Dear Members and Friends

No, I’m not about to talk about charging points for electric vehicles!

I’m just back from my first real holiday outside Singapore since December 2019. I really needed it and had a good time. It reminded me just how important it is to take a break away from work; to step back, recharge and regain perspective.

Without a break we can get too close to work issues - so much so we often end up not being able to see the wood for the trees. Stepping back allows us to see things more clearly: to see what is important and what is not. To decide what battles are worth fighting and what are not.

As we all know, without a break we can get physically and mentally tired and, in extreme cases, burnout. In the latter condition we are of no use to ourselves or to anyone else. The law of diminishing returns kicks in and our effectiveness and productivity reduce sharply.

Between breaks for holidays we can maintain maximum effectiveness and productivity by not being online 24/7. Work never ends and we need to know when to stop reading and writing emails or taking conference calls. In other words, we need to integrate work with our lives. We need to spend time with loved ones and on activities that make us happy and fulfilled.

Time management + a good holiday = sustained success.

Have a good week ahead.

Yours faithfully
Victor Mills
Chief Executive