30 May Coping With Crisis: The Business Owner’s Guide to Better Mental Health

The COVID-19 pandemic came without warning and it is now changing everything we know including how businesses are run. This pandemic is taking a huge toll on business owners who are hit hard by the economic impact of lockdowns and extreme safety measures to protect the spread of the coronavirus that already killed more than 38,000 people in the UK alone.

If you’re a business owner trying to figure out how to stay afloat during this pandemic, it’s very important to understand that if you’re going to survive, you need to take care of your mental health first. Here’s how:

1. Don’t spend too much time reading the news

Although it’s good to keep yourself updated with the latest information about COVID-19, spending too much time reading the news will only add to your anxiety and stress.  Chances are, you already know what you need to know about this pandemic so try to focus your energy on other things rather than spending hours browsing through different news sources.

2. Remind yourself that what you’re feeling is okay

Even the best entrepreneurs were not prepared to deal with such a devastating crisis, so we’re all trying to figure out how to cope with it.  If you’re feeling unsure about the future, you’re not the only one going through the same situation so you don’t really need to stress about it so much.

3. Control what you can

You can’t control the virus or how long the crisis is going to last and that may cause anxiety. But there are a lot of things that you can still control including how you react to this situation and find ways to deal with it in a more positive way.

For instance, you can use your downtime to come up with new ideas or rebuild your business plans with your team. You can also explore other ways for you to keep the business going, say going online or doing home delivery.

4. Communicate with your team

Now more than ever, it’s very important to communicate with your team and support each other during this crisis.  If you are open to your employees about your own struggles, it helps them see you from a more personal perspective, which is a good way to build their trust.

5. Finally, this is the time to take care of yourself

You’ve been working hard for many years that you often forget the importance of self-care. More than keeping yourself healthy, it’s very important to take care of yourself so you can sustain the rush that will come after this crisis is over.

Keep your working hours to a minimum, eat well, exercise and just give yourself time to relax at home. When this pandemic is over and you can get back to running your business, you can take on even more responsibilities, because you hit your health’s restart button at the right time.

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Resources:

How to protect mental health
Work and your mental health
How entrepreneurs can take care of their mental health during coronavirus