Can entrepreneurs protect their mental health?

Can entrepreneurs protect their mental health during the uncertainty of our times? Being an entrepreneur has its ups and downs. If you did not know that before you got into this arena then you are already behind. The thing is that when these lows hit, they can really damage us as entrepreneurs. Here’s why: as employees, we don’t have to test things out to see if it will work. Most of the time, we enter into a position where things have already been tested and proven to work and all we have to do is be trained on how to maintain it. So when the company loses, we can possibly still get paid, still get benefits and carry on with life. With being an entrepreneur, most of the time we are the tester, the implementer, the one who wins when there is a win but also the  one who loses when there is a loss. 

All of the pressure is on us …

That is why protecting your mental health is so important. If you don’t take actionable steps to focus on and protect your own mind, the whole of what you’ve built can crumble. These next steps can be what differentiates you from being a successful and a non-successful entrepreneur. 

1. Don’t be afraid to be authentically you! I know you’ve probably heard the world doesn’t need another copycat before, right? Well it’s deeper than that. This can leave you having to play a role that can become tiresome and personally undignified to the point of you having anxiety and depression. Not operating in your authentic self, can also be irreversibly damaging to your business. People may start to view you as a fraud. 

2. Implement mind body practices in your daily routine. Being an entrepreneur can be stressful. The constant deadlines and having to show up can become overwhelming and if you are not careful, your mental health can start to suffer. Research has shown that mind-body practices can assist you in decreasing your stress levels which can also decrease or possibly eliminate anxiety, depression, and other diseases that may cause unnecessary issues. 

3. Practice gratitude daily. As an entrepreneur, it may seem like your feet are always to the fire. You barely have time to breathe and you may always feel like you have to always got to be going from one victory to the next. Even though it is good to be ambitious and disciplined, this can put you under never ending stresses of performing at unrealistic levels. Take some time everyday to realise and give yourself credit for the work that you have done and the things that you have accomplished from one year to the next. One day to the next, and one moment to the next. Giving yourself the credit that you deserve and being in gratitude for how far you’ve been able to carry yourself can help you to stay in a more relaxed state rather than constantly operating in fight or flight mode. 

Being an entrepreneur is something that takes bravery and determination. During uncertain times, you may question if you really have what it takes to survive and thrive. You are not alone. Being resourceful and implementing the three things above can impact your mental health in your entrepreneurial journey in a positive way.