4 Lessons on Well-Being

Today is World Mental Health Day. Arguably, there has never been a more important time to pause and reflect on our mental health than this year. With the pandemic and related isolation, social unrest, and continued uncertainty, there is a lot weighing on our collective well-being right now.

Even in “normal times,” mental health has always been a big focus of mine. Personally, having supported family members and friends with depression and anxiety, I know the toll it can take. These experiences have taught me the importance of continuously taking time for myself and to be fully present for those who need me – from family lunches during COVID lockdown, to a long morning run outdoors before a long day at work.

And professionally, mental health is a significant issue for our key customers – veterinarians who take care of our animals – but who also have a suicide rate that’s 3 to 4 times higher than the general population. Because of the long hours, compassion fatigue, financial burdens and other stressors veterinarians face, Zoetis has long been involved in raising awareness about mental health issues that impact the veterinary profession and providing forums and resources to promote well-being and self-care. Recently, I was inspired by the advice we shared with animal health professionals in Australia in partnership with High Performance Vets and Vet Partners. I thought today might be a good day to share their insights -- combined with lessons of my own for advice that can resonate for us all.

1.   Start with you. Quite simply, like they say on the airlines, put your own mask on before you help others. You cannot care for others around you, or their animals, until you take a moment to reflect on how you feel and where you are. What is the source of your stress and anxiety - be it long hours, isolation or uncertainty? From there you can focus on addressing that need.

2.   Understand what works for you – and what does not. For some people (like me) this might be creating structure in your day to manage the chaos, incorporating more physical activity, focusing on healthy nutrition, getting more sleep, taking breaks or even a vacation. If you’re feeling guilty about stealing time away to do any of the above, remember you’ll be more productive and accomplish more at the end of the day if you can focus better and feel more present.

3.   Change your perspective. My sister is a master at this and has taught me so much on how to re-frame events in my life. For example, mistakes can be turned into valuable learnings; frustrations over canceled trips are opportunities to explore areas closer to home. I also remind myself, as bad as things are, I am blessed in so many ways. Changing how we look at what happens to us and what we say about it in our heads and to others makes a huge difference.

4.   Speak out and get help. And finally, if you are struggling more often than you’re striving, it’s important to ask for help. I am confident that there are family, friends and colleagues who would be there for you if you just ask. There are tools and strategies to support you. But they can only do that if you access them. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength.

Preventative care for our mental health is critical to our personal and our professional success. And in these uncertain and stressful times, there has never been a better time to invest in it.  

To learn more about how Zoetis is driving well-being and self-care in animal health, click here. Finally, let me add a shoutout to Dr. Natasha Wilks and Dr. Hester Raijmakers for their practical advice – let’s continue to shine a light on this important issue.