The Significance of Mental Health for Small Business Owners
Prioritizing your mental health and wellbeing is essential, especially in today’s fast-paced world. This is particularly true for small-business owners, who often face the demanding task of managing daily operations for all facets of their business. The associated stress can have a significant effect on their mental health.
Nearly half of all small-business owners experience poor mental health conditions at some point in their lives, with numbers climbing for those with anxiety or depression.
How do you know if you’re experiencing poor mental health? What can you do about it?
A Few of the Signs
You may be suffering from a declining mental health and not even know it. So, what are the signs to look out for? Here are a few to keep in mind:
Inability to Focus: This is one of the most common signs of declining mental health. It may seem like a normal thing that could stem from any range of issues, but if you find your mind wandering more and you are less able to focus on important tasks, you may want to check in with your mental health.
Anxiety: Feeling anxiety is one of the most significant and prominent signs and issues that stem from poor mental health. Take note if you are feeling anxiety from everyday tasks or situations that you may not have previously, especially those related to your business.
- Disrupted Sleep: You may be experiencing poor mental health if you begin experiencing a lack of sleep or wake up in the night because your mind is focusing on (or stressing over) business matters.
- Panic Attacks or Signs of Depression: If you start suffering from panic attacks or experiencing symptoms of depression, the best solution is to seek help as soon as possible. Leaving these symptoms untreated can be damaging and, potentially, dangerous.
Effects of Feeling Overwhelmed
Work and the overall running of your business can be a significant factor contributing to mental burnout, which is a state of chronic stress and exhaustion that affects one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
When individuals face an overwhelming workload characterized by a constant stream of tasks, projects, and deadlines, it can feel like they’re drowning in responsibilities.
This sense of being constantly inundated can lead to a pervasive feeling of stress and anxiety as individuals struggle to keep up with the demands placed upon them. Rising costs and a poor work-life balance can make this all worse, particularly when the line between work and life is blurred as a business owner.
Give Yourself a Break
Despite a busy workload, don’t forget to give yourself a break. If you’re beginning to feel overwhelmed or stressed about your business, don’t push it any further.
You won’t make sound decisions when under pressure; you will only push yourself to burn out faster and experience further declining mental health. Take a step back, breathe, and understand that a solution is possible.
Time For Yourself Is Important
Another cause of declining mental health can stem from not making enough time for yourself. It can be challenging to find the time, especially when running your own business, but prioritizing some “you time” can help relieve some of the stresses you may be feeling.
This takes giving yourself a break one step further by taking time to enjoy something you truly love doing, even if it’s as small as going for a walk or watching your favourite TV show or movie. Whatever you can do to be at your happiest and take your mind off the business for a bit can make a huge difference.
Prioritize Mental Health Care
It can be hard to find time to focus on your mental health, and the cost of specific treatments may seem out of budget. However, prioritizing your mental health is extremely important. Sometimes it may feel like it’s easier to just ignore or hide from mental health issues, but internalizing everything can only lead to a negative outcome.
If you feel you’re suffering from mental health issues, reach out for help or look into mental health resources to help you work through it.
The County of Flagstaff holds the people who make up our community close to our hearts. We want everyone to have the proper resources to effectively deal with any mental health issues they may be experiencing. If you’re dealing with any issues, particularly as a small business owner, you’re not alone – please reach out.
