Looking after your health is important

About three months ago I suffered a contractors nightmare: An injury that meant I couldn't work for quite some time.

In my instance it was a very nasty episode of lower back pain, which made me go through a month of not being able to tie my shoes. Of course it could have been worse. I did have a break planned anyway (ironically it was to get fit and do the Dunwich Dynamo) so I didn't have to bail out of a current contracting situation, and I was lucky that my osteopath didn't confirm my fears and sent me to hospital to have any surgery done. However, I didn't feel OK with taking on any contracting job for two and a half months, and I did spend quite some money on sessions to get my spine clicked into position. Also, following the routine I was recommended means I have to do back and core strength exercises every day.

This is why I want to give you contractors out there a couple of words on your way:

Stay healthy

I know it sounds lame, but you might want to consider doing the exercises before the pain comes. This might keep you fit and healthy to cope with 8 to 10 hours sitting each day, plus it might also help to balance out the stress that sometimes comes with contracting work, deadlines and delivery dates.

Look at your working environment

If you can help it, make sure you get a good chair, the computer set up and all the rest. I am sure you know the drill.

Insurance

In my case it didn't really matter that much, but what if I had kids, a mortgage and an ongoing contract? Clearly I should be insured against loss of income? There's a pretty neat guide on Contractors UK about what to look for when you purchase insurance. I recommend reading it and contemplating the necessary steps.

Finally, if you're suffering from back pain like I do, have a look at youtube. The videos of yoga exercises have given me some good clues of what to incorporate into my exercise routine.

Also, If you have any tips to share, be it about injury prevention, workplace set up or experiences with insurance claims, please do!