These days, I feel that I am constantly be reminded of time. It gets worse after the start of the pandemic. In the past, when I worked in the office and when there was a meeting, we had to book a physical meeting room. Participants could be from different buildings. Few turned up on time, unless it was a very important meeting. Back then, people needed to walk from one building to another, take a lift from one floor to another, or stopped by the bathroom and/or pantry. Now? People work remotely. Meetings are setup remotely. Once the meeting notification appeared, people join the meeting online. When I had a take a bathroom or water break, even with 1 minute late, people start to get impatient and message me if I am joining the meeting now. Right now!
What happens to the good old days when people chit chat before the meeting started while waiting for the rest to join?
To make matter worse, booking a meeting becomes so much easier. No long constrained by the physical room availability, people anyhow book into others’ diaries. My slots are double-booked, triple-booked, quadruple-booked. The situation becomes so bad that at times, I have to ask the organizers to shorten the meeting from 30 mins to 15 mins. So that I can join two meetings within half an hour.
My personal life too, I am living by my timer. To make a sourdough bread dough, I have to fold it four times in 15 mins intervals. To bake a sourdough bread, I have to put it into a closed preheat Dutch oven for half-an-hour, then remove the lid and continue baking it for 15 mins, and then open the oven door for 5 mins before taking the bread out.
When Bailey, my ex’s dog, stays with me, I have to wake up at 06.45 to walk the dog. Feed the dog after the walk. Play with the dog at 16:00. Walk the dog at 17:00 and feed him afterward. At 22:00, a night walk with Bailey for his final pee break before going to bed.
Cooking noodle, 2 or 7 mins depending on the type of noodle I am cooking. Pan fry salmon, 12 mins. Or 10 mins for thinner ones. Baking chicken breast and broccoli, 15 mins. Making pumpkin and carrot soup, 20 mins before the mixer does it magic. Dying my hair, leave it on for 25 mins. Medium rare for a 3/4-inch steak, pan fry for 6 mins. Medium? 8 mins. Soft boiled eggs …
This list goes on. And yes, I am constantly on a timer! 25 mins just up since I have started writing this post. Time to do some final touch up and publish it. Now, onto my next task!