FROM LANGUISHING TO FLOURISHING
HOW COVID-19 CREATED MORE STAY-HOME BOSSES The Covid-19 crisis has been both a physical and mental challenge. It has heightened the risk factors generally associated
Covid-19
with poor mental health - financial insecurity, unemployment
Restrictions
and paranoia.
Protective factors that used to maintain mental stability and social cohesion, such as community connection, employment, educational engagement, access to physical exercise, daily routine and access to health services have fallen dramatically (OECD).
Internal
External
impact on
changes in
Individual
Society
"Languishing" is a buzzword that has been frequently used to describe the consequence faced by individuals from the above challenges. It is the sense of stagnation and emptiness from the lack of movement and progress, both in the body and mind.
HOW HAVE SINGAPOREANS TACKLED THE ONSET OF LANGUISHING AND CENTRE THEMSELVES TO A BETTER FLOURISHING STATE OF MIND?
SOCIETY & ME TOP 5 CONCERNS OF SINGAPOREANS IN 2021 TOWARD THE COVID-19 IMPACT The findings are based on a survey of 1,000 Singaporeans aged 18-70+ years conducted between February and March 2021.
Financial Stress
Work Stress
Covid Impact
Anxiety
Depression
55%
47%
28%
24%
21%
Despite her size, Singapore's economy remains the most open in the world. This means that she is easily influenced by any external social, political or economic changes. During the pandemic, internal societal restrictions also had emotional repercussions. Yet all these changes, ultimately, are also seen as opportunities and challenges to the country.
As we band against tides, the relationship between society and an individual is closely knitted. It is a feedback loop. No individual lives in silos.
As a state and an individual, often, she can only accept, react and adapt to situations that are beyond her control.
Changes in society had impact on the individual, eventually leading to more home-businesses...
Society
Type something COMMUNITY MOBILITY REPORTS
Type something EMPLOYMENT DATA
AT ITS PEAK,
83%
AT ITS PEAK,
3.4%
LESS PEOPLE WENT TO THE WORKPLACE
53%
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE THE HIGHEST SINCE
MORE PEOPLE
THE GREAT RECESSION
STAYED AT HOME
Workplace Percentage Change
Residential Percentage Change
Overall Unemployment Rate
Employment Change ('000)
60
50
3.31
40
20
2.33
-20
-40
-50
1.36
-60
-80
-100
0.39
-100 2 2 0 2
2
2
2
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On 7th April 2020, Singapore went into her most severe lockdown
The total unemployment rate in 2020 was the highest since the
period ('circuit breaker'), which saw the lowest numbers in the
Great Recession (2007-2009). At the economy's lowest, there were
workplace and highest at home. Even until today, compared to
also almost 120,000 people who have lost their jobs. There was a
before the pandemic, more people are staying at home, and less
shift towards digitisation and technology industries, and job
people are heading back to workplace.
insecurity was further exacerbated.
Individual
Type something LANGUISHING
Type something KNOWLEDGE INSECURITY
flow
Depression
Languishing
Flourishing
50% believe that their job will be
52% focused on building
obsolete within the next 5 years
entrepreneurial skills
The way to move towards flourishing is to enter the state of "flow". It
Covid-19 has emphasised the importance of relevance - in skills and
is present when finding new challenges, enjoyable experiences and
knowledge - to the demands of the ever-evolving and fast-paced
meaningful work. The sense of autonomy and intense focus becomes
world. Jobs of today can be vastly different from that of tomorrow.
a rewarding experience - a positive impact to one's psychology.
Lifelong learning has become a necessity to adapt and thrive.
Home Businesses
With the support of the government and society, the popularity of home businesses has risen...
A FLOURISHING BUSINESS AND STATE OF MIND INFORMAL BUSINESS Informal
businesses
are
not
registered
(or
are
loosely
registered) in a formal legal institution. Without a welldefined legal status, they are considered as informal.
Informal enterprises not only provide a source of income to vulnerable populations, but also act as a buffer within an economy lacking formal social security systems.
HOME BUSINESS A subset of an informal business, under the Housing Development Board Singapore
(HDB),
home-based
business
are
small-scale
profit-driven
activities conducted in residential premises to supplement income.
Third-parties and non-resident employees are prohibited and activities must comply with rules and regulations of other governing authorities, depending on the nature of the business.
Besides an alternative income as a practical reason, the start of one's own business may offer the state of "flow" for many. To achieve a sense of control over one's own life during unpredictable and unstable times, and
to
work
meaningfully
for
passions,
these
are
cardinal
for
a
flourishing business and better mental health.
Because home businesses are informal, it is difficult to gather the exact numbers and those in existence in Singapore. However, it is evident that interest in starting and supporting home businesses have grown in 2020. Google searches for terms related to home businesses have risen.
"How to + Start + Own Business"
"Support + Local Businesses"
"Home Businesses"
100
90
80
sdnerT elgooG hguorht emiT revo tseretnI
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
n Ja
19 0 2
y a M
19 0 2
p e S
19 0 2 n Ja
0 2 0 2
y a M
0 2 0 2 p e S
0 2 0 2
n Ja
1 2 0 2
y a M
1 2 0 2
p e S
1 2 0 2
n Ja
2 2 0 2
*Numbers represent search interest relative to the highest point on the chart for the given region and time. A value of 100 is the peak popularity for the term. A value of 50 means that the term is half as popular. A score of 0 means there was not enough data for this term.
Private Tuition For not more than
Beauty Services
3 students at a time
Food Business
Such as hairdressing,
Such as baking,
manicure and pedicure
on a small scale
Freelance Work Type something
Sewing Services
As an artist, journalist,
Involving clothes and
photographer or writer
crotchet products
Types of Home Businesses
)%( etaR tnemyolpmenU llarevO
)000'( egnahC tnemyolpmE
enilesaB morf egnahC egatnecreP
0 0
CONCLUSION Enterprise Count (2019)
Employment (%)
74%
Non-SMEs 0,48%
of Singaporean millennials are working to become their own bosses or self-employed
SMEs 99,52%
Non-SMEs
SMEs
Today, small-to-medium enterprises contribute to a large part of Singapore's economy and total employment. Therefore, it is clear that small, manageable and adaptable companies are essential.
As millennials become the biggest employed generation group in Singapore's, it is likely that we will see start-ups and home businesses becoming more popular.
Ultimately, we all hope to find work-life harmony, to hustle for a purpose that we can flourish for.
REFERENCES riley Leong (jleo2231)
Additional Information on Data: Community Mobility Reports
*The statistics for weekends were removed so as to compare workdays (weekdays) only. *Some peaks in the data are likely caused by national public holidays. *The general shapes of the curves should be studied instead to understand the movements of individuals during this time.
Employment Data
*Employment Change indicates the number of people who have gained or lost employment. This also includes individuals who have switched jobs from one to another. A positive value indicates a net employment gain in society, while negative value indicates the loss of jobs.
Languishing
*In The New York Times article by Adam Grant, he opines, "Languishing is the sense of stagnation and emptiness. It is the neglected middle child of mental health. It’s the void between depression and flourishing — the absence of well-being. You don’t have symptoms of mental illness, but you’re not the picture of mental health either."
Knowledge Insecurity
*Statistics from a survey conducted by PWC Singapore. Responses were gathered by over 2000 Singaporeans on their hopes and fears in 2021. Singapore workers want more digital skills, more inclusivity and more flexibility in the workplace.
Conclusion
*Millennial mindsets were gathered through a Global Entrepreneurship Survey commissioned by GoDaddy. Conducted by Morar Consulting and Vrge Analytics, the research surveyed 7,291 professionals, including 2,707 current small business owners or selfemployed individuals, in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Singapore, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Resources:
ACRA Business Registry Statistics. (2020). Acra.gov.sg. https://www.acra.gov.sg/training-and-resources/facts-andfigures/statistical-highlights-2020 Content, C. (2019, December 18). The sweet trap of entrepreneurship. Singapore Business Review. https://sbr.com.sg/economy/commentary/sweet-trap-entrepreneurship Formalisation of Micro Enterprises in ASEAN. (n.d.). https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Formalisation-ofMicro-Enterprises-in-ASEAN-POLICY-INSIGHT-2020-final-3.pdf From handmade soap to kombucha: How small businesses get their start on Instagram. (2020). CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/small-businesses-on-instagram-retailers-shoppers-709056 Grant, A. (2021, April 19). There's a Name for the Blah You're Feeling: It's Called Languishing. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html Hermes Auto. (2021, June 26). New enterprises bloom in Singapore despite Covid-19 gloom. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/business/companies-markets/new-enterprises-bloom-in-spore-despite-covid-gloom Home-based F&B businesses flourish amid pandemic. (2021). CNA. https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/homebased-bakers-businesses-covid-19-pandemic-347736 Kwek, M. (2021, May 27). 40 Local Home Based Businesses To Support In These Times, Sorted By Category. TheSmartLocal Singapore’s Leading Travel and Lifestyle Portal. https://thesmartlocal.com/read/home-based-businesses-singapore/ Leow, A. (2020, December 4). Home sweet home-based businesses. The Business Times; The Business Times. https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/brunch/home-sweet-home-based-businesses Salim, Z. (2017, February 27). More S’poreans Are Ditching Offices, Here’s How You Can Work From Home And Be Your Own Boss Too. Vulcan Post; Vulcan Post. https://vulcanpost.com/603921/home-business-singapore-what-you-need-to-know/ Singaporeans most anxious about economic issues and contracting Covid-19 in public spaces: Study. (2020). TODAY. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singaporeans-most-anxious-about-economic-issues-and-contracting-covid-19public-spaces
Tackling the mental health impact of the COVID-19 crisis: An integrated, whole-of-society response. (2021). OECD. https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/tackling-the-mental-health-impact-of-the-covid-19-crisis-anintegrated-whole-of-society-response-0ccafa0b/
Well-Series: Singapore. (2021). Wunderman Thompson. https://www.wundermanthompson.com/insight/well-series
Data:
Google. (2022). COVID-19 Community Mobility Reports. COVID-19 Community Mobility Report. https://www.google.com/covid19/mobility/ Google Trends. (2015). Google Trends. https://trends.google.com/trends/ Nalinee. (2021, May 28). 2020 Singapore SMEs Statistics - InvoiceInterchange. InvoiceInterchange. https://www.invoiceinterchange.com/2020-singapore-smes-statistics/ PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2021a). Hopes and fears 2021 - Singapore report. PwC. https://www.pwc.com/sg/en/publications/hopes-and-fears-2021.html PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2021b). Upskilling Hopes and Fears 2021: PwC. PwC. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/hopes-and-fears.html Summary Table: Employment. (2022). Mom.gov.sg. https://stats.mom.gov.sg/Pages/Employment-Summary-Table.aspx WT WELL-SERIES: SINGAPORE. (2021). Wtsg.live. https://wtsg.live/well-series/sg/? utm_source=WT%20Webiste&utm_medium=Post&utm_campaign=wt_website_post
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I would like to thank my family, friends, studio mates tutor (Brittany Klaassens), lecturer (Kaz Grace) and many others who have provided me with the guidance in my journey thus far.