The phone rings late at night, a client has an emergency and promises to reward you. You get up and resolve the issue. Soon you’re called more frequently for more projects, congratulations! Your client tells everyone how stellar you are, how much hustle you show. Everyone is a fan of your work and you soon develop an extensive client list. Clients are readily available, life is good.
52 weeks later, you’re still bogged down. 52 weeks after that, you’re still slogging through an endless stream of client work. The phone still rings late at night, your email is still full.
OR
Perhaps the other scenario is even more terrifying. The phone doesn’t ring. You find yourself hustling every day, sending emails, practically pleading for work. The idea of a single week’s break terrifies you, what if your clients all move to another contractor? What if your consulting work falls through?
Take a step back, slow down, and take a vacation.
That’s right. Take a break. Summer is almost upon us, everyone is thinking about time off, how they can unwind and maybe pick up some tan, spend a day taking a lovely walk.
All you need to do is plan ahead.
If you’re working on a weekly project, note who will be assuming your duties for that week or that they won’t be accomplished during your vacation.
Simply put: just set the money aside. Whether you’re drawing from savings, planning on paying with credit, or have saved up specifically for the trip, make sure your budget is well thought through.
Set an anchor. Pick a vacation dream, work to achieve it. Put a down payment on the cruise, or the cabin.
Win-win!
Nope. Drop your charger. Drop your laptop. Take. A. Break. Don’t cheat yourself by checking your blackberry every morning. Yes, you may miss some opportunities while you’re away, but don’t let that detract from your relaxation. This is about you, not about business. Money isn’t everything, remember?
Relaxation is as important as productivity. We forget that taking care of ourselves is as important as expanding our client base or increasing our income. None of that is worth anything if you are suffering.
