A practical guide for new founders to raise mental health awareness, as well as look after their own
Starting a new company can be stressful. That won’t be a surprise to anyone. A mix of great excitement interspersed with worry around gaining new clients, having enough cash flow and fear of failure, can have a huge impact on mental wellbeing.
According to a recent report created by Startup Snapshot, ‘72% of founders report that entrepreneurship has impacted their mental health with 81% reporting that they do not openly share their stress, fears, and challenges.’
Stress can have a huge impact on your mental health, actually your health in general. Stress is the body's reaction to any change that requires an adjustment or response. The body reacts to these changes with physical, mental, and emotional responses.
You can experience stress from your environment, your body, and your thoughts.
We know that stress is a normal part of life, and actually ‘Eustress’ (the good stress), can have a really positive impact as it feels exciting, helps keep motivated and can improve performance. It’s when you have too much of the bad stress (distress) that can lead to mental and physical health problems.
Eustress, a term coined by psychologist Hans Selye, is a type of stress that is often characterized as "positive stress" or "beneficial stress." It's the kind of stress that can actually be good for you because it motivates and energizes you, helping you to perform at your best. Eustress is typically short-term and is associated with situations or challenges that you find exciting, stimulating, or invigorating.
So, what can you do to help manage that stress and focus on your mental health? Fortunately, there are a whole range of tips and techniques:
If you do feel that your physical or mental health is particularly poor, there are lots of areas of support out there both locally and nationally. Don’t be afraid to contact your GP to talk through any worries. If you feel in crisis, the Samaritans offer a 24/7 phoneline – 116 123 (in the UK) or SHOUT provides a text service which is available by texting SHOUT to 85258.
Lee Morris has been a business owner for 9 months, setting up a mental health and wellbeing training company in January 2023.
He specialises in providing organisations with accredited and bespoke mental health training including Mental Health First Aid, Mental Health Awareness, Mental Health Skills for Managers, as well as keynote speaking on topics such as imposter syndrome, personal resilience and stress management.
If you’d like to get in touch, please email Lee at [email protected] or call him on 07779 035356. His website is www.optimise-learning.com.
Recognise and list stress triggers to enhance self-awareness and manage stress effectively
Direct attention towards elements within your control, allowing better management of concerns and uncertainties
Dedicate time to activities that promote mental and physical health, leveraging support networks and relaxation techniques