Minding Your Mental Health While Building Your Business
Did you know that more than 5.4 million new businesses were created in 2021? Did you know women started more that 49% of all new businesses in 2021? This is an increase of more than 28% since 2019. The pandemic in 2020 was just to push that so many women needed to begin their journey into the world of entrepreneurship.
There are many benefits to being a business owner such as being your own boss, additional income (if this is a part-time venture), more time with family, and being able to do the work you love. However, there can also be some drawbacks, especially in relation to your health and mental health.
Let’s explore how you can mind your mental health while taking care of your business.
As the owner of mental health counseling practice, I often find myself neglecting my self-care to make sure I’m seeing my clients, responding to emails, completing the billings, marketing and so much more. I have spoken with other mental health professionals that find this to be a challenge as well.
One lesson learned has been to get help. This can be interns, a virtual assistant or outsourcing. Include the funds in your budget for an assistance to help in some of the tasks that can be completed by others. An example would be hiring a virtual assistant to return calls, respond to emails and confirm appointments. This will free you up to do more of the tasks that only you can complete.
Also while you are seeking help, get involved with like-minded people. There are many benefits to connecting with professional organizations or groups. One benefit is they can help you stay on top of any changes in your line of work. For example, as a therapist who connects with other therapists, I have been reminded of changes in practices, been given resources that may be helpful to my work, and have received referrals. We also communicate the changes in laws and billing practices with each other. Having these networks and outlets frees me from always having to read the various bulletins or notices that I am sent as well as have a sounding board to bounce ideas off of.
Along with getting help, consider interns as a part of your staff. Interns bring a wealth of knowledge and ideas and can assist in many ways. Interns often have a wealth of education in their area of expertise but are looking for an opportunity to get hands on experience. You could work with your local college to work with an intern who needs credit for college course(s) and the cost to you would be minimal. This intern could handle special projects that could enhance your business. For example, you may work with an intern who is majoring in communications that could create or update your business workshop or write articles for marketing or manage your email listing. Having interns and competent staff will allow you to feel comfortable in taking time for yourself and family and know that your business is in good hands.
Another way to manage your mental health while minding your business is to set realistic expectations. As a new business owner, it is easy to overwhelm yourself with thoughts of making your business perfect and wanting to do everything right now. It will be important to pace yourself and have a realistic schedule. Burnout is easy so it is important that you do not overdo it. Make a realistic schedule for yourself. I recommend that each day, you make a schedule of what needs to be done.
I will admit, some days your list will feel longer than the number of hours in a day and feel impossible. When this happens we have to break it down further. Are any of the things on this list items you can pass to someone else to help with? After you have made this list, take the top three items and work on those first. Your top three may include items that have a deadline soon approaching, things that need to be submitted to others or things that are overdue. I suggest you tackle that which is going to take the least amount of time to complete. After you have completed the top three, select another three if there is time left in your day, and complete the previous steps. Make sure to mark off what you have completed. If you are not fully able to complete a task, make note of what is needed to finish and make it a priority for the next day. At the end of the day, review your list and organize for the next day.
Setting realistic expectations will help you from feeling overwhelmed, from getting frustrated, and see the progress that you are making. It will also help you to take care of yourself as an individual and help you effectively work with your staff.
Finally, I cannot leave out that making time for family and your self-care is so important. Spending time with family and friends can often rejuvenate you so that you are able to give your best at work. Make sure to take time for proper rest and nutrition. Take breaks during your workday for lunch with friends, conversations with your support system, or just a few moments alone to regroup. Schedule long weekends to feed your soul.
So, what will you do to mind your mental health while minding your business?
Erika Brooks is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Substance Abuse Counselor in the state of Virginia. She received her Masters of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is the owner of Enlightenment Counseling Services, LLC. She is also a co-author of “PEARL: Wisdom and Advice for Emerging Leaders”. Contact her are brookslpc@gmail.com