WB Women entrepreneurs taught to manage stress

Women have been urged to imbibe ways to reduce stress to be able to manage a successful business.

The call was made by the Chief Medical Director of St Catherine Specialist Hospital, Abuja, Dr John Okoye, at a seminar tagged Stress Management and Mental Health for Female Business Owners and Career Women organised by NECAs Network for Entrepreneurial women and HYGEIA HMO held in Abuja last weekend.

“The key message to women is to consider their health and total well being absolutely important. They can reduce stress by having six to seven hours of sleep daily. Meditating and relaxing in a serene environment helps to reduce stress as well as having a positive mind set.

“Also, eating well and being hydrated also help the body. You should drink at least three litres of water daily,” he said.

He further urged women to go for routine medical checks so that if there were issues coming up they can be handled early.

Vice chair of the network and a life coach, Abiola Olamodeji, also known as Madame Merola, spoke of the reason for the event. “We realised that one of the key things that affect women in business was stress.

“Also, a lot of women were wearing mask. They had a lot of turmoil and pain that they were hiding inside, so we decided to have an event where we unmask the real women and let them know that truly they need mental health and stress management to live a healthy life and run successful businesses,” she said.

One of the women entrepreneurs at the event, Mrs Christy Oluwaniyi, shares her experience at the event: “For me, I manage a school, Diadem International Academy in Suleja, so every day is like a stress zone.

“So it’s good that we have heard so many good things on how to keep out stress as women entrepreneurs. I learnt that I should have a brisk walk for 30 minutes three days every week which will help me live longer,” she said.

The representative of HYGEIA HMO, Grace Waniko urged women to register with a health insurance company which will help reduce cost of accessing healthcare in hospitals in the country.