5 tips to support your mental health as an entrepreneur

Building a business is one of the hardest and most rewarding things you could ever decide to do. There is something to be said about the people who trade in the 40-hour work week to work 100 hours a week in their business, leaving the safety and security of a full-time stable job to begin stressing about whether or not they will be able to make enough money to cover their basic needs from month to month.

When you do finally find your footing, people may see the glitz and glam on social media, but make no mistake, they have no idea of the toll it takes on every business owner’s mental health. The early mornings and late nights – you may even start to pack on some weight due to bad eating or lack of time for exercise; you lose friends because you no longer have the time to hang out like you once did.

Entrepreneurship is a lonely road, especially in your beginning phases.

This week, I wanted to bring in a psychologist and high-performance coach to help the entrepreneurs out here with some practical tips for getting their mental health on track. This is critical, because the business cannot function or grow if you are not in a good space mentally and firing on all cylinders.

I am ecstatic to introduce Ms Chelsea Cree to you, and I have asked her to give us her tips to support your mental health on your journey as an entrepreneur.

Here are her five tips:

1. Prioritise your self-care: You are your most valuable asset. Make self-care a non-negotiable part of your routine.

When you don't take care of yourself, you will become more prone to feel stressed, anxious, depression, and your career will suffer.

Prioritise those activities that nourish your mind, body and soul.

Self-care can take many forms. This includes exercise, getting enough sleep, practising mindfulness or meditation, engaging in hobbies you enjoy, setting boundaries, spending time with loved ones or taking regular breaks.

Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup.

2. Develop your emotional intelligence: If you want to be successful in your career as an entrepreneur, it is very, very important to learn how to control your emotions so that your emotions don't control you and don't control your business by extension.

Entrepreneurship is often an experience with high levels of stress and pressure, but until you are connected to your emotions, you will be unable to cope with the stress in a healthy way. Improving your emotional intelligence will equip you with the ability to manage and regulate your emotions in stressful situations, as it will allow you to understand your emotions, strengths, weaknesses, and triggers and avoid the pitfalls of emotional instability.

3. Regulate your nervous system: Mindset can't remedy the mental, emotional, and behavioural issues that you may struggle with as a result of a stressed-out nervous system.

It is common for us as entrepreneurs to experience periods of high stress and anxiety, but when these feelings become chronic, they can tax our nervous system into dysregulation in this state.

Stress, anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, and disengagement are all connected to the function of our nervous system. This may manifest in fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, digestive issues, chronic pain, immune system dysfunction and hormonal imbalances.

Learning how to work at the level of your nervous system can help you bring your best self to the challenges you face daily.

4. Create a support system: Don't hesitate to reach out for support when you need it to thrive.

Ask for help, not because you are weak, but because you want to remain strong. Too often we choose to tough it out and we isolate ourselves instead of reaching out to ask for help when we need it the most, but this often comes at the cost of our mental health and well-being. Surround yourself with a supportive network of friends, and families.

Professionals and fellow entrepreneurs understand the challenges that you often experience, so consider joining entrepreneurial communities or networking groups to connect with like-minded individuals who can offer you advice and encourage you.

5. Embrace self-love: Self-love is a foundation!

The way we think about ourselves dictates our actions, decisions, communication and the state of our mental and physical health. A self-love mindset allows us to have a positive and healthy relationship with ourselves, which is foundational for being a successful and healthy entrepreneur.

When you have a strong sense of self-worth, you will approach your business with confidence and believe in your abilities to overcome challenges and achieve success.

We dive deeper into this topic in ep 129 of the Digipreneur FM podcast, and you can learn much more from Chelsea on her Instagram pages @chelsea.cree and @creecoachingandconsulting.

Your mental health as an entrepreneur is the key to finding your success and maintaining it.

Keron Rose is a digital strategist who works with Caribbean entrepreneurs to build their digital presence and monetise their platforms. Learn more at KeronRose.com or listen to the Digipreneur FM podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify or Google Podcast.