Working parents often prioritise their family’s needs over their own and find it difficult to take time for themselves. But its crucial they also look after their own well-being and not feel bad about it. Let’s take a Deep Dive.
💪 Parents are expected to be selfless, but raising children can be both physically and mentally exhausting. What if showing yourself some love every now and then doesn’t make you a bad parent, but a better one? Research suggests that parents who satisfy their own needs in addition to those of their family make better caregivers, workers and leaders.
😫 From a productivity standpoint, pushing aside your self-care needs such as getting enough sleep or having dinner with friends may suggest to those around you that you work hard, but not smart. This could take a toll on your professional image if people see you as someone who’s always tired and stressed out.
🧘 Finding success in one area of your life doesn’t always require you to compromise on another. Sometimes, it just takes having a few minutes of silence in the bathroom alone or a quick deep breathing workout to re-energise yourself to continue juggling work, parenting and everything else.
QUOTABLE
“To be a good parent, you need to take care of yourself so that you can have the physical and emotional energy to take care of your family.”
— Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States
BY THE NUMBERS
75% A study found that 75 percent of parents wish they spent more time taking care of themselves.
17 Studies found that parents only have somewhere between 17 to 32 minutes of “me time” a day on average.
4 In Singapore, 4 out of 5 women have reported experiencing “mum guilt”.
39% Around 39 percent of men versus 32 percent of women say they consistently make time for self-care.
90% 90 percent of parenting is just thinking about when you can lie down again. (Note: not a scientifically proven statistic, but it does make a great title for a notebook.)
QUIZ
According to a 2018 study, what percentage of parents are at risk of experiencing parental burnout?
A. 14 percent
B. 26 percent
C. 39 percent
Scroll to the bottom of the email for the answer.
DID YOU KNOW?
We all have a different idea of what constitutes as “self-care”. According to a study by Birchbox, the company behind the eponymous beauty box subscription service, mothers are more likely to associate self-care with looking after their bodies or pampering themselves, while fathers—and men in general—are more likely to link it to exercise and fitness.
Giphy
THE EDIT
5 Stories To Get You Up To Speed
The Hidden Benefits Of Self-Care For Working Parents Fast Company
Why Self-Care Is An Important Part Of Parenting, And How To Make Time For It The Washington Post
Are You A Burnt-Out Parent? It's Just As Important To Look After Yourself The Straits Times
Self-Care Strategies for Parents When You Have No Time for Yourself Healthline
Watching Love Island or using your phone in bed won't better your physical or mental well-being. Getting your body moving and feeding it nourishing food will
GEN.T SPOTLIGHT
One Honouree To Know
Roshni Mahtani
Roshni founded Tickled Media, a digital media company that owns parenting content platforms such as theAsianparent, which is the largest portal of its kind in Southeast Asia, with 35 million monthly active users from 13 countries across Asia and Africa. READ MORE
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Did you miss our Deep Dive on The Truth About ESG Investing? Read it here
ONE FINAL THING
Next-Level Parenting Tools
Inventors and developers, what if you designed a Grab-like ride service solely for driving tired, crying babies around town until they fall asleep? Or a voice assistant to help parents answer their toddler’s adorable but never-ending list of questions? For more inspiration, check out this list of parenting services that we wish existed.
NEXT TIME
How Technology Is Taking Over Our Entire Love Life
Unsplash
The Deep Dive is taking a brief hiatus and will come back later this month with a shiny new look as a bi-weekly newsletter. Don't worry: it'll still be The Deep Dive, just with a bit of a 2021 makeover.
That's it for this issue. Have a productive week!
The Deep Dive is a bi-weekly close-up look at an idea, issue or trend that’s shaping Asia’s future. This issue was written by Chong Seow Wei, with editing and production by Samantha Topp and Lee Williamson.
We’d love to know what you think of this issue, and future topics you’d like us to cover. Please send your comments to editor@generationt.asia. And if you missed it, don’t forget to check out last week’s Deep Dive, on The Truth About ESG Investing.
You are receiving this email because you are on a Tatler Asia mailing list. If you don't want to receive newsletters from Generation T, please unsubscribe here.
Giphy
