How to Take a Vacation When You Work for Yourself
Self-employed? Taking vacations is essential, and easy to pull off if you plan ahead, communicate, and stand your ground.
With Fall on the horizon, there’s so much to look forward to. You’ll no longer soak your backpack in sweat lugging your computer coffee shop to coffee shop. The smell of sun-soaked trash will leave your nostrils for another year as ice escapes your caffeinated drink. Picturesque Autumn brings the same excitement as it did when we were kids picking out new school supplies. As freelancers, there is so much to look forward to as the new season rolls in.
Television is BACK and It’s Better Than EVER!
I am a TV junkie. I don’t just relax by watching television…I am memorized by it. The entire production and writing process from start to finish, the story arcs, cast performances, directorial choices, art direction, and more is what I live for. A binge for me is a true high. Even if most people can’t relate to my obsession, they can relate to the sheer enjoyment of a show being back on the air. That’s what fall brings. Not only a cool breeze, but the joyous influx of your favorite shows populating your Hulu watchlist and titillating your senses with what could be a new fav. As freelancers, our schedules are more sporadic than others so getting to settle down in front of the tube is a true luxury.
Seasonal Coffee Drinks
When your office could be a coffee shop, it’s pretty exciting when the menu gets a bit festive. Pumpkin-spiced lattes (regardless how you feel about the pumpkin boom!), chai lattes, salted caramel flavors, and straight up hot tea are back on our radar. If we are gonna hole ourselves up in these establishments, every now and then we can allow ourselves these sweet treats.
Freelance Fall Fashion: Sweaters, Cardigans, and HOODIES!
I don’t know about you but I work best wearing a hoodie. With the hood up, it’s like I’m in my own little focus cocoon and no one can stop me from meeting a deadline. ‘Tis the season to wrap yourself in sweaters, cardigans, or hoodies – whichever one you want because you’re a freelancer and you don’t have a dress code. Freelance in the clothes the make you your most successful.
Swim in a Pool of Apple Cider!
If you don’t want to give up the summer just yet and you still are scheduling your time around a swim, just fill a kiddie pool with apple cider and go for a dip. That stuff is so delicious, why wouldn’t you want to submerge yourself in it? Hell, I would take a call with a straw in my mouth as I was doing the backstroke in that cinnamon-y liquid delight. Remember, we are freelancers. We make our own rules, and this season they involve apple cider.
A Cool Walk To & From Meetings
I mentioned this one above because it’s one of the things I am most excited for. I am in New York City and I shuffle around the city from meetings to meetings. This summer has been brutal and I end up walking in the door a sweaty mess. The best thing about being a freelancer is not being chained to a desk so these walks are something I cherish. I am so excited to enjoy the nice, stable weather surrounded by the scenery’s beautiful changing colors.
Work From Inside a Pumpkin
If you find a pumpkin big enough, why not. A freelancer could blow this pumpkin craze out of the water and I say working from the inside of a pumpkin is taking it to another level. If you make the pumpkin a Jack O’Lantern, you’ll have windows in your office. And who knows, if you’re lucky, your pumpkin could turn into a carriage and you might end up with a free ride you may or may not be able to expense. (Ed. Note: The James and the Giant [Pumpkin]/Cinderalla scenario might be tough, but we can dream!)
Halloween & Thanksgiving!
Halloween if you want to remember the thing that scares you most (being stuck in a 9-t05!) and Thanksgiving for when you want to give thanks that you get to do this crazy job!
There are so many things to look forward to in fall and us freelancers are lucky to experience them on our own terms. Now, if you’ll excuse me I am stocking up on barrels of apple cider because mama’s got a kiddie pool and some calls to take.
