16/05/24
Becoming self-employed takes guts. Working for yourself, starting a freelance career with all the freedom and flexibility that comes with it can have an amazingly positive impact on your mental wellbeing. That doesn’t mean it’s easy.
The first year of any new venture is often filled with pitfalls and dead ends. So how can you navigate this tumultuous period without it negatively affecting your mental health?
6 ways to sustain your mental health while self-employed
Below are some handy tips to keep in mind while you enter the world of self-employment. Every now and then take a moment for some self-reflection and ask yourself if any of the following need to be considered:
You aren’t supposed to have it all figured out at the start
Starting your self-employment journey feels like you’ve got to have every step figured out before you even register as a sole trader with HMRC. But this isn’t the case. If you feel like you’re getting snowed under by unexpected events, remember: Everything is a process. It’s okay that you don’t have it all figured out straight away.
It’s easy to beat yourself up when things don’t go to plan. But if you find you’re kicking yourself for not foreseeing every eventuality, remember to cut yourself some slack. You’re only human.
Find ways to detach yourself from work
Becoming self-employed has many advantages. One danger though is the tendency to let your work become your life. In many ways, this is understandable. By setting up a business for yourself, you’re deeply invested in it. It’s easy to fall into the trap of working as much as you possibly can to ensure it’s a success.
Without any planned downtime, you will eventually burn out – or worse. To avoid this, schedule regular breaks for yourself throughout the day. If you’re sat at a desk, get up and walk around for five minutes every hour.
Be sure to make room for downtime, not just every evening but also booking holidays and short weekend getaways.
Keep the big picture in mind
It can be easy to get bogged down in the minutia of the daily grind. You could have many smaller jobs that quickly pile up if not dealt with. At times when it looks like there’s no end in sight, take a breather and remind yourself of why you’re doing what you’re doing in the first place.
Having a goal in mind, or milestones to hit, can be a great way to provide motivation on the days when it looks like you’re never going to clear your inbox.
Diversify your skillset with training
One of the great ways to help build your confidence in the early days of a business venture is to increase your specialist knowledge. This has the effect of giving you a better product offering and a greater sense of confidence in your own abilities. Self-belief is a big part of being successful when self-employed. Actively seeking out ways to bolster your self-belief will help you weather the harder days.
CTT offer a varied range of training courses and webinars to give you a knowledge boost and help diversify your offering.
Try to prepare yourself financially
It’s advisable to create a financial safety net for the times when business is quiet. Having a financial buffer in place will help get you through a dry spell without the added stress of a reduced income. Put aside as much money as you can from every invoice into a savings account. Even if it’s just a small amount, it’ll build up over time and you’ll be glad it’s there when you need it.
Financial worries are a common cause of anxiety and stress. A good way to gain some financial security is to get business insurance. This provides cover for you financially if your regular income is interrupted.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Being self-employed can feel like an isolating affair. Ensuring you stay connected and don’t isolate yourself is important. Both regularly reaching out to friends and family for support, and keeping in contact with professional connections for help, can have enormous benefits.
CTT itself is a multi-disciplinary support network. We are open to discussing all aspects of estate planning and fully support all our clients to achieve their self-employment goals. For emotional support, it’s best to open up to friends and family.
Talking to a loved one when you’re stressed will help to relieve your burden and can provide insights you would have never considered otherwise.
There are many resources online to help you with your mental health. If you think you could benefit from discovering more about how your mental health is affecting you, take a look at Mind UK for support and advice, the Samaritans to talk things through, or the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) to find a therapist in your area.
Don’t suffer in silence. Remove the stigma around talking about mental health.
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