Nowadays, people is laying more emphasis on mental health than ever before. And there's a reason. According to WHO, one out of every five people, or 43.8 million adults, suffer a mental illness at a point in time. 

If you think that's bad, those numbers worsen in business environment. Out of the 242 business owners asked, approximately 49% of them suffer mental problems. 

Among all careers, entrepreneurship is as risky and highly rewarding as is seems. Food truck owners not only have to learn how to start and run a business, but also they often rely on that income to make ends meet.

Although you're developing new useful skills, what used to be a source of joy can become one of the greatest sources of stress. This life style can make you find yourself losing your sleep over it, worrying constantly and making bad food choices. All of these could lead to mental health problems, even if you have never been prone to them.

Also, entrepreneurship can cause social isolation. Generally, not only you'll have less time to chat with friends and loved ones, but also genuine conversations can be replaced by those superficial ones or those about the business. "How's your food truck doing?" or "How are your sales going?" can become very common, what can cause frustration or embarrassment if things are not going well in that moment. You could lose your own identity, or at least, it could be difficult to separate it from your food truck, as it would be more and more intertwined with your personal life. 

Can you see now hoy food truck owners are more likely to have mental health problems? Business owners are more likely to suffer depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder or even substance abuse. You could read about simple steps to take to improve yourself in the text below. 

Prioritise your physical health 

Studies show that physical activity can treat mild to moderate depression, as well as antidepressants. When you do some exercise, your body secretes powerful chemical substances called endorphins, which unleash a positive feeling in your nervous system. It's also known that exercise increase your self-esteem, memory and mental acuity. 

If you're not used to working out, you can start step by step to instill the sport habit. If you just stretch out every morning, it can improve your venous circulation, posture, flexibility and energy level. It could be whether a simple walk in your neighbourhood, a yoga class or a local soccer league several times a week, just move!

According to experts, the improvement in your eating and sport habits increase the sensitivity of your dopamine receptor in your brain, what is a sign of a reward. Even if it doesn't start well, it gets better and more rewarding with time and perseverance. 

Take your time to think about it

Food truck owners often find themselves moving around from the minute they wake up until the moment they fall asleep. If your food trucks works five days a week and has some catering events at the weekend, there's little time left for you, so it's essential that you make the most of it. Save some time, even if it's only five minutes in the morning or at night, to process your thoughts and feelings. This is crucial for your mental well-being. 

What you do during this time of reflection is your call. Writing a diary can be a benefit to register your thoughts and recognise behavioural repertoires. If you don't like writing, it could be useful for you to focus on things to be grateful for or think about the lessons you can learn from that day. Or you can just relax and breath deeply. Doing any of these activities constantly will teach you to pity you, what will increase your sympathy for others and will make you be the best leader. 

Create a support system

We have previously talked about some situations in which connections can become superficial, so it's even more important for you to encourage those genuine connections. It depends on you the kind of connections you need. For some people it can be as simple as involving more in their local food truck society to be around business owners.

Others can decide whether to see a therapist familiar with entrepreneurship requests and the complexity involved in this life style. Independent of what you choose, the main goal is to do and keep meaningful connections. 

When you put into practice these pieces of advice, you'll feel and be more equipped to manage your food truck business. What are you doing to take care of your mental health?