If you are a woman who has chosen to be self-employed to have more flexibility and freedom, this lifestyle may be beneficial to your health. This study interviewed over 4,600 working women and discovered that self-employed women were less likely to be obese, had lower blood pressure, and were less likely to have diabetes. All of this contributed to a lower risk of heart disease.
Women who work for themselves are still 30% to 43% less likely to have diabetes or high blood pressure, and they are 68% more likely to exercise at least twice a week. Health experts emphasized that these findings do not imply that self-employed people are healthier than full-time employees.
However, they raise the question of whether certain aspects of self-employment are beneficial to a woman’s heart, stated senior researcher Dr. Kimberly Narain. This senior researcher also told U.S. News & World Report that a key takeaway from the study was that bosses could implement aspects of the self-employed lifestyle in the workplace. These include more flexible schedules to foster a more positive environment that promotes a healthier way of life.
While not every woman can or wants to be her boss, Narain believes employers can incorporate some of the benefits of self-employment into the traditional workplace. Perhaps it’s time to change the way things are done at work.