Qasim Mughal
Are you spending most of the time working as a freelancer in front of a computer? If YES, you must learn about freelancer’s health concerns. These are those which you can face while working as a freelancer anytime, but mostly in the long run. Freelancing is itself is a tempting job anyone can dream of and it’s becoming more tempting in COVID-19 crises. Working from home in the most comfortable position and environment you want and earn money is nothing like a dream come true.
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.
