One of the main pitfalls of being a freelance web developer is the fact that when you aren’t working, you aren’t getting paid. Of course, many web developers try to set up recurring income, but most of those services are typically dependent on work too. So when unexpected issues arise, such as an illness or injury your income can be severely impacted and you’re clients may become frustrated with delayed deadlines.
Here are a few tips that may help you deal with this kind of adversity:
Communicate with Clients Immediealty
The most important step you can take when an illness or injury strikes is to communicate with your active clients immediately. In my experience, clients appreciate the transparency and will offer modified project timelines when possible. Let them know as much as you feel comfortable sharing, and the expected impact it has on their projects.
Delegate Work and Tasks
Offloading work is a great way to continue progress on your web design and web development projects. You may already have colleagues you can ask to take on specific tasks, or you can utilize upwork.com or fiver.com to hire a specialist to complete the work when you are unable to.
Delegate Tasks from your Personal Life
If there are specific tasks that you feel you can’t hand off, create more time in your life, and time for resting, by delegating chores from your personal life. Hire a cleaning company to tidy up the house, order pre-made meals, or drop off laundry at a wash & fold service. Temporarily relying on these types of services can create additional time for you to rest and recover while continuing to get work done.
Work in Small Chunks, Rest Frequently
If you aren’t able to modify deadlines or delegate work I recommend planning on taking frequent breaks to rest and nap. Pulling long work sessions or becoming stressed will likely delay the overall duration of your illness or injury.