How to deal with illness as a freelancer in 5 simple steps

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How to deal with illness as a freelancer in 5 simple steps
01.12.2014
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FREELANCER TIPS

01.12.2014
How to deal with illness
Winter is already knocking on our doorstep, meaning it is again that time of year when we sometimes unfortunately face illness. Coughs, colds and worse, dealing with yourself being sick can become quite the hassle, especially if you weren’t prepared for it. Freelancers face a couple of specific problems, which can make those nasty viruses hit us even worse. You don’t have anywhere to call in sick and nobody is going to pay you the time you had to take off due to medical reasons. Once you are aware of the problem, however, you can take steps to reduce its impact. To help you do that, we’ve made a list with five tips that will make sure your cold doesn’t interfere with your business.

01.12.2014
1) Prevention
Wait, you’re writing an article on handling being sick as a freelancer and you start with prevention? That’s right. We who work from home can often have problems with keeping our health levels in the green zone. The fact that there are so many articles about balancing your life and your work is not without reason. Having a home office has tons of advantages, but we shouldn’t forget about the disadvantages either. So go out for a walk once in a while, make sure to eat properly and get some exercise in. Staying on top of your fitness level will pay off in loads in the long run.

01.12.2014
2) Plan for the unexpected
The next step is also a preventive measure – planning ahead. Most people don’t think about what could happen if they get sick at the times when they are feeling well. This is why getting a simple cold can be damaging to your business. Make sure to have flexible deadlines – you know you can finish the project in 14 days? Make them 17, just in case. And even if you finish in 14, give it in and impress your client with how quickly you handled all the work.

01.12.2014
3) Be honest
Okay, so you ate your vegetables, did some exercise and even planned ahead with flexible deadlines, but you still got sick and it looks like you’re not going to make it in time. The most important thing you have to do is to be honest with your clients. Being sick is part of being human, everybody should understand that. But it is your responsibility to inform the people who are depending on your work that you are having issues with your health and might not be able to keep the deadline. Chances are that they had some buffering on their own and can afford a small delay. Just make sure to let your clients know you’re sick the moment you know it. Don’t wait that extra week hoping that you will get better and muscle through it. Honesty is the best line of action.

01.12.2014
4) Use your freelance network
In a lot of articles we mention how important it is to have a network of like-minded individuals in your field of work. You can share experiences, ideas, work together on different project and, most importantly for this topic, rely on each other in times of sickness. A lot of freelancers have these unwritten agreements with each other, where they cover their backs in case one of them gets sick. It is very important that the person who is willing to cover for you is a professional that you absolutely trust. It is advisable to also inform the client that somebody else can take over in case they want to; don’t do it behind their backs.

01.12.2014
5) Work through it (if you have to) but take some time off afterwards
And finally, we come to the worst case scenario. You absolutely have to do the work even though you’re sick and cannot afford outside help or a deadline extension. You might have to just clench your teeth and work through it. Freelancers have the advantage of not working in an office environment, thus being able to do the most urgent work even if they’re sneezing every two minutes. The emphasis lies on most urgent – do only the work that cannot be avoided in any way. Take lots of naps to help your body to recover. And after you’re done and feeling better, think about taking some time off. Your body needs to recover without the stress from work.

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01.12.2014

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How to deal with illness as a freelancer in 5 simple steps