Avoiding Mental Illness When You’re An Entrepreneur

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When it comes to business, most of the conversations are all associated with a sense of accomplishment or the joy that they feel after they have built something great out of nothing. But while this is true, there is sadly the other side of the coin – the downside of being a successful entrepreneur – the negative things you gain, one of these being mental illness.

The price you pay for all the hard work, the sleepless nights, and time spent away from family is mostly a psychological one. One survey showed that about 30% of business owners – whether young, old, or veteran – had experienced depression at one point in their business career. The result also showed that nearly 30% also dealt with anxiety and ADHD.

Indeed, mental illnesses, if not given attention, can result in disability and a frustrating life for the entrepreneur, which in turn can destroy the business itself. For instance, an entrepreneur who is suffering from depression may make the wrong choices and under or overestimates an important deal.

Additionally, when one feels down and dispirited, he becomes hesitant, and the lowered self-esteem will be visible to his employees. This may consequently lead to a lowered productivity in the employees because of lack of motivation. They will need a role model that they can follow. Really, it is difficult to give something of yourself if you’re not mentally and physically well.

Watching Your Temper

“Negative stereotypes about people with mental illness often involve the perception that people with mental illness are dangerous.” That is according to Katie Hurley, LCSW. A lot of the business owners that were included in a recent study agreed that stress takes a toll on them and of course, on their business. And one of the things that they had in common that they thought they all had to keep in check was their temper. Being easily angered or irritated can negatively affect one’s method of dealing with the people around him, and this should be cause for concern.

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For instance, if a colleague or client gives you constructive criticism, perhaps you are normally responsive to this in a positive way. However, if you’re on edge at that moment, you might be resistant and may even be in the mood to pick an argument over a negative comment that you didn’t want to hear because you didn’t feel like it. This calls for rest time or time away from all the stress and pressure, as in no time will you be dealing with a mental illness if you keep working.

Find yourself some effective methods of reducing pressure on yourself. Meditate. Practice yoga. Find a hobby. Party. Play for a while. You’ll soon realize that you needed it after all.

The BetterHelp app is a great platform that may guide you in finding ways to avoid mental illness. You can check out some videos or perhaps you would like to read about their clients’ testimonials.

Handling The Workload Appropriately

“A mental illness cannot be willed away or brushed aside with a change in attitude. Ignoring the problem doesn’t give it the slip either.” Deborah Serani, PsyD said. Managing the workload is usually on top of the priority list, although entrepreneurs know that this is much easier said than done.

Below is a list of tips that have helped many entrepreneurs handle their workload.

  • Place Workloads In A Category. There are two types of workloads that put you in a lot of stress and pressure. You can classify them into ‘psychologically loaded’ and ‘physically loaded.’ Prioritize the former. The workload that pressures you psychologically will only make you stronger mentally and help you gain insight on how to deal with other equally important tasks during hectic times.

You can also help your employees in their struggle to handle their workloads. Choose a certain period each day that you can assign for priority tasks so that your employees will work on the tasks that are on top of their list. This way, they can be more relaxed the rest of the time they are in the workplace.

  • Don’t Compare Yourself With Others. “Focus on yourself and your own happiness and do not compare yourself to others.” Marc Romano, PsyD said. Comparisons are almost always a recipe for disaster. First, you don’t get to foster harmonious relationships with your colleagues and competitors; hence, you don’t learn things the easy way. Second, you can’t think freely and creatively when all you want is to topple down another. Comparisons will only lead to complications, and the success achieved is half-baked.

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  • Remember That Time Is Gold. Yes, it is. That’s why although you don’t need to pressure yourself too much into finishing a deadline or establishing a new product, it is also not a good habit to procrastinate just because you think you can do it without any pressure. Value the work that you do, and always do your best, however huge or small it may be.

Takeaway

Entrepreneurship is not a walk in the park, not even for the millennials. Every entrepreneur is vulnerable to suffering from a mental illness such as anxiety, phobias, and depression. But these are not signs of weakness at all. It only means that you need to take a few steps back and evaluate yourself. Listen to your body and your mind. And then tackle the business or life situation using another maneuver that you feel comfortable and strongly about. You’ll be on your way to becoming better equipped at facing the daily ups and downs of your business and your life.