Don't Run On Empty: Practical Self-Care Tips For Parents

Meditate. Single mom and writer Ime Morales swears by meditation. For her, it relaxes, calms her down and "helps put things in perspective." She shares how it helps her, not only as a parent but as an individual: "I am able to think better and make better decisions. When the mind is cluttered, meditation can help with focus so there is more clarity."

She practices meditation every day and she tells other parents who want to start this practice to make it part of their daily ritual. This means carving out 5 to 10 minutes in one's day for some quiet time with no distraction. It can be anytime of the day depending on what is convenient, but it best done consistently, like every morning before sitting down to work or answer emails or before going to bed. To start, Ime recommends looking for online resources on meditation or using guided meditations on YouTube.

Run or walk once a day. Work-from-home mom Lena Katigbak is a firm believer in the benefits of walking. The Mayo Clinic in the U.S. calls walking an "ideal low-impact exercise," which when done regularly and coupled with a balanced diet, can help strengthen muscles and bones, prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes and improve one's mood. Lena attests to this as she takes at least one walk a day, as a break from working in front of her computer all day. She also says that it's her mini "escape" from the chaos in the house or work. She comes back refreshed and ready to take on whatever waits for her.

Take leisure time seriously. Leisure, by definition, is doing something that one enjoys and loves, whether it's done alone or with others. Doing errands, like grocery shopping, is definitely not leisure time even when you do it on your own. Think of a favorite hobby that gives you pure joy and expands a passion or a skill.

Kaye Cacho-Sitchon, an English teacher and mom of two, takes pleasure in baking goodies for her family and other people. She describes it as a way for her to "keep in tune" with who she is as an individual, which oftentimes "gets lost in the middle of raising kids and taking care of the home."

Connect with the people who matter. Self-care comes with surrounding yourself with people you care about. For parents, this circle of support usually goes beyond their kids and immediate family members, that is why they often take for granted the nearest source of support they have—their own spouse or partner.

Kaye sums up why date night with her husband is crucial in their role as heads of the family. It can be a simple coffee or dinner or movie date but what's important is "the time for real conversations" about themselves and what's happening in their lives.

Stop the worry. Worrying is a natural habit for parents—they just cannot stop thinking about both small and big things. Although too much worrying may not be good for anyone, the good thing that comes out of it is taking action to stop it.

Parents now have more choices and options to prepare for any eventuality in the future. Life is always full of surprises—such as finding out that one is suffering from a critical illness despite one's healthy living. It is a good thing that there are insurance products that can help parents prepare for unexpected situations such as this.

With BPI AIA's Wellness Series Critical Care Plus and Critical Care Max, parents can be assured that their family's needs are met when they are diagnosed with any covered critical illnesses. Even without critical illness, these plans also pave the way for building the family health fund for future use, as well as allow parents to invest their wealth and make it grow.

Parents who recognize the importance of self-care will get additional rewards under these products. Through the BPI AIA Vitality program which they automatically become part of, parents who are insured will get upfront 20% additional coverage, which can increase up to a maximum 50%, as their AIA Vitality status improve by living a healthy, and active lifestyle.

Self-care starts with taking care of the "me", but parents can take it one step further through the BPI AIA health and wellness initiaitives . Learn more about Wellness Series through BPI AIA's Bancassurance Sales Executives, ready to assist at any BPI branch nationwide.