The changing world and the challenges that emerge from it, while affecting everyone at large, have a heightened impact on women. While the health and well-being of women have long been overlooked, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a sense of urgency.
The situation of working women has become more difficult owing to the sudden transition of what started as a full work-from-home model, which is now transitioning to a hybrid model. Having to constantly adjust to these changed circumstances can be detrimental to mental well-being, especially as women bear dual responsibilities of leading a professional life and being a homemaker. The constant presence of family members at home leaves them with very limited personal and workspace.
Neglected Health and Well-being During the Pandemic
According to Dr Vikram Vora, Medical Director, India Subcontinent, INTERNATIONAL SOS, through the pandemic, access to healthcare resources has been a constraint. Women have been left to ‘find their way’ and as such, chronic disease conditions have been ignored, nutrition has become uncertain, and movements are down by more than 20% due to prolonged sitting.
New and important emerging conditions, such as those related to mental health, e.g., anxiety attacks, depression and disturbed sleep, have not even begun to get addressed. Incidentally, research indicates that women are at least 4 times more prone to the lingering effects of long COVID-19, like brain fog and decreased concentration, than men.
The Mental Health Toll on Women Post-COVID
Keeping this in mind, mental well-being risk mitigation strategies are the need of the hour. At an individual level, stress can be tackled to an extent – provided one is aware of it and can recognise it when it takes over. Breathing is the best stress reduction technique. Ancient healthcare practices like yoga and Tao medicine have long recognised breathing as the internal life force.
The practice of pranayama and tai chi has the effect of calming down anxiety & elevating mood. Just a few minutes of slow, rhythmic breathing has been found to improve sleep; one falls asleep faster and wakes up less frequently at night.
The key to starting each day on a positive note is to ensure that adequate sleep happens, both in quality and quantity. Avoiding late-night digital screen usage increases sleep quality.
Returning to the Workplace: A Mixed Blessing
Returning to the workplace may also be good for those women who thrive in social situations. It will ensure that women get a chance from the isolation which has plagued them for the last couple of years. This can help address issues of loneliness and feeling neglected and alleviate depression. However, a return to the workplace will also mean that they must juggle their roles of employee and carer a bit more.
Mindfulness and Small Joys: Finding Meaning in Everyday Life
Working women should occasionally slow down to live in the moment and appreciate it – finding small, enjoyable moments during the day can be rewarding and life-changing over a period of time. A renewed sense of purpose can make one look forward to the next day and the next. Take a minute to remind oneself that what one does helps oneself as well as family and friends feel better and live better.
Everything one does has meaning. Feeling the excitement of a new experience or an old experience relived differently can be elevating.
When Self-Help Isn’t Enough: Seeking Professional Support
As much as self-help techniques are useful, there are times when one no longer feels in control. At such times, it is important that one speaks to someone trustworthy, be it a spouse, friend or colleague. If that doesn’t help, there are other expert resources available. Mental health professionals can accurately assess and treat conditions using existing tools and techniques, medication and supportive therapies. What is important is that help should be sought as early as possible.
The next few years may be the most intense of all our lives – with health events, climate change effects and geopolitical tensions seeking a major share of our mind space, how much we let them occupy it may not always be in our control. But what certainly is in our hands is the way we react to them. And this can only be achieved by having a healthy mind in a healthy body.
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