Scott Dylan on How Entrepreneurs Can Overcome Mental Fatigue

Scott Dylan
Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

Though it’s normal to feel tired now and again, if you’re constantly unable to focus, sleep, or stay motivated, you could be run down with mental fatigue. Perhaps you’re also dealing with short-term memory loss, confusion, mood swings, and increased or decreased appetite. If these warning signs sound familiar, you may need to take a step back from work, as well as any other causes of stress, according to Scott Dylan. Despite your pivotal role as an entrepreneur, it’s important not to ignore the symptoms of mental fatigue – continuing to work yourself into the ground will only have more negative effects on your mental health.

Here, entrepreneur, mentor, and investor Scott Dylan shares his tips on how to overcome mental fatigue. Scott is the founder of Fresh Thinking Group, Manchester’s renowned capital investment firm. He manages and funds multiple businesses and, having overcome his own mental fatigue struggles, widely promotes mental wellbeing in the corporate world.  

Scott Dylan’s 4 Steps To Overcome Mental Fatigue

The sooner you identify the root of your stresses and take steps to resolve these problems, the sooner you’ll be able to rekindle the joy that you once found in managing your business. Here are Scott Dylan’s four top recommendations to work around the pressures that often come with entrepreneurship. You can follow these tips to escape burnout and prioritise your mental health.

1)      Take Time Out, Even If You Think You Can’t

It can be difficult to justify taking time out when your input is your business’ main driving force. If you’re under immense pressure to manage the brunt of your company’s operations, reducing your hours or taking a holiday might not feel like luxuries that are available to you. In short, when your success depends on you, it can feel as though taking time off simply isn’t an option.

If you’re in this position, you’re likely overloaded and pouring too many hours into your company. Are you dedicating every waking moment to your business and never taking well-earned time off to spend with family or on hobbies? However busy you are, if you don’t take time out, your mental health will continue to deteriorate. Whether you take a holiday or cut your hours back or simply take your dog out for a long walk, a break or a new routine can leave you feeling fresh and ready to throw yourself back into work.

2)      Delegate Duties

Protecting your employees is a major responsibility that can trigger mental fatigue. While being a business owner has its benefits, employing a team of people is a challenge that most entrepreneurs struggle to pilot without difficulty at some level. It’s not just the challenge of hiring the best fits – there’s also the financial complexity; if you end up in financial difficulty, your team will too.

However, having a strong team behind you offers invaluable benefits that you should make the most of. If you’re working over capacity while your team has scope for more work, delegating can be a huge help. Take an honest look at your workload and the skillsets that your staff offer. Then, decide which tasks you can delegate to other team members. If you hire the right candidates, you won’t need to micromanage every aspect of your business. Instead, trust your team with more responsibilities and let them prove themselves.

3)      Find Activities That Alleviate Stress

Booking sessions with a counsellor, joining a gym, and meditating are all helpful steps that can alleviate stress. There are always ways that you can improve your mental health if you can pinpoint the activities that will help you. If you’re not sure which activities will help, try to actively focus on your state of mind and notice what makes you feel better.

4)      Prepare for the Lows

Entrepreneurship is laced with countless highs and lows. While your highs may represent huge achievements for your business, the lows can be just as intense. Knowing how to deal with these lows is difficult, particularly when you’re plunged into a difficult emotional situation. However, looking out for the signs of low periods gives you time to prepare for the worst when these unfortunate times do come around. Identifying upcoming problems and preparing for them is one of the best things you can do to guide yourself over mental health hurdles.

Overcoming Mental Health Stigma

It’s no surprise that many entrepreneurs are plagued by mental fatigue. Keeping your business afloat, upholding a constant professional appearance and hiding personal problems from your team make for large burdens to bear in your workplace. However, mental fatigue isn’t uncommon and it’s nothing to feel ashamed of. It is not a representation of weakness. You’re not letting your team down when you need to cut your hours back or take a holiday to recover from immense stress.

About Scott Dylan

Scott Dylan, Fresh Thinking Group

Learn more about how to manage your work-related mental health at Scott Dylan’s blog, where he explores stigmas associated with mental health in the workplace, stress management techniques, and how to support your team’s mental wellbeing.

As the founder and key partner of Fresh Thinking Group, an investment agency that rejuvenates struggling companies, businesses looking to grow, and start-ups, Scott is sensitive to the needs of business professionals who are navigating turbulent business times.Scott’s extensive background in investment, technology, and business development puts him in a prime position to support struggling businesses as they realign their strategies for success. His consultancy-led approach enables Fresh Thinking Group’s acquisitions to harness the tools and techniques that they need to achieve their goals. Learn more about Fresh Thinking Group at https://freshthinking.group.