Technology is the name of the game these days, and as many commentators have observed, some of the greatest opportunities in business – for traditional workers and entrepreneurs alike – seem to be in the digital and tech sectors.
When all is said and done, a computer-based job can be extremely rewarding. It can put you at the cutting-edge of new tech innovations, and lets you play with a lot of cool and interesting new tools, apps, and services.
All that being said, though, spending the majority of your waking hours seated in front of a screen can also have certain detrimental effects on your well-being, if you don’t take steps to introduce balance into your life.
Here are a few tips for safeguarding your well-being in a computer-based career, so that you can enjoy all the benefits of your job, without suffering too many of the potential drawbacks.
Investigate avenues for working (or studying) remotely, for a greater degree of freedom in your time management and lifestyle
No matter how much you love your job, it is likely that if you spend a large chunk of each working day in the same office, at the same desk, in the same chair, you’re going to feel a bit of “cabin fever” sooner or later.
A great antidote to this is to investigate avenues for working remotely.
These days, many employers in the tech sector have quite relaxed ideas about allowing their employees to work remotely from home, at least for one or two days a week. Not only that, but even if you’re still studying, it is now possible to do things such as an online computer science masters degree, too.
A change of atmosphere and environment can help keep things fresh, and “recharge your batteries” for the job ahead.
Be sure to counterbalance your “digital time” with “analogue time”
As mentioned before, the digital world is a pretty wondrous place, with all sorts of amazing avenues to explore.
All the same, though, there are risks inherent in spending too much time plugged into the digital world. Things like Internet and gaming addiction have spiked in recent years, and many people live unnecessarily sedentary lives, due to their careers and choices of entertainment.
To keep feeling your best – physically and emotionally – you should be sure to counterbalance your “digital time” with “analogue time.”
This could be as simple as going for a walk on a regular basis, spending some time in the evening reading old-fashioned books, or engaging in sports or DIY projects.
Make face-to-face human interactions a top priority
If you work in an office, you will inevitably interact with a good few people on a regular basis.
In the case of many freelancers, or entrepreneurial tech workers, on the other hand, social isolation can be a real risk.
It begins with you keeping your nose to the grindstone, in order to be maximally productive. Then, you look up, and realise you haven’t seen another soul all week.
Face-to-face human interaction is essential for well-being. Make sure that you find opportunities to get enough of it during the week.
