![\"Freelancer](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Timing_vacation.png\")
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Ahhh vacation. It\u2019s a beautiful word, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
For many of us it prompts images of palm trees, colorful drinks, and long siestas.<\/p>\n
The North American definition is \u201can extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling,\u201d which we all know is parallel to a \u201choliday\u201d in other locales around the world.<\/p>\n
Basically, as an adult, it\u2019s supposed to signify no work\u2014sounds blissful, right?<\/p>\n
As humans, we are meant to take time to recharge our batteries and fuel our souls with the people and things that make us happy. And not to say that work doesn\u2019t make some of us happy (because that\u2019s kind of a big goal in life), but it also occupies so much space in both our schedules and our minds that it\u2019s healthy to get away every once in a while.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why vacation time is a main point of discussion in job negotiations, right alongside salary and health coverage.<\/p>\n
In fact, taking time off can actually make you more productive at work. As the non-profit TakeBackYourTime.org notes<\/a>: \u201cLiberal vacation policies create improved quality of life for employees, which translates into increased work quality. Workers also report feeling more creative after taking time off, and more than 70% of them reported feeling more satisfied with their jobs when they took regular vacations.\u201d<\/p>\n Source: www.takebackyourtime.org\/why-vacations-matter\/nielsen-research-findings\/<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n However, as a freelancer, taking time off from work is a little bit different than a full-time employee with PTO (paid time off) built into a benefits package.<\/p>\n It\u2019s still just as important\u2014if not more\u2014for freelancers to unplug, but preparing to do so takes a little extra planning.<\/p>\n [content_upgrade cu_id=”403″]Free Download: Easy Vacation Planner<\/strong>[content_upgrade_button]Click Here[\/content_upgrade_button][\/content_upgrade]<\/p>\n As a freelancer, you have the advantage of running your own schedule. This can be amazing and freeing in many ways, but also can cause you to burn the candle from both ends at times. After all, if time directly equates to money, it\u2019s easier to feel motivated to put in long, grueling hours.<\/p>\n (However, don\u2019t forget that you need to step away from work during the day\u2014check out our recent article, The Benefits of Daily Work Breaks<\/a>.)<\/p>\n So first things first: Don\u2019t underestimate how important it is for you to take a vacation, whether to see friends or family, travel to a new place like any of these top choices for women to live<\/a>, or just enjoy a relaxing staycation.<\/p>\n But once you train your mind to welcome the idea of a vacation, you need to be methodical about planning for it.<\/p>\n Planning ahead is absolutely crucial when it comes to taking a vacation as a freelancer, so determine early on when you might want to slip away.<\/p>\n Though a long weekend here or there might be easier to swing, longer trips (we\u2019re talking a week or two, or even more) will require many months of preparation. Get the date on your calendar as soon as possible, even if your exact travel plans end up changing a little.<\/p>\n Probably even more important than blocking off your schedule is finding the funds to do so.<\/p>\n Being a freelancer, you\u2019ve likely already mastered the art of budgeting\u2014after all, your financial situation is a little trickier than that of a full-time employee. So you should know if you have the cash flow to take that amazing trek up Kilimanjaro or sway in a hammock on a Bahamian shore.<\/p>\n Just keep in mind that the cost of your flights and hotel or Airbnb isn\u2019t the only thing coming out of your pocket\u2014there meals, activities, and maybe even some local shopping to consider.<\/p>\n Where things really get complicated for freelancers is when you have factor in that you aren\u2019t getting paid while climbing or lounging. Unlike a salaried employee, you aren\u2019t getting paid on the days you are offline.<\/p>\n Now, this might not be the case if you work strictly on monthly retainers or something similar. However, it\u2019s still important to note that even on a retainer you are likely held to a certain number of hours each week or month, so you\u2019ll need to pack them in somewhere else.<\/p>\n Communicating clearly with clients regarding your out-of-the-office status is critical on multiple levels.<\/p>\nCommunicating clearly with clients regarding your out-of-the-office status is critical on multiple levels. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n First, it\u2019s vital that you alert a client as soon as you know when you will be away. Giving as much notice as possible\u2014hopefully months\u2014will help reduce the risk of issues popping up. This way they are able to accurately predict timelines for projects, plus pull in extra help if and when it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n It also helps to display how organized you are and how much you respect your client\u2019s time, further demonstrating that you are a partner to be trusted.<\/p>\n On top of that, it\u2019s important to let a client know what your level of communication will be while you\u2019re away.<\/p>\n Listen, you should be taking it upon yourself to completely unplug and forget about work during the duration of your trip. In fact, we encourage it.<\/p>\n But, if you\u2019re anything like this writer (cough, cough), you may find it\u2019s a little too difficult to shut things down completely. And hey, that\u2019s okay, too! Just be sure to set clear expectations and boundaries.<\/p>\n Maybe you let clients know that you will be checking emails during a specific hour of your day (with your morning coffee perhaps?), and can tackle a few small tasks here and there. But just make it known that larger tasks or projects will have to wait until you\u2019re back at it.<\/p>\n Say you go the route of telling clients you\u2019ll be periodically checking emails or to text you if an emergency pops up. That\u2019s all well and good (even though we still think you should say \u201csayonara\u201d for the duration of your stay), but are you sure you have the ability to even connect?<\/p>\n If your vacation is taking you somewhere remote or to a far, far away land, then it might be safe to assume that your WiFi will be anything but desirable. Or are you traveling out of the country? It\u2019s probably best that you keep your cell phone\u2019s data plan dormant.<\/p>\n The worst-case scenario is over promising your time and accessibility, thus putting everyone (including yourself) in a real pickle.<\/p>\n If you feel you must do some checking in while you\u2019re away, just be sure that you have the means to do so.<\/p>\n As a freelancer, you know that your income isn\u2019t necessarily going to be consistent every month. However, to help rock the boat as little as possible, you may find it valuable to put in some additional work hours before your trip.<\/p>\n This can be especially true if there is a certain assignment that needs to wrap up before you depart, or if you being gone might delay another stage in an important project.<\/p>\n It can be stressful to feel like you need to pack more work into an already busy schedule, but that\u2019s where Timing can help. By automatically tracking all of the time spent on your Mac, Timing can help you decipher where in your days or weeks you may have some additional time to get stuff done.<\/p>\n Carving out an hour each day that might otherwise be spent surfing the web for entertainment purposes or scrolling through pictures of your cousin\u2019s friend\u2019s baby on social media can really help you log in some productive work time.<\/p>\n Make the more administrative tasks of going away\u2014booking reservations, hitting up Amazon for trip items, or packing\u2014a categorized project. This will help trigger your brain to realize that it\u2019s okay to prepare for vacation\u2014in fact, it\u2019s something you should be doing!<\/p>\n [content_upgrade cu_id=”403″]Free Download: Easy Vacation Planner<\/strong>[content_upgrade_button]Click Here[\/content_upgrade_button][\/content_upgrade]<\/p>\n The fact that you are even reading this article shows how dedicated you are to being a hardworking freelancer.<\/p>\n It can be exhausting working for yourself and constantly worrying about keeping new work coming in, and sometimes it can even be a little lonely. It\u2019s hard to not have office comrades to lean on\u2014whether to celebrate or commiserate.<\/p>\n You deserve to take a break, and we can assure you that coming back to the grind rested, relaxed, and recharged will only reinvigorate your passion for being your own boss.<\/p>\n So get out there and get your vacation on! Just be sure to let everyone know you\u2019ll be OOO.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ahhh vacation. It\u2019s a beautiful word, isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n For many of us it prompts images of palm trees, colorful drinks, and long siestas.<\/p>\n The North American definition is \u201can extended period of leisure and recreation, especially one spent away from home or in traveling,\u201d which we all know is parallel to a \u201choliday\u201d in other locales around the world.<\/p>\n Basically, as an adult, it\u2019s supposed to signify no work\u2014sounds blissful, right?<\/p>\n As humans, we are meant to take time to recharge our batteries and fuel our souls with the people and things that make us happy. And not to say that work doesn\u2019t make some of us happy (because that\u2019s kind of a big goal in life), but it also occupies so much space in both our schedules and our minds that it\u2019s healthy to get away every once in a while.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Freelancer vacation","_yoast_wpseo_title":"Feel Like Taking a Vacation as a Freelancer? Read This.","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"We all need a break sometimes, but it can be hard to find the time to get away\u2014especially as a freelancer. Rest assured that it\u2019s something you can (and should) do, just be sure to do these things before you pack up and go.","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","related_articles":"","language":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[52,53,51],"class_list":["post-398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-timing-app","tag-easy-vacation-planner","tag-prepare-for-time-off","tag-time-off-as-a-freelancer"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Freelancer](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Timing_vacationstats-1.png\")
Things to Consider<\/h2>\n
Timing<\/h3>\n
Cost<\/h3>\n
Client Communication<\/h3>\n
Connectivity<\/h3>\n
![\"Freelancer](\"https:\/\/timingapp.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Timing_connectivity.png\")
<\/p>\nPutting in Extra Time<\/h3>\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n
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