Keep yourself mentally healthy during COVID-19
COVID-19 has created additional challenges for many Independent Contractors; however, it does not mean you need to face things alone. While it can be tempting to focus all your time and attention on work right now, it is essential that you take care of yourself. Looking after your general health and wellbeing will put you in a better position to work. Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing at work is an important part of caring for your general health. You can do this is by working out what things at work cause you stress, and if you can, finding ways to prevent that stress. For example, planning work to avoid unnecessary peaks in workload.
Finding balance between work and life may be hard at the moment, but where you can, set aside some time for activities that help manage stress such as:
- Spending time with family and friends and doing activities you enjoy
- Exercising to increase your strength and balance your mood
- Eating healthy food and getting enough sleep to manage your energy and boost your immune system
- Allowing yourself to say ?no?, to avoid over committing
- Finding ways to fit in relaxation breaks such as five minutes of meditation, listening to music or doing some deep breathing exercises to calm your mind
- Getting support when you need it ? talking to someone and asking for help can prevent challenges from developing into ongoing concerns
It can be easy to focus on the negatives, however COVID-19 has also encouraged many people to come up with different and innovative ways to do business. Spending some time reflecting on achievements and new opportunities can be a great boost for mental health, as well as a great way to shape your business into the future.
If you are concerned about yourself, help is available through these free and confidential support services:
You can view an extensive list of Mental Health Support here.