Saving our Hearts and Minds: Empowering Women Leaders to Manage Their Health Journey

May is Women’s Health Month and Mental Health Awareness Month a time to encourage women to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional health. Empowering Women, Cultivating Health is this year’s theme for Women's Health Month, dedicated to empowering women to take charge of their health and shine a light on health issues unique to women.

We know the statistics all too well......

-A 2015 survey showed that 78% of women put off making a doctor’s appointment for themselves because they're too busy taking care of everyone else. Yet, they make 80% of healthcare decisions for their families. As?women, we spend so much time caring for everyone else, that we put our needs and sometimes our health on the back burner. We are by nature caregivers, problem solvers, and nurturers.

-1 out of 3?women die each year from heart disease which is the leading cause of death for women. We also know that heart disease is preventable. We encourage our patients and loved ones to care for their hearts by reducing their blood pressure and cholesterol levels, eating healthy, exercising, and reducing stress.

-About 43 percent of female respondents expressed feelings of burnout at their current workplace, according to the 2022 SHRM report. A report for burnout in female physicians showed that it may be up to 60% greater than that of male physicians.

As leaders, we often carry the weight for the entire team and organization. As leaders, we are responsible for the organization's vision and ensuring the team is on board. We are the decision-makers, visionaries, mentors, confidantes, and trusted partners to do what it takes to get it done. These characteristics can lead to feelings of stress and burnout if we take on too much and push ourselves too hard. We are not given the resources to manage the load effectively and create positive change. On top of that, add the stress of gender inequality in pay and promotion, microaggressions, and lack of work-life balance, and our health again begins to take a back seat.

When we need the healthcare system the most, sometimes women have a tough time getting the healthcare services they deserve. They are under a tremendous amount of stress in the workplace and suffering from symptoms that many women feel that doctors and other health care providers don’t listen to or take them seriously. This can mean that women can have a delay in their diagnosis, get misdiagnosed, and have poor health outcomes.

Not only do women and their families suffer, but organizations suffer as well. My recent guest Mary Stutts, MHA stated that healthcare organizations are beginning to lose the workforce to deliver healthcare. She states, “We are the backbone of the healthcare workforce, but suffering the most in terms of burnout, health outcomes, and equity.”

Listen to her interview here.

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A woman’s health journey is important. Here are some tips to help you navigate your journey, reduce stress, and take control of your health.

Take time for your health screenings:

1. Plan Ahead

Pencil in a date for your wellness exam and let everyone know that you will be unavailable during this time. Give everyone notice well in advance, to prevent scheduling conflicts. Also, plan enough time to allow for delays in commute time and unforeseen doctor delays.

2. Practice Consistency

Schedule your wellness visit, at the same time every year. Having a consistent time will help you remember to schedule your exam. For example, scheduling around your birthday is an effective way to remember to schedule your checkups.

3. Use Company Time

Ask your company if they have allotted time off for wellness care. Some companies realize that wellness care is important and reduces absenteeism. If your company does not have allotted time off, plan to use a personal day, schedule your wellness exam on a Saturday morning or last resort would be an evening appointment.

Prepare for your visit

Now that your exam is scheduled, it’s time to plan for the visit. Here are some suggestions for what to bring to your visit:

1.??? Bring your personal and family medical history and a list of questions

Knowing your family history is important because it is the basis for what you might expect to encounter in your own life.

2.??? Bring all your medications including vitamins and herbal medication

It’s important to bring an updated list of all your medications, including the dosages. This helps to prevent any confusion with what you are taking. It also is a way to reduce adverse medication interactions.

3.??? Bring mental clarity and an open mind

If you are stressed or distracted during your visit, you will have a hard time comprehending all the information provided. Your lack of attention may cause you to miss an important piece of advice or recommendation discussed regarding your health. Meditating for 5-10 minutes before the provider enters the room can provide that clarity if needed.

4.??? Paper and pencil or electronic device for documentation

Not only do you want to bring a list of questions, you also want to have the means to take notes to document the answers to your questions and any takeaways given to you by your healthcare provider. It’s common to leave a doctor’s office and completely forget what was said. If you are not clear about what was said, ask for clarification. Seeking a second opinion is always an option and a choice you have.

Take Time off

Take time for yourself

According to a study by Oxford Economics, Americans are leaving vacation days on the table, essentially working for free almost one week per year. U.S. workers are using only 77 percent of their paid time off.

There are benefits of taking a vacation. Workers who take regular time to relax are less likely to experience burnout than their overworked, under-rested counterparts,” according to about.com. A New York Times report states that taking a vacation can help your physical health. The stress of working can take a serious toll on your heart. The report stated that for both men and women, taking a vacation every two years compared to every six lessened the risk of coronary heart disease or heart attacks. This shows how important taking vacations and just taking time for your self-care are to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Manage Stress

To help manage your stress, answer the following questions:

What causes your stress? What are your triggers?

Each person has a different stress trigger. For some it’s lack of time or control over a situation, for others, it may be finances or lack of work-life balance. Whatever your trigger is, identify it so the next time you’re faced with the situation you can address it before it becomes a bigger problem.

How do you respond to stress?

Some people respond to stress by exhibiting physical symptoms. They may experience headaches, muscle aches, digestive symptoms, or fatigue. Some will have changes in their behavior like irritability, anger, increased eating, and withdrawal. Other responses can be psychological like feeling exhausted, having trouble concentrating, and feeling anxious. By identifying your stress response, you can tackle it head-on.

How can you change your response to stress?

Now that you know your stress triggers and how you respond to stress, you can start working on changing them. When you feel the symptoms coming on, divert your response. Instead of allowing negative responses to happen, develop some positive ones. Go outside for a walk, take deep breaths, or write your feelings down in a journal. Other activities like exercise, meditation, and reciting positive affirmations are also great to have in your toolbox. Rely on others to help you when you are feeling overwhelmed. ?

Reflection

• What does your health journey look like? What changes will you need to make?
• How great are your efforts at making yourself a priority?
• What activities can you take on that will help you manage stress?
• What things give you meaning and purpose?
• Who is a part of your support system that can help you manage stress?

If you are ready to make the necessary changes to restore your health, download this self-care workbook. This resource is designed to help you achieve your goals, by organizing your health plan in a well-thought-out document. To receive your copy of the workbook, click here . ?

Dr. Lisa Herbert is the Founder and CEO of Just The Right Balance. Impacting the world through healthcare leadership is the journey for Dr. Herbert, whose mission is to help support physicians in leadership roles by equipping them with the personal and professional development skills they need to succeed. If you are a physician leader looking for leadership or career support, you can schedule a career transition discovery call here .

She has worked with over 20+ organizations and 500 healthcare professionals who were ready to take the steps to develop a healthcare workforce that will create lasting change. A well-trained leadership workforce creates the pipeline for future leaders and improves healthcare delivery to the communities they serve. I can help you get clear on a strategy to build, develop, and support physician leaders so that you can meet your strategic goals.?Want to learn more? Connect here .