[VIDEO] Health: Young, broke and tired.
PUBLISHED 2 JULY 2019
In this capitalist economy, we strive to be financially healthy. But, what’s that going to do us if WE are not healthy? In this episode of RUMIT, Annie Hor, a financial advisor from Harveston Wealth Management, talks about the common health issues faced by today's working young adults and what they should be mindful of in the long run.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
JAZMIN SIEH | Presenter
Are you that friend who’s always tired?
Hi, I’m Jaz. I’m that friend.
But I don’t like it. I generally do a lot. Because I’m always feeling like I’m left behind. I’m chasing the dream. Great career. Great social life. Mind, body and soul. So balanced. But being penat is a good sign, right? I can sleep when I’m dead.
[INTRO MUSIC]
“EPISODE #5: HEALTH”
ANNIE HOR | Financial Advisor, Harveston Wealth Management
Health is your choice. You know? Money just allows you to have better options.
[MUSIC]
ANNIE
Young professionals right now, they are chasing – they’re in a rat race. They’re trying to prove their worthiness. So when they do that – they’re just fighting for position, fighting for money, and then neglecting their health – the possibility is that their health is always neglected. They don’t have time to exercise. They don’t have time to cook. They don’t have time to like, plan for their health.
So, I think technology plays a part when it comes to health when it comes to health for the young professionals. People are very obsessed with their technology. I am too, I think. No matter at what age we are. So we check a lot of e-mails even though we’re off work. People don’t shut down. And this kind of takes a toll on your health because you don’t really concentrate on doing other things.
ANNIE
Being healthy is a choice. Some people say, “I don’t have money, so I cannot be healthy,” but that’s not entirely true. Health is not for the rich and affluent. Just because you have money, you can’t say, “I want gym, I want yoga, I want pilates. I want the best gym in the market.” You know, “I want everything.” But you can’t. Financially, if you’re able to, yes you can, but if your paycheck shows that you can’t, then you’ve got to admit to yourself, “Hey, I can’t. But what can I do to get it?”
You could not afford a gym membership, yes, but you can afford to run in the park. There’s a lot of free parks – KLCC, free park. You could run in your neighbourhood. They don’t charge you for that. Having a gym membership is a lifestyle. Whether you go to the gym to actually exercise or just to bond, that’s two different things. If you say, “I want to be healthy,” you could just drink more water, you don’t need to drink carbonated drinks. You can take the stairs instead of taking the lift.
When we have no money, people will feel the stress. And how do you get into becoming stressed over money? It’s when you’re in debt. For example, unforeseen circumstances [happen] and you don’t have an insurance medical card for example. That will affect the mental [state into] being not rational at all. And they feel like, “I need to think of Skim Cepat Kaya. So how do I find the most money in the shortest time possible?”
JAZMIN
In my defence, I’ve only had three breakdowns this year.
See, this happens way too often in an office setting. 85% of employees were found with one or more musculoskeletal conditions.
“MUSCOLOSKELETAL CONDITIONS”
“Injuries or pain in the structures and systems that support limbs, neck and back.”
JAZMIN
Basically, these guys.
“TENSION NECK SYNDROME'“
“THORACIC OUTLET SYNDROME”
“LOWER BACK PAIN”
JAZMIN
I’m lucky my company covers my physical and mental health. Thanks, BFM! See, we always talk about being financially healthy, but what if we’re not healthy?
ANNIE
Health comes in all the time. Whether it’s illnesses or just back pain, it does not affect only the older generation. It can affect anyone. Even if you hear of people who have cancer, it can affect any age group. Anyone at any age can pass away of stroke or heart attack.
People need to take note – is there lifestyle actually driving them to become less healthy? Their work lifestyle, for example. They do not sleep enough, they don’t eat well. They don’t take care of their health. Maybe do a medical check-up, so that they can actually know how is their health like. Is their cholesterol high? Do they have gout? Do they have high sugar levels? Then, they are aware [that they] should have maybe less sugary food, less rice, if you’re diabetic [for example].
Most of the time, like millennials or young professionals would think, “I don’t need medical insurance. My company covers me.” Yes, your company covers you but you have to ask yourself – how much? And are you going to stay there forever? And hospital bills nowadays are not cheap. So, if your company covers you a bill of maximum, maybe RM30,000 annual limit, and your bill comes up to RM100,000. Where are you going to get RM70,000? Young professionals [have] just started work, barely have enough savings, that RM70,000 would naturally come from your parents – who are giving you their hard-earned savings for their retirement.
So it is very important to actually cover yourself when you are insurable. Today you’re healthy, you’re able to buy insurance. If tomorrow anything that shows that you’re unhealthy and a risk to the insurance company, you might not be able to get any medical insurance.
ANNIE
It’s just a mindset that people should not give excuses that, “I don’t have enough money, so in that case, I should not be healthy.” You would say, “I never thought of it. It was the last thing on my mind.” Then you ask yourself, “Why was it the last thing on my mind?” Is it because nothing happened or you do not have the resources? So you need to ask yourself that, “Why?”.
If something medically big were to happen, how much do you have? How much to save you? Or maybe seek a professional to advise you the importance of having an insurance, for example, or a medical or healthcare benefit. There must be some reason holding you back from making that decision.
[END]
CREDITS
