Expat from US asks how to ‘slow life down’ in S’pore, feels need to optimise every minute

Expat claims it’s difficult to ‘slow life down’ in S’pore as there’s always something to do

An expatriate who recently moved to Singapore from a small town in the United States (US) has voiced his difficulty adjusting to life here, saying that there’s always something to do.

Thus, he asked netizens on Reddit how he could “slow life down” in Singapore as he’s constantly trying to “optimise every minute” right now.

‘If I’m not doing something productive, I feel guilty’

In their post, the original poster (OP), who has been here for a few months, described Singapore as “incredible”.

That’s because not only does everything work, there’s always something to do and new things to explore.

This causes the OP to feel guilty for not doing anything “productive”, they said.

Even on weekends, they’re busy planning to visit places or finding the “best” thing to do, they added.

Not much to do in small town US but ‘more present’

In contrast, “there wasn’t much to do” back in their small town, the expat said.

After work, their options would be to grab dinner with friends or sit on the porch.

On weekends, they would go fishing or “drive around with no real destination”.

However, life felt slower, and ironically they felt “more present”.

Some folks in S’pore seen slowing down too

But the expat has also noticed folks in Singapore who’re not so busy — for example, those talking for hours at hawker centres, uncles playing chess, families sitting in parks at night and people taking long walks with kopi in hand.

The OP thus asked Singaporeans or other foreigners who’ve settled in how to ” embrace that pace”, adding:

It feels like there’s an appreciation for slowing down that I haven’t figured out yet.

They also questioned whether this adjustment is something that comes with time or it needs a shift in mindset.

Netizens agree that S’pore is fast-paced, advise on how to slow down

Netizens agreed with the OP that Singapore’s environment is naturally fast-paced, and it is an unfortunate by-product of its competitive society.

Some voiced the same struggle of feeling like they need to be productive, and the fear of allowing time for leisure.

One advised them to purposely allocate time for slowing down, without their phone or social media.

A few believed the OP needed a change of mindset.

They advised taking up a hobby, such as pickeball or jogging.

Another commenter suggested going fishing at East Coast Park in the evening.

Most of the netizens concluded that while hustling in Singapore is common and might be overwhelming for foreigners, it’s advisable to invest time on relaxation and self-care instead of feeling the need to do everything.

Also read: Swiss woman frustrated over ‘privileged expat’ stereotype in S’pore, says she pays same rent & works ‘even harder’

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Featured image adapted from Rian Daud7 and Christian Alemu on Pexels.