Women Entrepreneurship and Mental Health

Women, Business and Mental Health: Are you at risk of burnout?
Mental health is an issue that is increasingly relevant in the workplace, especially for women in the business world. Women’s entrepreneurship and mental health are two concepts inextricably linked, as the challenges of professional life affect women’s wellbeing. Every day we devote a large part of our lives to our work. The saying “If you love your job, you won’t work a day” sounds romantic but it is far from reality. Working conditions affect many aspects of our lives, and it is important to recognize when an environment is having a negative impact.
Pressure and work-life balance
All occupations have responsibilities that must be completed in a certain amount of time. The pressure to be efficient and prompt can sometimes stress us out or even exhaust us. It is one thing to feel stressed by the workload and another to be pressured by the environment as a whole. Daily life itself is stressful, so a job that adds stress takes a significant toll on our mental health.

The Consequences of Toxic Work
Ignoring the negative signs in the workplace can cause serious mental health problems. Working in toxic environments directly affects mental wellbeing. Constant negative interactions and lack of support lead to anxiety, depression and burnout. Individuals may feel inadequate, have low self-esteem and experience emotional exhaustion. The familiar burn out. These problems can cause sleep problems and affect both our physical and mental health.
Challenges we face in the Workplace
Our mental health faces specific challenges in the workplace, including:
- High stress and burnout: Constant pressure to achieve goals and excessive workloads cause chronic stress and exhaustion.
- Toxic work environment: negativity, pessimism, bullying and harassment create a hostile environment contributing to anxiety, depression and a general decline in mental well-being.
- Lack of support: Lack of support from colleagues or superiors lowers self-esteem and increases anxiety.
- Poor work-life balance: Difficulty managing work and personal responsibilities increases stress and
takes us away from loved ones and activities.

The Challenges for Women in Entrepreneurship
For women in the entrepreneurial world, these challenges often become more pronounced. They often face additional pressures such as gender bias, unequal promotion opportunities and of course harassment. These parameters increase the stress and emotional pressure they experience.
Managing Family and Work Roles
Many women have to balance work and family responsibilities. Work equality only works when domestic and family responsibilities are shared equally. However, the need to fulfil multiple roles leads to burnout and mental health problems. The pressure to prove their worth in male-dominated spaces increases stress and contributes to mental health problems.
Pressures from social norms and stereotypes
It is not uncommon for a woman to experience different treatment because of her gender, age and appearance. In the workplace, they often have to conform to standards of the “ideal woman,” which are associated with certain characteristics. These stereotypes impose on the woman the need to be visually attractive, elegant and polite in order to be accepted and recognized professionally. The pressure to compete with these norms increases stress and uncertainty.
Creating Supportive Working Environments Collaboration

Creating work environments that promote women’s mental health and well-being must become a priority. The link between women’s entrepreneurship and mental health is vital, and trends show increasing awareness, but more focus is needed.
It is important to implement policies that support equality and maintain women’s mental health. When women are supported, they benefit themselves, their teams and the organizations they work for.
It’s time to prioritize mental wellbeing and create spaces that allow women to thrive at every level.
Article Writer: Katerina Faili
Article Editor: Sofia Dialiatsi