Author: Jaclyn Lutanco-Chua

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Financial Wellness

5 Tips For Financial Wellness During the Holidays

The Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year, but in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it can be stressful for team members who are grappling with reduced income and yet feel that they have to spend to celebrate properly. So instead of feeling love, peace, and joy this Christmas, they end up feeling stressed, anxious, and guilty. 

“Financial worries can lead to poor mental health and productivity.” says Mariel Bitanga, a financial planner and founder of Simply Finance, a boutique financial planning firm committed to empowering women. “And it can get worse during this time of the year when people end up overspending and enter January with less savings or in debt.” 

To ease the anxiety and achieve financial wellness, your team needs to be more mindful and responsible about how they manage their money during the holiday season. Here are some suggestions you can share with them: 

  1. Start early. Ideally, planning for the holidays should begin in the months leading to December, not during December itself. This way, you have a head start in setting aside cash and avoid the panic that comes with scrounging for funds when D-Day comes along. MindNation WellBeing Coaches are available for teletherapy sessions 24/7 to help your team set goals and build better habits. Visit http://www.mindnation.com to know more about the MindNation CareNow Plan©.
  1. Make a list, check it twice, and stick to it. Just as your parents taught you to never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach because you’ll end up buying more food than you originally planned, neither should you do your holiday shopping without a ready list of recipients and corresponding budget.
  1. Great gifts don’t need to be expensive. “Scour online for cheap but useful finds,” Mariel advises. “If you are crafty, make something out of your own hands. Lastly, promote sustainability by normalizing giving secondhand gifts, like a dress that doesn’t fit you anymore but you know will look good on your friend.”

    Gifts can also be non-material. “During these tough times, a simple gesture or word of encouragement will mean the world to someone who is struggling,” assures Mariel.
  1. “Don’t go into debt just to impress people or make them happy,” Mariel says. This means you shouldn’t feel obliged to give gifts if you really cannot afford it. “If the gift giver is sincere and a real friend, they will not expect anything in return; just don’t forget to say ‘thank you,’” she adds.
  1. When all the spending is done, reflect on what you could have done better and set your goals for NEXT YEAR. “Financial responsibility entails a lot of self-reflection,” Mariel reminds. “When you have the time, sit down and audit your finances. Think about what you can improve on, and what your financial goals are for the following year so that you can start preparing.” A financial planner can help you outline your goals in an objective manner, help you make sense of the computations, and create recommendations and action steps to fulfill those goals. “We’re here to give advice and present a clearer picture about your financial status,” Mariel explains.

And in case you do overspend or miss out on your financial goals this Christmas season, forgive yourself. “We are going through tough times right now, so don’t be too hard on yourself,” Mariel assures. “There are always ways to change the financial plan and save more, you just have to be creative and trust the process.”

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Get Inspired Mental Health 101 Self Help

Happy Hour: 8 Simple Ways To Unwind After A Stressful Day

At the end of a long and tiring day, it’s tempting to just plop down on the bed and sleep off the stress. But research has shown that doing so has the adverse effect of keeping you up at night because you did not give your body and brain the time to detach from work mode.   

Instead of trying to go straight to sleep, do some fun and relaxing activities first to clear out the stressful and negative emotions that stayed with you throughout the day. Once you have sufficiently decompressed, you will sleep better and wake up the following day more refreshed and prepared for the challenges ahead. 

Here are some suggestions for unwinding:

  • Take a warm bath

A warm bath is perfect for relaxing because it activates the body’s parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for the rest-and-digest response that occurs in our body when we’re at rest) and it relaxes the muscles. Make sure that you give yourself enough time to truly enjoy the bath. A rushed shower will not help you feel very relaxed.

  • Use aromatherapy

Aromatherapy uses aromatic essential oils medicinally to improve the health of the body, mind, and spirit. Oils like lavender and lemon in particularly are used to improve sleep. If you are hesitant about lighting scented candles, purchase a diffuser instead and plug it in your bedroom or bathroom. 

  • Listen to music

Music is a powerful stress management tool – it has been proven to help slow heart rate, decrease stress hormones, and lower blood pressure. Singing along to your favorite songs can also take your mind off your worries. So listen to your favorite playlist or CD while you get ready for bed.

  • Drink tea

Tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that reduces mental and physical stress and keeps us calm. If you have the time, brew a pot from loose tea leaves rather than simply dunking a tea bag in a cup. 

  • Meditate

Science has shown that controlled breathing can help manage stress. Find a quiet spot where you can sit properly, then take slow, deep, measured breaths that swell your abdomen rather than your rib cage. Stay this way for five to 10 minutes. You can even use meditation apps like Headspace or Calm to guide you.

  • Indulge in some comfort food

If you have three or more hours to spare before bedtime, have a proper dinner. Avoid caffeine or sugary foods though, because these can mess with your sleep. Instead, fill your plate with whole grain carbohydrates, leafy vegetables, fatty fish, and fruits.

  • Ignore your phone

Responding to messages and repeatedly checking social media can amount to a serious energy drain and increase in stress, so switch your phone to silent mode as soon as you get home, and put it someplace where you cannot readily see it so that you won’t be tempted to take a peek when temptation strikes. 

  • Laugh

Laughter is the best medicine for stress. It relaxes the whole body, triggers the release of endorphins, and reduces stress hormones. Watch a few episodes of your favorite sitcoms, goof around with pets or children, or go to karaoke bar with friends.

Always take time to relax after a long day at work. Simple things like taking a warm bath or eating a warm dinner with friends can rejuvenate your mind and body and get you ready for a brand new day tomorrow.

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Featured Get Inspired Mental Health 101 Self Help

7 Ways To Become More Everyday

Mindfulness is defined by the dictionary as a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without judgement. 

In today’s fast-paced world, getting many things done in the shortest time possible is seen as a benchmark of success. Slowing down and staying focused on the present is seen as unproductive and a waste of time. But practicing mindfulness has been scientifically proven to have benefits. These include:

Improved overall well-being: Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, it helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with challenging events. By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are able to form deeper connections with others.

Improved physical health. Mindfulness can help relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, and alleviate digestive difficulties.

Improved mental health. Psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including: depression, substance abuse, eating disorders, couples’ conflicts, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

How to practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is not about sitting cross-legged and meditating for hours; rather, it’s making a deliberate attempt to focus on your present thoughts, feelings, and activities. This means you can practice mindful living in your everyday activities. Here are 7 ways:

  1. Mindful eating

Mindless eating occurs when you simply go through the motions of putting food in your mouth and your thoughts are somewhere else – i.e. on the tv show in front of you, on the newsfeeds of your social media accounts, or on the difficult emotions that you are trying to comfort through food. When you eat without focus, it can contribute to physical problems like overeating and consuming too much salt or sugar.

Mindful eating is simply pay attention to what you are eating. Really see what is on your plate, so that you can check if you are eating a balanced meal. Junk foods should be taken in moderation, if not kept to a minimum. Don’t gobble everything in one go; chew the food slowly to make it easier for your stomach to digest it. Savor the tastes. Notice when you are getting full so that you can stop. When you become more intentional about what you’re eating, you’ll be better equipped to focus on fueling your body with the nutrition it needs.

  1. Mindful listening. 

When someone is talking to you, give him your full attention. Look at him in the eye instead of doing work, chores, or scrolling through your phone. Accord your companion the respect that you would also like to receive. 

  1. Mindful communication.

When you talk to someone, think before responding, especially if the subject is contentious. Don’t interrupt — wait until they finish talking before responding. 

Do not lash out in anger, as it can make the situation worse. Pay attention to how you are feeling, then see if you can give your opinions calmly and rationally.

  1. Engage in day-to-day activities mindfully.

Do you ever have trouble recalling whether you’ve brushed your teeth already before going to bed? Or do you sometimes forget why you walked into a certain room? Those are signs that you have a lot of things going on in your mind and you aren’t being mindful. The best way to focus on the present is to tune in to the physical sensations of the activity at hand, becoming fully aware of everything you do, and not thinking about anything else.

So if you are brushing your teeth, savor the feel of the warm water in your mouth, of the bristles going around your teeth, or of the minty fresh flavor of the toothpaste. If you are about to go into a room to get something, think about what the object looks like and how it will feel to grasp it in your hands. Don’t think about doing other things if you have not yet completed the task that you originally set out to do.

  1. Take pauses throughout the day

If you are having a busy day and are moving from one task to the next, it can be difficult to stay mindful. When this happens, try taking mini-breaks throughout the day to practice a few basic mindfulness exercises, like:

  • Focusing on your breath – inhale deeply through your nose, then exhale through the nose as well. The length of your inhales and exhales should be the same. Count your breaths; continue breathing in and out in an even manner until you reach one hundred.
  • Gentle stretches – chair yoga can be done without having to leave your desk, and it only takes 15 minutes 
  • Progressive muscle relaxation — work on tensing and relaxing your muscles, one muscle group at a time. With practice, you’ll learn to recognize when you’re tensing up certain parts of your body.
  1. Do one thing at a time

Many people equate multi-tasking with being productive, but the truth is when your brain is madly shifting from one activity to the next, it is losing attention and not retaining as much information as it should – so it ends up being very unproductive! The next time you are tempted to do more than one thing at the same time, bring your focus to the task that is more important. Put your phone on silent mode or log out of your social media accounts so that you will not be tempted to check every notification that pops up; set a timer for the amount of time you need to work, and it is only when time is up that you can move on to doing something else. 

  1. Accepting yourself

Lastly, the best way to stay focused on the present is to focus on yourself. This means perceiving your experience and simply acknowledging it rather than judging it as good or bad. For example, when you feel pain, whether it’s physical, (such as a painful shoulder) or mental (like depression or anxiety) don’t wallow in despair or blame yourself or others. Simply acknowledge what happened, learn what mistakes were made so you don’t repeat it in the future, then focus on things in the present that can make you happy.

Mindfulness is a “practice” because no one will get it when they first start, and no one can claim that they are living mindfully 100% of the time. It is human nature for the mind to wander and be distracted. But just keep trying and be patient; the goal is not to live mindfully all the time, but to do so more often than not. When you begin to focus on the present, you can start enjoying benefits like decreased stress, improved relationships (with others and with yourself), and greater overall happiness.