Being your own boss gives you freedom. It can also leave you alone with all the pressure
Running your own project means uncertainty, responsibilities and long days, often with no one to share them with. I explain what research says about entrepreneurs’ mental health and how I can help you keep up the pace without burning out.
Entrepreneurship puts mental health to the test
A University of California study (Freeman and colleagues, 2019) found that nearly half of entrepreneurs had experienced a mental health problem during their lifetime, a higher proportion than in their comparison group. This does not mean that entrepreneurship makes you ill, but that it is better to look after yourself.
What makes it particularly demanding
Constant uncertainty
Variable income, decisions without a clear answer, results that don’t depend only on you. Uncertainty is one of the great generators of stress.
The loneliness of the person in charge
Many concerns cannot be shared with the team, with clients or always with your family.
No clear boundaries
The project is always there: evenings, weekends, holidays. Switching off is hard.
In addition, traits that help you as an entrepreneur, such as high standards, commitment or risk tolerance, can turn against you when pushed to the extreme.
Signs to watch for
Some signs that the pressure is starting to take its toll:
Always in emergency mode
The feeling of never getting there, impatience, irritability with your team or the people close to you.
Your identity is your business
If the project goes badly, you feel bad. The ups and downs of the business dictate your self-esteem.
Your body sounds the alarm
Insomnia, tension, digestive problems, tiredness that won’t go away.
Everything else has taken a back seat
Partner, friends, sport or rest put aside “until the project takes off”.
If you have been in this state for a while, the risk of exhaustion (burnout) increases. It is better to act before you reach your limit.
Why does pressure turn into wear and tear?
Stress, control and personal style
Stress increases with novelty, uncertainty, ambiguity, lack of predictability and the duration of situations: exactly the usual conditions of an entrepreneurial project. Personal style adds to this.
High demands
A lot to do, continuous decisions, limited resources.
More hours, less rest
Sleep, sport and leisure are sacrificed to keep going.
Fewer resources
With less rest and support, every problem weighs more.
Wear and tear
Exhaustion, cynicism and the feeling of being less effective.
Psychology describes a way of functioning, Type A behaviour, marked by urgency, impatience, competitiveness and the need to control everything. It is common among entrepreneurs and associated with poorer stress management.
The opposite is not to be less involved, but to increase your sense of control over what can be controlled, to tolerate ambiguity better and to protect your personal resources: rest, social support and a healthy lifestyle.
What helps, according to research
To prevent and reduce chronic stress, three types of techniques are combined:
Physiological techniques
Relaxation, breathing control and biofeedback to lower prolonged activation.
Behavioural techniques
Problem solving, assertiveness to delegate and set limits, time management and self-control.
Cognitive techniques
Restructuring rigid demands and the idea that “everything depends on me”, and stress inoculation.
Persistent anxiety, insomnia or low mood are treated with the usual validated approaches (CBT, ACT).
How I support you
Seeing the whole picture
Your project, your workload, your support and how it all affects you. When useful, we use validated questionnaires on stress or burnout.
Regaining control
Telling apart what depends on you, prioritising, delegating and learning to decide without ruminating.
Protecting your resources
Sleep, rest, body and relationships: what allows you to carry your project over time.
Separating who you are from your business
So that your personal worth does not depend on this quarter’s results.
I have founded associations and developed entrepreneurial projects: I know this pressure from the inside.
What you can start today
Set a finishing time
A time of day after which the project waits. Rest is part of productivity too.
Three priorities
Every morning, choose three important tasks. The rest is secondary.
Share the load
A mentor, other entrepreneurs, a peer group. The loneliness of the person in charge is countered with a network.
Look after the essentials
Sleep, sport and regular meals. They are the first things to be sacrificed and the ones you feel most.
Gonzalo Garzo
Clinical psychologist · entrepreneur and former senior manager
I have been a clinical psychologist since 2018, and I am also an anthropologist. For years I combined psychology with management positions (see my LinkedIn profile), before dedicating myself fully to clinical work.
I work with an integrative approach: third-wave CBT (ACT, DBT, mindfulness) and EMDR, adapted to each person’s needs.
I have lived in several countries and I work in English, French or Spanish, online or in La Rochelle.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be in a really bad way to ask for help?
No. Many entrepreneurs come to prevent problems, to make decisions more calmly or to manage pressure better.
Will you tell me how to run my business?
I am not a consultant. I work with you on how you experience and handle pressure, decisions and limits.
I have very little time: how can I fit sessions in?
Sessions are online, with flexible times. One hour a week is often a good investment for the rest of the week.
What if my project fails?
We can work on the fear of failure and, if it happens, deal with its emotional and professional consequences.
Shall we talk?
Sources
- Freeman, M. A., Staudenmaier, P. J., Zisser, M. R. and Andresen, L. A. (2019). The prevalence and co-occurrence of psychiatric conditions among entrepreneurs and their families. Small Business Economics, 53, 323-342.
- Barona, E. G. (1996). Salud, estrés y factores psicológicos. Campo Abierto, 13(1), 51-69.
- de Camargo, B. (2004). Estrés, síndrome general de adaptación o reacción general de alarma. Revista Médico Científica, 17(2).
- Guerrero Barona, E. and Rubio Jiménez, J. C. (2005). Estrategias de prevención e intervención del «burnout» en el ámbito educativo. Salud Mental, 28(5), 27-33.
- World Health Organization (2019). Burn-out an “occupational phenomenon”: International Classification of Diseases.
This page is for information only and does not replace a professional assessment.