National Women’s Health Week serves as an important reminder for women and girls to prioritize their health—a particularly important sentiment to acknowledge as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic has us all thinking more about how to protect our physical and mental health, as well as the health of the community at large, the current climate can be potentially conducive for actively re-evaluating what health approaches best serve us, and what practices we need to recommit to.
In honor of this weeklong health observance, we asked the women of CURA what they’re doing to stay healthy as they confront the uncertainty and challenges that COVID-19 brings. Here are their #CURAgeous responses:
- “I try to exercise three to four times a week—I usually run. With the quarantine, my teenage son has been leading a bootcamp for me and his younger brother three days a week. It’s tough! I do a lot of it modified. I also try to read the bible and pray every day. This keeps me centered on what is most important. Mental health is just as important as physical health!” – Anne Woodbury, Founder and CEO
- “One way I’m taking care of my health is dedicating 15-20 minutes every day to run or walk outside. Staying active has always been a huge part of my life, and taking the time to get myself outside, rain or shine, and move beyond the four walls of my apartment has helped me a lot in keeping some semblance of continuity right now. It’s a habit that I hope will continue when the world starts turning again!” – Devon Atchison, Assistant Account Executive
- “For me it becomes a question of what practices I commit to implementing that give me more energy back than depletes me – and since March I’ve found there is no amount of baking, craft cocktail creating or puzzling that can equal an hour of journaling/writing or behavioral counseling session, or a sanitizing home care routine every Sunday, so that’s where I choose to devote my time right now in regards to health. When it comes to physical health, I’ve been much more conscious of creating a dedicated routine for disinfecting the home I share with my husband. I’ve also tried to leverage all of the livestream fitness workouts, and consumed videos with tips on how to boost the longevity of produce and pantry items to keep us eating healthy. There are so many great resources out there. The same can be said for mental health now that telemedicine is on the rise, and schedules have been more flexible than in the past. There’s no science behind finding what the right balance is for what you commit to for your health, but, for me at least, the soul searching is well worth it to create healthy living that’s sustainable!” – Anna Easterbrooks, Account Supervisor and Digital Marketing Manager
- “Mindlessly scrolling through my news feed has made me more anxious than usual. To help, I’ve been trying to engage with media that can engage my brain rather than passively distract it. This can include watching a new show or movie, bookmarking interesting non-coronavirus related articles, or listening to an informative podcast. If my stress continues, I journal (a practice I’ve been doing since I was in elementary school) or follow an at-home workout on YouTube.” – Daniela Santos, Intern
- “I’ve found that getting outside at least once a day has helped keep me calm and focused. Usually, that means a run or walk around the quiet streets and trails surrounding my neighborhood (while keeping a safe distance from others, of course!). It can be easy to skip sometimes, though, after a long day or week, so I’ve tried to prioritize it by getting creative about incorporating exercise into other things I’m doing. For example, on Mother’s Day, my mom and I switched from video chatting to our phones so we could take walks around our respective neighborhoods and soak up the sun!” – Sarah Sonies, Managing Supervisor
- “I recently subscribed to the Calm app. While I don’t use it daily, I do like the midday reminders to collect myself and take a deep breath! I also still speak with my therapist regularly via video call.” – Casey Dillon, Managing Supervisor
- “Like many, my mental health was dependent on my physical activity, and I didn’t realize it until the outbreak of COVID-19 threw a wrench in my volleyball, spike ball and hiking schedule for the foreseeable future. So, at first, not moving made me sad—but then I shifted my hobbies from physical to creative. Woodburning and garden growing have become my new routine. At the other end of COVID-19, I’m looking forward to merging the physical and the creative together to keep me happy and healthy!” – Erin Buckley, Senior Account Executive
- “I make sure to always get out and take a walk for at least 30 minutes a day. It not only gets my blood moving but helps me clear my head as well.” – Kellsie Brannen, Senior Account Executive and Graphic Designer
- “I truly love the outdoors, so staying inside for long periods of time due to stay-at-home orders has been tough, but I’ve been working to combat that by tending to my indoor plants and taking on some new hobbies. I’ve always wanted to learn how to use the sewing machine that has been collecting dust in my closet, so I took to the internet, grabbed some fabric and after a few phone calls to mom, I’ve been sewing face masks for myself, friends and the staff at the nursing facility where my sister works. Being able to contribute in this way while learning something new has been rewarding and therapeutic.” – Thy-Ann Nguyen, Senior Vice President, Managing Director
For additional information and resources on women’s health, please visit the Office on Women’s Health online. To stay up to date with the CURA team and our latest work in helping to transform health care, follow us on our social channels @curastrategies. As always, stay healthy and CURAgeous.
