Making the move towards being a contractor is rarely easy, and buckets of stress and late nights are often part and parcel of going independent. It doesn’t have to all be doom and gloom, however – with the right advice to keep your stress levels in check, you can find yourself enjoying the change more than you ever thought possible.
- Take Time Out for Your Loved Ones
Our loved ones are so important to us – whether they’re family or friends, they’re there to support us all the way. When dealing with being an independent contractor, however, we can often let spending time with our loved ones fall to the side. This aggravates stress levels from both parties and will quickly result in you loathing your new lifestyle. Instead, be sure to always take some time out to spend with the special people in your life – even if it’s a simple trip to the pub once a week or dinner as a family. This will keep you grounded, and makes sure all parties are happy!
- Take Time for Yourself
Just as important as taking time for your friends and family, taking time for yourself is something we recommend scheduling in to your week. If you find yourself too busy to maintain a regular hobby whilst starting up as a contractor, try to just take an hour out of your evenings to do something for you – switch your phone off, don’t reply to emails and focus on your own health and wellbeing. Without these frequent times just for you, you’ll quickly find yourself burning out under the pressures of work.
- Only Accept Contracts You Know You Can do a Good Job on
This is important, but is often overlooked as contractors scramble to take on as many jobs as possible in order to get the money flowing. When accepting or pitching for a job, be sure to ask yourself ‘can I really provide great results?’ If the answer is no or any degree of uncertainty, it’s best to pass – otherwise you’ll find yourself stressing over every detail and panicking about delivering your best work.
- Keep on Moving
Exercise is vital to maintaining a healthy body, but it’s also a fantastic way to kill some stress. Endorphins released by the body during exercise have been proven to lower stress levels quickly and increase focus through increased blood flow. If you’re struggling to find time to fit in a trip to the gym, try a brisk walk at lunch, take the stairs rather than the lift, and move around every hour – even if it’s just to get another coffee.
- Talk to Someone
It’s not a great idea to keep your contracting woes bottled up. Confide in a friend and get any stress or anxieties off your chest. Even better: talk to another contractor and swap notes. You’ll often find yourself inspired and with a weight lifted. You may even help them with their own problems.
