A family emergency can throw your life into disarray. I have had my share. We all have, haven’t we? But as freelancers, we often have to just get on with things. We handle the emergency, life goes on. It isn’t until we stop and think, I never want to be in a situation like that again where I have to worry about work when I should be focusing 100% on a loved one (or yourself if you are the one being driven away in an ambulance).
Whether it’s a sudden illness, an accident, or another urgent situation, these events demand your immediate attention, leaving little room to manage your work commitments. They are the moments that make or break us. That’s why pre-planning for emergencies is crucial for any freelancer’s financial and personal well-being.
This article outlines a step-by-step process and checklist to help you start thinking of such situations and creating plans for different scenarios so you can have minimal disruption to your work, family and financial stability.
If you do a couple of these tasks on the list each day, your freelancer emergency plan could be complete in about a week. Will it stop accidents and emergencies from happening? No. But knowing you are prepared can take enormous pressure off.
1. Inform your clients swiftly and professionally
Clear and timely communication is paramount when an emergency arises. Here’s how to keep your clients in the loop:
- Emergency client contact list: Create a list of all your active clients with their preferred contact information. This will save valuable time when you (or your partner/spouse on your behalf) need to reach out quickly.
- Draft a template message: Prepare a concise and professional email template explaining the situation and the potential impact on project timelines. Be transparent but avoid unnecessary details.
- Personalise and send: Adapt the template for each client, acknowledging the specific projects you’re working on and proposing a revised timeline or alternative solutions. If you have pre-secured a freelancer to cover you please copy them in so your client has their contact details or reintroduce them (see the next section for more guidance).
- Set up an out-of-office reply: Activate an automatic email response informing senders of your temporary unavailability and expected return date.
2. Secure coverage
Depending on the nature of your work and the length of your absence, consider these options:
- Negotiate deadlines: If feasible, communicate with your clients to renegotiate deadlines or explore flexible delivery options.
- Tap your network: Reach out to trusted fellow freelancers who might be able to take on some of your urgent tasks or provide temporary support to your clients. Do not do this in the throes of an emergency but before one happens. Who do you trust to handle your work until you can start back up again? And make sure your client is advised that this is your person in an emergency scenario. If possible, you could reassure the client that you can look over the work of the other freelancer before submitting it to them. This can reassure a client that you are proactive and take the risk out of engaging you. It also saves your neck and reputation.
- Explore outsourcing: Consider outsourcing specific tasks to virtual assistants or specialised platforms, particularly for administrative or repetitive work. Ensure you are not breaking any contractual agreements when doing so with clients.
3. Protect your income stream
Financial stability is often a major concern during emergencies. Here are some steps to mitigate potential income loss:
- Emergency fund: Aim to build a financial cushion that can cover your living expenses for at least a few months. This will provide a safety net during unexpected disruptions. Given the cost of living crisis, this might feel impossible, but the sooner you start funnelling money each month automatically into a dedicated savings account, the better off you will be in an emergency.
- Income protection insurance: Consider investing in income protection insurance, which can replace a portion of your income if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury.
- Payment protection insurance: For larger projects, explore payment protection insurance to safeguard against non-payment if a client faces financial difficulties.
- Diversify your income: Explore multiple income streams within your freelance work, such as offering different services or creating passive income sources.
4. Prioritise a support network
Remember that your well-being is paramount. Don’t hesitate to:
- Seek support: Lean on your support network – friends, family, or fellow freelancers – for emotional and practical assistance. Set up an emergency scenario guide, so everyone knows who can do what to support you and vice versa when they need help.
- Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between your personal and professional life, especially during challenging times. You sadly may find out the true nature of a client if they are not empathetic to your situation even if you have seen to get coverage and offer to oversee the work before submittal.
- Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself and acknowledge that it’s okay to step back from work when necessary. It is really hard if you have done everything by yourself for so long and are financially strapped. You will feel guilty for not bringing money in. But you have to ask yourself what you will regret the most by not doing the right thing in a family emergency.
By taking these steps, you can navigate family emergencies with greater confidence and peace of mind, knowing that you have a plan in place rather than trying to figure it all out at the worst possible moment.
