How does a freelancer manage that situation when a family member is sick to get work done too?

ajlancer Level X³

August 5, 2016, 11:33 am

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Hi I have been working long time as a freelancer. And I faced several critical situation for several reasons. For example: Last year, I had sickness and I had to leave my freelance work for one week and those days many buyer cancel order and many more buyer query by PM why I do not deliver order within due time? Even few buyers also told me sickness not of my concern while heard I was sick.

In addition, last week my son was getting sickness and he suffer by high fever. So, I need to go to doctor chamber for taking prescribe and I must to give time for my son for look after. Because, he is my first priority rather than any work. I think all people give most priority for his family, especially while someone getting sickness.

So, I had to very busy for my son and my freelance work was hampering too much. Though, I worked very little in a day at least managing few emergency work situations etc.

So I'm asking as a freelancer what you will do, if you face such situation where you must be away from work for your family due to sickness?

Regards by Ajlancer

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Lynne

Lynne

Oh I know exactly what you mean Ajlancer!

My daughter landed up in hospital for a week when she was 6 months old and every few weeks from then until she was about 3 years old she would get ill. It was always her chest and sometimes I had to nebulize her every 30 minutes to keep her out of hospital!

All I can say is it was awful and so hard. Just looking after my child like that took everything I had out of me, then I still had to try and run my business in between all of that?

I also had another baby when my daughter was 2 years old and I worked with him with me until he was 13 months old, so for about a year with my daughter still getting so ill I also had a baby with me. Plus my daughter only slept through for the first time ever when she was 3 years old.

I can't really tell you how I got through it. There were so many days when I felt so tired I could barely stand. I remember someone telling me that I was coping well. I didn't feel like I was coping, I was only breathing.

I know how scary it is having a child with a really dangerous temperature and being on the verge of taking your child to hospital at 3am... just keep plodding along. Some people will understand and others won't, just remember that your regular customers will probably be loyal to you and understand and those that don't care don't matter.

Do what is best for your family, put them first. In time things will get easier with work and your child.

10 years ago

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ajlancer

ajlancer

Hi Lynne thanks for sharing your real and hard experience. I appreciate you to manage everything for your two kids. It is really hard for mom to handle kids and at the same time other essential job. Only parents can understand what critical situation have to pass in real life for family. I am sure nobody out of society. I got hurt deeply when I saw someone ignore our personal issue, when It is come for your family concern with kids. I faced some clients who never try to understand reality. They just think it is a lame excuse from me. But, my stand as freelance we are human and we have family. I am selling experience, not selling my life for you. My family first and top priority rather than all everything's in the world.

Regards by Ajlancer

10 years ago

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Lynne

Lynne

Ajlancer you know what your truth is and if people don't trust you or think you are giving a lame excuse ignore them. You do not need more stress on your shoulders from outside people when you are looking after your little family.

I can tell you that I know exactly what you are going through and I respect you for having your priorities straight. This makes you a wonderful father and a hero in my eyes.

There are a lot of fathers that don't make such an effort to look after their kids. I am fortunate in that my husband is 100% there for us.

In fact that week that my daughter was in hospital I slept in the hospital the first time. Then the doctors kicked me out because they said I was over tired and emotional which wasn't helping anyone and I was no use to my daughter... Oh I was upset lol, but they were right I was a mess. From them on my husband slept at the hospital every night. I was with my girl all day, and my husband was at his day job. Every day he left work and came straight to the hospital, slept there and went straight to work. He showered, changed and ate at the hospital.

So he had night shift and I had day shift. Our daughter was not alone the whole time. There were a few children that didn't have a parent there all the time.

I know and you know how hard that is. So if someone doesn't appreciate what you do for your son when he is ill, do they matter?

10 years ago

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anwebservices

anwebservices

Freelancing work is not fun, it's real work. And we work to support our selves and our family members. that's why we offer our services in exchange for money. First thing you have to take care of is health of your child, then everything else. Hope that your customers will understand your situation. And i really wish from bottom of my heart for your child to become well and healthy soon, so you can have peace of mind and do your usual business and satisfy your customers. But never ever betray your family members, no matter what happen, because they are out number one priority!

10 years ago

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Barida

Barida

There is nothing we can compare with health. Money cannot buy life and no matter how much you make online, it is dependent on how healthy you're to enjoy that money.

So, whenever I noticed a loved one feeling sick and I have something that I can do to help, I wouldn't mind taking a break from freelancing and find a solution to the issue at hand.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

It's a difficult time when someone at home is sick. Even if it's only my dog that is sick, I couldn't think straight because my mind is fully occupied by my worrying. It's just sad that we cannot escape that fact. And when someone at home gets sick, I really cannot say if I could still work.

9 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

Normally, I work 8-10 hours every day. When my wife was sick, I could not work more than 6 hours in a day. This reduced my freelance income substantially. I did not have time to work on the jobs and also had to reject a lot of offers. This made me realize that as a freelancer I need to have a residual income. Residual income means you continue to receive money even if you are not working every day. Therefore, I decided to publish books on Amazon. You have books published, you will continue to earn as long as the books are sold. I also set up blogs and websites so that I will earn revenue.

9 years ago

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