How to Handle “No-Work” Days (Remote Work)

How to Handle “No-Work” Days (Remote Work)

If you’ve been freelancing for a while, you’ll know this feeling — there are days when there’s just nothing to do.
No emails, no tasks, no calls… just you sitting there, waiting.

Honestly? I hate that kind of “pointless waiting time.”
So for my team, if there’s no work, I usually tell them to study something new or just go home early.

But here’s where things get tricky.
Some people start to see that as a special privilege.
And sometimes, they even decide on their own to just quietly leave early — without saying anything.

They probably think, “It’s fine, there’s no work anyway.”
But here’s the truth: the moment you do that, all the trust you’ve built drops to zero.

Try Looking at It Differently

Let’s say you really have nothing to do,
and your partner wants to hang out.

Sure, you could sneak out and go without telling your boss — (of course, I’m talking about remote work here).

But there’s a smarter way to do it.

Always carry your phone and a laptop that can connect to a hotspot, and make sure you’ve got your company chat or messenger app installed.

That way, even if you’re out,
you can jump in and handle any urgent issues right away.

You’ll keep your client’s trust,
and still get to spend time with your loved ones.
Win-win, right?

It All Comes Down to Trust

Some people say, “I don’t lie. I’ll just stay put and be honest.” And that’s totally fine.
But a real professional freelancer always thinks,
“What does my client actually need right now?”

Because great freelancers aren’t perfect at everything — they’re just really good at understanding what clients want and delivering it.

To Wrap It Up

How you act when there’s no work
is just as important as how you act when you’re busy.

Sometimes one small decision —
like whether you stay alert or zone out —
can decide your reputation and future opportunities.

So yeah, enjoy your free time when you can.
Just remember: trust is built when no one’s watching.

Zing

Zing leads Community and Social Impact at PitchNet, building initiatives that drive economic opportunity, freelancer wellbeing, and nonprofit impact.

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