June| Article Round Up

So, its Monday and you are looking for some inspiration to start your week right, here are some round ups of great reads to lift up your mood and set you up for new challenges.  

1. If you are interested in technology, this is a very interesting read on how “Microsoft kicked off the second phase of its experimental underwater data center project Wednesday, submerging a shipping-container sized data center with 864 servers near the Orkney Islands in Scotland.” 
2. If you work in an Agile environment, this is what you should know and why millennials are your dream audience .  Here's another one in the same line 
3.  If you are looking for some great reads for this summer, this list might interest you. 
4. Technology and love for food comes together for this start up that’s been inspired by moms cooking, all about Buttermilk for you and how Indian food doesn’t need hours of stirring anymore. 
5. So you manage a team and often are overwhelmed by the work and managing conflicts, this read is about making decisions in a company withno managers.  
6. Want to be that genius, read here how to uncover your true potential 
7.  Anthony Bourdain’s news broke my heart, I fell in love with cooking after watching his episodes years ago. This articles is a wonderful read for those us is who love food and will not hesitate to try a new restaurant for the love of a new cuisine.
8. If you are bad with long term goals or keeping new ears resolutions, breaking it down into small bites might be your thing, read this one if you like to read about personal journeys plus how to manage your financial goals.

The article round up for May can be found here. 

 (Pic Courtesy: Google Images)

Walking Past Your Fear

Have you been scared and still done it anyway? Bungee jumping or public speaking?

Today I wanted to talk about why being scared and still going ahead with it is okay. Everyone starts somewhere even the greatest of speakers or writers. So, why not you?

The job of one part of our brain (reptilian) is to ensure we stay safe and discourages us from trying out new things. The basal ganglia is referred to as the reptilian or primal brain, as this structure is in control of our innate and automatic self-preserving behavior patterns, which ensure our survival and that of our species. We might not be living in the same world as primitive man, but we are still met with threatening and potentially dangerous situations. The brainstem is responsible for keeping us safe now, as it was for early man. The health and functioning of this brain region largely determines our ability to detect and respond to threats. At the most basic level, the brainstem helps us identify familiar and unfamiliar things. Familiar things are usually seen as safe and preferable, while unfamiliar things are treated with suspicion until we have assessed them and the context in which they appear (More here).

So when you feel shaky about taking the stage- its your brain telling you its risky and something new... just stay in the couch, that's something you are used to.

The choice is always there and its yours to make, do you want to stay a newbie for the rest of your life or you want to make that touch call and speak up and ask a questions, volunteer for an opportunity or ask for more responsibility. The difference between those who have done well and who are still waiting is earlier has been scared and still gone ahead and tried something new. Its also Growth Mindset.

Here are 33 ways to overcome your fear and when you decide you are ready, here's a video to watch- Growth Mindset simplified. This is how I am working around my fears :)



 

(Pic courtesy: Google Images)

5 Changes: Game Changers for my Productivity

Life can lose its motivation for people in stressful jobs. I am no exception and last couple of years have been a struggle to keep my head above water just because I want to do so much (everything!) and had difficulty managing it all.

Over the time I have experimented, learned more about myself and made some major changes. If my job profile has changed, so should my life and routine.

Here are 5 things I changed and why you should too:

1. Getting up early- I wake up at 6.30 am every single day except Sundays. Take it from someone who has never seen early mornings (unless there’s a flight to catch). I realized by waking up early I felt much more in control while having my cup of coffee and getting some fresh air. I clear my head before I start the day and somehow it feels more positive. Here are some benefits of waking up early  
2. Going to bed early- I still own a TV but never watch it. Instead I wind down early and sleep as early as 10pm. I work around a calming night time routine, so it takes the edge off my work day. More rest, better mind. Better mind, better workday- next day!
3. Stopped Impulsive Sprees- I met friends at malls and coffee shops and spent money to buy happiness. Splurging felt good for a short span of time and I felt I deserved it after all the hard work. At some point I also realized that half of the items I bought I never wore them. Also, I wasn’t sure shopping was making me happy to even last a week. So, I stopped and now try to meet friends over casual dinners at home. The point isn’t about shopping at all; it’s about creating meaning in our life. So, if the time spend or the person you are catching up with isn’t adding any value for you, you should rethink.
   
4. Using a Planner- Nothing beats a good planning even if you work impulsively. By writing down a plan and ideas from your head to paper- you take the stress out of remembering them. Our work life is mostly linked to planners (outlook calendar/Google calendar), why not try it out in our personal life as well. If you are a management professional, you are probably very good at it already, try to see what you plan and how much you actually get done.  There are lots of ways to plan- a whiteboard, sticky notes, a planner, a bullet journal etc. Here’s how writing down things will impact your life 
5. Meditation- I am really not an expert on this, my version is very simple. Its just a way for me to connect with myself. Sometimes it can just be quiet 5 minutes for myself in a couch. I do have to mention that I like how it makes me feel. I am calmer and peaceful.  Studies indicate that mindfulness meditation benefits women more than men. There are multiple apps that are available (both paid and free) to help you ease better, try them out. 

What have you incorporated in your routine recently?

(Pic courtesy: Google Images)

Relearning: The Gadget Habits (5 simple tips)

If you spend all your time slouching in the couch and complaining life isn’t taking you anywhere, well you already know nothing will happen.

An average person will usually complaint 15-30 times day. The chronic complainer falls into a perpetual cycle of finding fault, feeling negative, and then being unable to face the next situation with an open mind.  

Instead of picking ourselves and working on our list, we are busy with the Gadget Browsing. We use it every day- new fancy phones, laptops, tablets... hundreds of apps crammed in it. We wake up with the mindless chatter of browsing and we wrap up our day by telling the world we are ready for bed. Does information overload or mindless browsing help your creativity- perhaps not. We are way too occupied with our gadgets (that's where the free times heads to) till we need a mental day off .

Here are 5 ways to re-think about your habits:

1. Stop all the notifications- this includes your emails, social media and news channels. When you need something (info/news) you can open the app and it’s always better to have a fixed time to do it. Don’t use it as a cure for boredom instead pick a book or go for a walk or meet a real friend.
2. Delete apps- you don’t need so many apps, delete them. Free yourself from the urge to constantly monitor your behavior, deleting helps. Once done you can decide to login to your Facebook or Instagram once a week or month and check for updates (in case you forgot they also have a website), you really don’t need to prove anything to anyone here. 
3. Use apps to develop the growth mindset -don’t stop learning because you are out of college, keep that fire in you alive. Use your gadgets instead to learn a new domain, or pick up a interest or a certification. Download the content and you can even use it while you commute even with a shaky wifi. this includes paid and free stuff- read a blog, take up a course and get a certification that will actually help you to move to your new role.
4. Shake up your timeline- make the time spent meaningful, there’s no point in giving up your time and feeling worthless. If you think browsing through social media is giving you all the negative vibes then just get out of it. Use apps to create real connections, meet your mentor once a month over Skype or use Google hangout to teach... the possibilities are endless as long as you use them correctly.
5. Positive vibes only- use gadgets to create the life you want, not the life your social timeline dictates you to live by and crib about. Use apps to meditate or write or create amazing headspace that takes you through the day. 

Stop the mindless browsing and create the positive road-map you have always wanted and see how it feels to stop complaining for once.

(Pic courtesy: Google images)