How to Improve CEO Mental Health

Do you struggle with mental health? Is it hard to be happy sometimes? Hard to even get out of bed?

1 out of 4 people will have mental health issues at some point. I am certain that the stats for founders/ CEOs are much bigger.

CEOs have the world on their shoulders. Everyone wants a piece of them. The job can seem impossible sometimes.

Your health is more important than your company.

Let me repeat that: Your health is more important than your company.

We believe that this makes sense. But precious few CEOs act in this way. They will sacrifice their health for their company.

Happy, healthy humans build better companies for longer.

With that goal in mind, here are some tips to help you manage your mental health:

Take care of the basics.

These are essential practices for healthy living:

7+ hours sleep

Exercise (to the point of sweating) 3+ times per week

Eat real, whole foods

Limit alcohol (2 servings, 2 or 3 times per week)

Set boundaries

You don’t need to be accessible ALL the time. Many issues sort themselves out if you give them space. Set times where you are not available.

If you can’t step away from your business, then you don’t own a company, you have a job.

Set realistic goals

I am reading Elon Musk’s biography right now. He regularly set seemingly impossible deadlines and rallied his team around them. He achieved great things but at huge personal cost (health, divorce) and lots of turnover of staff.

Build your support network

Almost every CEO I work with is part of a peer group. Only other CEOs truly get what you are going through.

Beyond peers who else do you need around you to be peak you? A coach? Therapist? Do you need meals prepped? Whatever it takes, do it.

Focus on the big rocks

There will always be burning fires in your company. If there are not, then you are moving to slow.

Most of them will be noise. You have to ignore those and focus on the big ones.

Focus only on the big value drivers in your business.

Give thanks

As legendary tennis player Billie Jean King said “pressure is a privilege”.

How great is it that you get to do this? That you have a shot of making your vision happen? That you are turning your idea into something real?

Give thanks for this every day. It will fuel you to keep going.

Photo by Nik Shuliahin 💛💙 on Unsplash