Students, adults, young and old always ponder over the use of time. The common thought is TIME is never enough. Some thieves have been stealing the precious time stealthily. Identifying the culprits is not the focus today, instead the focus is on the golden ratio of time allocation for learning and relaxation.
Many parents and teachers would tell their children to study but they would not help their children to schedule time for both learning and relaxing. There is always a tug of war between the various parties as children want more time for fun, teachers and parents want more time for study and revision. Everyone just want to do what they want, there is no rationalizing.
Base on personal experience and observation, I have come up with and has been refining something that I used to share with my graduating classes. I called it the GOLDEN RaTIO of Learning and Relaxation. It is not some grand mathematics with space science formula. I derive it by answering some simple questions which is relevant to Singapore context.
Have you ever wonder…
Firstly, When do you expect to die? Human lifespan has improved over the years. United Nation millennium goals and medical breakthroughs have helped many nations to improvise and developed holistically. Typical lifespan of human has reached an average of about 80 years old. This figure is not fixed and is not carved in stone. Key events, random or pre-mediated would lead to changes.
Secondly, When do you expect to retire? Many people is slogging their life away. They have always looked forward to the Golden Handshake moments. But many successful people would say they are not retiring, they are just realigning their goals in life. In Singapore, retirement age is about 62 years old. I like to round it off and I do aim to retire and realign my goals in life at 60 years old.
Thirdly, When would you start to enter the economy to work and support family? This varies from country to country. In Singapore, children enters pre-school and kindergarten at about 4 to 5 years old. Formal primary school learning starts at about 7 years old. Secondary education starts from 13 to 16 sometimes 17 years old, depending on your stream. Junior College or Polytechnic education would range from 17 to 19 years old. Tertiary education until a Bachelor’s Degree would ends at about 21 years for girls and the guys at 24 years old which includes serving National Service. Therefor I like to round it to about 20 years old.
Golden Ratio
First 20 years, would be spend learning a set of skills and values to ensure one can earn a living and carve a career footing. Next 40 years, one would work hard slog to earn their paycheck to fund whatever dreams they hope to chase after. Last 20 years, one should start to realign and enjoy some pursuit in life. It is a simple equation.
20 years of learning in exchange for 40 years of career and 20 years of retirement.
20 years of learning out of a possible life span of 80 years old.
20: 80 which is simplified into 1:4. Some would argue that it should be 20:60 which in turn becomes 1:3. Therefore one has to cramp and learn as much as possible in their first 20 years of life.
For children in primary school, I would suggest that they plan their learning using ratio of 1:3. For every 1 hour of relaxation, they need to read and revise of 3 hours. **the 3 hours is base on pure reading and revision. Not doing corrections. The 1 hour of relaxation includes play, eat, exercising.
For teenagers and young adults, as their brain develop and focus has been stretched. I recommend to use the ratio of 1:4. For every 1 hour of relaxation, they need to read and revise for 4 hours. **the 4 hours is base on pure reading and revision. Not doing corrections. The 1 hour of relaxation includes play, eat, exercising.
Assumption and Clarification
- Of course, adults still have to learn. Learning does not stop at 20 years old. It is lifelong.
- The ratio excludes sleeping. Usually human needs 8 to 9 hours of sleep.
- The ratio applies to time when the brain is awake.
- The ratio is good to use during weekend or revision time period.