By Julailah Wahid

My daily commute always makes for an interesting experience. Besides dealing with overly pushy middle-aged individuals, I have to work my way through a sea of smartphone users on and off the train – people texting or WhatsApp-ing (yes, it’s a verb now just like Google), office workers reading news (and Facebook) updates and ladies watching foreign dramas on their phones.

Let’s face it. Smartphones are E V E R Y W H E R E. I’m telling you, it’s an epidemic!

by: Ethan Sia

Recently, the news about doomsday kept flooding on my social media news feed. However, I’m quite sure that all the talk about the world coming to an end and theories of how meteors would fall from the sky are hyped up fluff to create suspense for the public.

Last week, I blogged about how I quit my job to go on a sabbatical.

To my surprise, it inched its way into the lifestyle section’s popular list. When a career post is up there with “’10 reasons to avoid dating a metrosexual guy”’, you know there’s something about work-life balance (or lack thereof) that resonates with Singapore workers.

By Alythea Ho

Recently I went on a three-month sabbatical. Against every pragmatic Singaporean fibre in my being, I took the plunge and told my boss I needed a break.

Translation: I’m tired of crawling to work every Monday morning. I quit.

Yes, so I left my job. Because I planned ahead, my world didn’t collapse overnight. Bills were still paid on time. I didn’t wake in the middle of the night screaming like a fiend about ‘zero bank accounts’.

Instead, I took the opportunity to benefit from…

By Juliet Soh

“Casual Friday” is a trap. Bosses use it to sieve the sensible people from others. Your employers talk about Casual Friday like it is a welfare, but really, they scrutinise you every week. Call me paranoid, but I believe people are judged, unfortunately, based on our wardrobe choices.

What I think bosses are secretly thinking of when we dress down on Fridays:

By Juliet Soh

The “four temperaments” is a medical theory derived thousands of years ago that has also been used as a way to classify personality types. Ancient Greek medicine believes that illnesses are caused by an imbalance in four different bodily fluids: blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. According to the theory, our traits and behaviours are also governed by these bodily fluids, and we can thus be classified into four types: Sanguine, Choleric, Melancholy and Phlegmatic. Most people are a mixture of all four, in different percentages. Wonder which type you (and your boss and colleagues!) are? Do this simple quiz to find out.

By Winifred Tan

Arming yourself with a great gadget can almost be as helpful as hiring a personal assistant to take care of the details, so you can fuss over the real work.

Keep your eyes peeled for these über cool gadgets we’ve shortlisted. From intelligent pens to quirky keyboards, these nifty little gadgets will not only make working and studying easier and more enjoyable; they’ll also turn you into the envy of your peers.

By Winifred Tan

(Article updated on 29 February, 3pm, with additional information)

It is barely a quarter through 2012 and you’re already dying to catch a breather from all the drama and stress at work. What better way to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life than grabbing a travel bag and packing for a short jaunt somewhere?

We list down 5 exotic destinations that you can consider for that weekend getaway.

Nikoi Island, Indonesia

2.5 hours away by ferry is Nikoi Island, long regarded as one of the most stunning unspoilt coasts in the Indonesian archipelago. Featuring an indigenous Banyan tree rainforest and coastline studded with beautiful white granite boulders, the island is an untouched slice of paradise, the only signs of civilisation being the 15 driftwood beach houses and a spectacular pool offering uninterrupted views over the South China Sea.

The Nikoi community prides itself on environmental conservation and social responsibility. Eco-friendly visitors can rest assured that the resort practises responsible tourism and has even established an Island Foundation to support village development programmes on Bintan.

By Winifred Tan & Jacelyn Lim

When it comes to the game of love, there is no such thing as “playing by the rules”.

Or is there?

According to a recent survey by JobsCentral, it would appear that most office workers in Singapore do have one rule when it comes to dating: never find your honey where you get your money.