Category Archives: Everyday Life

K-skin, Korean Express Facial at AEON Bandaraya Melaka

Posted in Beauty Products, Good Things, Reviews by

I went for an impromptu facial at K-Skin yesterday. On my day off, I brought my daughter to have lunch at Aeon Bandaraya. I was intrigued by their selling price – RM58 for a 15-minute facial. I could choose between 3 service options: Cleanse, Glow or V-lift. However, they also have another option which is the Combo treatment at RM98 for 30 minutes. I went for the Combo since they throw in a box of mask sheet as well. I chose Combo A.

Unlike other facials I have been to, they don’t pick on your blackheads and acne. I was very thankful for that because the last time I went, my face was really red the next day. It was so embarrassing coming into work like a lobster. I liked that the beautician was not excessively chatty too.

The facial area had private curtains around it and since my daughter is very well-behaved, my beautician loved having her sit near me. She was as quiet as a mouse. The facial was very cooling and relaxing. Maybe because I was the only customer during that time. Anyway, I believe it’s a good place to go if you have a long lunch break on Fridays. It does not require an appointment and you could easily go for lunch afterwards.

I wished I could say there was a glaring difference in my complexion – before and after. Unfortunately, I did not feel that way. Perhaps I could opt for the Pigmentation Service next time. My face did feel fresh though after the 30-minute pampering. And since I did an immediate Google Review afterwards, I received an extra sheet of Vitamin C mask sheet.

Reducing financial burden

Posted in Home Management by

A psychiatrist during my medical student postings once told me that when she was in her 40s, she ‘downsized’ her life. She sold off her Jaguar, bought a smaller home, and spent much less on her clothes and accessories. She felt more content afterwards. Perhaps it was her mid-life crisis, she couldn’t tell. I am feeling a similar urge too. To be content with what I have and reduce whatever extra’s that are not necessary.

I went to the bank yesterday to reactivate my account. It has been dormant for the past year because I need to have a debit card to make online transfers. I did not have one. The lady at the counter was enthusiastic about telling me about their account options and diversifying financial portfolios. She persuaded me to get a debit card too! It got so suffocating that at one point I just stopped her nicely and said, “Let me tell you about my plan. My plan is to transfer the current money I have here to my investment account at ASB little by little as per the allowed limit. And then I plan to close my account here“.

But why? You would need backup.

I then told her about my sibling’s experience sorting out my mother’s will. It was a hassle. My late mom has so many eggs in so many baskets to pick up. Hence, the least I could do is put it all in as little baskets as I can. The lady suggested hibah but it comes with a fee. Which I have no interest in paying.

I also plan to pay off my housing loan as early as I can. At least my financial burden could be reduced gradually for me to enjoy my early pension. (if it happens).

Downsizing the amount of accounts I have will be my financial task till the end of this year. I am also planning to keep the amount of money in my Tabung Haji to its required minimum. Just enough to pay for Hajj expenses. The rest of the money will be put into my children’s TH account so that it can be used for their Hajj and also education expenses.

2 AM

Posted in Everyday Life by

It’s 2 am.

I should have known better not to touch the coffee my husband bought for me from Family Mart. I have become so used to decaf coffee that the slightest surge in grams is playing its effects on my nervous system. Thankfully, I am still on leave tomorrow. So it’s still alright to be sleep-deprived.

I just finished folding the laundry. I just had 2 marshmallows. I am hoping for the insulin spike to ensue and make me sleepy in a bit. I don’t think I’d be up at my usual 4am. But I’d definitely be up by 6 to prepare breakfast.

I have a long day ahead with so many things to do concerning the household, early retirement planning and work/study stuff. I cannot wait to finish my final year of psychology. Just a few more months and then Insya-Allah I can focus on other projects.

The Retirement Plan

Posted in Everyday Life by

Lately, I saw a few posts of senior medical officers opting for early retirement at 45 years old. These are doctors who have accumulated a certain set of skills from the experience of working in their respective departments for a very long time. We are not talking about clinical skills but also soft skills which are invaluable in managing a patient’s care plan. In fact, some of my colleagues are also considering the same thing as they approach the golden age.

Why is this happening?

The push factors for medical officers choosing to retire early at 45 years old may include burnout from high-stress work environments and heavy workloads. Additionally, limited opportunities for career advancement or dissatisfaction with the current healthcare system could also contribute to this decision. On the other hand, the pull factors for early retirement may involve a desire for a better work-life balance and the pursuit of alternative career paths or personal interests.

While we in Klinik Kesihatan do not have long working hours (yet), the heavy workload is palpable. There are so many things to do for one patient even if they only come for fever. Opportunistic screening, health promotion counselling and arranging further reviews are one of them. In fact, gone are the days when all the doctor does is sit and talk about the health concern, nowadays there are programmes to run in the community and also at the clinic to supplement these consultations to achieve holistic care of the patient. There are KPIs to achieve. For instance, each medical officer has to arrange 3 IFOBT screenings for their patients monthly. Then, there is DM stuff to sort out, the smears etc. A patient with hypertension is not going to be seen for only that, other aspects of their life need to be explored such as their mental health and cancer risk.

When the ratio of doctor to patient is unequal, the quality of consultations becomes poor because the staff needs to breeze through the numbers of the day to finish on time. Furthermore, instead of one MO being in charge of say, one or two portfolios, there will be a few that will have to shoulder 3 portfolios. A portfolio means being in charge and making sure that every demand of the superiors relating to it is met.

The key to reduce burnout is not the carrot on stick approach, it is to reduce demand and increase support – Adam Grant

Yet, we see increasing demands from the public which are not on par with the resources we have within the ministry. There seems to be less accountability on the patients’ part towards their own health status. It is frustrating to see the reluctance to be compliant with their meds and commit to a healthier lifestyle. Perhaps to teach them a lesson – the fee should be increased from RM1 to RM5 as a start. While some may argue that the less unfortunate may find this burdening – I am telling you the less unfortunate are healthier than the fortunate. It’s the fortunate beings that are taking their health for granted. They’d rather buy a viral RM20 chocolate cake drizzled with ganache than spend it on paracetamol or eye drops from the pharmacy.

The Retirement Plan

I have been calculating my financial commitments per month. Most of it would be paid off by the time I reach the mandatory retirement age. But who would want to wait that long? I know for sure that if I choose to retire early, that would mean living below my means. Taking control of my wants and focusing more on my needs. It is easy to finish RM500,000 in 4 years if you give still live on RM10K permonth. But what if I give myself only RM4K/ month instead? That will include payments for my liabilities and the necessary enjoyments like Spotify and my WordPress account. Then I would need to calculate in the cost of fuel for my car, groceries and self-love activities. I figured that now, while still with an income, is the time for me to prepare my house for retirement. That means getting it repaired as needed, organised, renovated, and buying all the nitty-gritty gadgets and all. So that by the time I retire early, all I will do is maintain the house.

Let’s see if I could retire early by 2028.