As a nurse care manager at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska (BCBSNE), Jenny Hemmer helps the company’s members maintain their health through Wellframe, a mobile app.
Outside of the office, Hemmer makes wellness a priority for her and her family, too. She’s always been an avid runner and walker, logging 150 minutes of cardio each week, in addition to staying active with her two kids and the family dog.
This past year, Hemmer’s relationship with wellness changed; however, when she became a single mom.
“I have learned, you know, to give myself grace,” Hemmer says. “I’m still active, but things have changed significantly for me. So, my focus has been more on staying well through this adversity.”
Wellness for Hemmer is not just about physical activity. Staying well has consisted of getting a good night’s sleep, staying connected with others and finding time to exercise, which helps relieve stress.
She credits taking a break from social media, attending a support group, getting plugged into her faith community and attending sessions with a counselor during this transitional period as keeping her well while she’s faced adversity.
“I did a couple half marathons when I initially had started running,” Hemmer says. “I used to have a routine of telling myself as I pushed myself to do the long runs, ‘you didn’t wake up this morning to fail.’ That’s still something that I tell myself on days that I’m struggling.”
She still walks with her new puppy on her lunch breaks and trained with her daughter for the pacer test at school. She emphasizes that keeping active and mental health maintenance is key in staying on track in your wellness journey.
“You’ve got to try to do your best and to keep pushing forward,” Hemmer says.
She carries this mentality into working with her clients at BCBSNE. As a nurse care manager for high-risk pregnant women, she emphasizes staying healthy and active (if possible) while also staying aware of the effects of postpartum. Hemmer said she feels her own adversities in life have helped equip her to be there in the best possible way for her clients.
As she does with her clients, Hemmer encourages her fellow BCBSNE team members to find space for themselves at the end of the day.
“Give yourself grace,” Hemmer said. “When you get hit with something like a major life change, it’s not realistic that you are going be able to do everything on your own or do things at the level that you did previously. So, give yourself grace first and foremost.”
These days, Hemmer has a hectic schedule to keep up with, but she still finds time at the end of the day to get her physical activity in as it is a great stress reliever.
“I’m making sure to take care of myself so that I can in turn take care of the people around me.”
To read more stories like this one, visit Health and Wellness.
*Wise & Well is a monthly wellness series highlighting BCBSNE employees and their dedication to health and wellness.
