Singaporean Workers’ Guide to Stress Management

Avoid colleagues who are negative or constantly “pushing your buttons”.

Avoid gossiping about colleagues or talking about controversial issues such as religion or politics.

Develop friendships with co-workers outside of the workplace by going out to lunches and after-work bonding sessions.

Ask for help when you need and lend help when needed.

Submit high quality work that you are proud of.

Ask to take on more responsibilities if you have a poor job satisfaction.

Speak to your superiors if you need advice/ mentorship/ help.

Identify suitable training courses and ask if you can attend some of them.

Accept that you can’t control everything.

Say no to additional workload if you’re unable to cope. This means planning your time well in advance.

Have a positive mindset.

Plan for regular breaks throughout the day.

Prioritise important work in the early part of the day.

Maintain interpersonal relationships outside of work

Spend quality time with your family and friends.

Avoid stimulants such as coffeine, nicotine or sugar drinks.

Ensure you consume a healthy and balanced meal to regulare blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy body weight.

Realise what we eat also affects our moods, and certain foods such as green leafy vegetables, blue berries or turkey breast, are known to have calming effects on our body.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activities per week.

Exercise improves our mood, releases endorphins in our brain and helps us maintain a healthy body weight.

Playing sports that we love helps us destress and take our minds off work.

Lacking quality sleep impacts our concentration levels at work, and can make us less patient and easily agitated.

Get a minimum of 7 hours of consecutive sleep each night.

Put in place a regular sleep routine.

Ensure we set up a good sleeping environment, including reducing screen time just before bed, getting a comfortable bed and sheets and putting up good curtains to keep out the light.

Meditation and other relaxation techniques, such as massages, yoga and stretching.

Set aside time to enjoy your hobbies, such as music, games or sports.

Seek support from family and friends and do not hesitate to approach helplines in Singapore such as: