{"id":36884,"date":"2020-06-10T12:06:02","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T19:06:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/?p=36884"},"modified":"2020-06-10T12:06:14","modified_gmt":"2020-06-10T19:06:14","slug":"how-to-boost-your-mental-wellness-and-career-during-the-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk\/covid-19\/how-to-boost-your-mental-wellness-and-career-during-the-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Boost Your Mental Wellness and Career During the Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

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How to Boost Your Mental Wellness and Career During the Pandemic<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.22″ min_height=”1997px” custom_margin=”-86px|||||” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” padding_mobile=”off”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.25″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Valerie-Martinelli.jpg” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.23″ animation=”off” sticky=”on”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|”]VALERIE MARTINELLI<\/a><\/span>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”3.27.4″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||60px|”]Valerie is currently the CEO and owner of Valerie Martinelli Consulting, LLC. in which she offers Life, Leadership, and Career coaching for women as well as various Management and Human Resource consulting services such as program development, management, and evaluation, human resource audits, and employee handbook and other policy developments.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.6″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”720px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|||” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet”]<\/p>\n

Each one of us is feeling the impacts of COVID-19. The global pandemic has impacted our mental health in ways that we may not have ever dealt with previously. Many have reported being unable to sleep through the night, feeling more anxious or depressed than normal. There have been nationwide spikes in PTSD, depression, domestic violence, and substance abuse problems. According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation<\/a>, 45 percent of respondents stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their mental health while 19 percent of those surveyed stated that it has had a \u201cmajor impact\u201d on their mental health. Another survey was conducted by the mental health provider, Ginger, which found that 69 percent of employees said that this pandemic has been the most stressful time of their career. Another 88 percent of respondents stated they had experienced moderate to extreme stress over the past four to six weeks.<\/p>\n

Pandemic\u2019s Impact to Daily Life <\/strong><\/p>\n

It has also impacted our mental health daily. Working from home made life more stressful. Having family home with you constantly also made it more stressful for some. We are also anxious about the state of our employment and our health, and the health of our loved ones. Even tasks that used to be simple, such as buying groceries or picking up medications became more difficult as there was an increasing amount of shortages in the supply chain and as business either closed, modified their hours, or were forced to enforce specific guidelines for safety concerns. Some have also added in educating children from home. Now, as the pandemic rages on, unemployment is continuing to spike to all-time highs and others are losing their dream as businesses close. When you also factor in the fear of getting sick, you can have a recipe for mental health issues.<\/p>\n

Everyone Reacts Differently to Stressful Situations <\/strong><\/p>\n

We must remember that each of us will react and respond differently to the stress and anxiety. This will depend on our background, the things that make us different from others, and the community that we live in. Our experiences help to shape who we are so it is important to remember that they will continue to play a role in how we handle stress and anxiety. Our intake of news, including social media could play a role in how we handle stress during the pandemic. However, it is particularly important to remember that how you manage your mental health will play a role in your job search. So, how can you manage your mental health during this time? Let\u2019s take a closer look at some ways.<\/p>\n

The Link Between Unemployment and Mental Health <\/strong><\/p>\n

Unemployment has traditionally been linked to increased risks of depression, anxiety, suicide, substance abuse, and violence. Studies have shown that individuals who have lost their jobs are twice as likely to report depression and anxiety symptoms in comparison to those who have stable employment.\u00a0 Not having a job can take a toll on your mental health because:<\/p>\n