Reply to: Do you take days off when contracting?

[Willapp]

Yeah I agree, I don't see the 'contractor' title as being a requirement to work constantly through each gig just to ensure the client gets every possible day out of you.

If you think about it, it's not much different than contracting a builder to build you a house, which could take 12 months, and expecting him to work on it every single day. I'd assume they would take at least one 2 week break during that period, if not more, and as long as I knew when they weren't going to be there (in case I turned up for a progress report) it wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

The key is always communication with clients to make sure any time off (or 'unavailability' for the contractor-terminology pedants) isn't overly inconvenient to them, and plan accordingly.

[nomadd]

I've met plenty of stressed permies who don't take holidays "for the good of the project" and accrue lots of days, carry them over etc, so it works both ways.

Worked on three sites in my career were permies have had stress-related heart attacks. Two survived after quadruple bypass surgery and a year off work, the other died before ever reaching the hospital.

There's a life lesson in there for all of us.

All three were well under 50 years of age.

[jmo21]

Really!? Im frequently asked 'do you have any holidays booked or intend taking any holidays in the next 3 months \ contract period?' Point is, if a PM or whoever let's one contractor take time off, the rest will follow often as not.

My response is always I dont take time off during contracts except for unforeseen circumstances or doctor \ dental appointments which I try and arrange for Monday morning or Friday afternoon.

I fully understand the work \ life balance. That's one of the reasons I turned contractor. But, I dont expect to take days or weeks off in a contract to achieve that work \ life balance. From a contractor perspective, it doesnt sit right to me.

I've met plenty of stressed permies who don't take holidays "for the good of the project" and accrue lots of days, carry them over etc, so it works both ways.

[jmo21]

Nah. Don't agree. Most clients aren't bothered if you take holidays in my experience as long as you dont drop them right in it.

In fact, my current one gets wassed off you don't take holidays. I wanted to work between xmas and new year (and it was mega busy) they wanted to save money so asked me to take the time off.

agree with PsychoCandy, every client I've had have never had a problem so long as you let them know in advance.

And I disagree about it being a pointer to some kind permie-tractor IR35 status.

Unless the contract is very short ( < 1 month ) it should never be a problem.

[psychocandy]

Also, BB. Mrs is about to drop junior Candy no2 in the next few weeks.

A bit early and its looking like right in the middle of a major rollout. What do you suggest? Ask the Mrs to suck it up a bit longer so as to not inconvenience the client?

Maybe I should have considered the project plan at the conception stage and planned appropriately LOL.

Sorry mr client but thats the deal. Sorry its inconvenient and all but I will be having a week off.

[psychocandy]

Really!? Im frequently asked 'do you have any holidays booked or intend taking any holidays in the next 3 months \ contract period?' Point is, if a PM or whoever let's one contractor take time off, the rest will follow often as not.

My response is always I dont take time off during contracts except for unforeseen circumstances or doctor \ dental appointments which I try and arrange for Monday morning or Friday afternoon.

I fully understand the work \ life balance. That's one of the reasons I turned contractor. But, I dont expect to take days or weeks off in a contract to achieve that work \ life balance. From a contractor perspective, it doesnt sit right to me.

Nah. Don't agree. Most clients aren't bothered if you take holidays in my experience as long as you dont drop them right in it.

In fact, my current one gets wassed off you don't take holidays. I wanted to work between xmas and new year (and it was mega busy) they wanted to save money so asked me to take the time off.

[BolshieBastard]

I doubt not taking holidays mid project is anywhere near top of the list of reasons when deciding to take a contractor over a permie. If a project is in trouble if one person takes off a week then its badly managed.

Really!? Im frequently asked 'do you have any holidays booked or intend taking any holidays in the next 3 months \ contract period?' Point is, if a PM or whoever let's one contractor take time off, the rest will follow often as not.

My response is always I dont take time off during contracts except for unforeseen circumstances or doctor \ dental appointments which I try and arrange for Monday morning or Friday afternoon.

I fully understand the work \ life balance. That's one of the reasons I turned contractor. But, I dont expect to take days or weeks off in a contract to achieve that work \ life balance. From a contractor perspective, it doesnt sit right to me.

[proggy]

Taking time off during contracts is a complete anathema to me. Citing contracting and work \ life balance just doesnt compute. As for taking time off during the school holidays, do you seriously expect clients to be happy spending all the money on a resource that wants time off when the kids are out of school?

Sure, time off between contracts, no probs, contractors asking \ taking time out of a contract though? No way, that's permietractor territory and yet another example of diluting the mix.

The time to take 'time off' is between contracts. Client's dont want contractors to act like permies. Permies take time off when they want (within reason). A client's idea of a contractor is that you arent going to ask for 'a day off' or a couple of weeks off when you're working on a project. Guess what? They can get a permie to do that and far cheaper.

So you keep taking the extensions and there's no time to squeeze in a week or two off? Hell, didnt you realise that comes with the territory of being a contractor?

I doubt not taking holidays mid project is anywhere near top of the list of reasons when deciding to take a contractor over a permie. If a project is in trouble if one person takes off a week then its badly managed.

[BolshieBastard]

its all about the work life balance so time off as and when I want it. Most of the time its during school holidays so we can go out and spend some of this money. As I see it you could drop dead tomorrow and your kids arent going to have a great memory of you if all you ever did was work.

Taking time off during contracts is a complete anathema to me. Citing contracting and work \ life balance just doesnt compute. As for taking time off during the school holidays, do you seriously expect clients to be happy spending all the money on a resource that wants time off when the kids are out of school?

Sure, time off between contracts, no probs, contractors asking \ taking time out of a contract though? No way, that's permietractor territory and yet another example of diluting the mix.

The time to take 'time off' is between contracts. Client's dont want contractors to act like permies. Permies take time off when they want (within reason). A client's idea of a contractor is that you arent going to ask for 'a day off' or a couple of weeks off when you're working on a project. Guess what? They can get a permie to do that and far cheaper.

So you keep taking the extensions and there's no time to squeeze in a week or two off? Hell, didnt you realise that comes with the territory of being a contractor?

[jimjamuk]

its all about the work life balance so time off as and when I want it. Most of the time its during school holidays so we can go out and spend some of this money. As I see it you could drop dead tomorrow and your kids arent going to have a great memory of you if all you ever did was work.

[kaiser78]

I take around 25 days off during the year on the basis that I earn enough to be able to do so. Family time > reward than bank balance.

[Scrag Meister]

I take days off when I am nagged into it and when I want to.

WMUNS. :-D

[rocktronAMP]

take 6 weeks minimum holiday per year. I also try to work 2 to 4 day per week for 10 to 20 weeks per year.

The other contrary I suppose is to consider the length of the contract, especially in this low confidence economy.

I know I asked before on this list, ages ago, do you take a one week or two weeks break in a contract that is only three months long? I would think not, but if it you have been told, by client and agency, that the contract is going to be six months long, then yes I would. If you got a 9 month contract, then the answer is yes. If you have a one year contract, the answer is equivocally yes and absolutely. It always depends on the individual and the situation. For example, you might be working all the contract to save enough money to do a world-wide trek for several months around the world after the contract. Maybe you are saving the deposit to move the next dream house, then take three months on DIY. The only person who knows is you.

One thing that I always do with time off, is let the project manager and client know well in advance, ideally, at least one month will do, so they can plan around my absence. Also, I avoid holidays or training courses, when everyone knows in the team that stuff is going live ( and this gets us back around to the well-in-advance thing again.)

[rocktronAMP]

I wouldn't say I have had days off to just relax and do nothing but I certainly don't work myself in to the ground. If I need a day off I take one. Losing the billing day bites but I can get over that. I chose contracting for flexibility and to be in charge of my own time/career not work hard/longer and be more stressed.

I also attend conferences abroad and in the UK as I consider that time as a staying ahead of the game and being involved with the wider community between the day job.

If you do not take time of for conferences and learnings, then I suppose the other choices are training courses (1-5 days), and of-course there is the family, if you have them, and work-life balance!

[nomadd]

I think the saying is 'No-one ever says that they wished that they had worked longer while on their deathbed'

Yes, I know.