When Entrepreneurs Forget to Care for Their Health
We all have this vision of entrepreneurship as the perfect opportunity to “live the dream.” However, when your life revolves around meeting deadline after deadline, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself. You are not a robot, though. Your mental and physical health are critical components of your wellbeing. When you neglect to care for them, your entire life will be negatively impacted- including your entrepreneurial work.
What the Research Says About Entrepreneur’s Mental Health
One study at UC Berkeley found that 72% of participants who were entrepreneurs self-reported concerns regarding their mental health, a finding that was significantly larger than participants who were not entrepreneurs. The survey also found that entrepreneurs were significantly more likely to report a lifetime history of mental health issues like:
- Depression (30%)
- ADHD (29%)
- Substance use issues (12%)
- Bipolar disorder (11%)
According to a Gallup Wellbeing Index, 45% of entrepreneurs reported feeling stress versus only 42% of non-entrepreneurs. They also were more likely to report that they “worried a lot”, with 34% of entrepreneurs reporting so compared to 30% of their counterparts.
Entrepreneur’s and Cardiovascular Disease
Research has found that entrepreneurs experience higher levels of behavioral and physiological risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a general term that covers conditions affecting one’s heart or blood vessels. CVD encompasses all heart and circulatory diseases, including coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack, congenital heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and vascular dementia.
According to the World Health Organization, long working hours are associated with an increased risk of death by heart disease or stroke. One report found that entrepreneurs in the UK put in an estimated 17.3 full days’ overtime per year.
Improving and increasing early detection and treatment of CVD will help individuals, including entrepreneurs, live longer, healthier lives. That’s why at CheckupHealth, we have developed a solution that has inbuilt AI-driven health remote monitoring modules for diabetes and hypertension with seamless options to access a doctor all in one App.
Why Are Entrepreneurs More Likely to Struggle with Their Health?
Entrepreneurship can offer many benefits like financial freedom, a chance to be your own boss, and a chance to follow your passions. However, this does not mean the occupation doesn’t come with its downsides.
As an entrepreneur, you are at risk of falling into the trap of never switching out of work mode. When your life revolves around work, it can be hard to enjoy the little moments, leaving you vulnerable to burnout.
Humans cannot function properly without their mental and physical health. When you don’t allow yourself the time to take a break and care for your wellbeing, you are putting yourself at risk for a wide variety of health issues. While you may tell yourself that you can take care of your wellbeing after you find success, the truth is, without your health, success will prove a difficult feat.
How You Can Care for Your Health as an Entrepreneur
Don’t fall into the habit of prioritising work over self-care. Your pursuits, wellbeing, and overall quality of life will struggle if your mental and physical health are not cared for. Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated. It can include simple steps like:
- Getting some exercise. Just spending thirty minutes to get your heart pumping is good enough to keep your body feeling great.
- Eat right. Yes, you do need to eat throughout the day. Stop ignoring your hunger cues and feed your body nutritious foods.
- Create a healthy work-life balance. We all need to give our minds a break every once in a while. Set strict boundaries with your work and give yourself breaks when you need them.
- Make time for the things that leave you feeling great. Whether it be pottery, a sport, or meditation, block out some time for your favourite leisurely activities.
- Take advantage of digital tools and wearables to track your health on the go
How We Can Help
Many entrepreneurs struggle to justify making time to take a trip to the doctor when they need to. If this sounds like you, CheckUpHealth has developed the perfect solution. We have created an opportunity for busy entrepreneurs to get a remote consultation with a doctor from the comfort of their homes. For the next seven weeks, we are offering discounted services to help entrepreneurs struggling with health challenges. Contact us today.
References:
https://news.gallup.com/poll/159131/entrepreneurship-comes-stress-optimism.aspx
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/clinical-policy/cvd/
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0730888491018003003
https://bmmagazine.co.uk/in-business/small-business-owners-work-17-days-overtime-per-year/