Tips for Balancing Summer Holidays and Freelancing: Enjoying the Best of Both Worlds

Summer is here (or is it?). Finding the right balance between work and holidays can be challenging. Can you fully appreciate time off if your workload is overwhelming? This article will provide you with five valuable tips to enjoy your well-deserved holiday time and secure your income at the same time!

1. Plan ahead and set realistic goals.

Before embarking on your holiday, it’s essential to set achievable targets. Take the time to assess your workload and deadlines to plan your holiday accordingly. Determine which tasks can wait and which ones require immediate attention. By establishing clear priorities, you can allocate your time effectively and make sure you can enjoy your down time with everything under control. The purpose of your holiday is to rejuvenate and come back with a boosted mind and body. Want to make sure you come back to new opportunities? Then check out Workfree and create your profile.

2. Communicate and manage expectations

Communication is vital, and it’s critical to let your clients know about your approaching holiday period well in advance. Make sure they are aware of the procedure to follow throughout this time as well as who to contact in case of an emergency. Establish a clear out-of-office policy that specifies your expected response times and the time you will be back at your desk full-time. 

3. It’s okay to delegate and outsource

Sometimes, it may not be possible to handle all the workload during holiday time. In that case, consider delegating or outsourcing certain tasks.  Identify trusted freelancers that can step in and handle some of the workload to lighten your load. Your time can be more productive, but it will also allow you to build professional relationships with other freelancers, strengthening your network for the next time you have to take time off.  You can easily find a trusted freelancer that matches your needs on Workfree. Visit Workfree

4. Set boundaries and schedule working time

For many of us, summer holidays aren’t just a week in the sun, but a whole six weeks when kids are off school. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance requires discipline, especially during these challenging times.

Boundaries are essential to prevent work-related stress from pouring into your “family” time, and creating a clear schedule can take the stress out of the holidays. Make sure you allocate your working hours and time to spend with the family. Planning ahead to organise child care and summer camps ensures you have your own peaceful working time and can enjoy all the holiday time as well.

5. Embrace technology and automation

One of the advantages of being freelance nowadays is the insane amount of technology that allows you to multitask and save precious time. Prioritise what can be delegated to automated tools to manage your time efficiently. Utilise project management tools, email automation, or AI to simplify your tasks and maintain productivity.

Remember, holidays are essential for your well-being, as well as your productivity.

By implementing the tips mentioned above and embracing a balanced approach, you can confidently set sail for a fabulous holiday, knowing that all the necessary steps have been taken.

Here’s to finding the perfect balance and enjoying the best of both worlds!

If you are looking for new challenges while basking in the sun, hop onto Workfree and create a profile. Full profiles will be considered as part of our co-founding community, where we are awarding 1,000 freelancers real equity in Workfree.

Contributed to the Workfree blog by @Boris Ghanem