I took my clothes, squeezed into some swimming shorts and jumped into the pool with 32 triathletes. We swam for two hours and afterwards, we moaned about cramp.

7 or more years ago in a London pub, I was running out of things to say to someone I’d met. I asked what he did – he told me he was a window cleaner. Turns out he was one of the head honchos at Deutsche Bank. He didn’t want to be defined by his career.

These relationships are fragile. Our occupation shouldn’t dictate who we are. I am not the Internet.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my work but I love other things in my life too. It’s these things that make me who I am too.

Take your clothes off

Life in the West often revolves around pubs, bars and restaurants. Last year, I started training for a triathlon and joined a swimming club, running club and started cycling 150km on the weekends.

On Thursday evenings, I spend two hours in the pool, surrounded by fellow ‘enthusiasts’ in lycra, rubber hats and nose clips. We swim more than 3km in total. At the end, we moan about cramp, sore shoulders, the next race, why we’re not getting faster, injuries and training.

The best part is that no-one has ever asked me what I do and yet, I still consider them friends. For two hours, work is not part of our lives.

Put your trunks on, get in the pool, do something different and change your life forever. Try something new, you might like it.