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It’s no secret that freelancing can be a great career choice, giving you the freedom to work when and where you want. But it also comes with some downsides: fewer opportunities to socialise, less structure and motivation, and often sitting in an office chair all day. It’s easy to become sedentary and neglect your health while working as a freelancer. That’s why I believe it’s important to stay healthy, both mentally and physically, as part of your overall wellbeing. Here I will discuss how freelancers can maintain fitness through various use case examples.
The Benefits of Exercise for Freelancers
Exercise is one of the most important elements for staying physically fit. Regular exercise helps boost energy levels, improve mental focus, strengthen muscles and bones, reduce stress levels and improve sleep quality – all essential for any freelancer who wants to stay productive. Not only this but regular exercise can also help reduce anxiety and depression which is especially important if you are freelance as it can be quite isolating at times.
Creating a Routine
One of the best ways to start incorporating physical activity into your daily routine is by creating a schedule or routine. This could include something as simple as 30 minutes of walking each day or more intensive activities like running or strength training several times per week. Try and make sure that whatever type of exercise you choose fits into your lifestyle so that you are more likely to stick with it in the long run. You could even create mini-goals such as running 3 miles every other day or doing 10 push-ups every morning – these small steps will help keep you motivated!
Making Time For Exercise
As a freelancer, it can be difficult to find time in your busy schedule for physical activity but there are plenty of ways around this issue. Firstly try setting yourself realistic goals; don’t expect too much from yourself in the beginning otherwise you’ll end up feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated quickly! Secondly take advantage of mini breaks throughout the day – instead of taking an hour out for lunch why not go for a brisk walk? Finally get creative with your workouts; think about activities that don’t require leaving home such as yoga or Pilates videos on YouTube or apps like PEAR Sports which offer tailored workout plans based on what equipment (if any) you have available at home.
Getting Outdoors
When possible try to get outdoors; spending time outside has been proven to reduce stress levels and improve mental wellbeing, so why not combine this with exercise? Going out for walks/runs/bike rides in nature has been linked with improved concentration, creativity and productivity – all benefits which any freelance worker would appreciate! If outdoor activities aren’t an option then look into joining an indoor gym – many gyms now offer flexible memberships designed specifically for people who might not have consistent working hours such as freelancers.
Staying Motivated
Working remotely without anyone else around means staying motivated can often be difficult so here are some tips: set yourself achievable goals such as completing 10 minutes of exercise each day; find someone else who shares similar fitness goals – having someone else commit alongside you makes accountability easier; mix up your workout routine – this will help prevent boredom from settling in; reward yourself when milestones are reached – something small like watching an episode of your favourite show after completing 5 miles could do the trick. Finally remember that consistency is key – even if it’s just 20 minutes per day try to stick with it over time rather than aiming too high initially because chances are, you won’t see results immediately anyway.
Conclusion
Maintaining fitness whilst working freelance is absolutely possible if approached correctly with effort put into creating healthy habits over time rather than expecting instant gratification from exercising sporadically once in awhile! Find activities which fit into your lifestyle whether its indoors or outdoors; set realistic goals; mix up routines regularly; seek accountability partners where possible and lastly reward yourself along the way – these tactics combined should hopefully provide enough motivation and structure needed to stay fit even when juggling multiple tasks at once!
