Hour

Monday, 7 February 2000
It's Chinese New Year at the moment. The year of the dragon (chinesefortunecalendar.com/...) has commenced. Congratulations to all my fellow dragons.

A Chinese saying says: Are you in a hurry? Sit down and relax. What a wonderful contradiction. It is like you could save time by taking it easy. These kind of paradoxes stick in my memory until, one day, they come prove to be handy.

At the edge of an precipice Those who are in a hurry and get lost better sit down to find a new direction. Far too many IT projects are on the road, rushing towards a yet unknown destination. A morbid IT joke goes like: "Yesterday we were at the edge of destruction. Today we made a giant leap forward". It's the time pressure that makes IT project fail.

The days are too short, and so are the nights actually. Twenty four hours is just not enough, as you read in last week's Nut. Does anybody have to find a new direction?

Start this dragon year with a number of good intentions to release your daily work pressure. Start every day with a breakpoint. Sit down and relax. O wonder, what an ocean of time flows towards you.

Intention Time gain
Wake up an hour late. You can sleep an extra hour. 1 hour
You don't have to stumble in the early darkness. Take your time for breakfast, as you an leave home an hour later. 1 hour
In the afternoon the office is deserted. The perfect time for an extra productive an hour. 1 hour
In the evening you'll have a an extra hour to listen to the most fantastic radio programs. The radio is at it's best between eleven and two. 1 hour
Total 4 hours
Heading in the right direction So, you'll gain four extra hours by taking it easy! That leaves plenty of time to find a new direction.

Carpe noctem, sed memento diem!
(Enjoy the night, but don't forget the day)

Gong Xi Fa Cai (a prosperous New Year) and till next week!
Nut