When you’re self-employed, it can be hard to make time for self-care. There are so many things that need to get done and everyone is counting on you to get them done.
But taking care of yourself is important for your health, happiness, and continued success. Here are some simple ways that you can make time for yourself every day:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Self-care practices are essential for maintaining wellbeing and productivity. |
| Self-employment requires self-care to manage stress and maintain a healthy work-life balance. |
| Mindfulness techniques can reduce stress and increase productivity. |
| Balancing work and parenting requires establishing clear boundaries and routines. |
| Staying focused and motivated while working from home can lead to a boost in productivity. |
Sleeping Well
Resting well is crucial to maintaining a healthy and positive mindset. If you’re not getting the sleep you need, it can make it difficult to be productive, focused and present throughout the day.
According to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night for optimal health which means you may need even more if you’re over 50 years old!
The best way to improve your sleeping habits? Stick to a regular schedule. Try going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning in order for your body clock (also known as your circadian rhythm) becomes accustomed with this new routine.
This will help prevent insomnia from occurring later on down the line when unexpected events disrupts our normal daily activities such as travelling or working late shifts without proper breaks from certain types of light exposure at night time (like computers screens).
Building a self-care routine is essential for remote work. With our guide on creating a self-care routine for working from home, you can improve your wellbeing and productivity while working remotely.
Having Good Breaks
Taking breaks is a vital part of self-care, as it can help you to maintain your health and well-being. Taking regular breaks is also important in order to avoid fatigue and reduce the risk of illness.
- When should I take a break?
You should take a break after every two hours of work, ideally during the middle of your working day (for example at lunchtime). Alternatively, if you have worked for more than four hours without taking a break then it’s worth considering doing so.
There are no hard and fast rules on how long these breaks should be – however, if they’re too short then they might not do much good! Remember that longer periods will allow you time for other activities such as lunch or exercise; this is beneficial for both the mind and body!
Recommended Break Activities
| Activity | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-up and stretch | Stand up and do some stretching to refresh your body and mind. | Reduces muscle tension and discomfort, increases blood flow, and helps prevent eye strain. |
| Take a walk | Step out for a walk and get some fresh air. | Boosts circulation, increases oxygen supply to the brain, reduces stress, and improves mood. |
| Listen to music | Put on some tunes and give yourself a mental break. | Improves mood, reduces stress, and increases relaxation. |
| Play a game | Engage in an entertaining activity to take your mind off work. | Boots dopamine, increases creativity, and reduces stress. |
| Take a power nap | Take a short nap to recharge your energy levels. | Improves memory, increases alertness, and enhances problem-solving abilities. |
Eat Food That Makes You Feel Good
Eating well is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, but it’s also one of the most difficult.
The best way to make sure you’re eating healthy is to plan ahead. If you know that a big project is coming up and that your schedule will be hectic in the following days, get extra groceries so that there’s no excuse for not cooking something healthy.
One thing I used to do when I was working at home was keep my pantry stocked with some essentials: nuts, plain Greek yogurt (without any added sugar), eggs (which are great for breakfast!), hummus, frozen vegetables, canned beans, peanut butter and fruit juice concentrate so I could make smoothies whenever I wanted them.
That way there was always something quick and easy available when cravings hit me unexpectedly!
As a freelancer, managing your time can be quite a challenge. Learn how to balance your business and personal life with our guide on freelancing and time management to achieve success in your career without sacrificing your wellbeing.
Work In A Way That Feels Comfortable For You
In a small business, you can’t afford to be without a sense of self-care. You should work in a way that feels comfortable for you. If music helps you stay focused and motivated, listen to it while you work.
Recommended Work Environment Setups
| Setup | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Standing desk | A desk that can be raised or lowered to allow for standing while working. | Reduces the risk of neck and back pain, improves posture, and increases energy levels. |
| Ergonomic chair | A chair designed to support good posture and reduce discomfort. | Reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders, improves circulation, and increases focus. |
| Dual monitors | Two computer monitors side by side to increase screen space and productivity. | Reduces the need for alt-tabbing, improves multitasking, and leads to faster completion of tasks. |
| Noise-cancelling headphones | Headphones designed to reduce external noise. | Improves focus, reduces distractions, and increases productivity. |
| Natural lighting | Exposure to natural sunlight in a work environment. | Reduces eye strain, enhances mood, and improves focus. |
Drink Plenty Of Water Everyday
Drinking plenty of water everyday is one of the most important steps to take towards good health. When you’re self-employed, it’s easy to think that you can get away with not drinking enough water and just rely on coffee instead.
But when your body isn’t getting enough liquid, it starts to negatively impact your overall well being.
If you start incorporating a daily ritual of drinking at least 8 glasses of water into your routine, here are some ways in which it will help:
It keeps your body hydrated and helps prevent dehydration. Dehydration leads to fatigue, headaches and even constipation if left untreated—not exactly ideal conditions for working productively!
Drinking plenty of water helps keep hunger pains at bay because it makes us feel fuller faster so that we eat less throughout the day (and thus burn fewer calories).
This is especially helpful for those who struggle with their weight or have high blood pressure concerns since they can reduce their risk factors by consuming more H2O regularly without having any negative side effects from doing so (like bloating or feeling tired).
Your skin will thank you too; when we drink enough H2O our bodies produce less oil throughout our skin cells so that visible blemishes won’t appear as much!
Working from home with kids can make productivity seem impossible. Follow our guide on working from home with kids to maximize your productivity, stay focused, and keep your sanity.
Take An Unplugged Weekend
If you’re new to self-employment, this can be a good way to ease into it. You’re still working but it’s not quite as stressful as normal work and you have more control over your time. You learn how to budget, spend less, have more free time and ultimately work smarter.
Recommended Unplugged Weekend Activities
| Activity | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Hiking | Take a hike in the mountains or in a nearby nature reserve. | Reduces stress, increases cardiovascular health, and improves mental clarity. |
| Reading | Spend your weekend reading a good book offline. | Reduces stress, improves memory, and increases empathy. |
| Yoga | Attend a yoga class to promote relaxation and strengthen the body. | Reduces stress and anxiety, relieves tension, and increases flexibility. |
| Meditation | Meditate for relaxation and mindfulness. | Reduces stress, increases self-awareness, and improves mental clarity. |
| Quality time with loved ones | Spend time with family and friends, either in person or virtually. | Enhances mood, improves social connections, and contributes to overall well-being. |
Spend Time Outside Every Week
The old saying goes that “sitting is the new smoking”, and there’s no denying that being a stay-at-home entrepreneur is a sedentary office job.
While you may not be chained to your desk, there are still plenty of reasons why you should spend time outside every week:
- It gets you away from your computer screen and breaks up the monotony of working on your business.
- Being outdoors can help clear your head, allowing ideas and solutions to come easier.
- You can feel more energized after playing in nature for just an hour or two!
What if I don’t have access to parks or gardens? Even if you live in an urban area where nature isn’t readily accessible, there are still ways for you (and any other self-employees) to get some fresh air:
Take walks around town during lunch breaks! If this isn’t possible due to distance restrictions then try finding somewhere else close by where energy levels will rise when exposed with natural light such as coffee shops with outdoor seating areas where people travel from miles away just because they know it feels good being surrounded by something green even if its artificial grass instead.”
Staying focused and motivated while working from home can be a challenge, but it’s crucial for productivity. With our guide on staying focused and motivated, you can learn tips and techniques to stay productive and motivated.
Have A Few Hobbies
Hobbies are important in self-employment because they provide balance and structure to your life.
Hobbies can be anything from playing video games to knitting or learning new languages, but what all hobbies have in common is that they give you something fun and rewarding to do outside of work.
You might not want or need a hobby when you first start out as a freelancer, but eventually it will become clear that having something else besides work is necessary for staying healthy mentally and physically.
Having something other than work also helps prevent burnout by giving you something fresh to focus on during days when you feel like working isn’t enough anymore.
Here are some tips for finding the right hobby:
Figure out what kind of activities resonate with your personality type (e.g., creative vs analytical). This will help guide which choices might be most satisfying over time.
Think about how much time this activity would realistically take each week (e.g., 15 minutes per day). Don’t forget about maintenance tasks such as cleaning up after yourself!
Make Time For People You Love
When you work for yourself, it’s easy to be lonely. You can feel like no one knows or understands what you’re going through and that the people around you have no idea how hard your life is. While this isn’t always true, it is something that I struggle with sometimes.
It’s easy for me to get down on myself when things aren’t going as planned or a project didn’t turn out quite like I wanted it too.
But when I started dating again after my divorce, I learned about the importance of self-care and how important it is to make time for people who love me unconditionally like my girlfriend Jessica does and who are always willing to listen without judgement (and give great advice).
Spending time with her has been incredibly helpful in keeping my head above water during stressful times because she helps remind me that there are still good parts of life that deserve my attention and appreciation!
In addition, being able to do things with friends has taught me not only how important friendships are but also reminded me why they’re so vital: doing things together allows us all personal growth opportunities through shared experiences which makes us feel more connected as well as stronger emotionally when dealing with challenges later down the line!
Mindfulness techniques can help to reduce stress and increase productivity. Read our guide on simple mindfulness techniques for work to learn about the tips that can improve your work performance and wellbeing.
Find A Quiet Place To Work From On A Regular Basis
It’s important to find a quiet place to work from on a regular basis.
This can be in the form of a coffee shop, library or any other suitable location.
It will help you focus and get more done because you won’t be interrupted by other people or the noise they make.
Go Somewhere Nice For Lunch Once Per Week
“It’s important to take time for yourself so that you can put your energy into your business and not let it get away from you,” says Dr. Michael Craig, a clinical psychologist and certified coach who works with self-employed people. “If you don’t do this, then it will be harder to be successful as a freelancer.”
But how exactly do we make time for ourselves? I asked some experts to explain the importance of self-care in self-employment and they told me exactly what they recommend their clients do on a regular basis.
Here are the top three things that experts say every freelancer needs:
- Go somewhere nice for lunch once per week
- Find an event or meetup in your area related to your work that interests you (or look up one nearby)
Listen To Music You Enjoy While Working
Listening to music you enjoy can help you relax, focus and feel more productive. Choose a song that makes you happy and keeps you in a positive mindset. If it’s not exactly your style, consider using earbuds so that others around you don’t have to listen!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve found this post helpful. Self-care is one of the most important things you can do for yourself as an entrepreneur, and we would love to see more people taking it seriously. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below!
Further Reading
If you’re interested in learning more about the importance of self-care in the workplace, check out these articles:
Why Employee Self-Care Should Be Practised in Every Organisation: This article emphasizes the importance of employee self-care in modern workplaces, highlighting its benefits and ways to achieve it.
Why Self-Care Matters for Both Employers and Employees: This informative article explores the benefits of self-care for both employers and employees, how it can promote productivity, and how to implement it effectively in the workplace.
The Importance of Self-Care for Productivity in an Office Environment: This article emphasizes the importance of self-care in promoting productivity in office environments, offering actionable tips for employees to improve their wellbeing and productivity.
FAQs
What is self-care in the workplace?
Self-care in the workplace refers to activities and practices that employees engage in to maintain their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing while at work. It can include things like taking breaks, practicing mindfulness, and setting boundaries.
Why is self-care important in the workplace?
Self-care is important in the workplace because it can help improve employees’ mood, reduce stress and burnout, increase productivity, and boost morale.
How do employers promote self-care in the workplace?
Employers can promote self-care in the workplace by providing opportunities for breaks, encouraging physical exercise, offering mental health resources, and promoting a healthy work-life balance.
What are some examples of self-care activities in the workplace?
Some examples of self-care activities in the workplace include taking breaks, practicing mindfulness or meditation, engaging in physical exercise, staying hydrated, and setting boundaries around work hours.
How can employees practice self-care while working remotely?
Employees can practice self-care while working remotely by creating a designated workspace, taking breaks for exercise or relaxation, setting boundaries between work and personal time, and maintaining social connections with colleagues.
Hi there! I’m Hellen James, and I’ve been working at home for over a decade. I’ve been looking for ways to be more efficient at home, and I have a bunch of tips that you’ll love.
