In a fast-paced world swarmed with deadlines and rush hours, there is almost no time to keep check of our holistic well-being. Most of us could not afford to bat an eye over our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health when we have other things we consider as priorities. What we don’t realize is that each is just equally important. In order for us to function fully and unleash our potentials, we also need to learn to kick it up a notch for our holistic health.

Louise Racine from Thirteen Moons Wellness gives five tips on to how we can step up our overall well-being. When we learn to be open to these things, we also learn to nurture ourselves better.

Stay open to possibilities
To live out our potentials require avenues to hone these passions to their fullest. When opportunities arrive our way, it is best that we continually stay open to doing them as well as learning from them. Even if they are outside our comfort zones, we need to learn how to brave through it. We never know how much we can learn about ourselves even from the simplest possibilities.

Push through fear
We all fear the unknown. If something happens to be completely unfamiliar to us, we instinctively cower away from it. Fear often fuels our resistance in trying out new things but when we manage to push through that barrier, we learn to build courage. We learn to be brave and stand on our own feet. We also gain confidence and a massive sense of self-belief.

Challenge self-imposed limits
All of us have activities we excel at, and activities where, well, we don’t. When we find ourselves not liking a certain activity, most of the times we begin to think we are not capable of doing it and thus find plenty of reasons not to take part in it. However, if we think beyond our self-imposed limitations, it can lead us to be strong.

Balance your brain
Sometimes we just need to challenge our thinking skills and general intellect. Engaging in activities that require the use of both sides of our brain can lead to impressive cognitive results like whole brain thinking, improved physical coordination, increased creativity, and a sharper intuition.

Care for your spiritual health
Spiritual health is often given the least priority compared to the other spheres of one’s well-being. We often overlook how important it is to connect with our selves, knowing what we like and dislike, or even connecting with each other and finding people who interest us or share our passions. Simple activities such as taking a walk in nature or setting aside time during the day for contemplation and prayer fills the heart with gratitude and in turn, makes yourself at ease.

Hiring a qualified and savvy estate or condo manager is one of the most important decisions that a property owner should make, as your estate manager is expected to work closely with you and your tenants or buyers, and oversee the overall estate maintenance of your property. This makes your managing agent akin to a CEO of your property.

Choosing the right professional to take care of the crucial roles of a property management agent takes serious consideration and thought. Here are the key attributes to look for when looking into hiring a managing agent in Singapore.

People Skills

One of the top qualities of a property manager is the ability to communicate and handle people. Effective negotiation skills is necessary in working out issues with tenants and prospect buyers, or even persuading you to make improvements to maintain or increase your property’s value. An approachable demeanour and positive attitude are great attributes to have in maintaining healthy relationships both old and new clients or tenants.

Detail-Oriented

Your property agent must have a keen eye for details. Laws and regulations about housing in Singapore and tenant rights are continuously changing, requiring a property management to stay on track of any amendments to state laws and local property codes that can impact your property. Safety hazards on your property can possibly lead to lawsuits; therefore, your agent should regularly inspect your building with superb properties management skills in Singapore and immediately take care of any repairs needed.

Well-Organized

Managing multiple properties and clients require exceptional organization skills. Your condo manager should have updated contact information of all tenants, contractors, vendors and staff at all times. He should show an ability to effectively coordinate multiple projects and be able to come up with a timeline to complete property management tasks.

Knowledgeable

Estate managers are responsible for managing your estate maintenance expenses and creating revenue from your property, so it’s important for your agent to have solid financial knowledge. While a finishing a related degree is not required, having a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance is advantageous. Finishing a course in business o accounting provides the necessary tools to succeed in the field.

Experience

Property management covers a wide array of maintenance specialties from office buildings and shopping malls, to apartments, condos and single house rentals. However, there’s a huge difference between, say, managing a single house rental and an entire apartment. Apartments have multiple renters and tenants under a single building—with centralized security, common mechanical systems and a common yard and sidewalks. With single house rentals, there’s only one family or individual in one structure, which will require specific estate maintenance needs. When looking for a property manager, you definitely want to hire someone with ample experience in handling the type of property you own.

Integrity

Since it will be your property agent who do most of the work in taking care of your property, you need someone who is honest with you, as well as with your tenants. If you often find irregularities or questionable actions in the works of your manager, you might want to pay closer attention or consider looking for a more trustworthy one.

Timeliness

Another key attribute of a great managing agent is timeliness. Choose an agent who is always punctual, knows his duties well and executes them timely and impeccably. Working someone who is able to provide all these things will ensure that you are able to manage your property effectively, as well as make sure that everything stays on schedule, no matter how hectic your schedule is.

Professionalism

An efficient manager maintains a certain level of professionalism when dealing with clients, vendors, tenants, etc. They should be able to stick to the rules, separate their emotions from making decisions and treat everyone equally—no favouritism. Life is not always fair, and situations vary. Deciding to do what’s right, while being friendly and firm, especially when dealing with clients and prospect clients is a task that your agent will face on a daily basis. Your estate agent should be someone you can rely on, who is responsible and can remain patient and calm even under pressure.

Other signs to look for:

• How they advertise properties: A great property manager is aggressive in advertising their units. You don’t want your unit(s) staying unoccupied for too long. Remember that it is you who will bear the burden of unprofitable properties, not your condo manager or the property management firm.

• How they screen potential tenants: This is very crucial. Ensure that your estate manager conducts background check before approving a tenant. A simple background check can reveal negative history of a potential renter and save you from losing significant amount of profit.

• How they collect past-due rental fees: Any legitimate estate manager has collection policies in place. Ask about it and make sure it sounds good t you.

• What is their fee structure: Looking for a reliable property manager for a reasonable rate in Singapore should not be too difficult. Usually, it’s anywhere between 10 and 13 percent of the amount of your rent, but various property managers have varying fee structures.

Your estate manager is not someone who will run your basic household stuff; this is the person who will take care of your business accounts, maintain the value of your property and work closely with your tenant. Never settle for the least; having extensive knowledge in this field and possessing critical thinking and problem-solving skills is a must when looking for a great estate manager.

Your garage is more than just a place to park your car. It’s your toy shop, warehouse, a workshop and possibly where you spend most of your spare time. These tips will help your garage to be more functional, so you can do everything you need to do in the space—including parking your car.

1. Organize Your Garage Into Zones

As mentioned, your garage has multiple uses and holds a variety of things. Divide your garage area into different zones, and it will be easier to find things when you need them, as well as you’ll have more room for your car.

2. Install Additional Outlets

Most garage only need one outlet, and that’s what most builders will give you—just one measly outlet for all your electrical tools. If you have wall studs, you can easily install wires and additional outlets. If your walls don’t have studs, you don’t have to cut into them. Instead, mount plastic or metal wiring channels and outlets on the wall.

3. Add a Space-Saving Workbench

If the space is small for your workbench and your car, you can either get a smaller car or build a folding workbench. The latter is more affordable, though, can be ready in just seconds and taking no space when not being used. The things you’ll need for this are a couple of door hinges, a few threaded flanges and pipes, some screws and a 2-by-4 piece of wood.

4. Add Overhead Shelves and Cabinets

If all your garage stuff are within reach, you are probably eating a lost of floor space. Overhead spaces may not be ideal storage area for often-used tools, but they are perfect for long-term storage. Cabinets and shelves near the ceiling hold a ton of seasonal things like camping gears and Christmas decorations.

5. Have Sufficient Lighting

Garage areas usually look dark and don’t have enough lighting. But if you do a lot of work here, make sure it allows you to easily do so with proper lighting. In terms of bang for the buck, fluorescent lights provide the best illumination for its price. Three strategically placed fixtures can provide all the lighting needed in an average sized garage space. Pay special attention to project areas and workbenches. Also, remember when placing lights, consider how your garage door opens and if it will affect illumination of the room.

Most garage areas are not just a place for parking cars; they often double as storage area for gardening and repair tools. If you have a garage at home, make sure it’s not a cluttered storehouse but an organized and functional space to work in.

Although breaking up with your significant other isn’t the most fun thing in the world, it doesn’t have to be the worst thing either – especially if you’re planning to remain friends with your ex. With that in mind, we listed down some of the easiest and healthiest ways on how you can stay friends with an ex-lover.

1. Mourn Your Breakup Quietly

After a breakup, it can be quite tempting to say the meanest things or cry in front of your ex. However, doing any of these things will only make it impossible for you to be friends later on. Do everyone a favour by mourning your breakup in private, so as to avoid looking like you’re such a bitter ex.

2. Allow Them to Move On

Although this won’t be easy, learn to give up any feeling of jealousy as they start dating someone else. The most difficult part of breaking up is realizing that you no longer have his heart, but the healthiest way to stay as their friend is to watch him move on and love again.

3. Avoid Talking About Your New Relationship

As much as you want to talk about your new love life with your ex, avoid doing so as it’ll only result in jealousy and resentment. Keep yourself from name dropping your new guy, or talking about the movie that you watched together. It might make you feel bad for hiding it to your ex, but keep in mind that it’s for the greater good. After all, you certainly wouldn’t want to hear any news about his new girl.

4. Be Happy for Them

You know what makes friendship such a great thing? Being genuinely happy when a friend starts making positive in their life. So even if you want your ex to be sad without you, show him your support whenever something good happens in his life.

5. Keep Everything Fun and Casual

When you’re trying to be friends with an ex, avoid hanging out in some romantic wine bar as much as possible. Keep everything completely platonic and stress-free by visiting a farmers market or playing bowling instead. That way, you’ll enjoy each other’s company without feeling like you’re on a date.

Being friends with someone you were crazy in love with is never easy, but it’ll definitely be worth it if you parted ways amicably and still care enough for each other. With this, you get to keep the person you once loved around, while being open to potentially meeting a new love.

The wedding reception is where most of the fun happens. This is when you get to mingle with family and guests and just have a good time. This is also the most stressful part of the wedding preparations. Whether you’re planning an indoor reception or a lavish garden party in Singapore, here are the things you need to remember.

Picking a Venue

When you have a guest list, it will be easier to look for an appropriate venue. Make sure all the important guests will be able to get there without problems. If you’re considering an outdoor reception, there should be contingency plans in case the weather doesn’t agree with you. Once the venue has been finalized, draw up a layout of where the tables and chairs should be placed. It could be a simple sketch. Setting up will be faster and you’ll be able to see errors in your initial plans.

Decide where to place the stage, the dance floor, the seating and dining areas, the musicians, and the buffet tables and bar. The dance floor should be placed in an area where guests don’t need to pass when using the restrooms. It should also be away from the buffet tables to avoid accidents. Outdoor receptions are lovely until it starts to rain. Make sure that you have a backup plan and consult your bridal studio for wedding in Singapore in case the weather doesn’t agree. You can ask about renting the indoor reception room in the venue. The restrooms shouldn’t be a mile away and there should be a tent for the kitchen and buffet area.

Theme and Decorations

Your decorations will depend on your theme and location. Avoid using too many paraphernalia that will be difficult to clean up later. Ask for help when deciding what to choose for the following: flowers, candles, plates and glassware, tablecloths, and others. If the bridal studio in Singapore can take care of the logistics of the needed items, preparation will be easier. For brides who want personalized decorations, the preparation should take place months ahead of the schedule so that you can still make adjustments.

Dressing Up

When choosing your dress at the bridal boutique, consider the venue of your wedding and if you want to change your outfit. Some brides ditch their traditional wedding dress for a non-traditional gown during the wedding reception. If you’re planning to wear the same dress, make sure to pick the most comfortable outfit at the bridal boutique. Don’t forget the shoes! You should be as comfortable as possible. Keep an extra pair in case your feet hurt. You can also ask the bridal studio for a customized pair that will fit properly.

Program and Music

If there is dancing and singing after the usual wedding rituals, make sure that the venue has enough space for it. As much as possible, the party area should be placed where everyone can see. List down the programs you want to have during the reception. You can draw inspiration from examples online or have your wedding planner help you. For outdoor venues, make sure that there is a pavilion for dancing. Music can be provided by hired musicians or by friends. If you don’t have any contacts, you can ask your wedding planner for recommendations. The same musicians can also provide the background for the processionals as well as the ambient music during the feast. The type of music and number of instruments should be based on the venue. Outdoor weddings needs more musicians than in an indoor venue.

Tables and Chairs

Ask how many tables the venue can provide for the wedding. There should be enough for all the people in your guest list plus a few extra tables. Ask for the available table sizes so you can decide on the seating arrangement. Tables should be classified into the following: head, guest, cake, gift, buffet, dessert, drinks, and others. The head table is for the bride and groom. The entourage and immediate family should be seated near the couple but on separate tables. Ask how many chairs they can provide. Rent more chairs if you think there isn’t enough for all the guests. Inspect the type of chairs they have and whether they need covers and embellishments too. If you have bars, candy tables and photo booths, they should be placed near the dance area so that the guests can access them easily.

Food for the Guests

Your menu should be diverse if you have a lot of guests. Make sure everyone has something to eat. Some of your guests might be allergic to or are not allowed to eat some food, so keep those in mind. Decide whether you want to have a plated meal or a buffet. While plated meals sound expensive, you’ll be able to save more because the chef will know how many people need to be fed. Plated meals also eliminate the need for queuing at the buffet tables. Buffet meals on the other hand will let the guests pick their own food. If you want to have several entrees throughout the reception, a buffet is ideal. It is impractical for weddings with more than a hundred guests, however. You can also choose family style meals where the guests can share different entrees set on their tables.

Drinks, Plates and Glassware

For your drinks, make sure you stock up on non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. There should be a bar for drinks where your guests can sit. It would be easier if the caterer also has professional bartenders. Sparkling wines should be the highlight because you’re celebrating an event. Don’t forget non-alcoholic beverages for other guests as well as clean drinking water. Your caterer might also provide the plates and glassware for you. If not, you could rent the supplies or buy your own if you have fewer than a hundred guests. There should always be extra plates and glassware especially if you’re serving a lot of food and drinks.