If you think working all the time will be good for you, then you are wrong. You should take some break sometimes to travel, to have a vacation and to do away with the busy life. It won’t hurt if you would. Some freelancers look at having a vacation as a waste of time and it would really be a struggle for them to schedule one, thinking that they will have to leave behind their work. Well, if you have this kind of mindset, you can read our post on the reasons why one should consider taking a break from freelancing. This might move you to take some steps for a vacation.
So, if you have finally decided that a vacation is right for you, then we have here some tips to help you have a guilt-free vacation. This means that you won’t have to be thinking much about work and the projects that you have left behind (because you won’t actually leave unfinished work). When one is in vacation, he would like to be free from the busy world. But what about work? What happens when there are urgent matters that need your attention? Don’t be stressed out. Look into the tips below so you will know the secrets on how to have a stress-free vacation. These are the things that a freelancer should do before leaving for a vacation.
1. Work more hours before the vacation.
You would need to finish all your work before you leave for a vacation. Hence, work for more hours so that you can finish everything and submit them even before the deadline. Don’t worry you will get all the rest you want during the vacation. For now, you just have to work double. Anyway, your prize is also doubled after all the hard work. You can work over time at night but don’t stay too long that you will get only little sleep.
2. Ask for a friend’s service or help.
You would definitely need the help of someone who can be trusted and who knows what you are doing. You can let your friend or colleague help you or do some services for you. You can pay him or her for that. But it also depends on your arrangement. What’s important is that you have someone who can talk to your clients while you are away and who could do some little tasks for you, too. That can include doing some little revisions on works that are urgently needed and others. So, be sure to pick the right person to help you.
3. Inform clients about it.
Let your clients know that you will be away for some time. This can let them settle some things before you leave like if they have certain concerns of the project and others. Also, let them know who they can contact while you are away. Give them your friend’s number and email address so they can get touch with him whenever they need to.
4. Finish projects that are due.
Do not get too excited with your vacation. Finish your projects first. You have to do this so that you won’t get stressed out thinking that you still have to do some things when you get back. See to it also that you are able to finish those that are due during your vacation. Finish them early so that you can still have time for some revisions if there are. A responsible graphic designer would do this.
5. Raise your rate.
This is applicable to transactions done during your vacation. Raising your rate is like saying “wait till I return or else you’ll pay this much”. There are really clients who want you to do some things even if you are on vacation. You can accept that with a higher rate. While other clients will patiently wait for you since they do not want to pay that much. Raising your rate is one effective way to do away with clients while you are enjoying your time away from work.
6. Clean your work area.
A cluttered work area in your return will be a headache. So, clean and organize everything. Throw away stuff that are no longer used and arrange your things properly. Don’t ever leave a working area that is unclean because when you get back, you will be welcomed with stress. But with a clean work area, you will feel warmly welcomed in your return. You will even have that excitement to work again.
7. Organize project files.
This is also important. There is a tendency that you will forget where you have placed certain files after a long break. So, you have to organize all of it. Fix your papers and documents and label them properly. This can help you to find them when you get back to work. Also, it would be very helpful for your friend whom you asked to help you with some work while you are away. At least if there are important files that you need to check, your friend can easily find it.
8. Create a to-do list for your return.
Aside from fixing all your work before leaving, you should also create a to-do list for your return. This will keep you guided on what to do even if you were gone for some time. Others become disoriented as to what needs to be done first after a long vacation. This would help you a lot when you get back to work to ensure that you will not skip important tasks and deadlines.
9. Activate your email auto-response.
You cannot enjoy a vacation if you will still keep on replying tons of emails. So, activate your auto-response. This would inform the sender that you are currently on vacation. Let them know when you will be back so that they will also know when they can reach you again. It would be more courteous and professional if you do it in this manner than merely leave their emails unanswered.
10. Acquire a second phone.
You will need two mobile phones for your vacation. One for personal transactions and one for business. Your business phone can be checked once in a while. This way, can still have fun with the vacation while you are also staying online for urgent matters. You’ll never know, there might be a very important matters that need your attention. Anyway, you won’t have to spend a couple of hours talking to the phone. Remember to have a limit when attending to this because the reason why you have a second phone is to limit time in checking on it.
It’s Your Turn Now
After doing the above mentioned things, for sure you are ready to pack your things and leave for your vacation. You deserve to have one. Everyone deserves to take a time off once in a while. It would be healthy for you and your career. Being workaholic won’t do you any good. Actually, taking long breaks is just one way to stop being a workaholic. Do not be afraid to go for a vacation. It will give you lots of benefits. Do you go on vacation from work? What things do you do in preparation for it?
