A 2014 study showed that more than 53 million (34%) of Americans where Freelancers and this number is expected to grow to 50% by 2020. More and more of these freelancers are flying solo (solopreneurs).
Although more and more people are choosing to switch to solopreneurs, many of them are unaware of the potential impacts on their mental health.
There are lots of reasons why individuals choose to make the change and two of the primary reasons are the perceived benefits of working alone or not working for a boss.
You’ve no doubt taken for granted your daily interactions with your former colleagues or students. As you start out on your freelancing journey (especially for online solopreneurs), you need to realize that you may have fewer reasons to physically meet other people.
Unforeseen issues such as loneliness need to be factored into your business plans.
1. Schedule Some Downtime (Relaxation) and Get Out of The house
As an employee, you may be used to having the weekend off and not feeling guilty (if you have earned money during the week). When you first start out on your solopreneurial journey you may not earn much during the week and so feel guilty not working at the weekend.
You need to find ways to relax and recharge (they don’t have to cost much money). Although there may initially be a requirement to work extra hours on your business, you must schedule some downtime.
The old proverb “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is just as relevant to females. If you don’t factor in some downtime you may start to resent your choice to stop being an employee.
Human Needs: Company
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs shows that company is one of the human needs that we require. As a solopreneur, there is a tendency to work long hours from home. This can limit your social interactions with others.
The more that we move towards this home-based lifestyle the greater the potential for loneliness and unhappiness (that can lead to deeper mental health issues).
Ensure that you factor in some human interaction when planning your downtime. Don’t just rely on the TV or the internet as companions.
2. Build a Comfortable Work Environment
We may have been sold the image of a solopreneur working from a laptop in a coffee shop but in reality, lots of freelancers work unsociable hours in their home.
Your working environment can have a large impact on your physical and mental health, so it is important that you endeavour to make it as hospitable as possible.
Your living situation may not allow you to have a lavishly furnished separate office space but there are various ways that you can optimize your workspace.
Reducing physical and mental stress or strains is one way to contribute to your mental well-being.
- Noise Cancelling Headphones – Noise cancelling headphones are not a necessity but if you are more comfortable working in a quieter atmosphere, a set of fair quality headphones can be purchased at a reasonable price.
- A Suitable Desk – Whether you prefer to work sitting down or at a stand-up desk, there are cost-effective ways to meet your needs. A piece of timber placed on top of two (double drawer) filing cabinets can form a desk to fit irregular office spaces. An old bookshelf can be modified into a stand-up desk.
- Keyboards and mouses – Using a separate keyboard and mouse instead of a laptops integral keyboard can help reduce RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury). Reducing physical injury and pain.
- A Suitable Chair – If you have a stand-up desk you may wish to use a bar stool as a rest for lengthy work sessions. An ergonomic office type chair can provide optimum support, limiting physical strain and pain from bad posture. With the flourishing second-hand market in today’s world, you can pick up a suitable chair at a reasonable price
- Backup systems – You may prefer to back up your work to an external hard drive or the cloud. Whatever your medium of preference, constantly backing up your data will reduce the mental stress of losing work you’ve spent precious time producing.
3. Prioritize Your Diet and Exercise
Whatever our situation, life sometimes gets in the way of a healthy diet and regular exercise. If you don’t take care of your physical health it will impact on your mental health.
When you are first starting out as a solopreneur there is a tendency to focus all of your energy on your new venture, letting exercise go by the wayside and eating haphazardly.
You are no doubt scheduling in your work activities so there is no reason not to schedule your eating and exercise activities.
There are lots of ways to ensure that you don’t live off takeaway food but here are just a couple:
- Batching food – Cooking food in bulk and then freezing to individual meals can be can be a great way of ensuring that you have nutritional foods readily on hand.
- Nuts as snacks – Having a container of Nuts or other healthy snacks on hand can reduce the tendency to eat junk foods.
Exercising doesn’t mean that you need to join an expensive gym:
- Free Resources – With Youtube workout routines and the mass of other online resources, it doesn’t have to cost money to exercise.
- Flexible Timetables – Working from home and having control of your work schedule means that you can decide when and where to exercise.
Solopreneur Wrap-Up
If you maintain your physical health it will contribute to your mental wellbeing. When you are committing to the switch from an employee to a solopreneur, your health needs to be factored in.
By following these three simple steps your mental health can benefit substantially:
- Schedule Some Downtime.
- Build a Comfortable Work Environment.
- Prioritize your Diet and Exercise.