Being an online freelancer comes with a lot of freedom. You get to work whenever you want and you are not answerable to anyone. This gives you a lot of flexibility that would otherwise not be available in a normal 9-5 job. However, there are also some downsides to the freelance lifestyle, the biggest of which is that sometimes it becomes quite hard to establish a healthy work-life balance. Luckily, there are a few tips that one can adopt to improve work/life balance.

1. Create time for friends and family

Being a freelancer can expose you to many stressful challenges because at times you are busy throughout the month. This pressure, coupled with juggling the work of a number of clients simultaneously can simply make you go nuts. This is when you need to be closest to your family and friends. They will help you to cope with the stress. Being with close friends and family not only improves your productivity, but it also improves your overall health. By making a calendar of your personal and professional lives, work/life balance for online freelancers becomes manageable. This will allow you to enjoy yourself after you have completed your online freelancing jobs and spend more time with your family and friends.

2. Take time off work

The importance of planned downtime is quite obvious but many freelancers don’t keep it in mind. Shut down your computer and unplug its power supply. Unplug your earphones as well. By staring at the computer screen the whole day, you might forget that there is a whole beautiful world outside your window waiting for you to explore. Take time and explore the lushness of the grass, the chirping of the birds and the laughter of those that you love. You could for instance, take a walk down the park, a ride, a swimming session or just a simple gym session. Finding an unwinding ritual to engage in after you are done working is one way of ensuring a healthy work/life balance as an online freelancer. Calling your parents, meditating, exercising, dancing or meeting friends are a few ways to unwind after a long day of work and will give you the much needed relief from your work. For best results, give one full day just to yourself, each week.

3. Don’t overload yourself

Many a times, online freelancers take more assignments than they can complete comfortably. This is a very unhealthy practice. It’s therefore very important that you assess your capabilities properly and learn to say enough is enough, no matter how well the job pays. Most online freelancers prefer working on fewer larger projects than undertaking many smaller projects. This is because such projects often have generous deadlines. Extended deadlines will give you peace of mind as you will get enough time to organize yourself and formulate a good working schedule.

4. Meditate and eat healthy

The pressures of your work might make you neglect your health. However, it is obvious that your physical and mental health are your greatest assets in any job, including online freelancing. Eat healthy, drink enough water and meditate. Meditating and exercising regularly will increase your endorphins and relieve stress. This will result in improved quality of work.

By adhering to these simple tips you will be able to maintain a healthy work/life balance. You should note that these should not only be applied once, but rather should become a part of your work life.