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3 top tips for planning a holiday as a self-employed worker

• 15 Mar 2020
• Inna Yordanova

With the lockdown restrictions in place, many of us feel the need for a break, but work obligations often hold us back.

To help alleviate this, here are our top three tips for planning a holiday as a freelancer, based on IPSE’s research into taking time off as a self-employed worker.

1. Manage your clients’ expectations

Managing client expectations is top of the list of things self-employed people need to do when planning a holiday. More than two-thirds (70%) advise their clients they will be taking time off before they do.

This is hardly surprising as working with clients is central to finding and maintaining work. Positive client relationships are also an important source of healthy human interaction for many freelancers, given the isolation that can come with working independently.

2. Budget for your time away

Two in five freelancers financially prepare for taking time off. Going on holiday often places double financial pressure on freelancers: they not only take on the financial costs of their holiday but also lose money for the time spent away from their self-employed work because they do not receive holiday pay.

You should not only set money aside for holidays; you also need to budget for lost days of work.

3. Organise your workload

Many freelancers see workload planning as a key part of preparing for time off. For some, this includes working more hours to prepare for their holiday, while for others it simply means avoiding taking on new contracts.

Taking a holiday is not always easy, but planning ahead can reduce pre-holiday stress and allow for full relaxation while away.