Independence is something we all strive for. We want to be able to go out on our own and live our lives how we want to. But moving out to start living all on your own can be scary sometimes. When you’re used to living with your parents or roommates, the change to independent living may seem daunting. It’s a big leap from having people to support and take care of you to having all the responsibility fall to yourself.

Don’t let the anxieties of starting out on your own hold you back, though. Living independently is still, for many people, the best option. It grants you the freedom to live by your own rules and focus on creating success in your career. If you’re concerned about living on your own for the first time, just make sure to have a good plan in place and know what your expectations are. Read on for some tips on starting out on your own.

The Money Issue

Money isn’t everything of course, but in our society, it’s how we obtain the things we need to survive. When you’re on your own it’s extremely important to know how to manage your money as you may not have much of a safety net to fall back on if need be.

An important thing to know regarding your finances is what benefits are available to you through your job. Many companies will offer their employees certain health insurance plans if they qualify. Read up on the particular plan offered by your employer to see if it will meet all your needs. Different insurance companies and plans cover different medications and doctors, so see if there are any adjustments you’ll need to make under this insurance. Also find out if there are other benefits offered through your job, like life or dental insurance. If not, you’ll have to make these arrangements yourself.

To ensure you have enough money for your needs, it’s important that you learn how to budget and manage your finances. Keep track of your expenses such as any bills you have to pay as well as the money you need for food and other essentials and budget out how much you can afford to spend on non-essentials. Always be sure to set some extra funds aside in case you need them in the future. If you’re not confident in your budgeting skills, there are even courses you can take to better learn how to manage your money and avoid overspending.

It can be a good idea to begin a savings account at your bank. With a savings account, you can set aside money so it isn’t readily available like in your standard checking account. This way you can save the money you need for bills and other expenses and the money in your checking can be used for non-essential purchases.

Taking Responsibility

While living on your own comes with tremendous freedom, you’ll also find yourself responsible for things you may not have had to consider when living with your parents. Now that you’re on your own, you have to step up and make sure you’re taking care of everything you need to in order to be a functioning adult.

Whether you’re living in a house or an apartment, that space is now your responsibility. It will fall on you to clean and maintain your home, along with ensuring that any problems get fixed. Unless you own a home, you won’t have to take care of any repairs yourself; that will be the landlord/building manager’s responsibility. However, it’s still up to you to make them aware of any problem that’s going on, so be sure to keep an eye on things and take note of anything that isn’t working as intended.

It’s also your responsibility to remember to set up and keep important appointments. Before you may have had a parent remind you when it’s time to set up things like doctor appointments or oil changes for your car, or maybe they made the arrangements for you. But now that you’re on your own you’ll have to keep track of these sorts of regularly needed services. It might be easy to forget about making these arrangements if you’re not used to it, so keep a calendar of when you need to schedule an appointment and any of your appointments themselves.

Care to Self-Care

The most important part of living on your own is making sure that you’re taking care of yourself. An organized home and successful career mean nothing if you aren’t in a good place yourself. It’s vital that you take the time to ensure your physical and emotional needs are being met, especially now that you’re no longer living with people who can also support you in this way.

While this may be a busy time in your life, make sure you’re taking time just for yourself. Even if it’s just taking an hour each night before bed to decompress, it’s important to let your mind rest so you don’t become overwhelmed with everything. Your mental health should be a top priority and neglecting it will only lead to other aspects of your life suffering as well. No matter what’s going on at work or in your relationships, set aside time to do something you enjoy and lift your mood for a while.

Now that you’re living by yourself, you also need to be careful not to isolate yourself. It can sometimes be easy to simply throw yourself into work and not focus on anything else, but this can be detrimental to your emotional and mental health. We require socialization for our mental stability, and setting time aside to spend with friends can also give you time to relax and have a break from any stressors in your life. Your friends can also offer advice for any problems you may be having.

If the pressure of going out on your own feels like too much for you to handle, consider trying therapy or counseling to have someone to talk to about the difficulties. It can be beneficial to talk to someone about any issues you’re having and they can give you some perspective on whatever you’re struggling with. Remember that navigating the adult world can be difficult for anyone and seeking help is a responsible and mature choice to make.

Living on your own can be incredibly rewarding, but also overwhelming. Try not to rush into things and plan ahead of time to better manage this new chapter in your life.