I’ve recently made the leap from intern to consultant after my short six month internship. It may not have been according to plan, but it’s come as a blessing in disguise. One downside of this, of course, is the sudden increase in work load. One can’t help but wonder. How does one dance the intricate steps of work and play?

I’ve noticed a trend in Rice. We go through long periods of frantic work-rushing then relax through random and spontaneous trips to our neighbours in ASEAN. (As I am typing this, my mind is on my own trip to Krabi this week.) But aside from tossing hundreds of hard-earned cash at our favourite budget carriers, I wonder if there are more cost effective ways of relaxing in Singapore.

The one way I relax is through music. Be it through playing instruments, singing along or just zoning out to random beats on the train, I need my music. It is what keeps me sane in this horribly frantic Singaporean life. I am also an oddity in that I can only do good work if I’m multi-tasking. Don’t ask me why, but I used to study for exams with multiple texts in-front of me, television tuned to my favourite sitcom and mp3 player blasting my favourite tunes. I guess the odd pairing of music and work helped me relax amidst all the information I was exposing myself to. Even when I have no music playing, I have to either hum, sing or tap a beat while doing work.

Another form of relaxation I adhere to is picking up the odd fantasy book. Many people stick up their noses at the fantasy genre, saying that it’s “lame” or geekish, I choose to ignore such bigotry. Reading for leisure is about escapism. Who needs non-fiction books when you’re trying to unwind?

One last form of relaxation I strongly recommend is exercise. I can go on and on about the endorphins and the incomprehensible and/or often mispronounced chemicals that are released by the body but the main reason I find exercise relaxing is that I can just literally just turn my mind off. The endless repetition on the treadmill or bicycle allows me to centre myself for an hour.

It’s the simple things in life that help you relax and though an extended holiday always sounds good. Sometimes, the monetary constraints of a pay-check can severely hamper said plans should you rely too much on it.