Fake rest
some behind the scenes
This August I’ve decided not to take any new work. I provisioned throughout the year so when summer season begins I can take August off (kind of).
This helps in some way with the 11 weeks kids get as summer break in Spain. I mean, at least 4 out of those 11 weeks.
That doesn’t mean I do zero work. I have a project that finishes this month, and one of my retainer clients always leaves some stuff for the first couple of weeks.
People tend to say August is one of the slowest months for business, but in my case, these have actually been my busiest months. I’m in year 3 of freelancing and man... last year was insane (R, I know you’re reading this, so you know).
Last year I tried but I ended up bringing my laptop to the beach apartment.
I laugh now, because solopreneurs are some of the most delusional people I’ve ever met. Free time? Nah baby, let me fill every minute.
Obviously all the things I planned didn’t happen. And the adult tantrum I had led to a realization:
I didn’t go solo to spend 50 weeks a year negotiating (with myself) for 2 weeks of fake rest.
So yes, the second half of the month this year will be no laptop allowed. Notebook, pen, and phone (not delusional enough to leave the phone behind… yet).
When I was in corporate, I used to disconnect so completely on holidays that I’d have to write down my passwords beforehand. Two weeks off and I’d genuinely forget them.
Funny thing is, going solo made that harder, not easier. I want to build my career around my life, not the other way around. But I didn’t consider the line would be so easy to cross (the delusion continues).
August won’t be the only time I do this by the way. This year I started taking full weekends off too. I even have a whole ritual on fridays that includes switching off the computer.
See you at the end of August.
Until the next scroll,
V
Sorry to tell you, it doesn’t get better with time 😂