I refer to this week’s Talking Point, “Sleepless in Singapore”.
The working day here is often extremely long. The unspoken office rule that one cannot be seen as the first to leave or, worse, before the boss at day’s end, must be looked at again.
Is it necessary to stay on if our time at work is managed and utilised better?
Or is the culture such that more time spent in the office is equated to the view of how hard-working an individual is?
The fallacy that productivity is proportional to time spent at work must be debunked quickly. The working world is changing; a lot more work can be done away from a desk in the office.
On the other hand, there must be realistic expectations and tailored workloads. Often, goal posts are moved and targets are changed from day to day. This leaves management and the managed without clear objectives.
Could it be that well-defined and strong management skills are what our workplace and home require? Many individuals have little in the way of set targets in their day-to-day management of life.
There is poor time management and, worse, the “rubber-time” mentality.
Self-discipline is the key. It is about understanding how to effectively manage our 24-hour day and, in effect, our life.
We have a choice when our working day is over: Do we spend hours on social media or other institutional work when we could easily be spending time to relax and reflect on the day?
Someone who understands his strength and limitations would be more confident and, in my view, more productive.
He becomes more effective with the available time and effort channelled to any set objective as it becomes more focused.
Thus, sleep need not always be sacrificed because of poor management of one’s time, but rather enjoyed as an enhancement to one’s well-being, creativity and productivity.
The working day here is often extremely long. The unspoken office rule that one cannot be seen as the first to leave or, worse, before the boss at day’s end, must be looked at again.
Is it necessary to stay on if our time at work is managed and utilised better?
Or is the culture such that more time spent in the office is equated to the view of how hard-working an individual is?
The fallacy that productivity is proportional to time spent at work must be debunked quickly. The working world is changing; a lot more work can be done away from a desk in the office.
On the other hand, there must be realistic expectations and tailored workloads. Often, goal posts are moved and targets are changed from day to day. This leaves management and the managed without clear objectives.
Could it be that well-defined and strong management skills are what our workplace and home require? Many individuals have little in the way of set targets in their day-to-day management of life.
There is poor time management and, worse, the “rubber-time” mentality.
Self-discipline is the key. It is about understanding how to effectively manage our 24-hour day and, in effect, our life.
We have a choice when our working day is over: Do we spend hours on social media or other institutional work when we could easily be spending time to relax and reflect on the day?
Someone who understands his strength and limitations would be more confident and, in my view, more productive.
He becomes more effective with the available time and effort channelled to any set objective as it becomes more focused.
Thus, sleep need not always be sacrificed because of poor management of one’s time, but rather enjoyed as an enhancement to one’s well-being, creativity and productivity.
