Empowering Women to Prioritize Self-Care and Mental Wellness
Give an Hour’s latest resources aim to support women’s mental health. Considering that our nonprofit has a majority female-identifying workforce, we didn’t have to venture too far to get some helpful tips and advice on managing mental health. These free resources focus on the importance of prioritizing self-care, acknowledging the unique challenges women face in their daily lives, and offering practical advice to improve mental well-being. Download our checklist as an accountability tool, to help you manage your self-care activities.
The Importance of Addressing Women’s Mental Health: Mental health issues affect women in unique ways. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Additionally, hormonal changes during menstrual cycles can exacerbate existing mental health conditions and affect fertility.
A Give an Hour staffer shares her experience with prioritizing emotional health in the workplace:
“Coping with my emotions in the workplace can sometimes be difficult when faced with the challenges of navigating conflicting priorities and pressing deadlines, as well trying to show empathy towards others when navigating stressful situations. One of the ways that I prioritize my emotional health at work is by enforcing frequent breaks. Every hour or so, I make sure to get up, stretch my legs, take my dog for a walk, and stay hydrated. It improves my overall mood and allows me to better handle workplace challenges.” – Rebekah Wilbur (Design and Content Coordinator)
Challenges Affecting Women’s Mental Health:
- Stigma: Women may feel ashamed or embarrassed about seeking help for mental health issues due to societal stigma surrounding mental illness.
- Hormonal changes: Hormonal fluctuations during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause can contribute to mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
- Trauma: Women are more likely than men to experience sexual assault, domestic violence, and other forms of trauma, which can lead to PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Verbal and emotional abuse can also have long-term effects on mental health.
- Societal Pressure: Women often bear the burden of juggling work, family, caregiving, and other responsibilities, which can lead to stress.
Empowering Women with Self-Care Strategies:
- Engage in self-care activities like exercise, meditation, or journaling to help manage stress and improve mental well-being. Remember that self-care is not selfish.
- Connect with support networks, such as therapy groups or women’s circles, to share experiences and learn from others who have faced similar challenges.
- Share the workload and prioritize your to-do list. Give yourself permission to say “no” and ask for help before becoming overwhelmed.
- Prioritize sleep, as it is the foundation of good mental health. Prepare for a good night’s sleep by turning off devices and unwinding before bed.
Our new one-pager is intended as a gentle reminder for all women to actually take time to do all the things they know they should be doing, but often don’t because of the many competing priorities they juggle on a daily basis. By providing strategies for prioritizing self-care and mental wellness and acknowledging the unique challenges women face, we hope to break the stigma around mental health issues and encourage women to take control of their well-being. Together, we can create a world where women feel supported and empowered in their mental health journey.
Solutions to Support Women’s Mental Health
Women’s Mental HealthWomen face unique challenges when it comes to mental health.
