Pulling The Brakes

We hear that you’re currently taking time off work. How have you been spending your days?
I decided to take a year off work after working non-stop for 13 years to properly rest, spend more time with my family, and just do the things that I enjoy.

Naturally, there was a lot of lazing around in the first couple of months. It was raining quite a bit at that time too, which added to the lazy mood. Subsequently, I decided to get back into exercising—swimming, going to the gym, walking, and stairs climbing—and did some travelling, mostly to Japan.

I’ll be heading to Hokkaido with my family next month, then I think I would’ve covered the whole of Japan during this break!

Have your priorities shifted since stepping away from work?
I never knew how much I needed this break until I took it, so I really want to prioritise having a good work-life balance and my overall wellbeing when I return to work in a couple of months.

Don’t get me wrong, work can be fun too, but I need to remember to detach myself from it sometimes since age is catching up with me and my energy level is not as it once was (laughs).

Is there anything you’re hoping to learn as we approach the end of the year?
I hope to learn how to be happy in healthier ways.

I’ve realised that in the past, I was always chasing material things and got sucked into the hole of attributing physical things to happiness. But now I’m starting to find happiness in other things like exercising and relaxing.

Sean was previously seen here and here.