Being able to work from home can bring with it some great flexibility and the freedom to do things as and when you need to. You’re only accountable to yourself, and you decide your workload and the hours that you work. But with that freedom, comes some responsibility; you may be accountable to only you about your work, but also about your health. In an office, an employer is required to adhere to certain guidelines to make sure that you’re working in a healthy and safe environment. But when you’re working at home and by yourself, the only person that will be telling you to take a break or get a new desk chair is you. So what can you to do be more accountable for your health when you’re self-employed? Here are some of the ways you can take better care of yourself.

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Assess Your Desk

Hopefully you have a desk or an office space that you work in at home. You should check the space out and see what you can be doing to make sure that it is a comfortable and safe space. Is your desk chair up to scratch? Is it adjustable and movable? If it isn’t, then it could be worth looking to invest in a new one. Have you got a footrest or somewhere for your wrists to avoid things like repetitive strain? All of these kind of thing can make a difference to your health and posture overall, and stop you getting aches and pains when you’re doing your work.

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Improve Your Health

As well as the environment that you’re in, your own health can have an impact on how well you’re able to work. And at the end of the day, as a freelancer, you’re likely to not get paid unless you are working. So it pays to stay well; literally. So think about regular exercise breaks to take a walk or go to the gym. Think about what you’re eating and drinking; it can be hard to get up early and do work if you’re hungover or feel so lethargic from eating sugar-filled foods. You could also look to purchase health care products online like a blood pressure monitor or a mattress that could help you sleep better. Be proactive and you’re likely to deal with any issues before they actually crop up.

Banish Loneliness

Working freelance can be very rewarding. But sometimes your only contact with someone else during the day can be the mailman! So it can be a pretty lonely place, especially if you work online and deal with people via emails. So in order for it to not impact your mental health, you need to think about what you can do to tackle it. It could mean that you decide to schedule conference calls or Skype calls rather than email. You could work from a coffee shop once a week or even hire a desk in an office. Just do what you need to do to banish that feeling of loneliness.