Living with a disability, any disability can be an extremely lonely and isolating experience. Everyone around you desperately wants to understand. Everyone around you wants you to know that they’re there for you. But nobody truly knows what it’s like. How could they? They don’t know what it feels like to feel imprisoned within their bodies the way you do. Or to feel as though you’re constantly swimming against a tide of pain, fatigue and / or frustration. For those of us who suffer disabilities that are less visible, the problem is exacerbated. Of course, a sympathetic and understanding employer can make all the difference and there are a great many employers out there who are committed and passionate about helping the disabled maintain a rewarding work life. Yet, for those with disabilities who work for themselves a particular set of problems are raised…
Pain can severely impede productivity
Whether you’re disabled as a result of an accident that was due to someone else’s negligence; in which case you’ll need a personal injury lawyer, or as a result of a medical condition, it’s likely that you experience pain and discomfort on a daily basis. This is often accompanied by feelings of fatigue, depression and a burning frustration, especially when deadlined draw near.
These can all be huge obstacles to productivity. All freelancers struggle to remain productive, especially those working from home. But while many are able to overcome their issues with planning, discipline and experience, it can be very hard to prevent pain and discomfort from sapping your productivity.
Monthly outgoings can spiral out of control
A common reality for freelancers (especially those at the start of their journey) is that their income can be sporadic. A lucrative spell which brings you several highly paid contracts can precede a prolonged dry spell in which work is near impossible to come by. Thus, household budgeting becomes all the more important. To avoid the disability debt spiral, disabled freelancers need to work even harder to keep monthly outgoings manageable.
This can be tricky for those who have loans or credit card repayments to honor on top of their living expenses. It can impede investment in your own business, preventing disabled freelancers from necessary spending on equipment to aid productivity. A debt consolidation loan may be helpful for those in this position. Not only will it make your monthly outgoings easier to manage, it will also improve your credit score as your existing debts are replaced with a singular new one. This will make it easier to get credit for overheads like equipment or software.
Managing your schedule can be really complicated
Finally, any freelancer worth their salt knows the dangers of biting off more work than they can chew. Overextending yourself is a rookie mistake which can lead to burnout and a reduction in quality of work. That said, it can be extremely difficult for disabled freelancers to know how much is enough. One day they can feel absolutely fine, the next they can be so crippled with pain, immobility or depression that they’re able to accomplish far less.
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