Crushing Work and Course While Fasting

I hate bragging, but balancing so much at once—I think I deserve some proper self-acknowledgement.

Since my last update, a lot has happened.

Work 🚀

People keep asking me about my job. Like… it's a job, how fascinating can that be? Haha.

But I get it—after 12 years of self-employment, people are curious how I'm managing or if I've already quit.

At first, I got feedback about being slow.

Now? From the same person:

"You've contributed positively in following up on the bug list post-launch. The fixes are down, just pending client approval. For the retainer tasks, the client gave positive feedback. I also appreciate that you think through things and ask questions. And I have so many examples of you doing this."

Heck yeah!

I've helped cut the backlog from 300+ to about 100—without overtime.

That's a big shift.

In my younger days, I'd work late to catch up, but it took a toll on my relationships. Now, I finish on time because of my evening classes, and honestly, I value having dinner with loved ones.

Lesson learned: Give people (myself included) enough time to learn the system, and they'll speed up.

Course Studies 📚

This was tougher than I expected.

After work, I rush to class, grab a quick dinner, then sit through hours of learning. The combo of food coma + exhaustion? At best, I retain 10%. My brain is cooked. Fried.

Still, I pushed through and submitted everything on time.

Oh, and my computer broke. Twice.

I had to borrow resources to complete assignments, and the repair—eventually a full replacement—wiped out my first month's pay. Boo.

Then came the big presentation.

We were given two structure options. Most chose the easier one because it had more references. I didn't. I just knew I resonated with the other format.

Time was tight, but this was important. I worked till 3 AM, got up at 7, handled work, rushed to class, and went straight into presenting—first time rehearsing.

And I freaking ACED IT.

Classmates written feedback:

"Nice graphics on the slides, clear voice and instruction. May be more professional but all good"

"You are loud and clear. It was fun and engaging"

"Engaging in his presentations"

"The flow was smooth. There were a few high moments. Maybe could inform students to post questions in chat/email etc"

"It was great and smooth. A lot of laughter and it is quite a chill and comfy session for the learners"

"Good voice projection, natural, confident, humour, quick-witted"

"Excellent! You will go far, Asher!"

The positive feedback is well-received 🙂

Looking back, despite everything—broken computer, no rehearsals—things still worked out. God was covering me, and other resources were there when I needed them.

Fasting 🥗

Since Feb 1, I've been intermittent fasting (6 PM to midnight eating window) to prepare for the Easter show. Plus, I've been doing a 3-day water fast each month for a year since last Easter.

Colleagues were shocked.

But... What shocked me? How much sharper my mind felt.

Keto fasting made me irritable. Full-day fasting left me weak. But intermittent fasting? Surprisingly sustainable.

At first, lunchtime was hard—sitting in the office while everyone ate. Tried napping, didn't work. The aroma from food would distract me.

One day, I took a walk instead. Game-changer.

Now, every lunch break, I walk 3–4 km. It energizes me and clears my mind before I get back to work.

Turns out, fasting made me more productive. Who knew?

Wrapping Up 🎯

Work is going well. I'm balancing my commitments. Fasting is keeping me sharp. More importantly—I'm proud of what I've achieved.

Every day, my #KeepTryingUntil singlet reminds me to push on. Even in the busiest, most time-crunched weeks—I kept going.

And if you made it this far, thank you for reading, my friend.