How Women Can De-Stress Through the Rest of the Pandemic and Beyond
Written by: Leslie Campos
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Unfortunately, women have felt some of the most stressful impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. If you are a woman who has been feeling extra tense lately, know that you have every reason to feel this way. After all, these are unprecedented times with an immense amount of change and uncertainty. The best thing you can do is to work on the things you can control.
Women are Doing Most of the Cleaning and Cooking...
Whether you are a working mother or a stay-at-home parent, chances are that you do most of the heavy lifting around your home. Even before the pandemic, studies showed that women were disproportionately taking on household chores, including cooking, cleaning and keeping everyone else organized.
This imbalance seems to have grown in many households during the pandemic, with moms still bearing the brunt of the responsibility for their homes and families. If you are feeling similar pressures at home, you may want to look into ways to outsource some of your household work so you can focus your attention on other matters. For instance, you could hire a professional cleaner to help out with chores around your home. Just be sure to continue to follow all state and local safety guidelines if you do allow workers inside of your home.
...But Women are Also Adjusting to Working From Home
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If you’re a mom who is working from home right now, you may feel like you never have enough time to get everything done (and if you’re in a management position, as this piece from ZenBusiness notes, this feeling is probably even greater!) You should know that you’re not the only one who feels this way, with most working moms feeling like they’re “on fire” and running around during the work week. These feelings of being overwhelmed may stem from trying to balance the household responsibilities mentioned above with remote work hours, so definitely look into whether hiring or paying for help will provide some stress relief.
If working remotely is what’s causing you the most stress right now, you may need to stop trying to multitask and set up dedicated hours to tackle work and home responsibilities. Or if you’re vaccinated, see if your employers will allow you to return to the office. If you’re currently looking for a new remote job, Work-from-Home Depot recommends considering one of the various flexible work-from-home opportunities out there, like becoming a seamstress, pet sitter, tutor or babysitter.
Women are Also Trying to Balance Family Budgets
One of the most stressful household tasks on womens’ plates right now is helping their families stick to a budget. With so much economic uncertainty, maintaining a household budget is more important than ever before, but there are free and low-cost budgeting tools that can take the headache out of this chore. Busy moms and working women can use apps like Mint, Pocketguard and Goodbudget to upload expenses and income in a snap, and then keeping track of these financial items will feel effortless. Some of these budgeting apps can also be beneficial for women who are thinking of starting their own small business, since they can be used to track and manage business expenses.
...and Women are Looking for Simple Ways to Save
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Aside from using budgeting apps and making extra money with a new business, many women may also feel pressured to find other ways to cut costs and expenses in their homes. Now if you are one of these women and you find yourself struggling to pay major expenses like your rent, utilities or credit card bills, know that there may be financial assistance programs to help you avoid any long-term impacts on your credit score or finances.
If you just need to trim a few everyday expenses from your budget, you can use a few painless tips to do so. For instance, you could turn down your thermostat or you could increase your auto insurance premiums. Also consider automating your savings, so that you can begin boosting your emergency fund.
Women are Simply More Stressed Than Ever Before
No matter what you’re struggling with right now, you may be experiencing more anxiety and stress as a result. While it’s important to acknowledge these unpleasant feelings, it’s also crucial to find healthy ways to cope. Your own coping mechanisms could include switching off the news or taking social media breaks or you could try to set aside more time for stress-relieving self-care.
For women juggling so many responsibilities at work and home, time for self-care can sound counterintuitive, but making time for yourself is essential for your emotional well-being and even your overall health. So no matter how busy you are, try to leave some room in your schedule to take breaks and take time to relax and recharge your mind and body.
We’re all in the same ocean but we’re definitely all in very different types of boats. So if you are a woman who has been feeling more stressed and overwhelmed throughout the pandemic, know that your feelings are valid. Women are bearing so much responsibility right now, so it’s only natural to feel like you’re sinking. Just be sure to reach for help and resources like the ones in this guide, to keep your family and yourself afloat.