Careyourpresent

Work from Home flexibility is diminishing in Singapore – sad for parents

Posted on September 15, 2023September 27, 2023 by careyourpresent

Working From Home

After COVID, the flexibility work arrangement has definitely make many parents happier as they now can find some time to bring their kid to school and pick them them from school.

Their child (whose short time window where the parents are their only world only last for a short few years) will see their parent faces instead of their grandparents, helper or childcare/after school care teachers faces.

These precious moments will likely be gone as more and more employers are ask their employees to come back to office more.

Our own current work arrangements

Currently, both my wife and I are working. We are working 3 days from office and 2 days from home. Hence, we do rotational shift to pick my elder child (who end school at 1.30pm) on the days where we were working from home respectively.

We get to be physically around to bring him home, cook him lunch before heading back to work furiously on our laptops 2-3 times per week. Certain days of the weeks where the schedule couldn’t work out, we would take leaves to resolve the issue of who will be picking up the kid. It’s hectic, but we each get to have some time off to do some useful work, earn dual income to fight this every rising cost world, plus spend some meaningful time with the kid whenever possible.

Of course, we know that this is a privilege, not an entitlement, but the world trend is going this way. Since the government is also encouraging more involving parents and more child birth due to the world declining birth rate, this is a good progress for the world….however, we know that things won’t last…but didn’t know it came so soon…

An email just came…

An email came yesterday. It was announced to all employees of my company that we will need to shift back to 4 days in office and 1 day work from home from the current 3 days in office and 1 day from home. They given us few weeks to make the “necessary adjustment” if needed before they implement it.

Ok, now we have to make our choices / plans now or soon. I thought through the various options…

Choice 1

Many would ask us to send the kid to after school care.

Do you think this is possible after that child experienced not going to after school care since Covid time for the past few years? If we forcefully send him in, what if he hates us for life? On our end, likely we will also regret for life. Think further, this is analogous to your child send you to old folks while you don’t want to when you old. Is this option possible?

Furthermore, it means we moved back to the pre-COVID time for my younger kid who is in pre-school now. Currently she look forward for one of us to bring her to playground after her pre-school ends everyday. Pre-covid time where both my kids are in childcare, we picked them up at around 6.50pm (need 50-60 minutes to travel back after end work) after a long day of commuting and hardwork, do you think we still have energy to bring her to play?

Choice 2

Ask Grandparents to take care or hire helper.

Grandparents to take care is impossible. My mum passed away in Jan 2023 this year and my dad needs us to take care rather than the other way. How could we trouble him? In laws, impossible as stay far away.

Helper? We don’t want this option because it’s additional cost and do you want the kids to everything find your helper rather than you? I believe many can see this when you just go to shopping mall.

Choice 3

Look at my previous article: Careyourpresent: Frozen. Let it go!

I guess it is time to Let it go! One of us take a career break for few years before come back to work. I don’t think should FIRE as it’s always good to engage in some form of work. We don’t want to regret on our death beds one day. We need to do some calculation and makes sure we are ready. Luckily we still have some investments income to tide us over this period. Some lower income family really don’t have a choice, they need both dual incomes for survival. Are we progressing or regressing as a society?

Well…one less employee for Singapore for a few years but a happier family on Earth for few more years.

Irony…

It’s irony, but now I fully understand why the birth rate is declining in Singapore or in the world, and why many prefer to be DINK (Dual Income with no Kids).

This is because for those with kids, either has to sacrifice their careers to stay home to take care of kids, or sacrifice family time with the child on the years which they need you most by outsourcing the childcare to other people (schools, helpers, grandparents etc)…

A balance is impossible even with the world growing trend of flexible working environment…hence, I guess people continue with DINK better. Dual income is better (for survival), especially in this inflationary, everyday rising cost country…save enough for retirement better rather than give birth to future generations that suffer in this every rising difficult costly world…

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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.

小时候，幸福很简单。长大了，简单很幸福。

Posted on September 14, 2023September 27, 2023 by careyourpresent

It’s has been a long while since I write article for the CAREYOURPRESENT series articles, I guess its good time to do so.

Please pardon me for using chinese words as my title but this title brings out what I wish to share.

I came across the line somewhere on the internet.

小时候，幸福很简单。长大了，简单很幸福。

To put in English

When I was a child, happiness was very simple. After I grow up, simple is happiness.

What does the above mean?

When we were young, simple things make us very happy. It can be playing with stone in the park, running around in the open spaces, breathing in nice air etc. Little food like small tibits from Mama shops makes them so happy.

We bought the above from HDB neighbour shop at $1 each, so total $2. We use it to shoot water at each other (me and my kids), and we were very happily for hours, with the sweet memories entrench into our minds forever.

小时候，幸福很简单。When I was a child, happiness was very simple.

However…

As we grow up, our wants grow as well. We want to drive big cars, live in big houses, eat nice atas restaurants etc.. How to we achieve this? Spent hours and hours in jobs that one don’t like (or if you are lucky, something you like or neutral about it) just to earn all these. What did you use to exchange for all these?

TIME!

The only commodity in this world that is reducing in every single moment from the time you are born. You can be born with a time billionaire, but you won’t know when is your last day. So, live life like it is your last everyday.

Happiness is no longer simple. Many needs complicated / expensive things to make them happy until one day…one will realise…

Simple is your happiness afterall.

长大了，简单很幸福。After I grow up, simple is happiness.

Ultimately…

We come this world with nothing and will leave with nothing, except the happy memories that you have obtained in your life. You cannot bring your millions / billions with you. But please make sure that you make your life worthwhile in every single seconds of your life.

来时空空，去时也空空。

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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.

Embracing the Work-Life Balance Paradigm Shift: Do you love or hate it?

Posted on August 7, 2023September 27, 2023 by careyourpresent

The Trend

The concept of work-life balance has been experiencing a significant transformation in recent years. Driven by various factors, especially after the COViD-19, this shift has revolutionized the way we approach work and personal life, leading to a more flexible and employee-centric work environment. Let’s see what are the changes?

The Rise of Remote Work and Flexible Arrangements

Who would’ve thought that working from home would become the norm?

Thanks to the pandemic, we discovered the wonders of remote work, and guess what? It’s here to stay! Companies realized we can still be productive and happy working outside the office. So, goodbye rigid 9-to-5, hello flexibility! Now we can tailor our schedules to fit our lives and strike that perfect work-life blend.

Prioritizing Employee Well-being

Bosses are finally getting it – our well-being is a top priority!

Companies are stepping up their game with wellness programs and mental health support. They’re even encouraging us to take time off to recharge. It’s like they’ve finally realized that happy employees make a happy workplace. This focus on well-being has been recognized as a key factor in fostering a more engaged and productive workforce.

The Impact of Technology

Advancements in technology have revolutionized the way we work, collaborate, and communicate. With the integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and collaboration tools, employees can now work more efficiently and productively than ever before.

We can work faster, smarter, and from anywhere. But hey, we gotta watch out for the downside too – staying glued to our screens can be a challenge. Time to find the right balance, folks!

Generational Shifts in Work Values

The entrance of younger generations into the workforce has brought about shifts in work values and expectations. Millennials and Gen Z employees often prioritize work-life integration and seek meaningful careers that align with their personal values. They value workplace flexibility and are more likely to switch jobs if their work-life needs are not met.

In short, the Millennials and Gen Z want it all – work that matters and a life that’s fulfilling. They crave flexibility, and if they don’t get it, they’ll find it elsewhere. No more sticking to old-school work values – it’s time to keep up and offer what they’re after!

Gig Economy? Freelancing?

Freelancers, unite!

The gig economy has opened up a world of possibilities. Freelancers have the freedom to choose projects that light their fire and manage their own time. And you know what? Traditional companies are taking notes! They’re embracing the gig-like setup to give employees a taste of that sweet flexibility.

Policy Changes and Legislative Support

Big news! Policies are evolving to put a smile on our faces. Governments and companies are introducing paid parental leave, flexible hours, and more vacation days. It’s like they finally realized that we’re not just machines, we need some time to chill and recharge!

Even some government give them Civil Service a 2 days work from home and 3 day office working schedule. This is impossible in the past! (Of course, more Work from Home would be preferred by employee, best is only come to office when needed. hint*hint*)

Think more!

There is no such thing as Work From Home in the past.

As parents, you have to dump your kid in childcare at 7am plus so that you can reach office at 8.30am. Then at end of work day, rush home to squeeze and hopefully can make it to pick up your child before the childcare close at 7pm!

Think further and you will realized that your child worked longer hours than you! Don’t you love it when you send your child later to school and has to flexibility to pick your child earlier from childcare? If needed, you can be at home to wait for a parcel that you wait online?

I truly love hybrid work life now! Employer out there please continue to allow your employee to have a more flexibility work life schedule, thus work life balance and happier employee, which will result in better work productivity!

Good articles that you should read!

People are drawn to dividend investing.

Why? Firstly, dividends provide a regular stream of income, allowing investors to receive a portion of the company’s profits on a periodic basis. This can be particularly attractive for individuals seeking consistent cash flow or looking to supplement their existing income. Additionally, dividend investing is often viewed as a more stable and predictable investment strategy compared to relying solely on capital appreciation.

I always write and share articles, especially on dividends which many people love them. Do read them!

Alternatively, you can go the right side of my page, there is a search bar where you can simply search “dividend” to see all my articles related to dividends!

Of course, you can search for other things that would interest you such as “Careyourpresent”, “Reits”, “Side Hustles”, “Fixed Incomes”, “Savings” etc.

Money just buy you the chance of freedom.

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 while busying striking out in career. Of course, if you love your career, and consciously know that you are missing out the first time your child walk or talk, that’s ok, but if you are the other spectrum, please do something about it.

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.

I have picked out some of the more life reflecting articles of the CAREYOURPRESENT series. Do read them:

You can read more about my articles on Careyourpresent via the Category “Careyourpresent” or simply click “Careyourpresent” via the main menu bar.

REMEMBER:

Love your life daily.

You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself.

Time is ticking away.

For each passing day,

Enjoy and Treasure your Life!

For those who are interested in regular updates of my articles, please join the others to sign up for my free newsletter to has my newest blogposts sent to your mailbox for free!

For real time exclusive updates on market news/life (especially Crypto markets where the news move fast, important news will be shared directly via tweets or telegrams), do also join the platforms below and engage with other like-minded people!

Telegram Group (Chat with me and other like minded people!)
Telegram Channel (Get the latest updates on the markets/life!)
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed

You may also contact me via [email protected].

If you’re looking referral codes, do check out my referral and ebook page. Give it a try and who knows? You might end up loving these platforms! To be absolutely fair to all the readers, I am definitely using all these companies and they are useful to me! Likely will be useful to you too!

At the same referral and ebook page, you can also download my free ebooks and other free resources.

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Unleashing Your Full Potential: The Art of Strategic Slacking

Posted on July 24, 2023July 6, 2023 by careyourpresent

Art of Slacking

Slacking is an art, not a science. It’s a mental exercise while taking physical action. One should learn to Let It Go like Elsa and only focus on things that really matters to you (What will you bring with you on last day on Earth). It’s difficult but it is essential for your better mental well being.

It’s difficult to Slack

Since young, I don’t know how to slack. I feel bad not doing homework, not following instructions of teachers.

When working, I feel bad to take medical leave, or even my own leaves even I have finished all my work. I tend to go and check emails etc.

It’s difficult to slack but it is important to learn how to slack!

Work from Home Trend

However, the sad truth is, no matter even one work at late nights, weekends, there are still colleagues, bosses, employers that suspect that you are working hard enough. Given the recent trend of some days working from home, people always suspect if you are really working when one is working at home.

Sadly, they don’t see that if they give more flexibility for people to work from home, people are more willing to take some time from their nights/weekends to finish the work that is essential to finish by certain time as they can plan their time better.

Like some need to take some time to cook lunch example for kids and parents and as a result they can’t finish work, they would squeeze time elsewhere to complete it.

Conversely if employers want an employee to be in office all the time from 9 to 6, only their physical will be here but mind is not here. After 6pm, they will ignore you. Productivity sure drop.

Strategically Slacking

The world is full of advice on how to be more productive. However, I think that the most important skill you can develop as a student or professional is actually learning how to slack strategically.

Strategic slacking allows you to rest and relax while still keeping up with work, which means you’ll be more productive in the long run. The below will show you how to get started with strategic slacking so that you can feel less stress and more focused on what matters most in your life.

What is strategic slacking?

Strategic slacking is a way to be productive and relax at the same time. It’s about doing the work that matters most to you, not just being busy so people think you’re working hard.

Strategic slacking is all about taking time out of your day for what matters most: spending time with family or friends; learning something new; exercising; reading; cooking delicious food; going on adventures (both real-world ones and virtual ones), etc!

Strategic slacking is about doing the work that matters.

Strategic slacking is about doing the work that matters.

It’s not about doing nothing, wasting time or procrastinating. Strategic slacking allows you to stay focused on what’s important, while still giving yourself space to rest and recharge when needed.

Strategic Slackers know that sometimes, less is more.

When you’re a Strategic Slacker, you know that sometimes less is more.

The idea of “less is more” can be applied to everything from your wardrobe to how many hours you sleep each night (and even how much time you spend on Facebook). It’s about focus and prioritizing what matters most. As sayings go: “If I don’t have time to do it right, when will I have time to do it over?”

Strategic Slackers know that sometimes less is more because they’ve learned through experience that doing everything at once just leads to burnout; instead of being productive and getting things done, we end up spending all day fiddling around somewhere in between our tasks instead of actually finishing anything at all!

Strategic slacking means making time for what matters most to you.

Strategic slacking is about making time for what matters most to you, and it’s not just about being less busy. In fact, strategic slacking can help you be more productive by allowing you to focus on the tasks at hand without feeling overwhelmed by stress or anxiety.

The trick is knowing how much slack is enough so that we can get things done without feeling guilty about not working hard enough–or worse yet–feeling like we need another cup of coffee just so we don’t fall asleep at our desks!

You can use strategic slacking to be productive and relax at the same time.

When you’re working, it’s important to focus on what matters most. But when you need a break from work, make sure that your time off is spent in ways that will help you recharge and get back into the flow of things with more energy than before.

If possible, try taking breaks during times when your mind is naturally inclined toward relaxation–for example, if you tend to feel sleepy after lunch or dinner each day (but before bedtime), then consider scheduling some time then for strategic slacking instead of forcing yourself through an afternoon slump with coffee or energy drinks.

Or perhaps there’s an activity that always makes you feel relaxed: reading or listening to music could be perfect options if those things appeal most strongly when they’re done alone without any distractions around them!

Slacking can be good…if you do it strategically

Slacking is not always a bad thing. In fact, it can be a very good thing–if you do it strategically.

Slacking means relaxing and taking time off from your work to recharge yourself before returning to the task at hand with renewed energy. This is why many people take vacations: they want some time away from their regular routine so that when they get back home or wherever else they go, they’ll be able to focus more effectively on their job responsibilities and do more work in less time than if they hadn’t taken any breaks at all!

In addition to helping us achieve our personal goals of getting more done faster (which we’ll talk about later), slacking also has some surprising health benefits too!

Studies have shown that people who regularly relax tend live longer lives than those who don’t take breaks during long periods of intense concentration; this may sound counterintuitive but think about it… If all day every day were spent working furiously without stopping for food/sleep/fun activities then wouldn’t we eventually get burned out?

Wouldn’t our bodies break down under such extreme stress levels?

Of course, they would! But luckily there are ways around this problem: simply by taking 10-minute breaks throughout each day–even if just once per hour–we can help avoid these negative effects while also improving our mental state overall!

Strategic Slacking, a way of better life

In short, strategic slacking is about doing the work that matters most to you. If you’re looking for a way to get more done and relax at the same time, then this might be the right approach for you.

Good articles that you should read!

People are drawn to dividend investing.

Why? Firstly, dividends provide a regular stream of income, allowing investors to receive a portion of the company’s profits on a periodic basis. This can be particularly attractive for individuals seeking consistent cash flow or looking to supplement their existing income. Additionally, dividend investing is often viewed as a more stable and predictable investment strategy compared to relying solely on capital appreciation.

I always write and share articles, especially on dividends which many people love them. Do read them!

Alternatively, you can go the right side of my page, there is a search bar where you can simply search “dividend” to see all my articles related to dividends!

Of course, you can search for other things that would interest you such as “Careyourpresent”, “Reits”, “Side Hustles”, “Fixed Incomes”, “Savings” etc.

CAREYOURPRESENT

Money just buy you the chance of freedom.

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 while busying striking out in career. Of course, if you love your career, and consciously know that you are missing out the first time your child walk or talk, that’s ok, but if you are the other spectrum, please do something about it.

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.

I have picked out some of the more life reflecting articles of the CAREYOURPRESENT series. Do read them:

You can read more about my articles on Careyourpresent via the Category “Careyourpresent” or simply click “Careyourpresent” via the main menu bar.

REMEMBER:

Love your life daily.

You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself.

Time is ticking away.

For each passing day,

Enjoy and Treasure your Life!

For those who are interested in regular updates of my articles, please join the others to sign up for my free newsletter to has my newest blogposts sent to your mailbox for free!

For real time exclusive updates on market news/life (especially Crypto markets where the news move fast, important news will be shared directly via tweets or telegrams), do also join the platforms below and engage with other like-minded people!

Telegram Group (Chat with me and other like minded people!)
Telegram Channel (Get the latest updates on the markets/life!)
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed

You may also contact me via [email protected].

If you’re looking referral codes, do check out my referral and ebook page. Give it a try and who knows? You might end up loving these platforms! To be absolutely fair to all the readers, I am definitely using all these companies and they are useful to me! Likely will be useful to you too!

At the same referral and ebook page, you can also download my free ebooks and other free resources.

For quick references to these resources, you can see below.

Ebooks and other useful resources on enhancing productivity (Investment, Excel, Notion etc). Currently most of it are free at this moment (subject to change).
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MoneyOwl: You can use this 6SHU-93MC to get free grab vouchers and highly safe liquid cash fund account.
Trust Bank – You will enjoy free FairPrice E-Voucher referral if you sign up via my referral code KNDBPEPT. Simply download the Trust Bank SG App on the App Store or Google Play Store. Tap on “Use referral code” immediately after you start the app and key in: KNDBPEPT
FSMOne: P0413007. Good account to keep liquid cash in autosweep and to purchase investment at low fee.
Hostinger: You can use this link for hosting your new website. 20% off hosting!
Crypto.com: Use my referral link https://crypto.com/app/h92xdfarkq to sign up for Crypto.com and we both get $25 USD 🙂

How to Let Go of Busyness in Life

Posted on July 13, 2023September 27, 2023 by careyourpresent

Most of us are used to or should I say forced to get used to busyness of life in this fast paced society/world.

Consciously or subconsciously, we always need to show ourselves as being busy. When you meet someone new or even when meet up with your friends, the first answer to the question of how your current well-being is always:

I am busy with Life/Work/Family etc.

(Ask yourself truthfully, are you guilty of this?)

BUSY BUSY BUSY

If one reply that I am relaxing my life, my work, living a slow life etc, one would be seen as an odd ball.

Hence, as self-protection mechanism or should I say that under societal pressure, we learn and forced ourselves to become busy or at least show that we are busy consciously and subconsciously.

When your boss asks you how your work is, one would always say busy or challenging etc.

BUT you would never say I am free, enjoying the slow pace of work, thus good work life balance. One is scared that boss will load you with more work since you are so free OR think that you are underperforming at work.

Sinking deeper and deeper each day

SAD to say, as times goes by, many of us can’t distinguish between what “real busy” is versus “busyness shown to others as self-protection”. Slowly weekends and evenings where you are not working, you also start to pack yourselves with things, or worse still, keep thinking of unfinished non urgent work that could always be done later.

One could no longer live in the moment or enjoying the current moment.

WHAT IS THE FINAL RESULT?

EVER busyness with inability to relax oneself, unduly stress, unhappy in life and no longer really know how to enjoy life.

It’s difficult to break out of this especially with so much societal pressure of Busyness “showing that you are contributing to GDP of your country”.

Many people want to FIRE (Financial Independent, Retirement Early). But when the time comes to do so, those who really FIRE could be envy by others? OR worse being seen as non-contributing members of our fast-paced society. Then one might sink back to guilt mode of retiring early.

What should we do?

Frankly, I am guilty of the busyness syndrome too.

HENCE, what should we and what can we do? As I have said earlier, I am still learning too. Let me share some TIPS!

1. Accept that not being busy is ok. You don’t have to be busy all the time.

You don’t have to be busy all the time. You can be productive, successful and happy without being busy. You don’t need to constantly be doing something or working on something in order for your life to mean anything or have value.

Accepting this doesn’t mean that we should stop trying new things or giving our best effort at work/home/school etc., but instead it teaches us not only how important it is for ourselves but also others around us when we take time out of our day just so they know they matter too–even if it’s just talking over coffee or dinner together once a week instead of every other day like most people do nowadays due to their busy schedules (which leads into my next point).

2. Intentionally design your life.

It’s time to design your life. You can’t do this if you’re busy with the wrong things, so let go of those obligations that aren’t adding value to your life.

I understand that it may be difficult for some people to let go of busyness in their lives because they are afraid or unready for change. Some people will want to keep up with the same routine because they feel comfortable with it and don’t want anything else; but if this is where your heart is leading you, then listen closely!

3. Get your priorities straight.

The first step in letting go of busyness is to get your priorities straight. What are the things that matter most to you? What do they look like, feel like and sound like?

These are questions worth asking yourself regularly–and answering honestly. Your answer will help define what’s really important in life and how much time should be spent on each priority. It’ll also keep you from getting caught up in all of the distractions around us (like social media) or feeling guilty because we don’t seem able to check everything off our “to do” list every day. If a task falls outside of one of our top priorities, then it doesn’t need our attention right now!

4. Make a list of things you need to do, but don’t make a list of things you want to do.

Make a list of things you need to do, but don’t make a list of things you want to do.
Keep your focus on the present moment and what needs to be done in that moment.
Ask yourself if this task is really important and necessary at this time?

5. Stop trying to be perfect.

One of the easiest ways to let go of busyness is by focusing on what you can do, rather than what you can’t. When we try to be perfect, it usually ends up with us beating ourselves up over things that didn’t go as planned or weren’t exactly how we imagined them being. Instead of doing this, focus on all the things that are going well in your life!

If there is something that still needs improvement, make a plan for how to improve it and then move on with your day–don’t let yourself get stuck focusing on what didn’t work out perfectly (or even close). This isn’t only helpful when thinking about yourself–it’s also helpful when thinking about other people too!

For example: if someone else makes a mistake while they’re helping out around the house or with errands around town because they were busy getting everything done at once instead of taking time off between tasks…don’t get angry or frustrated because this person wasn’t perfect enough; instead think about how much better off everyone would’ve been if they had slowed down just enough so that everyone could enjoy themselves more often throughout each day instead of rushing through everything so quickly without enjoying any part along the way!

6. Focus on one project at a time.

Repeat after me:

Focus on one project at a time.
Don’t try to do too many things at once.
Don’t try to do everything at once.
Don’t try to do too much at once.

7. Take a break.

Take a break from your phone.
Take a break from your computer.
Take a break from work and family obligations, even if it’s just for an hour or two every day, so that you can focus on yourself and what makes you happy in life (not just the things that make other people happy).
Stop trying to do everything at once and be everywhere at once! It’s not possible anyway, so why try?

8. Don’t use the word “busy” as an excuse for not doing something you want to do, such as sitting down to read a book or going to the gym.

Busyness can be a form of procrastination. When we say we are too busy, what we often mean is that we do not want to do something or that it’s inconvenient for us at the moment. It’s important to recognize this so that you can stop using busyness as an excuse and start making time for the things you really care about.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your workload and obligations, here are some ways to shift your perspective:

Instead of thinking about being “too busy,” look at how much time per day or week goes into each activity on your schedule (including sleep). Can some things be combined or streamlined? Are there activities that could be cut altogether without affecting others’ lives significantly?
If there are certain things–like household chores–that aren’t really important but feel like they should be done anyway because they’ll help keep things running smoothly around the house, consider delegating them to someone else who has more free time than yourself (elderly relatives who live nearby would make great candidates).

Good articles that you should read!

People are drawn to dividend investing.

Why? Firstly, dividends provide a regular stream of income, allowing investors to receive a portion of the company’s profits on a periodic basis. This can be particularly attractive for individuals seeking consistent cash flow or looking to supplement their existing income. Additionally, dividend investing is often viewed as a more stable and predictable investment strategy compared to relying solely on capital appreciation.

I always write and share articles, especially on dividends which many people love them. Do read them!

Alternatively, you can go the right side of my page, there is a search bar where you can simply search “dividend” to see all my articles related to dividends!

Of course, you can search for other things that would interest you such as “Careyourpresent”, “Reits”, “Side Hustles”, “Fixed Incomes”, “Savings” etc.

CAREYOURPRESENT

Money just buy you the chance of freedom.

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 while busying striking out in career. Of course, if you love your career, and consciously know that you are missing out the first time your child walk or talk, that’s ok, but if you are the other spectrum, please do something about it.

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.

I have picked out some of the more life reflecting articles of the CAREYOURPRESENT series. Do read them:

You can read more about my articles on Careyourpresent via the Category “Careyourpresent” or simply click “Careyourpresent” via the main menu bar.

REMEMBER:

Love your life daily.

You have one less day with your spouse, parents, children and yourself.

Time is ticking away.

For each passing day,

Enjoy and Treasure your Life!

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At the same referral and ebook page, you can also download my free ebooks and other free resources.

For quick references to these resources, you can see below.

Ebooks and other useful resources on enhancing productivity (Investment, Excel, Notion etc). Currently most of it are free at this moment (subject to change).
WeBull: A powerful brokerage with nice free welcome gift. You can refer to my guide here on how to signup! 4 Simple step only! Click here to register a new account!
MoneyOwl: You can use this 6SHU-93MC to get free grab vouchers and highly safe liquid cash fund account.
Trust Bank – You will enjoy free FairPrice E-Voucher referral if you sign up via my referral code KNDBPEPT. Simply download the Trust Bank SG App on the App Store or Google Play Store. Tap on “Use referral code” immediately after you start the app and key in: KNDBPEPT
FSMOne: P0413007. Good account to keep liquid cash in autosweep and to purchase investment at low fee.
Hostinger: You can use this link for hosting your new website. 20% off hosting!
Crypto.com: Use my referral link https://crypto.com/app/h92xdfarkq to sign up for Crypto.com and we both get $25 USD 🙂

The Best Advice to Parents and Child

Posted on July 6, 2023September 27, 2023 by careyourpresent

On 5th July 2023, I have gone on the 2nd movie date alone with my daughter. The movie that we watched this time greatly inspired me – The Elementals Movie. Go watch if you have not yet done so.

For those who feel that movie tickets are not cheap but is able to take leaves on weekdays, you can consider kiddo watch for free by Shaw Theatres. Basically, I have only paid $11 for two tickets!

Our first movie date was on 30 May 2023 for the movie on the Little Mermaid. Nothing much or inspiring about this mermaid movie as it is the usual mermaid movie. But this movie is free as I have paid using the eCapita Vouchers that I have earned from Rakuten Insights Survey! I have spent $10 using the same promotion! (Not why sure but $1 cheaper as compared to the 2nd movie, perhaps inflation?).

FROM the Elemental Movie, below are the things that I have learnt and I hope to share this to the world via my blog.

To Parents

Let your child grow in the way they innately want to be, not what you want them to be. Your dream of what you want them to be may not be your child’s real dream. Be open and listen to their true hearts/feelings/thinking.
One day, your child will leave you to pursue their dreams. Let them go happily when the day come. That day will come faster than you can ever imagine, in meantime treasure every second that you have with your child while you are still their entire world. You may have many things in your mind now (work, money, dream, stress, surf net on mobile phone etc), but there is only a very extremely short window where you are their entire world. One it is gone; no money can buy the time back.

To Child

Don’t be afraid to share your true feelings, your true wishes, your true needs, your true wants to your parents. Regardless whether you believe or not, your parents want you to be happy. They always try to do things that they think is the best for you but sadly, they may not know what you truly want. Tell them what you truly want before it is too late. The positive outcome / reactions from them may be surprising to you eventually.
One day, your parents will leave you. No matter what grudges / happiness / anger / dissatisfaction/ satisfaction you have, everything will be gone on that very day. That day could be the day where you leave them to pursue your dream, or it could be the day when they leave the surface of Earth. The day will come faster than you think (see: Farewell Mum. You are always in my mind). Do something now while you still can. It’s not easy to open up fully and talk to your parents especially if the relationship is not that friendly/open, but please try. Something tried is still better than too late.

She laid onto me to sleep when on our bus journey – too tired but enjoyed herself for the day.

When will be the last time where you will sit on my lap, hug me to sleep, watch a movie date with me? Although I know that the day will come one day, but I hope won’t be so soon. I am doing my best to treasure all the limited time we have while I am still your entire world.

Thank you for being the gift of my life.