Being self-employed is a goal for many people. Being able to set your own hours, spend time with your family and only answer to yourself sounds great, right? Although being self-employed does hold its benefits, it can also have serious adverse effects on a person's mental and physical state. Here’s some smart ways to make sure to take care of yourself.

Increase Productivity with Proper Nutrition

Those in traditional workplace environments often point at their scheduled lunch breaks as the only thing that keeps them from munching on unhealthy snacks. This set schedule regulates the body to be hungry only within a certain period of time. In addition, many larger corporations even implement healthy programs into their employees' workdays.

According to corporate statistics, 62% of employees with wellness programs felt their program increased productivity, and 56% reported having taken fewer sick days because of their program. However, when you work for yourself, there are few limits on when and how much you can eat. This, of course, can cause serious weight gain, which is scientifically tied to depression, low-productivity and more severe illness. Therefore, if you're self-employed, you must always take your daily nutrition habits into account.

Reduce the Likelihood of Burnout with Exercise Breaks

One of the leading causes of low productivity and an overall unhealthy mental state within the traditional workplace is burnout. This is usually caused by being forced to stay within your department or floor for hours at a time with almost no breaks.

Often, those who work for themselves will carry this habit over. It is highly recommended that this habit is broken, and that you begin to exercise your body through small breaks in your day. Go walk the dog, do some pushups or run in place. Anything that can get your blood moving does wonders for the body and mental state.

For example, try some desk yoga:

Know When to Stop

When there is no commute or anyone to tell you to go home, it's easy to say, "One more email." However, a good thing to remember is that you are your own boss and much like any boss, you want your employees to be happy, productive and ready to tackle the next day. This won't be the case if you continue to work late into the night every day. Learn when to stop and walk away from your computer — it'll do wonders.

Being self-employed holds an incredible array of benefits, but as your greatest asset, you should always remember that *you* come first. Simply adhere to the list above, and you'll no doubt begin to have a more fulfilled and productive work week.

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