According to a recent survey, freelancers are twice as likely to experience depression than office employees. As they are isolated from others each working day, they might be more susceptible to loneliness, anxiety, and low moods.

If you work for yourself, you might have experienced one or more mental health issues that affectevery aspect of your life. Taking steps to improve your working days will support your emotional well-being and allow you to enjoy the benefits of remote working. Keep reading for advice on how to be a healthier and happier freelancer.

Start Hotdesking

Most freelancers have likely experienced feelings of loneliness at some point, as they will not have colleagues to greet and opportunities to talk about their weekend or plans for the evening ahead.

If you feel isolated and miss forming connections with other hardworking professionals, you can enjoy the best of both worlds by hotdesking. It will allow you to work in a cool office with reliable Wi-Fi and free refreshments. Also, you can network with many ambitious people from various industries.

Most hotdesking offices provide plans to suit many professionals’ needs, such as day passes or monthly memberships. Also, you could pay a little extra to enjoy various superb perks, such as access to free seminars and well-being sessions.

Stick to a Strict Schedule

One of the biggest perks of freelancing is the flexibility it can provide to your life. As a result, you can choose when and how much you work each day, allowing your job to fit around your personal life. Yet, tight deadlines or money worries might force you to take on more projects than you would like, which may cause you to work too much or tackle projects during unsociable hours.

If this is the case, you must create a work schedule and stick to it. For instance, working from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, will increase your motivation and allow you to set boundaries when working at home.

Eat Healthily

The lure of the kitchen can feel strong when working from home. As a result, you might be tempted to eat one cookie too many, grab a bag of chips, or overindulge in calories at lunch. Yet, a poor diet can determine your focus, mood, and energy levels, which may affect your productivity, performance, and mental health.

For this reason, you must try to keep your refrigerator and kitchen cabinets free from junk food. Also, stock up on healthy snacks to munch on when hunger strikes, such as:

• Fruit
• Yogurt
• Granola bars
• Mixed nuts

If you don’t have junk food in your cabinets, you’re less likely to consume many calories. Also, healthier products can banish fatigue, support focus, and make you happier and healthier.

Freelancing provides many perks, such as being your own boss, skipping a long commute, and shaping your work schedule to suit you. Yet, you must take steps to protect your mental health and flourish in your chosen career, as it can be an isolating experience.