More and more business leaders agree — caring for one's mental health is crucial right now.
Facebook COO and best-selling author Sheryl Sandberg recently told Business Insider that we're all grieving during the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and YouTube's parent company Alphabet, told Time in a recent interview that we're "absolutely" in a mental-health crisis. Other leaders have taken it upon themselves to provide more mental health services and benefits for workers during this trying time.
Millions of Americans are struggling with feelings of anxiety and grief during the pandemic. But there are several strategies you can use to cope. Licensed clinical psychologist and author Ramani Durvasula first suggests acknowledging the feelings you're having.
"Many people are experiencing real grief — grief over a life and things and opportunities lost and experiences lost as well. Grief is real, and while it seems like an odd word to use — it is what people are feeling," she said.
She also recommends seeking professional help, as well as something you can do right away: reading.
"Reading is so absorbing," the psychologist said. "It is quiet, it can be done privately, we can pace it, stare away from a minute and then come back to it, which is not as easy to do with a movie."
In 2009, a group of researchers measured the impact of yoga, humor, and reading on the stress levels of American students in demanding health science programs. The study found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of stress just as effectively as yoga and humor.
Durvasula, author of "Don't You Know Who I Am?", suggests these books to read if you're struggling with anxiety or grief.
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