For some of us deskbound folk, that day has arrived: BTO (Back To Office).

In case you missed the news, 50 per cent of employees who can work from home and who are fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from COVID-19, are now allowed to return to the office.

Depending on your job, position and company’s arrangement, you’re probably needing to get back to the office. So, to help you get back-into-office shape, we’ve come up with some office-appropriate advice and suggestions for you to begin your work-away-from-home days right.

Let’s start with the physical – and by physical, we mean bringing all of your needed barang-barang back to your place of profession. Here are 6 things that you will need (but might have forgotten about) to make your return official and beneficial.

(And, be on the lookout for Parts 2, 3 and 4 of our “Back To The Office” series, where we help you figure out your lunch hour, the gifts to get for your colleagues, and how best to spend your time productively on your commute to the office.)

1. Vitamins

Our very first suggestion is about the ABCs of health – vitamins. They may not be topmost on one’s mind when thinking about going back into the workplace, but are oh-so-essential. Health is wealth, and to be your best productive, efficient and alert self, your body and mind needs to have all the “riches” that they can get.

While you can try to obtain your basic requirements from your meals (remember to get some vitamin D from taking a walk in the sunshine during lunch), not all of us are able to get all that we need, all of the time. So, the next best thing? Popping a pill (or two).

Bring a bottle of multivitamins to place on your desk for days that you forget to take your daily dose in the morning when you’re rushing for work. And, if you do not have an extra bottle to take from home or want one meant just for the office, just dip into any GNC outlet (conveniently found in shopping malls) to buy some multis.

What else you can get at the health goods specialist: Omega and fish oil supplements (said to aid in brain function and mental performance), vitamin C tablets (for an extra boost to your immunity system), and whatever else you think you might need to keep you living and working well.

GNC, multiple locations, www.gnc.com.sg, www.facebook.com/GNCsingapore; www.instagram.com/gncsg

BONUS: SAFRA members enjoy 15% off regular-priced items at GNC. Click here for more information.

2. Coffee + Tea

Here’s another taken-for-granted but possibly-important everyday item you need at the office: your very own coffee or tea stash.

While most of us are able to get a cuppa easily around the business area, there may be times where we just need to make one ourselves. Whether it’s an instant packet, a sachet to steep, or a pod or capsule to stick into a machine, having your personal pick-me-up caffeine choice hidden in your drawer-slash-pantry might just be your life-saver.

It could just be you saving time, money or the trip downstairs, or you carrying out that much-missed daily office ritual you need to kick-start the day, or you indulging in a teatime break to re-energise yourself. Whatever the reason, having your own coffee or tea stash should be both an office perk and a workday perk-me-up.

3. Face Masks

We do not need to emphasise the importance of face masks in this pandemic, but, here we are. Why? Because, there are those annoying “won’t happen to me” situations which could arise at work that merit having an extra one, two, or even a pack, of masks ready on hand.

The nightmare scenarios: The strap of the only mask you have has snapped; you dropped the disposable mask on a wet and dirty floor (and, no, the “3-second rule” does not apply here, not ever); or you’ve been sweating into the one you’ve been wearing all day, a little too much for your liking.

The dream solution: Change it for a fresh, new, clean one. So, just make your office life less worrisome by stowing some extra face masks in your drawer (and, do store them in a sanitary manner, please).

The Mask Fellows, www.themaskfellows.com; www.facebook.com/The-Mask-Fellows-103317218020872; www.instagram.com/themaskfellows

BONUS: SAFRA members and SAF 11B holders enjoy 30% off storewide on all mask designs, or save up to 65% off with a 1- or 2-year subscription plan plus an additional 50 free pieces of the Jungle Ops mask with every subscription plan purchased at The Mask Fellows. Click here for more information.

4. Cleaning Product

While we’re not suggesting you bring your household’s entire Hazmat-worthy cleaning array to the office, it does help to have some kind of cleaner for your personal use at work.

Get yourself simple (preferably eco-friendly) cleaning solutions or wipes that contain a soap or detergent ingredient to wipe your desk and your personal work items when you’re in the office. Using such products is especially useful if you haven’t been back to your workspace in a while (or will return a few days in a week or month on a hybrid arrangement), have been sick recently or share certain workplace equipment with fellow colleagues.

Some tips: clean high-touch surfaces such as your mouse, keyboard and drawer handles regularly; read and follow the cleaning product’s ingredients and instructions properly (for suitability of use, especially for one with a disinfecting ingredient); and clean before and after your workday (in case someone else somehow uses your work area and items).

5. Chargers

These are your modern day essentials.

Though we might already have chargers readily at home for our mobile phones, laptop and whatever other electronic gadget we have for both work and leisure, you don’t want to be lugging them around to and fro, between home and office. Worse yet, you absolutely don’t want to forget to bring your one and only laptop charger on the day of that all-important annual general meeting with everyone and the boss.

Since most chargers are quite affordable nowadays, it makes sense to get a duplicate set of all the chargers you need to place in the office.

6. Photos Of Your Loved Ones

Yes, this is old-school, but it really can help you get through the early days of your BTO period. Having some kind of image(s) of the most important peeps in your life around you in the office will ease all the feels (stress, tension, missing the loved ones, etc.) if you aren’t quite settled into your “second home” or professional groove yet.

It can be a static one in a retro picture-frame on the desk; a pocket-sized photo stuffed in your wallet, lanyard case or back of the mobile phone case; a dynamic photo album in a digital frame; or images saved as your screensaver on your laptop. The medium doesn’t matter; it’s who’s inside it that counts.

The post Hacks To Make Going Back To Office Easier (Part 1) – Desk Essentials appeared first on eNSMAN.

COVID-19 situation dampening your zeal? Need more fervour and stamina for your daily fitness and health? Maybe you could do with a little help in the energy department. Nutritional supplements are an easy way to boost your daily “battery level” and aid you in keeping healthy and fit, along with a balanced diet and the proper amount of exercise. Choose from a powder, a drink, caplets or a bar (SAFRA members enjoy discounts on all these) to put a little extra zip in your step.

An important health & safety note:  

While most dietary supplements are considered safe for general consumption, you might want to read through the directions of use, ingredient list and any product warnings or notices on or in the product packaging first before buying or consuming the product. It is advisable to consult a licensed, qualified healthcare professional if you are taking any medications; suffering from any medical conditions; have allergies or sensitivities to ingredients such as caffeine, soy, beta-alanine or any other item in the product’s ingredient list; are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or nursing; or have any health- or age-related concerns before eating or drinking a supplement.

Orgain Sport Recovery Post-Workout Supplement (Lemonade), $43 (240g)

Exercise will make you will feel good, but also might leave you a little whooped, especially if you’ve had a particular tough session at the gym or a longer-than-usual arduous jog. Here’s something tasty to help you recover: organic plant-based powder. Don’t judge too quickly; online reviews of this blend that’s made with plant-powered ingredients (it’s also gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO and made without dairy, soy and lactose ingredients) have painted this out to be quite yummy, with a Recovery Mocktail Watermel-Lemon Sparkler recipe available on the product’s brand site! So aside from mixing it into a refreshing drink (a canister’s good for about 24 servings), this powder is said to help with replenishing and recovering tired muscles, and offering relief with its anti-inflammatory properties, making it a great alternative to your typical electrolyte sports drink.

Available at Nutrition Asia Group, www.instagram.com/nutritionasiagroup

CLICK TO PURCHASE

BONUS: SAFRA members enjoy 10% off sitewide with no minimum spend at Nutrition Asia Group. Click here for more information.

LAC Activated Zhi Cordyceps + Lingzhi Power Cocktail, $25.95 (for 60ml x 3 bottles)/$62.50 (for 60ml x 8 bottles)

Prefer something more TCM-ish (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and easy to drink, straight out of a bottle? This is your solution. While it isn’t made specially for sports and fitness, this drink can help with providing energy and extra nourishment, supporting general health and immunity, promoting blood circulation, aiding recuperation after illness or surgery, and improving physical and mental performance and alertness. Made with cordyceps (a herb known for its medicinal properties and used as a health tonic for general well-being) and lingzhi (the “Elixir of Life” herb that’s used to support the immune system, relieve fatigue and aid recovery), this power cocktail is also enhanced with vitamin C, vitamin B-complex, taurine and beta carotene for more nutritional oomph. Don’t worry, it does not taste too herbal or medicinal; it’s peach-flavoured so it should go down easy. But note: This product is not suitable for pregnant and lactating individuals, and for children, physician consultation is advised.

Available at GNC stores, multiple locations, www.gnc.com.sg; www.facebook.com/GNCsingapore; www.instagram.com/gncsg

CLICK TO PURCHASE (60ml x 3 bottles)

CLICK TO PURCHASE (60ml x 8 bottles)

BONUS: SAFRA members enjoy 35% off 1 regular-priced health supplement and free 2-year GNC VIP membership (worth $15); or 15% off regular-priced items at GNC. Click here and here, respectively, for more information.

GNC Big 50, $38.50 (100 tablets)

Here’s a factoid: vitamins B12 and also B6 help convert the food you eat into energy. So, if you are deficient in vitamin B because of an anemic or medical condition, a vegetarian diet or not eating enough in vitamin B-rich foods on the reg; or feel that you might need more of such vitamins because you are pregnant, then, you might want to augment your health and up your energy with some tablets (but, do seek your physician’s advice first before eating vitamin B pills or to check out if you have a vitamin B deficiency). This product promotes energy production by providing all the essential B vitamins in timed-release B-Complex 50 vegetarian caplets. What else these one-a-day energy assists supposedly do: maintain a healthy nervous system, replenish B-vitamins lost during stress as well as improve one’s ability to cope with stress, help with healthy red blood cells growth and division, and enable the growth of healthier hair, skin and nails. Sounds like a beneficial thing to take while dealing with COVID-19 fatigue and WFH pressure, and  keeping healthy and looking good at the same time, too.

Available at GNC stores, multiple locations, www.gnc.com.sg; www.facebook.com/GNCsingapore; www.instagram.com/gncsg

CLICK TO PURCHASE

BONUS: SAFRA members enjoy 35% off 1 regular-priced health supplement and free 2-year GNC VIP membership (worth $15); or 15% off regular-priced items at GNC. Click here and here, respectively, for more information.

PhD Smart Bar (Cookies & Cream), $6.90 (64g)

Let’s say you want a dessert-flavoured yet healthy snack but don’t want the extra calories (and guilt)? Here’s your wish granted in a triple-layered (one layer’s caramel), high protein, low sugar bar. Palm-oil free, each 64-gram “confection” contains 20 grams of quality protein and just 2 grams of sugar; it’s the perfect daily protein and energy hit-treat of the day for avid sportsmen, fitness enthusiasts and health- or weight-conscious folk with a sweet-tooth. The proof that these PhD Smart Bars taste delish? All the other flavours on the Holland & Barrett site – Choc Peanut Butter, Chocolate Brownie and Dark Choc Raspberry – are sold out. (The Cookies & Cream one is still available… for now.) Email, call or do whatever you need to get your flavour fix quick.

Available at Holland & Barrett stores, multiple locations, www.lazada.sg/shop/hb-holland-and-barrett; www.facebook.com/hnbsg; www.instagram.com/hollandandbarrettsg

CLICK TO PURCHASE

BONUS: SAFRA members enjoy 40% off Sports Nutrition range, including brands such as PhD, MYO Plant Nutrition, PE Nutrition and Tom Oliver Nutrition; 35% off storewide on Wednesdays (exclusions apply); or an additional 5% off storewide (including items on sale) at Holland & Barrett stores only. Click here for more information.

The post Power Up With Some Energy-Boosting Supplements appeared first on eNSMAN.

Celebrate National Day this month with everyday items at lower prices at SAFRA clubs and merchant partners online. The popular Dabao Deal is back with a special $5.60 off your takeaway and 30 minutes free parking at participating F&B outlets at our clubs.

Here are some of our favourite picks. Visit www.safra.sg/ndpdeals for more. Keep safe and together we can beat Covid-19.

F&B Takeaway & Delivery

Dabao Deals

Get your favourite takeaway at a discount when you head to your nearest SAFRA club for F&B.

Promotion: $5.60 off your takeaway and free 30 minutes grace period for parking
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021. Limited to first 200 redemptions per outlet and 1 redemption per day by the same SAFRA member at each outlet
Website: www.safra.sg/dabaodeals

F&B Giveaway At SAFRA Mount Faber

Did somebody say free cookie, coffee or ice cream? Count us in!

Promotion: Free cookie from Subway; free hot coffee/tea from Heavenly Wang; free ice cream from Old Habits
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021. Limited to first 560 SAFRA members per merchant outlet. Redeem e-voucher in the mSAFRA app.
Website: www.safra.sg/ndpdeals

Foodpanda

With over 18,000 restaurants and shops on the platform, Foodpanda delivers everything from the food you love to everyday items you need.

Promotion: Up to $12 off food and more
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/foodpanda-SAFDAY2021

WhyQ

Get all your favourite food from various stalls in the hawker centre delivered to you!

Promotion: New WhyQ users: $5 off first order with $10 min spend with promo code: SAFRANEW (Limited to 1 redemption per user)

Existing WhyQ users: $2 off with $10 min spend with promo code: SAFRA2OFF (Limited to 1 redemption per user)

Validity: Till 31 Dec 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/whyq-2021

Groceries & Essentials

FairPrice Online

Fill up your pantry and fridge with their value-for-money groceries and other kitchen essentials.

Promotion: Get $10 off storewide with $120 nett spend or $12 off $150 nett spend, and an additional $10 off min $50 spend on selected P&G products (Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Oral-B, Febreze, Safeguard)
Validity: SAFRA members only. Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/fponlinesaf

ACE Fish Market

Enjoy ocean-fresh seafood delivered to you! ACE Fish market fishes are farmed locally without the use of antibiotics, hormones, vaccines and microplastics. Harvested and processed on the day of delivery!

Promotion: Enjoy 10% off purchases
Promo Code: SD10OFF
Validity: SAFRA members only. Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/ace-fish-market-SAFDAY

Ryan’s Grocery

Enjoy a wide range of organic allergen-friendly meats, wild-caught seafood, seasonal organic fresh produce, gourmet cheeses and beverages, among many others!

Promotion: 100-day grain-fed Australian Premium Beef Box at $56 (U.P. $70.35)
Promo Code: SAFRA56
Validity: SAFRA members only. Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/ryans-grocery

The Mask Fellows

Stay safe and stylish at the same time with these made-in-Singapore surgical masks!

Promotion: Free 50 pcs of Jungle Ops masks with every box of limited edition SG56 masks purchased
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/the-mask-fellows

Online Shopping

Lazada

Shop the countless deals on this e-commerce site, which features essential items from well-known brands.

Promotion: New users: $5 off a minimum spend of $10. Existing users: $8 off a minimum spend of $80
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/Lazada

Shopee

Score the best online shopping deals for health and beauty, electronics, fashion and more.

Promotion: New users: $7 off with no minimum spend
Promo Code: SFNEW7
Existing users: Enjoy $15 off electronics with a minimum spend of $120, $4 off hobby items and books with a minimum spend of $30, and $4 off sports items with a minimum spend of $40
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/shopee

Ezbuy

Shop for household and personal items, from furniture and appliances to bags, toys, groceries and stationery at this online shopping platform.

Promotion: New customers: $5 off purchases with minimum spend of $10
Promo Code: SAFRANSNC
Existing customers: 10% off purchases with minimum spend of $30, capped at $5
Promo Code: SAFRANSEC
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/ezbuy-sg

Zalora

Shop from over 3,000 international and local labels across various categories: apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty, pre-loved, and lifestyle!

Promotion:
New customers: 25% off sitewide + 3% cashback with no min. spend
Promo Code: SAFRA21SAFNC
Existing customers: 20% off sitewide + 2% cashback with $80 min. spend
Promo Code: SAFRA21SAF
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/zalora-safday

Health & Grooming

GNC

Get everything you need for a healthy lifestyle at one of the world’s largest chains of health food stores.

Promotion: 35% off one regular-priced health supplement and a free two-year GNC VIP Membership worth $15
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/gnc-sg

VIIMART

An online beauty store where you can find all of your beauty essentials galore at competitive prices.

Promotion: 12% off Men’s Fragrances and more
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/viimart-sg

Lookfantastic

Discover the ultimate online destination for beauty with over 500 international beauty brands. Plus, enjoy free delivery to Singapore with a minimum spend of $51.

Promotion: 30% off selected men’s products
Validity: Till 31 Aug 2021
Website: www.safra.sg/promotions/lookfantastic-sg

The post Enjoy Great Savings This National Day appeared first on eNSMAN.

The importance of saving money cannot be overstated – not only does it provide financial security during crises and emergencies, adequate savings gives you peace of mind and adds to your retirement fund. However, with today’s high costs of living, saving money can be a challenge. With this in mind, SAFRA is committed to help members save by providing the most cost-effective ways to make full use of its facilities and offerings.

Here are 8 ways you can save more with your SAFRA membership:

1. Unlimited Free Swimming Trips – Save Up To $170 A Year

Enjoy swimming? As a member, you’ll get unlimited free access to the 50-m lap swimming pools at SAFRA clubs island wide. With an average entrance fee of $3.30 per entry per week (based on SAFRA’s rates), you’ll save $170 or more a year!

2. Dine-in And Takeaway Deals You Shouldn’t Miss! – Save Up To $720 A Year

Food is  an essential spend on a daily basis. And it can add up to a lot especially if you don’t keep track of your spending. As a SAFRA member, you can save up to 15% at a wide variety of F&B outlets like Old Habits, Jack’s Place, Fish & Co, Polar Puffs & Cakes and 4FINGERS Crispy Chicken and many more. Check out the list of F&B deals here to get more bang for your buck. Based on an average of $100 spent per week on food at SAFRA’s partnering F&B merchants, this works up to savings of $720 a year!

3. Catch A Weekend Movie At Shaw Theatres Or Enjoy Screenings In The Comfort Of Your Home – Save Up To $78 A Year

One of Singaporeans’ favourite pastimes is to catch the latest blockbusters. But movie tickets can be quite costly if you are a cinephile. Movie tickets typically cost $13.50 each on weekends, however SAFRA members only pay $11 per ticket at Shaw Theatres. That’s savings of up to $78 a year if you watch one movie every week at the theatre. If you prefer to watch a movie in the comforts of your home, we have exclusive benefits for SAFRA members where you can save up to 30% off at home entertainment sites like CATCHPLAY+ or meWATCH Prime + HBO GO bundle. Click here to view the other exciting Entertainment promotions!

4. Score Great Shopping Deals And Other Lifestyle Privileges! – Save Up To $720 A Year

Be it fashion, beauty, grocery or tech deals, we’ve got you covered! With special promo codes at online stores like Shopee and Lazada, you can indulge in retail therapy at online and physical stores guilt-free by saving up to 15% each time. Enjoy special deals in fashion (brands such as ZALORA and Crumpler); beauty (Lookfantastic); tech (brands such as Bose and Sharp); and groceries (at places like FairPrice Online, GetIt by Changi Recommends and Chee Song Foods). What’s more, family perks like the M1 Family Plan ($8 supplementary line  offer exclusive for members) saves you the hassle of subscribing to a dedicated line for your young ones’ ipad or tablet. That’s a savings of up to $720 if you spend an average of $100 on shopping each week. Click here to take a look at the rest of the shopping and lifestyle deals and perks.

5. Keep Fit And Stay Healthy – Save Up To $385 At EnergyOne Gym

Staying fit and healthy is especially important when you are stuck at home during WFH. And although most of the gyms in Singapore are closed right now, it always pays to be ready to rejuvenate your workout regime when they are opened eventually. Sign up for EnergyOne Gym and you can enjoy half-price rates as a member, and you can be ready for a good workout at any of the 6 EnergyOne Gyms at SAFRA.

6. Enrol Your Kids For Enrichment Programmes – Save Up To $600 A Year

Keep your children entertained while letting them discover the joys of learning at the enrichment programmes offered by SAFRA’s partnering schools, including Canvas Ark, FINS Swim School, Kidz Amaze and NutureStars Preschool, and you can save up to 30% off as a SAFRA member. That’s a total savings of up to $600 per year!

7. Enjoy Health & Wellness Benefits At Discounted Rates

Besides hitting the gym to stay fit, keeping your body and mind healthy is equally important during the current pandemic. It is with this in mind that SAFRA has partnered with over 100 health and wellness merchants like GNC, Holland & Barrett and Pure & Well to help you and your family stay in tip top condition. What’s more. check out EQBenefits Healthcare app and other healthcare & wellness privileges here where you can enjoy preferential member rates on health screenings, medical or dental consultations and services.

8. Signup or Renew Your Membership To Save Up To $116!

Save up to $116 when you take advantage of the exclusive discount of 50% off 2 or 5-year membership fees. (The usual price for 2 or 5-year membership fees are $80/$120 and $155/$232 for Ordinary A /B (former SAFRA) members and Ordinary B (non-SAFRA) / Associate members respectively). And here’s a bonus, if you sign up or renew now, you’ll stand to win a year’s supply* of grocery/shopping/movie vouchers or attraction passes worth up to $15,000 in the SAFRA Bonus Membership Draw!

*Terms & Conditions apply

To find out more about SAFRA’s membership schemes and to sign up, visit www.safra.sg/membership and check out more of the benefits and savings you can enjoy at www.safra.sg/yousavemore

Featured image: Shutterstock

The post 8 Ways To Save Money With The SAFRA Membership appeared first on eNSMAN.