Ensuring that women’s mental health is under control is essential as it helps them maintain balance in their lives and relationships. Photo: iStock
As a mother, wife, businesswoman, and professional life coach, Lesego Mothowamodimo shares her thoughts on why it’s imperative to prioritize your mental health and wellness as a woman.
A day in the life of a woman involves juggling being a mother, wife, professional worker, caregiver, romantic partner, and community contributor, among others.
To say that this can become overwhelming is an understatement. Ensuring that one’s mental health is under control is an essential aspect for women as it helps them maintain balance in their lives and relationships.
When there is an imbalance, women become susceptible to reduced quality of life, changes in appetite, suicidal thoughts, feelings of sadness and discontent, as well as general feelings of stagnation, anxiety, and worry.
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Considering the role women play in the daily lives of others, women must be equipped and empowered with the necessary information and tools on general wellness to ensure that as they navigate the roles they play on a daily basis , do it from a place of well-being. .
Every day, we ask each other, ‘How are you?’ The immediate response to this question is usually ‘I’m fine, thanks, and you?’ The real question is when you utter the words ‘I’m fine’, are you speaking and responding to wellness in its fullness?
Let’s explore the eight dimensions of wellness and the questions to ask yourself in each one:
Physical well-being – Do you recognize the need to take care of your body? Are you in good physical shape? How is your diet and your sleep? Are you physically okay?
Emotional well-being – Are you coping with life effectively and in tune with your feelings? Do you know what you feel and allow yourself to feel it? Can you identify, name, or even articulate the exact emotion you’re feeling? Is everything okay with your emotional state?
Financial wellness – Are you financially comfortable and living within your means? Can you get through the month comfortably without being financially rescued? Is your relationship with money healthy? Do you make financially sound decisions? Are you financially educated?
Social welfare – Do you have good and healthy relationships with others? Do you enjoy being with others and are you contributing to your friendships, community, and intimate relationships?
occupational wellness – Do you find joy in your work and does it provide you with personal satisfaction? Does the work you do enrich your life?
Environmental well-being – Is the environment in which you live pleasant and healthy? Does it support your overall wellness? Are you contributing to taking care of your environment and your community?
Spiritual wellness – Do you have a sense of purpose in your life? Does your life have a more significant meaning? Are you at peace with yourself?
Intellectual well-being – Are you growing intellectually? Are you expanding your skills and knowledge?
Considering all the dimensions of wellness discussed above, ask yourself, ‘Am I okay?’
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Here are some tips that women can use to improve their overall well-being and, by extension, their mental health:
Daily: Journaling helps improve mental health by creating a safe space that allows you to express your thoughts and feelings. Writing in a journal is essential to gather your thoughts, ventilate and boost your creativity.
Meditation: It is crucial that you spend some time getting in tune with yourself, listening to your own thoughts and trusting your inner voice.
Take a break from devices: Taking a break from your smartphone or laptop stops the constant stream of messages and emails, allowing you to relax and spend quality time with yourself and your loved ones. A good idea is to set a daily limit on how much time you spend on your device and not exceed that time.
Get enough sleep: Sleeping well significantly affects how we feel, physically and mentally. Our overall health and productivity depend on getting a good night’s sleep.
Live a healthy life: Being active and paying special attention to your diet and nutrition positively affects your feelings.
Reframe negative thoughts: How we think is related to how we feel and behave. Recognizing unhelpful thoughts and taking steps to think about things differently can improve our mental health and well-being.
Mothowamodimo is a life coach
Life coach Lesego Mothowamodimo. Photo: Supplied
