No emails or messages for 24 hours? I tried fully unplugging from work on my day off and here's what happened

As an advocate of the mantra 'work hard, play hard', I've always strove for that sweet spot of work-life balance throughout my schooling days and was hoping to continue doing so as I step into adulthood. But five months into my first full-time job, I realised that achieving this is harder than it seems.

Even when I'm on leave, I find myself subconsciously clearing my inbox or taking a peek at my messages. And ironically, it's for the sake of staying up-to-date with what's happening at work and not feeling overwhelmed when I'm back.

But by scratching this itch, I'm essentially denying myself the chance of disconnecting from work and being fully present on my day off.

Having realised this, I've set my mind on practising this mantra, at least just for a day. I took an impromptu day off – thanks to my company's mental wellness perks – and made it my goal to switch off from all work obligations, aka no checking of emails, messages or answering any work-related queries.

Instead, I dedicated my day to doing things that bring me the most joy – eating delicious food, going cafe-hopping, breaking a sweat and spending quality time with my loved ones.

As luck would have it, foodpanda happened to be having a 10-cent flash sale for their subscription programme, pandapro, during my precious day off. From enjoying free food delivery to extra savings when dining in at participating restaurants, this was too good a deal to pass up.

Here's everything I got up to and all the great deals I unlocked while fully unplugging from work. And spoiler alert, I've not felt freer in months.

8am: Going on a 'mental health walk' in nature

My first agenda of the day was to go on a 'mental health walk'. A trend that has quickly gained popularity on TikTok, heading outside for a walk is a tried and tested way to lower stress levels and improve general well-being.

With my alarm set, I got up bright and early, threw on some comfy clothes and was out of the house in a jiffy.

While I was tempted to bring along my earphones and put on a Spotify playlist or podcast episode, today was also my chance to switch off and take a break from technology.

Plugged into nothing for once, I was able to soak in the natural environment and pay closer attention to the sights, sounds and smells around me. It was a refreshing experience and I dare say one of the best starts to my day this year.

9.30am: Fuelling up with a hearty breakfast

I'm not one to skip breakfast, so I wasn't surprised when my stomach started to growl just two-thirds into my walk.

Remembering that my pandapro subscription scores me an extra 10 per cent discount on pick-up orders at thousands of restaurants, I went on my foodpanda app to see the food options nearby.

After a quick scroll, I saw that one of my go-to coffee shops, Joe & Dough, was a participating restaurant. On top of the existing 10 per cent discount for pick-up orders (no minimum spend), I could enjoy another 10 per cent savings with my pandapro subscription.

I ordered the Croque Monsieur and Signature d.r. Joe 1914 for my caffeine fix, and slowly made my way to the store. When I arrived 15 minutes later, I was pleased to find my order all set and ready to go.

Served warm and fresh, the toasted brioche with honey-baked ham, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, and bechamel sauce was a sinful yet hearty first meal of the day. Plus, the chocolatey cup of coffee was the perfect choice to wash it all down.

Having time to munch on my food leisurely was a luxury in itself, but the icing on the cake? Saving an additional $1.83 on this indulgent breakfast, courtesy of my pandapro subscription.

12pm: Clocking in a workout for some endorphins

Now that my tummy's filled, it was time to pay my dues with a quick sweat session.

In the spirit of rest and rejuvenation, I chose to go for a slow-paced yoga class instead of a high-intensity workout session.

After the 60-minute session which had me contorting and stretching in various poses, I felt much lighter and more relaxed than before – just what I needed to recharge mentally and physically.

2pm: Enjoying some alone time at a new cafe

Having racked up those endorphins, I was all ready for lunch.

As an introvert who treasures her time alone and an avid cafe goer, one of the simplest activities that bring me immense joy is visiting new cafes by myself. It goes without saying that I had to include this on today's to-do list.

While cafes are typically notorious for their prices, thankfully I didn't burn a hole in my pocket this time, as pandapro subscribers enjoy a 20 per cent discount off our total bill when we dine in at foodpanda's selected partner restaurants.

While browsing the list of restaurants, a cafe called Long Black Cafe caught my eye. Nestled in the heart of Biopolis, the cosy space is known for its finely crafted coffee and delectable Western food options.

I chose a spot in their alfresco seating area and got myself the chef's recommendation, the chilli seafood delight pasta, along with an iced latte. Since it was later in the afternoon, I also managed to avoid the lunch crowd and enjoyed a peaceful meal with my book in hand.

With my pandapro subscription, I only had to fork out $16.20 for my meal that would otherwise cost $20.24.

And a quick mid-day check? Glad to say that I haven't checked my email or replied to any work-related messages, and am still going strong.

6.30pm: Spending quality time with my family over dinner

My late lunch kept me satiated all afternoon and I only started feeling peckish at around 6.30pm.

Since it was a rare day that I was home early, I took the chance to have dinner with my family. For convenience's sake, we naturally turned to some food delivery.

Not to mention, my pandapro subscription makes ordering in ever more enticing. In addition to enjoying free delivery across thousands of restaurants (minimum order values may apply), subscribers get another three free delivery vouchers per month on all restaurant orders – yes, that includes islandwide delivery restaurants, with a minimum spend of $30.

After poring over the wide selection of merchants, we decided on some good ol' pizza and wings from Pizza Hut.

We opted for the foodpanda special bundle which came with two regular pan crust pizzas, drumlets and wings, as well as some milo breadsticks. With the delivery fee of $4.79 waived, I only had to pay $46.50 for the bundle – what a steal!

8.30pm: Putting on a movie to wrap up my day

I usually spend hours on social media to unwind after a long day at work, but I decided to switch it up today and put on a movie instead.

As a suspense and thriller junkie, I went with an old Korean movie, Forgotten, which has been compared to the likes of movies such as Memoir of a Murderer and Oldboy.

With my movie pick out of the way, my next order of business was getting some snacks. Craving something sweet, I decided to order dessert on foodpanda.

From cakes to Chinese desserts, the options were extensive, but I settled for an assortment of hot and cold treats from Chinese dessert shop, Ji De Chi.

My bill totalled $20.80 and I got to save on the $4.99 delivery fee – all thanks to my pandapro subscription!

Here's to unlocking more freedom and endless pandapros

Even though this challenge posed a huge mental hurdle, completely unplugging from work on my day off has been more liberating than I'd imagined – and it's a practice I'm hoping to keep up with.

Plus, scoring all these great deals and discounts with my pandapro subscription has made this day even sweeter. For the record, totalling the discounts from my pick-up and dine-in orders, and the free deliveries I've scored, I managed to save $15.65 in just one day! Just imagine the massive savings I can rack up in an entire month as a pandapro subscriber.

If you're looking to have such convenience, discounts and a whole lot of other perks right at your fingertips, there's no better time than now to sign up for your pandapro subscription.

From now till March 31, foodpanda is having its 10-cent flash sale so you can score these insane savings by just spending 10 cents!

Simply use the promo code '10CENTS' to enjoy one month of pandapro subscription at only 10 cents (U.P. $7.99/month). This promotion is only valid for non-subscribers on the pandapro subscription plan, terms and conditions apply.

Join the pandapro club via foodpanda's mobile app and start unlocking endless sweet deals today!

This article is brought to you in partnership with foodpanda.

yukiling@asiaone.com

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