There’s never been more women in entrepreneurship than today. In fact, 11.6 million firms in the US are owned by women, and together they generate over $1.7 trillion.
Running a business is a challenge. Mental health is a big part of entrepreneurship, and it’s well-known that many entrepreneurs fail to take good care of their mental health.
Entrepreneur Chrissy Weems has a number of great tips for women who need to take care of their health.
- Concentrate on Mental Resilience
You need to focus on building your mental resilience in order to conquer your mental health as an entrepreneur. It’s estimated that 72% of entrepreneurs experience mental health issues.
Your mental resilience is a combination of patience, flexibility, and your ability to weather the storm.
It’s important that you build up this mental resilience over time. Mindfulness training is a great place to start.
- Figure Out What Triggers You
One strategy Chrissy Weems uses to make sure she can take care of her mental health is to know what her triggers are.
Everyone has triggers, and everyone has something that just sets them off. You need to identify what these are so you can work out strategies to counter them.
For example, does a missed deadline send you into a spiral of depression? Perhaps colleagues arguing with you puts you in a bad mood for the next week?
When you figure them out, write them down.
- Take a Break
The difficult workload makes hitting those mental triggers far more likely. The average entrepreneur works 52 hours every single week, which is much longer than the average employee.
These heavy workloads gradually grind you down until you can no longer handle it. This is when meltdowns happen and when you start to experience serious problems.
Learn to take a break. It can be difficult, but sooner or later you have to take some time off.
Make time for you. Not only will you feel better but you’ll be a more efficient worker.
- Don’t Become an Island
Female entrepreneurs are no different from anyone else. They’re not an island. You need to create a support network.
It can be as simple as keeping your friends close by getting together once a week for some drinks. Be wiling to talk to these friends about your struggle.
You don’t always have to be the strong woman. It’s okay to talk about your weaknesses and your biggest frustrations.
- Stress is Okay, Breakdowns are Not
Chrissy says that the goal of caring for your mental health is not to eliminate stress. Stress is natural in this line of work, but breakdowns are not.
Accept stress as part of your life. Just don’t allow yourself to break down.
Feeling like you’re breaking down? Take a break. Take some time away to take a deep breath and evaluate. To learn more check these 9 ESSENTIAL Skills Needed to Be an Entrepreneur.
Last Word – Managing Your Entrepreneurial Life
Female entrepreneurs are just as susceptible to mental health problems as men. Work on caring for your mental health every single day.
Do you have any other tips for managing your entrepreneurial life?
Author Bio: Adrian Rubin is a freelance writer and graphic designer.