Christmas is a great time of year but for many freelancers, there’s a dilemma. Do you take time off or not? If you work for yourself, you earn as much as you work. This means that many freelancers hesitate to take much needed time off.

So here are some tips on how to keep your business running smoothly to ensure you’ve got a solid start to the New Year.

Take a break

You might be hesitant to take a break because of a loss of income but if you can, you should set some time aside to relax and step away from the business. When you do return, you’ll be well rested and can start the New Year with fresh eyes.

Save up

In order to cover your time spent not working, you’re going to have to put a bit of money away from when you are. Hopefully you’re already doing this as Christmas is in a long list of things you’ll need to cover. As freelancers you won’t have access to employee benefits like sick or holiday pay so it’s always important to keep a pot of savings.

Introduce Christmas offers

While business might naturally get a bit quiet over Christmas, you’ve still got the New Year to look forward to.

A really common New Year’s resolution is to start a business. Many of them will be looking for extra, inexpensive help over the next few months as they get started. Freelancers can be a great resource in the beginning days of a business because of the flexibility and price. Tap into this new market and offer your services. You might even want to introduce a new deal or discount to attract new clients.

Let your clients know

If you’re planning to take specific days off, then it’s worth letting your clients know when you won’t be available to contact. Ideally you’ll get through most of your outstanding work before you go away so clients aren’t left hanging. For anything else, have a conversation about what work is priority and when is it expected so there are no crossed wires.

Don’t forget the tax return

In an ideal world, the tax return wouldn’t be straight after Christmas. It catches many people off guard as the festivities and time off means a lot of people forget about their duties in January. Make sure you’ve planned ahead, saved ahead and it won’t be such a pain to deal with.

Refresh your brand

If business has quietened down you might want to take this opportunity to make a new plan for next year. This could mean rebranding or changing your services. Websites always need up to date information and your copy might be worth a tweak.

Now is also a good time to create a marketing plan for content and social media throughout the year if you haven’t already. This could save you a lot of time next year and help you keep on track to meet your goals.

What are your plans for managing your business over Christmas? Do you take much time off? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.