Tips and tricks on how to secure maternal wellness
Indeed, one of the most crucial parts of our health and wellness depends on sleep.
Many mothers are superwomen. Even after a full day of work, they get household chores done, checking on your children’s homework, and so much more… Yet we always seem to hear about other mums who are able to accomplish even more in a single day.
It’s no surprise then, that mothers tend to fall prey to ‘mum guilt’ — 78% of mothers have experienced it, with 68% of mothers experiencing it once or twice a day1.
Majority cite, “not spending enough time with the children”, “not trying out new activities with the children” and “not being able to afford enough” as main reasons for feeling this guilt.
Motherhood is a life-changing journey — but wouldn’t it be nice if you could “mother” yourself too and maintain steam throughout the long road ahead? Me-time should exist whenever you decide for it to be, and you should know that it is okay to take this time you need for yourself. Here are some tips to get you started on this journey.
1. Health: the foundation of all self-care
Good health is wealth, as they always say, and only with physical wellbeing will you be ready to tackle the other challenges in your life. The key is in identifying and committing to what you intend to do . Like knocking your workout out first thing in the morning, catching up on extra sleep during your child’s nap time, or eating healthily instead of what is easy to cook (like instant food).
Practice being present and mindful — listen to your body and know when to take a break, even build self-care into your routine.
2. Make your Me-Time sacred
For this reason, it’s important to know how to protect your time well and be mindful of how you spend this time you allocate yourself.
This is how you’ll finally find the time to read that prosaic classic novel that you’ve been putting off for the last however-old-my-child-is years or have that overdue brunch or even night out with your friends.
You can also safeguard your me-time by organising and communicating ahead of time — use nifty tools like a family calendar or simply prepare your family in advance . Give this a try!
3. Harness your web of support systems
Humans are social creatures, not just for company, but also for support — which makes your support system is crucial . At work, check the kinds of leave and flexible work arrangements offered by your employer and see how you can use these entitlements to create some breathing space for yourself. And as always, you need to try and keep communication lines with your employer open5.
At home, it might help to have a roster sharing out all the household chores. Even better, get your child to help you out with whatever they can, and you’ll be teaching them life skills while getting some time off for yourself in the process. Two birds, anyone?
Do also ask for help from family and friends whenever you need it. These networks in your life can improve your level of wellbeing by providing you with an easier time balancing commitments to yourself and your children/family.
4. Peace of mind with financial wellness
One of the biggest reasons for mum guilt is the fact that parents feel they’re not financially capable of providing their children with what they want or need, like annual holidays, the latest toys, or extracurricular classes to explore different skill sets. But the fact of the matter is we should live with the future in mind. So, pay attention to your finances, and why not use it as a chance to teach your children about the virtue of practising delayed gratification too?
If it is memorable experiences that you want to create to expand your child’s horizons, you can also get creative and invent activities — for free. There are tons of such activities that you can do with your family which don't skimp on fun.
Ultimately, as mothers we never stop worrying for our children. So how else can you ensure your well-being and your capacity to give your family all you want to give?
Keep the above tips in mind, and get peace of mind when you sign up for PRUActive LinkGuard, a flexible investment-linked plan that caters to your child’s growing needs to secure their future and pursue their passions.
Interested in finding out more? Speak to a Prudential Financial Consultant today.
