Posted on May 24th, 2018 on WebCamiCafe.com. In this blog post, I highlight the importance of taking vacations as a web designer and provide practical tips for preparing for, during, and after a vacation. The key points include communicating with clients about the vacation, setting up automated messages, prioritizing tasks before and after the vacation, and allowing oneself to fully disconnect from work during the vacation to reap the benefits in work performance and well-being.
About the author: Cami MacNamara, otherwise known as WebCami, has 21 years of experience running a small, profitable, one-person web design business, so she can walk her dog whenever she likes. She has co-hosted a beginner WordPress Meetup in Seattle since 2018 and has been an active member of the Seattle WordPress community since 2013. Cami has designed nearly 600 websites, provides services to 350 active clients, and manages over 200 websites monthly as a solopreneur.
The original post can be found here: https://webcamicafe.com/a-web-designers-guide-to-taking-a-vacation/
Transcript of Cami's Commentary:
I always celebrate my birthday over Memorial Day weekend, and for the past several years, I have enjoyed turning a year older in my favorite city of New Orleans. However, after losing my folks last year and starting a basement remodel at my house, I've postponed a trip to New Orleans until next year. I had hoped to take a few days off and chill out at home, but my current workload is pressing. However, just because I must postpone my vacation doesn't mean I won't take one. I recently went to Utah with a dear friend, and we had the most beautiful time hiking, dining out, and enjoying each other's company. It's been five years since I penned this post, and I'm glad I still make time for vacations in my schedule.
The pressure we feel as freelance web designers can be unrelenting. It's even stronger when you are a solopreneur. Training your clients to understand that you need to take breaks is very important. I can't stress enough how much my monthly newsletter helped me inform my clients when I was away, either on vacation or helping my parents. I encourage you to make yourself a priority and take actual vacations where you aren't getting out your laptop in the morning and fielding emails. It might be a bit painful when you get back, but completely disconnecting from everything for a few days is very helpful for your mental health and overall well-being. Time away makes you better at being a web designer. Never forget that.
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