Contact Me

Contact Me
Contact Me

Working Mom Blogger

Working Mom Blogger
Working Mom Blogger

Health & Wellness

Health & Wellness
Health & Wellness

 

 

Mission 6: Living with the virus


 How has COVID-19 changed your daily life?

 

COVID-19 has completely changed our lives and adapting to the norms has been challenging for most of us. We are all adjusting to new ways of living and working and it is important for us to do this so that we can stay healthy, while enjoying life and getting back to school or work.


And now, it's time to live with the virus with this mission statement that I want to live by:

 

I commit to taking action and changing my behaviors by constant monitoring and reminding myself and my children about practicing the six protective measures continuously.



At the end of the day, living with the virus is all being accountable to ourselves, our family, and others around us. Are we doing the right things when no one else is watching?

 

Assessing risks before attending any events / get-togethers, restricting time spent in crowded places, only going out when necessary, and continuous practice of the six protective measures are all in our control.



 

Certificate of participation



Related posts:

 

Be A Champion Against COVID-19

Mission 1: Share the Facts & Stop Misinformation About COVID-19

 Mission 2: Promoting a healthy lifestyle

Mission 3: Personal responsibility & self-monitoring

Mission 4: Staying mentally healthy during COVID-19

Mission 5: Supporting COVID-19 vaccination

 

 

0

Mission 5: Supporting COVID-19 vaccination


Are you vaccinated against COVID-19?


My kids and I are vaccinated against COVID-19. I'm well aware of the pros and cons of vaccination and I'm making informed decisions to go ahead with the COVID-19 vaccination.

 


 

 

Keeping the conversation positive


I commit to supporting COVID-19 vaccination by keeping the conversation positive and avoid being argumentative about my decision to get myself and my kids vaccinated against COVID-19.


 

Ultimately, it's your choice to be vaccinated. As I mentioned earlier, I understand both the pros and cons. In the end, it's my choice to believe that the pros outweigh the risks. And for those who believe the opposite of this, I have no hard feelings against them.

 

While vaccines are an important tool for fighting COVID-19, vaccines alone do not end the pandemic. Luckily, the main tools to fight COVID-19 are available to everyone, which includes leading a healthy lifestyle, continuing to practice the protective behaviors, and motivating others to do the same.



 

Six protective behaviors


There are six protective behaviors that everyone can follow to help slow the transmission of COVID-19.


  1. Clean hands regularly
  2. Prevent droplets from spreading
  3. Keep at least 1 meter apart
  4. Limit time spent in enclosed or crowded places
  5. Clean frequently touched objects and surfaces
  6. Respond appropriately if experiencing COVID-like symptoms



Related posts:


Be A Champion Against COVID-19
Mission 1: Sharing the facts & stop misinformation about COVID-19
Mission 2: Promoting a healthy lifestyle
Mission 3: Personal responsibility & self-monitoring
Mission 4: Staying mentally healthy during COVID-19

Mission 6: Living with the virus


0

Quick & Easy Pasta Salad with Salmon

 

As a working mom, I need to cook smart. I'm very happy to find this Betty Crocker Suddenly Pasta Salad that comes with a bag of dry pasta and a pack of pasta salad seasoning.



There's also recipe recommendation and cooking instruction at the back of the box.



Here's the nutritional panel info and ingredients list.



I like the stir-in ideas. So I opt for cooked salmon flakes.




 

Basically, I pan-fry 2 slabs of salmon and flake them up. Then I just toss everything together - the cooked pasta (I add 1 more cup of pasta to the original portion from the package), pasta seasoning, and salmon flakes. No extra seasoning needed. I also topped the pasta salad with a generous helping of shredded Cheddar cheese.

 

I think I will buy some more of these Betty Crocker pasta salad mixes. It's a hit with the boys!


0

Compilation of "Never Enough" Live Shows by Different Singers

Loren Allred - Never Enough - LIVE with David Foster on "An Intimate Evening with David Foster"

 

 

Loren Allred - Never Enough (Live Performance)

 

 

Christine Allado - Never Enough - LIVE with Andrea Bocelli in Budapest

 

 

Nicole Scherzinger performs 'Never Enough' at the one-night only event celebrating all things musicals at The London Palladium

 

 

Helene Fischer - Never Enough (Live - Die Helene Fischer Show)

 

 

Morissette Amon - Never Enough - Mother's Day Concert

 

 

Kelly Clarkson - Never Enough - LIVE in Tulsa

 

 

GOLDEN BUZZER! Loren Allred shines bright with ‘Never Enough’ | Auditions | BGT 2022

 

This is the video that caused me to watch The Greatest Showman and listen to the the entire soundtrack album over and over again.

 

0

Mission 4: Staying mentally healthy during COVID-19


Recognizing the signs of stress

 

Did you find the past two years to be challenging and stressful? Have you been experiencing any of these feelings, thoughts or behaviors lately such as feeling troubled or threatened, struggling to focus, crying often, getting angry easily, having difficulty sleeping or feeling sad, guilty, worried, or very tired?

 

In times of uncertainty when things are so hard during the pandemic, stress is one sign that your mental health might be suffering.




Maintaining a healthy mind and building resilience

 

Mission 4 is about staying mentally healthy during COVID-19 by maintaining a healthy mind and building resilience. This week I commit to staying mentally healthy during COVID-19 and support the well-being of people around me by taking regular breaks for myself to recharge mentally and reset my mood so that I can have the necessary emotional quota to listen to people around me.


 

What can we do to maintain a healthy and resilient mind?


Here are some of the many documented ways to stay mentally healthy:

  • Limit the time you spend reading stressful news and read and share good stories instead.
  • Talk to someone you trust.
  • Stay connected to your friends and family, especially those who may be far away or living alone.
  • Watch a movie or read books, exercise, make crafts or catch up on things you haven't had the time for.
  • People with preexisting conditions should keep taking any medication you are on, keep in contact with your health care worker, and draw on the skills you have used in the past to manage your feelings and cope.
  • Practice grounding exercise to reduce stress, improve your well-being, and cope with difficult thoughts and feelings.
  • Get help from a professional if you start feeling very overwhelmed or are not able to function as normal. Reach out to your family doctor, local healthcare services or a social worker. Talk to your family, friends or another trusted person in your community if you need help finding a service. If you can't see someone in person, there may be telephone based or remote options available.

 

 

Why is taking breaks important?


For me, I'm a big fan of taking regular breaks when things seem to have become overwhelming.


According to The Wellbeing Thesis, micro-breaks, lunchtime breaks and longer breaks, have all been shown to have a positive relationship with well-being and productivity. Studies have found that breaks can reduce or prevent stress, help to maintain performance throughout the day, and reduce the need for a long recovery at the end of the day.


Social breaks or interactions, such as chatting with your peers allow you to share your experiences and feel part of a group during mini-breaks.


I have kind of mastered the art of taking breaks at work and off work because I'm an easily stressed-out person. First, I have identified my trigger points, for example traffic jams. So I will tune in to either BFM or Spotify without fail during my daily commute to work. By doing so, I'm taking a break from the stress of driving.

 

I will also be taking walking breaks for 5-6 minutes every 2-3 hours when I'm at work. At 4:30pm or so, I will take a fruit break or tea break. True enough, I don't break down at work because by taking these breaks that I deserve, I'm maintaining a healthy, resilient mind that keeps me productive for a longer time.


By doing so, I then can have the necessary emotional quota to listen to people around me, be it my family, friends, or colleagues. Read more about this on my previous blog post, Returning to Normalcy.


If there's any consolation, the new relaxed SOPs effective 1 May 2022 should be happy news for everyone!


 

Related posts:


Be A Champion Against COVID-19
Mission 1: Sharing the facts & stop misinformation about COVID-19
Mission 2: Promoting a healthy lifestyle
Mission 3: Personal responsibility & self-monitoring

Mission 5: Supporting COVID-19 vaccination

Mission 6: Living with the virus

 

0

My mom-in-law's healthy Sayur Campur Masak Lemak


This is my favorite dish whenever I'm back at my in-laws' house in Kuala Terengganu. It's my mom-in-law's home-cooked healthy Sayur Campur Masak Lemak.

 

Look at the assortment of ingredients! Let me show you the ingredients. First of all, freshly plucked lobak putih from her garden.

 


Other vegetables are carrot, onion, long beans.

 


Leaves of the lobak putih is very delicious too. There are also red chili slices.

 


Don't forget the pumpkin!

 


Stink beans or petai is another must-have ingredient! I absolutely love petai.



Tempeh! Woohoo! It's like having all my favorite ingredients in one pot.

 

 

Fish balls and fish cakes for more flavor.



Flaked fried fish.

 


Coconut milk for the lemak. Other ingredients not captured in the photos are a knob of ginger, turmeric powder, and salt to taste.

 


 Homey and delicious!



 

0

Mission 3: Personal responsibility & self-monitoring


 COVID-19 has impacted each and every one of us differently. Some of us have fallen sick with COVID-19 infection and recovered. Some may still be battling with long COVID. Some, unfortunately, have succumbed to the sickness.

 

It's up to us to minimize our chance of exposure to the virus by understanding the risks and practicing protective behaviors – from where we work or go to school, to how we socialize, what we do in our spare time, and more.

 

Protecting ourselves and others from COVID-19

 

Mission 3 is about protecting ourselves and others from COVID-19. This week, I commit to reducing the risks of contracting COVID-19 by planning my time well so that my family could spend less time in confined, crowded, and closed places this festive season when we are out and about.

 

 

Take action to reduce exposure to COVID-19

 

First, we take action to understand the risks we face based on the different situations and settings we find ourselves in and limit our chances of getting COVID-19.

 

Now we all know that COVID-19 SOP relaxations are starting on 1 May in Malaysia. However, it's still prudent to practice protective behaviors such as:

 

  • Regularly washing hands, especially after being in contact with high-touch surfaces and public spaces
  • Bringing along a hand sanitizer
  • Wearing a mask
  • Ensuring good ventilation and fresh air
  • Maintaining physical distancing of at least 1m from others within close conversation
  • Avoiding confined, crowded and close places
  • If going out to eat, we can choose to sit outdoors instead of dining in.
  • Going for a walk when hanging out rather than sitting in a coffee shop or other public spaces

 

Bottom line is: Know your risk, lower your risk.


 

Protect people in our community who are particularly at risk of COVID-19

 

We could also think about different ways we can do to protect ourselves and keep others in our community safe, especially those who are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19.



Groups at high risk of getting COVID-19 include older people / senior citizens and people living in long-term care facilities, as well as people living with underlying health conditions.

 

There are also many other groups who are susceptible to the virus because of where they live or work or their access to healthcare, who can also use our support:

 

  • People who are homeless
  • People living in crowded housing or slums
  • Migrant workers
  • People who are displaced
  • People with disabilities
  • People in the correctional institutions
  • People living in remote locations
  • People living in poverty
  • Indigenous populations

 

My family, including my two kids under 12 are fully vaccinated, i.e., the adults are vaccinated and boosted, and the kids have completed their 2 doses.


 

Monitor ourselves of symptoms


Finally, monitor our health if we have been in contact with someone who is positive for COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms. The best way to do this is to apply TRIIS.

 

  • T - Test with a self-test kit as soon as possible if you are experiencing any infection symptoms such as a runny nose, fever, cough, and others.
  • R - Report the test results on your MySejahtera right away.
  • I - Isolate yourself or quarantine immediately if you have been tested positive for COVID-19.
  • I - Inform your close contacts if your test result is positive. Inform the health authorities or any Covid-19 Assessment Centre (CAC) nearby if your condition has worsened while self-isolating at home.
  • S - Seek treatment at your closest healthcare facility or at a CAC nearby.




Remember - even tiny actions can make a big difference.


Related posts:


Be A Champion Against COVID-19
Mission 1: Sharing the facts & stop misinformation about COVID-19
Mission 2: Promoting a healthy lifestyle

Mission 4: Staying mentally healthy during COVID-19

 Mission 5: Supporting COVID-19 vaccination

Mission 6: Living with the virus

 

0