Can You Take a Sick Day as a Freelancer?

One of the best things about freelancing is that you have complete control over your time – you can work whenever and wherever you like. However, this independence has some drawbacks. For example, what should you do if you need to take a sick day? 

At some point over the course of your career, you’ll need to take time off for your physical or mental health – it’s inevitable. But as a freelancer, you don’t automatically get sick pay, and you don’t have a team of coworkers to cover your work while you’re away. So, what should you do? 

Can You Take a Break?

Of course! We all need time off. As a freelancer, the best thing you can do is prepare for this eventuality so you’re not caught off guard. You can do several things to minimize disruptions to your business and keep your clients happy, including: 

1. Creating a financial buffer 
2. Talking to your client(s)
3. Planning your return to work

Read on to learn more! 

1. Creating a Financial Buffer

As a freelancer, it’s normal for your hours – and therefore your income – to vary from month to month. Putting some of your income toward an emergency fund is a good idea. 

Not only will this fund give you a buffer if you have less work one month, but it will also make taking a sick day much easier (especially if you need to take a longer break). A good rule of thumb is to work toward keeping three to six months’ worth of expenses in your emergency fund.

2. Talking to Your Client(s)

Good communication goes a long way toward building long-lasting relationships with your clients. Everyone has bad days, and sickness can’t be helped, so being honest and upfront with your clients is best. Let them know as quickly as possible that you need to take time off for illness. The sooner you do this, the sooner you can reassure them and explain the steps you’ll take to make sure any disruption is minimal. 

You have a couple of options. First, you could try to negotiate an extension. Depending on the project, your client may be flexible enough to extend your deadline. In this situation, it’s worth discussing which tasks should be your top priority when you return to work and which ones can be postponed. 

When the work is more urgent, an extension may not be possible. However, you have a second option: suggest that the work be outsourced. Networking with other freelancers (by joining editing societies, for example) can be a great way to build relationships and create a community of contacts that will cover for you when needed. Just make sure you’re up front with your client about this. Some may prefer to find their own cover or to not outsource the project at all. 

Finally, consider setting up an autoresponder for your emails. This is a good way to let existing and prospective clients know that you have limited availability and they can expect to hear from you by a specified time. 

3. Planning Your Return to Work

As a freelancer, it’s natural to worry about taking time off. You’re responsible for all aspects of your business, and you don’t want to miss out on work due to your absence. However, prioritizing your health and taking the time you need to properly recover are important. That way, when you do return to work, you’ll be better equipped to get back into the swing of things. Your body has limits, so you need to take care of it. 

When you get back to work, be kind to yourself! Set aside some time to catch up on client emails and organize your tasks by order of priority. If needed, give yourself more flexibility when setting new deadlines. Doing so will give you breathing space if you still feel under the weather (and if you feel okay, you’ll just finish ahead of schedule!). 

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