3 Tips For Building Your Business and Taking Care of Your Mental Health

Trying to balance building a new business (or an established one) while also taking care of your mental health is the equivalent to Jenga level 3000. However, we’re here to show you some simple tips for making it a little easier and less stressful. Our mental health is something that is so fragile, yet controls so much of our lives. It’s important that we tune in with how we’re feeling, our emotions and what’s driving us, because oftentimes, this gets overlooked and leads to things like burnout, depression and anxiety. 

Don’t be afraid

When you become a business owner, you’re basically throwing yourself into the deep end and hoping that you remember how to swim. When we hear compliments or positive feedback, sometimes it can be challenging to accept because there’s about 20 other things that we feel like we’re failing at, so that one thing we might have done well at, doesn’t really seem to matter. 

It’s important that you, as a business owner, stop being afraid of accepting positive feedback. In fact, embrace it! Reflect on what’s being complimented, and see how you can apply what you did to other aspects of your business. Did you complete a project in record time and provide quality work for one of your clients? What did you do to make sure you got the work done before a deadline? How did you schedule yourself or your employees and can it be done for other projects?

It’s also important to acknowledge when you’re getting positive feedback or a complement. So often, we forget or we pay little attention to the good things, because it seems like there are three times as many bad things happening at the same time. Pause, and acknowledge the feedback. Say thank you and embrace the fact that you (or your business) did something that was worth complimenting. 

We’re all struggling

Something that everyone is told, but seems to forget so often is that we’re all out here struggling. Trying to balance our own well-being, with having a social life (worth the Instagram stories– maybe even a post), and excelling in our careers. With society pressuring all of us to achieve this perfection (that is never, ever worth the struggle) it can be challenging to constantly feel like you’re never doing enough, or that other people are doing more/better than you. 

Acknowledging that you’re not the only one feeling this way is the first step in healing. It shows that you’re willing to sit down and take a moment to realize that no one is perfect and that you’re willing to learn how to be okay with that. Whether you opt for a traditional therapy route, or confide in friends or family, you’ll feel at least 20x better than before. 

Our advice in this situation is to just reflect on all that you’ve accomplished and be proud of what you’ve done. Take a moment and be selfish and congratulate yourself on how close you are to your goals. 

Be confident

Confidence is everything when it comes to owning a business. You have to believe that you can handle it, and that you can make it a success. Otherwise clients will see that, and partners will see that, and the only way you can grow is if you believe in yourself and in your business.

It’s a tough lesson, but no one is going to believe in you unless you believe in yourself. And as often as that is quoted or something similar is said, not many people are able to truly understand and live that truth. It’s hard and it takes effort and patience to believe in yourself. 

We suggest starting small. Look at where you are now. What’s something that you’re doing amazing at in your business? Take that and fly with it. If you’re super good at networking, but not always good with the follow-through, try putting the confidence you use to network in the follow-through. 

Use your skills and when you come to a point where you have to rely on something you’re not so good at, fake it till you make it. We guarantee that some of the best life lessons and experiences we’ve had were from just jumping straight in and trying our best. We learn what works and what doesn’t, and the fact that you had the courage to even start your own business in the first place, is something admirable and shows you have what it takes to be confident at owning it. 

For more information on VA services, visit our website at www.thatvirtuallife.com. Also, be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest tips and tricks to help you and your business!