Mental Health Awareness month comes at the perfect time of the year. Almost at the halfway point, it’s a good time to assess where we are and make sure we’re in a good spot mentally. Though observing this month as mental health awareness month has been around since 1949, it’s finally seeming to get more of the attention it deserves. After all, when our mental health isn’t in a good place, other aspects of our life – like our businesses and our relationships – can suffer too.

Kimberly Guiry, KW Wellness Community Director and MAPS performance coach recognizes how much of an impact the real estate industry can have on our mental health. After all, we’re competing against not only the goals we set for ourselves, but we’re sometimes in competition with others. The business can be isolating as we compare and contrast our performance with the performance of those around us. Our expectations can get out of whack with reality. And we can get into our own heads.

We hear about accolades all the time in real estate. But truth be told, they can come with a side effect both for the person receiving them and for the person who is watching the accolades be handed out.

• For the recipient, an accolade can be at the cost of their energy, their family life, their mindset, and even their business. After all, how does a recipient feel about getting the awards? They may be happy on the surface but feel that they are receiving the award without having the rest of their life together. They may be asking themselves, “Why me?”
• For the observer, someone else’s accolade may hurt their sense of self-worth. They may question what they’re doing wrong or why they haven’t performed up to the level of the accolade. On the flip side of the coin, they may be asking themselves, “Why not me?”

For both, it comes down to not feeling good enough.

Kimberly believes that one of the pillars of being successful in business is to have the right mindset. And that comes down to taking care of our mental health. She often hears about problems such as burnout, overwhelm, stress, and depression. They may manifest in ways such as feeling tired, not sleeping well, noticing our routine or our diet is off. We may realize we’re not appreciating our lives like we should. As Kimberly says, we may be seeing our life through a very foggy lens. When this happens and we become aware of the mental space we’re in, we’re better able to approach solutions. After all, each of these issues deserve space and time to work through in order to overcome.

Consider taking the following steps for your own mental health:

1. Take time for yourself
   What are you saying “yes” to that you could actually say “no” to? When you say “no” to unnecessary tasks and activities, you’re actually winning back some much-needed you-time. Jordan Freed suggests one non-business day a week, one three-day weekend a month, and one seven-day vacation a quarter. Whatever time you take, step away from your business and focus on yourself.
2. Add leverage into your world
   Ask yourself who would be helpful to bring into your professional and personal world to help you get your own time back. Whether a virtual assistant or a lawncare service does the trick, consider making a hire to bring back some hours into your day.
3. Know when it’s time to enlist professional help
   Professionals can help guide us through some of the hardest, darkest, most uncertain times. Don’t hesitate to enlist the support of a therapist, a counselor, or a coach.
4. Take mental health days
   If you are overwhelmed, it’s time to take a break. You can check out of your business in order to check in on yourself.

Remember, putting a smile on your face for the people around you does more harm than good if it’s a fake one. When we are honest with ourselves and with those that surround us, we’re better able to get the support we need. Each of us is deserving of love, help, and living whatever it personally means to us to lead a fulfilling life. And if we don’t take care of ourselves, we aren’t able to take care of other aspects of our lives and businesses. What are you doing to give your mental health the attention it deserves?