The best thing about being a freelancer is that you can take a holiday whenever you want. Luxury comes with its responsibilities and in this case means that ought to have a lot of discipline with your work. You may wish to take a work-free vacation and not work while on your vacation. I would recommend working while on vacation, as this means a longer vacation.
I am on holiday as a write this post and there are several checks I needed to make in order to be able to be enjoying my Christmas vacation with no stress of piling work at home. Below I have mentioned how I ensure my work is in order, before I leave.
Packing your Bags
When packing your swimming trunks, try and remember to pack your freelancing essentials. These include:
A Laptop. If you do not have one, then I suggest you purchase one before going on holiday. You may not get access to good computers everywhere you go, especially in developing countries.
A Laptop Bag. You will need a bag which you can take with you at all times. The reason I would suggest a disguised laptop bag is simply because while you are on holiday, the chances of your bag being stolen are higher.
Mobile Internet. Try to get a wireless dongle, especially if you are going to a country where you believe you may not be able to get internet connection. Watch out for high roaming charges, so try to use internet café’s as a priority.
USB Stick. Save all your files onto a USB stick, so that even if the worst happens and you lose your laptop, you still have valuable information safe.
External Hardrive. God forbid, if everything goes to pot and you have a holiday from hell by losing everything (don’t travel with RyanAir then!) you need your valuable work when you get back home. Purchase an external hardrive and save everything onto it.
A Diary. Many freelancers will use online alternatives of a diary. While on holiday you may not get access so make a note on a real diary of the work you were planning to do on those specific days. This will keep you working even when you are offline.
The Work
Schedule. If you are going on vacation, you need a break, so never plan to do as much work as you do at home. If you do, you will end up not doing it because the kids will want you here and there. Let’s face it, apart from needing a break, it isn’t fair on our families if we do not spend our holidays with them.
Clients. Not all of your clients will need to know you are going on holiday, but most of them ought to know. Give them assurance that this does not mean that you will be abandoning the project and that you plan to continue while you are away. This will clear any doubts and explain why you may not be replying to their emails as fast as before, along with them feeling better because you have shown them value by continue their work on holiday.
Gadgets. They run on batteries which run out, so charge them at every opportunity. It would also be recommended to get an international plug adapter so that all your appliances such as your laptop, PDA, mobile etc can continue running.
Final Point
You are on vacation in order to enjoy yourself, be sure that if everything goes wrong at least you enjoy time with your family/friends and return home stress free.
Have you worked while on Holiday? Are there any other considerations you would make? Please share with us below.
Like it/Hated it? Express your views below.
Want to say thanks? Share using the bookmarks below.
Please be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed by clicking here!
December 9th, 2009 at 3:26 am
I’ve never been on a vacation, and had to work; nonetheless, great advice on backing up your files. It never hurts!
December 10th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
Good article.
I’ve been traveling and working on/off for about 9 years now. I work from wherever I am. Beach, mountain or city.
I recently wrote an article about the importance of data backups while traveling, in particular, while traveling through Costa Rica.
You can find the article here :
http://programmershotel.com/2009/11/costa-rica-ca-ca/
December 11th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Great Post. The biggest problem we encounter is connectivity. 3G cards are expensive in other countries but in the cities you will always find an open WiFi network somewhere!
December 14th, 2009 at 12:17 am
where have all the post been lately? I use to check often now it seems like there never anything new
December 14th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
@Mike, You are right. I have taken over FreelanceApple and after I did I had a baby daughter! However, I promise an article at least every two days from now on. There is one out on Tuesday! Thanks for your feedback, much appreciated.
December 29th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Perfect product for the price, For 160 GB is powerful enough to do a lot of stuff with good speed. Real good for traveling.
December 30th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
valuable information and excellent design you got here! I would like to thank you for sharing your thoughts and time into the stuff you post!! Thumbs up!
January 4th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
How do you handle work visas, green cards, etc? Can you do a “working vacation” when visiting the United States or Europe? How do you respond to the question at the border, “Will you be working?”
Do you get any hassles crossing the border with a laptop? How do you keep your data secure when crossing the border and later when on vacation?
How easy is it to find WiFi? What about printing? Have you tried any online backup services or Amazon Cloud? If your laptop gets stolen or confiscated, how difficult is it to find a replacement and reinstall everything?
Thanks.
January 10th, 2010 at 1:14 am
@ Fred. Some very very interesting points raised, thanks
December 31st, 2010 at 2:20 am
As we are all discussing
Freelancing on the Beach: Working While on Vacation | Freelance Apple, from a practical point of view, having additional adults on hand to watch the youngsters is valuable. Splitting the responsibility makes the trip more enjoyable for the adults. An additional advantage is the capacity of being able to break out into smaller groups and do different activities.