Protecting Your Mental Health When Running a Business in a Pandemic

We’ve now passed the one year mark of lockdowns, quarantines, working from home, online school, and a constant stream of change and unknowns in our lives and businesses.  It feels like it’s time to address a very important and under discussed topic:  Mental Health.  

All of the above can be traumatic on its own, and I’m not sure anyone knows the long-term consequences of combining them.

Being your own boss can be lonely in a normal environment. Add on pandemic-fatigue and economic uncertainty, and it's no surprise our mental health is at risk.  While this typically comes to me in the form of a client’s concern with productivity, I am much more deeply concerned with their quality of life and well being, rather than the amount they are producing.

It is sometimes difficult to talk about this subject, but once you give voice to these feelings, you open the door to support.  The most important thing you can do is reach out for help if you’re struggling.  If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with a family member or friend, there’s tons of resources for therapists, online support networks, and free hotlines- all a google-search away. 

When you can discuss with others what you’re feeling or carrying, it not only helps them understand you, but it creates a shared safe space to discuss their challenges too.  Many of us ambitious entrepreneurs pride ourselves on our drive and determination.  This can be a slippery slope when going at it alone.  One of the best things to focus on early in your journey is How to Know When it's Time to Ask For Help.  Having support when you need it is paramount to your mental health.

That being said, about a year ago we talked a lot about going back to the basics, and it feels like a good time to revisit those seemingly simple but very important practices. Here are just a few:

• Movement and exercise

• Sleep

• Nutrition

• Hydration

• Meditation or mindfulness

• Being in nature

• Connecting with others

I recommend planning these basic things into your day and treating them like your most important client meeting.  The truth is, YOU are the most important asset to your business.  If you don’t prioritize yourself, it will be difficult to give a high level of service to your clients.

Oftentimes when reminded of these simple things, we gloss over it, shrugging it off because we “already know that”.  Which is true, we all already know these things are important.  The problem is, we aren’t always prioritizing them.

Given our entrepreneurial nature (myself included), we’re often fighting off workaholic and perfectionist tendencies.  This can bring with it an, “all or nothing” mentality.  This might sound like, “If I don’t have time to go to the gym four days a week for one hour, it just isn’t worth it”.  When we are in the right state of mind, we know that even a walk around the block is better than nothing.  However, when running from task to task amidst the COVID fog, it can be tough to battle that mental pattern.  It takes planning, accountability and discipline to pull yourself away from the to-do list and remind ourselves to care for our bodies.

Another great tip is to set healthy boundaries and cultivate gratitude. Make a list of all of the positive things present in your life right now.  Take this one step further and feel why you are grateful for these things.  A great way to practice gratitude is to reach out to someone else you know might be struggling. One of the fastest ways out of a rut is to help someone else.  Check in on your friends and colleagues.  When you reach out to help someone else, it can lift your own spirits.  

Just be sure to set boundaries for yourself and others around you. Over-giving or agreeing to things you don’t truly value can lead to feeling resentful, which is the last thing you want or need right now.

Need resources in any of the above areas?  Please email ks@kristinswansonconsulting.com or DM/PM me on social media.  For everything I’ve listed here, there are so many resources (books, apps, articles, experts to follow), I am more than happy to share with you!  Most importantly, ask for support.  People love to help others. It is really important to remind your brain of that when you feel hesitant to ask for help.