Photo: Jeremiah Khoo
Cover Photo: Jeremiah Khoo

Looking for ways to squeeze in some self-care after work? Take some inspiration from our editors here at Tatler Singapore

Singaporeans are notoriously known for how hard they work. In fact, a recent survey ranked Singapore as the most fatigued country in the world and we are regularly known for being overworked and sometimes unhappy. 

Don’t miss: Opinion: Why I Go For Therapy and What I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Started 

Our transition to working from home as a result of the pandemic has certainly worsened the problem with the lines between work and our personal life blurring even more especially as some people are forced to work in the same environment that they also sleep and relax in. 

As we commemorate World Mental Health Day today (October 10), there is no better time to take stock of your life and to make sure that your relationship with work continues to be a healthy one with clear boundaries.

One of the best ways you can do that is to have a routine activity that you can do after a long day of work that will allow your mind to relax and your body to destress.

In fact, if working overtime has been your only after-work activity for a while, the Tatler team has produced a list of our personal favourite ways to destress after a long workday. Read on below.

Don’t miss: Athletes And Mental Health: 5 Insights From A Sports Psychologist 

1. Working out and podcasts

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"I love sweating it out with a long run by the river, plugged to a good podcast (Vox's Today Explained or Oprah's Super Soul Conversations are generally my go-to's). The endorphin rush helps clear my mind and readies me for the next phase of the day."

—Karishma Tulsidas, Editor-In-Chief

2. Crafting and jigsaw puzzles

Tatler Asia
Photo: Hong Xinying
Above Photo: Hong Xinying
Tatler Asia
Photo: Hong Xinying
Above Photo: Hong Xinying

"I consider myself to be a serial hobbyist who frequently signs up for craft workshops and enjoys experimenting with new materials and art tools almost all the time.

I try to pick activities that minimise screen time and are very different to what I do for work as an editor so that it becomes my way of unwinding and destressing.

Currently, I'm obsessed with jigsaw puzzles (I probably completed close to a dozen during this pandemic.) and enjoy sketching and working on mixed-media paintings on the sidelines."

—Hong Xinying, Managing Editor of Tatler Homes Singapore

3. Hot yoga and mindfulness

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"There’s nothing like a hot yoga class after work to revive those tight muscles from sitting (not so ergonomically on an ergonomic work chair) all day long.

However, it’s not just my lower back or shoulders that are thankful for the class, but that my mind finally gets to log off from the multiple deadlines and to-do lists of the day.

I’m guilty of not having one particular workspace at home so it really makes a difference when I’m going to an offline yoga class versus practising in my living room since it’s a physical separation from my work environment.

I’ve also been trying to be more mindful this year, but my genre of mindfulness veers away from sitting in stillness and leans, rather, on activities that connect body, mind and breath in a multi-sensorial atmosphere.

With hot yoga, I get to feel connected to myself through my heart rate harmonising with the hum of the singing bowls, to the sweat dripping down my nose and onto my ethically sourced natural rubber yoga mat."

—Durva Simone Bose, Writer

4. Audiobooks and resin art

Tatler Asia
Photo: Camillia Dass
Above Photo: Camillia Dass
Tatler Asia
Photo: Camillia Dass
Above Photo: Camillia Dass

"After a long day of work, something I have to do is to get outside and go for a 30-minute walk around my estate. It freshens my mind and helps me move my body and sweat after spending an entire day hunched over my laptop. 

After that, I usually try to do very relaxing activities. If I’m exhausted, I typically get under my weighted blanket and spend some time lying on my acupressure mat while listening to an audiobook. My mat helps to relieve any back pain and usually helps me to fall asleep almost immediately. 

If I have more energy, I will bring out my box of resin supplies and get to work making some resin art or coasters. I picked up resin art a few months ago after seeing many videos on it on TikTok. I bought some moulds and resin on impulse and then began the process of perfecting my art through Youtube tutorials and Tiktok. I find it so relaxing to mix the resin, get the perfect colours and pour it into my moulds. It’s a fun and creative outlet that helps me manage my stress."

—Camillia Dass, Digital Writer

5. Skateboarding

Tatler Asia
Photo: Jeremiah Khoo
Above Photo: Jeremiah Khoo

"It’s hard to deny that the work-from-home arrangement most of us practise has blurred the boundaries between work and rest. Even during our downtime, where we are watching our favourite shows or surfing the net, it’s probably on the same screen we do our work on.

So, I like to end my workdays outdoors on my skateboard. The simple act of stepping out of the house signals to me that my workday has officially ended which is so helpful to my mental state.

Skateboarding—cruising in particular—is a great paradigm shift from my mostly sedentary day hunched over my computer screen and also a great way for me to unwind mentally."

—Jeremiah Khoo, Management Trainee

6. Playing the electric bass

Tatler Asia
Photo: Jamie Tan
Above Photo: Jamie Tan

"Playing the electric bass remains a way for me to unwind after work and it has been my go-to for over two decades now.

My practices were more directed back when my band was jamming simply because there were songs to learn before rehearsal. Alas, the ongoing pandemic has kept jamming studios shut and I’ve been doing little more than noodling.

Still, there’s an honesty to working on something with your hands and music is a wonderful medium to do so—for me at least.

There’s been a growing trend these days to make your hobby a side hustle or at least something to further your personal branding with. For many people, it isn’t enough to simply enjoy doing something anymore. Why stop there, when you can post what you’ve done on social media and maybe, just maybe, build up a following?

I’m awfully unambitious that way. For now, my dream of headlining Glastonbury will remain a dream as I butcher yet another Interpol classic."

—Jamie Tan, Branded Content Director

7. Gaming

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"After a long day at work, my favourite way to unwind is by playing games on my Nintendo Switch.

My current favourite is Pokemon Unite, a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that was released for Switch and mobile.

With the objective of scoring as many points as possible within a 10-minute time frame, it can get pretty intense, especially in ranked matches so I’d recommend this game to those who enjoy a burst of adrenaline.

Though it might sound counter-productive, the release of tension post-match (and the sense of achievement following a win) are what help me to destress."

—Claire Teo, Management Trainee

8. Working out

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"One of my favourite ways to relieve tension and manage stress is to work out.

Now, before you start imagining me as the Asian Ronda Rousey with defined muscles and incredible athleticism, I’ll come right out and say it: my stamina is non-existent.

I hate cardio, and my upper body strength is probably a sliver of Philippines’ Olympic gold weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz’s. Once, my F45 instructor had to remove the weights off my barbell because she took pity on me after seeing my struggle, but that’s a story for another time.

For some reason, however, I find a lot of comfort in the clear state of mind that I slide into whilst I set my core on fire with kettlebell swings or turn my legs into noodles on the exercise bike.

The endorphins released also help to trigger positive feelings and improve mental clarity. I was working out consistently about two years ago before falling off the bandwagon; now that I’m slowly getting back into regular workouts again, I definitely do see a difference in my mental and emotional health, even as I leave the studio wobbly and completely soaked in sweat."

—Cheryl Lai-Lim, Writer, Tatler Homes Singapore and Front & Female

9. Netflix

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"After a long day at work, there is nothing I’d rather doing than stay in bed and catch up on my Netflix shows. It helps keep my mind off work so I can relax, sleep better at night, and feel recharged the next day. What have I watched? Well, I recently finished seven seasons of New Girl before realising that Jessica Day is annoying.

This weekend I will get started on Squid Game to see why this is the streaming platform’s most successful show to date."

—Dudi Aureus, Digital Dining Editor

10. Reading

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"Reading has always been a go-to way for me to unwind and escape the real world, even for a bit. I recently found an app called Libby, which allows me to borrow e-books from the library. Since then, I have been exploring various genres from classics to contemporary.

As someone who tends to multitask, I have also learnt to love audiobooks, as it frees up my hands, allowing me to do other mindless tasks such as sewing and stretching."

—Amanda Goh, Dining Intern

11. Baking

Tatler Asia
Photo: Wendi Lee
Above Photo: Wendi Lee

"Baking is my go-to activity whenever I need to destress and calm my mind down from a long day of work.

While some people might think of it as a hassle or be repelled by the prospect of cleaning up, I find that the science and exactness of baking allows one to take their mind off other things and it’s always a rewarding activity when you get to have fresh, hot delicious treats at the end of the day.

Some of my favourite desserts to make includes my delectable cinnamon buns with cream cheese frosting, my eternally fudgy brownies and my buttery banana cake that my family and friends go nuts for."

—Wendi Lee, Editorial Intern

12. Nothing

Tatler Asia
Photo: Unsplash
Above Photo: Unsplash

"I’m a big believer in the art of doing nothing. I even dedicate a day and time to it. Heck, before work from home became the default, I would rush home from work on Fridays just so I could do nothing.

These days, I wake up early on Saturday mornings and lay in bed doing absolutely nothing (yes, that means no mindlessly scrolling through social media feeds) until at least lunchtime.

The Dutch call it niksen, which is similar to mindfulness but not exactly, while the Italians refer to it as la dolce far niente, or “the sweetness of doing nothing”. You can call it laziness, or being unproductive (really, it doesn’t have to be go, go, go, all the time), but I would call it time I give to myself to reset and recuperate from a long week of work—sometimes thinking about everything, or sometimes nothing at all."

—Hashirin Nurin Hashimi, senior editor

13. Makeup tutorials and organisation

Tatler Asia
Air kiss for you. Close up cropped shot of femenine gorgeous charming adorable lady with amazing wavy hair do, tube of hard pink pomade in arm. Pampering, lips correction concept
Above Photo: Getty Images

"I’m pretty much obsessed with watching makeup tutorials simply because of how relaxing they are for my soul. I’ve loved makeup since I was a kid (I was four years old when my mum caught me messing with her YSL lipstick.) and the same joy that I’ve felt watching my aunt and mum apply colour to their faces hasn’t left me at all. In fact, it is amplified now thanks to the beauty of social media—I have learnt countless tips and tricks from beauty vloggers and content creators from all over the world. There is something absolutely satisfying about watching someone master an eyeliner wing or apply blush in a completely new way.  

On days when I need an extra pick-me-up, I organise my vanity and beauty products that I shop for incessantly. It’s true, you can never seem to finish using a lipstick bullet or eyeshadow palette—but that’ll never stop me from shopping for more. And yes, shopping is an excellent way for me to destress. On a completely separate note, another fool-proof method for me to feel better on a lousy day is to watch reruns of The Office. You can never go wrong with Steve Carrell."

—Andrea Saadan, assistant digital editor

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