SARS-CoV-2 has affected millions of people across the world and lakhs have already died. When it comes to India, there are wide-ranging effects on the lives of the people due to the spread of Covid-19. Other than the fear of getting infected with the deadly virus, several people are facing unprecedented economic crises following the imposition of nationwide wide lockdown for over two months. This has resulted in creating lots of stress and anxiety amongst several spectrums of the society.
Depending upon the background, there are different reactions of people to such testing times. People who are at higher risk of getting contaminated with the virus are experiencing more stress than the others. The backbone of the market forces — the entrepreneurs, especially from the MSME sector that are facing severe cash crunch, are striving hard to sustain their business amidst unprecedented economic slowdown. Consequently, they are more prone to mental health issues at present. Managing Partner of OP Khaitan & Co — Gautam Khaitan suggests few measures how entrepreneurs can maintain mental health during contemporary times.
Limiting access to news
While staying informed is a good thing but overdose of news intake can create havoc in your mind. “Well, it is always good to be aware of what is happening in your surroundings and the country at large, it is always best to curb the excess intake of news. That can end you up in unwanted negativity,” says Gautam Khaitan.
Moreover, list out authentic sources of information that you can check once to twice in a day as per your daily schedule. For instance, if you want to look for Covid-19 statistics, government websites and WHO databases are the best to get a gist of the whole situation.
How to manage stress?
Other than the responsibilities of their dependent family members, the finical obligation of hundreds of people working under them and their family members are on entrepreneurs. At a time when entrepreneurs find it difficult to pay salaries to the employees on time, the natural human instinct would be to get stressed. It is a time when entrepreneurs need to be extra precautious about their overall health.
When at home, carving out time for yourself and your loved ones from hectic daily schedules must become utmost priority. “Other than managing your business, you have to understand that you need to do things that gives peace to your mind,” says Khaitan. “You can play some music instruments, you can sing, play video games or read books… Just give yourself time every day with your own self. And that is the key to good mental health,” he adds.
Physical health is also important for sound mental health says Gautam Khaitan. “My first entrepreneurial venture began when I was around 20. What has helped me since then is to maintain good physical health and that helps keep you concentrated. Do yoga, running, cycling, or whatever you like. Just engage yourself and sweat for 15-20 minutes while doing physical exercises daily,” says Gautam.
The Bottom Line
The present situation is tough one and they might become worse in the coming times, but it is evident from history that what succeeds testing time is prosperity and peace. Several renowned economists across the globe have indicated that the post-pandemic world will witness the rise of India as one of the fastest-growing economic power. Hence, this is the time when entrepreneurs must handle the situation swiftly by keeping their business running while maintaining their overall health as suggested by Gautam Khaitan so that they can enjoy the fruits of prosperity in the near future.