Summer is just around the corner, and we all deserve a well-earned break. But as a freelance social media manager, taking time off can feel like a daunting task. Worry not! We've got you covered with some helpful tips to ensure you can relax this summer while your social media accounts stay active and thriving.

Plan Ahead and Schedule Content Well in Advance

The key to a stress-free break is planning ahead.

We try to be organised by scheduling content for our own business and our clients well in advance. In the weeks leading up to a break, you could follow in our footsteps and try adding one or two extra posts to your scheduler each week. This way, you'll have a backlog of content ready to go while you're away, keeping your accounts active and engaged.

Don't forget you can quickly repurpose your best content by using your analytics to find content that has worked well in the past. You might find you don't even need to amend the original post before adding it to your scheduler.

If you do want to repurpose old content in new ways, you'll find our ultimate guide to repurposing your content super helpful.

Get deadlines well in advance from clients

The more time you have in advance for planning, the better. So be open and talk to your clients to find out if they have any special requests or deadlines that might hit during your vacation period.

This will give you time to plan accordingly and make sure all the work is done before you head off to lie on a beach!

By being proactive, you can ensure that your clients are happy and you can enjoy your break without any unexpected surprises.

Communicate Your Availability with Clients

You might feel weird about telling your clients you're having a break but honesty is the best policy! Remember you're a freelancer, and you're not tied to their working hours; you don't need to ask for time off!

Let your clients know when you'll be away and how they can contact you in case of emergencies. But make sure to set boundaries and clarify what constitutes an emergency so you can truly unplug and relax during your time off.

Provide them with an alternative contact or set up a specific communication channel for urgent matters. This is where being part of a community like The Inner Hub can be really useful as you'll have people to call on for cover while you're away if needed.

Create a Crisis Management Plan

Every social media manager should have a crisis management plan in place when working with clients, but it's especially important when you're planning to take a break. 

Here are a few tips for creating your crisis management plan:

a. Identify potential risks and prepare responses: Think about what could go wrong and draft responses that can be adapted and used if needed.

b. Assign responsibilities: Make sure you have a trusted team member or fellow freelancer who can step in if a crisis occurs while you're away.

c. Create a communication tree: List the contact information of all relevant parties, such as clients and team members, so that everyone knows whom to contact in case of an emergency.

NB: There is a template for this in The Social Medis Manager's Toolkit

Use Your Out-of-Office Message Strategically

Your out-of-office message is a great tool for managing expectations while you're away. Be clear about when you'll be back and when clients can expect a response. 

Additionally, consider providing a list of helpful resources or frequently asked questions so your clients have something to refer to in your absence.

Grab our out-of-office template here.

Conclusion:

Taking a break as a freelance social media manager is not only possible but essential for maintaining your well-being and creativity. 

With some careful planning and communication, you can enjoy your summer vacation while your social media accounts continue to flourish. So go ahead, start preparing for your break, and give yourself the time off you truly deserve. Happy summer!

If you're ready to nail your whole year, you could even start preparing for Christmas!