Evaluating Your Well-Being
Between juggling Zoom calls, remote schooling, childcare challenges, and looking out for older relatives—the logistics have never been more difficult for many women, especially mothers. The result, for many, has been anxiety, fatigue and—for some—even burnout.
In addition, in the past year, more than 550,000 Americans have passed away as a result of COVID-19, so many women are also dealing with the loss of friends and family members.
“You don’t want to be in denial, blame yourself, dwell on the problem, or lash out at others,” explains Gold Award alum Stacey Nunn, a clinical supervisor for health insurer Aetna.
What’s important, she stresses, is understanding yourself and your needs, and making sure you find ways to meet those needs.
While many women are adept at taking care of those around them—from children to partners and even co-workers—it’s critical during challenging times to “fill up your own pitcher before you pour the water out,” she says.
So as we mark a year of quarantine and other pandemic-related stressors, Stacey suggests women take a moment to ask themselves a series of questions to evaluate their own well-being:
- Take stock of yourself.
“Has your mood changed—are you more irritable, sad, anxious?” Stacey asks. “Are you still finding pleasure in your life?” - Examine how you are functioning, both at home and at work.
“Do you have the ability to concentrate? Are you not able to take care of activities of daily living, such as showering, brushing your teeth, and brushing your hair?” - Identify what you do to cope with stress.
“What did you do before the pandemic to cope with stress, and what do you do now?” Stacey asks. “Are you having a glass to wind down, or are you having several glasses of wine to function? Are you overeating, overspending, or gambling?” - Look at whether you are connecting with other people.
“Are you spending time with family and friends in person—possibly outside—or at least on Zoom calls?” - Determine whether you are doing the things you enjoy.
“Are you exercising? Are you reading or finding time for your hobbies?” Stacey asks. Besides adding enjoyment to life, the simple act of making plans can be healthy in and of itself.
“Hope, anticipation—those are great things. I used to go every Wednesday to a scrapbooking group at my church, and I looked forward to it every week,” Stacey says.
If your answers to these questions paint a dark picture, Stacey says it’s important to know that there is never shame in asking for help.
“Contact your insurance provider and get the name of a therapist to reach out to,” she says. “Ask them: this is what I am feeling—is this normal? Is this the pandemic? What are the causes of the changes I am seeing?”
“You can often see some improvement quickly by recognizing the things that are causing these changes and taking steps to improve matters.”
