Finished my work review at 3pm. I could stay on to clear some of the pending tasks on my to-do list but I made the only rational decision.

I switched off my laptop and left for home. The work review was the ONE thing I wanted to accomplish that day.

In recent years, I have been saying to my colleagues that I just come to school every day to do one thing. This one task rule has not only become my Northern Star in a working world full of last-minute changes, but it has also influenced one or two of my colleagues somewhat. I reckon that it has helped me become more resilient in the workplace.

I once read a story about a lion chasing a zebra. During its pursuit, the lion stayed true to its quest, singlemindedly pursuing the zebra. It never wavered, not even when it came across other zebras that were right before its line of sight. Eventually, the poor zebra grew tired and got gobbled by the lion. The reason why the lion never strayed from its prey was that it didn’t want to take a gamble chasing zebras that were more energetic than its original target.

This story resonated with me because I see myself in this lion. Every day, I arrive at school, determined to get this ONE thing accomplished, come what may. It means that sometimes I have a late lunch; other times, I do bits and pieces in between lessons; yet other times, I even type stuff on my phone that is to be transferred onto my word documents later. It’s easy to get into the flow when I am hell bent on completing one task.

So what did I do after I shut down my laptop? Easy. I went to a coffee shop near my former workplace, devoured claypot noodles with pork ribs, and walked leisurely home to take a short nap, but not before reading a chapter of Independence Day, a book that explores retirement in all its facets. I may not be able to FIRE but my ONE thing rule helps me feel in control of my time and energy.