WIBU to invent some children

[Anamechangewpukddoyougood]

I work from home (all the time not just now) as a freelance consultant. While I work incredibly hard to set clear boundaries with clients I’m frequently contacted on the phone, via text and WhatsApp at all hours.

More recently with many working from home and our days disrupted there seems to be an increased expectation that I’m available at any time in the evening, weekend etc. This isn’t from one client - it’s from a lot (and also from perspective ones - e.g can we do our initial call at 7pm etc.

Now of course I’m well within my rights to say no for any reason, however I’m finding that where I usually just say “I’m not available then” that’s a bit trickier bearing in mind that I’m obviously sort of available as it’s not like I’m going anywhere.

While I don’t have children - am tempted to invent some so I can say “no I’m doing dinner, bedtime, looking after the kids”

Yes I know this is nuts - but am struggling a bit at the moment. Usually I’m pretty tough on this stuff but the pressure to do more outside of usual hours (not urgent things) is rising quite a bit!

I'm a freelancer who also always works from home. The first post in response to you is the answer. You have a work phone and don't answer it outside of the work hours you set. You are unavailable outside those hours. You don't have to explain why or invent children.
If you don't have a separate work phone then either get one or don't answer/view any whatsapp messages or calls or emails from anyone work related outside those hours.

They're not eroding the OP's boundaries because she hasn't set any. Exactly.

You decide when you are working, you tell people those hours and you don't answer them outside those hours.

Lots of good advice on the thread, @Anamechangewpukddoyougood

I'm more interested in what you're going to call them, how old they are, and what kind of parent you are, though.

Going to go against the grain here and say that unless you’re really confident that your industry won’t be affected, take all the work you can get while it’s there - I wouldn’t take every call with a current client but would want to demonstrate flexibility and would always make myself available for prospective work. And I used to a contractor.

just.. don't answer outside of your working hours?

The whole point of emails/texts/whatsapp is to send them when convenient, and not expecting a reply until convenient for the person you sent it too.

Do people actually expect an urgent answer, or are they just in the middle of something and contacting you because that's what they are doing?

Clients could texts you at 2am, it doesn't mean they expect a reply then.

You need to set some flexible availability and then stick to it. I am in a similar working condition to you (although I do actually have two children!) and I offer alternative mornings and afternoons available for calls and two evenings a week. So if someone asks say for this evening at 7pm, I can comfortably say that if they need an evening call I can offer them that time onX or Y day, or if they need to speak today it could be between 2-4 for instance

The whole point about being freelance is that you don't have to jump when the boss says jump any more.
You are not their employee - they are your customer.

You are your own boss and choose to set your own availability hours.

Just because client A is working from home in the evenings at the moment, he can't expect everybody else to be available also.

Put your working hours in your email signature.

But be prepared to lose business from clients who actually do have small children and can genuinely only speak in the evenings and weekends. Did it ever occur to you that may be why you’re getting called at odd hours?

I imagine your clients are having to work flexibly themselves. Mine are.

I always work odd hours to allow be to be available to be ignored by tween and teen children between 4 and 7 when they usually got back from school, picking up again in the evening. I have an email disclaimer that states how and when I am available. Not why.

I'd suggest potentially adapting your routine to meet the needs of clients, though setting out boundaries nonetheless.

Don't invent kids. It'll be weird if you get found out.

What I would do is put your working hours on the phone answerphone and on your e-mail signature. At 5pm (or whenever it is you stop working) put your 'out of office' on saying you are now out of the office but will reply to their enquiry at your next working day, and re-iterate your office hours.

I agree you need a separate work phone / number too.

Don't tell a lie that can rebound on you badly if found out....not when there are other more suitable options.

The easiest thing is to have a separate phone/number for work and private.
Leave a voicemail stating opening hours etc and facility for them to leave a message.

Block your diary! I have DC but I don't normally use them as an excuse, as in normal times me saying I can't do a meeting at 5pm or something due to childcare is perceived by some contacts as poor commitment to work. Normally I say "not available at that time, how about 9.30 tomorrow..." My work diary is blocked out for hours I can't do so colleagues can see when I'm available.

Clients contacting you outside those hours will have to wait. That’s normal working practice

But it isn't normal times.
Everyone is having to be flexible and an inflexible freelancer wouldn't keep their contract long- sorry

Sorry, but I think there is truth in this. You may have clients who are really struggling to get work done in the day and having to work in evenings, due to looking after children full time. I am working all bank holiday to get my work done, as I am now working so slowly due to full time looking after young children. This mumsnet post is my first break all day. Right - back to work now.

No need to lie but you can ignore messages and reply when it suits you or if someone wants to arrange a call at 7pm, just say sorry that day/time isn’t convenient and try to arrange another time.

If people think you’re very busy, they might assume it means you’re very good and therefore they might be happy enough to wait a bit longer.

I thought you were going to try and get furloughed because of it and in would have said YABU. However, I think in these circumstance YANBU.

If you mean "No," say "No."

Don't say "I'd love to but X"
Because they can then quibble about how important X is, or how you could reschedule X, or even how they could arrange to help you with X.

If you want a bit of fun, say, "I'm not available then, but if you want, I can phone you when I'm free. Is it really that important?"

and if they say Yes, phone them at 5am.

Turn your phone off out of hours.

24-hour plumbers have a huge out-of-hours callout fee.

I’m being flexible. Kids are adults now so I’m not actually busy in the evenings , and I appreciate that many of my clients are struggling with a whole new way of life, with kids around all day. Boundaries ARE important, but imo all bets are off right now and I’d rather show a bit of empathy and kindness . I’ve contacted all my main clients to say exactly that ‘as you know, I’m normally only available for teleconferences 10-5, but these are extraordinary times, and I know many of you will be trying to fit your work around childcare. If you need to set up telecons outside normal hours, then let me know. I can’t promise to always be available, but we’ll work something out. We can resume normal service when all this is over’. I’m retaining a lot of clients I thought I might lose, and I want to have a business afterwards, so...If it’s just that people are sending ‘can you do/can I have your comments etc’ type messages, I just assume that’s the clearing their inbox, and I deal with it the next business day as usual.

Oh wow - I went away to do a zoom call and so many responses! I generally am quite set about working hours - the issue is like someone mentioned upthread that my clients and how they work has changed.

@ilovecherries part of the issue is that I have a LOT of clients - so one wants 6am and another wants 8pm.
Also I do have a very high out of hours rate - which I’m not enforcing - I think my fear is that when things go back to normal it will make it incredibly difficult to change back

I suspect it will be quite some some time for things to go back to normal, so worry about enforcing regular hours when that arises if you can.

@Ihatemyseleffordoingthis the thing is that there are multiple clients - I’d tried to adapt to suit all of them, I’d be working 24/7

(I once had a whataaap message from a client at 5am on Christmas morning - no “how are you” just “ive has this great idea how can I implement it”.

If you have an out of hours rate and you don't want to do out of hours, enforce the rate. You could show some flexibility by stating your in-hours rate is extended to 8 - 7 (or whatever you are comfortable with) but enforce higher rate out of those hours and say that will be reviewed on a monthly basis, then make sure to communicate every month whether or not you are adjusting those hours.

Not that it matters but - I don’t have any clients who’s issue is childcare. The majority are males without childcare issues

@Anamechangewpukddoyougood - am in same position - anything between 6 - 10 clients at a time - a degree of flexibility is good I think, but too much and you're screwed. I get it.

If it's not childcare or legit in some way just being erratic/presenteeism/pushy/bored and dangerous amounts of time on their hands - then it's different to adapting to the needs of new working situation. Publish your working hours and decline calls/don't reply outside those times. It signals that you value yourself and your time.

If you invent children and they are non child-owning types I doubt it would work on them tbh

I would agree with the posts saying be firm about your working hours. Also the ones saying have a work phone that goes off outside of working hours . Anyone wants your time out of these parameters needs to pay a premium to do so. This needs to be negotiated in advance to your terms .