I just got back from a much-needed vacation in the Caribbean. It was the first time in a long time that I barely touched my laptop while out of the office — but that was more a matter of fortunate timing than anything, avoiding the weeks in the month where I have regularly scheduled projects due. Beyond a quick edit to a web page and answering a few emails, the rest of my time was available for snorkeling, catching rays, eating fresh seafood, and reading books with my toes in the sand.
I’ve been freelancing for more than 26 years, and I’ve always had my laptop with me when traveling — going back to the days of dialing into AOL on a phone line. I know people will make you feel guilty that it’s not “really” a vacation if you do work, or that it’s somehow stressful or less relaxing. For me, that’s never been the case.
While I did not bring work with me in my days as an employee, as a business owner I must take care of my clients. And, since my wife and I like to travel, it would actually be *more* stressful for me to not be available to my clients. Giving myself permission to do a little bit of work opens up opportunities, and I refuse to feel guilty about that.
That said, I have some ground rules for myself:
- As was the case for this vacation, I hustled extra hard in the preceding two weeks before this vacation to get as much done as possible. I don’t want to have anything weighing on me just because I was lazy or procrastinating. This is especially true since I’m faster working on my desktop at home than I am on the laptop.
- Once we’re on location, I keep my wife informed about my plans, so she knows what to expect and can do something solo if necessary. When I’m going to work on something for two hours, there’s no reason for her to hang around the hotel room or coffee shop waiting for me.
- I limit the amount of work in a given day, and try to schedule it early in the day so that my mind is free during the remainder of the day for fun and adventure.
Do you have your laptop in tow when you’re on vacation, or do you prefer to be fully unplugged? What’s your reasoning for one method or the other?
Jake Poinier made the leap into freelance writing and editing in 1999 after a decade of positions in the publishing industry, giving him key insights from both sides of the desk. As the founder and owner of Boomvang Creative Group, he has worked with a diverse array of Fortune 500 and small businesses, consumer and trade magazines, and independent authors. Jake is committed to helping freelancers improve their businesses and shares his knowledge and experiences frequently as a speaker at industry conferences, through webinars, and on his blog.
I haven’t had a vacation in so long, I’ve forgotten what they’re like! But for all of them in the past, and any I might do in the future, I bring my laptop. Even if I don’t do paying work while on break, I stay in communication with people with email (vs. the smartphone set who use their device as a lifeline), and keep up with daily newsletter items in both publishing and personal interest areas. Normally I’m up long before anyone I travel with and that gives time for such things. As well, if I’m able and inspired to work on personal projects while on downtime, my word processor and related files are instantly to hand, along with the ability to research. So even if I’m unplugged, I’m plugged in. The difference is proportion and control. My clients are apprised well before my departure and, like you, I hammer hard to get as much done before checking out, and negotiate with spouse or travel companion on when I might be N/A for vacation-related pleasures. IMO this all goes with self-employment. I can’t imagine being able to unplug totally unless I was operating at an income level much higher than reality.