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Entrepreneurship is frequently linked to terms like “hyper-productivity,” “leadership,” and “workaholism,” leaving no place to highlight the difficulties of overcoming mental health issues. As entrepreneurs go on with their busy schedules, they often forget to assess themselves. In most cases, they dismiss the thought of talking about the emotional aspects of their entrepreneurial journey.
According to research, entrepreneurs are 50% more likely than non-entrepreneurs to report having a mental health disorder, with some conditions being more common among founders and some personality features making them more prone to mood swings. Indeed, this is an alarming case. But have you taken a pause and wondered what the reasons behind these mental health challenges are? Continue ahead as I discuss the four crucial factors causing entrepreneurial mental health challenges and helpful tips to deal with them.
1. Stress
One of the major causes of mental health challenges among entrepreneurs is the immense stress it entails. While everybody can suffer from stress, what makes entrepreneurs particularly susceptible is the lifestyle they adopt as founders – working for themselves and chasing their own dreams.
The restless nights, lengthy workdays, pressure to prove oneself, a busy mind, and the difficulties of launching a business are the leading causes of stress. They become so preoccupied with their daily tasks, that they are not even aware that they are preventing themselves from getting enough rest.
2. Fear of Failure/Uncertainty
Entrepreneurs constantly have a lot of what-ifs swirling around their minds. This originates from their desire to maneuver situations that are out of their control. Questions like ‘What if I fail?’ ‘What if I can’t get enough customers?’ starts to kick in.
While everyone feels fear, this is especially true for entrepreneurs taking huge risks and striking out on their own. Entrepreneurs are organized and firm about how they want their business to look in the future, and when things don’t go how they envision it to be, the uncertainty factor affects their mental health.
3. Isolation and Loneliness
For entrepreneurs, success in their business endeavors is always at the forefront of the list. Relentlessly dealing with the goals and demands of the business, especially during the startup phase, entails a lot of time being isolated from everyone. They can become so focused that they fail to notice how other aspects of their lives are changing. As a result, confusion, and frustration set in when they are out of tune with their surroundings.
4. Pressure To Not Show Any “weaknesses.”
There is a widespread notion among entrepreneurs that projecting a tough and impeccable persona will increase their perceived competence among stakeholders. Oftentimes, entrepreneurs use confidence to mask up their internal battles. They don’t want to show or acknowledge any weaknesses. They believe they can just brush it aside and get on with their work or that such feelings are just passing episodes that will eventually go away.
Mental Wellness Tips for Entrepreneurs
Make yourself a Priority
Prioritizing yourself will allow you to understand that you are in charge of your life, including your mental health. That includes letting go of what other people expect from you. Letting go of these expectations boosts up your bandwidth and allows mental clarity for you to be productive.
Prioritizing yourself will also enable you to optimize yourself. Self-optimization will give you the extra energy and ability to work harder as you pursue your professional and personal objectives. You need to realize that you are the most significant goal.
You may achieve this by dedicating at least 15 minutes each day to yourself, having a night of quality sleep, being wary of your self-talk, and showing yourself some patience.
Seeking professional aid
Unlike before, seeking professional health is less of a taboo subject now, thanks to the increased awareness brought to light by mental health professionals using various social media platforms.
Dealing with mental health challenges is never easy. One way to lessen the load you’re carrying is to seek professional assistance.
By asking for assistance, you can create a network of people who can support you and empathize with your situation. It will give you the coping tools and techniques you need. With a high level of awareness, you will be able to navigate your way through difficult situations effortlessly.
Proper Workload Management
Deadlines and dozens of unorganized deliverables are significant contributions to stress. As an entrepreneur, you rely heavily on yourself; therefore, you have to manage your workloads and comply with them effectively.
Small steps such as dividing your projects into tasks and subtasks, setting priorities for rapid executions, and setting reasonable deadlines are ways to manage your workload. Remember to work smarter, not harder.
Identify your triggers
The desire to be productive and successful is commonplace among entrepreneurs or even ordinary people. As much as possible, you want to be most passionate and obsessed with your life. However, this may also result from self-neglect and shutting down your relationship with others.
An essential step to identifying what triggers you is to listen to your mind and body. When you feel like you’re being overwhelmed by a whirlwind of different emotions, take stock of what you’re experiencing. Pay attention to your responses and reflect on the circumstances.
Bottom Line
Whether you’re a veteran or someone preparing to embark on an entrepreneurial quest, it is important to equip yourself with helpful tips to help you overcome tough hurdles along the journey. Being knowledgeable of the points mentioned above that cause mental health challenges is one step forward in combating it. This will help you understand yourself more and will serve as a gateway to healthy relationships with the people around you.
Always remember, taking some rest and being patient with yourself is productive too.
Do you have any more tips/advice for overcoming mental health challenges? Comment down in the comments, I would love to hear more from you!
