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Shannon Kobylarczyk Calls Attention to Hidden Mental Health Strain on Wisconsin’s Working Families

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  • Attorney and former corporate legal executive Shannon Kobylarczyk, based in Wisconsin, urges local employers and families to treat mental health as a core part of daily life, not an afterthought.

Wisconsin, US, 22nd January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Attorney and former corporate legal executive Shannon Kobylarczyk is calling on Wisconsin communities to confront a growing issue that often remains invisible behind office doors and closed front doors: the mental health strain on working adults who are also caregivers.

Drawing on her own experience balancing a demanding legal career with family responsibilities and a child’s serious medical condition, Kobylarczyk frames the problem as both personal and systemic.

“Too many professionals in Wisconsin are carrying intense workloads at the office and at home, but only one of those shows up in their job description,” said Kobylarczyk. “By the time the stress is visible to others, it is often already a crisis for that person and their family.”

Recent regional trends suggest that the pressure is rising:

  • In Wisconsin, tens of thousands of adults report symptoms of anxiety or depression in a typical year, with many also managing work and caregiving at the same time.

  • Local providers in the greater Milwaukee and Green Bay areas report wait times of weeks or months for non urgent mental health appointments.

  • National studies have found that working parents of children with serious health needs are significantly more likely to experience burnout compared to peers.

  • Employers across the Midwest continue to expand hybrid and flexible work options, but many employees still feel they must appear “always on” to be seen as committed.

 

Kobylarczyk notes that high achieving professionals can be especially at risk.

“People who are used to pushing through in school, in sports, and in their careers are often the last ones to admit they need help,” she explained. “They tell themselves they can handle one more project, one more late night, one more crisis, until something finally gives.”

Her own turning point came after years of prioritizing the needs of colleagues, family members, and community commitments ahead of her own wellbeing.

“I wish I had treated therapy and rest the same way I treated a board meeting or a filing deadline,” Kobylarczyk said. “If it is not on the calendar, it is the first thing to go when life gets busy, and life is almost always busy.”

She argues that the conversation about success in places like Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Jackson needs to change.

“In Wisconsin, we take pride in hard work and loyalty,” she added. “Those are strengths, but they can become risks if we treat asking for help as a failure instead of a smart, responsible step.”

 

Local action list: 10 steps people can take this week

Kobylarczyk encourages working adults, especially caregivers, to focus on simple, local actions rather than waiting for a perfect moment.

  1. Schedule one appointment
    Book a check in with a primary care doctor or mental health professional, even if it is just a first conversation.

  2. Block one true break on your calendar
    Protect at least one hour this week as non negotiable time for rest, a walk, or quiet reading.

  3. Tell one trusted person how you are really doing
    Share an honest update with a partner, friend, or colleague instead of the usual “I’m fine.”

  4. Review your employer benefits
    Look at your company’s health plan, employee assistance program, and time off policies to see what support is already available.

  5. Shorten one commitment
    If you usually stay late by default, pick one day to leave on time and practice setting a boundary.

  6. Create a simple “signal” at home
    Agree with family members on a phrase or sign that means “I am overwhelmed and need a short reset,” and respect it when it is used.

  7. Limit one source of stress media
    Reduce doom scrolling or constant news for a few days and see how your mood responds.

  8. Connect with another caregiver
    Reach out to a parent, friend, or colleague who is also juggling medical, school, or elder care responsibilities and swap practical tips.

  9. Write down your top three non negotiables
    List the three things you want to protect each week, such as sleep, one family meal, or a workout, and plan around them.

  10. Take one small step at work
    Ask about flexible hours, clarify priorities with your manager, or suggest a check in about workload and wellbeing.

 

How to find trustworthy local resources

Kobylarczyk recommends that Wisconsin residents look for help close to home, using a few simple filters:

  • Start with known networks
    Ask your primary care clinic, health system, or your child’s care team for names of local mental health providers.

  • Use your insurance directory carefully
    Search your plan’s in network list, then call to confirm that providers are accepting new patients and working with adults, children, or families as needed.

  • Check employer resources
    Many companies offer confidential counselling through employee assistance programs, as well as referrals to community services.

  • Look for reputable local organisations
    Seek out established hospitals, community health centres, and recognised nonprofits rather than unverified online offers.

  • Pay attention to fit
    It is acceptable to try more than one therapist or support group before you find the right match for your situation.

“Big change often starts with one small, local step,” Kobylarczyk said. “You do not have to fix everything this week. You only have to decide that your mental health belongs on the list.”

Kobylarczyk encourages every reader in Wisconsin to choose one concrete action from the local list and complete it within the next seven days, whether that is booking an appointment, having a real conversation with a friend, or reviewing available benefits at work.

“Success is not just about how much you can handle,” she said. “It is about whether you are still standing in a way that lets you enjoy the life you are working so hard to build. Take one local step today to protect that.”

 

About Shannon Kobylarczyk

Shannon Kobylarczyk is an attorney and former corporate legal executive based in Wisconsin. She began her career in accounting after earning a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Norbert College, then completed a part time Juris Doctor at Marquette University Law School while working full time and raising two young children. She later served in senior in house legal roles with responsibility for securities, corporate governance, ethics and compliance, and trademark matters. Her lived experience as a working mother and caregiver informs her focus on mental health, nontraditional education paths, and sustainable definitions of success.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

Stephanie Woods Launches a 7-Day Repair Readiness Challenge

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  • A simple daily habit to reduce stress around home repairs and decisions

Florida, US, 22nd January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Stephanie Woods, President of Airheads HVAC and CEO of AH Financial, has launched a public 7-day personal challenge designed to help individuals build a practical habit around home repair readiness. The challenge focuses on small daily actions that make repairs less stressful, less delayed, and easier to manage when something breaks.

The idea grew out of Woods’ work in residential services and repair financing. Over time, she has seen the same problem repeat itself. Repairs often become harder not because they are complex, but because people are unprepared when urgency hits.

“I see people freeze when something breaks because they have not thought about it ahead of time,” Woods says. “A little preparation changes how decisions feel.”

 

Why This Habit Matters

Home repair readiness is not about money tips or technical skills. It is about awareness and timing. Research and industry data consistently show why this matters:

  • Over 60 percent of homeowners delay critical repairs because they feel unprepared or overwhelmed.

  • Emergency repairs cost up to three times more than planned maintenance.

  • Most home system failures happen outside regular business hours, increasing stress and rushed decisions.

  • Households that plan even basic repair steps report lower disruption and faster resolution.

Woods believes preparation is a habit, not a one time task.

“You don’t need a big plan,” she says. “You need a small one you can keep.”

 

The 7-Day Repair Readiness Challenge

Each day includes a short task that takes 5 to 10 minutes. No special tools. No technical knowledge.

Day 1: Notice
Walk through your home and write down one thing that feels old, loud, or unreliable. Do not fix it. Just notice it.

Day 2: Name
Label that issue clearly. Example: air unit makes noise or water heater age unknown. Clear language reduces stress later.

Day 3: Learn
Look up the average lifespan of that item. No deep research. One simple search.

Day 4: Prepare
Write down one question you would ask a professional if it failed tomorrow.

Day 5: Map
Identify who you would call first. A company, a contact, or a service category.

Day 6: Time Check
Think about when repairs would be hardest for your household. Weekends, nights, or work hours.

Day 7: Reset
Create a simple note titled Home Repairs. Keep it somewhere easy to find. Add what you learned.

“This is about staying calm when things go wrong,” Woods says. “Calm comes from clarity.”

 

Share Your Progress

Participants are encouraged to share their experience, but it is optional.

Public post prompts:

  • Day 1: One thing in my home I never thought about before

  • Day 4: The question I wish I had asked sooner

  • Day 7: One way I feel more prepared than last week

Private option:
For those who prefer not to post, Woods encourages keeping a private note or journal. Progress still counts.

“You do not need an audience to improve your life,” she says.

 

Join the Challenge

The challenge is open to anyone and free to join. Participants can start any day.

The goal is simple. Reduce stress. Improve readiness. Make better decisions under pressure.

“Prepared people make clearer choices,” Woods says. “This challenge is about giving yourself that advantage.”

Join the 7-Day Repair Readiness Challenge today and start with Day 1. Five minutes. One habit. Real impact.

 

About Stephanie Woods

Stephanie Woods is the President of Airheads HVAC and the CEO of AH Financial, a residential repair lending institution that partners with trade companies. She built her career through hands-on experience in the trades, real estate investing, and business operations. Her work focuses on practical systems that help homeowners and contractors move forward when repairs are urgent. She is also active in local community organizations and charitable boards in Pasco County, Florida.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

Dr. Ariel Rad Releases Free “15-Minute Face Plan” Checklist for Everyday Decisions

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  • Dr. Ariel N. Rad, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon and co-founder of SHERBER+RAD in Washington, D.C., shares a practical resource for clearer, safer facial aesthetic decisions.

DC, US, 22nd January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Dr. Ariel N. Rad has released a free, public resource designed for everyday individuals who feel overwhelmed by facial aesthetic choices and the pressure to act quickly. The downloadable checklist, called The 15-Minute Face Plan, helps people clarify goals, ask better questions, and avoid rushed decisions that can lead to wasted money, time, and stress.

The resource is intentionally simple. It is meant for people at any stage, from those who are only curious to those actively booking consultations.

“A lot of people are not looking for a new face,” Rad said. “They are looking for a plan that makes sense and does not create regret.”

The checklist reflects the approach Rad is known for in his practice: evidence-based thinking, long-term coherence, and results that look believably natural.

“I treat this like a systems problem,” Rad said. “If the goal is unclear, the plan will drift.”

 

The real-world cost of rushed decisions

The resource was created in response to a pattern Rad sees often: people arriving with a list of options, but no framework to choose between them.

To quantify the cost of the problem, the resource includes four simple, real-life cost markers people can calculate in minutes:

  • Time cost: Three consultations plus travel can easily total 6 to 10 hours in a single month, especially when appointments run long and schedules shift.
  • Decision fatigue: If you research for 30 minutes a day for two weeks, that is 7 hours of scrolling, comparing, and second-guessing.
  • Budget drift: Buying “one more” product each week at even a modest amount adds up to 12 extra purchases in 3 months, often without a clear plan or baseline.
  • Recovery mismatch: If you underestimate downtime by even 3 to 5 days, the cost shows up fast in missed work, canceled plans, and stress at home.

“The hidden cost is not just money,” Rad said. “It is the mental load of making a high-stakes decision without a map.”

 

What’s inside the free resource

The 15-Minute Face Plan includes:

  • A one-page checklist for defining your goal in plain language
  • A consult question script focused on safety, recovery, and long-term outcomes
  • A quick self-audit to check whether you are deciding from clarity or pressure
  • A short section on what “natural” can mean, written as practical guardrails

“If your plan cannot survive a week of waiting, it is not a plan,” Rad said. “It is urgency dressed up as confidence.”

 

Use this in 15 minutes

You can complete the checklist in one sitting. Here is the intended flow:

  1. Write your one-sentence goal (examples: look less tired, look more rested, soften one feature).
  2. Pick your top three non-negotiables (privacy, minimal downtime, no trend-based treatments, etc.).
  3. Circle your risk tolerance (low, medium, high) and match it to realistic recovery time.
  4. Use the consult script and copy the questions into your notes app.
  5. Finish with the pressure check: Are you deciding because you want to, or because you feel behind?

“The best outcomes tend to come from fewer steps that fit together,” Rad said. “Not a long list of disconnected fixes.”

 

Common mistakes people make

The resource also includes a short warning section on avoidable mistakes. Dr. Rad highlights the patterns he sees most often:

  1. Choosing a procedure before defining the goal
  2. Using someone else’s face as the reference point
  3. Ignoring recovery and focusing only on the procedure
  4. Treating skincare, lasers, and surgery as separate worlds
  5. Asking only about the best-case scenario, not the realistic range
  6. Confusing “popular” with “right for me”
  7. Moving forward while feeling rushed or emotionally spun up
  8. Not writing questions down, then forgetting them in the moment

Download the free 15-Minute Face Plan today at drarielnrad.com, set a timer for 15 minutes, and complete the checklist before you book anything or buy anything new. Then choose one of the checklist actions, commit to it for 7 days, and share the resource with a friend who is feeling pressured or uncertain.

 

About Dr. Ariel Rad

Dr. Ariel N. Rad is a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon based in Washington, D.C. He is the co-founder of SHERBER+RAD, established in 2014 with Dr. Noëlle S. Sherber, integrating dermatology and plastic surgery in one practice with an emphasis on privacy and evidence-based care. Dr. Rad trained in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Johns Hopkins and served on the faculty as Assistant Professor and Director of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. His clinical focus includes facial aesthetic surgery and microvascular reconstructive surgery, and he has performed more than 3,000 facelifts using deep-plane and endoscopic techniques developed over two decades of surgical experience.

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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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Press Release

Asif Sheikh Launches Personal Pledge To Raise Everyday Standards in Client Trust and Team Mentoring

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  • Asif Sheikh, Vice President of Sales in Saint Charles, Illinois, is committing to a personal pledge focused on client trust, attention to detail, and mentoring the next generation of sales professionals.

Illinois, US, 22nd January 2026, ZEX PR WIRE, Asif Sheikh, Vice President of Sales, has announced a new personal pledge focused on one simple idea: everyday standards in business matter more than big slogans. The pledge centers on client trust, error prevention, and mentoring, and is designed as a practical response to how work gets done in busy sales and production environments.

“For me, success is how well the people around me are doing, not just my own numbers or title,” Sheikh has said, describing how he measures his impact over time. He has spent more than three decades in the Sales industry, building long term relationships with clients and colleagues.

He traces the pledge to the reality of a long career inside one company. “If you cut corners, those choices will come back to you. If you treat people well, that also comes back,” he has explained. That view has shaped his belief that consistency, not quick wins, is what keeps trust intact.

Attention to detail is another thread running through the pledge. “In our business, small errors are expensive,” he has noted, pointing to the cost of mistakes in print runs, mailing schedules, and client expectations.

Mentoring has also become a key part of his definition of success. “When I look at a year, I do not just look at revenue. I ask myself which people are stronger now than they were twelve months ago,” he has said.

Together, these ideas form the backbone of his new personal pledge.

The Personal Pledge – 7 Specific Commitments

As part of the announcement, Sheikh is making the following seven commitments as concrete, daily behaviors:

  1. Respond to every client and internal message within one business day, even if only to acknowledge receipt and set a time for a full reply.

  2. Use a written checklist for every complex project, covering specs, quantities, approvals, and handoffs, and review it before anything goes to production.

  3. Schedule one mentoring conversation each week with a colleague, focused on a real project or challenge, not abstract advice.

  4. Review at least one “near miss” or mistake per month with the team, focusing on what the system can learn, not on blame.

  5. Block two hours a week for deep planning time, away from email, to review pipeline, quiet accounts, and emerging risks.

  6. Say no to any client commitment that cannot be delivered reliably, even if it means losing a short term opportunity.

  7. Invest in at least one structured learning activity each quarter, such as a course module or workshop, and share one key takeaway with the team.

 

Why This Issue Matters Now – Key Stats

This pledge comes at a time when client trust and execution quality are under pressure across many industries:

  • Studies show that more than half of customers stop working with a company after a single bad experience, often linked to poor follow through or errors.

  • Surveys consistently find that trust and reliability outrank price for many B2B buyers when choosing long term partners.

  • Research on workplace mistakes suggests that a large share of costly errors are preventable, often tied to skipped checklists or rushed communication.

  • Employee engagement data shows that people with a mentor at work are more likely to stay and to feel their work has meaning, which directly affects service quality.

These patterns mirror what Sheikh has seen over decades in sales and project work, where one missed detail or unreturned call can undo years of steady effort.

 

Do It Yourself Toolkit – 10 Actions Anyone Can Take

Sheikh is inviting others to adapt the pledge in their own way. The following ten actions are designed for individuals and do not require any paid services or tools:

  1. Create a simple daily “promise list” of three commitments you made to others that must be closed by end of day.

  2. Adopt a project checklist template for complex tasks and keep it in a shared folder for your team.

  3. Set a standard response time for yourself, such as “respond to all emails within 24 hours,” and track it for a month.

  4. Run a monthly “error review” where you write down one mistake, what caused it, and one change that would prevent it.

  5. Pick one person to mentor or support, even informally, and schedule a recurring 30 minute check in.

  6. Block recurring calendar time for focused work, protecting at least one uninterrupted hour twice a week.

  7. Write a short personal definition of success, including how it affects others, and keep it visible at your desk.

  8. Ask two key clients or colleagues each quarter, “What is one thing I could do better for you,” and note the answers.

  9. Take one short course or training each quarter, even a free one, and apply a single idea to a real project.

  10. End each week with a five minute review, listing one win, one lesson, and one thing to improve next week.

 

30 Day Progress Tracker

To help individuals stay accountable, Sheikh suggests a simple 30 day progress tracker:

Week 1

  • Define your personal pledge in one paragraph.

  • Choose three of the ten toolkit actions to focus on.

  • Track daily whether you met your response time standard.

Week 2

  • Add one more toolkit action.

  • Run your first error review and write down one system change.

  • Have one mentoring or support conversation.

Week 3

  • Review your checklist usage on at least two projects.

  • Ask one client or colleague for feedback on your reliability.

  • Protect two focused work blocks and note what you achieved.

Week 4

  • Take a short learning module or read a focused article and apply one idea.

  • Review your month: where did you keep the pledge, where did you fall short.

  • Adjust your pledge for the next 30 days based on what you learned.

Sheikh is inviting professionals across industries to adopt their own version of this pledge. He encourages readers to write down a personal commitment to client trust, detail, and mentoring, use the toolkit for 30 days, and share both the pledge and the toolkit with colleagues and peers.

 

About Asif Sheikh

Asif Sheikh is Vice President of Sales and is based in Saint Charles, Illinois. He has spent more than 30 years in the industry, focusing on revenue growth, client relationships, and new business development. His career centers on attention to detail, long term client partnerships, and mentoring colleagues. He has completed professional coursework through Harvard Online and eCornell and volunteers with Feed My Starving Children.

About Author

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Digi Observer journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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