The Loneliness Epidemic: How Entrepreneurs Can Prioritize Relationships and Wellbeing
Much attention has been given to the health implications of loneliness over the past few years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define loneliness as, “feeling alone or disconnected from others.” We can understand how easy it would be for solopreneurs who work alone and/or in isolation to feel lonely and disconnected. On top of that, the pandemic has forced remote-capable entrepreneurs to work from home which only further contributed to increasingly high reports of loneliness and disconnection.
All hope isn’t lost, however, there are plenty of ways that entrepreneurs can seek community and connection to find support and relationships that enhance well-being. Given the known health risks associated with loneliness and social isolation, entrepreneurs who feel lonely or who have limited social contacts are strongly urged to take steps to build community and social connections. This article will review some of the ways that you can seek out community, connection, and social supports as an entrepreneur.
Make it a point to network regularly with other entrepreneurs that you find interesting. To be clear, some people absolutely hate networking, but there are ways that you can make networking work for you. If you prefer 1:1 time, schedule coffee meet ups. You can choose to only network with people you truly find interesting. Networking is about relationship building, and that takes time, so be sure to connect with individuals on more than just one occasion.
Join a local chamber of commerce or networking group. There are likely a myriad of groups in your community designed for entrepreneurs to get together on a regular basis. Consider your local chamber of commerce or other networking group. These groups may charge a fee, but they are organized, meet regularly, and often offer resources above and beyond the scheduled gatherings.
Join an online community or in-person community for entrepreneurs. There are countless online communities for entrepreneurs. Personally, I prefer the online communities for specific groups or topics. Paid online communities are especially nice if you are looking for business and social support. Here at LifeSpring Counseling Services, we’ve created the Greater Baltimore Clinician Community Membership, so that local therapists could get together on a monthly basis and have some fun. This allows us to build relationships with one another in a fun, organic way, and it also provides us with an opportunity to focus on our own self-care and well-being. We also plan in-person gatherings for our team, because we know the value in spending time together in-person.
Attend an in-person wellness retreat for entrepreneurs or a business retreat. One of the books that I read recently by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter suggested that in-person encounters build trust. I am of the opinion that retreats are incubators for relationships. Retreats involve spending days with other entrepreneurs while engaging in workshops and other amazing experiences together. You can’t help but build strong relationships.
Don’t forget about your friends and family members. Your business matters, of course, but so do your friends and family members. Remember to prioritize time with them by calling, texting, visiting, and being intentional about scheduling quality time together. As business owners, we can work countless hours, but it’s important that we don’t spend so much time working that we don’t make time for the people who matter to us the most.
As entrepreneurs, we can limit the health risks of loneliness and social isolation if we are intentional about building relationships and sustaining them. The conversations, support, and fun that these relationships provide us are what we need for our own social and emotional well-being. These social and professional relationships support our social and emotional well-being, and they are also beneficial to our businesses.
Are you an entrepreneur/small business owner who is looking for a retreat?
Our office provides wellness-based business retreats for small business owners such as the one being offered in Costa Rica in April 2024. Our office also offers corporate wellness workshops and corporate retreats. If you would like to us to host your company’s retreat, just click the button below and fill out our interest form!
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Are you a business owner who is looking for community?
Check out the services we offer for entrepreneurs. We love connecting with you!
1. Therapy for Maryland-based Business Owners
2. The Ultimate Business Refresh, a Health and Wellness Retreat for Entrepreneurs
The Ultimate Business Refresh is a 6-day all-inclusive wellness retreat for entrepreneurs who are looking for a getaway where they can focus on themselves, their business, and connections with other business owners.
3. Brainspotting Intensives for Entrepreneurs
Brainspotting Intensives are for entrepreneurs who are looking to do extensive personal work around an important topic impacting themselves or their businesses.
4. The Greater Baltimore Clinician Community — for mental health providers only
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Mental Health Resources for Entrepreneurs
Mindfulness in Action: How Entrepreneurs Can Incorporate Mindfulness Concepts Into Their Day
The Power of Retreats: 10 Ways They Fuel Success for Small Business Owners
10 Tips for Managing Stress as an Entrepreneur
Social Wellness for Solopreneurs: Confronting Loneliness in Entrepreneurial Ventures
How Brainspotting Can Unlock Your Creative Potential as a Business Owner
Search Our Other Blogs!
Interested in Online & In-Person Counseling for Stress, Anxiety, Burnout, or Compassion Fatigue?
If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as an online and in-person service, as well as Brainspotting Intensives.
Here’s how you can get started! Online and in-person counseling for stress, anxiety, burnout, & compassion fatigue aren’t the only services offered at our Monkton, MD office
The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.
Written by: Melissa Wesner, LCPC
Melissa is the Founder of LifeSpring Counseling Services in Maryland, and she is a Certified Brainspotter and Brainspotting Consultant who specializes in treating depression, anxiety, trauma, and sex therapy. She also hosts international wellness-based business retreats for entrepreneurs who want to build community and prioritize their own well-being.
