Managing your Business and your Mental Health

Managing a business, no matter the size is hard. Screen-printing entrepreneurs know there is no shortage of roles required to run a print shop. Here is a short list of example activities you manage daily; artwork, reclaiming & exposing screens, printing, marketing, customer inquiries, accounting, family responsibilities. Here is a short list of example activities you manage daily: artwork, reclaiming & exposing screens, printing, marketing, customer inquiries, accounting, family responsibilities. What about you? What about managing your mental health? As hustlers we often overlook our own well being and bog ourselves down with the demands of the job, clients, and others.

Today we dive into how your mental health struggles directly affect your business and how you can help manage your stress to run your shop more efficiently.

Your business is dependent on your ability to function! Burn out is real and can impact your business. A 2022 study from UC Berkeley found entrepreneurs are more likely to experience mental health problems than people who don’t own their own businesses, 72% of the entrepreneurs in the study reported mental health problems. Of the 250 surveyed, 30% reported depression.

Acknowledging this is an issue we can take a step further and point out the ways in which it is directly impacting your business. According to Forbes, mental health problems and stress are silently killing your business by adding the following costs.

1. Productivity cost: The amount of quality produced when we aren’t in a sound place with our mind decreases.

2. Financial Cost: The loss of productivity must be reconciled, and this shows in the profits

To read more about how mental health issues are slowing killing your business visit this article.
We all want to run successful businesses, so what can we do to be proactive and manage mental health? While we aren’t therapists and don’t have all the answers, we do have a few tips from entrepreneur.com that we have found particularly helpful to protect our mental health.

1. Get Support

Support refers to the help and resources that individuals receive to manage their mental health conditions or improve their well-being. This support can come from various sources, such as family, friends, healthcare professionals, and support groups.

Support in mental health can take many forms, including:

1. Emotional support: This involves listening, providing comfort, and showing empathy towards someone who is experiencing mental health challenges.

2. Practical support: This includes helping with daily activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and running errands, to reduce the burden on someone who is struggling with their mental health.

3. Informational support: This involves providing accurate and reliable information about mental health conditions, treatment options, and available resources.

4. Social support: This involves helping someone to build and maintain social connections, such as through peer support groups or community activities.

5. Professional support: This includes accessing mental health services provided by healthcare professionals, such as therapists, psychologists, or psychiatrists.

Having support can be essential for individuals with mental health conditions to improve their quality of life, manage their symptoms, and achieve recovery.

2. Take time for “Daily Practice”
Daily practice in mental health refers to the routine activities and habits that individuals can adopt to promote good mental health and well-being. It involves taking care of oneself physically, emotionally, and mentally to improve overall health.

Some examples of daily practices that can support good mental health include:

1. Practicing self-care: This involves taking care of oneself physically, emotionally, and mentally. This can include things like getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and taking time to relax and recharge.

2. Mindfulness and meditation: Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, and promote relaxation.

3. Journaling: Writing down thoughts and feelings can help individuals to process their emotions and gain insight into their mental state.

4. Connecting with others: Social connections can help to reduce feelings of loneliness and

Daily practice in mental health can help individuals to manage stress, reduce symptoms of mental illness, and improve overall well-being. It can also promote resilience, which can help individuals to cope with difficult situations and challenges.

3. Outsourcing
Much like outsourcing jobs you don’t have the ability or time to perform when screen printing, outsource things that are taking up mental space and depleting your energy. Is there a task in your personal life that can be accomplished by another individual or company? Clearing your plate of responsibilities that can easily be accomplished by others will clear up space in your brain to find peace and to focus on your business.

Some examples of this are meal prep service, laundry service, house cleaner.

4. Self-Acceptance
Radical self-acceptance is the practice of fully accepting oneself, including one's thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and life circumstances, without judgment or self-criticism. It involves acknowledging and embracing all aspects of oneself, even those that may be difficult or uncomfortable to acknowledge.

Radical self-acceptance is rooted in the concept of self-compassion, which involves treating oneself with kindness, understanding, and non-judgment. It is a process of learning to recognize and acknowledge one's own inherent worth and value as a human being, regardless of external factors such as achievements, appearances, or social status.

Practicing radical self-acceptance can be challenging, as it may involve confronting and challenging deeply ingrained patterns of negative self-talk and self-criticism. However, it can also be a powerful tool for promoting mental health and well-being, as it can help to reduce feelings of shame, guilt, and self-doubt.

Some strategies for practicing radical self-acceptance may include:

1. Practicing self-compassion: This involves treating oneself with kindness and understanding, rather than judgment and self-criticism.

2. Cultivating mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness can help individuals to become more aware of their thoughts and feelings, without judging or reacting to them.

3. Challenging negative self-talk: This involves becoming aware of negative self-talk and challenging it with positive, compassionate self-talk.

4. Embracing imperfection: Radical self-acceptance involves recognizing and embracing one's imperfections, rather than striving for perfection.

5. Seeking support: Seeking support from trusted friends, family members, or mental health professionals can be helpful in promoting radical self-acceptance.

Overall, radical self-acceptance can be a powerful tool for promoting mental health, increasing resilience, and improving overall well-being.

We know you care about your business, make sure you are caring for yourself too, it is critical for your mental health, your business and your loved ones. Don’t forget to take a step back and remember why you started your screen-printing journey in the first place. For many it was a step towards independence and the frustrations we felt at our jobs. Make sure you aren’t letting the same problems find you in your new space. Create your own safe workspace and thrive.

This Post is orignally posted by Screen Print Direct