Time Stealing Tricks

Busy? Not enough time for the things and people who really matter to you? Not enough me-time? Is work taking such a big strain on you that you are only left with so little time and so many things yet to accomplish? No one can see time but we can all see the ravages of time when the wrinkles start creeping onto our faces or when the buildings after buildings start sprouting up around us.

Instead of treating time like our enemy or feeling helpless and controlled by time, why not start thinking about what we have been doing with our precious time? Where can we steal some time out of our daily life?

Time Stealing tricks

i) Think of things to do to fill out those short spurts of wasted time- Climb stairs to get more exercise instead of waiting for the lift and allowing the muscles to grow weak and flabby.
- Exercise while doing household chores.
- Dance to your favourite music while vacuuming/mopping the floor or when doing any other mundane jobs like waiting for your painted nails to dry.
- Place a portable radio/CD player in your toilet. Listen to your favourite music while in the toilet or while taking a long bath.

ii) Catch up with friends while taking up a shared activity- Be it sports, a hobby or an activity, you can indulge in them while exercising with your friend/s. Get the commitment of your friend/s. This way, you not only have an exercise buddy/ies and someone to share your joy in activities that you both enjoy, you are also well on your way to healthy living! Sports, photography, hiking, dancing, arts and craft. Choose one or more and just do it!
- Don’t engage in mindless eating at buffets. Yes, the idea of dressing up and meeting at some posh hotels or restaurants is certainly appealing. Feel free to enjoy high tea once in a while but not for every single gathering/meet-up! The lovely muffin waist will start showing in no time!

iii) Be mindful of what you put in your mouth- Choosing to eat less or steering clear of the unhealthy foods like fried kway teow, deep-fried foods, sugar and salt laden tidbits and carbonated, sugared drinks may just save you 10 rounds of running at the tracks.
- Having said so, exercising still has its benefits. Toning the muscles is necessary even for those who are slim. Remember, a person who appears slim may have more fat cells than someone who weighs more. And everyone is aware that too many fat cells are only detrimental to our health.
- Set aside 15 minutes everyday for simple, stretching exercises to supplement the twice a week intensive workouts. Failing which, an entire hour for at least 3 times a week is sufficient as well. Exercising is never a waste of time. It’s an investment towards your health and general well-being.

iv) Read. Read. Read.- Books are food for the soul. We may be out of the school system, but reading expands your horizons and gives you a wider perspective to deal with the real life, even if they are fiction books.
- Read books or essays with short stories that you can easily complete on a train ride to and fro work.
- Invest in audio books which you can listen to even while driving or stuck in joyless sardine-packed train cabins.

v) Studying is not everything- Self-study or short courses are the way to greater advancement and extending our knowledge. I have always felt that the Singapore educational system demands too much of our youth that may be spent more fruitfully elsewhere, collecting extensive experience in areas that are more important and relevant to our future? A pity I did not have the privilege and courage to jump out of this vicious cycle and peer pressure.
- Unless the career that you are hankering after absolutely requires certain qualifications that can only be obtained from the rigid school system, like those involved in academia, then by all means, go ahead. But for the bulk of the population leading normal lives, education simply takes up too much of our precious youth! So know what you want and pursue it with passion after culling some years of real working experience.

vi) Go cold turkey on the google-box- Instead of engaging in mindless bombardment from the google-box and not spending quality time with your loved ones, you are better off talking and bouncing ideas off your loved ones -- those who really matter to you, instead of being involved with the lives of actors and actresses who do not add value to your life.
- Or if you must numb your brain with the onslaught of programmes on the television, get your loved ones involved in the same programme or film and embark on discussions about the plot or characters. You will understand your loved ones better and also form a more well-rounded view with a second or third opinion.

vii) A moment’s effort saves you time- Put things back in their original positions where you found them. Taking the effort to put the papers, magazines, CDs and DVDs back in their usual places will save you tonnes of time picking things up and putting them back in their original positions. The same goes for soiled clothes. Imagine having to pick up clothes from all over the house as compared to throwing them all into the laundry basket, ready for washing!

viii) Delegate, delegate, delegate! - No one can do everything on their own. You may be the best at doing certain jobs. Think about this for a moment. If you are able to assign some simple tasks or chores to the people around you, you will have the time freed up to do other even more meaningful tasks/things that you have been meaning to. Leave the photocopying and faxing tasks to your trusty assistant!
- Is housework taking up too much of your time? Dead tired after a long hard day’s work? Does it matter who cleans the house? Engage in a weekly domestic help and free up the time for other more meaningful chores!

ix) Take control of technology. Not the other way around.
- In this age where technology is invasive and pervasive in our lives, we have to learn not to be too caught up in this tech-age. Clear your emails once you receive them! If you do not have the time to clear them immediately, categorize them into different folders and I trust you to know your own priorities!
- Do not subscribe to newsletters that you are not passionate about. Unsubscribe to meaningless ones! Inform your friends not to mass mail you things you have absolutely no interest in. And ban your friends from sending you chain mails threatening bad luck if you do not forward them!

x) Spend time on issues or things or people that matter to you. - Time is money. Do you really need to attend another school gathering with dozens of people who no longer matter to you? You are better off setting aside another date on your calendar with a select group of friends whom you are truly concerned with.
- Unless of course, your career dictates that you must cast a wide network, then by all means, fill up your social calendar in the name of networking!

The above are just some general guidelines to picking oneself up from the hustle and bustle of city living in this material age. These are meant as a beginning point to get our lives together and introduce some form of structure and meaning. We are the ones who are capable of adding meaning to our own lives! Know what truly matters to you and invest more of your limited time in those areas!