Doing More on All Fronts

It's been 3 months since I left my nine-to-five job.

My initial plan was to stand in the sun and I've literally visited nature reserves, parks and reservoirs with the recent ones being Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the Green Corridor and the Peirce Reservoirs. I enjoy being outdoors and practising photography as well as the company of friends who were game enough to go on these trips with me.

Other than that, things have been going slower than expected. 

The three things that I really want to do this year are:

1. Teaching Tuition

2. Freelance Writing

3. Travelling 

I see these things as complementary to each other - gathering the resources and skills I need to do the things I enjoy to afford me this freedom to continue my current lifestyle. They are a prelude to something bigger, such as discovery walks, trekking trips and food-tasting overseas for an extended period of time.

To do that, I need more focus on doing the long-term, "achievement" oriented things, like getting more tuition students and writing jobs. I might have gotten a bit crazy with this new-found freedom, like a kid in a candy store. I've been valuing pleasure over achievement, doing the simple, easy stuff such as spending far too much time on social media, meeting friends and hitting the gym.

The only way I can get more done out of this year is by sharpening my focus and prioritising what I need to do over less important tasks.The tough part, of course, is discipline and time management. As it is, my schedule is packed and I'm running all over the place all the time, doing as much as I can, but I think I can still do more.

At this juncture I'm trying to string all the different themes of my life together, even when they seem to be pulling in different directions. I want to do more on all fronts - discover more places, walk more, write more, photograph more, teach more, meet more people, eat more food.

People say that being busy is a disease but I'm anxious not to take my time here for granted. I'll do more, achieve more, be more productive. Work harder, run faster, party crazier. Push more on all fronts. And perhaps that's what this time is for. I'm at the cusp of a lifestyle change. It will always been for the better, because I'm making a move and finding out what works and what doesn't.