{"id":377592,"date":"2025-12-30T16:28:15","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:28:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/377592\/"},"modified":"2025-12-30T16:28:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T16:28:15","slug":"how-mental-health-professionals-kept-their-new-years-resolutions-despite-challenges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/377592\/","title":{"rendered":"How mental health professionals kept their New Year’s resolutions despite challenges"},"content":{"rendered":"

SINGAPORE \u2013 In December 2023, The Straits Times <\/p>\n

asked doctors and mental health professionals<\/p>\n

<\/a> to share their New Year\u2019s resolutions for improving their well-being.<\/p>\n

Two years later, we check in with six of them to find out whether they met their goals and what has helped, or hindered, their progress.<\/p>\n

Their experiences reveal that while it is easy to set goals for a better year, it can be hard to achieve your targets.<\/p>\n

Their tips for success include finding external support, practising self-compassion and choosing consistency over perfection while building new habits. <\/p>\n

Two years ago, Dr Andrew Fang, 39, told ST that he planned to exercise more, since physical activity has a positive impact on mental health and well-being.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr Andrew Fang is fitting exercise into family time.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: DOCTOR ANYWHERE<\/p>\n

However, it was tough to schedule time to be active. \u201cClinical work and other meetings took priority, and resolutions dropped down the list,\u201d says the medical director at private medical company Doctor Anywhere.<\/p>\n

Just as he felt he was losing momentum, his wife engaged a personal trainer for him. \u201cThat forced me to make time and exercise,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

In addition, he started fitting in exercise \u201csnacks\u201d during his day, rather than trying to schedule longer sessions at the gym. <\/p>\n

\u201cI find it easier to be flexible and do some exercise when there are pockets of time,\u201d he says. \u201cEven 15 minutes means I can do some brisk walking or jogging, or some push-ups if there is no one around.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Fang is also fitting exercise into family time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things that made exercise more fun is that my kids are older and learning sports, so I can play with them,\u201d he says. He has two sons aged seven and five. He swims and plays badminton with them.<\/p>\n

He will continue his efforts to keep fit in 2026. <\/p>\n

Some of his relatives have floated the idea of signing up for a run together. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe used to do that in the past, but then we became busier and stopped. Now they\u2019ve initiated the idea of doing a run again, so I may join them,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Dr Edwin Chng, 43, senior physician at Parkway Shenton, hit his fitness goal for 2025 by reducing his body fat to below 15 per cent.<\/p>\n

However, his earlier resolution to make a habit of mindfulness meditation had to be adjusted to meet increased demands on his time. <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr Edwin Chng made time for mindful meditation every week.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: PARKWAY SHENTON<\/p>\n

In 2025, he switched to a weekly meditation practice, down from a daily routine before going to sleep in 2024. This is because he is doing a master\u2019s in healthcare quality and safety, which requires him to attend night classes online. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m often quite exhausted and short on time,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

But the weekly mindfulness meditation is non-negotiable. <\/p>\n

\u201cMental health is a top priority in my life,\u201d he says. \u201cGood mental health is necessary for good physical health, increased productivity, better relationships and an enhanced quality of life in general.\u201d<\/p>\n

When setting goals, it is important to be realistic and flexible, he adds. If something gets in the way of achieving your goals, be kind to yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cReassure yourself. Maybe you haven\u2019t achieved what you wanted to do this year, but you can always extend your timeline,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

\u201cGoal-setting is not limited to a single date like the New Year. It can be any time that feels personally meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Lim Boon Leng, 49, psychiatrist at Gleneagles Hospital, says the past two years have taught him the importance of taking time to rest.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn healthcare, many of us equate progress with perpetual striving. But sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is pause,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Dr Lim Boon Leng made time for rest and exercise.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: PARKWAY SHENTON<\/p>\n

In 2023, he told ST that he experienced lethargy during the day and wanted to get a sleep study done to check whether he had obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). <\/p>\n

OSA is a dangerous sleep disorder, often characterised by chronic and severe snoring. During sleep, the muscles of the airway collapse and obstruct the flow of air.<\/p>\n

However, working on a different New Year\u2019s resolution solved the problem. Dr Lim prioritised rest and consciously reduced his workload.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith more time for rest and regular exercise, I managed to lose some weight and the symptoms that suggested possible sleep apnoea have since improved,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Resting also requires discipline, he adds. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had to deliberately challenge the internal narrative that resting equates to being unproductive. It\u2019s been a gradual mental shift from guilt to acceptance, from thinking, \u2018I should be working harder\u2019, to \u2018It\u2019s okay to rest.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The same attitude helps him maintain healthy habits in the long term. Breaks in routine should not stop you from continuing in the right direction, he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany give up too quickly because they expect long-term results in the short term. There will always be detours, but what matters is steering back towards your direction,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

Ms Martine Hill, 62, says to ditch the \u201cpass or fail\u201d mentality when it comes to your goals.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ms Martine Hill worked on getting good sleep.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF MARTINE HILL<\/p>\n

For the past few years, the counsellor and director at Alliance Counselling has worked on getting better-quality sleep.<\/p>\n

Her night-time routine includes using a meditation app, a lavender spray and putting screens away before bedtime. Yet those cues do not always work, and that is okay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t look for perfection,\u201d she says. \u201cI accept that there are some days when I\u2019ve not had great sleep, but I\u2019m still able to function.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making sleep a priority means that there are more days of good sleep than bad, which improves her quality of life in general.<\/p>\n

She also maintains a regular exercise routine of weight training twice a week; pilates three times a week; and walking 5 to 10km three times a week. Her exercise buddies keep her consistent, since they motivate one another to show up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving an accountability partner makes a difference,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

She has met all her goals for 2024 and 2025, including adding playfulness and lightness to life. She joined craft workshops and went scuba diving, as well as met new people for guided conversations over dinner. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy goals were reasonable, simple, human and possible,\u201d she says. \u201cThey were small goals, and I was consistent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Rie Kubota planned to go on long walks in nature to improve her well-being over the past two years. She had to modify that goal to fit her circumstances.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

IMH senior clinical psychologist Rie Kubota, who is in her mid-40s, walks in nature when possible.<\/p>\n

PHOTO: COURTESY OF RIE KUBOTA<\/p>\n

\u201cLonger nature walks didn\u2019t happen as much as I had hoped because of work and other commitments,\u201d says the senior clinical psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiving in the city area also made accessing larger green spaces harder,\u201d adds Dr Kubota, who is in her mid-40s.<\/p>\n

She now looks to take long walks during holidays, heading to waterfalls or beaches. She also walks in green spaces in Singapore when possible. <\/p>\n

\u201cThese walks help me disconnect from stress and reconnect with the present moment,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

To deal with stress and improve mental health, she focuses on staying consistent with mindfulness practices such as meditation.<\/p>\n

She opts for short sessions of one to three minutes of guided meditation using her Apple Watch, since these fit into her routine. She focuses on being consistent, rather than on the length of time spent meditating.<\/p>\n

This is part of her 2025 resolution to be less self-critical and to approach challenges with greater self-compassion. She says this has helped her be more balanced and to respond better to setbacks or difficult emotions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main lesson from the past year has been to ease up on self-judgment and be patient with myself,\u201d Dr Kubota says. <\/p>\n

\u201cProgress does not have to be perfect. Do not underestimate the small steps. Steady habits can make a big impact and support mental well-being over time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms Theresa Pong, 50, planned to spend more time with family and do more professional networking over the past two years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One of Ms Theresa Pong’s goals was to spend more time with her 15-year-old daughter Hannah Leong.<\/p>\n

ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO<\/p>\n

However, the founder and counselling director of The Relationship Room expanded her business in 2024. She went from a single room with two counsellors to two rooms and three counsellors. She also studied for professional qualifications to support her growing practice.<\/p>\n

With more demands on her time, she shifted her goals to focus on quality over quality. Networking became more intentional as she attended conferences and training sessions.<\/p>\n

She also looked for ways to spend quality time with her husband and their daughter. Long walks together on Saturdays helped the family bond and enjoy exercise together. She and her 15-year-old daughter Hannah Leong also watch Netflix shows together or enjoy meals out and shopping.<\/p>\n

Ms Pong says: \u201cGoals evolve with your circumstances. It helps to be flexible and also to have self-compassion.\u201d <\/p>\n

Amid her increased work commitments, she dealt with flares of eczema triggered by stress. The experience made her prioritise her health, including getting a thorough medical check-up and maintaining a daily mindfulness practice before starting work. <\/p>\n

She aims to hit the nationally recommended 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week, through runs and strength training.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to hit 150 minutes a week, but I have hit only 120 minutes so far,\u201d she says with a laugh. \u201cThat is where self-compassion comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SINGAPORE \u2013 In December 2023, The Straits Times asked doctors and mental health professionals to share their New…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":377593,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[49,48,84,392],"class_list":{"0":"post-377592","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-healthcare","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-healthcare"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=377592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/377592\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/377593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=377592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=377592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=377592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}