Remembering the past when dealing with the present...
Have you ever forgotten the good habits that you have cultivated in the past? For instance, having breakfast before you leave for school, finishing up your homework on time before weekends, exercising during PE at least twice a week (okay this is not a habit but we were forced to exercise), and have an innocent purpose of passing and scoring in exams to get to the next grade.
I wonder where some of these good habits went when we go out to work.
Perhaps work is mundane, or we are simply less interested than before about work. I was reminded of the days that I actually had more work-life balance when I was studying at school. Mind you I studied very hard when I was at school. I am always proud to say that I am the second best performer in my Diploma course in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and I worked damn hard to get my First Class Honours in Banking and Finance from Nanyang Technological University. But, I always knew that all these studying was a "means to an end".
I studied hard so that I can live a comfortable life in the future. I made sure that I passed all my modules and did extremely well in modules that allows me to continue to develop my skill sets when I am out working. But yet, with all these as the backdrop, I had good work-life balance, I remembered that I always came back home finished my homework and readings during the weekdays. As for weekends, I was really resting on Saturday, or going out with my then boyfriend (now husband). Only on Sunday evenings that I read up things that I was supposed to be taught on Mondays. This routine went on for years during my tertiary education. And, given that I delivered good results, the strong level of discipline I have set out seems to have worked.
Life was simple, I had to fund my own living and education throughout my tertiary studies. But I had no problems with it as I teach tuition and work part-time during holidays. I felt happy being independent and driven - and these are traits that will follow me wherever I go.
But what I find is that when we go out work, there is a lack of discipline in some ways. Not that we don't work hard - most Singaporeans are career minded and work hard. But, more often than not, I realised that I am not really segregating work and play properly. When I rest, I think about work. During weekends, I ponder about what I should do on Monday. After work, I think aout work. It is not the actual "doing" but "thinking" about work that brought me to think that I am "over-worked".
Now when did this start? This started when I think too much about what I should be working on and not keeping within the normal working hours. This started when career minded bosses or even subordinates start to SMS or call you worried about work-related matters even when it is after-work hours. I just don't feel that it is healthy.
During lunch, shouldn't we talking about life. Even when we meet colleagues during weekend, shouldn't we be talking about what we usually do during weekends. Life should really be more than about work, work-relationships, work-gossips, and all that - shouldn't it?
CC
I wonder where some of these good habits went when we go out to work.
Perhaps work is mundane, or we are simply less interested than before about work. I was reminded of the days that I actually had more work-life balance when I was studying at school. Mind you I studied very hard when I was at school. I am always proud to say that I am the second best performer in my Diploma course in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and I worked damn hard to get my First Class Honours in Banking and Finance from Nanyang Technological University. But, I always knew that all these studying was a "means to an end".
I studied hard so that I can live a comfortable life in the future. I made sure that I passed all my modules and did extremely well in modules that allows me to continue to develop my skill sets when I am out working. But yet, with all these as the backdrop, I had good work-life balance, I remembered that I always came back home finished my homework and readings during the weekdays. As for weekends, I was really resting on Saturday, or going out with my then boyfriend (now husband). Only on Sunday evenings that I read up things that I was supposed to be taught on Mondays. This routine went on for years during my tertiary education. And, given that I delivered good results, the strong level of discipline I have set out seems to have worked.
Life was simple, I had to fund my own living and education throughout my tertiary studies. But I had no problems with it as I teach tuition and work part-time during holidays. I felt happy being independent and driven - and these are traits that will follow me wherever I go.
But what I find is that when we go out work, there is a lack of discipline in some ways. Not that we don't work hard - most Singaporeans are career minded and work hard. But, more often than not, I realised that I am not really segregating work and play properly. When I rest, I think about work. During weekends, I ponder about what I should do on Monday. After work, I think aout work. It is not the actual "doing" but "thinking" about work that brought me to think that I am "over-worked".
Now when did this start? This started when I think too much about what I should be working on and not keeping within the normal working hours. This started when career minded bosses or even subordinates start to SMS or call you worried about work-related matters even when it is after-work hours. I just don't feel that it is healthy.
During lunch, shouldn't we talking about life. Even when we meet colleagues during weekend, shouldn't we be talking about what we usually do during weekends. Life should really be more than about work, work-relationships, work-gossips, and all that - shouldn't it?
CC
Comments