What Happens if You Don’t Take Care of Your Mental Health as an Entrepreneur or New Mom?
Being an entrepreneur or a new mom is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly challenging. It’s a time of great change and growth, but it can also be a time of great stress and anxiety. I group these two together here because these are my two niches, and I see a lot of similarities in the struggles of new moms and entrepreneurs.
Being an entrepreneur in the early stages of company development can feel beyond overwhelming, and many often feel the weight of the world on their shoulders during this time. Similarly, new moms resort to being CEO of their household, and have difficulty juggling household and child needs. If you don’t take care of your mental health during these times, it can have serious consequences.
For entrepreneurs:
Decreased productivity: When you’re stressed and anxious, it’s hard to focus and get things done. This can lead to decreased productivity, which can hurt your business.
Increased risk of burnout: Burnout is a real risk for entrepreneurs, especially those who don’t take care of their mental health. Burnout can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion, which can make it difficult to function at work or at home. Feelings of wanting to give up and quit are common.
Poor decision-making: When you’re not in a good mental state, you’re more likely to make impulsive or poor decisions. When you’re struggling with anxiety or depression, you are ill-equipped to make the same decisions as you would when you are level-headed. This can have a negative impact on your business.
For new moms:
Postpartum depression: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a serious mental illness that affects one in seven new moms. That means about 600,000 women each year are affected by PPD. If you’re not getting the support you need, you’re at an increased risk of developing postpartum depression.
Anxiety: Anxiety is another common mental health issue that can affect new moms. Anxiety can make it difficult to bond with your baby, sleep, or take care of yourself. When your vagus nerve is overactive, its extremely difficult to be present.
Isolation: New moms can feel isolated from their friends and family, especially if they’re not getting out of the house much. This isolation can lead to depression and anxiety.
What can you do to take care of your mental health?
Talk to someone: If you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed, talk to someone you trust. This could be a friend, family member, or my biggest recommendation- a therapist. Talking to a therapist not only “makes you feel better” but it actually causes changes on a neurological level. That’s why therapy works.
Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for good mental health. Make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. For new moms and entrepreneurs, this is almost impossible, but working on improving your sleep hygiene slowly can have great benefits over time.
Exercise: Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and improve your mood. This does not have to mean going to the gym or a spin class. It can be as simple as taking a 20 minute walk, or doing a low-impact youtube class at home.
Spend time with loved ones: Social support is important for good mental health. Make sure you’re spending time with people who make you feel good.
Take care of yourself: This means eating healthy foods, getting enough sunlight, and taking breaks when you need them.
Taking care of your mental health is important for your overall well-being. If you’re an entrepreneur or a new mom, make sure you’re taking the time to prioritize your mental health.
Ready to start your wellness journey? Call/text me at 917-524-7663 for a free consultation.
Very truly yours,
Yana