There’s many pitfalls to running your own audio business, one of them is the issue of sickness. This real story explains why sickness is a real threat not only to your business but to your life.
The story I’m about to share is true, however for privacy reasons I need to be vague about certain facts, I do hope you understand. Some of you will know who I’m talking about, others won’t. I ask those who do know to protect his family’s privacy.
Near Death Experience
It was a Friday lunchtime and I’d invited a friend and fellow audio professional to lunch to talk about work. I had known he had struggled with sickness for some time. He had been in and out of hospital as they tried to stabilise his condition. However, I wasn’t prepared for what I saw as I collected him from his house.
He’d walked about 100 metres to the car, by the sound of his breathing you would have thought he’d just completed a marathon in record time. It was laboured and not normal in the slightest.
When we parked at the restaurant five minutes later things had improved slightly, but the walk from the car was slower than it is with my elderly mother, who is nearly 90, and my friend is 49!
We sat down and ordered. He looked grey and withered, in fact, he looked like my father did a couple of days before he died after being ravaged by COVID. I was shocked. I was even more shocked when it took him nearly two hours to eat lunch. He could hardly pick up his knife and fork, such was the pain in his hands. During the meal he took a shot of morphine to help the pain.
The entire experience moved me deeply, I felt like I was sitting with someone in the last weeks of their life. That night he was in hospital, deciding he could take no more pain, he admitted himself to the specialist treatment ward for his condition so he could get treatment.
He has suffered with a non-life threatening, albeit destructive and painful disease for most of his life, a condition many of us may have heard of, but I was unaware of how destructive it can be. My friend was also suffering from renal failure. Had he not gone into hospital I doubt he would have made it to the end of the year. If he had his quality of life was so poor he could barely function. He is a husband and a father.
A few days after admission into hospital we talked on the phone about the prognosis. The specialist team at the hospital wanted him to stay in for at least a month to stabilise his condition and then figure out the next steps. Since that time, this has now been extended to possibly two months. Then home and back to work.
“How much?” I asked. “How much for what?” He asked. “How much do you need each month so you don’t have to work until you have fully recovered?” He told me the number. It wasn’t huge, but as anyone knows, when you haven’t got it, it may as well be billions.
I left that call with one goal. To make some calls to people who know him in the audio industry and to get together to raise enough money so that he didn’t have to work until he was able to. For me, it was a no-brainer, I’m not a saint, I would expect any reasonable person to do the same. The kindness of several people has made it possible for him not to have to worry about providing for his family for the foreseeable future, more money may come. For now, we’ve been able to put his mind and that of his family at rest.
As I told him what some of his industry colleagues had done he sobbed. “No one has ever shown this kindness before.” He said. “My wife and I kept asking when someone would give us a break?” My reply was; “Now!”
The Road To Sickness
How had he got so sick? It’s simple. He tried to take time off to get well, but as a self employed audio professional no work meant no income. There’s no sick pay for the self-employed, unless of course you pay for some kind of insurance plan, many of us don’t. They rarely give back what your real earnings are.
So he took time off to get well. Income went down, so although unwell, he would return to work. Then he would get sick… you get the point. Each time he got more sick, until this point when he was dangerously unwell.
We live in the UK, so we don’t have to worry about the cost of medical bills. Heaven forbid what this story would have been in the US or many other countries without a national health system.
Why am I telling this story? It’s simple. If you are self employed then if you get sick it’s likely you will stop making money. There’s no sick pay, no time off, no holiday pay. So the likelihood of getting sick is even higher, with long hours, little rest or recovery or vacation time. It’s a ticking time bomb.
If I ended this article here, then it would be somewhat depressing, so I want to offer some simple words of advice that can help prevent ever getting into this kind of trouble.
Ways To Stay Healthy When Self-Employed
As a self-employed audio professional, it's essential to prioritise your health and well-being to maintain a successful and fulfilling career. Here are some valuable tips to help you stay healthy while managing your own business:
Charge Enough: It’s a false economy to try and work for the lowest cost, given this story, the lowest cost for who? Ensure you are making enough money so you have reserves. This means you can take time off, go on vacation, or be sick! Our advice is try and save up 3 months of work on average income, should the worst happen!
Establish a Consistent Routine: Create a daily schedule that includes dedicated time for work, exercise, meals, and relaxation. Stick to this routine to maintain a healthy balance between work and personal life.
Prioritize Exercise: Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine. Engage in activities you enjoy, such as running, biking, yoga, or strength training. Exercise not only boosts physical fitness but also contributes to mental clarity and overall well-being.
Take Breaks: Avoid sitting for extended periods. Incorporate short breaks throughout your workday to stretch, walk around, or engage in light physical activity. This will help alleviate stress and prevent sedentary lifestyle effects.
Maintain a Balanced Diet: Ensure your diet consists of whole, nutrient-dense foods to fuel your body and mind. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Manage Stress: Entrepreneurship can be demanding, so finding effective stress-management techniques is crucial. Experiment with activities like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or mindfulness. Consider incorporating hobbies, such as painting, playing an instrument, or spending time in nature, to relax and recharge.
Establish Boundaries: Set boundaries between work and personal life to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Avoid working excessively long hours and establish designated workspaces. Communicate your availability and expectations clearly to clients or colleagues.
Connect with Others: Working alone can sometimes lead to feelings of social isolation. Counteract this by joining industry-related groups or attending networking events. Regularly engage with colleagues, friends, or family to maintain social connections and combat feelings of loneliness.
Prioritise Sleep: A good night's sleep is essential for overall health and optimal productivity. Establish a consistent sleep schedule and create a calming bedtime routine. Ensure your bedroom is conducive to quality sleep by keeping it cool, dark, and quiet.
Practise Good Ergonomics: Set up your workspace ergonomically to prevent discomfort or injuries caused by poor posture. Invest in an ergonomic chair, adjust your monitor height, and take regular stretch breaks to avoid repetitive strain injuries
What Next?
You have two options after reading an article like this. Carry on as you are, or make the changes necessary so you don’t find yourself sick and with no work and no money. I’ve seen the devastating consequences of what can happen, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. My friend is not out of the woods yet, but he is now in the right place. Too many of us work alone and isolated, it lends itself to getting sick. My friend and I have spoken about what would have happened had I not invited him to lunch and seen the state he was in - a moment of chance may have saved his life. You may not be as lucky.
Act today!