As an entrepreneur you have probably experienced the negative effects of overwork and high stress levels. The higher the stress levels the more your work suffers. It is tempting to think that hard work and the next personal goal like the purchase of that dream house would bring you happiness and satisfaction but that is not always true. It is a sense of wellbeing that brings a sense of purpose, direction and is a foundation for a productive life.

Wellbeing is the key to contentment in life. Happiness is often thought to be what we should aspire to. But happiness is an emotion that is fleeting in nature and can be largely contingent on external factors. A sense of wellbeing on the other hand is a more holistic description of our mental state. A state of wellbeing can give us a sustained sense of confidence, self-esteem, enjoyment and engagement. It can tide us through the most difficult of times.

For an entrepreneur, it is important to have a strong sense of wellbeing. We spend most of our waking hours at our place of work. It is not enough to say, therefore, that we should have a ‘hobby outside of work to keep us fulfilled’. It is not so difficult to achieve a sense of wellbeing at work. Here, we outline a few steps to improve your wellbeing at the workplace that could make your life as an entrepreneur more fulfilling and the work environment of your enterprise more congenial.

1. Connect - Connect with the people around you. Establish meaningful channels of communication that encourage conversation and the constructive and frank discussion of issues which will inevitably crop up at any workplace.

2. Implement the concept of  ‘maker’ time versus ‘managing’ time - For small and medium enterprise owners, it is easy to get sucked into the cycle of taking care of issues that are not so important but time consuming. Maintain ‘maker’ time to strategise for your firm everyday and allot ‘managing’ time for interactions with employees and the tasks that are routine and essential but not imperative. Keeping time aside to focus on the bigger picture will give you direction and re-mind of where it is you intend to go.

3. Be active - Take some time out every hour or so to exercise at your desk or take a short walk. This keeps your body healthy and will most definitely lift your spirits.

4. Turn off notifications for text messages and e-mails - Delineate time that is specifically devoted to texts and e-mails that would otherwise distract you from your work. You’ll find yourself less burdened and more productive. Even text messages have been proven to be as distracting as phone calls.

5. Keep learning - Keep yourself open to learning new tricks of the trade. There is an excitement that comes with learning and reinventing yourself. As an entrepreneur, this is a useful asset given how fast economies and systems change. But there is also a sense of self-satisfaction that comes with constant learning which is a feeling that can’t be valued enough.

6. Give to others - Be helpful and kind. Be there for the people you work with. Small gestures can go a long way towards creating a healthy environment within which to work in. They also make you feel good. It’s human nature to feel a sense of value when you help.

7. Be mindful - Spend more time listening to your thoughts and feelings. Address your concerns. Make decisions about important issues after deliberation. The pressures of entrepreneurship are such that it becomes easy and sometimes necessary to make snap decisions. Don’t be hasty. Being mindful goes a long way in improving your sense of wellbeing.

Wellbeing may seem like a soft concept at first glance. However, it is the key to living a life that is productive, satisfying and whole. Wellbeing increases resilience to the curve balls work and life may throw at you and helps you make the most of what is good and going for you. Invest in your wellbeing.