If your idea of relaxing is staying in the office late and procrastinating while eating some salted egg crackers, you need to read this.
Tragically, a survey conducted by Asia Insight in 2019 found that 3 in 10 Singaporeans don’t know how to relax.
It’s high time we learn to prioritise relaxation. We’re only at the start of 2020 so this is the perfect time to make positive changes to our lifestyles by adopting slow living.
What Is Slow Living?
Slow living shifts the focus from doing things as fast as possible to doing things as well as possible. It encourages one to savour the moments in your life instead of counting them down.
According to Teja Lele Desai from YSWeekender, this philosophy of slow living will permeate the health industry in the coming decade.
Need help on how to adopt slow living? Here are some easy ways:
1. High-intensity, low-impact interval training (HILIT)
Slow living isn’t an excuse to do nothing and lead a sedentary lifestyle like a potato.
HILIT is the lesser famous cousin of the wildly popular HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout. Although HILIT has the same benefits as HIIT in terms of calorie burn and reducing blood sugar, Brookelyn Suddell, a co-director of a group fitness department, recommends HILIT because of its focus on mobility and injury prevention.
This equates to reduced stress on your joints, promotion of longevity and proper recovery. It’s basically the gentler version of HIIT! Remember to put on your waist trainer for that extra kick to make your workout more effective!
2. Wellness sabbaticals
Can’t stand being away from work, even when you’re on leave? Wellness sabbaticals might be the perfect solution for you.
A sabbatical is an extended leave with a complete disconnect from work. It’s incredibly beneficial because it can lead to huge improvements in creativity and productivity.
In contrast, wellness sabbaticals blend work and wellness programs together. Typically at least three weeks long, they are meant for participants to have a complete recharge of their energies over a long vacation while still being connected to work.
For example, Kamalaya retreat in Thailand launched a ‘Wellness Sabbatical’ program, complete with mentoring workshops and weekly consultations to help monitor their guests’ progress in relaxation.
3. Connecting with your spirit through yoga
Spiritual connection through yoga isn’t a new concept. However, lesser-known forms of yoga are springing up and they’re quickly catching on.
For example, Jolene Hee from City Nomads identified sound healing as one such trend. By accompanying your meditation or yoga routine with sounds created by singing bowls or gongs, this is supposed to induce a sense of inner peace and promote good energy flow.
Here at Waistlab, we’re huge fans of Classpass. In fact, they have a whole list of yoga studios that they recommend for you to try!
Go ahead and check ‘em out. We might even bump into you there!
