In this text, I will be discussing mental health and its effects as far as freelancers are concerned. It is itself a huge heading in which a lot of subheadings can be discussed such as Stress and Depression. But in this article, I will only be covering it concerning freelancers. 

What Is Depression?

Depression is that you are feeling sad and worry over things a lot that means you are stressed out. But if you are engaging in sadness over more periods of time and experience it repeatedly this will be converted into a serious medical illness known as Depression. It will not only affect your mind but your physical health and plenty of your daily goals will be affected. 

How Depression in Freelancers Presents? 

The most common signs and symptoms of depression in freelancers best described by the World Health Organization are:

• Affecting the mind’s performance for example difficulty in concentration, memorization, and getting on to the conclusion.
• Mood related problems: Irritable, excessive sadness.
• Changes in sleep cycle: Sleeping a lot or lacking sleep.
• Changes in diet: Eating a lot or eating less than usual.
• Feeling tired all the time
• Unable to perform daily life activities
• Avoiding gatherings and social interactions.
• Unexplainable pains in different sites of the body.
• Feeling sad, tragic, empty, and vulnerable more often.
• Suicide thoughts.

What Factors Are Involved For Depression In Freelancers?

This is no doubt that freelancing is having a lot of dominance when it comes to traditional jobs but there are also obstacles faced by freelancers which are hard to neglect. One major obstacle is their declining health concerns. Below are 5 most important factors that a freelancer normally face on daily basis and are responsible for depression in freelancers 

1. SEGREGATION

One of the most common problems causing depression in freelancers is segregation. Working online is convenient so most of the people who are working as freelancers try to make the most of their day as possible.

They spend the majority of their time in front of a computer screen, which not only damages eye health but eventually affects mental health causing depression in freelancers. The time you are spending before your electronic screen alone leads you towards Depression.

2. LESS HUMAN CONTACT 

Spending a large amount of time in front of the computer working will not allow you to give time to friends and family. Thus, there will be less human and social contact which is crucial for your mental health lack of which leads to depression.

3. LACK OF JOB STABILITY 

Freelancing is quite different from 9-5 jobs. You will not get any stability in your jobs or your salary. This thing sometimes develops stress and anxiety leading to depression.

4. LARGE APERTURE BETWEEN PROJECTS

I know that in freelancing most of the time you are getting projects to work on, and there is a possibility that you will have long gaps between the projects, you will worry that you are not getting any work and this will push you towards depression.

Especially people who are emerging freelancers they will have a hard time getting their projects and there is a high chance of getting them depressed. 

5. CLIENTS AND PAYMENTS RELATED STRESS 

In freelancing, you have to deal with clients online and there is a lack of a lot of things in between. Some clients give you hard time on a project or releasing your payments on time, and believe me there are many of them like that in the market who are hard to satisfy and in doubt increase stress level in your mind which will in due course lead to the way towards depression.

How Can A Freelancer Prevent Depression? 

• Time management is key. Even if you are working as a full-time freelancer, divide your time and take breaks in between.
• Try to take a break every 50 mins for 10 mins and at this time talk to your family and friends, do some physical household work. 
• Spare 1 day in your week to chill and off from the computer. Go out with your friends and family, enjoy your time.
• Take projects up to your capabilities. Everyone is different some people are quick others take time to complete a task. Analyze yourself and take projects accordingly. Don’t overburden yourself.
• If you are having gaps in getting projects don’t get disheartened. In these times try to learn new skills and focus on your productivity. 
• To avoid issues with clients always deal on third-party platforms, such as Fiverr and Upwork, or make an official and authentic project deal on paper, so that no one can lay their back.
• Practice stress-relieving routing such as yoga and breathing exercises. 
• If you need to talk to someone talk to your friend or family about your situation and if needed get medical help.

The Take-home lesson is that being worry and ends up depressed is not the solution to any problem. Try to be productive and motivated. Stop unbearable circumstances even before they are initiated. Every problem has a solution but you should have the art to find it out. Stop being stressed out as you know that it will eventually end you up with depression. 

It is already hard to cope up your mental health during COVID-19. Freelancing is a beautiful thing but if it making you sick and you can’t control yourself take a break from work for some time and get back later. Please be polite to yourself and go easy on you. Enjoy everything as I always say in moderation. And learn more about depression with the national institute of mental health, 

Anything seems easy doesn’t always is as ideal as you think it is. Freelancing may seem the only solution in this pandemic but, good things also come with a price and so as freelancing. It might be alluring and attractive but it comes with triggers towards many health concerns, and most of the time these are neglected by most. Prevention is Better Than Cure. Learn about them today so you save yourself from big hazards later on.

1. Stationary Lifestyle Leading to Weight Gain

If you are a freelancer whether you want or not you have to spend the majority of your time sitting in front of your computer or laptop screen. This is your priority as it is your work from which you earn money for a living. But, let me tell you if you think so you are wrong. Your number one priority should be and must be your health.

If you are healthy everything will be good to go. Yes as a freelancer you are not mobile enough as a normal office job you have to work while sitting on your laptop. But moving from time to time is as important as your work but why? Why it is so important to keep yourself moving and mobile? 

If you don’t move around from time to time and keep on sitting in the same place it comes with risk factors for several health diseases such as diabetes, weight gain or obesity, high blood pressure, heart issues/heart attacks, clogging of your blood in your veins and many more.

The good news is that all of them are avoidable, with simple tips:

• Take a break often, move around after every 30-60 minutes for 15 minutes.
• Stretch your muscles.
• Include exercise in your daily routine.
• Set reminders every 60 minutes for breaks.

2. Stress Leads to Depression

Does the question arise why stress is on the list? Freelancing is the most ideal and suitable job why people get stressed or even depressed by it? Here’s why. 

Working as a freelancing sort of cut you off from your surrounding. Most of the time you work in isolation and don’t socialize. You are working flexibly and hence this can make you lazy and irresponsible, you might delay your work by hours than days and the deadline comes you start to panic and then stress out over it.

The platform of a freelancer is vast and versatile. You keep chasing money and hence taking more and more projects even more than you can fulfill on time. This all leads to stress and if not getting a concern to Depression.

Prevent Depression by fighting stress today with simple steps. 

• Manage your time and your schedule.
• Don’t overburden yourself 
• Try to socialize from time to time with your family and friends 
• Understand your responsibilities.

3. Vitamin D Deficiencies 

Spending most of your time indoors inside your house leads to vitamin D deficiency. The sun is the biggest source of vitamin D, which is needed for strong bones. If your lack vitamin D your bones will suffer, easy to crack, and early osteoporosis. 

Have some concern about your bone health and go out for walking from time to time. If not that then at least go out and just roam around in the neighborhood, get something from the grocery store. Expose your skin to sunlight so it can absorb Vitamin D from it.

4. Eye health, Headache, Sleep Disturbances Are Big Concerns Of Freelancer’s Health

This no rocket science that looking at an electronic screen of laptop or mobile for the majority of the time in your day can damage your eye health in several ways. 

• Eyesight issues.
• Dry eyes.
• Headaches and eye strains.
• Difficulty in concentration and memorization.
• Double vision.
• Difficulty in sleeping.

What you can do for decreasing this issue?

• Maintaining a recommended distance from an electronic screen
• An anti-glare protector for screen.
• Use eyeglasses for preventing blue ray.
• Don’t look at any screen 1-2 hours before bedtime.
• Keep the screen at your eye level.

5. Poor Nutrition Is A Major Concern Of Freelancer’s Health

When you are working in front of a computer there are two types of people in general one who can’t eat in stressful situations and another who binge eats in stressful situations. If you are either of the two and you are a freelancer, for sure you are having poor nutrition status.

If you are in the first category and forget to eat while working or stressed. Keep a reminder and try to eat every 2-3 hours so you can get the energy that you need. Keep something healthy near you so you can grab and eat it.

If you are in the second category you always binge eat, while working on a computer you eat chips, biscuits, juices, candies, or chocolate. You can’t control your cravings. Replace your junk choices with healthy ones and try to eat wholesome foods and snacks which can help you to remain full for longer.

6. Freelancers Face Back Problems

All the time sitting and sitting on a couch, chair, or bed. No matter how comfortable that leads to bad effects on your back. It is mostly due to a bad sitting posture. The bad posture can not only damage your muscles but can also deform your bones and even have effects on your backbone. Prevent it by:

• Keep your back straight.
• Keep the screen at eye level.
• Take a break every 30-60 minutes for 15 minutes.
• Do stretches for your back.
• Improve your posture and maintain it all the time.

Collectively, we all know that freelancing is the emerging concern of today’s world. Freelancers face a lot of issues. It is very different from a traditional job. It is a business that is growing rapidly with time but let’s not forget our health and if you are just started as a freelancer or you are an established freelancer, watch for your health before it’s too late. Follow the mentioned steps and avoid getting into trouble.

I will try to discuss every topic in detail for you and your better understanding. Will get back to you in my next piece of writing in the series with explaining each of the concern in detail.