Are you looking after Yourself as a Small Business Owner?

Looking after yourself as a small business owner is not easy, especially in the first couple of years when your business is in its infancy! Starting from the ground up takes a lot of time and energy and as an employing small business owner, or sole trader you can face a range of unique challenges that can affect your mental health and wellbeing. Headsup.org have put together three simple strategies to remind small business owners the importance of taking care of themselves:

1. Keep your work hours in check

Whether you are driven by the satisfaction of running your business or you feel like your business is running you, taking time out for you, your family and friends is essential. Long working hours have not only been linked with poorer mental health but also excessive fatigue, burnout, worry and irritability, as well as increased injuries.

2. Stay connected and access support

It is important to keep connected and find someone who you can talk with about your business successes and worries. Having access to social supports is one of the key things you can do to keep well and is linked to better mental health.

3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle represents a way of living that is good for our mental health and wellbeing. It includes actions, like those above, to assist with work-life balance and ensuring we have access to supports. It also includes other actions that can help us manage stress and obtain better mental health. In this way a healthy lifestyle can provide a good foundation for managing the day-to-day challenges of running a small business.

It’s important to be proactive about looking after your mental health. Taking care of yourself can help you to face inevitable stresses and keep well while running your business.

Our director, John, believes in daily exercise as one way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Whether its walking, running, visiting the gym or just chasing the kids or the dog around the yard. Higher frequency at lower intensity helps build consistency.