Have you been distracted, lethargic, or sad lately (for no apparent reason)? Are you becoming restless in the house or irritable with the family? Do you get easily frustrated these days, even with the little things?
Are you starting to get tired of freelancing?
Heavens forbid, but if this is so, don’t despair; it might just be a mild case of cabin fever.
Nothing to worry about (unless you’re the murderous type). The average person can get this at least once in his life, but for us freelancers, we are especially prone, since everyday finds us mostly at home, working and alone.
Now, while it may be something you shouldn’t worry much about, it is a serious disease nonetheless. That’s because cabin fever isn’t a disease of the body, but a disease of the spirit. It sucks the energy from us and robs us of our sense of humor, rendering us incapable of thinking happy thoughts.
Being bored, moody and depressed is no joke – it affects your relationships and the normal flow of your day to day living. Your mind isn’t willing to cooperate and you feel more inclined to postpone things you’re supposed to be doing. You have no wish to work, and end up being unproductive. Cabin fever kills creativity.
Fortunately, there are ways to cure cabin fever, and prevent it from coming back.
1. Do a little sun-worshipping. When you wake up each morning, make it a point to greet the day by letting the sun hit your face, even for a few minutes.
2. Don’t make a habit of sleeping in. It might be darned impossible considering you’ve stayed up late the previous night, but if it isn’t too inconvenient for you, try waking up earlier than usual. Have some coffee, breathe in the fresh air, and let your mind and body relax. Do not turn on your computer! Once you’ve had your fill of a quiet morning, take a nap.
3. Have a break and go outside every once in a while. When your butt or back starts to ache, don’t just do those exercises-in-place that you hear so much about. Take a walk around the neighborhood instead, or at the very least, take that few steps to the front gate and back again!
4. On your free time, do something not computer-related. Instead of surfing the web or browsing your social network accounts, pour some of that creative energy into a small project for the house, like sewing new curtains or mending a broken chair.
5. Surround yourself with life and color. Have some flowers or plants in your work area. If you have kids, post their artwork right where you can see them. Make use of scented candles or incense sticks to diffuse the smell of old clothes and cigarette smoke.
6. Rock on! Music has always been good therapy, so blast away all you want, until the blues disappear. (It would be even better if you actually sang along.)
7. Eat happy food! While I advocate healthy snacks instead of junk, at this time I would encourage eating comfort food in whatever form – as long as it makes you happy.
8. Take up a strenuous sport for at least one hour a day, like swimming, martial arts, or weight lifting. These are still considered exercise, the only difference is that you’re actually enjoying them. It does wonders for your health, and at the same time gets those happy hormones pumping.
9. Schedule meet-ups with other freelancers. A little community gathering never fails to lift the spirits.
10. If all else fails, work someplace else. Seeing the same four walls can aggravate cabin fever, so pack that laptop and head on to your favorite wifi spot or coffee shop.
