What We Can Learn From Our Pet Animals

Working from home or apart from colleagues can take a toll. When you don’t feel like taking advice from other people, take some life lessons from our animal companions for a change.

Here are some lifestyle tips that we can gain from our beloved pets.

Cats: Listen to Your Body and Express Yourself

Take note from our feline friends, listen to your body and take some time out to rest and relax when you need to.

“Cats are truly simple. If we want to eat, we eat; if we want to sleep, we sleep; when we are angry, we are angry utterly; when we cry, we cry with all the desperation of extreme commitment to our grief.” – Natsume Soseki’s novel I Am A Cat

Cats may seem more aloof than man’s best friend, the dog. But they’re highly attuned to their feelings and don’t hold back from expressing them. Cat owners know there’s no more effective morning alarm than a cat crying for breakfast.

As humans, we could take some pointers from our feline companions. We should listen to our bodies: rest when we need to and avoid skipping meals even when we’re extremely busy and stressed.

As more evolved human beings, though, think about how can you take care of and communicate your needs without coming across as too clingy or detached.

Dogs: Patiently Knowing When to Work and When to Play

Our canine companions teach us to make the most out of our free time.

Man’s best friend always has a reason to be entertained, whether it’s a bird showing up through a window or a delivery person knocking on the door. This zest for life comes in useful as pet dogs spend most of their day indoors, waiting for beloved owners to return home or be free for play and walks outside.

This dogged patience is also found in public officers who often have to wait for approval or for large files to be downloaded – those in-between moments that aren’t long enough to do deep, thoughtful work.

To combat this “rush to wait, wait to rush” feeling, we can learn from our canine friends to keep ourselves cheerful and occupied while waiting for things to get going.

For starters, we can fit in watching short videos to learn new skills (with learn.gov.sg) or get into a new hobby. Or daydream about where to vacation for annual leave once travel restrictions ease.

Rabbits: Look Far Ahead for Potential Problems

Gain more awareness about the world around you by staying-up-to-date with current news and trends.

The myth that eating carrots improves eyesight has been debunked. But rabbits do have nearly 360º eyesight that they use to detect predators in the wild. Their farsighted vision also enables them to be alert at all times.

While humans lack this 360º vision physically, we can gain more awareness by using any extra time from working remotely to keep up with the latest news regarding COVID-19 and work trends.

Be on a lookout for news of government regulations, vaccine breakthroughs and solidarity payments from reliable sources.

Hamsters: Self-Care is the Best Care

Try and stay active whenever you find some free time at home or in the workplace.

When they’re not eating or sleeping, hamsters are burning energy on a hamster wheel or crawling through tubes. These cuddly critters show us that wherever we are, we can find ways to keep ourselves fit.

We can learn from their example by jogging on the spot or doing any form of cardio to get our heart rates up, whether at home or in the workplace. And just like a hamster, make sure to get sufficient nutrition and many hours of sleep.

Subscribe to the Challenge newsletter for more stories like this.

Related Stories: