and collaboration: Allows you to collaborate easily in real-time and gives you a perfect overview of your current work status.
Conclusion
Taking a holiday as a freelancer is not a luxury but a crucial part of maintaining productivity and your overall well-being. It’s important to make holiday planning a part of your annual routine.
While it may seem challenging to step away from your clients and your work, taking a break is key to providing better service and improving your performance. By prioritising rest, you can return to work with renewed focus and energy, ultimately improving both your personal and professional life.
Do you have some freelance holiday tips?
