Freelance Apple

Whilst working away on their latest project, freelancers tend to forget about the simple little things that make all the difference to their experience whilst working. There are a few things you can do here and there to help you along your way, and help boost productivity and improve your health whilst freelancing.

1. Distance from monitor

This is crucial to the well-being of your eyes, as people who tend to sit too close to monitors discover they need glasses. Don’t make this mistake. Make sure you’re sitting at a comfortable distance from your monitor, so you can sit and stare at your monitor for prolonged periods of time without irritation.

2. Posture

Posture whilst sitting at your computer desk is extremely important to configuration of your spine. The best kind of seat to have is one that has both a backrest and armrests. It should help keep your back straight whilst sitting at your desk. Quick tip, try not to slouch when you’re working, as keeping your back in a slouched position for prolonged periods of time can cause pain and injury. The older you are, the more you need to keep this in mind.

3. Distance from keyboard

Your arms should be at a comfortable distance from your keyboard, as you’re not overstretching or clumped up to it. Also, try and use the armrests on your chair whilst typing to prevent your elbows from becoming tired.

4. Position of monitor

The monitor you’re using should be at eye-level when sitting upright with your back straight. If you’re monitor is slightly higher than eye-level, it forces your neck to bend slightly up to accommodate this, which can cause neck pains if done for prolonged periods of time.

5. Lighting

The lighting within the room you’re in should match that of your monitor. This is to prevent the light from your monitor damaging your eyes due to high contrast between it and the light in your surroundings. It strains your eyes much less to work in a bright room, rather than a dark room where your monitor is the only source of light.

6. Don’t eat at your desk

Sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised at just how many people eat and drink at their desks. Not only is this a hazard to the equipment around you (as I’m sure most of you have experienced when drink spills onto your keyboard) but by not eating at your desk you force yourself to get up and take breaks away from the computer. Too many freelancers spend way too long on the computer, when they should be having good, periodic breaks. By not allowing yourself to snack whilst working at your desk, you also prevent your workspace from getting dirtier.

7. Work away from distractions

Whilst working in the comfort of your own home is one of the luxuries of freelancing, it can also backfire to some extent. If you have a family with kids, you’re not a foreigner to constant screaming and shouting – so in order for you not to be affected by the noise, have your office away from childrens’ rooms and as far away from the main living room as possible.

8. Diet

One very effective tip is to NOT eat extremely sugary foods or consume sugary carbonated drinks during your work hours. Sugar, although a good source of energy, only provides your body with a very temporary boost of energy – which is usually followed by a low. If you want to stay productive throughout your working day, stay away from these fiends. Once your work day is over, cola is your friend.

So there we have it, follow these simple tips and you’ll become a more productive and healthier freelancer in no time!

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