by : Kristen Fischer
If you are like most freelancers, the concept of taking a day off from work is pretty wonderful. But in reality, it can kind of put you in a whirlwind. It can even be downright stressful.
I was thinking about how grateful I am to be self-employed today, when I remembered what a friend said in her Facebook status message. She said she was confident it would be a great day because she had a day off from work. This friend works a full-time 9-to-5 gig. I remember what it used to be like to have a day off. I lived for days off. Now, I sometimes have to force myself to take days off. Sometimes when I decide to take a weekday off, I sometimes have to battle an insane amount of guilt.
The question is: for what?
If I’m doing well with my business, I should be able to take a day off every now and then. It’s gotten easier to do over the past few years, but it still feels strange not to be working on a weekday. But making time to not work has provided me with much-needed balance. (In case you can’t tell, I’m an overachiever.)
As a freelancer, my perception on days off has changed. First off, it was much easier to enjoy a day off when I was working in Corporate America and knew my job would be there tomorrow. (Obviously, this was before the recession!) Even though taking a day off as a freelancer doesn’t mean my business will go kaput, it’s harder to do because I have to keep myself afloat. Sometimes taking a regular workday off makes me feel lazy. Who am I to deserve a day off when the rest of the world is working? That’s where the “grateful to be a freelancer” feeling comes in.
I realize other freelancers don’t have this problem. In fact, they relish it and enjoy days off, and make a regular habit of it. But many of us are workaholics. Especially if you’re just starting your freelancing, a day off may seem out of the question. It really may be hard to put work down, even for a half a day. You may be doing the “seven-day-a-week” work thing.
Freelancing is all about balance. When I started, there were no days off–not even on the weekends. I would make some time away from work but there would be Saturdays when I’d be working the morning, or a Sunday afternoon would be occupied getting ready to meet Monday’s deadline. After a lot of trial and error–and constantly trying to rid myself of guilt-ridden thoughts–I’ve proven to myself that I work hard and that my business can survive and I can enjoy my life. It didn’t come easy. It takes time to let go a little and be able to really revel in all those things you said you’d enjoy when you started freelancing.
Little by little, you can let go. Once you see that your business is doing well, being able to take a day off from work becomes more doable…an essential treat. No, you don’t do it all the time, but yes, you become more accepting of it when you can do it. Obviously there are times when you will be busy and may have to work weekends. Then there are phases when you can get into a Monday-to-Friday routine. Some people work less and still are able to make a great living. It doesn’t always start off ideal where you’ve got that coveted “four-hour workweek.” freelancing can turn you into a bona fide workaholic, which is okay, as long as you remember to slow down a little after you’re up and running.
It all depends on what you want out of your freelance career. Some of us like a 60-hour workweek while others won’t go over 20. Some have no choice and have to push themselves for a period of time. In my case, I needed to work my butt off for a few years to establish myself. (It’s not like I didn’t take any breaks, but I pretty much never thought of taking a Thursday off if I didn’t have anything going on–because I always had something happening.) Now that business is steady and I am able to earn better money and manage my time well, I am learning to take time away in order to experience other things. I find it makes me a better, more refreshed professional. In turn, I work more productively when it’s time to meet a deadline.
No matter where you’re at, taking a break of some sort is imperative. Again, you may not be able to gallivant around on a Tuesday afternoon, but make some time to not work. After all, there’s more to life than what we do for a living.
Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia
If you are like most freelancers, the concept of taking a day off from work is pretty wonderful. But in reality, it can kind of put you in a whirlwind. It can even be downright stressful.
I was thinking about how grateful I am to be self-employed today, when I remembered what a friend said in her Facebook status message. She said she was confident it would be a great day because she had a day off from work. This friend works a full-time 9-to-5 gig. I remember what it used to be like to have a day off. I lived for days off. Now, I sometimes have to force myself to take days off. Sometimes when I decide to take a weekday off, I sometimes have to battle an insane amount of guilt.
The question is: for what?
If I’m doing well with my business, I should be able to take a day off every now and then. It’s gotten easier to do over the past few years, but it still feels strange not to be working on a weekday. But making time to not work has provided me with much-needed balance. (In case you can’t tell, I’m an overachiever.)
As a freelancer, my perception on days off has changed. First off, it was much easier to enjoy a day off when I was working in Corporate America and knew my job would be there tomorrow. (Obviously, this was before the recession!) Even though taking a day off as a freelancer doesn’t mean my business will go kaput, it’s harder to do because I have to keep myself afloat. Sometimes taking a regular workday off makes me feel lazy. Who am I to deserve a day off when the rest of the world is working? That’s where the “grateful to be a freelancer” feeling comes in.
I realize other freelancers don’t have this problem. In fact, they relish it and enjoy days off, and make a regular habit of it. But many of us are workaholics. Especially if you’re just starting your freelancing, a day off may seem out of the question. It really may be hard to put work down, even for a half a day. You may be doing the “seven-day-a-week” work thing.
Freelancing is all about balance. When I started, there were no days off–not even on the weekends. I would make some time away from work but there would be Saturdays when I’d be working the morning, or a Sunday afternoon would be occupied getting ready to meet Monday’s deadline. After a lot of trial and error–and constantly trying to rid myself of guilt-ridden thoughts–I’ve proven to myself that I work hard and that my business can survive and I can enjoy my life. It didn’t come easy. It takes time to let go a little and be able to really revel in all those things you said you’d enjoy when you started freelancing.
Little by little, you can let go. Once you see that your business is doing well, being able to take a day off from work becomes more doable…an essential treat. No, you don’t do it all the time, but yes, you become more accepting of it when you can do it. Obviously there are times when you will be busy and may have to work weekends. Then there are phases when you can get into a Monday-to-Friday routine. Some people work less and still are able to make a great living. It doesn’t always start off ideal where you’ve got that coveted “four-hour workweek.” freelancing can turn you into a bona fide workaholic, which is okay, as long as you remember to slow down a little after you’re up and running.
It all depends on what you want out of your freelance career. Some of us like a 60-hour workweek while others won’t go over 20. Some have no choice and have to push themselves for a period of time. In my case, I needed to work my butt off for a few years to establish myself. (It’s not like I didn’t take any breaks, but I pretty much never thought of taking a Thursday off if I didn’t have anything going on–because I always had something happening.) Now that business is steady and I am able to earn better money and manage my time well, I am learning to take time away in order to experience other things. I find it makes me a better, more refreshed professional. In turn, I work more productively when it’s time to meet a deadline.
No matter where you’re at, taking a break of some sort is imperative. Again, you may not be able to gallivant around on a Tuesday afternoon, but make some time to not work. After all, there’s more to life than what we do for a living.
Job Vacancy , Indonesia Job , Job Indonesia
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