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Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Work In My Pajamas
Finding the right work-life balance is a concept you’re probably well aware of, but how successfully are you achieving a good balance in your life? The benefits of working from home are many, but it can also leave you vulnerable to overworking, or conversely not working hard enough!
Getting the balance right isn’t always easy, but it’s important to review your work patterns and be honest about whether you’re finding the right balance in your life.
Don’t Burn Out
Are you working excessive hours because you’re worried about what will happen if the work dries up? Many home workers feel this way, and consequently take on more and more work, not wanting to turn anything down. If you adopt this approach, you’ll end up overdoing it and could well make yourself ill, and you certainly won’t be enjoying your life.
Another possible effect of overdoing it is that you could start submitting work that’s not up to standard, and that could well have an impact on your being offered more work. You need to pace yourself and make sure you’re allowing enough time for each assignment. Otherwise, the quality of your work will start to suffer.
Working through an illness is another aspect of overworking that’s common in freelancers. You are better placed to work through a minor illness, because you don’t have to travel and you can tackle the work when you feel up to it, resting in between times. However, if you’re more seriously unwell, then pushing yourself to keep going can be counter-productive. A case of the flu could turn into pneumonia, for example, forcing you to take even more time off.
Looking After Yourself
When you’re a freelancer, you don’t get sick pay, so it makes sense to work if you can, but not to the point that you’re making your illness worse. Sometimes a serious illness is made worse through medical misdiagnosis or poor standards of care. If you’ve experienced this situation, make sure you check whether you’d have a case for compensation. Contact a lawyer who specializes in hospital negligence claims and see whether they think you have a case. They can give you sound advice and help you resolve the problem without you suffering any further.
Get Into A Routine
For some people, it’s not overworking that’s the problem; rather it’s that their focus is on making the most of their freedom, so work takes a back seat. If you find it hard to knuckle down and get on with working and looking for new clients, your days of freedom won’t last long, because you won’t be able to sustain a self-employed lifestyle if you’re not earning enough to cover your cost of living. Get into a routine where you devote a set number of hours each day to working or looking for work, and remember being freelance isn’t a vacation!
Getting the balance right is integral to being a successful freelancer, so have a good look at what your work-life balance is like, and take some action to even out the scales.
