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The 2020 crisis we all know as COVID-19 has split the world into before and after. Sudden and uncertain, it has messed up the contract for freelancers, especially those working with content creation; stresses and worries about what will happen to their business in the next few months discourage freelancers’ creativity, active brain work, and overall health. And while most mental and physical health specialists advise taking it easy in times of crisis, freelancers understand that they need to work harder than ever to stay afloat. Plus, as a freelancer, you know that your productivity and ability to deal with stresses and black swans like COVID-19 is a great chance to build a brand reputation for your freelance business, right? The question is, how? What freelancers need in a crisis is not simple hacks like "manage your time," "use more tools," or "organize your workplace better," but biohacks: practices you regularly apply to increase concentration, creativity, and organization, decreasing mood swings and procrastination at the same time. They fuel your brain’s productivity while keeping you healthy and sane. So, here goes the list of biohacks (tried and tested) for freelancers willing to flourish their productivity and overall well-being. 1) Improve your attitudeNumerous studies have shown the positive influence of mental exercises on your brain's performance. These practices become true saviors for freelance writers who need to stay creative when choosing topics, innovative formats, language tricks, and relevant visual elements in their works. First and foremost, try practicing gratitude, savoring (aka "living in a moment"), forgiveness, kindness, and social connection. According to studies, not only do exercises focused on these practices positively influence your health, they also make you more productive and improve your sense of well-being by 10%. Try these practices for each:
Then, try listening to music while writing. Though it doesn't work for all freelancers — some work best in complete silence — music has been proven to boost attention span and brainpower. But the trick here is to listen to music with no lyrics, as lyrics reduce our mental performance at work. Instrumental music is what you need to boost your writing productivity. There’s also the positive impact of meditation on self-control, productivity, and memory. Just five minutes of meditation daily can decrease stress but boost focus and attention. 2) Keep your body energetic and healthyThe everyday pressure of finding and keeping clients while delivering top-notch work can make freelancers stressed and immune-weak in the best of times. This state of being doubles the negative consequences on health during a crisis. Physical activity not only benefits your health, it influences brain performance as well. What works best are aerobic exercises, which are proven to positively influence creativity, concentration, memory, and stress tolerance. Make it a habit to spend at least half an hour a day on activities such as:
For the post-quarantine future, also consider swimming, squash, or tennis. These activities work well for brain performance too. And try creating a standing desk for yourself as you work from home. More and more specialists, including the top companies like Google and Facebook, choose standing desks for their workspaces because they are good for health and can increase your writing productivity. (Say no to back pain and poor blood circulation!) At home, try setting up your laptop on a kitchen counter to find the right height. 3) Change your nutrition habitsThis one’s challenging, especially in a crisis, when your brain is experiencing anxiety and uncertainty. In fact, many people give up healthy nutrition habits while on quarantine, eating more food to satisfy a physiological need for "happy hormones" that briefly counter bad moods and stress. Don't allow yourself to fall into this trap! Optimizing your grocery list and nutrition habits can help to boost your immunity and productivity long-term, vs. the short-term boost you get from a potato chip binge. Try the following:
4) Take care of your sleep hygieneAs a freelancer, you often struggle with the temptation to give up some sleep hours for more projects to complete. This is an even more significant problem during this crisis, when you want to work harder than ever to stay afloat. On the other side of the coin, you may be suffering from sleep disorders due to daily bad news, pseudo panic on social media, fear of the unknown, etc. Whatever the case, sleep deprivation does nothing good for your health or productivity. To help your brain and body get enough rest, you not only need to sleep between 7 and 9 hours per night, but also make sure this sleep is healthy. Here’s how:
Final ThoughtsAs a freelancer, you've already developed the skill of adaptability. Even before all this pandemic stuff, you often worked from home, dealing with problematic clients, financial risks, strict deadlines, and last-minute requests. And sure enough, you've put these strengths to practice during the current pandemic. Now it’s time to work on empowering your mental and physical condition for more productive work and stress relief. Making positive lifestyle changes with these tested biohacks can not only influence your freelance productivity, it can give you energy, inspiration, and creative ideas to drive your career forward. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2020/05/19/biohacks-to-help-your-brain-do-its-best-work/
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AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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