Lifestyle Archives | Page 37 of 53

How To Stay Healthy Despite of The Terrible Hazy Conditions

Our air quality worsened on Monday due to the shift in the prevailing winds that brought denser haze from Sumatra. In fact, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) entered the “unhealthy” range last Sunday according to the National Environment Agency.

For your knowledge, a PSI reading of 0-50 is okay, 51-100 is moderate, 101-200 is unhealthy, 201-300 is very unhealthy, and 301 and beyond is hazardous. At the time of writing, the 24-hour PSI readings from 1am-12am today ranges from 148-184. Yes! That is certainly unhealthy.

Short-term exposure to unhealthy haze can cause irritated eyes, runny or stuffy nose, dry or sore throat, headache, and fatigue. In some cases, it can even affect one’s heart and lungs that higher PSI readings can cause breathlessness.

So, how do you stay healthy despite the haze?

You must wear the N95 mask to ensure full coverage when you breathe. But, the best way is to stay indoors (with an air purifier and air conditioner) as much as possible!

While staying inside the walls of your home, you do not have to spend money or sulk in boredom. You can enjoy playing video games, board games, and a bunch of other activities like…

1. LEARNING SOMETHING NEW FOR FREE

Upgrade your knowledge and skills with the quality online resources that are available for free. There are two websites that I am fond of namely: Khan Academy and Code Academy. Khan Academy offers a myriad of courses and exam preparation modules. While, Code Academy offers classes in 6 different programming languages. You can definitely complete the course and be well versed in several programming scripts!

2. EARNING EXTRA MONEY

Use your free time to earn extra money by selling your underused and unwanted items on Gumtree or Carousell. Then, spend more time by cleaning up your closets and drawers in the process.

You may also complete some online surveys and get compensated with cash or redeemable rewards in websites such as My Survey and SurveyCompare.

3. QUALITY TIME WITH THE FAMILY

Lastly, use this valuable time to enjoy the company of your family. Catch up on the lives and the latest projects of every family member and indulge on a great session of cooking, games, or movies. These kind of moments are best spent with the ones you love. 🙂

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

The Future Of Money: No Paper Currencies And Plastic Cards

Money is an integral part of our lives. Its birth dates back to the beginning of the civilization. Now, money is viewed as a legal tender generally consisting of paper currency and coins. Time and technology paved a way for money to transform beyond its value. Interacting with money is far different from when we traded thousands of years ago.

In fact, a decade ago, I never thought that digital currency in the form of bitcoins will ever occur. Bitcoins can only be made by mining, which is done by solving complicated mathematical problems. Also, bitcoins are capped so that no one can ever create an unlimited supply of it.

Interestingly, the designers at a global design firm called Method envisioned the future of money in different ways. These are just three of their ideas:

1. MONEY AND PHYSIOLOGY

Method looked at what can happen when you connect your physical well-being to your purchases. They designed a toothbrush that would harvest hormonal data from one’s saliva twice a day. This said data would sync to your spending habits through an App. The App would give you an idea about the items you are buying and why you are buying them. Thus, this can help explain and monitor your spending.

2. MONEY WITH A PERSONALITY

Method took the futuristic concept further by give money a personality. Five employees were assigned with digital personalities such as Mindful, Jealous, Hedonistic, Adventurous, and Frugal. For example, the employee with the Adventurous personality would fork over half of his salary and invest it in cryptocurrencies for a week.

3. MONEY AND PUBLICITY

If your payments were publicize, what would you do? Well, designers at Method were asked to note and broadcast their every purchase! Once an employee buys something, he or she is required to post it on Instagram no matter how embarrassing it may be. Yes! Since it can be very uncomfortable, they started to share their purchases anonymously. But, the effects were still the same. People knew that they are being watched so they modified their behavior to become more interesting and to seem socially acceptable.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

Aside from these futuristic ideas, how do you envision money…5 or 20 years from now?

Sources: 1 & 2

Eternal Benefits Of Waking Up Early

It was 5:30 in the morning and I heard my sister mumbling that she was about to for school. I had two choices: to doze off once more or to wake up and get things done. I chose the latter. And, I do not regret a single thing!

Waking up early has more free benefits that you can ever imagine! You do not have to wake up as early as 5:30 am, just by give yourself more time in the morning (e.g., an hour more) is enough. Pressing the snooze button is no longer an option once you hear the long-lasting benefits of waking up early…

1. PRODUCTIVITY

Waking up early gives you an opportunity to get more things done and to earn more in the process. Furthermore, mornings are usually the time when your brain is most focused and alert. Not to mention, there are fewer distractions in the early hours of the day anyway so you can really achieve more things, smoothly.

Aside from being productive, a biologist in Harvard named Christoph Randler found that individuals who wake up early are more proactive. Other studies echoed his findings and showed that early risers are better at goal setting, planning, and making decisions.

2. BETTER GRADES

A study conducted by Texas University found that students who consistently rise early each day scored better in their exams and overall grades. This is due to the fixed routine and regularly eating breakfast.

So if you are a student, it is best to wake up early than to sleep for long hours and rush to school. Who likes the pressure of hurrying up anyway?

3. MENTAL HEALTH

If treasure relaxation then, waking up early is perfect for you! Early risers have the luxury to give themselves more time to do the things they like such as reading the morning paper, preparing a healthy breakfast, and working out. These things may seem small but it will surely brighten up your mood!

Moreover, studies have shown that “morning people” are generally more optimistic and satisfied with their lives. In fact, Del Suggs who is the author of Truly Leading: Lessons in Leadership, suggests to begin your day with writing down three things you are grateful for. This simple and efficient exercise is rooted from the principles of Positive Psychology.

4. WORKING OUT

As I said, waking up early gives you more time to exercise. And, we all know that exercise either in the morning or at night, has bountiful advantages to your body. By making exercise a daily morning habit, you are able to stimulate energy to your body that will get you ready for the challenges ahead!

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

5. DIET

How many times have you heard the statement: “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?” Well, it is true.

Skipping breakfast is not recommended because your body needs nutrients to help you concentrate and function throughout the day. Also, skipping breakfast makes you more likely to crave unhealthy food and to overeat.

Your body has been on a “fast” mode all night while you were sleeping and you need to “break that fast” with a serving of healthy food.

Sources: 1 & 2

3 Affordable Online Pet Stores Offering The Best Services In Singapore

George Eliot once said: “Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms.”

Animals are creatures that love us genuinely without judgment that even words cannot describe the bond we form with our pets. Most of the times, the loyal and affectionate bond formed goes way beyond the “master and pet” relationship that people treat them as members of the family.

With that special bond, you only want what is best for your pet. This is why it is extremely important for you to find a store that sells the right food, accessories, and pet care products. Look no further, as this list will give you four of the best online pet stores in the country. Furthermore, these prices are inclusive of GST already (no hidden costs yay!).

1. DOGGY FRIEND

Doggy Friend maybe one of the cheapest online pet stores out there but their services are optimum. Looking at their user-friendly website that is easy to navigate, I saw a wide range of dog and cat food brands. You will definitely find a product and price that suits you best.

Doggy Friend, as a company, focuses on pet supplies such as clothing pieces, toys, dental accessories, and food supplements. Currently, they are having promotions on food including: Bow Wow Treats Mix N Match: 3 for $10 and Special Dog Wet Food (400g) for S$2.55. While their ongoing online sale is mainly on toys including: Qoo Santa Pet Toys for S$2.50 and JU-BE Bowling Pin for S$6.

Image Credits: facebook.com/Doggyfriend-1460708560842852/timeline/?ref=page_internal

And if you want to give a present for your pet loving friend but you do not know what to get him or her, you may buy a Doggy Friend gift certificate instead. Their gift certificates range from S$10-S$50.

Website: doggyfriend.com.sg

2. PETS’ STATION

One of the pet stores that date way back is Pets’ Station. From a family business that emerged in 1969, Pets’ Station had rapidly expanded over the years. With over thousands of products available at competitive prices, you can expect a variety of premium pet supplies that are exclusive to their shop alone. What is special about Pets’ Station is that they offer grooming services (for as low as S$45) and sell cute pets too at their 7 physical stores islandwide.

Are you eager to browse through their products? Then, grab the chance to participate in their warehouse sale this coming Saturday and Sunday!

Image Credits: petsstation.com.sg

Website: petsstation.com.sg

Outlets: 7 store locations

3. KOHE PETS

Where else can you find an online shop that is convenient, easy to navigate, accessible, and offers free samples?

Yes your read that right! Kohe Pets online shop regularly offers free samples for their products so you will find it easier to decide the perfect treat that your pet will truly like.

Furthermore, Kohe Pets has a huge selection of more than 2,500 reasonably priced products ranging from the popular brands to the unique brands that are hard to find in Singapore. Their focus leans more on healthy and whole pet foods. According to testimonials, their deliver is swift as customers receive their orders usually on the next day.

Image Credits: facebook.com/kohepets

Lastly, Kohe Pets are always generous with their promotions that some items are set to 20% off or Buy 1 Get 1 Free scheme!

Website: kohepets.com.sg

Sources:1 & 2

8 Telltale Signs That You Are Seriously Devoted To Online Shopping

Almost every human soul on Earth loves shopping! Who does not appreciate the rush they get while picking the perfect outfit? Then, a few decades down the road came the Internet. Marrying these two resulted to the growth of E-commerce and online shopping, especially in Singapore.

In 2014, a website called Flipit found that 50% of E-commerce traffic in Singapore came from the mobile devices. The accessibility to efficient Internet connection in our country led more and more people to shift their buying power online. With famed websites such as Zalora, Qoo10, Taobao, Lazada, and Rakuten, there has been an ongoing debate whether traditional physical stores are losing their appeal.

Previous Paypal research showed that the size of Singapore’s online shopping market reached S$1.1 billion in 2010 and it is forecasted to hit S$4.4 billion by this year. The elevated power of E-commerce has two sides namely: positive and negative. Positively, it brings convenience as it can save one’s money and time. Negatively, it brings susceptibility to serious devotion and addiction.

On that note, here are the 8 Telltale Signs That You Are Seriously Devoted To Online Shopping:

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

1. If you open your bag or purse, you will see a bunch of deposit slips from different online shops.

2. Most of the time, you would have an open tab in your browser with a full shopping cart waiting for you to pursue your purchase.

3. Every minute of your free time in home and work is spent scrolling through Instagram, Carousell, and other online retailers.

4. Your daily routine will not be complete without doing rounds of browses through your favorite online shops to see their new arrivals and sale items.

5. You receive packages via mail that you forgot you once ordered.

6. You get uncomfortable and anxious when you think about shopping in physical stores.

7. Your heart races when you read an email announcing that the online ship has an ongoing sale.

8. You bought the same thing twice by accident.

Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)

If more than 5 signs apply to you, perhaps you should re-consider your online shopping habits along with the other 1.2 million Singaporean online shoppers (i.e., above the age of 18 years old only) out there!

Source: 1, 2, & 3

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