And I feel unwell often enough that I’m concerned about how I’ll do in a 9-5 job. It’s easier to work at home in fifteen-minute intervals in my PJs on days when my body’s misbehaving. (I have a genetic disease of the endocrine system that might be at fault for my weak immune system.)

So yes, if I include sick days, I’ve taken quite a bit of time off.

My friends are calling to tell me that they hope the next time they see me, it won’t be at the hospital.

It’s a bit easier for me to avoid working most weekends and holidays in a sense because I often don’t have work. When I have an assignment, I tend to get it done ASAP. Marketing is something I’m still working on.

At any rate, when I do have work, I’ll work on it on weekends if I must for school reasons, or if I enjoy it. The exceptions are Sundays. I never do any work, even schoolwork or studying for a test, on Sundays. (I’m a sabbatarian.)

I don’t like being away from my clients, email or deb’s job list

When we got to FL, we did things during the day and then I would work from about 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and then go to bed. I only spent one entire day working. It worked out because that was the day the family members we were staying with wanted to cook us a big steak dinner — I worked while my travel companion went to the store and then later on, I helped with everything.

But I’m not complaining. In a short period of time (since January) my freelance writing work has grown to rival my first career in earnings. I just have to balance the two. Thanks!

Last vacation I went on, the place had computers and Internet access, so I was able to check my email and keep in touch with editors while I had my morning coffee, then I went out to sit in the sun. I didn’t plan to do any actual work, but as it turned out, not writing irritated me. So when everyone else was either napping or playing golf, I wrote an article.

If we are able to take a real vacation in the near future, I will contact my editors and tell them when I’ll be gone. I have a good idea when my editors will be sending me work, so I think that will work.

Luckily I can pre-write and schedule weeks worth of blog posts. Anything else pretty much comes to a complete stop.

I usually take my laptop in hopes of finding a hotspot, just so I can check for any urgent emails.

I’m going camping tomorrow. There’ll be no internet access, or electricity where we camp. It’s nice to unplug once in awhile…Lesli

I do find it difficult to work ahead and then catch up when I do take a couple of days off, and the loss of income is another drawback.

There has been only one vacation where I didn’t bring my laptop with the intention of working, and that was for our wedding and honeymoon earlier this year. All of the other trips — usually road trips to visit the in-laws — I’ve taken my laptop, and generally spent the entire trip stressing about where I’ll find wireless next. (We usually stay with Michael’s brother, who lives in the country and has no internet access whatsoever.)

All I can say is, it’s a darn good thing we’re writers because we enjoy what we do!!!

However, I’ve also completed articles from Java Junkie in Rapid City South Dakota, the northern tip of Lake Michigan, a coffee shop in Bemidji, Minn., a restuarants in Green Bay and the Wisconsin Dells, and other places I don’t even remember.

At one time I planned to bring work…gave me vacation from the vacation, but I increasingly seek a real break. The problem is that Murphy’s law goes into overdrive just before vacation: Contacts aren’t available, clients have last minute needs, etc.

If looking for Wi-Fi, check out wifihotspot.oom I use it before travel to locate primary and secondary locations. I’ve had hotels where wifi didn’t work, so I know I need a backup. That’s how I found Java Junkie on a trip to Mt. Rushmore.

Panera Bread also offers access, as do some other restaurant/fast food/coffee place.

As to weekends, one way to do it is to schedule the infrequent day off for family gatherings, etc. Otherwise it can be real easy to actually have less time with family than if you’re in an office.

The separation is important for sanity. That’s why I never work anywhere in the home outside of my office. If a call comes in when I’m occupied (dinner), I still go to my office to take it.

So I determined to do absolutely as little as possible. I let clients know ahead of time that I would be away and unreachable. And, as strange as it was to be completely disconnected from the world. It was also heaven!

It was the first time I had done this in many, many years (although I’ve only been freelancing full-time since November, I worked in government/politics before that – aka vacation via blackberry….).

I highly recommend disconnecting completely from time to time!

Some days I wish I didn’t have a laptop, and I don’t publicize that I do–I feel it gives me a buffer; ha ha–this just brought to mind the time I cradled my open running laptop to bed in my free arm, and my husband accused me of babying it! Maybe you had to be there.