With the pandemic raging on and the virus mutating into different variants, the past year has been challenging. Yet, everyone has tried to cope with it differently, from going on a journey to finding happiness to barely staying afloat. There are days when getting out of bed can be equivalent to climbing a steep hill. However, as an entrepreneur or small business owner, not everyone has the liberty to take the day off.

On these days, when it feels like an uphill battle, business does not cease to exist. On the contrary, it becomes essential that you treat your customers well and do not purge your negative emotions onto them. A bad review on Yelp can make or break your business, and a smile is a quick solution to attaining a five-star review. So how can you make yourself feel better during these days?

Here are a few tips that will help:

1. Get Excited To Wake Up

A tip that usually helps when you’re feeling low is to make your morning as exciting as possible. Cultivating healthy habits to get out of the rut is essential. It can be a feel-good morning routine or doing one thing you love every day like Writer Gretchen Rubin with her Happiness Project. This will help put you in a positive mind space and increase your overall happiness quotient.

A mindful walking session in the morning is another great way to start your day. In a study, a group of individuals who reported high levels of psychological distress were given eight mindful walking sessions over four weeks; the effect was striking. Symptoms of physical stress significantly reduced, and their quality of life increased twofold. (Teut et al., 2013) This will help put you in a good mood to tackle the day ahead.

2. Express Gratitude

Gratitude is a secret weapon used by coaches globally to uplift mood. Try to be as grateful as you can when a customer enters the shop and purchases an item. Use the power of gratitude and do not stop at a simple thank you but explain why their purchase means so much to your brand.

A research paper posted on Emerald revealed that customer gratitude increases loyalty and helps build stronger relationships. While it helps your business flourish, it also aids in increasing personal happiness. Research has shown that gratitude reduces envy, facilitates positive emotions, and makes us more resilient. (Amin, 2014)

3. Find Your Magic Potion

This can be anything ranging from listening to a song that makes you happy or going for a long drive and enjoying the moment. It is imperative to find the one thing that makes you happy that can instantly change your mood. Dancing every day for 10 minutes, even during a quick break, is a great way to uplift your mood.

Swedish researchers studied more than 100 teenage girls who were struggling with issues like depression and anxiety. The results showed the girls who took the dance classes improved their mental health and reported a boost in their mood. The researchers concluded dance could result in a very positive experience for participants and could potentially contribute to sustained new healthy habits.

4. Reach Out To Friends And Families

A clinical professor and Entrepreneur, Dr Michael Freeman, surveyed 242 entrepreneurs about their mental health. Of the 242 entrepreneurs he studied, 49% reported having a mental health condition. Depression was the highest-reported reported condition, being present in 30% of all entrepreneurs. ADHD (29%) and anxiety problems (27%) followed suit.

With dwindling mental health rates primarily caused by the pandemic, it’s always a good idea to acknowledge your low mental health and work on it rather than suppress it. Let your family and friends help and support you on this journey while you own up to it and learn to embrace your situation.

In conclusion, Brad Feld, MD of the Foundry Group, says, “Depression is not a topic the start-up community understands well. My own experience has made me realize that this imbalance is detrimental to this kind of work. The only way I survive the dark periods is by constantly renewing myself and my perspective. Starting over is part of the process of starting up.”