Today’s post will explain how you can take a break from both blogging and freelancing. I will also explain why I can only do one and not both right now.

Before I give you some useful information, I want you to know that I feel like I need a vacation. Badly.

I’ve been working my butt off trying to attain some of my personal writing and publishing goals.

And, in addition to being an author, I’m also a blogger AND a freelance writer and editor. (But you knew that, right?) 😉 I have a lot of responsibilities to many people. Fortunately, I don’t have a lot of clients to deal with. Some have been one-timers, some are occasional repeaters, and one is long-term. Because my freelancing business is on the smaller side right now, I’m able to effectively take a break from freelancing. Plus, one of the upsides to freelancing is setting your own hours. (I love that part!)

However, I really wanted to take a vacation from blogging, but I cannot. At least, I can’t right now. I have too many responsibilities to others that I need to fulfil.

It’s no secret WHY I want a break – it’s SUMMER!

Aside from the obvious reason of rejuvenation, I wanted to take a vacation from blogging because summer has finally arrived. In the great city where I live, it only lasts for about two month  – if that – and so I need to make the most of the nice weather while it’s here.

I have posts planned already and duties to fulfil to authors who’ve taken me up on my offer. Plus, I’ve recently released an ebook (my very first one – YAY!) and have started another blog on my new author website.

I wanted to do this last month, but the weather here has been pretty bleak. Hopefully the rainy days will go away soon and allow me to do things I want to do – like go swimming outdoors!

How to Take a Break from Freelancing

Taking a break from freelancing requires planning. You have to clear your schedule if you want to really enjoy your time off. To do this, you should:

• inform your clients of the days you won’t be available, giving them a lot of notice so that they can adjust their schedules accordingly
• do extra work beforehand so that you do not leave them in the lurch
• remind your clients of the great work you do for them in order to get them to be more agreeable to your terms and not cause friction in the relationship
• offer to do something nice for them as a bonus
• remind them of what it says in your contract regarding vacation time

If you have never taken a freelancing break, some clients may become upset with you and feel like you are abandoning them. They may even become difficult to work with or threaten to fire you, especially if they feel slighted or if you have not taken time off since you began working with them. If any of these scenarios occur and you cannot resolve your differences, then it may be time to re-evaluate your entire relationship and potentially end your contract altogether.

How YOU can take a blogging break – and not feel guilty about it

For those of you who are not freelancers (yet), but who are bloggers, then this is the section for you!

I’m sure most of you have thought about going on vacation, but DIDN’T, for whatever reason.

If you are wondering how you can 1. take a break and 2. not feel guilty about it, I’d suggest reading How to Take a Summer Break from Blogging (without Feeling Guilty).

It’s a pretty darn good article. Great, actually, if I do say so myself. (Yes, I wrote it!)

😀 Plus, it includes some personal pictures of my brother’s pool and my sister’s little guy. 🙂

It actually started out as a post for this blog, but I deemed it so good that I offered to sell it. (I’m a freelancer, after all, and if I can earn money for my writing, I will.) Because it’s available for all the world to see, you can pop over to Dear Blogger and pick up a few blogging tips. (Or should I say “blogging break” tips?) 😉

I know when you read it, you’ll be a bit confused. But don’t forget, I’m writing for two different audiences, who overlap but are different. Greg’s audience consists of people wanting blogging tips. My audience consists of people who want blogging, freelancing, writing, and publishing tips.

See the difference? Thought so. 😀

Now it’s your turn…

Are you going to take a vacation this summer – or did you already? 

Share in the comments here, or on Dear Blogger. I”ll be responding to everyone on both sites. 😀

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Introductory photo image courtesy of samuiblue/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net