Despite living in a country with one of the highest standards of living when it comes to high GDP and life expectancy, we topped the list for longest working hours in the world (yes, more than Japan!). Unchecked stress and poor work-life balance can take a toll on our quality of life, job satisfaction and overall happiness.
Raising one’s quality of life is usually not simply a question of just working harder to earn more money, at least not for most middle income Singaporeans. Instead, try these six ways to raise your quality of life without spending much money at all:
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FOR HEALTH
Singaporeans aren’t exercising enough, and even the government is starting to get worried due to soaring diabetes rates.
If you currently lead a sedentary lifestyle, only getting up when you have to go to the toilet or travel to and from the office, getting into some form of sport or exercise will most definitely raise your sense of wellbeing and improve your health.
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But it’s not enough to just promise yourself you’ll do it. You need to commit in some way—by signing up for a trial class, or making plans with a friend to go for a run or hike.
For instance, let’s say you’ve decided to go for a weekly hike at Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Start jioing your friends, partner, family members or whomever you want to company you a week in advance, so there’s a lower chance that you’ll back out.
FOR LEISURE
There are more than a few Singaporeans who simply have no hobbies or interests outside of work. If that sounds like you, instead of complaining that life is meaningless and boring, commit to getting into one new hobby you’ve always wanted to try but never had the time or guts to, such as calligraphy, knitting or photography.
Help yourself build momentum by signing up for a one-off class or workshop to get your feet wet. If it’s the sort of hobby you practise alone at home, buy one piece of equipment that will get you started (e.g. if you want to take up calligraphy, buy a proper pen and some art paper).
FOR FINANCES
One of the reasons Singaporeans are so dissatisfied at work could be because everyone depends desperately on their jobs to deal with the high cost of living. What’s more, with retrenchment on the cards for so many workers once they reach middle age, it’s no longer safe to rely on just one sole stream of income.
No matter how busy your job is, try to carve out some time to work towards obtaining a second stream of income. The psychological rewards can be tremendous, even if you’re not exactly raking in millions.
Take the first step by researching on what income streams are open to you, and then make concrete plans to work towards it. Your alternative income stream doesn’t necessarily have to be passive. It could come in the form of freelance work on the side—you could teach piano, be a wedding photographer, give tuition or make websites, depending on your interests and skills.
FOR BUILDING PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Feeling lonely and unfulfilled because you have no friends, or you do but they’re never free? Well, if you sit at home every evening waiting for people to ask you out, it’s no wonder.
Take the initiative to organise the next outing with your friends. Being the one to link people up and decide on a place might make you feel empowered.
If you’d rather meet new people, then commit to attending a series of events, classes or activities that will put you in regular contact with others —sign up for Spanish classes or, if you don’t want to spend money, attend a free Meetup.
You may not meet your next best friend, but contact with other human beings can be beneficial, especially if you’ve been hiding at home every weekend.
FOR RESTING
Unless your work-life balance is so bad that you literally tumble into bed the moment you get home, you probably do enjoy some me-time every day. The problem is that when you spend most of your time at home surfing Facebook or the Internet, you end up feeling more tired and unfulfilled than ever.
To combat this, designate one full evening where you make plans with yourself, and yourself alone. The catch is that you’ve got to have a plan to look forward to.
You might decide to go for a foot massage near your workplace, and then go home and watch the latest Game of Thrones or Running Man episode while moisturising your skin with a face mask.
Or you might want to order in food which you then consume while listening to your favourite music, followed by a binge read of that book you always told yourself you’d find time to start.
FOR A SENSE OF PURPOSE
Life in Singapore can seem so robotic sometimes. Especially if you show up at the office every day at a job you don’t find purpose or joy in. Fortunately, you don’t need to know the meaning of life or discover your life’s one great passion in order to feel a sense of purpose.
All you need is to identify one small goal or cause that appeals to you, and then take that first step towards achieving or contributing to it.
Let’s say you’ve always loved animals and wanted to improve their welfare. If that’s the case, sign up to volunteer with the Cat Welfare Society or SPCA.
Again, you don’t need to know your life’s One Big Mission to feel a sense of purpose. It’s just about adding little activities to your agenda that make you feel like you’re doing something more meaningful than working, sleeping and shopping.
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Text: Joanne Poh / Additional Reporting: Elizabeth Liew
Photo: Pexels
This article first appeared on Singsaver, Singapore’s #1 personal finance comparison platform by transaction volume, provides consumers with timely money insights and aggregates the latest credit card offers and up-to-date personal loan deals.