Being a business owner can take a lot out of a person. Everything from financials, employees, management, investment opportunities, and growth rates rests on your shoulders, and it can take a toll on your mental and physical health if you’re not careful. Taking some time for yourself won’t hurt your business, but if you don’t take time to work on your mental health, your company could suffer.
Charley Grey is all about finding new and efficient ways to operate, which includes taking care of our mental status. If you’re like us, sometimes a day at the beach or a long weekend is in order, and we know our clients thank us for it. When we take care of our mental health, we can better serve our clients with peak productivity. If you’re a fellow small business owner, here are some tips for keeping your sanity and taking care of your mind.
Mental Health Tips for Small Business Owners
Set Your Hours and Stick to Them
One of the most important things you can do for your mental health as a business owner is to set your hours and stick to them. You might feel the urge to work a 60-hour work week, but working that much doesn’t benefit your brain. The less time you leave for self-care, the faster your business suffers and risks going under.
Instead, set your work hours to a reasonable 40, and be flexible with the hours you spend working on things at home. You’ve got a life outside of your business – your spouse, your kids, and all the things you enjoy as a family – so making time for the things you love in addition to your business will help keep you focused and productive during the office hours you have set.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
When you own a business, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and let your stress take over. That’s why relaxation techniques are so essential, especially for your mental and physical health. One of the most popular relaxation techniques is practicing 4-7-8 breathing, which can help you clear your mind when faced with a difficult task. Other relaxation techniques you might find helpful include:
- Sipping on green tea
- Eating a little chocolate
- Visualization
- Laughing
- Listening to music
A Flexible Working Environment
Just because you own a business doesn’t mean you have to be in the office all day. You’ve hired a team for a reason, and you trust them to get their jobs done so you can focus on the bigger picture of your company. That’s why business owners are encouraged to have a flexible working environment. Developing a mixture of working environments can help you stay focused on the long list of to-dos for your business in a new and creative place outside the office. If this concept is new to you, try coordinating your schedule to work in the office on Mondays and Fridays, from your favorite coffee shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then from home in the middle of the week. This flexibility might just be what you need to keep your psychological health in balance.
Create a Support Network
Business ownership can feel very lonely at times. No one in your organization shares your burden, and you’re responsible for everything that happens under your company name. This burden can take a toll on your mental well-being, which is why creating a supportive network is essential. These feelings of loneliness and isolation can increase when you work from home and eventually make leaving the house harder with each passing day.
To put more effort back into your mental health as a business owner, find a group of business coaches, mentors, and peers that can help you get through the frustrations, problems, and challenges you face daily. Having a strong community of supporters gives you people to turn to and resources when you need them.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Asking for help as a business owner takes a lot of courage, but it is essential for your mental health and the health of your company. You might feel overwhelmed or feel like everyone expects you to know everything. However, the truth of the matter is you don’t know it all. Acknowledge your limits and then ask for help from those with the expertise to fill in the blanks. Practice offloading some of your workload onto colleagues you can trust, and don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help when you need to offload feelings.
Charley Grey Can Help!
Working on your mental health is an essential part of your responsibilities as a business owner. The last thing you need to worry about is the ins and outs of managing your website. That’s what we’re here for! Let’s schedule a coffee date and figure out how Charley Grey can help you keep your sanity from behind the scenes!