Importance of Mental Health & Self-Care as a Small Company

The topic of mental health has been a loud topic of discussion in recent years. Once seen as taboo to discuss mental health, now more and more people are encouraging the conversation. It’s such an important topic as well as self-care. Self-Care isn’t discussed as much because it can be seen as a selfish thing to do. In my opinion, the two go hand-in-hand.

As someone who has been running, and working at, a small company for some time, it can be hard to devote time to mental health and self-care. Over the years, I’ve seen how important it is for me, as well as our staff, to know our mental health and self-care is at the top of our priority list. Just recently we were discussing self-care. If you don’t take care of yourself, then how can you show up to take care of a business? The simplest answer, you can’t!

Some of the things I have started to implement…

• Make sure we have a quarterly Mental Health Day. The office is closed and staff are encouraged to take care of themselves that day. For some it might be sitting around watching TV; for others it might be working on that personal task that keeps hanging over them. Regardless, it’s all about them.
  
• I like to check-in with staff on a regular basis. This should be from a genuine place of interest, because they will know if it’s not. I see our team as more than just employees of RIVA, they are important to me and are more like family. You want your team to be more than worker bees.  As a small company we support and depend on each other so much. It might be as simple as: how the weekend was, how did your appointment go, a Happy Birthday text, etc. Being engaged with staff on a personal level, I hope, allows them to share the good and not so good. Expressing oneself is what’s important to me. I love getting pictures or videos of our littlest RIVETTEs. It definitely helps lift my spirit!
  
• As a society we have become accessible to Clients, staff, and family ALL of the time. We are always ON. I have let our staff know if they are on PTO, be on PTO. What’s the point of taking the time if you are going to be accessible and working? I understand there might be something you want to take care of or be part of and that is fine, but not for the entirety of your PTO. You have earned this time. Make yourself important enough to turn off the noise and do what you’ve taken the PTO for. This applies to whatever size business you are. I know when you work or run a small business, you may feel you can’t be completely out of touch. Put someone else in charge. Remember there is only one you.
  
• For my mental health and personal care, in 2024 I started doing Pilates 5-6 times a week to support my mental health and self-care. For years I would use my kids, husband, other family members, and work as an excuse not to take care of myself physically. Looking back, it’s because I didn’t want to go to the gym. I have found something I enjoy and look forward to waking up early and doing for me. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity!

Remember that mental health and self-care go hand-in-hand and they aren’t a luxury, they are a necessity for you and your team. Be an example to your team by taking care of you and them in your own way.

Written by: Amber Tedesco