Before I came to Kuwait, I enjoyed (for lack of a better word) the perks of having a full time job. I used to get up at around 8 and rush to work. I would have lunch at my office canteen. I would get home by around 7. Invariably, I’d be tired — sapped out of vital energy — and I would rest for a bit before dinner would be ready. Then I’d read, occasionally watch a movie, talk to a friend, spend time with family and call it a day. To say the least, before I realized, I had turned 26. It felt like yesterday when I graduated as an engineer. Time flew.
Today, I was talking to our new house-help Padma, who’s delightful. I go every now and then to the kitchen to listen to her talk about her life. Then when she gets tired of talking, I read a book or write, or resume my online courses on Coursera. I workout leisurely in the morning — do some stretches and yoga, and am done just in time before Padma comes — lest she be scandalized.
Tips :
- If you’re looking to learn a topic or have a thirst for knowledge, log on to Coursera and browse their hundreds of amazing online courses from renowned universities around the world.
- I would always recommend you to learn a new language — download Duolingo
- Put on YouTube and practice some zumba or aerobics — or if it’s too harsh — try yoga.
- If you’ve not already watch a TED talk — go watch one now. You can start with this one
- And finally, read — read as much as possible. Books, blogs, anything.
After the work out — I have a glass of hot water mixed with cinnamon powder and lemon — it’s apparently very good for the body. I can not imagine doing this before, even though it hardly takes a couple of minutes — because I was always running against time. ( I had to swipe at work daily )
I spend a few minutes daily and learn Spanish. There’s this really cool app — Duolingo — and I have been using it for a while. I am watching more TED talks, reading more — not just books, but articles on Techcrunch or The Economist or on Medium. I also get to read some of my favorite blogs like cupofjo. Time did slow down. I never thought I’d say this, but I actually don’t feel like sleeping all day.
In the evenings, my husband and I go out for a jog. The nearby garden is a five minute walk, it’s really nice — and it’s got a long track. We then watch a movie together or play some cards.
I was in conversation with a friend, Asha, who also relocated post marriage and I wanted to know how she was spending her time. She was a former engineer and now lives in Oman. In her words :
“I started cooking after coming here, and one of my favorite pass-times is experimenting in the kitchen. I initially found it very difficult being idle especially since I had a full time job, but then, books happened. They’re amazing partners to kill time. While I worked, I found it difficult to find time to read. Now e-books and cookery sites are my best friends here when I am alone.”
Another friend, a former colleague, Shiba, had a crazy schedule as a journalist covering events with arduous deadlines. She now enjoys a more relaxed job. In her words.
“The scene before I joined The Hindu — ie with crazy schedules and undesired work hours, I read newspapers, books, watched movies/TV series, cooked and helped mom in law a bit. But now with a relaxed job, I sit and chat a lot more with my mom in law. She shares her childhood stories and also my husband’s. I cook a lot more. The maid and I whip out a new dish almost everyday. When am not reading or watching a movie, the maid teaches me sewing. Since my husband is away, I write to him — an email in the form of a blog or writing a diary. It’s rare that I am on the phone when at home.”
Tips:
- This is the best time to actually focus on your health — make yourself a lime tea, a salad, cut a fruit !
- If you’ve always wanted to experiment in the kitchen — do it now. You can find some inspiration here. And I refer to this website too.
- This time for yourself usually is a useful stopgap, so make the best out of it.
It’s amazing how the concept of time becomes relative — and it totally is up to us to define that. While I am still searching for opportunities in a new country and it’s not easy to land a job here, I am busy learning and enjoying this ‘time has slowed down’ phase. Have you experienced this happening to you? How did you cope?
