人生意义是什么？

Posted on November 12, 2025November 12, 2025 by careyourpresent

99％的人，三代人后，时间会抹去你存在的一切。人生意义就是品尝你的短短几十年。

Building a FIRE Portfolio in Singapore: A Realistic Hybrid Approach That Balances Income & Growth

Posted on March 10, 2025March 8, 2025 by careyourpresent

This is a follow-up to my previous article:

FIRE and the Big Dilemma – Dividends vs Safe Withdrawal Rate: Which One Helps You Sleep at Night?

Do read if you have missed it!

In that last post, we explored the dividends vs. SWR dilemma faced by many in the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement.

The key question is, do you rely on dividends for passive income or withdraw a fixed percentage of your portfolio (SWR)?

Both strategies have their merits, but combining them could be the sweet spot for a psychologically comfortable and financially stable retirement.

Theory is theory, let’s have a practical example –

Singapore-based investor, with a $1.5M retirement portfolio, can use a hybrid approach to reach their goal of $5,000/month in passive income.

Why a Hybrid Approach to FIRE?

Let’s face it: relying entirely on dividends might sound tempting for peace of mind, but high-dividend stocks can limit long-term growth. Plus, companies can cut dividends, leaving you in a lurch. On the flip side, relying only on a Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR) like 3.5% from global ETFs can be hard on your mind and psychology aspects — it feels odd to sell assets when markets are down, not many are able to do it.

That’s why the hybrid approach should work well:
✔ Dividend stocks & ETFs provide a steady passive income stream.
✔ Global index ETFs offer long-term growth and inflation protection, with the safety of a 3.5% SWR.
✔ A cash buffer helps manage market volatility and avoid panic selling.

This balance creates a retirement plan that’s not just financially sound, but psychologically comfortable.

Step 1: Portfolio Allocation ($1.5M Portfolio for $5K/month FIRE Goal)

We’ll structure the portfolio into:

40% in dividend stocks & ETFs (~$600,000) for steady income.
55% in global index ETFs (VWRA & EIMI) (~$825,000) for long-term growth with SWR.
5% in cash buffer (~$75,000) to provide safety in downturns. This should last you for 15 months of ~$5000 per month such that you can don’t draw down if you need especially in downturns.

Asset Type	% of Portfolio	Allocation ($)
Dividend Stocks & ETFs	40%	$600,000
Global Index ETFs (LSE-listed)	55%	$825,000
Cash Buffer	5%	$75,000
Total Portfolio	100%	$1.5M

Step 2: Dividend Portfolio (~$600,000 Allocation, ~5% Yield)

The dividend portion will focus on high-quality assets with strong cash flow and sustainable dividends. We’ll include:

Singapore Banks (DBS, UOB, OCBC) for stable and reliable dividends.
Net Cash Singapore Companies like Sheng Siong etc for low-risk, cash-rich companies.
NikkoAM-StraitsTrading Asia ex Japan REIT ETF for exposure to REITs across Asia.
SPDR STI ETF for broad exposure to Singapore’s top 30 companies.
VHYL (Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF) for global dividend exposure.

Dividend Portfolio Breakdown (~5% Yield)

Asset	Type	Allocation ($)	Dividend Yield	Estimated Dividends ($/year)
SG Banks (DBS, UOB, OCBC)	Financials	$150,000	~5.0%	$7,500
Net Cash Singapore Companies (Sheng Siong etc.)	Dividend Stocks	$100,000	~4.0%	$4,000
NikkoAM-StraitsTrading Asia ex Japan REIT ETF	Asia REIT ETF	$150,000	~5.0%	$7,500
SPDR STI ETF	Singapore Index	$100,000	~4.0%	$4,000
VHYL (Vanguard FTSE All-World High Dividend Yield UCITS ETF)	Global Dividend ETF	$100,000	~3.0%	$3,000
Total		$600,000	~5% avg	$26,000/year (~$2,167/month)

Why VHYL?

VHYL gives you global exposure to high-yield dividend companies, diversifying the portfolio beyond Singapore.
It maintains a 3.0% yield, adding strong, reliable income from global markets.

Step 3: Growth Portfolio (~$825,000 in LSE-listed ETFs for SWR)

The growth portfolio will focus on global index ETFs and will be managed via a 3.5% withdrawal rate (SWR):

Asset	Type	Allocation ($)	Withdrawal Rate	Income Generated ($/year)
VWRA (LSE-listed)	Global Index Fund	$725,000	3.5% SWR	$25,375
EIMI (LSE-listed)	Emerging Markets	$100,000	3.5% SWR	$3,500
Total		$825,000		$28,875 (~$2,406/month)

The VWRA provides exposure to global stocks, while EIMI adds higher-growth emerging markets. Both are Ireland-domiciled, meaning they avoid high US withholding taxes and are more tax-efficient for Singapore investors.

Step 4: How Does This Portfolio Generate $5,000/month?

✅ Dividends from stocks/ETFs: ~$2,167/month ($26,000/year).
✅ SWR withdrawals from VWRA/EIMI: ~$2,406/month ($28,875/year).
✅ Total Monthly Income: $4,573/month ($54,875/year).

This comes very close to the $5,000/month goal, with a cash buffer to smooth out any shortfalls.

What if there’s a market crash?

The $75,000 cash buffer will ensure you don’t have to sell assets during market downturns.
In strong market years, you can reinvest excess dividends into VWRA and EIMI.
If needed, adjust the SWR temporarily (e.g., reduce to 3.3% in tough times).

Step 5: Long-Term Growth & Sustainability

Even with SWR withdrawals, this portfolio is designed to continue growing over the long term.

The VWRA portion should appreciate by around 7% per year, so even after 3.5% withdrawals, your portfolio will likely grow rather than shrink.
The VHYL dividend will likely increase over time, providing more income each year.
The SG Banks, STI ETF, and REIT ETFs should also grow with the economy, boosting your income over time.

How Does Net Worth Change Over Time?

Your global index portion (VWRA) will continue to grow, keeping pace with inflation.
EIMI emerging markets should continue to grow, keeping pace with inflation.
The dividend portfolio should keep increasing dividends, helping your income grow and maintaining long-term wealth.

Why This Hybrid Approach Works

✅ Stable income from dividends (~$26,000/year).
✅ Growth from SWR withdrawals (~$28,875/year from VWRA & EIMI).
✅ A resilient portfolio that adapts to market cycles.
✅ Capital appreciation over time, allowing your net worth to grow.

By combining dividend investing with SWR-based growth, this hybrid strategy offers a well-rounded retirement plan for a Singapore-based FIRE investor.

You get the peace of mind of steady dividends, the growth potential of global equities, and the flexibility to adapt during market downturns.

Would this portfolio works for you?

Deal 1:

Interest rates are getting lower everywhere and there are usually many hoops to jump to get higher rate such as OCBC 360 and UOB ONE!
Consider Maribank, one of the fuss free and give you 1.28% daily without any conditions! Interest is credited daily!

Sign up for MariBank using my referral code: 2KGZ29UL.
https://www.maribank.sg/product/mari-savings-account/

Insured up to S$100k by SDIC.

Deal 2:

Best Items that I have bought from Shopee.

ONLY the best useful worthy items

Many people I realised that they have only shared things that give them the most commissions. I am different. I will only share things that I have bought, used and found it to be good.

Deal 3:

Webull – Get free money!

Good deal! Do not miss this! Sign up here now for free money!!

Deal 4:

Trust Bank New Clients

Sign up using referral code KNDBPEPT. Key in this code after you download the Trust Bank App from Trust Bank Website
No minimum balance account
No foreign transaction fee, great exchange rates when overseas. See my review via Trust Card – Excellent Card for overseas usage.

Deal 5:

FSMone – Cheap Comms and can transfer your shares to Personal/Joint CDP for Free

I am using FSMOne.com to invest in funds & ETFs (including money market funds). FSM is good due to the low comms and the free transfer from FSMOne to CDP (typically takes less than a week to transfer). If you do not have an account, you can sign up here. Please use my FSMOne referral code: P0413007.

You can read my experience of how I buy cheaply using FSMOne and then transfer my shares to Joint CDP within few days via $0 Free of Charge Transfer of SGX Shares from FSM to CDP and updates! – Done in less than 3 days!
I am also using FSMOne as part of my Estate Planning Plan. You can read about this via Simplified Guide to the Key Gist of Grant of Probate and Estate Planning

Deal 6:

Eskimo – Best Option for Roaming!

For now, you can get 500MB for free just by signing up with my referral link, no purchase required (I get 500MB only too, but only if you buy a paid plan). Referral code: CHING104915

You can read my review here.

Money just buy you the chance of freedom but can’t buy back time. In life, there is no reset button. Time is limited but money is not.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed (your strong health, time with young child) while busying striking out in career.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Love your life daily. You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself. Time is ticking away.

Focusing Careyourpresent & living a fulfilling life by supercharging your mind & investment/online income. Careyourpresent Series focus on things that one MUST know in their Life.

The Hidden Costs of Chasing More: Why Enough Is the Secret to a Happier Life

Posted on October 3, 2025October 3, 2025 by careyourpresent

We live in a culture that praises growth, accumulation, maximization. More promotions, more income, more achievements, more possessions. It feels like the path to success and happiness.

But what if chasing more slowly robs us of exactly what we want most—peace, presence, meaning?

The idea of “enough” can be radical, healing, and deeply freeing. And how embracing enough doesn’t mean giving up ambition—it means becoming intentional about which ambitions we chase, and why.

Living in the Treadmill: The Quiet Burn from Chasing More

When I reflect on past years, I notice a pattern:

I would get a small win—a raise, a new investment portfolio doing well, a nice travel.
For a moment, there’d be satisfaction. But it would fade.
Then I was back to chasing what’s next: a bigger goal, a new project, another milestone.

That cycle leaves you perpetually in pursuit but seldom arriving. In the process, you may:

Lose time with what matters — family dinners, simple afternoons, unplanned conversations.
Carry hidden fatigue — even when things “look good,” your heart or mind feels worn.
Neglect presence — always planning, always moving, rarely fully arriving in the moment.

Read too: Truly Understand Living in the Moment Now

The Hidden Costs of “More”

We often see “more = better.” But that equation comes with hidden costs:

Time Poverty: Longer hours, fewer slow evenings.
Health Tradeoffs: Stress, fatigue, sleep loss.
Relationships Neglected: Busy lives erode the small moments that bind us.
Identity Confusion: Success markers become our identity.
Diminishing Returns: Each achievement brings less joy than expected.

Read too: Life is Short

What “Enough” Really Means

“Enough” isn’t resignation. It’s clarity.

Financial Enough: Having stability and flexibility without endlessly hoarding.
Time Enough: Enough unstructured hours for rest and relationships.
Presence Enough: Feeling content here and now.
Emotional Enough: Replacing envy with gratitude.

Read too: Unlocking the Present: A Deep Dive Into The Power of Now

How to Find Your Own “Enough”

Identify what “more” has cost you. Reflect on sacrifices made in pursuit of growth.
Define your pillars of enough. Family, health, freedom, rest—write what’s sufficient in each.
Practice gratitude daily. Anchor yourself in what’s already abundant.
Trim the excess. Cut commitments, purchases, and digital noise that add clutter.
Align actions. Say no more often. Choose rest. Value depth over speed.

Resistance You’ll Face

Choosing enough is countercultural. Expect:

Fear of being left behind.
Guilt for resting.
Society pushing more as the only measure of success.

Strengthen your resolve with: Keeping Simple in Investing and in Life

When “Enough” Becomes Your Foundation

Once you embrace enough, life feels different:

You live intentionally, choosing meaning over endless growth.
You enjoy more peace—less chasing, more arriving.
You show up present—with loved ones, with yourself.
You make financial choices for freedom, not just accumulation.

Reflection piece: Are You One of Them?

Pause and reflect:

What is your enough in one area of life—work, health, relationships?
What are you sacrificing today in the pursuit of more?
What one action can you take this week to live closer to your enough?

More isn’t always better

More isn’t always better. Sometimes more distracts from what’s most profound: peace, presence, meaning, love.

What if today you whispered: “I already have enough.”

Because often, enough isn’t the end of the journey—it’s the beginning of living fully.

Deal 1:

Interest rates are getting lower everywhere and there are usually many hoops to jump to get higher rate such as OCBC 360 and UOB ONE!
Consider Maribank, one of the fuss free and give you 1.28% daily without any conditions! Interest is credited daily!

Sign up for MariBank using my referral code: 2KGZ29UL.
https://www.maribank.sg/product/mari-savings-account/

Insured up to S$100k by SDIC.

Deal 2:

Best Items that I have bought from Shopee.

ONLY the best useful worthy items

Many people I realised that they have only shared things that give them the most commissions. I am different. I will only share things that I have bought, used and found it to be good.

Deal 3:

Webull – Get free money!

Good deal! Do not miss this! Sign up here now for free money!!

Deal 4:

Trust Bank New Clients

Sign up using referral code KNDBPEPT. Key in this code after you download the Trust Bank App from Trust Bank Website
No minimum balance account
No foreign transaction fee, great exchange rates when overseas. See my review via Trust Card – Excellent Card for overseas usage.

Deal 5:

FSMone – Cheap Comms and can transfer your shares to Personal/Joint CDP for Free

I am using FSMOne.com to invest in funds & ETFs (including money market funds). FSM is good due to the low comms and the free transfer from FSMOne to CDP (typically takes less than a week to transfer). If you do not have an account, you can sign up here. Please use my FSMOne referral code: P0413007.

You can read my experience of how I buy cheaply using FSMOne and then transfer my shares to Joint CDP within few days via $0 Free of Charge Transfer of SGX Shares from FSM to CDP and updates! – Done in less than 3 days!
I am also using FSMOne as part of my Estate Planning Plan. You can read about this via Simplified Guide to the Key Gist of Grant of Probate and Estate Planning

Deal 6:

Eskimo – Best Option for Roaming!

For now, you can get 500MB for free just by signing up with my referral link, no purchase required (I get 500MB only too, but only if you buy a paid plan). Referral code: CHING104915

You can read my review here.

Money just buy you the chance of freedom but can’t buy back time. In life, there is no reset button. Time is limited but money is not.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed (your strong health, time with young child) while busying striking out in career.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Love your life daily. You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself. Time is ticking away.

Focusing Careyourpresent & living a fulfilling life by supercharging your mind & investment/online income. Careyourpresent Series focus on things that one MUST know in their Life.

Watch this if you understand Chinese

Posted on October 1, 2025October 1, 2025 by careyourpresent

The Magic Thread of Life and Time

Posted on September 29, 2025September 29, 2025 by careyourpresent

The Magic Thread of Life and Time: Why We Must Stop Rushing

We’ve all wished time would move faster. Maybe during a tough work week, a sleepless night with the kids, or while waiting for financial freedom. At other times, we’ve longed for moments to last forever.

But what if you could control time? What if you held a magical thread that could fast-forward your life whenever you pulled it?

This is the essence of The Magic Thread of Life and Time. Though it’s told as a fairy tale, its lessons shine light on how we live today — in an age of endless hustle, future goals, and constant restlessness.

I found this interesting video when watching youtube with my kid.

https://youtu.be/l830uMgN9gY?si=IkkqxbS8zaKGsSM9

The Magic Thread Story

Once, there lived a boy who found life unbearably slow. He wished away his schooldays, hated waiting, and longed for adulthood to come sooner.

One day, he crossed paths with a mysterious old woman who gave him a ball of thread. She explained:

“This thread is your life. Whenever you tug on it, time will leap forward. Pull it whenever you feel restless, and your struggles will vanish.”

The boy was delighted. Bored at school? He pulled. Facing exams? He tugged again. Suddenly, he was grown up.

As an adult, he used the thread whenever life felt heavy. When work became stressful, he skipped ahead to a better position. When family life became challenging, he tugged to escape.

On and on he pulled — never pausing, never enduring, never truly living.

And then, before he realized it, the ball was nearly gone. His hair was grey, his body weak, his thread almost finished. He looked back on his life with sorrow.

He had gotten what he wanted: he had skipped the waiting, the struggles, and the ordinary days. But in doing so, he had skipped life itself.

The Deeper Lesson

The Magic Thread is more than a tale for children. It’s a mirror for how we live.

How often do we say to ourselves:

“I can’t wait for this project to be over.”
“Once I hit financial independence, then I’ll live fully.”
“When the kids are older, then I’ll have time for myself.”

These thoughts are invisible tugs on our own thread of life. The more we rush, the more we risk waking up one day and asking: Where did the years go?

The truth is simple: life isn’t something to fast-forward. It unfolds moment by moment, and its value lies not just in the milestones, but in the journey.

Why We Rush Through Life

If we know that rushing robs us of presence, why do we still live this way?

1. Work and Productivity Pressure

From an early age, we’re taught to measure worth by output. Always asking “What’s next?” traps us in a cycle of forward-thinking, rarely allowing us to enjoy where we are.

2. FIRE and the Illusion of “Someday”

For those pursuing Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE), the danger is real. The dream of freedom tempts us to sacrifice today for tomorrow. But financial independence should free us to live both today and tomorrow — not turn us into lifelong thread-pullers.

3. Parenting and the Next Stage

Parenthood is filled with exhausting phases. It’s easy to wish them away: “I can’t wait until they’re in school,” “I can’t wait until they’re independent.” Yet each stage is precious and fleeting. Tugging the thread blinds us to the small joys that will never return.

4. Avoiding Discomfort

The boy used the thread to dodge hardship. We do this too — skipping past grief, boredom, or stress. Yet these are the very experiences that shape us, deepen us, and give us wisdom.

How to Live Without Pulling the Thread

What if we chose a different way?

Practice Patience in the Everyday

Life isn’t lived only in milestones. It’s in the commutes, the school runs, the dinners at home. Small joys are woven into ordinary days.

Embrace Your Current Season

Every life stage has gifts and trials. Accepting your season — rather than resisting it — opens the door to gratitude.

Plan for Tomorrow, Live for Today

Yes, save and invest for the future. But remember: tomorrow is uncertain. The only time we truly hold is today.

See Discomfort as Growth

Waiting builds patience. Struggles strengthen resilience. Even boredom sparks creativity. To skip hardship is to skip growth.

Treasure Time as Your Truest Wealth

You can always make more money. You cannot make more time. How you spend your days is how you spend your life.

What the Magic Thread Teaches About FIRE

For anyone on the path to financial independence, the story is a gentle warning.

Don’t make FI just another way of tugging at the thread. Freedom isn’t about rushing to the end of work. It’s about having space to slow down, live intentionally, and savor today.

True wealth lies not in fast-forwarding to an ideal future, but in removing the thread altogether.

It’s not Too Late

The boy realized his mistake too late. But you and I still hold time in our hands.

Take a breath. Look at your life right now. What season are you in? Are you pulling at the thread, longing to skip ahead? Or are you letting it unfold, moment by moment, as it was meant to?

The magic of life is not found in rushing, but in living — fully, intentionally, gratefully.

Final Thoughts

The Magic Thread of Life and Time is a simple story with profound truth. In a culture obsessed with speed and achievement, it whispers to us: slow down.

Life isn’t a race to the end. It’s a tapestry, woven from the ordinary and the extraordinary, the joys and the struggles, the days we wish would hurry and the days we wish would linger.

Don’t tug the thread. Live the thread.

👉 What about you? Do you find yourself wishing away the present? How do you remind yourself to stay present? Share in the comments — I’d love to hear your reflections.

Deal 1:

Interest rates are getting lower everywhere and there are usually many hoops to jump to get higher rate such as OCBC 360 and UOB ONE!
Consider Maribank, one of the fuss free and give you 1.28% daily without any conditions! Interest is credited daily!

Sign up for MariBank using my referral code: 2KGZ29UL.
https://www.maribank.sg/product/mari-savings-account/

Insured up to S$100k by SDIC.

Deal 2:

Best Items that I have bought from Shopee.

ONLY the best useful worthy items

Many people I realised that they have only shared things that give them the most commissions. I am different. I will only share things that I have bought, used and found it to be good.

Deal 3:

Webull – Get free money!

Good deal! Do not miss this! Sign up here now for free money!!

Deal 4:

Trust Bank New Clients

Sign up using referral code KNDBPEPT. Key in this code after you download the Trust Bank App from Trust Bank Website
No minimum balance account
No foreign transaction fee, great exchange rates when overseas. See my review via Trust Card – Excellent Card for overseas usage.

Deal 5:

FSMone – Cheap Comms and can transfer your shares to Personal/Joint CDP for Free

I am using FSMOne.com to invest in funds & ETFs (including money market funds). FSM is good due to the low comms and the free transfer from FSMOne to CDP (typically takes less than a week to transfer). If you do not have an account, you can sign up here. Please use my FSMOne referral code: P0413007.

You can read my experience of how I buy cheaply using FSMOne and then transfer my shares to Joint CDP within few days via $0 Free of Charge Transfer of SGX Shares from FSM to CDP and updates! – Done in less than 3 days!
I am also using FSMOne as part of my Estate Planning Plan. You can read about this via Simplified Guide to the Key Gist of Grant of Probate and Estate Planning

Deal 6:

Eskimo – Best Option for Roaming!

For now, you can get 500MB for free just by signing up with my referral link, no purchase required (I get 500MB only too, but only if you buy a paid plan). Referral code: CHING104915

You can read my review here.

Money just buy you the chance of freedom but can’t buy back time. In life, there is no reset button. Time is limited but money is not.

When you are young and working, you exchange time for money. When you are old, you can have lots of money but you can’t buy time back, especially the things that you have missed (your strong health, time with young child) while busying striking out in career.

Your kids grew up and they no longer need you to accompany them. They no longer want to sit on your lap to share/do things with you…all these time you spent in your 9 to 6 or even longer cubicles…can the money that you have earned by you back these?

We always thought we have more time with our old parents, but we are wrong. Time with them is ticking away every day. One day it will suddenly be gone. There is no regret medicine, no reset in time. Gone is gone and cannot come back. No matter you are billionaires or millionaires, you cannot reset this.

We always thought that we have more time with our spouse every day, but we are wrong. One day they will be gone too. When you read this, please go tell your spouse that you love him/her and he or she is the best thing that you ever had in your life.

Love your life daily. You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself. Time is ticking away.

Focusing Careyourpresent & living a fulfilling life by supercharging your mind & investment/online income. Careyourpresent Series focus on things that one MUST know in their Life.

There is No TOMORROW

Posted on August 26, 2025August 26, 2025 by careyourpresent

We spend much of our lives chasing after a day that never arrives.
We say: “I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“I’ll rest tomorrow.”
“I’ll be happy tomorrow.”

But the truth is — tomorrow is an illusion.
When it finally comes, it has already ended.
It becomes today.

And today is the only place where life truly happens.

Instagram is something which I have not yet explored. This is my first post! FOLLOW ME

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @careyourpresent

They told me, wait until tomorrow.
But I searched for it,
and found only dust in my hands.

Tomorrow is a ghost,
a mirage on the horizon,
a promise that vanishes the moment I reach for it.

When it comes,
it has already ended.
The sun whispers,
“You are standing in today,
you have always been.”

There is no tomorrow.
There is only this breath,
this touch,
this fleeting moment
that slips between our fingers
if we forget to hold it gently.

So I choose to linger here,
in the quiet mystery of now.
For life does not wait.
And tomorrow…
was never real. 🌿

Reflection

The poem above may sound mysterious, but its meaning is simple:
The only time we ever truly have is now.

Life is not waiting for us in the future.
It’s happening here — in the laugh of your child,
the warmth of a morning sun,
the stillness of your breath.

If we spend today waiting for tomorrow,
we miss the only treasure we ever had.

Takeaway 🌱

Care for your present.
Do not wait for the perfect day.
Do not postpone love, joy, or peace for another time.

Because there is no tomorrow.
There is only today.
And today… is enough.

Why the 9-to-5 Office Job Is Unnatural (And Why Returning Back to the Office Feels So Heavy)

Posted on August 21, 2025August 21, 2025 by careyourpresent

Why the 9-to-5 Office Life Is the Most Unnatural Human Habit in History

When we pause and look at the long journey of human existence, something becomes very clear: the way most of us live and work today is far removed from how humans were meant to live. The routine of sitting in a chair from 9 to 5, five days a week, under artificial light, staring at screens, is not just tiring—it is unnatural.

For tens of thousands of years, our ancestors lived in a rhythm guided by nature. They moved, they hunted, they foraged, they crafted, and they rested. Work was a part of life, not the center of it. There were no office cubicles, no endless meetings, and no need to endure the clock ticking until Friday evening.

The 9-to-5 office schedule is not a timeless tradition. It is a product of modernisation and industrialisation—a system created for machines and factories, not for human beings. And while it may keep economies running, it often comes at the cost of our health, relationships, and joy.

1. Life Before the Office

For 95% of our history, people lived as hunter-gatherers. Anthropologists tell us that such communities worked only a few hours a day to meet their basic needs. The rest of their time was spent in leisure, storytelling, play, rituals, and connection with one another.

Even after farming emerged, life still moved with the seasons—intense work during planting and harvest, followed by natural cycles of rest. There was no such thing as “office hours.”

The rigid 40-hour workweek we know today was only established in the 20th century, popularised by factory owners who needed standard schedules to control production. In a matter of decades, it became the default. But just because it is the norm now does not mean it aligns with human nature.

2. The Physical Cost of Sitting Still

The human body was designed for movement. We are built to walk, squat, lift, climb, and stretch. Sitting for hours on end goes directly against this design.

Studies now confirm what many feel daily: prolonged sitting damages health. It raises the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death. Our ancestors walked miles every day, lifted heavy loads, and used their muscles constantly. In contrast, the modern office worker may sit in one posture for most of their waking hours.

The irony is that many then spend money on gyms to “make up” for this lack of movement. But exercise was never meant to be an artificial one-hour appointment—it was once part of every moment of life.

3. The Mental Strain of the Modern Office

Our minds, too, are not designed for the office grind. Human brains thrive on variety, exploration, and rest. In contrast, the modern office expects endless focus and productivity, often on abstract tasks that feel disconnected from real life.

Research shows that deep concentration is sustainable only in short bursts—yet office life demands eight or more hours of output. This mismatch leads to fatigue, disengagement, and eventually burnout.

Even worse, the clock dominates our days. Instead of flowing with energy and natural rhythms, people watch the hours drag, counting down to weekends. Time itself becomes something to “get through” instead of something to live fully.

4. The Emotional and Social Loss

Perhaps the deepest wound from the 9-to-5 routine is emotional. Parents spend the best hours of their day with colleagues rather than their children. Families often get only the tired leftovers of energy in the evenings.

In earlier times, work and life were woven together—children grew up alongside parents, learning, playing, and contributing as a community. Today, we separate the two, and many feel the ache of that disconnection.

Offices have also replaced tribes. Instead of being surrounded by family and elders, we are managed by supervisors, performance reviews, and corporate targets. No wonder so many feel empty, asking: What is all this for?

5. The Reality of Returning Back to the Office

And yet, in real life, the situation can feel even heavier. Not long ago, my friend’s company announced that they would be moving from four days in the office and one day working from home back to five full days in the office.

The reason given was that physical presence will enhance positive dynamics, cohesion, and engagement among colleagues. Interesting. On paper, this sounds inspiring—who wouldn’t want stronger bonds and better teamwork? But beneath this official reasoning lies a sad reality: many employees quietly lose flexibility, family time, and the small freedom that remote work once provided.

And here lies the irony. Those who make these decisions—upper management—often do not follow the same strict office hours themselves. Their schedules are more flexible, their autonomy greater. Yet they are the ones insisting that everyone else must comply in the name of cohesion.

It is a strange contradiction. We are told that being physically present will help us connect more deeply, yet for many, this presence is achieved at the cost of long commutes, disrupted family routines, and reduced time for health and rest. What kind of “cohesion” is built if it comes from tired, resentful bodies sitting side by side in cubicles?

This reveals the heart of the issue: the office is often less about genuine human connection and more about maintaining control and appearance. True engagement does not come from sitting in the same physical space—it comes from trust, purpose, and freedom.

6. Why We Continue Living This Way

If office life feels unnatural, why do most people still accept it? The simple answer is survival. In the past, survival came from land, community, and shared resources. Today, survival depends on money—and money usually comes from jobs.

Culture reinforces the system too. We are taught to equate being busy with being valuable. Anyone who steps away from the 9-to-5 path risks being seen as lazy or irresponsible, even if they are simply choosing to live more intentionally.

In truth, the office is less about human needs and more about economic efficiency. It keeps people predictable, organised, and dependent.

7. The Cracks in the System

But change is already underway. The pandemic proved that offices are not always necessary. Remote work opened a glimpse of a different rhythm—one where people could reclaim time, integrate family life, and reduce commutes.

At the same time, more individuals are questioning whether the traditional office job is the only path. Movements such as FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), minimalism, slow living, and location-independent work all point to the same truth: people value freedom and presence more than the endless chase of promotions and paychecks.

Ironically, technology—the same force that once trapped us in office jobs—is also making it easier to work differently. Online businesses, creative platforms, and digital freelancing allow people to design lives closer to their natural rhythms.

8. What a More Natural Rhythm Looks Like

If the office 9-to-5 is unnatural, then what would a more human rhythm look like? It may not mean abandoning work altogether but reshaping it:

Movement as part of the day: walking, stretching, lifting—not confined to gyms.
Shorter, focused work blocks: 3–5 hours of true concentration rather than 8 hours of forced productivity.
More leisure and rest: time for hobbies, family, nature, and creativity.
Sunlight and fresh air: natural environments instead of fluorescent lights.
Integration of work and family: letting life, not the office, take priority.

This is not about laziness—it is about aligning with how humans actually thrive.

9. Small Steps to Reclaim Humanity

Even if you cannot leave the 9-to-5 immediately, you can start reclaiming pieces of your life:

Take short breaks to stretch, move, and breathe.
Protect mornings or evenings for family and personal projects.
Simplify your lifestyle—less spending means less dependence on office hours.
Experiment with side projects or flexible work options.
Practice mindfulness at work—stay present instead of letting routines numb you.

Each small step creates space for a more natural, intentional way of living.

10. A Shift Beyond the Individual

This is not only a personal issue but a societal one. Imagine a culture where output mattered more than hours, where schools prepared children for meaningful lives instead of office desks, and where governments valued well-being as much as economic growth.

Ideas like shorter workweeks, flexible schedules, or even universal basic income are no longer distant dreams—they are real experiments already happening in parts of the world. These shifts hint at a future where life itself becomes more important than work structures.

11. Returning to Our True Nature

At the heart of this reflection is a simple truth: humans are not built to be machines. We are not designed to sit still in cubicles, chained to emails and meetings. We are living beings meant to move, connect, create, and enjoy the world around us.

The 9-to-5 routine may dominate modern society, but it does not define who we are. We can question it, reshape it, and gradually step into lives that feel more natural and alive.

The first step is awareness—realising that this way of living is not inevitable. Once we see it clearly, we can begin to walk a different path. And perhaps, in doing so, we return to something far more valuable than a paycheck: the fullness of life itself.

Closing Thoughts

The 9-to-5 office life may be common, but it is not natural. When measured against human history, it is a very recent invention—one that often drains health, steals time, and separates us from what matters most.

We do not have to wait for systems to change before we begin living differently. Each of us has the power to take small steps today—to move more, to simplify, to reclaim time, and to live with presence.

Life is too short to spend it all at a desk, especially when the very people asking us to return to it are not bound by the same rules themselves.