As we enter another month of working from home due to extended circuit breaker measures, there’s perhaps no better time to do a mental pit-stop. It’s been a few weeks of non-stop adjustments – adjusting to working from home (WFH), adjusting to the kids’ home-based learning schedules (thank goodness school holidays have been shifted to May!), adjusting to the ever-evolving social distancing rules and so on.
As we slowly adapt to the new normal of WFH, it’s a good idea to start thinking about how to make the entire experience more pleasant. To help you cope with this trying period, we’ve put together a stay-home survival kit filled with solutions to pamper, treat and help you stay comfortable during this global crisis. Bonus: you can cart them out online under the comforts of your own duvet.

For those of us who don’t have a designated work desk at home, you’ll need a lap desk so that you can make any couch your own personal office. (We don’t recommend working on the bed though…)
The lap desk will help you stay productive and comfortable, equipping you with an ergonomic cushioned wrist rest, a dual-bolster cushion on the underside that conforms to the shape of your lap, and even a phone slot to hold up your phone.
Working from home tends to come with its own set of distractions. To help keep you on top of things, having a wall mount with little memos and to-do lists displayed in front of your workstation can really help keep you focused and motivated.
This frame kit is made from wooden edge pieces with strings of twine, allowing you to hang and peg different notes of motivation and Post-its in an organised fashion.
One of the bigger challenges working from home is to resist the urge to fiddle with the mobile phone during work hours. Enter: This wireless charger.
Not only does it charge your smartphone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time, it also reduces clutter and helps keep your workspace organised. To add, you’d be able to better resist the temptation of reaching for your phone when it has to sit against the charging pad in order to charge.
Who can resist a pair of soft, cosy home slippers – walking around the house as if you’re treading on a bed of clouds feels almost spa-like and therapeutic. These slippers, in an pretty shade of crystal pink, are crafted with a plush fuzzy footbed.
Being wrapped in a soft merino blanket has a deeply calming effect that manages to soothe feelings of stress and anxiety at times. Available in a variety of pretty colours, like soft pink, baby blue and white, this chunky knit blanket is a lovely piece of home decor that will also beautify your living space.
Working from home means we are able to “go to work” in our comfortable PJs. A simple, presentable jacket is all you need to spruce up the look whenever a video conference is initiated.
Cue: this flowy, voluminous slip dress. Rendered in a sweet peach hue, this slip dress looks both dressy and comfortable so you’d be able to float around the house while feeling like a relaxed goddess.
Keep your home office environment as uplifting and rejuvenating as possible with a candle with a relaxing scent. Housed in a beautiful ceramic vessel with floral illustrations, this luxurious candle was made in a town on the French Riviera that’s also known as the perfume capital of the world: Grasse. Releasing fragrance notes of cedar, elemi, gurjum, incense, patchouli, Tonka bean, vanilla, this candle will help create a soothing environment as you wade through the work day.
There are small ways for you to decompress in the middle of the workday. The act of applying lotion across the body is both an act of self-care and relaxation.
This hand and body lotion contains ylang-ylang, which is meant to relieve irritability and petitgrain essential oils, which supposedly helps to clear the mind. Even the act of taking time away from the laptop to apply the lotion can have such a cathartic payoff as a short five-minute break.
Treat yourself to a quick and easy facial with a refreshing and gentle face mask. When you’re working from home, it’s usually hard to demarcate between your “working mode” and “off-duty mode”.
Ending the day with a deeply soothing treat, such as a long bubble bath with wine or indulging in good skincare, can help you establish a routine that helps you “switch off” at the end of the day. This face mask from Fresh combats tired, dull skin with a meld of kombu seaweed, red algae, and lotus seed that will both exfoliate and brighten your complexion.
Breaking up the day with little hobbies can be therapeutic and ensure that you don’t spend your entire day sitting in front of the computer. Perhaps you’d like to play with your kids, cook new recipes you’ve never had the time to try out before or pick up a new book; but if you want to be slightly more adventurous, one cool activity you can try out is indoor gardening. This indoor gardening kit comes with a complimentary lettuce seed so you can immediately try your hand at it.
Read Next
Text: Michelle Yeoh/Her World, Additional reporting: Ho Guo Xiong and Elizabeth Liew