88% of Entrepreneurs Struggle with Mental Health: 8 Ways to Cope

Each 10 October, the World Health Organization recognizes World Mental Health Day. In 2024, the day focuses on the close connection between mental health and work.

According to a study of 227 entrepreneurs in 46 countries by Founder Reports, 87.7% of entrepreneurs report struggling with one or more mental health issues. That’s an alarming statistic. In addition to high stress, financial concerns, and burnout, more than 50% of entrepreneurs report that they struggle with anxiety.

The relentless pursuit of success takes an immense toll on the overall well-being of business owners in particular. Caught on a treadmill of constant work demands, entrepreneurs are prone to chronic stress, sleep disorders, exhaustion, and other challenges.

Here are eight ways entrepreneurs can cope with mental health challenges:

1. Overcome Anxiety with Focus

Entrepreneurs deal with multiple challenges simultaneously. That can cause your awareness to ping pong between various stressors, which leads to anxiety. It’s an unhealthy way to live.

Dandapani, a Hindu priest, entrepreneur, and popular speaker at EO events, shared: “You have the power to overcome anxiety by controlling where your awareness goes,” he said. “Being in control over your awareness enables you to say, ‘I’m not going to visit the fear or anxiety areas of my mind. I’m going to focus on an area of calm so I can think logically and make decisions from that place.’”

Dandapani offers a summary of how to focus and control awareness:

• Understand how the mind works and learn to control your awareness within the mind.
• Practice doing one thing at a time to better control your awareness.
• Get your energy moving by focusing on positive activities.

2. Explore Constant Contextual Calibration

Ethan King (EO Atlanta) developed an innovative method for maintaining mental health while keeping up with the overwhelming pace of entrepreneurship. It was the subject of his TEDx talk, What Do Airplane Wings Teach Us About Life Balance?

Ethan keeps it SIMPLE, tracking six different aspects of life and—like airplane flaps—determining whether he needs to raise or lower those areas to steady himself in flight. The six areas: Self-reflection, Intellect, Money, Physicality, Love, and Entertainment—spell the word SIMPLE, which makes it simple to remember. Learn more about Ethan’s brilliant method and how to apply it to your journey.

3. Establish Healthy Boundaries

Chantel Cohen, an Elumni from Atlanta, shared five practical tips to set healthy boundaries and ensure sustainable success:

• Set a regular time to turn off notifications so you can recharge outside of work and relax uninterrupted.
• Carve out time with loved ones. Be intentional about spending time regularly with your family and friends so personal relationships will thrive.
• Clearly communicate your availability. Designate time windows for your team to ask questions, raise concerns, or share feedback. This boosts productivity by minimizing interruptions.
• Block off time for focused work to avoid taking work home with you.
• Master the art of saying no. Saying yes too often is a clear path to burnout. Embrace the power of No more often to find better balance and avoid overwhelm.

4. Lower Stress in Real-Time

“Your high-level thinking and reasoning are no match for the sensory network that controls your internal stress switch,” said Dr. Amy Serin (EO Arizona), author of The Stress Switch. “Reason can’t lower high stress, and you can’t mantra your way into convincing your brain that you’re OK with something when you’re stressed.”

The solution? Tech products like Dharma Dr. utilize Bi-Lateral Stimulation (BLS) to lower stress almost immediately. “It’s the most economical, fastest way I’ve found to lower stress quickly and profoundly,” she says.

5. Use Tech as a Mindfulness Game-Changer

Being more mindful and present in your daily life is a stress-buster, and tech can help. “Wearables like Oura rings track energy levels 24 hours a day, so you can develop the best possible routine for your wellbeing,” said Chantel Cohen. “Sensate uses low-frequency vibrations to calm you and put your body into repair mode, kind of in the same way as a monk chanting. These are proven to work and can be the difference between staying stuck and making true progress to a happier, more productive mind.”

6. Take Steps to Prevent Burnout

Chantel Cohen shared 5 Tips to Prevent Burnout (and Protect Your Mental Health):

• Prioritize your sleep. Recharge your mind and body so that you are ready to tackle what is to come.

• Take regular breaks away from your desk (even if you work from home!). Work in 90-minute blocks and then take a 20-minute break to walk, meditate, deep breathe, or talk with a friend.

• Find purpose in your work. Consider the deeper impact of the things you do each day. Rediscovering your purpose can help you keep stress at bay.

• Redefine your idea of success. Think of success holistically, in terms of being able to achieve your professional goals while also caring for yourself both physically and mentally.
• Learn to work through negative emotions. When you learn how to better control your emotions, you can refocus and replenish your energy regardless of external pressures.

7. Master Your Inner Game

Dhiren Harchandani (EO Dubai) mastered his inner game and coaches others on how to master theirs and enjoy both business success and personal fulfillment.

His three basic steps to master your Inner Game:

• Silence the hypercritical voice of your conscious self. Easier said than done, but a monumental first step.
• Accept that you can’t control everything. Worrying about things beyond your control compromises your performance on other fronts that are within your control.
• Master the act of concentration to silence your conscious mind and focus more on strengthening your subconscious mind.

8. Emphasize Movement, Mindset, Connection

Aaron Houghton (EO Colorado) founded Dory, the world’s largest community (10,000+ members) dedicated solely to stress reduction for entrepreneurs.

After hundreds of hours of interviewing high-performers, Aaron discovered what works to alleviate stress.

“The top three categories of techniques make up 80 percent of the most effective strategies entrepreneurs use to build mental resilience,” Aaron said. “To increase your mental resilience, remember MMC: Movement, Mindset, and Connection.”

• Movement practices move the body—like yoga, walking, and breathwork.
• Mindset work involves planting and fostering supportive thoughts and beliefs in our minds. It includes things like journaling, reciting mantras, and practicing gratitude.
• Connection practices bring us closer to the people, communities, and identities we hold dear. It includes activities like calling a friend, spending time with pets, and taking action to support people in our communities.

Take action today to care for your mental health, a critical step toward building a healthier future for yourself, your family, your company, and your community.

This article was contributed by Anne-Wallis Droter, EO staff writer.

For more insights and inspiration from today’s leading entrepreneurs, check out EO on Inc. and more articles from the EO blog.