Entrepreneurship is a rollercoaster of emotions on daily basis. You can have very high highs and very low lows all in a matter of hours. There are various challenges that one faces when starting a business but managing these emotions is probably the hardest part. It requires one to manage his or her mindset, which is the hardest thing for us to do as humans in general. When starting a business, you are not only impacting yourself and your work, but also your team. Your job as a leader – is to lead by example in all that you do, to the best of your ability. Leadership is also about practicing well-being habits that can inspire your team and keep you at your optimal best.
If there was a magic skill that an entrepreneur must have it is the ability to manage one’s mindset and there are 2 ways that we can do that – which are simple yet most neglected – taking care of your mind and body.
Mind – with the research in behavior and neurosciences, we now have access to information that can help us managing ourselves better in our everyday life. Research now proves the benefits of taking care of our brains (and bodies) so let’s use it to our advantage and get to be our best selves, starting with a healthy mind.
The best time of the day to imagine that kind of day you want to have is first thing in the morning; before you even get out of bed, set the intention for that day – how do you want this day to go; what outcomes would you like to see; do I need to have that meeting? Imagine doing well in it and getting the results you want. Set your mind for success from the beginning before you are bombarded with notifications, emails, and phone calls.
Start a mindfulness practice that works for you – there is no one way to do it but finding an activity that helps you stay grounded throughout the day is a great way to maintain a balanced mind. It can be journaling, meditation, quiet walk, listening to music, daydreaming, stretching, yoga, or whatever else helps you feel calm. Choose your activity and practice it daily.
Get adequate sleep – find out what that optimal number is for you. When you are tired, it is difficult to make decisions, harder to manage emotions, and you are prone to fuel your body with sugar high foods and snacks because your body will ask for it to get energy.
Body – daily movement – getting those endorphins going – chemicals produced naturally by the nervous system to cope with pain or stress. By igniting these ‘feel good’ chemicals on regular basis with exercise, you are preparing your brain to deal with stressors that might come in your day. You are strengthening your brain by being proactive and equipping it with coping mechanisms before they are needed. Not to mention, that, I think, we all understand the benefit of daily 30 – 60 mins exercise for your overall health.
Eating nutritious foods – we neglect how much our gut health has an impact on our everyday moods and sharpness of the mind. If you are eating foods high in sugar or high carbs meals – your body is likely to keep your energy levels in flux throughout your day; hence, not at your optimal best. To put things in perspective, there are 100 billion neurons in the human brain and 500 millions in your guts. Your gut is home to a huge community of organisms such as bacteria – which protect you from inflammation, diseases, etc. Poor diet choices destroy these healthy bacteria and thus leaves not at your best. Gut health is related by our ability to manage stress and anxiety as well – as these organisms affect different aspects of your mental health. Various research studies show that regulating these bacteria (by adding prebiotics and probiotics to your diet and avoiding processed foods) helps your gut be at its optimal best which in turn benefit your mental health.
Entrepreneurship is rewarding but also very hard. The best way to manage the hard is by being proactive at taking care of our mind and body to ensure we are operating at our best in all aspects.
