Wellness in Mind and Spirit: How to Practice Emotional Self-care

When COVID-19 was first detected in Singapore, it took the nation by surprise and impacted our everyday lives. With daily routines being overturned, getting used to the “new normal” that were put in place has led to an observed decline in individual mental and emotional wellness.

According to a poll commissioned by The Straits Times, more than a third of respondents reported that their mental well-being had worsened since last year’s circuit breaker. With the uncertainty of this period, reduced social interactions and the difficulties in accommodating a shifting work environment, a large percentage of the workforce now struggle with some form of mental or emotional distress.

Where does emotional self-care come into play? Poor mental and emotional health can affect relationships with people around you, resulting in mental blocks and inadvertently lead to higher stress levels and poorer physical health.

On the flipside, Healthline reports that strengthening both mental and emotional health could eventually lead to more energy, deeper connections and resilience to stress and stress-related diseases. If we put in the effort to take care of our emotional wellness, other than an increase in personal energy and motivation, we could potentially see greater effectiveness at work and improved communication with loved ones and colleagues.

Simply put, it is imperative that we care for our emotional health before we reach a point of burnout.

Working together with Cynthea Lam of Super Farmers, an organisation devoted to helping others eat and live better through food and lifestyle education, we have compiled five tips to help us cultivate emotional wellness:

1. Keep a daily journal, and be completely honest about recording your feelings.
2. See a therapist or a life coach to discuss your emotional needs.
3. Cut social engagements that drain you.
4. Take an evening walk around the neighbourhood; allow the day’s events to be reflected in an evening walk.
5. Be alone. Spend some time pondering your issues on your own, and practise being the master of your own solutions and suggestions.

In conjunction of Global Wellness in June, By The Bay is conducting a special wellness series webinar with Super Farmers. Held on 16th and  23rd of June, the two workshops will cover sleep wellness and emotional immunity respectively*, two critical areas in achieving optimal well-being. If you’d like to learn more about how to sleep better and take charge of your emotional wellbeing, do register your interest here today.

Workshops are exclusively for tenants at By The Bay. Limited slots per session. Reservations will be on a first come first served basis.