7 Ways to Improve Mental Health for Entrepreneurs
According to John Hopkins Medicine, an estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a mental disorder. This is a staggering number which is not talked about often. Society does not teach people how to be mentally healthy. An abundance of movies, TV shows, and social media portray success as a quick deal. Success takes years to accomplish whether in business or in a personal relationships. In business entrepreneurs are engulfed by gargantuan stress. Entrepreneurs are the captains of their ship; if their company fails they fail with it. There are ways in improving your mental health and some of the best ways are listed below.
1. Exercise
- The Physicians Postgraduate Press reported that exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. One of the best ways to do so is weight lifting; heavy weight lifting can help you lower body fat percentage. Just seeing yourself in better physical shape after a few months of consistent lifting can do wonders for mental health. Unfortunately, many founders and executives don’t prioritize health over capital. Sometimes founders believe that if they sacrifice sleeping for their health in the short term, then it will produce great results in the future. This health deferment can have detrimental outcomes. One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. If someone is being stuck in an office all day and bragging that they worked so hard without caring for their well-being, then all that work can backfire in the following years.
2. Therapist
- If anyone is in affliction from anxiety or any other mental illness then they need to seek professional medical attention immediately. You need to know what you are suffering from and what solutions can be provided to minimize risk.
3. Food
- What you put into your body can influence your entire health outlook. According to an article on Healthline, Turmeric contains curcumin, a compound that’s studied for its role in promoting brain health and preventing anxiety disorders. Food can truly heal a person from different ailments. Therefore, it’s best to see a nutritionist for best diet advice.
4. Talk to Loved Ones
- If you are in a horrible mood, one of the best ways to improve is to talk to a positive family or friend. Spending time with people that truly care for you can put a smile on your face and could boost your mood. An article on NBC News mentioned that Dr. Isha Gupta a neurologist from IGEA Brain and Spine stated, “A smile spurs a chemical reaction in the brain, releasing certain hormones including dopamine and serotonin.” Furthermore, Dr. Gupta said, “Dopamine increases our feelings of happiness; serotonin release is associated with reduced stress.” On the other hand, Dr. Gupta says, “Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression and aggression; while low levels of dopamine are also associated with depression.” So try smiling with loved ones and your mood could become better.
5. Go to Bed On Time
- Your brain needs to recover from a long day of entrepreneurial work. Just like a high usage Smartphone that drains all its energy from its battery, our brain is like computer that needs time to recharge for proper functioning.
6. Help Someone
- When you are ever in a bad mood try helping someone. Some people might be going through worse things than you. Knowing that you were there for someone that didn’t have anyone else in that moment in time can brighten your perspective on life.
7. Be Grateful
- You can be grateful by writing down a checklist of things that are positive in your life. A great minimalist checklist app is MVP List on iOS. According to a UC Davis Emmons Lab study, those who kept gratitude journals on a weekly basis were more optimistic about the upcoming week. In addition to the gratitude list, individuals can also create task lists for accomplishing small daily wins in order to reach their ultimate goals.
Quote to Ponder:
“First and foremost, a start-up puts you on an emotional roller coaster unlike anything you have ever experienced. You flip rapidly from day-to-day – one where you are euphorically convinced you are going to own the world, to a day in which doom seems only weeks away and you feel completely ruined, and back again. Over and over and over. And I’m talking about what happens to stable entrepreneurs. There is so much uncertainty and so much risk around practically everything you are doing. The level of stress that you’re under generally will magnify things incredible highs and unbelievable lows at whiplash speed and huge magnitude. Sound like fun?”
- Marc Andreessen, Co-founder Andreessen Horowitz & Co-founder of Netscape
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1470658/#__ffn_sectitle
https://www.smartlytics.io/news-notes/2018/10/2/7-foods-to-help-combat-anxiety
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4754352/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2527619/
https://emmons.faculty.ucdavis.edu/gratitude-and-well-being/
