Give the gift of self-care: prioritise your mum’s mental well-being this Mother’s Day

Motherhood is a beautiful journey filled with endless love and cuddles. It’s one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences for many women, but it’s also no walk in the park. The responsibilities and pressures that comes with the role is huge, and there’s often an ‘invisible load of Motherhood’ that goes unnoticed by others¹.

For most of us, our mums are the ones who keep the household running smoothly, constantly looking after everyone’s needs and always making sure that we are taken care of. As we begin ‘adulting’ and take on more responsibilities, we come to fully appreciate just how much they have done for us.

However, it’s easy for us to overlook the fact that our mums often put their own needs aside to tend to ours. As a result, their own needs may not be as well taken care of. This Mother’s Day, let’s show our mums our appreciation by supporting their mental health and well-being. These are often ‘invisible’ and not easily seen, but they’re just as vital as other aspects of well-being. If you are wondering how to go about supporting your mums, here’s how you can approach it.

Supporting mum’s mental well-being

Lend a helping hand

Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. This rings true when it comes to supporting our mums’ mental health. One way to start is by assisting with her workload. See her laying the table? Why not step in to help. By taking on some of her responsibilities, you can ease some of the stress that she carries every day and improve her mental well-being. This also shows that you understand and appreciate the work that she does.

So, the next time your mum is tired or needs help with an errand, lend a hand with enthusiasm and a smile.

Be emotionally supportive

Other times, all our mums need is a little emotional support from us. Being there for them can have a profound impact on their well-being², as human connection promotes mental and physical health³ and lowers anxiety⁴. Simple gestures such as offering a listening ear, a hug, or simply your presence, can go a long way in supporting their mental well-being.

Start a conversation on mental wellness

Starting a conversation about mental well-being and mental health with loved ones can be difficult, but it’s an important step in enhancing their overall health and well-being. Have these talks with empathy, care, and tact as they can be emotionally charged and delicate. If you need some tips, HealthHub provides valuable insights on how to have these conversations about mental well-being with our loved ones.

Encourage self-care

Despite misconceptions that self-care is merely an excuse for overindulgence or that it’s a luxury that we simply don’t have time for, it does play a part in enhancing mental health. Self-care can help prevent burnout and exhaustion⁵. Help your hardworking mum to take time to unwind and rejuvenate. You could also give her the time and space to prioritise her own needs and encourage her to do the things she enjoys, such as reading, exercising, or spending time with family and friends.

If you’re looking for meaningful Mother’s Day activities that you can do with your mum, why not consider some of these activities:

• Attend a workshop or class on a topic that interests both of you, such as painting, photography, or cooking
• A relaxing spa day at home with face masks and aromatherapy
• Do something that she likes, such as watching a movie, going hiking, or playing mahjong

Both of you can have a good time, relax and unwind, and create happy memories together.

Going beyond mental health

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only improves physical health, but also sustains mental well-being⁶.  According to research, exercise is strongly linked to happiness⁷. So if your mum is feeling low today, lifting her mood could be as simple as accompanying her for a 30-minute walk around the neighbourhood.

Healthy habits like getting a good night’s sleep and having a balanced diet can also help improve her mental and physical outcomes, and even reduce the risk of developing depression⁸ or critical illness⁹ such as cancer.

In addition, going for regular health check-ups as she ages is crucial to manage existing health concerns and ensure she stays in good health.

Surprisingly, mental health and financial well-being are also closely intertwined, both contributing to overall health and happiness.

When your mum worries about expenses, retirement, or rising cost of living, it could understandably evoke feelings of anxiety and create financial stress. In turn, it could affect her mental wellness. Research has also shown that stress raises our cortisol levels¹⁰, and could lead to health problems if the levels remain persistently high.

You can consider some of these ways to provide her with a peace of mind, such as addressing her financial concerns, creating a financial safety net, and establishing a comprehensive financial plan. For example, a financial safety net can include emergency savings, insurance and CPF contributions.

These steps will also be crucial for strengthening her financial security and enables her to enjoy her later years comfortably, happily and confidently. Talking about finances can be uncomfortable but they can help you and your mum prepare for her old age.

Helping your mum stay financially protected

There are many ways to express our love and taking care of our mums’ well-being is certainly a meaningful one.

For example, buying critical illness insurance for your mum is a caring and proactive gesture. It helps ensure that she’s prepared for unexpected health challenges and can focus on her recovery without worrying about treatment costs and other expenses.

FWD offers Big 3 Critical Illness insurance, an affordable, no-frills plan which provides financial protection for all stages of cancer, late-stage heart attack, and late-stage stroke – which these three critical illnesses make up 90% of all critical illness claims in Singapore¹¹. Upon a successful claim, you will receive 100% sum insured or total premiums paid (whichever is higher), providing you with full flexibility to utilise the sum for your treatment or on other commitments.

For a more comprehensive plan, the FWD Critical Illness Plus insurance covers 37 late-stage critical illnesses, as well as early to intermediate stages of cancer, heart attack, and stroke. With this plan, you’ll continue to enjoy coverage for late-stage critical illnesses even after an initial claim¹².

Learn more about our ongoing insurance promotions for more discounts.