Month: May 2021

  • How you can help during the pandemic

    pandemic

    By Athena Joseph

    John Kennedy once said, “ As long as we see the same sky, breathe the same air, step on the same planet, then, you and I are not impossible”

    Day by day, minute by minute the corona virus pandemic is just playing out on a global scale. Life has become hard and tough through these difficult times. But there are people out there who actually need our help while they are battling the virus in many different forms. Let us look at a few acts of kindness through which we can help others.

    1. Check on your neighbors : Though the pandemic is world wide, we must start by looking at who is around us, by this I mean those who live with us or those living close like our neighbors. Assess their priorities and try reaching out by leaving out items at their doorstep. Ask if they need help sometimes that is all it takes.
    1. Calling people & try connecting virtually: Families are stranded across the globe and the only way to connect with our loved ones is virtually. People who engage in meaningful and productive activities with others tend to live longer, improve their mood, and have a sense of purpose.  So, it is important that try and stay connected virtually. Reach out to a friend you may haven’t called in a while or a family member.
    1. Volunteer for Covid Care: While many people don’t have extra funds right now,if you’re one of the lucky ones who do, consider donating to an organization that’s making a difference during the pandemic. It necessarily doesn’t have to be through monetary donations but can be done by donating food, blood,clothing, equipment,making meals for those affected and in isolation, running errands for them etc.
    1. Take care of yourself: Self-care encourages you to maintain a healthy relationship with yourself so that you can transmit the good feelings to others.You cannot give to others what you don’t have yourself. Let’s start this by staying in our homes, wearing masks, washing our hands and stepping out only of it is          necessary.

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  • How to build Resilience

    By Athena Joseph

    So What really is “Resilience”?

    Resilience is the ability to mentally or emotionally cope with a crisis. What we are dealing with right now, is where the powerful role of resilience comes into play.

    Let us look at a few ways to build our resilience and keep it strong.

    1. Maintain A Hopeful Outlook
    Maintaining a positive attitude is critical in our darkest times and adversities. Challenging situations and obstacles are a part and parcel of life. When you’re faced with one or even many at the same time, focus on the good things. Let it be really insignificant to others, all it has to do is to give you a positive hope. Remember the proverbial saying “There is a silver lining in every cloud” — even if it’s not immediately obvious.

    2. Have A Strong Social Network
    There is this well said proverb “When you share your happiness it gets doubled, when you share your worries it gets halved”. It is social support that builds people up during their tough times and often gives them the strength to carry on and even thrive. Make the bonds with your trusted ones so strong that even when you’re falling apart they know what’s best for you.

    3. Bring Out The Creative Part Of Yourself
    Through the dark times it is necessary that we do something that makes our inner soul happy as well. Let’s turn to the other side, the “creative side” that we’ve expressed in an activity, pastime, or hobby that lifts our spirits. They also allow us to zoom in on something ahead of us and ignore the stressors maybe even for a few hours.

    4. Be Ready To Accept Change
    The world around us is changing, progressing rapidly. Sitting quiet or mourning about the change isn’t going to help us in any way. We need to learn to embrace change and understand what is happening. Have it written in your mind that change is an opportunity for us to experience something new and to grow and evolve.


    5. Take Care Of Yourself
    Max Ehrmann, American writer and poet once said,“Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less  than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.”

    Taking good care of yourself is paramount to the success of your resilience. Only if you take good care of yourself, you can take the best care for your fellow beings. Amidst this second wave, it is of utmost importance to keep ourselves and others safe.

    These sudden, rapid changes in the way we live, coupled with uncertainty, can feel  overwhelming. Remember that even in the face of events that seem utterly unimaginable, resilience allows us to marshal the strength to not just survive but to prosper.

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  • 5 Ways to be productive everyday

    By Athena Joseph

    “Decide on your most important task. Begin immediately and work on that task with self-discipline until it is 100% complete. In life, all success comes from completing tasks. It’s not from working at tasks, it’s from completing tasks. It is only when you complete tasks that you become successful.”

    When we talk about productivity, one of the most significant ways to work more productively is to get into a routine where you wake up, work and have breaks at around the same time each day. Planning and setting up your day well, will help you get into a routine that works best for your life.

    Today we share a few ways to stay productive:

    Set achievable work goals :     Set up a schedule where you can put the time frames for every goal that needs to be completed. However the most important part here is to make sure that you stick to your daily schedule throughout the week. Give yourself a  day “off,” you minimize the temptation to sabotage your daily plan.

    Finish a task before starting something new : In order to finish tasks, you’ll need to make it a priority. Look at your calendar and see when it’s possible to make time to work towards completing the new projects you thought of.

    Practice positive reinforcement: Happy people have more energy. When you think positive thoughts and you smile, it releases endorphins which gives you more energy. More energy means you can get more done and therefore are more productive. Manage your energy well, which means lots of sleep, reduce blue light a.k.a. devices, eat healthy, stay hydrated and take time for exercise.

    Give Yourself Something To Look Forward To: At the end of the day, if you’re truly not feeling like you’re doing your best, try to set some goals for yourself and reward yourself for hitting those goals.When you have to work from home for a while, it can be easy to fall into a rut. After all, you’re in the same place day after day, and your days aren’t that varied.

    Set a Deadline: Once you’ve decided to spend a certain amount of time each week (or each day) on your project, set a deadline. There are no unreasonable goals, only unreasonable deadlines. If you miss the deadline, set another deadline. This helps you get good with your ability to assess how much time a certain project or task will take. Deadlines help you get things done.

    We hope you find these tips useful.

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  • How to decompress after a stressful day

    By Tanyika Rai

    Stress is the one thing that is extremely hard to avoid. Having a stressful day is inevitable. All of us lead busy lives and we’re constantly troubled by the stress we face in our day-to-day lives.

    It affects our health and can wear us out not only physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Our mental health can always take a turn for the worse because of stress.

    Stress can never be gotten rid of. There’s no way of completely eliminating it from our lives. Over time we just learn to manage it better and work through it. But all of us should know of some tips that can help you destress and decompress after a stressful day.

    Take A Nice Long Walk:

    Walking is always a great way to escape from the burdens of stress. Going out for a nice long stroll surrounded by all that nature has to offer and basking in the sun. it just sounds peaceful and relaxing. The sunlight is always beneficial for you.

    It can also give you a fresh mind to think with and clear your perspective and it keeps you active, so that’s always a plus.

    Aromatherapy:

    Honestly speaking, the word ‘Aromatherapy’ itself is relaxing to me.

    Some scents have many different benefits on our health and can work wonders on our body. So light a candle or maybe some incense sticks with a comforting but not too strong scent and sit back and relax with some peaceful music playing in the background.

    You can also try taking a nice relaxing bath using these scents to wind down.

    Lavender scents have proven to reduce stress and produce a calming effect on the body. Vanilla is also a calming and relaxing scent.

    Yoga And Meditation: 

    We all know that yoga and meditation have proved to have many soothing and healing effects on the mind and body.

    Coming home after a long and stressful day, taking a couple of minutes to do a little stretching and yoga poses circulates blood in your body and relaxes you. Practicing meditation for just five minutes by taking in long deep breaths helps calm your nerves and helps you focus on the positives rather than the negatives.

    Listen To Music & Dance Around:

    Pick a fun jam playlist and play it out loud. Just chill and vibe with the music, sing it out loud or dance all the stress away.

    It doesn’t matter whether you can dance and sing well or not so do not worry about it. Let your hair loose and dance around your room singing along to the music with no worries. You will literally be able to feel your troubles fading away and the burden on your shoulder lifting up. And at the end of it all you will certainly have a huge grin lighting up your face.

    Escape The Ropes Of Technology:

    These days, everything in our lives depends on technology and the internet. We spend hours together immersed in the digital world.

    So how about taking a break from that and actually focus on the real world around you. After a long stressful day, just take a minimum of half an hour to do something that doesn’t involve gadgets. Read a book or maybe do a little painting. It could be anything in the world.

    Self Care:

    Self care is probably one of the most important things in the world for us. We get super stressed because of work or anything else and get so immersed in it, that we forget to actually focus on ourselves.

    Self care can literally be anything for us. It can be taking a nice long shower or bath or it can be cooking one of your favourite dishes for yourself. It could be skin care or exercise too. So try giving your body and soul some attention.

    In the end, the only thing that can make us happy and feel less stressed these days is doing something we enjoy. Do whatever you want.

    If it’s watching a really good movie or show that you like, ordering food online, shopping, drawing or painting, reading a book, taking a warm bath or even cleaning and organizing. Just do it if it can relax you and make you much happier.

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  • 6 Ways to beat procrastination

    By Tanyika Rai

    Let’s be honest, everybody procrastinates. 

    Sometimes we can’t help but put things off till the last minute, it just happens. We lose motivation, get distracted or get tired and then, well, we say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow’. But does tomorrow ever come?

    Not always. There are times where because of procrastinating we miss deadlines or we just forget. But most of the time, we’re trying to finish all that we had to get done at the last moment.

    Procrastination can not only affect our stress levels but also the quality of our work.

    Obviously, we don’t want that. So how do we beat procrastination?

    Here’s 6 ways to get things done on time.

    Eliminate Your Distractions

    The simplest and most obvious way to stop procrastinating is eliminating distractions. 

    It’s hard to get anything done when you’re constantly getting distracted by social media notifications or text messages. So in the time period that you’re supposed to be focusing on the task at hand, get rid of the distractions around you.

    Make a To-Do/Goals list

    What are your goals for the day or the week? What do you have to get done on this particular day or week?

    Write it all down. Always make sure to write down the estimated time you need for the project and by when you would like to finish it. Having all the work you need to do written down somewhere instead of just stored in the back of your head will stop you from forgetting it and it will also motivate you to get things done.

    Writing your goals and aspirations too, serves as good motivation and encouragement.

    Fix a proper system or schedule 

    Fix a particular time period in the day when you can get things done and work your best accordingly. 

    Take 5 min breaks at regular intervals and do something productive in them like exercise. Do a couple of jumping jacks, maybe some on the spot jogging or walk around. Just don’t sit on your phone and scroll through social media. Trust me, once you get sucked into that world again you will not be able to focus on your work.

    Try working at 15-25 minute intervals to prevent getting bored or distracted easily. Our mind and body works best and without getting restless in this time frame rather than hour long intervals. 

    Get A Work Buddy

    Find someone who would be there to motivate you to get back into the game and get things done. 

    We all get bored and can quickly lose the motivation to complete a task. Having someone by your side to motivate and encourage you is always a good idea. Someone who you can work with together without getting distracted, someone who you can share your goals with and will help you achieve them. And this can go both ways too.

    Forget About Perfectionism 

    Perfectionism is overrated. A lot of the times we start putting off tasks because it isn’t perfect.

    But nothing is ever perfect because perfection is an illusion. ‘If it isn’t perfect, it isn’t good’. If we constantly have this idea of perfection in our head then we won’t be happy with the work we’re doing and in the end, it will never get done.

    So ditch perfection and focus on getting things done. 

    But this does not mean you don’t try your best. It means give it your best shot and get things done but don’t be hung up on it not being good enough.

    Reward Yourself

    Try and reward yourself on a job well done after you finish your tasks.Do not, let yourself get distracted by social media or Netflix calling out you name until you finish all your work for the day.

    Once you’re done, go watch that new show or movie you’ve been wanting to watch for so long and treat yourself. Indulge all you want.

    The urge to put things off till the end is quite strong. It’s your easiest way. We all  struggle with it a lot too, so you’re not alone.

    Pick a couple of these tips and implement them. While you might not always be able to beat procrastination, it’s worth a try and you probably might become better at fighting it.

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  • What does working in FBOT’s mean?

    By Jivitha Shobashree

    We all think that we are organised. But is that actually true?

    Are we focused in the activities that we do without getting distracted?

    If the answer is no, then we can solve this problem by using Focus blocks.

    What are Focus Blocks of Time or FBOT’s?

    Focus blocks are focusing (focus) on one particular activity (block). You set aside a particular time to complete an

    activity which requires your time, energy and focus.

    The meaning of focus is to perform a task without procrastination and maintain their attention and effort until the task is complete.

    So it goes without saying that, when we are doing a focus block all our distractions should be turned off.

    The Distractions

    When you try to complete doing an activity or assignment. Your phone might open up with a notification, you will have the urge to open it and read, then you would think about the message and what to reply. So, you get distracted and would not have the same focus which you had before opening that notification.

    There’s a reason that distraction threatens your work output; According to a university of California ‘it takes 22 mins and 15 seconds to get back to the task’ after a distraction!

    That’s where focus block comes to picture, you should prioritize your work and allocate times for the activities you have to perform each day.

    Multitasking is overrated…. There has always been a myth where if you multitask you have higher productivity, but in reality that is not the case, your productivity reduces by 40%.

    Monotask is dedicating yourself to a single task. Try to monotask with minimal or no interruptions until the task is complete.

    Im sharing my tips below on working in Focus Time blocks:

    1. Consistency: When you start using focus blocks you have to be very consistent. Try to do it more often till it becomes a habit.

    2. Turn off notifications: When you start using focus block turn off your notifications on your phone. Let people know that unless its an emergency you will not be available. Also let them know when you will be available.

    1. A routine: Create a routine and make FBOT’s an essential part of your life, a routine/habit which you always follow.
    1. Set a time: You can choose any time of the day to do your work, whenever you feel energetic. Keep a track on your energy levels whenever it’s high, that’s the best time to work.
    1. Don’t go overboard: We are human with a limited amount of energy. You can start by doing this for 25 minutes and take a break of 5 minutes for each block and then slowly increase it to 50 mins with 10 minute breaks doing this for 4 consecutive hours. Gradually increase as you get accustomed to the routine.
    1. Place of your choice: When you work you need the right environment be it a positive or peaceful place, whichever works best for you.

    In the words of David DeNotaris, “Our focus is our future what we focus on will multiply in our lives”

    Now try it and let us know how it goes.

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  • These CEO’s net-worth grew during the pandemic

    success with savitha

    By Sowmya Narasimhan

    The year 2020 was unforgettable for all of us because of the ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease that has affected our lives adversely and left us all in distress. Many lost their jobs and the economy also suffered a massive setback. 

    But amidst all of this, some CEOs of companies belonging to different industrial sectors, managed to bag huge profits for their company and topped the list of richest people in the world. 

    Here is a list of the top five richest CEOs in the world:

    • Warren Buffet 

    Industry: Finance & Investments

    Wealth growth during the pandemic: +$13.6 billion (+20.1%)

    Warren Edward Buffett is an American investor, business tycoon, philanthropist, and chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He ranks as the fifth wealthiest person in the world.

    • Mark Zuckerberg

     Industry: Technology

    Wealth growth during the pandemic: +$46.5 billion (+85.1%)

    During the pandemic, the social media platform was used by people to stay in touch amid social distancing protocols. This helped Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and, CEO of Facebook to achieve this enormous economic growth.

    • Bill Gates

     Industry: Technology

    Wealth growth during the pandemic: +$20.0 billion (+20.4%)

    William Henry Gates III is an American business magnate, software developer, investor, author, and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft Corporation. He is invested in several other assets which makes him the third richest person in the world.

    • Elon Musk

      Industry: Automotive

    Wealth growth during the pandemic: +$68.2 billion (+277.4%)

    Elon Musk, a visionary and entrepreneur, first became wealthy through selling software company Zip2, then co-founding PayPal. As the CEO OF space exploration and Rocket Company SpaceX and his stake in electric car manufacturer Tesla he has gained much of his wealth and is currently the second richest man in the world.

    • Jeff Bezos

      Industry: Technology

    Wealth growth during the pandemic: +$90.1 billion (+79.8%)

    As people have avoided going outside amid the pandemic, many have also been choosing to do their shopping online. Jeff Bezos being the founder and CEO of the world’s largest e-commerce site, Amazon benefited tremendously throughout the pandemic. Bezos is by far the wealthiest person in the world.

    CEOs are the pillar of strength of the company. Even in these tough times, these CEOs managed to stay strong and their perseverance paid off. Several other companies around the world prospered in the pandemic against all odds. Their journey to success has been amazing and inspirational. So, no matter how much negativity surrounds you, stay positive and never give up on your goals.

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  • Eat the frog

    success with savitha

    By Sowmya Narasimhan

    Do you have a hard time sticking to a productivity system and in deciding what to work on at any given time?

    Does your to-do list make you feel overwhelmed?

    If yes, all you can do is “Eat the frog”

    Read on to find what it means and how this one trait can help you to be productive and successful.

    How to “Eat the frog”?

    In simple terms, “Eat the frog” means to choose one big important task for the day and do it first.

    Firstly, you have to identify it. Decide what the most important task is for the day. 

    It’s advisable to plan it the previous night so that you will know what to work on the next day.

    You must know your priorities are, to identify your frog. 

    As Mark twain quoted “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first”.

    How does it help?

    You may feel Eat the frog makes you focus on less when you can do more. But that’s not true. By following this method you’ll be making progress on something meaningful every day. This will eventually lead to a virtuous cycle of getting things done.

    • Your energy and willpower are high in the first hour of the morning. Hence when you prioritize the most important task to do in the morning you will be taking full advantage of your best work hours 
    • Since you will be focusing on one task at a time, you will also be able to indulge in it with greater enthusiasm and be prepared to embrace the challenges with a positive attitude. This will help you to stay away from distractions and avoid other less important jobs that disturb you.
    • Try planning out what your frog has to be the previous night. You can break a large task into smaller units and look into all the possibilities and perspectives. This technique will also help you to analyse a problem deeply and pertain to higher impact tasks.
    • Make a To-do list. Note down your frog for the day. You could perhaps use the Pomodoro technique and create a mind map that can guide you on your work. By doing so you will never lose track of your toad!

    Eat the frog is for those people who overestimate what they can get done in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade. You can use this simple technique to achieve your goals and be ahead-of-the-game.

    Check out this amazing book written by Brian Tracy: Eat That Frog! -21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. 

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  • Managing mental blocks

    By Sowmya Narasimhan

    Everyone has days where they think “what should I do now?” 

    A feeling of chaos where you are clueless. 

    Well yes, of course, we’ve all been there. 

    Merriam Webster’s dictionary describes this feeling as “brain fog”. In layman’s terms, it is called a mental block. These are barriers standing in the way of our creativity, motivation, and productivity.

    But despite all of this how do you remain perseverant?

    Here are 6 simple steps that can help you with this

    What to begin with?

    Start with the simpler decisions. Choose which topic you need to first focus on.

    This will help you to gain the initial momentum and interest to indulge in your work.

    Just like “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean” you will be able to pull off your work by making the right start!

    Find a placid place

    Peace brings with it so many positive emotions that it is worth aiming for in all circumstances. Hence, you need to sit in a peaceful environment and stay calm while dealing with your mental block. 

    Pick a place surrounded by greenery, where you can stay away from all the distractions and completely concentrate on your work.

    The 4-R strategy

    • Research- Have quick research about your task. The more you know about it, the better is your flow of thoughts.
    • Refer– Refer to others’ opinions and analyse their point of view. This will help you to look into all perspectives and make a better decision. 
    • Resourceful– You need to have enough resources that can help you with your work. Make sure you look into every single aspect of your task. 
    • Recreation – Take short breaks whenever required, ease upon your mental block in the best ways like listening to music/podcasts or watching videos related to your task, which might help you to make a breakthrough.

    Transcribe and organize your thoughts

    When you are stuck with your thoughts and not able to come to a decision, write them down.

    Now that you have all your thoughts written down try finding leads that can help you with your work.

    Filter your thoughts and organize them according to your needs. 

    This will help you to relax and conclude with the right decision.

    Know the drill

    You can be self-confident but not overconfident. Avoid overdoing yourself. Set an achievable goal and give it enough time. Remember “good things take time” but also keep your limitations in mind and give your best to succeed.

    Ignore all the negative feelings and stay positive but also be well prepared to face the consequences. A bold attitude and readiness to face anything will help you to avoid mental blocks.

    Use your creativity cleverly  

    Creative things always boost you up. Try using some elegant posters and wallpapers that will help you to stay focused and also relax your mind. This way you can motivate your team as well as yourself. 

    Your mental health is very important, especially during these tough times. Don’t feel stressed over your mental blocks instead follow these simple steps and prepare yourself to manage them because “The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today”

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  • Dealing with anxiety

    By Sowmya Narasimhan

    All of us feel anxious and presently with all the predicament going on around, it’s okay to feel so. 

    But what is not okay is to give up and mourn over your failures and anxiety.

    I know it’s difficult. I have been there too.

    I still remember how anxious I was during my first interview yet I managed to bring it off.

    Wanna know how? Read on to find out how I dealt with my anxiety using 6 simple tips.

    1. Identify and learn to manage your triggers: Deadlines, projects, targets, finance…. All these terms do make you feel anxious. But there’s no need to be worried.

    Plan your schedule, make sure you include all your appointments and projects so you don’t miss out on any. This will help you to be punctual and finish your task way before the deadline. Thus you need not feel anxious about the completion of your work.

     2. Optimizing Optimism: Most of the time negative thoughts can distort the severity of the situation. Try to bring about a positive outlook for your business. Turn your negatives into positives. 

    Believe in yourself and motivate your team to pick up the threads. Spreading positivity will invigorate you. 

    Check out this podcast on 6 strategies to stay positive:

    3. Acquire assertiveness: You have to BELIEVE in yourself. Think of yourself succeeding in a specific situation at work and do your best to minimize any thoughts of failure.

    You’ve done it before and you can do it again. So gird your loins and never doubt your worth. When you’re provident there’s nothing to be nervous about. 

    4. Maintaining tranquillity: Indulge in activities that make you feel calm and composed. Perhaps you could paint and sketch or just ponder about the pristine nature.

    This will help you to gain back control over your mind and also help you to yield better and productive results.

    5. Pleasure in your leisure: Don’t waste your off-time. Figure out your new hobbies and interests that can enhance your work.

    Look out for innovative and fun concepts and ideas that you can imbibe.

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