The single best thing that happened to me during last year’s circuit breaker was losing weight. In the two months that I was away from the office, I managed to drop from a heft 90 – 92 kilos to around 81 kilos. Since I’ve returned to office life, the weight has gone up (I now hover between 85 to 89 kilos) but I’ve managed to stay below my pre-circuit breaker weight.
If I look back at by physical transformation would be the
fact that much of our modern life is actually downright unhealthy, particularly
if you work in the corporate sector. For those of us in the corporate sector or
those of us who have to wear the title “Working Professional” end up spending
our lives tied to our desk. Modern communications, particularly with the arrival
of Zoom, have made it such that we really don’t need to move very much. As long
as I have a workable internet connection, I can get hold of pretty much whatever
I information I need for what I do with a click of a mouse nor do I really need
to walk out to meet people because I can pick up the phone and if I really need
to see people, we can just do it over video conference.
What’s particularly interesting is that the further up you
climb in the corporate world, the less you’re obliged to move. Success means a
bigger office with less need to move beyond that said office.
Furthermore, Singapore’s central business district is a strangely
great food paradise. My office is within a five-minute walk from restaurants of
a variety of cuisines and interestingly enough from both the street end and
high end of the market. Just as food is easily available, so is booze and when
you’re out of client entertainment there’s a temptation to indulge – after all who
is not going to enjoy food and drink at a faceless corporation’s expense.
Our modern corporate culture strangely promotes a dangerously
unhealthy way of life. Just look at the way in which corporate executives brag
about how many nights they can go without sleep as they deal with phone calls
and conferences from all over the world at the most unpredictable of hours.
How healthy can this be? Why do we promote work cultures
that take us away from the important things in life? Is it to make more money?
Let’s state the obvious, the cost of healthcare has gone through the roof as has
the need to “show that you are working hard” in the office. However, wages have
barely kept pace with inflation. We’re all sold on the idea that its somehow
beneficial to work outrageous hours. Apparently, you need to justify your
salary and even get a bonus if you’re lucky. Nobody has asked how spending all
that time affects your body and in turn your mind (contrary to what has been
said – there is a link between a healthy mind and a healthy body).
Work cultures need to change. Instead of looking for
employees to work long hours, we should look at what those hours do to one’s body
and mind. If this government is serious about increasing productivity and
getting people to make babies, it should look at getting people away from their
desk.
I’ve never been much of an exercise type but getting
healthier has made me feel better and made life easier. I really hope more
people will find the same.
Trying to move more in my daily life - the record of walking from the office to the bus home
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