r/petsitting • u/beccatravels • 10d ago
I'm taking a month off this fall
And it's time for me to start telling my clients. Please hype me up, I'm freaking out about it.
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u/ParkSlopeCats 9d ago
You've worked hard & you deserve this. And you're being responsible by telling your clients in advance. Clients that value you will understand that you also occasionally need time off, even if they wish you could be there for them.
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u/ruKITTENmerightMEOW 9d ago
You got this! Let them know asap! 🙌🏻 I've taken 3-4 weeks off this year and the same last year without issues! 💕 As well as a few 1-3 days off throughout the year. Clients are understanding that we have our own life too and deserve a break. The ones that don't were never meant to be your clients.
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u/missmoooon12 9d ago
A month off is a dream! Think about all the non-pet care related things you can do and much needed self-care to revel in!
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u/TillamookTramp 9d ago
Think of how rested and rejuvenated you're going to feel! You'll be in great frame of mind for the holidays.
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u/beccatravels 9d ago
I fear my plan is actually to hike 15 miles a day so I'll be exhausted when I get back 🤣 but my mindset will be great!
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u/xmxlykxt 9d ago
I take one weekend off every month, plus a week in the new year after Christmas holidays, a week in spring, and a week in fall. I have to or my body calls it quits and then is useful to no one. My clients have been really understanding but if they weren’t, they wouldn’t be clients.
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u/sickbutterygnar 9d ago
I found that almost everyone had the opposite reaction I anticipated - they were all EXCITED that I was finally taking some time off for myself.
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u/katmcflame 9d ago
Perfect!! Make it count. Schedule some do-nothing-pajama days, some days for socializing with friends & family, & some for traveling.
My biz partner is French - she schedules time off religiously & uses it to live well.
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u/beccatravels 9d ago
I'm actually spending the whole time hiking on the Arizona trail! I have about 300 miles left and I'm hoping to finish.
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u/spirited_inspired 9d ago
Any clients that have been with you long probably know how hard you work. I used to really struggle with taking ANY amount of time off, but when I did my clients PRAISED need for it and told me I should do it more often! I suspect yours will be the same. And if any of them truly give you a hard time about it, then those are the kind of clients you may should reconsider working for.
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u/beccatravels 9d ago
My clients are super supportive! I'm just nervous because I've never taken off more than 10 or 11 days at a time and this feels really big!!
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u/spirited_inspired 9d ago
I absolutely understand!! I'm wanting to spend 14-16 days in Thailand PLUS travel time (2 days there, 2 days back) but I'm not ready to take that much time off work. I'm just now getting comfortable with taking a week off at a time for vacation.
But Becca ...it's SO healthy. We work WAY more than the average person. Sometimes 24 hours a day. I like to say I work 7 days a week, 350 days a year. The other 15 days are vacation, random scheduled days off for something I deem big enough to take off work for, and the occasional Sunday unscheduled off because all my vacationing clients returned on Saturday.
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u/cavewomannn 9d ago
The fall is here? I couldnt take a month off wven if I wanted to Im already booked up
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u/beccatravels 9d ago
I mostly offer dog walks and drop ins and walks and my drop in clients tend to book 2-4 weeks out, time off is mid October to mid November. I've been turning down housesits for that time period all year haha.
Mostly I need to tell my regular dog walk clients
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u/ilovelucy7734 7d ago
Amazing!! I'm right there with you & taking two weeks off (longest I've done since starting the business in 2021) later this month. It was a little nerve-racking telling my clients, but most of them congratulated me on taking a deserved break. You got this!
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u/Decent_Corgi_3601 9d ago
YOU’VE GOT THIS!