Caught in the Middle: Sandwich Generation Stress and the Importance of Social Wellness

The "Sandwich Generation" wakes up every morning with a lot on their plates. They not only have to provide support for themselves and their own children but also help to take care of aging parents. For many, this is both physically and mentally exhausting.¹ Unfortunately, with so little free time, many of those in this generation give little attention to their social wellness.

Why Social Wellness is Important

Social wellness is crucial to both physical and mental health. Those who are more socially isolated tend to suffer from more health concerns than those who lead a more socially active life. Social wellness also helps improve sleep, mitigates stress, and keeps you mentally sharp. Having a support system to engage with and help you make tackling life stresses a little easier.

Social Wellness Tips

Even making small changes to improve your social wellness could provide the benefits above. While it may be hard to find time in the day to work on your social wellness, it is vital to take some time to focus on yourself and your health.

Find a Support System

Surround yourself with people that you can count on and help to boost your mood. Even if the support circle is small, it could be enough to help you through the rough patches. It is always important to have someone to lean on and go to for advice when you need it most.²

Find a Hobby

Find something you enjoy doing that gets you out and socializing with others. Be sure to pick something that brings you happiness and allows you to get your mind off of your home responsibilities, at least for a little while. If you don't have much time for exercise, consider a physical activity such as hiking or joining a recreational team. If you want to give your mind a workout, you may want to join a local book club.²

Work on Communication

Improving your social wellness may mean you have to brush up on your communication skills. Knowing how to communicate your feelings and emotions properly to your loved ones and those in your support system helps you avoid some stress and even hurt feelings. Focus on active listening, make appropriate eye contact, and let your body language show you are invested in the conversation.²

Schedule Regular "Me" Time

With so many people to take care of in the home, focusing a few moments on yourself may be low on your priority list. Taking that quiet time for yourself is crucial to allowing yourself to stay centered and focused on what you need to do each day. Schedule a half-hour each day where you do something that relaxes you. Consider taking a bath, meditating, or doing yoga.

Improving social wellness when you have ever-mounting responsibilities may be difficult, but the mental, physical, and emotional benefits that come with it are worth the effort.

Important Disclosures:

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however LPL Financial makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy.

This article was prepared by WriterAccess.

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Footnotes

¹Why the 'sandwich generation' is so stressed out, BBC.com, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210128-why-the-sandwich-generatio...

²5 Steps to Improve Social Wellness, firelandshealth.com, https://www.firelands.com/blog/5-Steps-improve-social-wellness