10 Tips for Freelancers to Enhance Health and Wellbeing

Freelancing can offer you freedom and flexibility rarely found in traditional work roles. That’s what led you to embark on your freelancing journey, am I right?

Freelancing has many perks. You have the freedom to set your own work schedule and to create your own work environment. But if you’re not used to this it can be overwhelming. If you don’t set good workplace foundations it can affect your wellbeing in the future.

With a little bit of planning and organisation, you can nip bad habits in the bud. Doing so now can steer you off the path to injury, burnout, and an uneven work/life balance.

In this article, we’ll be exploring 10 tips for freelancers to enhance their health and wellbeing. These tips can improve productivity, your mood, and your health. Adopting new habits can create a ripple effect of positive change in other areas of your life.

So, let’s get into it!

1. Invest in the Right Equipment

As a freelancer, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your workspace. Your chair, the height of your screen, and the type of equipment you use can all wreak havoc on your body.

At first, you may notice no new pains and sprains. But after a few months of using ill-fitting equipment for long hours, you will start to feel the effects.

Let’s avoid handing over your hard-earned freelancing dollars to your physiotherapist. Source the best equipment within your budget right from the start. It can prevent chronic pain and injury in the future.

Take the time to investigate ergonomics and research your choice of office equipment. If you have the means, why not hire an ergonomic specialist? They can assess your workspace, your posture, and work with any existing aliments. They can give you expert guidance in purchasing the right furniture and equipment to suit you.

2. Connect with Others

The life of a freelancer can be lonely… But it doesn’t have to be.

Working from home can result in spending hours with your nose to the grindstone, not talking to a soul. In traditional office environments you’re interacting with people all the time. Lunchroom chats and pre-meeting banter can add a richness to your workday.

But how can you boost human interactions in your day when the only one available to bounce ideas off is your cat?

Connect with Online Forums and Groups

Join some freelancing forums and groups on sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Forums and groups can offer networking opportunities, leads, camaraderie, and tips and tricks.

Most forums welcome questions allowing other members to give you some sage advice. Online forums and groups can be a great way to get to know others in your field from around the world.

Try a Shared Workspace

Most major cities have shared workspace facilities. These spaces offer desks and meeting rooms for hire. They often include a kitchen, break-out spaces, and high-speed internet.

While prepping lunch in the kitchen you could meet some new people. Using these spaces can keep loneliness at bay and offer great networking opportunities. All while getting to use a professional office space.

If your city or town doesn’t have a service like this, try the local library. Most libraries have desks for you to use. There is also a wealth of reference material at your fingertips and staff to assist.

Head to your Local Café

If you’re feeling cooped up, take a trip to the local café with your laptop in tow. While you caffeinate (or not, you do you) you can check your inbox and do some planning.

Get to know your barista and the regulars. You never know, it could provide leads and networking opportunities. And who knows, even some great conversation?

3. Take Frequent Breaks

Taking regular breaks keeps your mind fresh and the ideas flowing. Experts suggest taking a 10-minute break every 2 hours to avoid mental fatigue. Forcing yourself to overwork can reduce your productivity and quality of output.

Taking a break can lead to those eureka moments. This process is called incubation. Notice killer ideas strike when you’re doing something like walking the dog or taking a shower? Incubation is when the unconscious takes the problem-solving reigns while your conscious brain switches gears to another task.

Next time you can’t seem to figure something out, take a break. It could be the key to unlocking the solution.

4. Create an Inviting Workspace

Sitting in a cluttered workspace littered with day-old coffee cups won’t inspire even the best of us. The cleanliness of your workspace can get out of hand (speaking from experience).

Take a few minutes at the end of each workday to clear your space. The small investment of time can work wonders.

Give your office a mini makeover. Get some fancy office supplies and let in natural light (if you have access) or use lamps. This can brighten your space and make it more inviting. Why not try adding a plant? Studies show having plants in the workplace can reduce stress and improve mood and productivity.

5. Switch Off

I get it. You’re in full boss mode, building your empire and making your freelancing dreams come true. You’re not punching the clock in a traditional work sense, so you can sneak in extra work to get ahead. With your home office in reach the trap of workaholism can be an easy one to fall into.

Slipping into the toxic side of hustle culture can leave you burned out. Burnout doesn’t only affect your energy levels. The effects of burnout can touch all facets of your life. It can take a toll on your relationships, career, and mental health.

Medically diagnosed burnout can involve depression, chronic fatigue, anxiety, and reduced productivity. Burnout can affect your cognitive abilities, dampening creative and innovative thinking. Experts estimate it can take at least two years to fully recover from burnout.

Just like you religiously take time to clean your teeth daily (well, I hope you do), you need to schedule rest. It’s important to recharge your battery. Taking time out of your day to rest makes you more productive in the long run.

The best way to switch off is to have a set work routine. Clock on and clock off. There’ll be the odd time when a major deadline is looming, and overtime is needed. That’s normal. But don’t make a habit of it and burn yourself out.

6. Move and Stretch

Spending hours hunched over your work can leave you feeling stiff and fatigued. Having a 5-minute stretch session here and there can ease the aches and pains.

In recent times sitting has been called out for being as bad for you as smoking. And as a freelancer you’re probably not jazzed to hear this because we tend to sit A LOT.

Taking regular breaks to move and stretch will help, as well as starting an exercise routine.

Incorporating regular exercise into your day is a fantastic way to boost your health and productivity. We all know that exercise has physical benefits, but it can improve your mood too. Also, exercise has been shown to heighten creativity and improve your memory.

The key to consistency with exercise is finding something you like. If you can’t stand jogging but you love working out with kettlebells, then do that. If you love sports, then join a local team. Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore or be an all-out beast mode session to count.

Work with your preferences and your level of fitness. You’ll be more likely to stick with it.

You could also consider a sit/stand desk. These desks elevate for working while standing and lower to sit down. Regular stints of working while standing can lower your risk of disease, ease the strain on your back, and burn more calories.

7. Make Time for Healthy Meals

Prioritising healthy meals can go out the window when you have a deadline looming. Stress can make you crave high-energy foods. You know, the good stuff that you should indulge in on occasion. Being super busy can lead you to a first-name basis with the pizza delivery guy rather than your greengrocer.

Stress and anxiety can reduce your appetite too. You can burn throughout the day pumping out work and realise you haven’t eaten anything in hours. Both scenarios are detrimental to your health.

Plan ahead and have grab-and-go snacks on hand. This makes life easier when the stress hits. Meal prepping is a good solution too. Set aside one day a week to cook up a storm. Store portions in your freezer so you have quick healthy meals ready when you need them.

Also, it’s a good idea to schedule time away from your desk for a proper lunch break. Your body and mind will thank you.

8. Prioritise Relationships

Constant grind can affect your relationships. Work can eat away at your home and social life if you let it. Be sure to check in with your family and friends and schedule catch-ups.

There will be times when work blows up and you must devote more time to your career. Life is an ebb and flow. Make sure you tip the scales back towards your social life.

Healthy relationships enrich your life on many levels. We are social creatures by nature. When we are cut off from others depression, anxiety and loneliness can creep in.

If your social life is DOA, then get out there and sign up for new activities and join groups. Try the Meetup app and find local groups that appeal to you.

Work is important, but so are your relationships. Schedule time to give them the attention they deserve.

9. Meditate

Studies have shown that meditation improves creative thinking, innovation, and productivity. Many large corporations now include mindfulness practices in their staff wellness programs.

And you don’t have to sit in the lotus position for an hour to reap benefits. Studies show that as little as 10 minutes of meditation is all you need. Meditation can take a little getting used to if you haven’t tried it before. By having a daily practice you’ll strengthen your ‘meditation muscle’. Before you know it, you’ll be able to extend your sessions.

If you’re new to meditation and don’t know where to start, guided meditation is a great option. The late, great writer and theologian Alan Watts, provides (in my humble opinion) the best beginner guide on meditation. You could also try an app such as Headspace, which provides guided meditations, soothing sounds, and more.

And if meditation isn’t your thing, take a serene, 10-minute walk in your local park. It may be just what you need for mindfulness benefits.

10. Establish a Routine

The easiest way to incorporate the above-mentioned strategies into your day is to create a rock-solid routine. I know, sticking to a routine can seem stifling. And a lot of you would have taken on freelancing to avoid stifling routine.

But committing to a daily routine provides the foundation for a successful day. If you want to avoid procrastination, then routine building is for you. It can reduce overwhelm, establish healthy habits, and assist in stress management.

If you peek into the lives of most highly successful people, you’ll find they have a daily routine. But you don’t have to follow theirs to the letter. The key to successful routine building is to tailor it to suit your needs and goals. Take time to experiment and find what works for you.

And take it slow! The temptation to cram as many good habits as possible into your day is real. But this can burn you out on the whole process. Weave new habits into your day over time to get the best results.

If you’re new to maintaining a routine, or you struggle with being consistent (guilty here!), then try an app like Fabulous. This app helps you build a routine to meet your goals. Fabulous also provides challenges, articles, and meditations, and allows you to track your habits.

Wrapping It All Up

So, there you have it. 10 tips to keep your health and wellbeing on track as a freelancer.

Freelancing offers you many freedoms. But it puts the onus on you to maintain your work-related health and wellbeing. And that can feel overwhelming!

You no longer have company-run health and wellness programs at your disposal. But as a freelancer, you have the freedom to experiment. Create schedules, routines, and healthy habits that are specifically tailored to you.

The corporate one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t apply to you. You can make your own way, and that includes your path to vibrant health and wellness.