Coping with COVID-19 Anxiety as a Small Business
Okay, first thing’s first: hi there. I’m glad you’re here reading this today. I hope you’re doing moderately okay, keeping your head above water and finding some space in your days to breathe deeply and think about things that make you happy. You’re not alone.
Secondly, in the wise and colorful words of sir Ryan Reynolds: “I think we can all agree…COVID-19 is an asshole.”
I’d have to agree (I mean, if we’re putting it succinctly, that’s about as good as you can get). And as can be expected, the only thing spreading faster than the pandemic itself is the fear, stress and anxiety surrounding not just the virus itself, but also around the consequences the spread is having — especially if you’re a small business owner (or know one or love one or work for one).
I know I’ve been riding the roller coaster of omg-is-this-virus-going-to-f**k-my business emotions for about a week now. And (especially here in America) it’s been quite an overnight shift, with conditions still changing daily (okay, hourly) as the situation is updated, guidelines are tightened and people are encouraged to “distance” from one another. Talk about being dropped into your least favorite apocalyptic-themed movie, amiright?
All that to say: if you are a small business owner, entrepreneur, freelancer or self-employed in any other way (or if you’re, you know, human), it is completely normal to be feeling stress and anxiety right now. I would like to repeat (now, and at least seven more times throughout this post) that you are not alone.
As a former mental health professional and a current self-employed small business owner, I wanted to pass along helpful ideas for coping with stress an anxiety during these surreal and uncertain times.
Below you’ll find:
Ways to refresh and re-frame your mindset and breathe a little space and fresh air in your swirling, whirling thoughts
Actionable steps you can take to improve your mental health
Resources for your small business as you navigate “what’s next?” (with financial resources for businesses & creatives who need relief!)
Because regardless of the circumstances, #SmallBusinessSupportsSmallBusiness (and #HumansSupportHumans). We are still a community, even from afar, and we are intensely championed, by one another and by our communities at large.
And in case I forgot to mention it, please never forget…you are not alone.
Coping with anxiety by…
Refreshing your mindset
BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF.
When my first contract cancelled last week and it sunk in that I WAS going to be affected by COVID-19, I had a full. Blown. Meltdown. I was negative. I was depressed. I cried. I didn’t sleep. I felt intensely overwhelmed. I sank into a deep, dark hole of “wow I’m f***ed” and I stayed there for a solid 24 hours.
Every now and then a voice would surface that would say, “You know, you’re probably not f***ed. Let’s breathe and look at this logically, make a plan and move forward with intention.” But I know myself, and if I try to jump head first into positivity without giving my inner turmoil a little room first, it will seethe underneath the surface, creating a volatile and shaky foundation for my “logical plans” and “intentional progress.”
So I took a day. I didn’t beat myself up for my negativity. I didn’t try to chase away or invalidate my fears. I didn’t try to make a plan. I didn’t try to move forward. I made no attempts at motivating myself and told myself over and over again that that was okay. I was gentle with myself. I gave myself permission to feel the fear, and I felt it. (Giving yourself permission to feel whatever comes up without judging yourself for it is a good way to start being gentle, btw.)
It’s a basic tenet of mindfulness that (among other things) is much easier said than done, but give yourself a break for a minute. If you’re bummed, don’t feel like a failure for not being able to fake a smile. If you’re not motivated, don’t chastise yourself for all of the things you should be getting done, and just sit for a minute. If you’re scared but feel like you need to stay strong for others, find at least one person to confide your fear in and let it out without feeling weak (because you’re NOT).
This has not happened to us before. We are not obligated to automatically know how to handle it (because how?). We’re all a little lost. We’re all doing the best we can. It’s okay.
Be gentle, be gentle, be gentle.
YOU CAN ONLY CONTROL SO MUCH.
Fairly self-explanatory, but always a good reminder: a decent portion of what’s happening right now is out of your control. This is both scary and frustrating, AND it can also be freeing and clarifying.
You cannot control whether your city, state or country will allow your business to stay open. You cannot control whether other people are practicing social distancing. You cannot control what action the government takes. You cannot control whether your clients can afford to continue working with you. You cannot control how long this will last.
You can control how much media you take in and what kind of media it is (more on that below). You can control where you go and what you do. You can control your business and how it operates (even if it doesn’t feel like it right now). You can control your day-to-day activities. You can control your mindset. You can control your methods of self care.
So…focus on the latter. Because it’s quite literally all you can do. Pick one thing you can make happen right now and do it. Vacuum. Walk the dog. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb for an hour. Organize your work from home routine.
You can even write down your concerns and then address each one as “in my control” or “out of my control".” Then make a plan of action and do your best to let go of everything out of your control.
It will help you feel effective, it will help you feel in control and it will remind you that you can still affect change, even in small ways, even during the weirdest of times.
SLOW SEASONS ALWAYS (ALWAYS) END.
I know a global pandemic doesn’t exactly feel like a “slow season” (and I am most certainly not going to make light of its seriousness). And yet…this is a slow season. Because it is a season, and just like all seasons do…it WILL end.
Stepping beyond the fear and uncertainty of this time is a difficult task, but if it could be done for a moment, if this time could be reframed as a slow season, perhaps there could be room to do what we self employed business owners always say we’d like to do…focus on other, more back shelf business tasks and ideas!
Batch a bunch of blogs. Make a bunch of new graphics on PicMonkey for your website or social media. Take a look at your idea notebook and see if you can set anything in motion. Start an idea notebook!
But most importantly, keep in mind…this IS a slow season. This will not last forever. This will end. People are resilient, and so are entrepreneurs. When we, as a global community, bounce back, we will bounce back fast and with excitement and zest.
So when your anxiety is ramping up, take a deep breath and remember: All slow seasons end. This, too, shall pass.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
This is the tenet upon which I have not only built my business, but also my life. And it’s never, ever been wrong.
You are not alone. You are not the only struggling small business owner. You are not the only person with incredible anxiety over the developments in the news. You are not the only person who fears for their financial security, their business’ longevity, their health, their safety.
And this is a GOOD thing. Because it means we’re in this together.
When we’re all affected, we have the chance to turn to each other. To lean on each other. To confide in one another. To cry together. To laugh together. To connect and relate and find common ground. And that’s just magical because it means when we rise, we won’t just rise one by one. We will rise together, as an army, as a collective, as a PEOPLE.
And the power of that — the incredible force of a connected collective — is infinitely stronger than we are by ourselves. We may be fearful together, but we are stronger together, too.
So when the stress and anxiety threaten to overtake you, remember that even if you are physically by yourself, there is someone somewhere who is likely feeling exactly the same. Maybe give them an imaginary hug. And then maybe call someone you DO know — family, friend, colleague, neighbor. Because (you guessed it)…
You are not alone. We are not alone.
coping with anxiety by…
doing little things
IF YOU’RE HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS
Change your scenery. Leave the room, walk outside, even lie down on the floor if you don’t want to leave the room — just change your position or your surroundings. It helps to snap the brain out of the cycle.
Try 5-4-3-2-1. Name five things you can see; four things you can hear; three things you can feel; two things you can smell; and one thing you can taste. Name these things intentionally and slowly, and focus on the sensations. Bringing our attention to our senses grounds us in the present and counting the items interrupts our runaway-train thoughts.
Try 4-8 Breathing. Breathe in for a count of four seconds (i.e. “one-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand…), and breathe out for a count of eight seconds, counting each number intentionally in your head. Similar to 5-4-3-2-1, counting interrupts our spinning thoughts, and the oxygen intake slows down our heart rate. (Note: don’t hold your breath in between, this can actually stress out your system.)
If you feel overwhelmed and/or start thinking about harming yourself or others:
Call 911, or
Call SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990, or
Text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517)
BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR MEDIA INTAKE
The best thing I’ve done for myself so far is turn off the news, turn off my new app notifications and limit my social media time (unless I’m intentionally looking for videos of puppies or cake decorating or something).
You do not, I repeat, DO NOT have to stay glued to the news to stay up-to-date about what’s going on.
Don’t get me wrong, by all means stay informed — I do. But I don’t have the news blaring 24/7 because nine times out of ten, the media reacts to news ASAP and refines it later (and much more quietly), leading to a lot of chaos. (Which is frustrating, but honestly, the media is in a tight spot. I feel for ‘em.)
So for me: I stick to the CDC website for updates and then rely on my husband to pass along any other important updates so that I can avoid the rabbit hole of panicked broadcasts. (Yes, you can designate someone else to stay informed, as long as they’re comfortable!)
When I am online, I intentionally seek out good news. Updates from other countries that point in a positive direction, videos and pictures of communities banding together even when they have to physically be apart, reduced numbers of cases in previously high risk areas, etc. It gives me that light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel kind of feeling. And sometimes I very intentionally look for videos of puppies and cake decorating.
And sometimes, I avoid social media all together. (Even just an hour does HUGE things for my state of mind, lemme tell ya.)
You don’t have to follow this formula, of course. But the bottom line is this: does watching the news or constantly scrolling through your feed amp up your anxiety? Then STOP WATCHING IT. Stop scrolling. There are other ways to stay informed that you have more control over that could help to lower your anxiety and stress.
LOOK AT YOUR FINANCES
Wait…isn’t this a blog about NOT being anxious? Why in the world would this be on here?!
Granted, most small businesses went here FIRST. The pandemic spread, businesses starting closing and business owners hit the books to see what they were in for, how long they could survive and where/how they could reallocate funds to survive the current economic downturn.
But just in case there are any folks out there — especially solopreneurs and freelancers — who lean more towards the head-in-the-sand approach to finances (I was once your Queen), I’m here to tell you that it’s not only necessary — IT CAN HELP.
In the most basic way, it takes away the fear of the unknown. My least favorite question on earth is probably, “When will I run out of money?” But you need to know it. You need to know it 1) so you can prepare and 2) so you can prevent it for as long as possible.
If you’ve been putting it off, take a deep breath and then take a look (like even if you don’t have a small business). Bite the bullet, face the reality and make a plan. It might sound basic (like, super basic) but getting your finances clarified and under control, no matter what the outcome, will at least give you a clear picture of what your next steps will be (adding a new stream of online income? Cancelling unneeded subscriptions? Reallocating money or speaking with loan officers? Applying for emergency funds or grants? Realizing you’ll actually be fine for a few months? Find out!).
Still sound unappealing? (Okay, that’s a rhetorical question: yes, it’s unappealing.) Call your most financially savvy friend (or in lieu of one of those, call your calmest, least judgmental friend) and have them there for support.
ENGAGE IN BASIC SELF-CARE
The world is all kinds of out-of-whack, so it’s natural for self care routines to also be out-of-whack — maybe you’re engaging in way more of it because you’re home all the time (yay you!) or maybe your morning meditation/journaling routine is thrown off because you have no idea what day of the week it is anymore (understandable).
Mine has certainly changed a little. My morning self care used to take place at the gym, followed by coffee and a daily gratitude list. Now takes the form of a long walk with my dog (still followed by coffee because obviously). It’s taking some effort to keep up with my gratitude lists, but I always feel better when I do them.
Your self care routine gets to look different — but it should still be part of your days and weeks! Don’t think that being at home in your sweats counts by itself — you still deserve some intentional focus and care from yourself. Self care is an absolutely necessary when it comes to handling stress and anxiety in a healthy way.
Need a few ideas? Try one (or twelve) of these on for size (or check my Instagram for my self care Highlight!):
Write in your journal
Cook something new
Take a hot bath
Make something for fun
Water your plants
Light candles or turn on an oil diffuser
GET OUTSIDE (my favorite)
Move your body — stretch, yoga, easy home workouts, walk around the block, dance, etc.
Find a corner or space in your home and make it a “happy nook” where you can read, meditate, take a couple deep breaths, etc.
Clean. Doesn’t sound like self care but studies have shown that straightening out the physical aspects of your life can help to bring clarity to the mental ones.
Dance it out. Angry dance, happy dance, silly dance, intentionally choreograph a dance, whatever floats your boat.
Spa night. Bath, face mask, paint your nails.
Watch a funny show or movie. Get some laughs in!
Do a puzzle or play a board game.
Disconnect! Turn. That. Phone. Off. (Or at least on silent and leave it in a different room for a while.)
Draw, paint, collage, sketch, doodle or find another fun way to make some art, just for you.
Write a letter to a loved one.
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
Remember when I mentioned to think of this as a slow season that will eventually end (still true.)? Good. Now start making some fun plans.
I emphasize the word fun, because there are plenty of practical plans to be made right now. But the kind of plans that might help to lower your anxiety are ones that remind you that there is still going to be an enjoyable life waiting for you on the other side of all this weirdness and anxiety.
Plan a trip for this fall. Plan your birthday party next year. Plan a “post-apocalyptic party” that you’re going to throw when all of this is over. Think about the laughter and the community and the joy. Think about the color schemes. Think about laying out on the beach. Think about what you’ll wear. Think about how you’ll feel.
And plan for it. Because even if you don’t end up following through with these plans (not required, btw), these things can happen — and that’s how making plans can help curb anxiety.
Because they remind you that there will be a time beyond this. Because they remind you that this, too, shall pass.
Coping with anxiety by…
finding Resources for your business & Yourself
PREPARED: Your Online Business & Coronavirus
A live conversation and week-long Q&A series on Facebook with industry leaders on how to prepare your business for the effects of the novel coronavirus.
Tune into the Facebook group every day this week at 3PM EST as the best in business cover topics from marketing to finances to working from home now that the kids are around (all videos are saved so if you miss one, you can still go back and watch it!)
Also a great place to be able to ask questions and get feedback from other small business owners.
SBA: COVID-19 Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources from the SBA
Info on the “Economic Injury” loan program, guidance for businesses and employers, local assistance and more!
RISING TIDE SOCIETY: — Small Business Resources for COVID-19
A real-time resource library that will help you manage your business as impacts of the coronavirus continue.
HART & SOUL CO: COVID-19 Website Support
Affordable Squarespace web design help if you need to get your business online, like, yesterday; if you really need to edit or update your site in light of doing more online business; or even if you want to use your time at home to learn how to optimize all aspects of your Squarespace site with a virtual lesson.
I’ve restructured my payment plans to be sliding scale based…so you can get the help you need NOW while sticking to a tighter budget.
FACEBOOK: Business Resource Hub
Providing resources, links, websites, step-by-step actions and more to the small business community members who may be challenged during the COVID-19 outbreak.
CALM: Free Resources During COVID-19
The famous meditation app is providing FREE resources and tools to help folks take care of their minds and stay grounded. They’re offering a variety of meditation, sleep stories, mindfulness resources and music (for kids too!).
CDC: How To Manage Anxiety & Stress
Some great tips, reminders and hotline phone numbers from the Big Guys (and of course, check their website for the most up-to-date info and ways to protect your health!).
Coping with anxiety by…
Getting financial help
If you know of or have any other valid resources, please let me know and I’ll add them ASAP! We’re all in this together, after all.
Disclaimer: Everyone experiences anxiety and stress in different ways, and everyone’s circumstances as a result of COVID-19 are different. This post is simply meant to be a helpful hub of ideas, tactics and (hopefully) a little bit of light in these uncertain times. Though I have a masters degree, I am not currently a licensed mental health professional — just a gal who wants to help you remember that you’re not alone and that help is available.
Again, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your anxiety and/or feel like you might harm yourself or someone else, PLEASE call either 911 or SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990.
