05. 2024's contributing factors to poorer mental health
We took a deeper look into the influencing factors which contribute towards causing stress, anxiety and poorer mental health.
We asked our freelancers whether they had experienced and been negatively impacted by the following factors during 2024.
05.1 - Macro Factors: During 2024, which of these factors caused you stress, anxiety or had a negative impact on your overall mental health?
Cost of Living: The cost of living crisis, was by far, the most significant macro factor in 2024, and caused a negative impact on 86% of our group - both the highest significant factor, factor with any level of contribution.
Increased cost of living has a direct impact not only on income, but also the level of work required to maintain it, leading to additional stress and concern.
In addition to the cost of living crisis, 2024 saw a downturn in demand - doubling the concern for many: higher bills, less work, less income, and less spending power due to inflation.
Global Conflict and Climate Emergency: The second and third ranked macro-factor were ongoing global conflicts, including Ukraine and Gaza, along with broader tensions in Europe with Russia; and concerns over the climate emergency.
Whilst not directly related to work, the continual coverage of conflict in the news and social media can, for many, feel overwhelming. Research that continued exposure to distressing news has demonstrable negative effects on mental health.
Likewise, anxieties over the climate emergency can lead to a sense of helplessness - and for many, very direct impact of the crisis can affect businesses too - in terms of floods and storms across the UK and other regions.
Impact of Brexit: The lasting impact of leaving the European Union continues to have a negative impact on the mental health of small business owners, many of whom have been left unable to trade with our closest neighbors.
05.2 - Discrete Factors: During 2024, have you experienced any of these factors, and did they cause you stress or anxiety?
In this section, we ask respondents to select any of the factors which they have experienced, and felt had a negative impact on their stress, anxiety or mental health.
The tables below show the following:
- The top ten stressors of any level of contribution (i.e. those who experienced any level of stress, anxiety or negative impact)
- The top ten stressors of significant contribution (i.e. those who experienced significant stress, anxiety or negative impact)
- The top most common factors by experience (regardless of level of stress, anxiety or negative impact)
An additional table of all factors is provided at the end of the report.
Top 10 Stressors of Any Level of Contribution
Irregularity of income
Any Negative Impact
86.3%
Significant Negative Impact
49.9%
Some Negative Impact
36.4%
Feeling unproductive
Any Negative Impact
85.8%
Significant Negative Impact
36.3%
Some Negative Impact
49.5%
Feeling lack of confidence
Any Negative Impact
84.6%
Significant Negative Impact
44.2%
Some Negative Impact
40.4%
Looking for work
Any Negative Impact
83.4%
Significant Negative Impact
43%
Some Negative Impact
40.4%
Feeling a lack of motivation
Any Negative Impact
82.4%
Significant Negative Impact
34.6%
Some Negative Impact
47.8%
Feeling isolated/disconnected
Any Negative Impact
79.3%
Significant Negative Impact
37.1%
Some Negative Impact
42.2%
Feeling a lack of direction
Any Negative Impact
77.3%
Significant Negative Impact
34.3%
Feeling lack of skills/ability
Any Negative Impact
72.3%
Significant Negative Impact
29.8%
Some Negative Impact
42.5%
Projects being cancelled or held
Any Negative Impact
72.1%
Significant Negative Impact
27.4%
Some Negative Impact
44.7%
Being unable to find work
Any Negative Impact
71.6%
Significant Negative Impact
37.6%
Top 10 Stressors of Significant Level of Contribution
Irregularity of income
Significant Negative Impact
49.9%
Some Negative Impact
36.4%
Feeling lack of confidence
Significant Negative Impact
44.2%
Some Negative Impact
40.4%
Looking for work
Significant Negative Impact
43%
Some Negative Impact
40.4%
Being unable to find work
Significant Negative Impact
37.6%
Feeling isolated/disconnected
Significant Negative Impact
37.1%
Some Negative Impact
42.2%
Feeling unproductive
Significant Negative Impact
36.3%
Some Negative Impact
49.5%
Feeling a lack of motivation
Significant Negative Impact
34.6%
Some Negative Impact
47.8%
Feeling a lack of direction
Significant Negative Impact
34.3%
Long periods of no work
Significant Negative Impact
34.2%
Some Negative Impact
25.9%
Feeling that self-employment is no longer sustainable
Significant Negative Impact
31.2%
Some Negative Impact
32.2%
Top 10 Stressors of by Occurence
Feeling lack of confidence
Feeling isolated/disconnected
Feeling a lack of motivation
Irregular working patterns
Top 10 Stressors of by Occurence
Feeling lack of confidence
Feeling isolated/disconnected
Feeling a lack of motivation
Irregular working patterns
