The psychological price of entrepreneurship

by Startacus Admin

Neeta Patel, CEO of the New Entrepreneurs Foundation shares some top suggestions on how to take care of yourself - mentally and physically as an entrepreneur.


Build a support network - Having a network of likeminded entrepreneurs is an incredibly valuable tool to have at your disposal. It gives you a channel to talk to people who truly understand what it’s like to run a startup, and share your work stresses and challenges. They may even have some advice and tips of the things that worked for them that you can start to incorporate into your business. This is often one of the benefits our alumni value most in the New Entrepreneurs Foundation’s programme and is replicated across the country in entrepreneur meetups and accelerator programmes.
Consider bringing on co-founder(s) - having a co-founder not only gives you someone to share the business journey with you but also overcomes one of the biggest personal challenges of entrepreneurs - loneliness. Though you may have loved ones, friends, even a significant other to confide in about your struggles and successes, they can’t truly understand it from your perspective. Taking on a co-founder provides another outlet which you can use as your sounding block, your partner in the difficult moments and the person who can release some of the pressure.

Seek out professional help - Professional help comes in different forms depending on your need. There is the use of a therapist that can help you overcome the mental health effects while the use of a personal coach can help you build coping mechanisms to address challenges you face as a founder. A coach can also help you set personal and professional goals that give you the life you want.
Exercise more - exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood.
Embrace mindfulness - Mindfulness has been used by some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs including Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington and Steve Jobs. It an incredible tool which helps people understand, tolerate, and deal with their emotions in healthy ways and has been shown to improve your state of mind that can overcome some of the emotional upheaval often felt by entrepreneurs and can even focus the mind better than ever before. Studies have shown that practising mindfulness can decrease stress and psychological distress, enhance mental health and functioning and increase emotion regulation and self-control. Apps such as Headspace, Calm and Mindfulness can live on your phone making it easy to grab five minutes to practice meditation.

Switch off (when you can) - This means stepping away from the office and looking up from the laptop. I know this isn’t the easiest thing to always do but giving yourself breathing space to enjoy your life will help you re-centre and destress. Taking time to see family and friends, having a laugh, listening to music or finding a new hobby will give you a fresh outlook on some of the problems you’ve been facing.
If you choose to take one thing away from this article, I hope that it is about how important it is to speak out about the emotional and psychological pressures you are facing as a founder, and find a way to tackle them head on. Sticking your head in the sand and pretending you are not feeling the strain of running a business will do you more harm and could lead to long term consequences."
If this read is of help, you may want to read the previous Startacus article on Depression, Mental Health, Entrepreneurship & Startups.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Whether you're recruiting for a small tech startup or a large well-established organisation, these tips will help you stay on top of your game

AlphaBeats is a startup that's created an innovative way to help us all us fight stress while we unwind listening to our favourite music

Whirli is an innovative toy subscription service providing you with access to a huge ever-changing toy box

To help businesses make their employees feel secure in the current lockdown, Jayne Harrison, Head of Employment Law at Richard Nelson LLP outlines the legalities that they should adhere to

If, like many of us you're working from home at the moment, here are a few basic tips to help you do just that - in comfort

The award winning Lloyds Lab incubator is back and is currently seeking innovative startups to join its latest cohort, Cohort 6.

The f:Entrepreneur ‘#ialso100’ campaign that's showcasing the inspirational female entrepreneurs who are running small businesses and supporting their communities

Bankhouse Media, the leading full-service digital marketing agency expands its offering and sets up a Belfast base in Glandore

Leading event marketplace, Feast It secures major funding boost to assist with its expansion to full event planning and also further grow its virtual events offering

The London-based fintech innovator, PayDashboard, receives Innovate UK Funding to support its growth in the financial wellness space
Published on: 1st September 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Innovative InsurTech startups take note - Lloyds Lab wants to hear from you 14th Jan 2021 The award winning Lloyds Lab incubator is back and is currently seeking innovative startups to join its latest cohort, Cohort 6.
- Female Entrepreneurs Powering Economy and Communities Celebrated 13th Jan 2021 The f:Entrepreneur ‘#ialso100’ campaign that's showcasing the inspirational female entrepreneurs who are running small businesses and supporting their communities
- PayDashboard secures funding boost for its innovative payslip platform 12th Jan 2021 The London-based fintech innovator, PayDashboard, receives Innovate UK Funding to support its growth in the financial wellness space
- The Wild Curl crowdfunds to fight against hair discrimination 21st Dec 2020 The Wild Curl launches crowdfunding campaign to help with its mission of disrupting the beauty industry and fighting against continuous hair discrimination