Freelancing 101: Tips for Freelancing Over the Holidays
It’s that magical time of year! We’re cuddling up by fireplaces with cups of hot cocoa (or red wine), shopping for fun presents for loved ones, and planning reunions with friends and family members we haven’t seen in a long time.
Isn’t it funny, though, how we always glorify the happy parts of the holidays and forget about the stresses that come along with them? It’s worth it, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re a freelancer, there are some added stresses that come along with the yuletide joy.
Well, ho, ho, ho, ladies and gents and everyone else, Freelance Santa (Freelanta, if you will) is here to give you the gift of a few pro tips I’ve learned the hard way.
Holiday Freelancing Tips
Plan Ahead for Time Off
When you’re a freelancer, taking time offer (during the holidays or otherwise) is hard. You want to please all your clients, and of course, there’s the money. If you don’t work, you don’t make dough. But it only takes one year of trying to cram all the holiday festivities and tasks in with a busy workload before you burn out and say, “never again!”
Give yourself permission to take time off and then plan ahead as far as possible for that time off. Give clients a heads-up about the days you’ll be unavailable, and work out a schedule to take care of any and all retainer work outside of your vacation days.
Budget, Budget, Budget!
This time of the year is expensive for anyone. You’re buying travel arrangements, gifts, party necessities, décor, a bomb-ass outfit or three – it adds up. That’s true for everybody, but when you have a variable income because you’re a freelancer…yikes.
Budget in advance for both your workload and your seasonal expenses. Set a dollar limit for each gift and stick to it. Look at how the numbers stack up and decide if you might need to take on a few extra projects in January to recoup, or whatever the case may be. The ship has sailed for this year, but next year, try to run those numbers a few months in advance so you can take on extra gigs to save up the cash if necessary, but without overloading your schedule during this busy time of the year.
Set Aside Time for Last-Minute Needs
Take it from me, there will always, and I mean ALWAYS, be extra tasks that pop up when you’re trying to take time off around the holidays. You might have a client who just had a great idea for a last-minute seasonal promo and they want your help to get it off the ground. Or you might have clients who realize at the last minute that you’re about to be unavailable for a while and they have one last thing they need before you go. Or five “one last things.”
It’s inevitable, so do yourself a favor and plan some wiggle room in your workload in the last days before your vacation if possible. And if that wiggle room fills up and clients continue coming to you with more extras, give yourself permission to say no. Write down that last one, because it’s a biggie.
If you find yourself celebrating this holiday season as a freelancer, whether you’re in graphic design or software development, know that while this can be a tough time of the year, you do have the flexibility to choose what you want it to be. With the tips above, you can make it a bit less stressful and enjoy the opportunity to appreciate the freedoms that freelancing provides. Happy holidays and best wishes, everyone, and don’t forget to find a Ladies Work Remote chapter near you!