Preserving one’s mental health has never been more important than ever. Especially now that the pandemic has made prolonged isolation the norm. Humans are social beings, and going for too long without interacting with others can really do a number on our mental health.
Sure, remote work proved to be efficient in helping organisations stay afloat during the global pandemic. Not to mention saving costs in office rents, utilities, among other miscellaneous expenses. However, there’s no escaping how lonely this set-up can get on some days.
So, while it’s true that entrepreneurs often work independently and are probably used to managing distributed teams by now, they probably struggle with their mental health just like everyone else these days.
With World Mental Health Day just around the corner as of this writing, let’s have a look at the various ways for taking care of your mental health.
World Mental Health Day 2021
This October 10, we celebrate World Mental Health Day with the theme, “Mental Health in an Unequal World.” It revolves around the uncertainties and inequalities we experience as the virus continues to affect countries the world over.
It’s been almost two years since COVID-19 devastated the world. As an entrepreneur, you’ve probably got your own stories about the stress brought on by nationwide lockdowns, border closures, and economic decline.
Managing a business becomes even more challenging when you need to keep paying your employees even if sales aren’t doing too well. And with so many companies going under, it’s no wonder millions of workers were retrenched.
With so much negativity all around, how can you maintain our well-being and preserve your mental health, especially as an entrepreneur?
Three Steps to Better Mental Health
Physical and mental health go hand in hand. No matter how busy you are, you should always take time for self-care. You can’t exactly run a business if you’re in poor health, right?
Get Moving
A clear mind handles multiple tasks better, so whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a step back….and move.
You could try running around the block, doing a few push-ups, or even playing a few rounds of your favorite sport. The exertion can feel like a great release, plus you’ll benefit from all the endorphins afterwards.
Aside from clearing your mind, physical exercise is also the best and most affordable way to keep you fit and healthy.
Connect with Others
One of the reasons why we struggle is because of our inability (or unwillingness) to talk about our problems. This is very common among entrepreneurs. Oftentimes, you hide your failures and frustrations to save face and avoid shame.
However, this doesn’t help with your mental health at all. Thus, rather than keeping it all bottled up, why not confide in your colleagues, team members, or loved ones? If the problem is confidential, you can seek advice from a mentor or even seek counseling.
Acknowledge Your Feelings
It’s difficult to deal with a problem if you can’t even identify what it is. Thus, a key step in taking care of your mental health is acknowledging and validating your feelings.
For example, let’s say you’re stressed out because a client complained about your services. It’s okay to feel discouraged because you worked hard on your products and services. However, you can choose to see these experiences as building blocks for success instead of dwelling on them or simply sweeping the difficult emotions they give rise to under the rug.
Of course, you can continue to encourage your team members to do better next time. But you can only do this once you acknowledge that your feelings of disappointment with their performance are valid as well.
Remote Staff has been helping AU SMEs and business owners like you establish their remote workforce with the help of remote workers from the Philippines for the last 14 years and counting. On top of that, we also provide assistance in onboarding for a smooth and hassle-free experience.
Call us today or schedule a call back so we can get started.
Serena has been working remotely and writing content for the better part of the last decade. To date, she's written for Pepper.ph and Mabuhay Magazine, among others, and has churned out more than a thousand articles on everything from The Basics of Stock Market Investing to How to Make Milk Tea-Flavored Taho at home.
