The feeling of overwhelm, fatigue, a foggy brain, irritability caused by financial stress and overwork – we’ve all felt these from time to time. These sensations can take their toll both physically and mentally particularly if they’re affecting not just your personal life, but also how you run your business.
Fortunately, often these feelings pass or we have strategies in place to deal with them. We go for a run to clear our heads, break down our challenges into manageable chunks, chat with a friend to mull over a problem, or prioritise sleep or mindfulness to reenergise and ground ourselves.
But what happens when these coping strategies are short-lived, not effective, or we ignore the warning signs altogether and our levels of distress worsen?
Last month, Beyond Blue released data undertaken by Australian National University’s Social Research Centre that showed 49 per cent of people who sought professional mental health support said they had waited until they were “very distressed” or “extremely distressed” before they reached out. This is a concerning statistic, especially when we know that the sooner you seek support the quicker you bounce back.
The top barriers to taking action included waitlists, affordability of treatment and people thinking their problem wasn’t serious enough to seek support.
For small-business owners, it’s often the case that they prioritise their business’s needs before their own. It’s understandable when small business invests so much of themselves into their business. However, a mentally healthy small-business owner is a more productive small-business owner.
Some tips that can help small-business owners address some of their stresses include:
- Deal with problems one at a time – break down problems into bite-size pieces,
- Notice common thinking traps – all-or-nothing thinking, self-blame, repetitive thinking,
- Have realistic goals – make it achievable, not everything or even close to everything, needs to be perfect,
- Write down what it is you’re good at and then what you struggle with – consider outsourcing some of the latter if possible so you can focus on your strengths.
- Make time to network – the day-to-day running of a business can take over if you let it. Look for opportunities to meet like-minded people who you can share your experiences with and who can enliven your creativity.
That last point extends to building strong support networks across all aspects of life and business to keep you connected, maintain balance in your life and gain different perspectives. There are lots of options available, like joining your local chamber of commerce, industry association or even just chatting to your business adviser or accountant. If you’re struggling, it’s helpful to have these connections to fall back on. However, when mental health issues continue despite making efforts to maintain your mental health, it’s important to reach out and not push on thinking that the issues will go away.
We know that some small-business owners think that speaking with a mental health practitioner won’t help them tackle issues in a practical way or that they won’t understand what it’s like to run a small business. Sometimes they are facing compounded issues that span personal life and business, and more practical advice and support is required. To help, small-business programs such as NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) offers a free, tailor-made program that pairs small-business owners with a mental health coach who has a background in small business or have owned their own business, so they understand the pressures that small-business owners are under and can help with practical tools and strategies.
NASBO coaches encourage small-business owners to reach out at the first sign of overwhelm, just when things are starting to feel beyond reach. The program helps small-business owners get back on track and feel more productive. It is available to small-business owners across Australia. No GP referral is required.
