Summer is here, and it’s time to book that all-important vacation and unplug for a while. But there’s one group of hard workers who may struggle to carve out the relaxation time they need: freelancers. Working for yourself means managing your own schedule, which is highly appealing for many independent professionals. However, it also means you can end up in a position where you’re entirely beholden to clients, without any time for yourself, your family, or pursuing your other passions. Rethinking your attitude toward your career can help you take that all-important freelancer vacation time — and enjoy the beautiful summer without worrying about work!

Relaxation Is an Investment

Hypnotherapist Jessica Porter views herself as a “relaxation nerd” and talks extensively about the benefits of relaxation. She highlights how elite athletes don’t find their winning zone through stress or anxiety — they find it via calm and relaxation.

It’s exactly the same in your career. You will be a more effective freelancer if you view relaxation as an investment: time taken to improve yourself so you can work smarter when it matters. Allowing your body and mind to rest increases the quality of your sleep, your powers of judgment, and your decision-making abilities.

Feeling guilty about relaxation only increases the association that taking time off is somehow a bad thing. There’s a pervasive myth in Western culture that effective professionals have to be productive all the time. Of course, that’s not true. In fact, that leads to burnout or, at the very least, poor business decisions and a higher propensity for making mistakes. If your driving motivation is your sense of responsibility to your clients, consider this: When you’re rested and relaxed, you work more effectively, so it’s a win-win for you and your clients.

Book Time Off and Take It!

Freelancers are a vital part of the global and American economy. Career experts Zippia recently reported that freelancers currently contribute $1.2 trillion to the United States economy per year — a figure that’s constantly rising. It’s unreasonable that such a huge part of the workforce should never take any vacation time — or feel guilty and anxious when they do! Book your vacation time, but most importantly, stick to it. That means:

• If you have a separate work phone, set a professional, friendly out-of-office voicemail, then switch it off.

• Plan something to do in your time off — get excited about it, so you won’t be tempted to cancel.

• Don’t take your laptop with you. Or, if you’re taking time off at home, have a safe place to set it aside for a week or two.

• Engage others in your relaxation! Whether it’s a partner, kids, or best friend, having plans with others makes you far more likely to follow through on them and not be tempted into checking those work emails.

• Delete your email app from your phone. Sheer freedom.

Create Boundaries and Set Expectations

Of course, nobody is suggesting that your freelancer vacation should involve you simply disappearing off the face of the earth! Letting your clients know when you’ll be available is a vital part of getting away from work without feeling guilty or like you should be doing something. It’s important to remember that your clients value your services. They genuinely won’t mind you setting boundaries around how they can contact you. That might mean advising them that you won’t be contactable for a period of time or that they can contact a colleague or leave a message in your inbox that you’ll review upon your return.

Ease your own stress levels by informing affected parties that you’ll be away several weeks before you’re due to take your hard-earned freelancer vacation time. Clients will appreciate being given the time to prepare for your absence.

If you’re worried about newer or more demanding clients who may need your advice or expertise more frequently, consider creating some online resources. Sending useful links and articles before you go away helps you relax, knowing you’ve done what you can to ensure your clients have everything they need.

Final Word

Make the most of your summer plans and take the vacation time you deserve this summer. Unplugging from work isn’t just a “nice to have.” It’s essential for nurturing yourself as a whole, well-rounded person, and you will return to work more effective than ever. Speak to other freelancers and find out how they switch off — you might find some freelancer vacation tips you never thought of before!

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