As Freelance Translators, we love the freedom of working from home. We are our own bosses, control our office and we drink the tea that we like. On the other hand, people who have never freelanced may not recognise the challenges we face almost every day. Long working hours, stress, busy weekends; and all this while eating chocolate and drinking coffee. A pleasurable yet toxic mix that surely can’t be good to our health.
On top of that, I’m sure many of you like myself, get the can’t-stop-working-now attitude and simply forget to prioritise not only projects, but most importantly our health, and so we take on all documents that need translating, talk to all of our clients and read every single article there is…all at the same time. In terms of business, that’s great, isn’t it? But what about well-being?
Truthfully, finding the right balance between work and rest can sometimes be extremely difficult. We’re worried that taking an hour break during the day to stay fit and unwind will destroy our business, but then again, will it?
‘Workaholic’ is not a synonym for success. If anything, it would be a synonym for ‘health challenges’. Too many times while meeting with my freelance translator friends at least one or two of them complained about either having a massive headache, sleeping difficulties or even muscle pains, yet soon after that, they were going back to their home office, making sure to take on more projects. Talking from my own experience, these symptoms should mean nothing but ‘let’s call it a day’.
So what do we do in order to avoid all this? It’s simple really. The very first thing you need to be doing is stop pushing yourself over the limits every single day. There really is no need for that. Who knows, maybe you’ll actually enjoy working again? Also, do not be tempted by that pizza and cake you saw in the fridge in the morning. As no one can control you, this might be quite the challenge, but did you ever think that a healthier body and mind could work better? Truly, a strong will can do miracles, not only for your health but also for your business. Additionally, why not go for a run or even a walk once a day? Even a half an hour a day can do wonders for your mind and body and I promise that you’ll notice the difference.
In a recent blog, Sara Colombo talked about the importance of taking care of your health as a freelancer. She additionally listed a short to-do list that will help you to look after yourself.
– Plan in advance
– Value your time
– Create a habit and stick to it
– Meditate more
– Declutter the office
– Avoid working weekends and late nights working
– Respect your sleep cycle
– Drink more water
– Do your reality check
Seems like a pretty straight forward list right? By simply following these easy steps, you can improve your health, which will consequently have a positive impact on your business, clients and quality of work!
