May is Mental Health Month, and given the challenging circumstances we are all facing, it is an important topic to address. While one in five people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.

The good news is there are practical tools that you can use to address your mental health and reduce the amount of anxiety you may be feeling with COVID-19. With so many factors out of our control right now, focus on what you can control such as eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting enough sleep, following the CDC guidelines, and limiting the amount of news you consume, while still staying informed.

If you are taking steps to manage worry and anxiety during this COVID-19 pandemic, but they don’t seem to be helping, there are additional resources available.

Employee and Family Resources (EFR) is offering weekly webinars to help address stress and anxiety during the pandemic. Past topics include All about Attitude, Coping with COVID-19, Stress and Resiliency, and Navigating Change in Times of Uncertainty. Access past recorded webinars  and view upcoming webinars.

EFR has also created a series of podcasts called Emotion Well Podcast.  They can be found on their website, as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

If life is weighing you down, EFR offers a variety of Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) resources to help you now, or anytime. You can reach EAP by phone (800-327-4692) or visit their website at https://www.efr.org/login/. All EAP benefits are confidential and available 24/7/365.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources