10 Things NO Gentleman Should Ever Rush

We’ve become increasingly busy. Time is now the most precious gift known to man, but it is all too easily drowned under work duties and mundane engagements. As a result, we rush around like foxes being hunted, trying to squeeze in as much as physically possible, tiring ourselves to the brink of exhaustion each day.

Being busy has became second nature in the 21st century, rolling off the tongue like water from a tilted plate. But there are some things in life that require time and thought. These are the situations where rushing can be detrimental and where acting in haste can have punishing consequences…

FOREPLAY

You shouldn’t need to be reminded.

GETTING READY IN THE MORNING

We all like that extra 15-minute snooze – if this were illegal I’d be serving life, for murder of the morning – but I do this at a cost. My stubble is as even as a field of corn ravaged by swarms of pigeons, my hair looks as if I have a blind badger for a stylist and my clothes… well, apparently they make the days of tie-dye seem cool again.

Those 15 minutes could be my key to getting in fashion’s door. Or, perhaps, at least making the conscious decision to look in the mirror and decide the tie-dye look deserves to make a comeback.

PREPARING A DINNER PARTY

Rushed guest lists, untested menus and zero preparations are the ingredients for a terrible evening. Unless you’re Jamie Oliver, who could feed the 5,000 with 3 minutes on the timer, dinner parties require thought and planning. Do a Noah and build your arc before the rains come.

INTRODUCING YOUR GIRLFRIEND TO YOUR PARENTS

There can be few things worse than inviting a girl home, only for her declare at supper that she’s thinking about moving her 3 children – whom she had with a hippie she met while backpacking through East Asia – out to Canada to help club seals because she blames them for global warming. But not before she’s served her time in prison. Parents don’t need this stress.

Be sure to know the girl you’re introducing to your folks – a couple of weeks are surely the bare minimum. The bubbly girl you met in Infernos last night probably isn’t quite ready for the call up.

ASKING A GIRL TO MOVE IN (SETTLING DOWN)

Actually, I correct myself. There is one thing worse than taking her home too soon. And that’s asking her to move in with you on a whim.

ACCEPTING A NEW JOB

A change of career is not a decision to be made in haste. Yes, while sat staring at a computer screen the prospect of teaching huskies to pull a sled on the Arctic snowfields may be tempting, but do you really want to do that? I mean, really?

PLANNING A HOLIDAY

Travel is an unreachable itch, but there are always constraints – time and money. For most of us, squeezing holidays into our 9-5 becomes a scarce affair – once or twice a year is usually as far as our wallets and days-off allow. So get it right.

A PUTT

You wouldn’t build a house before drawing and analysing the blue print, so don’t putt before you’ve judged the line and slant.

CHOOSING A GIFT

Because the guy who chooses the first gift that springs to mind always get a great reception from his girlfriend. Oh wait…

A MAJOR INVESTMENT

Regret’s a bitch. Especially when it’s attached to a price tag that has depreciated faster than a second-hand toothbrush. When making a major investment such as a house, car or antique watch, take your time and ensure you’re making a wise choice.