Next Saturday, Professor Foo Keong Tatt will give a talk entitled “The Philosophy of Balance – The Art of Healing Yourself.” Please see below for more information and registration.
You can register here
I read through all the articles on this website before scheduling them for posting. There are three articles with balance as the theme: Art of Emotional Balance, Balancing Act, and Work-life Balance. It is a great learning experience.
To Professor KT Foo being mindful is central to our emotional balance. Balance comes from being aware of the present moment (and not worrying about the future or regretting the past). Of course, living in the present does not mean forgetting the past or failing to plan for the future.
Professor KT Foo used the Yin and Yang symbol analogy to illustrate another feature of balance in living. The fulcrum is not always in the middle for situation changes. There is always the question of risks versus benefits. Sometimes less is more.
Dr. TL Lee talked about work-life balance – choices on how we spend time at work or with our family. He chose general practice (family medicine in today’s parlance) for it allowed him to determine the scope of what he wanted to do and working hours. This arrangement gave him the flexibility to fulfill his responsibilities as a parent.
Dr. Ann Toh’s life was in the fast lane with a hundred and one things to do (“I am busy, I am”). And the anxiety of getting things done without omissions.
The common thread that runs through these stories is the dilemma or decision on how we spend our precious time. A related theme is the various activities or responsibilities competing for our limited time. Like the Yin and Yang symbol, changing situations require us to respond correspondingly. The fulcrum is not in the centre – it moves as we switch hats.
Talking about wearing different hats on different occasions reminds me of my MBA days. While in the Singapore General Hospital, I won a scholarship for further training. The leadership module was intriguing. The premise is that leaders should have a clear idea of their pursuits (and their underlying values). One of the module’s requirements was to submit an essay on what we want to do (“mission”) after we finish our MBA.
The essay I wrote uses my right hand as a starting point – symbolically, I use my hand to do things. The five digits represent my roles. The first digit is my parents, and I am their son. I am married, and my wife is the second digit. The third digit represents children; of course, I am a parent. Society is the fourth digit, for we are members of a larger community. The last digit is me. I must not forget I have obligations and responsibilities to me as an individual.
I look at balance from the different hats I wear daily and relate them to my work.
Vince
Dr Vincent Chong is a retired Professor of Radiology at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
