One of the hardest things to do when you’re a solopreneur is take a break.
But guess what…
You need that damn break!
Not only is necessary to keep you from burning out, that’s the whole reason you got into this, remember? Freedom. Flexibility. Going to the beach in the middle of a Tuesday just because. (I’ve done this by the way, it’s everything you imagine it to be.)
I know it’s easier said than done. But it’s not impossible.
I’ve taken several vacations over the years (some more successful than others) and worked out ways to keep my freelance business running even when I’m halfway across the world. So I thought I’d share the three biggest tips that you can use to take a few breaks of your own.
1. Plan faaar in advance.
2021 isn’t even done yet, and I already know exactly which days I’ll be off in 2022. They are blocked off in red on my calendar.
This way, I can evaluate incoming projects based on my availability, and keep clients informed that I’ll have limited availability during those periods. (Also, don’t take on any big jobs that are due right after your vacay – you’ll probably regret it.)
2. Vacay prep a month in advance, and include some post-vacay time too.
Book a date with yourself a month in advance of your vacation start date, make a complete list of all recurring tasks and must-dos for your vacation period and the week you return, then add them to your priority to-dos over the following few weeks.
This way, you’ll be able to vacay peacefully, and ease back into work stress-free.
PS. Don’t tell clients the exact day you’ll be back. Give yourself a buffer of a day or two to catch up on things before you start fielding requests again.
3. “Absolutely no work” is never gonna happen.
Instead of trying to turn off work completely, plan to have some check in periods. I typically do one hour in the morning and 15 minutes at night.
First, answer emails, out fires and check in on social media. Then if there’s anything you have to do on a specific day during your vacation that can’t be scheduled or delegated, make a note of it beforehand so that when you do your morning check-in, you remember to handle it.
This will help you relax knowing that you have everything under control. Sure, you’ll lose a tiny fraction of your vacay, but you gain a lot more in peace of mind knowing that nothing is falling through the cracks.
So you see, solopreneurs vacations don’t look the same as an office worker’s. We might have to walk with our laptops and take work calls in the middle of the day, but at least we’ll be in paradise while doing it. Happy planning!