It’s my first time being properly sick while self-employed. Learned from last Covid not to take on too much too soon. But it’s anxiety-inducing. Self-employed folks, how do you manage illness?
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Yes this! Clients are understanding (deadlines far enough away I should be better by then) and I think I’ve set my rates to support me over short-term disruption — but it’s the mental burden / guilt of an unpaid week. Time feels a lot more like money than it did with an office job!
I lean on my wonderful support network and build a cushion into contracts: learned that having no sick leave or holidays means one can’t actually work “full time”. Which got over some of the guilt at charging more than permanent staff.
Agree, it has to be built in to your rates along with time off &c. So far, when I have completely had to stop work and miss deadlines because of illness clients have been understanding.
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