WHY is struggling with mental health a taboo subject in business when so many of us are struggling? May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’re taking the opportunity to say to all the entrepreneurs out there who are struggling:

You’re not alone 

You’re not alone

You’re not alone

Research has shown a clear link between entrepreneurs and various psychiatric conditions, including depression, ADHD, and bipolar disorder, among others. One 2018 study showed that 72% of the entrepreneurs participating struggled with at least one mental-health disorder. Entrepreneurs in the group reported experiencing more depression (30%), ADHD (29%), substance use (12%), and bipolar disorder (11%) than other participants who are not entrepreneurs. What’s more, about ⅓ of the entrepreneurs in the study reported struggling with two or more mental-health conditions. 

Imagine sitting at dinner with 10 of your business besties. Now think about how, according to the stats, at least seven of them are struggling in some capacity with their mental health because they are overwhelmed, overworked, and undersupported. Now ask yourself: WHY aren’t we giving each other the support we all clearly need?

While efforts like Mental Health Awareness Month help normalize mental-health struggles, there’s still the assumption that if you’re a founder or entrepreneur, you are signing up for the struggle—the hustle culture is real, y’all. And if you feel like it’s all part of the process, like some sort of rite of passage, you’re probably less likely to seek help.

Here at NEAT, we want to do better. We think the best way to start supporting founders is to open up about what it’s like to struggle and encourage others to do the same. Let’s start a conversation about mental health in entrepreneurship and start changing the stigma associated with it. 

👉 You’re not an imposter if you feel anxious constantly 

👉 You’re still cut out for this even if you’re not always 100% confident in your decisions

👉 You’re not a failure if there are areas of your business you’re not great at

👉 You’re not meant to do this without help

Jen’s Burnout Story

NEAT’s founder Jen shares openly about her mental-health struggles on platforms like LinkedIn and our podcast, Served NEAT. In June 2022, Jen was burned out and struggling with intense anxiety, which made even getting out of bed a struggle. She was diagnosed with depression and started on Lexapro (an SSRI).

Here are a handful of things she’s learned in the past year since her diagnosis:

• Mental health problems don’t make you any less capable of running a company.
• A majority of founders struggle with mental-health problems. You’re not alone, even if you feel like you are.
• Your body will whisper warning signs and will shut down if you ignore them. Don’t ignore worsening anxiety, headaches, brain fog, etc.
• Lexapro won’t solve your problems. Getting to the root of your issues and making changes, will.
• Business struggles aren’t as bad as they appear to be. When you’re struggling with your mental health, it’s difficult to see the bigger picture.

Jen is an open book when it comes to this topic, because she believes transparency is part of the solution. Post-diagnosis, she made some important changes in how she lives her life and runs her business to not only start prioritizing her mental health but also to prevent future burnout.

Top 10 Tips for Prioritizing Mental Health as an Entrepreneur

While it’s important that each individual considers how she can prioritize mental health in her own life and business, here are some tips to consider:

1. Prioritize sleep. For Jen, this meant not taking calls until 11 AM, so she could ease into her day. Entrepreneurs don’t need to work insane hours to build something great. But what your business needs most is for you to be in a good place mentally, and skipping sleep will not put you there.
2. Set boundaries. Working 24/7/365 (or close to it) is not sustainable, and it’s not healthy. Give yourself weekends off. Take lunch breaks. Turn notifications off on your phone when you’re not working.
3. Hire team members. For Jen, hiring a COO to manage day-to-day operations was huge. Wearing all the hats may sound like what an entrepreneur is supposed to do, but that’s not a reasonable growth strategy. As soon as you can, hire.
4. Stay in your lane. You’re not supposed to be good at everything. Outsource writing if that’s not your thing, delegate sales to a salesperson if you don’t like it, and bring in a PR agency if you’ve got no clue what you’re doing. Being a leader means knowing where you shine and where you don’t.
5. Get professional help. Therapy is not for weak-minded people; it’s for people who are strong and self-aware enough to get help when they need it. Medication could be the breakthrough you need to start feeling like yourself again. You and your healthcare team can decide what’s best for you.
6. Go outside. When the overwhelm starts creeping up, take a freaking break! Take a walk, go for a jog, plan a vacation. Your brain needs it, and you’ll find you’re more productive afterward. 
7. Prioritize physical wellness. Your physical and mental health are inextricably linked. Take care of your body to the best of your ability, and you may find your mental health improves as your physical health improves.
8. Talk about your mental-health struggles. Don’t pretend it’s all good when you’re falling apart inside. Please be honest with your business besties, your regular besties, your family, and your doctor. 
9. Learn how to process stress. The microstressors of entrepreneurship can really add up and affect your mental and physical health. Figure out how you can process stress in a healthy way, whether it’s going to yoga or spin class, cuddling with a pet, or going out with friends, whatever works for you, fit it in your schedule. It’s important!
10.  Learn how to recognize the signs. Don’t let your mental-health struggles get to the point where you have a breakdown, if you can help it. (We realize that’s not always possible.) Your body WILL give you signs when you’re approaching your limit, and it’s up to you to recognize these signs and do something about it.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we want to break through the stigma and talk openly and honestly about mental health among entrepreneurs, because we think it’s one of the most important ways we can help others. (That and PR 😘.) 

Most founders deal with anxiety, depression, and/or burnout, and it doesn’t make any one of them less of a leader. If you’re struggling, it doesn’t make you any less of a leader. Let’s normalize mental-health discussions in business.

If you’re ready to take action in your next level of business, book a call with us!