Now that I’m a full-fledged freelancer, I can hypothetically go on vacation whenever I so desire. And I say hypothetically because I still have my workload and responsibilities to my clients. While there are ways of getting your vacationing on while attending trade shows and conferences, what about a 100 percent non work-related vacation? It can be tough if your work schedule is unpredictable. Here are some ways you can plan for a vacation when you’re freelancing:
Create a List of Dream Vacation Spots
My friends who work in film production tell me to take a trip whenever you can, because you never know when your next chance to take a break will be. As I am a writer and have gradually been building a base of steady, ongoing clients, I potentially can plan out my vacations. However, if there’s a lull I would probably want to get up and take a vacay somewhere. Perhaps a getaway to Macau? Or maybe an extensive trip to the national parks of Canada? One thing you can do is keep on hand a list of dream places you’d like to visit and roughly how much each trip would cost.
If you can afford to, start a vacation fund and sock away a little each month. That way, when the opportunity presents itself, you’ll have the means to hop on a train (or plane) and go on a spontaneous adventure.
Travel During the Off-Season
Recently I wrote an article for the Society of Grownups on taking a winter trip in the Christmas villages of Europe. While it’s still up in the air whether I’ll be taking an trip overseas this winter, it helped me realize there are a lot of great vacation spots you can travel to during the winter months. Depending on the type of freelancing you do, it may be a slower time for you workwise. Plus, if you travel during the off-season, which is from November through March minus the holidays for most destinations, you’ll be able to snap better deals on trips. You can check sites like TripAdvisor to score a great deal on a hotel room or flight.
If you’re a snow bunny, you can schedule a fun snowboarding trip. Or you can get creative and do some research on the Interwebs to see what kind of crazy cool events are happening in other parts of the world during the chillier months. You’ll be surprised at what you might discover.
Besides, I love Los Angeles in the summer. There are free movies, concerts, and fun happenings galore. While we do get a lot of tourists, that’s also when local denizens like to leave the city. As someone who does her grocery shopping on a Tuesday afternoon and avoids the crowds as much as possible, I would much rather stay local and have some summer fun.
Give Your Clients a Heads-Up in Advance
Be sure to inform all your clients, even if you don’t have any work scheduled during the time you plan on being away. You never know when a client will give you a last-minute assignment. Giving your clients a heads-up a few months in advance will ensure they have their needs taken care of while you’re away. If necessary, have a solid list of freelance friends who could fill in for you. Don’t forget to put up an auto-responder email message and send out your invoices before you take off!
While it can be tricky to make time for a vacation while you freelance, it’s definitely not impossible. It just takes a little more planning. As I worked a lot in 2015, I plan on getting away this year. Happy travels! 🙂
