Steal your prof's habits
NTU professors share simple practices that help them thrive
by Junn Loh
THE COLOUR-CODED LIFE
Assoc Prof Hortense Le Ferrand’s Google Calendar looks less like a planner and more like a rainbow.
Her calendar is colour-coded by category: meetings, teaching, hobbies, preparation and travel. Even holidays and personal appointments get dedicated time slots.
The habit started during her PhD years in Switzerland, where residents in her apartment building had to reserve time slots to use a shared laundry room. By scheduling personal commitments as deliberately as work meetings, she reduces stress and avoids the feeling that life only happens when there’s time left over.
Steal this habit: Schedule your work and personal priorities together. Block out time for rest, hobbies and friends in your calendar, not just deadlines.
Assoc Prof Hortense Le Ferrand, School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
THE 30-SECOND RESET
Every 30 minutes to an hour, Asst Prof Matae Ahn looks away from his screen and focuses on something in the distance for 20 to 30 seconds before returning to work. It’s a deliberate “focus shift” that helps reset his thoughts.
He first adopted the habit to prevent eye strain after hearing a special forces member talk about eye protection during missions. Over time, those micro-pauses evolved into a mental “zoom out” for him.
“As a clinician-scientist, I need to pay close attention to detail and have a clear view of the bigger picture,” he says. “These tiny pauses help reset my thinking, especially during the busiest hours.”
Steal this habit: Build short "focus shifts" into your day. They’re a simple way to clear mental clutter and ease eye strain.
Asst Prof Matae Ahn, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
THE "THINKING" WORKOUT
Every day, Prof Joachim Loo sets aside 30 minutes to swim or jog. "It helps me maintain a calm mind amid everyday challenges.”
But the workout does more than keep him fit. Somewhere between the quiet moments on land and in the water, inspiration strikes.
“Some of my most creative solutions to complex problems surface during these quiet, lonely and 'boring' moments in the pool or on the treadmill,” he says.
Steal this habit: Make time for boredom. The best ideas often show up when you're not actively chasing them.
Prof Joachim Loo, Associate Vice Provost (Admissions)
This story was published in the Jul-Aug 2026 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.
