- Dan Tristan Reyes
Why Is Mental Health Essential To Entrepreneurs?
Mental health is an important aspect, not only in our business but also in our life. Mental health to this day remains an underrated and overlooked element of entrepreneurial success. Plenty of entrepreneurs suffer from mental health problems some even resulting in serious health issues and even a number of fatalities over the years.
A study found that 72% of entrepreneurs are affected by mental health issue/s (compared to 48% of non-entrepreneurs). On top of that, entrepreneurs were significantly more likely to report a lifetime history of depression (30%), ADHD (19%), substance use (12%), and bipolar disorder (11%).
Health is wealth and the same way that we need to be physically healthy and fit to work in order to give our 100% at work is the same reason we need to be mentally healthy so that we can stay functional and sustain ourselves in any situation we encounter while running a business.
What are some ways we can make sure we stay healthy mentally while running a high-level business?
1. Plan Your Schedule
Time-blocking or time management is the key to making sure we always have time to do what we need and want to do. Whether it’s keeping up with deadlines and making sure we are spending enough time with our family and loved ones, blocking off time to do these things will help us stay productive and healthy.
It is also important to note that we should not only be time-blocking our work-related activities but our off-day activities as well.
That vacation you’ve been planning, that dinner with your friends next weekend, like your work duties, these are also commitments, commitments to yourself to take care of your mental well-being in order to stay functional not only at work but as a human being.
2. Make Time For Yourself
You are the one who can take care of yourself. With the busy and high-stress conditions that entrepreneurs have to go through on a daily basis, it is easy to get caught up in work and neglect your needs.
It is important to block out time for yourself even if it’s just a few minutes a day in order to enjoy the things you like doing outside of work.
Similar to physical exercise, rest and recovery is also required in order to stay healthy mentally.
3. Seek Professional Help
If you are struggling with burnout, having a difficult time managing stress, or if you are struggling with mental health in general, do not hesitate to ask for help from a professional.
There is no shame in talking to a therapist or counselor. In the same way, we would go to a physician if we are suffering from a cold, we need to see a professional who is trained and equipped to help us out when we are struggling with our mental issues.
4. Don’t Take On What You Can’t Manage - Delegate
If you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself right? Maybe not. Thinking this way may end up in you taking on too many tasks that will eventually lead you to overexert yourself, thus resulting in burnout.
Delegate the tasks that you can and focus on the tasks that have a bigger impact on your business.
Here at Transcend Virtual Business Solutions, our VAs are highly trained and skilled to take on various tasks from your day-to-day operations, marketing, or cold calling and acquisitions. And since our VAs have gone through in-depth training, this saves you the work of having to train an employee before you can delegate tasks to them.
Our goal is to help you free up more time so that you can focus more on the things that make a bigger impact on your business, and have enough time to stay healthy.
5. Take Breaks
If you feel overwhelmed, it is perfectly fine to take a break from work. Step outside for a bit, go for walks, go on a vacation.
Take the time to revitalize yourself and focus on resting and recovering. You’ll come back with more energy, ready to seize the day again. This helps you avoid burn out and it will also help you create a sustainable workflow or routine in the long run.
Conclusion
In order to sustain a busy and high-stress routine as an entrepreneur, we need to stay healthy not just physically but mentally as well. In order to be able to sustain giving 100% in our business, we also need to give 100% in making sure we are properly rested in the times when rest is needed.
Recovery is a necessity and by doing so, we can keep coming back and grow our business to the highest level in a healthy and sustainable way.