Navigating Work and Life During the Holiday Season as a Freelance Editor
- lindaruggeri
- Feb 8, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
This article was previously featured on the Professional Editors Network newsletter and is updated yearly.
“The holidays are upon us” is a phrase that still makes me pause. For freelance editors, it often signals more than just festive decorations or family gatherings—it marks the beginning of one of the busiest (and most emotionally complex) stretches of the year. Alongside personal obligations, we’re juggling client deadlines, inquiries for Q1, annual goal-setting, tax prep, and the pressure to close out the year strong.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the only way to move through this season with steadiness is to approach it with intention: a clear plan, permission to prioritize what genuinely matters, and enough boundaries to protect my energy and my business.
Below is the framework I use every year—a practical tool that helps me reduce anxiety, stay organized, and end the year feeling grounded and present rather than depleted.
1. Define Your Business Priorities for the Next 60–90 Days
Write down every work-related task, including:
Active editorial projects
Upcoming deadlines
Inquiries you need to follow up on
Website, portfolio, or LinkedIn updates
Rate reviews or pricing adjustments for the new year
Administrative or tax-related tasks
Any year-end promotions or marketing touchpoints
This becomes your working roadmap.
2. List Your Personal, Family, and Social Commitments
Add everything—from travel plans to school events, parties, appointments, holiday traditions, and the quiet rituals that keep you grounded. For me one of those quiet rituals is gardening and giving thanks for our land, for seeds, for nature, which lets me grow food that I get to harvest and share with my family (this year, kohlrabi is making a comeback amid mixed family reviews, ha!)
3. Decide What You Can Let Go Of This Year
Give yourself explicit permission to cross out anything that feels unnecessary or heavy. Examples:
Elaborate handmade cards (I still make a few, but not everyone needs to get one!)
Hosting obligations (no longer happening in my neck of the woods until further notice)
Optional social events (going on an "as truly needed" basis)
Overly ambitious décor or baking plans (this year only making Martha Stewart's Chocolate Crackle Cookies)
Reducing expectations creates space for rest and better work.
4. Identify What Absolutely Needs to Happen
Highlight the non-negotiables in your business and personal life.
Examples:
Key deadlines
Family commitments
Financial tasks
End-of-year project wrap-ups
These are the anchors around which you’ll structure your time.
5. Mark What Brings Joy (and Protect It)
Use stars for activities that genuinely energize you. These can be micro-joys:
A weekly walk with a friend
A holiday craft class (I loved taking a print-making class last year!)
A cozy evening with a book (hello again Oliver Sacks)
Prioritizing joy reduces burnout and improves your overall productivity.
6. Identify Tasks You Can Delegate or Get Help With
Not everything requires your direct attention. Consider outsourcing or sharing:
Gift shopping (when possible, shop local! Also, most local stores have online gift certificates available, or will take gift card orders over the phone)
This might be your "Amigo Invisible" year. Growing up in Argentina, for my family's yearly holiday gathering we only did "Secret Santa's" (known as "invisible friend" gifting). That taught me from a young age that I didn't need lots of presents (which inevitably I'd forget to enjoy and appreciate), but instead that one intentional gift was often enough (and humbling at the same time). You took care of that one gift because you knew another one wasn't coming until next year!
House cleaning (divide and conquer with other family members or roommates)
Grocery runs (my old neighbor and I used to let each other know when one of us was headed to a big box store so we could shop for each other)
Tech setup or administrative tasks (can a VA help you get holiday emails/cards sent out, blogs or social media posts scheduled?)
Errands before hosting (again, tag-teaming with someone in your area is super helpful!)
Delegation is a strategic business tool—not a luxury.
7. Block Out Your “No-Work” Days
Plan for:
Travel (assume it will take longer than needed, and then enjoy the extra time with a good book)
Family time (budget as needed and as is healthy for you)
Post-celebration recovery days (embrace the Italian dolce far niente)
Mental health resets (what do I need to do to take care of myself everyday? A walk? Journaling? A movie? A cup of tea with a friend?)
Add an automated “Out of Office” email if helpful, noting response times and availability.
8. Assign Due Dates and Ideal Work Times
Structure your calendar based on your cognitive energy:
Deep editing in the morning
Light admin work when family is around
Batch tasks to avoid context switching (forget about multitasking and go for monotasking this time)
Be conservative with time estimates—everything takes longer in December.
Bonus Networking Tip!
Connect with another editor or small peer group—virtually or in person—for a short year-end planning or debrief session. This is something we do every December at The Networking Studio during our last meeting of the year. Sharing approaches, challenges, and schedules not only reduces isolation but can also spark new ideas for how to manage your workload more smoothly.
Linda Ruggeri is a nonfiction bilingual editor and writer based out of Napa Valley who specializes in memoir, biographies, cookbooks, and Spanish translation reviews. She’s the author of Networking for Writers, and coauthored Networking for Freelance Editors: Practical Strategies for Networking Success—both winners IBPA Gold and Silver Medals respectively.
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