Tips for checking in on mental health while work and life are blurred

We’re hearing from our members that they’re struggling to juggle childcare and virtual learning, trying to set healthy work boundaries in a remote environment, managing video meeting fatigue, yearning for connection and community, and so much more. Feeling increased anxiety, fear, uncertainty, grief, stress, and so much more during this crisis is completely normal. You’re not alone. Managing mental health is a critical part of overall health and well-being, influencing outcomes, costs, and quality of life. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the perfect time to check in on your mental health and reach out to get help.

Many mental health conditions, such as depression or bipolar disorder, affect more women than men or affect women differently. If you’re pregnant or postpartum, being honest with yourself about your feelings and checking in on your mental health is especially important as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are extremely common. According to the Seleni Institute, as many as 20% of new mothers in the United States suffer from anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or (more rarely) postpartum psychosis, either during or after pregnancy.

Maven Mental Health Providers are here for you, ready to help you feel your feelings, talk it out, open up, prioritize your self-care, and find compassion through this chaos.

Here are some helpful tips for managing your mental health while working during this unique time from Maven Mental Health Provider Mercedes Samudio.

• Set a schedule and make sure to include breaks.
• Learn your virtual limits, and factor that into your schedule.
• Get clear on key objectives and goals, and triage accordingly.
• Create a self-care routine that energizes you (and naps count as self-care, too!).
• Write down a list of people who make you feel good and will support you, and make sure you get virtual face time with them.
• Turn off fully when you’re off—whether it’s on the weekends or after hours.
• If you can, separate your “office” from your bedroom, and try not to eat all of your meals in front of your computer.
• Manage your notifications.
• Get an accountability partner.
• Be kind to yourself.
• Start each day by checking in with yourself, be honest with yourself about how you feel, and give yourself permission to take breaks.

Looking for self-care ideas? Create a self-care box in a space in your home that you can go to and sit for a couple of minutes. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but think of it as your self-care space. Go there when you're feeling overwhelming stress or anxiety, and put things in your box that make you feel calm. If it’s a certain song that you like, have that on a playlist and turn it on when you go to your box, or you could add a stress ball, cards, bags of a special flavor of tea. Have this box that’s just for you where you can find something that brings you back to the present, or back to the moment.

“When you get up in the morning, everyday, check in with yourself to figure out where you’re at today. ”