- Guest Contributor
- May 5, 2021
As an independent worker in the gig economy, it’s far too easy to burn the candle at both ends. Then, before you know it, your schedule is constantly full, leaving you little to no time to find peace in your busy life. Thankfully, the absence of a 9 to 5 schedule also works the other way and allows you to reclaim your time. If you’re ready to make that dream a reality, here’s how to make true relaxation an everyday occurrence.
Reconnect with Your Favorite Activities
While building your success as a gig worker, you likely let a lot of beloved activities fall to the wayside. When you had more free time, you may have spent a good portion of your day crafting, playing video games, or getting outdoors. If that’s no longer the case, then you need to reconnect with your hobbies and use them to reach a peaceful state of mind.
Don’t hesitate to try out new activities as well. Perhaps you always wanted to learn how to meditate, try out roller-skating, or something altogether different? Whatever the case, put it on your schedule and head out to make the most of your free time.
Carve Out Little Me Time Every Day
As you track your hours and income, earmark at least one hour each day for me time. You can use that time to enjoy your favorite hobbies or simply draw a bath for a long, quiet soak. Either way, protect that time fiercely to avoid getting overrun by well-meaning family and friends.
If you choose to use your time to socialize, that’s great, but avoid the urge to do so to simply satisfy what other people want. You have to put your own needs first if you want to be truly present for both your loved ones and your clients. Otherwise, you could end up feeling rather unmotivated, overwhelmed, and in dire need of alone time.
Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Find Peace
Worse yet, when you don’t put me time first, you end up on the fast track to a crisis as healthy daily habits end up long forgotten. If you always wait for a crisis to make changes, you skip the smooth sailing in favor of wild rollercoaster ride through life.
So, if you cannot put yourself first for an hour a day, grab peace where you can find it. In even just ten minutes here and there, you can take a moment to recharge your mind and body. Take a brisk walk around the block, listen to a couple songs you love, or just lie back and stare at the clouds passing by.
You may have to occasionally put work activities first to keep achieving your goals as in independent worker and that’s okay on occasion. Just make sure that you’re taking a break from your busy life as much as possible to avoid overloading yourself too often.
Remember to work to live, not live to work, and you will undoubtedly find the balance you so sorely need.
About the Author: Marie Abendroth is a skilled content strategist and SEO copywriter who has been a proud part of the gig economy for over 10 years. In her articles, she aims to provide up-to-date info that can help everyone achieve their goals as an independent worker. You can find her on WriterAccess.