If you have already started your freelancing business, and are officially self-employed, you potentially have more freedom than those who are still employed by a company. At the same time, you will have to step up and take responsibility more, as you cannot get a sick pay or miss work because you are ill. Looking after your health if you work from home makes sense, however, you need to take your well-being more seriously than most people do. If you happen to fall ill, you will not be able to earn money, and pay your bills. Even a winter cold can reduce your productivity and income. Find out below why it is important that you prevent illnesses and look after your body.
Your Health Insurance Might Cost More
If you are self-employed, you will need to cover the entire cost of your health insurance, and this means you will need to pay more. If you are ill often, you will have to face with increased costs of cover. You do not want to lose your income and pay a lot of money for your treatment, as this can have a devastating impact on your business finances. While there are some health insurance companies that offer basic cover for self-employed people, you will need to count the cost of travel, time off, as well as the treatment as a personal expense. You will lose more than just a few days’ worth of work if you fall ill.
You Don’t Have Anyone to Cover for You
Your business cannot go on without you if you run it on your own. You are likely to miss meetings, deadlines, and important appointments if you fall ill. Even if you have a few employees, you might not be able to trust them with every task that needs to be completed in your business. You are the driver of growth in your business, and if you cannot work on moving it forward every day, you will face problems. If you handle every aspect of your business yourself, you will be losing sleep over who will update clients on their order, send out invoices, and look for more work.
You Miss Out on Meetings
If you fall ill suddenly, you will need to miss important meetings with potential customers, business partners, or professionals who could help you grow your business. You will have to reschedule them and take time off later. This means that your partners might not be available later, and you will miss business. Even if you are able to move your meetings due to an illness, you will need to take extra time off when you are trying to catch up on work after a few weeks of being sick. If you need to talk to your accountant urgently about a business transaction, to make an informed decision, and you are not ready, you can miss new business opportunities.
You Don’t Get Sick Pay
The most important reason why you should look after your health when you are self-employed is that you simply cannot afford it. Those who work for a company are entitled to a sick pay, but not you. If you fall ill, and cannot do your job on the day, you simply will not be paid. If you get involved in a car accident that is not your fault, you might have to spend weeks in the hospital, and wait for the results of the lawsuit before you get the well-deserved compensation. Read more about how accident claims work and how long you can claim lost income for, in case you suffer an accident.
You Can’t Work from the Hospital
If you are hospitalized, you will not be able to work. Only expensive private health care institutions give you the luxury of a reliable internet connection. You will be in pain and undergoing treatments and the doctor might advise you to focus on your recovery instead of your work. Staying a few weeks in the hospital will cause you loss of money and lack of control over your business. If you are the person who does not like spending time off their business without being able to check that everything is going smoothly, you will be devastated.
You Will Be Judged by Clients
If you are ill a lot, your clients will not believe that you are up for their project. They want somebody who is reliable and there when they need them. If you suddenly become unavailable, and stop calling them back, even neglect their requests, they will eventually leave. This means that you will lose more than money: you will also damage your most important asset as a business owner: your reputation. Even if the illness is not your fault, and you try to do what you can, you will be considered weak and unorganized. Therefore, if you want to look after your client base, you need to learn how to look after yourself first.
You Can’t Make Good Decisions when You Are Ill
If you are ill and on medication, you will have a reduced ability to make informed decisions. Painkillers and antibiotics can affect every aspect of your health and wellbeing. You might have to deal with stress due to losing money, and this can result in decisions that have negative consequences. You will not be able to talk to like-minded people about your options, or use your networking skills to explore different opportunities. As a result, you will not be able to make timely and informed decisions, affecting the long-term outlook of your business. Try to stay in touch with your support network and keep an eye on your business, if you can.
Self-employed people cannot afford to take time off being sick as much as those working for a company are. They are not paid for being sick, and their business suffers long term and short term as well. It is important that you look after your health, create a daily routine that includes a healthy, balanced diet and an exercise plan, and you attend your regular checkups, so you can stay on top of your business.