Felix Yau has understood the value of time from a young age. His father bought him his first watch, a Seiko Lassale, for his sixth birthday and since then he has made it his business to be on time - particularly in his professional life as a lawyer.
'Timing is everything for me, especially as I do a lot of work in court - there is never an excuse to be late to court,' says Yau, who works mainly in commercial litigation, corporate works, investment, tax, trust and private clients and company matters. 'If everyone else has to be there on time, then so do I.'
Trying to squeeze as much as possible into every day is a constant challenge. And trying to fit downtime into a busy work schedule can be extremely tough.
'Everybody has the same 24 hours to fit everything into, and success will depend on how you allocate your time. Many lawyers will work until 10, 11 or 12 at night, and sometimes overnight. It's our life and, despite the long hours, we have to make sure we're ready in the morning, prepared and fit for clients and the courts,' Yau says.
'Time is so important to us. It's not about charging by the hour, it's about completing pieces of work that can often take longer than 12 hours.'
Keeping such a schedule in check involves setting aside time for socialising with friends, exercising and spending quiet time alone. Yau describes this time as his Panadol, giving him relief from the stresses of his daily work life. 'I try to do things that I don't do in the office, like have a drink with friends and exercise.'