Navigating mental health as a solopreneur

My journey at attempting to balance the health of my mind while running and managing
my growing company alone.

Full transparency — I have not mastered this one yet. But here’s my current take on how I’m attempting to balance mind care and owning my business.

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Whether you’re sitting in a cubicle for a corporate company, setting routes for the climbing gym, teaching 3rd grade, or rendering down beef fat for people’s skin — everyone out there will go through complex mental health moments while we hold a job.

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But what if you don’t have a boss who requires to see you?
What if you aren’t heading out the door?
What if no one would ever know if you didn’t get out of bed that day?
And no one is aware of the long list of things that you should get done?

That’s been my struggle.

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And believe me. I know how annoying that probably sounds because it personally irritates the shit out of me and brings on shame — that when I am not having a strong mental day, I get to hypothetically “hide” and no boss would push me to get work done.

There have been plenty of times where I wish I were needed in a workplace, where I had mandatory tasks that had to be done, and where I was forced to be around other people.

Why?
Because then on those crappier days where I feel like tasking would feel grounding, I would have a moment of healthy distraction. And yes, I know some of you out there are thinking that “distracting” yourself doesn’t actually solve any problems. But for me, it can. There are times when a temporary mild disruption can help me step out of the looping, which, in turn, can calm my nervous system down.

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So now that I’ve gotten that shame out there in the open,
here are a few things that I’ve been trying out to navigate my mental health while being my own boss:

Before I attempt any work:

1. 🙏🏼 Forcing myself into a strong morning routine

   • The routine needs to be purposeful + intentional

   • The intention of the AM routine is to stimulate happy hormones and not create more depression or anxiety

2. ✨ Cleaning my space

   • Cleaning = calm katie

   • Yes, I am 100% aware that spending time cleaning can be seen as me being avoidant and procastinating BUT for me, it gives me a sense of purpose and direction to make my space beautiful and calm, espeically on those crappier mental days before work

3. 📝 Getting my anxious thoughts out in my journal so they aren’t just sitting loud in my mind

4. 🫐 Body + mind nourishment

   • Sunlight

   • Hydration with electrolytes

   • Supplements

   • Grounding meal with protein, fats, carbs

   • Listening to a positive podcast: content that’s expansive, funny, motivating and typically not about mental health

   • Body movement

Step into work mode:

1. 🗒️ Sit down and write a plan the day

   • On days where my mind isn’t feeling great, I make sure not to create a “master list” for the week but instead one that only entails tasks for that day.

2. ⏳ Step into work with Time Blocking

   • Setting timers to get tasks completed

     • I have personally found that I do best with 18—22 minute timers

     • Once that timer goes off, I push myself to get up, move my body, or re-hydrate for a moment and then reset the timer, and hop back into the next time block of work

3. ☕️ Change my environment

   • Not always easy on crappy mind days, but getting out of the house and taking myself to a coffee shop to get computer work done around other people can sometimes be the best thing for me

4. 🪩 Higher Self = my boss

   • Whenever I am struggling to get work tasks done that I know will technically propel my business forward, I try to have the mindset that my boss is actually my Higher Self and that she’s the one who needs me to get going because she knows how it’ll all work out

If you have gotten this far, just know I appreciate it. I hope you were able to find at least one tip that could support you in your mental well-being while you’re also trying to balance work.
I see you
I hear you
You’re doing your best
And I’m proud of you

And I’m writing this during one of my not so strong mental days. I’m doing my best to take my own advice. I’m doing my best to take care of myself so that I don’t quit.
Just doing my best.

with love,
katie