Certain aspects of running a business are clear for all to see. Everyone is aware that a lot of work goes into it, but there is so much happening behind the scenes that you don’t notice until it hits you. I’m talking, of course, about the mental side of running a company.
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It’s impossible to sit here and say that everything will be fine and that you’ll have a really fun time running a business. Sure, there’ll be moments where you enjoy yourself, but you’ll have plenty of instances where times are tough, and you struggle mentally. It puts a significant strain on your mental health, which can easily lead to depressed thoughts and anxiety.
Bearing that in mind, I believe all business owners need to start looking after their mental health. So, I’ve put together a list of things you should and shouldn’t do, which will help maintain good mental health while running a company.
Meditate every morning and evening
No two days are the same, but every day will begin in the morning and end in the evening. Usually, I find that your mental health is so much better when you take care of yourself as soon as you wake up, and just before you go to bed. By taking a moment to compose yourself in the morning, it sets you up for a positive day ahead. Then, by taking time out in the evening, you can sleep with less stress weighing down on your mind.
There are plenty of things you can do in these periods, but my favorite is to meditate. Take ten minutes every morning and night to just sit down, close your eyes, and breathe. It’s a fantastic way of resetting your mind when you wake up, and then again when you sleep. Meditation is a proven way of helping with mental health issues, and I find the morning/evening are the best times to practice it.
Give yourself breaks at work
Being the owner of a business means you’re always working. Even if people don’t think you’re working, the chances are you’re working hard while others are resting. It’s a well-known fact that your employees need to have breaks if they wish to remain productive. So, you let them have an hour or so for lunch, then maybe another ten-minute break here or there. But, what about you?
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It’s vital that you take breaks at work as well, or you run the risk of mentally ruining yourself. No human is built to work 24/7, for hours on end. It will end up draining you, which leads to high stress levels and mental health issues. If you really want to take care of your mental health, then you need to give yourself breaks during work as well. It’s an opportunity to take yourself out of the working zone, recharge your batteries, and de-stress.
Stay away from alcohol
Alcohol is one of the most common crutches that people lean on when they’re stressed. You have a tough day running your business, so you head down to the local bar and get a few drinks. There’s nothing wrong with having a drink, but only if you do it safely and in moderation. A glass of wine in your living room is fine, as are a couple of drinks on the weekend.
The problem is when you start turning to alcohol as a way of trying to improve your mood. This is when you begin to develop even worse mental health issues as you become dependent on it. The next thing you know, you’re drunk driving every night on the way home from work because you’re so stressed and depressed. Yes, you can always fight a DWI charge with help from a lawyer, but the damage is already done. It can ruin your business reputation, which further sends you down a negative mental health spiral that’s hard to get out of. Instead, it’s better to just stay away from alcohol if you want to look after your mental health & well-being. Don’t let it become a crutch!
Close yourself off for 30 minutes a day
This tip comes from something I saw on Instagram the other day. There’s a stress doctor called Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, and he spoke about the need to take ourselves away from the whole smartphone bubble we live in every day. We’re constantly on our phones – especially if you run a business. You’ll be on social media checking out your corporate page, you’ll be looking at emails, replying to messages – you spend most of your time looking at your phone or waiting for it to ping.
As a result, you’re never truly letting your mind rest. So, he suggested that you spend 30 minutes with your phone on silent, just relaxing. You could do this while on your break at work, or it could be something you do as soon as you get home. The purpose is to just take yourself away from the business of your regular life and calm your mind. It can have an overwhelmingly positive effect on your mental health!
Spread the workload
Finally, we need to talk about the way you delegate tasks at work. A lot of small business owners might be going at it alone. As such, they do everything themselves. All the work; sales, marketing, accounting, etc. are all done by one person. Even if you have employees, it can be hard to trust others to do specific tasks, so you carry a heavy workload every day.
This puts so much strain on your mental wellbeing, and it can easily be adjusted. All you have to do is spread the workload and give other people things to do. This will ease so much mental tension and anxiety, and it will probably benefit your business in the long-run as well!
The critical thing to take away from this guide is that you need to look after your mental health & wellbeing. As a business owner, you’ll always feel high levels of stress and anxiety, which often lead to depression. Don’t let your mental health suffer – try all of the ideas above, and you’ll be in a much better place.