4 Questions that Can Reduce the Workload on the Road

When we’re getting ready to travel, we often pack our laptops. After all, freelance writers can work from anywhere and very few writers are interested in turning down money just because we won’t actually be home for a week. But, depending on the trip, the best of intentions for work can often translate to a situation where the laptop never leaves the case. That can leave a writer scrambling to catch up. If you can clear your schedule ahead of time, traveling can get a lot easier.

  1. Can you reschedule due dates? Asking your clients if there’s any flexibility in when a project is due is best done up front. But if you have a reoccurring project (such as blog posting), you can often bring up the question as you get close to the dates you plan to be away for.
  2. Can you work ahead? It’s not always possible to do a ton of writing before you leave — packing can take a surprisingly long time, after all — but if you have enough advanced warning, it’s often possible to write a little more each day and gradually get extra work done.
  3. Can you get ahead and stay ahead? Especially if you routinely work for the same clients, it can be possible to work ahead of the schedule and give yourself some breathing room in your calendar. It can be a difficult approach but it also means that an illness or emergency doesn’t throw of your schedule quite as much.
  4. Can you reject a project? No freelance writer likes to turn down paying work, but if you don’t have work scheduled for your trip in the first place, life gets a lot easier. Simply rejecting a project that would require you to work as you travel can make things easier to manage.

Even if you do want to write as you travel and you feel perfectly comfortable doing so, it can be worthwhile to clear you schedule, at least as far as your clients are concerned. Not only do we make sure that clients aren’t in the habit of assuming that a freelance writers is available every day of the week, but we can give ourselves an opportunity to get ahead. Of course, if you’re on vacation or otherwise not supposed to working, take the time off and enjoy it, rather than trying to get ahead.

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2 responses
  1. Amy Harrison Avatar
    Amy Harrison

    Writing whilst travelling is something I would love to get better at. I tend to like writing when I’m settled and in my comfortable spot at my desk.

    However, sometimes it’s just not possible, these are great tips, and I think one more that I would add is to practice small on shorter trips. If you can’t write, can you prepare notes so that it’s quicker to write when you do get settled?

    I’ve been on the train all morning and I usualyl like to day dream when I’m doing so, but more travelling this week meant I used my time to brainstorm instead. It was hard to get into the mindset to start with but I felt a lot better for it afterwards!

    Great post.

    Reply
  2. Issa Avatar
    Issa

    Thanks for sharing these. Maybe, I will use item no. 1 to see if it works for me. The only problem is that I worked real-time, specially with all the social media updates and monitoring. No problem with scheduling the posts, but to answer replies — you must be real quick. I think in freelancing, one must have the discipline to follow a schedule since distractions are just an arm’s length away.

    Reply

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