Self-Employment
Happy Hours
Are you in an abusive relationship and don’t even know it? Self-employment can be a chance to make more money. You get the freedom to choose when to work and where to work. It allows you to control your time and who you work with. Here, you are your own boss. However, being your own boss also comes with all of the responsibilities normally reserved for human resources departments, accountants, supervisors, directors, and C-Suite management. You are in charge of everything, including protecting yourself and your mental health.
According to the American Institute of Stress, control and the lack thereof creates anxious behaviors that can quickly spiral out of control. https://www.stress.org/9-self-care-tips-for-people-who-are-self-employed-according-to-experts shares techniques for coping and management of common self-employment contraindicated behaviors. All seem to revolve around the need for acceptance and awareness of the need to occasionally step away from the guilty pleasure of self-employment, always working. The leading culprit of such behavior is the ever-popular, working from home. Simple tasks were highlighted that we would normally not associate with problematic self-care like getting dressed, socializing, and going outside. Did you ever think that preparing yourself for rejection would be a self-employment self-preservation trigger? The freedom known as a lack of routine is also a sabotaging behavior.
What do you find yourself neglecting in your daily routine that would count as not taking care of yourself just because you are self-employed? How do you decompress? Have you considered any other alternatives, if so, which options and why? What happened that made you consider taking better care of yourself and your business? Don’t abuse yourself by trying to do it all. Resort to rest and balanced self-care.
This blog is really soothing! I loved the background of the mountains. And as someone who gets very stressed, this post spoke to me. During COVID, I was both very lazy and focused on school. Because of this, I would often wake up and just start working on homework, so I would sometimes forget to brush my teeth. Which is absolutely GROSS, but since I never saw anyone or went anywhere, I would put it off until I would remember it later in the day. What helped me fix these gross issues was getting into a routine, which I eventually did on my own. As for myself, I like to decompress by sitting down, preferably somewhere dark, and just doing nothing. I have considered talking to people, but sometimes I say things I don't mean when I'm flustered.
ReplyDeleteHello Dale! I do understand that. I myself dealt with the COVID sheltering away. I lost weight being isolated during that time , which was a plus. I also lost my grandmother ( not from covid) which was depressing. And yes sitting in a dark room is so soothing and relaxing. Nothing, is wrong with decomposing. I am a hairstylist and at the end of day/night after I am done with clients, I like to just sit in the shop and just meditate abut some things. Sometimes it's good to talk to someone. But everyone is not a good listener and you have to know the difference of a concerned person or someone that is just talking to be in your business. Big difference. I'm glad you enjoyed my blog.
DeleteThis blog really makes you thinks about much you truly sacrifice for work nowadays in order to just get by. I neglected sleeping properly for a while as a way to maximize free time to reduce my stress from working. I normally try to decompress with walking, writing, hanging out with friends, or playing video games. I have thought about actually becoming a private home caretaker, but I'm not comfortable with committing to a new job when I 'm being deployed so soon. Recently, I try to make sure I have at least one day off a week.
ReplyDeleteHello Iain, and yes we do make sacrifices quite often, it happens so much it becomes a part of life. I dislike that you had to neglect sleeping properly in order to maximize free time. Reducing stress is much needed and something that is positive and will reduce stress in your life, I say go for it. Being a care giver is a task and more. I've watch my mother do it for years, so be careful with that. And on that day off what do you do? Are you truly off or you are playing catch up on house chores, school assignments etc. Maybe two days would be better.
DeleteThis is a very eye opening post for me. I find myself doing this all the time! I am not self employed, but like many, most of my college courses are online. On days where I have nothing to be doing but a few assignments, it's so easy to forget to wash my face, brush my teeth, and lets face it, most of us end up in our pajamas all day during "work from home days". It's very important to separate some of our time at home working from our personal time at home.
ReplyDeleteHello Sydney. Being self employed I really do love, but also during seasonal times the pay slows down also and that is the only thing I do not particularly like. Also it's a lot that goes on with being self employed, having to get your own health care insurance, pay out taxes quarterly and much more. It helps me with school also far as assignments and my own work schedule but can get frustrating at times. And yes always separate your time and personal time. I agree.
DeleteEveryone always thinks self-employment is ideal, we rarely consider the hardships. There is no brake. When it is your own business it is always a worry. Socializing is extremely important, along with self care. Online schooling seems similar. It keeps you always worrying and when at home for the day to study and complete assignments I do almost no self care. I sit here at 4:00p.m.I have not eaten bathed or gotten out of my pajamas; I have only studied, tested, and finished assignments since 7:00a.m. I will follow these instructions fully.
ReplyDeleteHello Kat. It is easily said than done and you are absolutely right. People demand a lot of my attention because I'm a hairstylist and I get pulled in so many directions. Sometimes I need a Vacation and just away to decompose. Maybe you can do so also, if not it will burn you out.
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ReplyDeleteThese reasons are some of the exact reasons I have no motivation to be self-employed. While I work at an office, my husband works from home. There are some days when I get off, that he needs us to go run an errand just so he can get out of the house - where he literally is going stir crazy. I do find that if I don't move around, even at the office, I will become so engrossed in work that I won't have realized I skipped lunch and it's already almost days end. I guess it doesn't really matter if you work for corporate America or work for your own business, we all need a healthy routine to remind us that we are not our work and there is life outside.
ReplyDeleteBeing self employed is a personal choice. It works for some and for some it doesn't. Alot comes with being self-employed and most people in that industry doesn't tell you the game of staying afloat with being self employed. I however love it, and I set my own time and days. Yes it has it's down affects, but their are so many self-employed people that started small and now are big companies. So it all depends on the person and most business self employed people have a routine that works for them and have been doing what they love for 30 plus years. I know a lot on the coast.
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