Why is Taking Care of Your Mental Health So Important Nowadays? 3 Important Reasons by Julie Taeko

The Rising Importance of Prioritizing Our Mental Health

Not to state the obvious, but we’ve all “survived” a pandemic — some people in the USA are completely over it; others are worried about the new deltacron variant and future ones to come. Beyond the obvious, the next generation (Gen Z) are bringing stronger awareness of mental health to the forefront, setting boundaries, and taking no prisoners. Think Simone Biles — the best gymnast in the world right now — who refused to perform her life-threatening stunts due to her mental health not being in tip-top shape. And I salute her! We all need to learn from her bravery and learn to stick up for ourselves when it matters most. If she had injured herself, it wouldn’t have affected you or me, only her, her entire career, and her future. She made the best possible choice for herself and I’m so proud of her — even though I clearly don’t know her personally.

Long story short, the next generation is helping us older folks (Millennials and above) understand the critical importance of mental health — an issue that affects each and every one of us. No one is immune. It’s just a natural consequence of being born a complex human being.

3 Important Reasons to Start Prioritizing Your Mental Health

If I haven’t convinced you yet, what are 5 important reasons to start prioritizing your mental health?

1. The Global Pandemic and its Aftermath

As I’ve alluded to in the beginning, the global pandemic has seismically shifted the way we think, respond, interact, and work with each other. For someone in the world of technology, I have had the great fortune and privilege to work entirely remotely for the past 2 years. And now that I’ve tasted a bit of freedom, this is all I want to do. I’m happy to visit the office a few times a month, but nothing more and nothing less. That is my newfound boundary.

For those who have been unable to work remotely, there has been an even higher level of stress. Through my Buddhist activities, I hear about all of the different stressors working in a hospital setting, having to work in an office setting,

Beyond the personal elements, there have been so many things outside of our control like how every state and every country has had varying responses to covid; how we were unable to get tested due to a national shortage; how we were unable to get vaccinated as quickly as we wanted due to a shortage; and how there are millions of extra vaccines available now in the USA that no one wants.

We can’t even begin to fathom all of the unconscious and conscious consequences of the global pandemic and how it will impact our global economy, our collective mindset, and our future. But one thing we do know for sure, is what you or I can control on a daily basis — our ability to do self care for our mental health.

2. The Importance of Boundary-Setting

While it was not good for our mental health, my husband and I chose to be “really good” during the pandemic — this meant that we did not see any friends except on the rare occasion and it was always outdoors; we avoided going grocery shopping; we always wore a mask both indoors and outdoors; we ordered takeout only for a year; and in general, we were extremely careful for 2 years to protect our 4 elderly parents. In this way, we naturally set a boundary about what we were comfortable doing, and what we were not.

After we took all of our parents to get fully vaccinated, we finally became more relaxed and stop quarantining, as we could test in the safety of our home. Before the at-home covid tests were widely available, we would frequently get PCR tests.

Beyond covid and the global pandemic, the importance of boundary setting affects every facet of our life — from our relationships with friends, our parents, our relatives, our boss, our colleagues, our partners, etc. It’s one of the BEST things you can do for yourself and your mental health.

Remember this key point — there is always an opportunity cost associated with anything you say “yes” too. For every “yes,” you are saying “no” to something else. If your family members or friends are asking you to fix their car, get them food, fix their internet, etc., you can always say “no” politely. At first, it will be really tough to do — but the more you practice, the easier it will become. And most importantly, it will help you prioritize your mental health by taking care of yourself.

3. The Inability to Tolerate Poor Working Conditions

Speaking from the perspective of a privileged half-Caucasian tech worker, I understand the importance of prioritizing my mental health by setting boundaries with work, toxic environments, and demanding the best for myself. It’s still a work-in-progress for me, but I’ve started the process — first step is always acknowledging their is a problem. Second step is to decide what to do about it. Obviously, it can be more complicated than that, but again, setting boundaries, recognizing the importance of protecting and prioritizing your mental health, and understanding the lack of control with the global pandemic and its aftermath, are all critical for taking care of your mental health.

By taking care of, protecting, and prioritizing your mental health, you are not only helping yourself, but also your partner, your family, your friends, and your community.

Personal Disclaimer

As a person who is mixed-race and will inevitable have mixed-race children, I have always straddled multiple worlds and seen the best of in all of my cultures. I still identify as Hapa — a Hawaiian term used to identify those who were mixed native Hawaiian with Caucasian and a term that has now been used to identify folks who are part-Asian. However, native Hawaiians have wanted to take back that term for its original intention, so us hapas are back to Square 1.

I now identify as a BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) and low-income (a.k.a born “poor” for San Francisco). I was able to achieve my current success through the numerous free or low-cost programs in SF like latchkey, free public schools, free dance classes, free swimming classes, free Summer Search program, etc. I am eternally grateful to the entire community for raising me and all of the scholarships I received so I could actually afford my dream college — UC Berkeley. I also took out subsidized loans, received work-study to work part-time at the library, and reduced costs by sharing books and copying them.

Even so, I’ve obviously have had major privileges, such as a tiger mother who always instilled the value of working hard, studying hard, and the importance of a college degree as well as a Masters Degree. I’ve also had the privilege of having highly educated Caucasian relatives, ancestors who came to the USA as the first Pilgrims, and being an American-born citizen.

Grateful for all of these experiences that have made me who I am today and I hope to continue creating a better world that is more equitable and joyful.