Suhaimi Yusof, a 57-year-old veteran Singaporean entertainer with a career spanning four decades across radio, television, film, and theatre, emphasizes reading as an essential component of mental well-being and lifelong learning. Starting his media journey at age 16 in 1986 as a radio presenter, Suhaimi has since expanded his expertise to include behind-the-scenes roles, such as developing the podcast and video operations for the Malay newspaper Berita Harian. A father of three and an active volunteer, he credits nonfiction literature with helping him maintain mental clarity and composure amid the pressures of modern life.

Currently reading "A Brain That Breathes: Essential Habits For An Overwhelming World" by Jodi Wilson, Suhaimi discovered the book during a trip to Katanning, a small town in Western Australia. He was drawn to its message encouraging people to take deliberate breaks from digital devices and unplug from constant information flow by appreciating simple, analogue moments. “Put the phone aside, step away from digital friends and go look at a flower as a flower or a sheep as a sheep,” he said, summarizing the book’s call for mindful disengagement from digital distractions.

Suhaimi applies lessons from the book to his daily life by adopting what he calls a “personal delay” when facing stress or criticism, a concept inspired by his early broadcasting experience with a seven-second delay button to prevent on-air mistakes. Instead of reacting impulsively, he pauses to process his subconscious thoughts and “declutter” emotional responses before proceeding.

He follows a methodical approach to reading, often going through books two or three times to deepen his understanding before applying the insights in everyday life. He primarily engages with nonfiction genres such as self-motivation and biographies, viewing books as a direct conduit to the author’s reflective thoughts, akin to conversing seriously with a trusted friend. Suhaimi prefers printed books over digital versions, appreciating the tactile engagement of turning pages and annotating margins to contextualize ideas personally.

Discipline plays a key role in Suhaimi’s reading habit. He carves out time during work breaks and early mornings—before the day’s digital influx begins—or late at night to read. He has established specific “reading sanctuaries” such as a chill-out corner at home and a favorite outdoor spot at East Coast Park, where he reads under a tree by the beach.

Suhaimi’s reading interests remain deliberately broad, even extending to lower primary school science books valued for their clear illustrations simplifying complex information. Early in his career, an exposure to a detailed investigative book on Japan’s Aum Shinrikyo cult sparked a lasting passion for reading, as he consumed several hundred pages within a few days during radio breaks.

For Suhaimi, reading represents a vital “ultimate retirement plan.” In his view, it helps stave off boredom that can lead retirees back to work and sustains mental calmness, insight, and wisdom throughout life. He metaphorically describes the book as the seed and reading as the tree—nurtured early, it grows to provide shelter and wisdom in later years.