Ask How do freelancers deal with not having paid vacation or sick leave?

[Brendan]

In a regular job, paid leave means you still get your salary even when you are resting or unwell. Freelancers do not have that. If you stop working, you stop earning, which makes taking a break feel expensive and stressful. Some freelancers plan ahead by saving money during busy months so they can afford to take time off later. Others simply push through when they are sick because they feel they cannot afford to stop. It is one of the less talked about challenges of freelancing. How do you handle this, and have you found a way to take real breaks without it hurting your income?