The struggle of everyday life is not a new concept, but COVID has certainly taken the daily grind to a new level. As the pandemic continues, women already juggling their career, family and mental health have often been forced to bite off more than they can chew to make ends meet. Trying to maintain your emotional health isn’t so easy when you’re being pulled in a multitude of directions, but there are ways to help find balance in your life while maintaining a healthy emotional state.

Jessica Taylor, a licensed clinical social worker at Woman’s Hospital, encourages women to identify mental exhaustion through symptoms such as trouble concentrating or changes in sleep patterns. “Isolation, loneliness, frustration, fear of getting sick and worry about the future—these are all common feelings related to the pandemic,” says Taylor. “It’s mentally draining to be cut off from our normal support system and our routine activities.”

Shannon Ragusa, executive director of behavioral health services at Baton Rouge General, suggests finding a sense of peace when you are overcome with exhaustion, but notes that if coping mechanisms to battle the stress and anxiety of COVID still haven’t led to any improvement, seeking professional help to address the issue could be the next useful step.

To read more about how you can maintain your emotional health, check out this story in “The Network,” an e-newsletter from our sister magazine, the Baton Rouge Business Report, aimed at professional women making a difference in our city. Subscribe here for more.