Setting boundaries as a contractor over the Christmas period

Advent calendars are open, mulled wine is flowing and the office DJ has Mariah Carey on repeat – that can only mean one thing, Christmas season is well and truly upon us. But as a contractor, Christmas can be daunting – especially for those trying to juggle working from home with family responsibilities. On top of this, there might still be deadlines looming and clients to impress – so how can contractors enjoy the happiest season of all without feeling like they’re falling behind at work? 

In this blog we discuss how to set boundaries as a contractor over the Christmas period, so that you have time to relax and spend time with friends and family without feeling guilty. 

Don’t work on your days off

Whether you’re planning on attending a big family gathering, or watching reruns of Love Actually on Channel 4 – make sure you treat your days off as actual days off this Christmas. That means no checking emails, no opening your laptop to change the font of your presentation and certainly no worrying about work! Enjoy the festive period with your friends, family and loved ones so you can return to work in the new year feeling refreshed and more productive than ever. 

Create a dedicated office space

When working from home, it can be hard to segregate your personal life from your work life, especially if you have children who may not understand that you’re busy. If you have the space, try working in a non-communal room that isn’t your bedroom (this will make it harder for your brain to switch off from work when you’re trying to sleep). Alternatively, if your only option is to work in the kitchen, for example, then be clear with your family/housemates when your work hours are, as well as when you’re free to have a coffee. Setting these boundaries and being transparent ensures that you won’t be distracted until it’s time to enjoy a break!

Let your clients know when you’ll be signing off for Christmas 

Give your clients a heads up around two weeks before you plan to take your annual leave to minimise the risk of last minute requests and annoying emails in the run-up to Christmas. We recommend setting up an automated email response which states that you are currently out of office and will return on X date to reply to any queries. Make sure you tie up any loose ends before logging off for the year and voilà! So here it is Merry Christmas!

Mint Umbrella wishes all its contractors a fantastic break! We’ll still be on call to answer any queries, so don’t be afraid to reach out – 0203 967 6846.