The Office of Career Services on Friday June 12, 2020 from 2.00 – 3.00pm held a webinar session for students focusing on “Mental and Physical Wellbeing during the Covid Period”. Over 100 students attended the session.
The session was facilitated by Julianna Kituma, Brand Manager, Oral Care, Brian Amani the Employer Brand Executive at Unilever, Johnson Kinyua, Director Career Services and Naomi Nyaboga, the Chief Information Officer at the Career Office. The Webinar was made held as part of a partnership agreement between the Unilever Academy and the Office of Career Services.
In her presentation, Julianna emphasized that life is about a balance and there is power in positive stress. Students were asked if they were to turn back the wheel to five months ago before Covid happened, what could they have done differently? Below are some of the responses received;
- Get Netflix and a Wi-Fi account;
- Not spend so much money but rather save for the uncertain times;
- Review resolutions;
- Dye hair
- Buy a laptop;
- Create a structure of work, school and family time.
Juliana then noted that the Covid pandemic had brought with it mental challenges such as suicide, alcoholism, financial difficulties and depression among others. Mental health as defined as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his/her potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to contribute to his/her community.
Some of the ways to cope with mental stress that were highlighted include having self-acceptance, having a sense of identity, knowing your purpose, having self-awareness, having a good mastery of the mind, having emotional resilience and leveraging on your personal talent.
Physical wellbeing was defined as the absence of disease and lifestyle behaviour choices to ensure health, avoid preventable diseases and conditions and to live in a balanced state of the body, mind and spirit. To achieve this, one must have vision and clarity, composure, proper reasoning, tenacity, collaboration and be of good health.
Juliana pointed out that it is very important to know how to relieve stress and some of the stress-busters indicated by students include exercise, music, sleep, walk and listing of the things you are grateful for. Some of the negative stress-busters highlighted include alcohol and drug abuse.
What to look out for during this Covid period to safeguard your mental health is to avoid procrastination, avoid feeling pressure from the posts by other people on social media, mind the company you keep, allow positive ideas to breed in your mind and being very cautious not to turn any stress you might face into something bad such as alcohol and drug abuse.
In conclusion, Juliana reiterated that it is okay to say NO for whatever does not work for you positively, be strong and get energy boosts to withstand challenging situations.