Tips for looking after your mental wellbeing
When you own a small and family business, your business is not the only thing you need to look after. It is also vital to look after your mental wellbeing. The check list below describes some simple steps you can take to help manage the stressors involved.
1. Structure your day
Schedule time for calls, lead follow-ups, emails, social media engagement, administrative and compliance tasks, important ‘breaks’ and get away time.
2. Self-care
Implement a personal wellbeing plan (like this one from Beyond Blue) and:
- stay on top of your physical health (sleep, exercise, diet, water),
- find ways to relax to clear the mind and unwind.
- lock in family time
- learn to ‘unplug’ from the business. This means releasing and connecting with family, friends and other interests, not taking work home, setting times to turn off the technology, and plan to take time off.
3. Don't try and do everything
Create a list of what needs to be done and prioritise, cut unnecessary tasks, delegate and out-source where possible and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
You can also write down what is on your mind, so not everything is being processed at once and learn to say ‘no’ sometimes, so you do not overcommit..
4. Focus
On what can be controlled and what is being achieved. Celebrate the things you tick off the ‘to do’ list and milestones reached.
Try and remember the ‘joy’ that drove your business motivation, implement business systems and processes to allow for short breaks, holidays and a hobby or enjoyable ways of being involved in your community to help you ‘recharge’.
5. Support
Join business groups or industry associations, build support group of peers to share and discuss daily challenges, engage with trusted advisers, ask for help for yourself and the business and don’t sacrifice key relationships for business.
If your business is struggling financially, please visit our financial wellbeing page or select the option below for a list of more resources to help manage the stressors involved in owning a small business.
More Mental Health Resources for Small Business and Family Enterprise Owners
- ATO support for businesses and employers has learning resources, tools and services to support small business.
- Lifeline are a national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
- MindSpot provides free, digital mental health services to adults across Australia including a free and confidential online assessment tool that can be used to learn more about the symptoms of anxiety and depression, and access clinically proven treatment options.
- NewAccess for Small Business is a free mental health service developed by Beyond Blue. NewAccess offers one-on-one telehealth sessions tailored for small business owners with specially trained mental health coaches providing evidence-based advice on strategies for managing stress.
- The New South Wales Government is offering workplace mental health coaching for business owners, leaders, and managers. There is also a free 5-minute Workplace Pulse Check that will provide you with practical actions to improve your workplace.
- The Small Business Debt Helpline operated by Financial Counselling Australia has a team of qualified financial counsellors who can answer calls directly or assist via a web chat function. The helpline provides free, independent and confidential advice by calling 1800 413 828.
- Smiling Mind aims to help Australian small business owners and their teams improve their mental health, wellbeing, and resilience. You can learn more about their free mindfulness program for small business owners and operators on the Smiling Mind app.
- Transitioning Well are a national team of psychologists that work with forward-thinking companies to help employees manage the messy intersections between life and work. Transitioning Well support organisations of all sizes and have experience across a vast array of sectors.
