HAVEA LISTOF
“NON-NEGOTIABLES”
GillianTeeofHomage,a home
health-careservice,says:“It’s
importanttocarveouttimeona
regularbasisforexercise,familyand
friends– withoutfail.Workpriorities
willalwaysbethere,butyouneedto
setasidetimeforotherthingsand
notspendallofit,includingyour
extratime,onjustwork.”MAKETIMEFOR
OTHEREXPERIENCES
ChowJiayi,a foundingmemberof
humanresourcestart-upStaffany,
says:“Stayingintheofficeormulling
overa projectiscounterproductive.
It’smoreimportanttogather
ideasandinspirationfromnew
environmentsandexperiences.It
canrangefromattendingnetworking
sessionstoheadingoutforcomedy
night.Andyoucangobackto
workrecharged.”SUSSOUTA GOODWORKPLACE
CheahWenqi,co-founderofOur
GrandfatherStory,a digitalvideo-
productionhouse,advises:“Tryto
findoutabouttheworkcultureofa
companyorpotentialemployerfrom
employmentwebsitesandfriends
whohaveworkedthere,whenyou’re
jobhunting.It willgiveyouanideaof
whattoexpectandprepareyoufor
thejobinterview,whichiswhenyou
canaskthenecessaryquestions.”TAKELEAVE,TRAVELANDCHANGE
YOURENVIRONMENT
TanPeckYing,co-founderof
PSLove,a localstart-upthat
specialisesinfemininepainrelief
andperiodtracking,spendssome
ofhertimeofftravelling.“Itake
timeouttotravelatleastoncea
yeartoimmersemyselfinnature.
Duringmytravels,I amconstantly
remindedofthevastnessofthe
worldandthatwhatI doatwork
isjusta smallpartofit.It helpsto
refreshmymindsetsoI headbackto
workwithrenewedstrength.”CLEARYOURWORK,SHUTDOWN
YOURDEVICESWHILEONHOLIDAY
ChuenChuenYeo,coach
developmentassociateatBetter
Up,a careercoachinginstitution,
suggestsa no-workpolicywhen
you’reonleave:“Seta clearobjective
ofwhatyouwanttoachievewhen
you’reonleave.If youneedtimewith
youfamilyoryourself,makethat
happen.Makethechoicetoswitch
yourmobilenotificationsoffandlet
yourco-workersknowthatyou’llbe
uncontactable.Yourleavedatesare
foryourself.Thereisalwaysanother
daytocompleteyourwork.”Dr Lim Boon Leng, a psychiatrist
at Gleneagles Medical Centre
who has treated patients for
anxiety disorders arising from
job stress and burnout, lists the
psychological warning signs.
1 Increasingly critical and
cynicalaboutwork.2 Lethargic and unable to
concentrate and focus
atwork.3 Losing interest and not
wantingtogotowork.4 Easily irritable with peers,
customers or superiors,
and overly sensitive to
constructivecomments.5 Unexplained symptoms like
headaches, stomach aches,
lack of sleep, shortness of
breath, and rapid heart rate.5 SIGNS
YOU’RE ABOUT
TO CRASH
FIFTY-THREE
PER CENT IN
SINGAPORE SAID
THAT THEY STAY
CONNECTED TO
THEIR WORK WHILE
ON VACATION, AND
79 PER CENT
CHECK THEIR
E-MAIL OR
VOICEMAIL AT
LEAST ONCE.
Hustle
Without
BurningOut115