Freelancers at Christmas ….Dilemmas

  

It’s the holiday season!

At least it is the holiday season for North America and many Western European nations. For a lot of folks the months of November and December are an exciting time. It’s time to get together with family and friends. It’s also a time of celebration.

For a freelancer, however, the holidays can be very stressful. The holiday season presents the average freelancer with a number of confusing dilemmas.

In this post, I’ll address some of those holiday dilemmas directly and explain what a freelancer can do to prepare for them.

Dilemma: Taking Time Off

Like most folks, many freelancers want to take some time off during the holidays. However, without proper planning, getting time off during the holidays can become a major freelancing stressor. Here are two steps you can take to help ensure that you have enough time to spend with your friends and family during the holiday season:

• Schedule it. Let’s face it, if you don’t put your time off on your calendar just like you would a work project, you probably won’t get to take any. It is just too easy to say “yes” to those last minute projects that tend to crop up at this time of the year.
• Save for it. Taking time off during the holidays can also cause a financial strain for the unprepared freelancer. As we all know, freelancers don’t get paid unless they work. That’s why it’s important to save for the holidays.

Dilemma: To Gift, or Not to Gift

Most freelancers struggle with the issue of whether or not it is okay to send a gift to their clients. This can be a real dilemma, because the wrong gift can make a bad impression. Or, worse yet, it can seem like a bribe of sorts. There’s also an issue because some folks don’t celebrate the holidays. So, what’s a freelancer to do? Here are two approaches:

• Promotional items. Promotional business items that are practical, yet not too personal can answer the client gift dilemma quite nicely. Some examples include coffee cups, calendars, or even snacks. Make sure whatever you give is of high quality.
• Year-end thank-you. Many freelancers opt to make their holiday greetings to clients a year-end thank-you rather than a recognition of a specific holiday. This approach avoids any potential awkwardness and should apply equally to all clients.

Thanks to Freelance Folder