Are you “doing okay, all things considered” ?
This World Mental Health Day, learn how to be your whole self.
Time is so unnatural right now, we have lost all sense of continuance in our life. We no longer have any holidays, outings or changes of scenery to look forward to , only the repetitive cycle of the same bland emails to write and the same virus case count graphs to watch and the same harrowing scenes of Arnab Goswami’s debate to revisit day after day? Let me ask few questions ?
Do you have “Entrepreneurial fatigue ?
Do you have had “too much screen time”?
Are you “keeping busy,” or have you got into the rut of thoughts that any hour not utilised would get that hour wasted and will get you an hour closer to the death and then you must spend every free moment exercising, reading, improving your knowledge, upgrading your house interiors, practicing a foreign language on Duolingo, and learning how to strum ?
Your work days are becoming longer and longer, the sense of time is completely dissociated with reality, the dominance of political disbalance in India is impossible to escape. Is this your “New Normal” or are you disgusted by your own capacity ?
What’s going on in your head ? Have you lost hope for the future, even the ability to look into the future ?
Are you “doing okay, all things considered” ?
Well, I hear you, I know being an entrepreneur is not easy, it’s a bloody tough job, especially in the current scenario where the Covid 19 has swept the floor beneath your feet. There is stress, agony, frustration etc. , the mind keeps thinking all the time, so to foster and nourish mental health, I have few recommendations or advice, things that I follow, most of the times I must say…
Connect
Working in current scenarios, where growth is low and expectation is high, we tend to spend more time at work and less time with family, as stress builds, we double down on work. So my advice is to stay anchored to some kind of support group, join a group, engage with your old friends, go on dates with your partner, take a vacation (a short and close one in current scenario) every now and then.
Limit your financial exposure
Spending is not bad actually, sometimes it gives solace, but you need to set a limit, a limit beyond which you do not burn your fingers. I know it’s easy to get swayed and be emotional, but be practical rather than being silly. Not everything has to work in life, It’s the new normal and you are not sure where and what the future is, so save some for the future.
Cultivate an identity apart from your work
Nowadays the line between us and where we work has blurred completely, I know that we have to work more, sort this out now or else all of us would be left behind but your self-worth and the success of your company where you work are not the same thing. Other dimensions of your life should be part of your identity now. Whether it’s time with family, writing, sitting on a non-profit board, or maintaining a hobby, it’s important to feel successful in areas unrelated to work. You need to have an alternate life.
Build in resources for your well-being
Mental, emotional and physical well-being is deeply linked to one another and a lack of physical exercise or nutrition can lead to depressive mood states and a lack of focus. You should build a regime of some kind of physical exercise every day, it eases your mind, generates positive hormones and gives you time to think on a lot of other stuff. Do what makes you feel good. Run, do yoga, meditate, go to the gym, do anything that keeps your mind and body healthy and at peace.
Set priorities not tasks
We live and die by our calendar and our infinite to-do lists — a recipe for mental strain since anxiety surfaces when we perceive that our ability to achieve is overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Consider instead a daily priorities list where only the urgent and important items are listed.
Keep your eyes open
Learn the warning signs of depression and burnout. “People who are drowning don’t wave their hands in the air and shout for help, they slip silently beneath the waves, and only trained life guards tend to spot people in trouble.” Things to look for in yourself and others include:
− Persistent feelings of pessimism
− Sad, anxious or empty mood
− Change in behaviour and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
− Change in diet or eating schedule
− Change in sleep schedule
− Irritability
− Inability to make decisions or concentrate
Start implementing the above and see your life transform, you would be ready for the uncertain future.
This World Mental Health Day, be your whole self.
Putting it simply down here …
“Move your body, quiet your mind, connect with others and live your purpose”.
