Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifestyle. Show all posts

One Thing to Do Before Ending This Year 2020

Dec 30, 2020 | | 0 comments |

 Ending one year is always continuing on the hope for the next one. 

I hope you are  as ready and wrapping up this year already. The last few days has been about retrospecting this year and getting ready for the next. In trying to do so, theres one thing that I thought had to be done to ensure a good end to this year. 

Get your fav drink and snacks and let me know if you agree to this.



Thank you for all the support and being here. I will see you in 2021. Till then stay safe and take care....



Hello

Nov 24, 2020 | | 0 comments |

 Its been a while since I posted here. 

November has been a month of celebrations. Dussehra, Diwali and wrapping up the month with Thanksgiving coming up soon. 

Even amid the chaos and not being able to be with friends and family, festivals still have been a highlight. A little glimpse of hope and rest with a day off. I hope you had the same. 

Working from home and then managing work and family, balancing it out with blogs and Youtube hasn't been easy. However this year I plan to not take me for the guilt ride which I usually do. 

I did take a few days off randomly in November just to take it slow, organize my life and do a digital detox.  I posted a video on it and you can watch it below. If you are more of a reader, link is here.



Stay safe and see you soon. 

Lifestyle| Managing Stress- 4 ways

The world is going through trying times during this pandemic and we all are adapting to it in our own way.

For a lot of us the work location has changed from office to home, however there are still deliverables happening, teams working together via video calls and other collaborative platforms and yes everyone handling more than ever.

 And with all of this there’s stress and there’s no denying that.
Stress during these trying times

Work life balance is probably being truly tested with schools going online and kids at home. As if handling work from home continuously for the last 3 months or more wasn’t enough, there’s kids to be handled who haven’t been outside in a while, haven’t met their friends and energy is at all time high.

Self care could be written over and over during these times, frankly there’s barely enough time to even think about it. In times like these, here are four simple ways to put your mental and physical health first.

Identify Your Triggers

We all are different and unique in our own ways, so is our stress triggers. This is the key to not only handle stress well but even for your own personal growth. Understanding, identifying and working with these triggers can be a life saver where there’s enough to handle already. Tonight get yourself into the comfy nook and take 5 minutes to think about situations when you got mad or irritated and why. Or you can also hop over to Web MD to learn more on the common triggers.


Search For Shortcuts

In times like this, efficiency is the key. Getting things done correctly and in the right timeframe can mean getting rid of re-works. Just because your home is your new office, doesn’t mean you need to be glued to your laptop 24/7.  Ensuring you have the right set up for your home office is essential and so are the required software. Whether an employee or a freelancer look at multiple options in the market right now and templafy could be one of them. To know more  visit templafy.com. I know I personally use templates as much as possible whether its for office/team reports to designing social media posts. It's all about finding time for life and getting done as much as possible with the right help.

Delegate

Delegation is an art. We all think we can do it better than another. At some point in our career we need to delegate like a freelancer building her business, an individual contributor becoming a manager, a small business owner suddenly scaling up- we need to trust someone, train someone and empower someone else to get the work done. This can mean less pressure and stress on you and more time for you to work on essentials and strategies.
 
Try out of the box activities that you can do at home as tress busters
Invest In Out of the Box Activities

Picking up a new hobby is one of those natural stress busters. They not only take out of the work stress, they allow you to get into the zone of things you love doing. Simple things like pottery, taking off for think weeks (take off from work and plan it at home), going for runs or gardening are some easy ways to relax and also give yourself the deserving break. I recently watched a YouTube video where the video creator talks about taking off  from his work and the city to get his perspective back and really doing nothing on those vacation days. Well travelling might not be a possibility right now, simply doing nothing at home or learning a new skill can work perfectly too.


How has it been for you recently? Is it more stressful or have you figured a way around it?

(Pic courtesy: Pexel.com)
This is a partnered post.


Lifestyle|Finding your next best read

Jun 10, 2020 | | 0 comments |
I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book”.  J K Rowling
If you are looking for a good read, more than often you are looking for what’s next? 

Books are often selected based on what you like to read (same genre), recommendation of your friends (same kind of people) or influencers you follow (same taste). 

Have you thought of your mindset? Why you read the books you like? Have you tried a new genre? Do you think you usually choose a book based on what you are thinking? For you it can be the mood/environment you are currently in or what you want to be (professionally, transformations or a person). 

Here are some simple ways to find out your next read:
1. Amazon or kindle suggests your next read/buy based on your reading preference, browse them if possible read a sample and then buy.
2. Good reads are a great way to read up some sample and reviews. 
3. If you prefer classics, this list might be a great option to look at 
4. Join a book club- Start one or join any. This might bring you different opinions and books that might help you find the next read of genre. 
5.  Whichbook is a great way to look at different parameters that you enjoy reading and then suggested reads are provided. Try it 

What have you been reading? You can find details about my last two kindle downloads here

(Pic courtesy: Pexel.com and Canva.com)

Lifestyle| Good reads, my plans during lockdown and view from my terrace

May 17, 2020 | | 0 comments |
I hope you are doing well. 


View from my terrace
I have been in home for almost 2 months now, stepped out only once a week to walk in terrace and get back again in the space that now serves as both office and home. 

I have always felt I worked better a home- lesser distractions, more deep work and control over my time. In the last 2 months, work and life has finally met each other and thats heres to stay for next couple of more months. 

I have been handling it okay except for the occasional outburst because my kid is also stuck at home like so many others for 2 moths now. Sometimes handling everything is tough. 

Yet I am grateful that my problems seems so small right now. So, I am doing what I always thought I will do- take up more because I am at home :)

So, I have been reading few more books than I usually do (last 2 Kindle downloads have been Year without Pants- get your free kindle download And Motivation Hacker). I have signed up for e-courses in Udemy and Skillshare. I am utilising that big elephant in the room (read...treadmill). I started another blog focussed on motivation and creativity like I could belch out more content  because I wasn't stepping out of home. And of course the YouTube channel for which I have high hopes :)

Managing it all hasn't been easy and if I may say so myself being an introvert locked down in home should be fabulous, however in this case its been a chaos of too many things fighting for my attention. 

So today I have reserved some time for myself so get my act together, re-evaluate my time management and look at things I can do weekly vs what I can do monthly. How has it been for you?


Evenings 
Wanted to stop by and check on you and here are few things I read most recently. If you like them feel free to continue reading....













Read something interesting or found a way to make your life more inserting during this lockdown period, feel free to share and let me know.

Till next one, stay safe and stay home. 

(Pic courtesy: Soma B)



Lifestyle| 5 Positive Changes during Lockdown

Apr 6, 2020 | | 0 comments |
I hope you are all safe and at home.

These are difficult times and yes we have the time now to look back to review our own system. I have been doing exactly that and have made some changes to my lifestyle I never thought I would be able to do and waking up at 6am is one of those.

All the links that I mention in the video have been included in the description box of the video. 




For more tips on how to work from home, check out this article

If you would like to explore more about Notion, click here. I find it extremely useful, simple and I use the free version. 

Stay safe everyone and stay at home.

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)

Free Flow Sunday

When routine gets hectic, try this out.

It gets it’s name from what I thought would be a good way to spend my Sunday. No rules, no commitments, no alarm- its free flow. I do what I want to do.

I noticed in trying to chase the next thing to get done throughout the week, I was simply exhausted, to the point I would get irritated very easily. My weekends as a busy working mom would mean endless things and errands to take care of. I never made the list, it simply got lost in more things to get done.

So I stopped. I started this as an experiment on myself to see if it could actually work. So, there’s no schedule for my Sundays which also means I mostly say to all invitations and meetings and brunches on Sunday. I want to keep the time open and available for me.

The way it works- I wake up without alarm and get up and so whatever I want to do. Sometimes I just spend drinking coffee in the balcony and water the plants. Some Sundays, I play with my son, sometimes it’s the gratitude journal followed by all morning being in bed and reading. I keep my whole week scheduled to perfection and this one day I just let it all go. The bed stays messy, the house not quite perfect, the lunch unplanned. Some days we will drive for a bite, some days I will whip up a fancy mean or just order in.

This also works because it’s Sunday and everyone’s available. Sometimes I will delegate work; sometimes I let everyone do what they want. It helps that my parents help as well with my son. So, anyone is free to get their own breakfast done, some days, someone will take the responsibility to make it- it's never me :) 

You get the idea... so how does it help?
  • Decompress- after a hectic week and stressing out, this day resets my system for Monday
  • Unschedule to schedule better- This allows me to just let everything go. The feeling of letting go is so powerful in not having hundred more things to do that Mondays are always better. That one day break is a real Sunday for me.
  • Me time- it allows me to live one day the way i want. Yes there are still certain things I will do, but mostly and as much as possible what I want to do.
  • Solitude helps- I am an introvert and yes i always need my me time. Its a must and when I loose it, it always creates more problems than solutions. I gather my thoughts on life, my career, things I want to do, places I want to travel and catch up with friends.
  • Asses life- I remember a friend who once told me, we are so focussed on running after the next hike, we forget what we have now and we never enjoy that. It stuck with me. I am not part of any race that day, I try to forgive and forget all wrong doings and try to breathe in more peace within myself.

So far, it has been working, I really look forward to Sundays. 

(Pic courtesy: Pinterest)

Best of 2016: Moving Foward

2016 has been a tough year for me, it has tested me in every possible way and yet I am thankful that I have survived. The  journey taught me a lot and I thought I will share with you some of my favorite things I have discovered last year that I intend to carry forward with me to 2017.



I have realized being organized helps me declutter and empty up my head space and it's a big relief. So, I have spent the last 2 months doing exactly that- sorting out my brain.

Here are some of the things I have enjoyed, I hope you like them and let me know what was yours.

Best Apps
  • Evernote (productivity and organization)- I use this to bookmark links or upload documents primarily for work or blog.
  • Big Basket (online grocery- India)- saves me from the traffic in Indian roads. 
  • Canva (design and content creation)- I use this for creating posters and banners that I use in the blog or in my social media channels.
  • Pinterest (visual board)- its the last thing I browse before bed, I love beautiful things (or pictures)
  • Omvana (meditation) - I discovered it very recently after reading the Code of the Extraordinary Mind
  • Noteboard- chrome extension (efficiency and productivity)- good place to jot down my lists and goals plus I like the feel of a cork board.

Best Gadgets
  • Garmin Activity Tracker (physical fitness)- if you have read my post on 5 Years- Thats how long it took you know what I am talking about. This helps plus I love the reminder to Move!
  • Wireless speaker/headphone  (music, phone calls)- I have carried it with me when travelling to cient sites. When you are contantly living out of a suitcase it helps to have a familiar routine, even if that means listening to a familiar soundtrack. 

Best  Blogs


Best of SIPM Posts





Pic Courtesy: pinterest
Some of the links used are Amazon affiliate links, it helps me keep this site running if you happen to buy the products using the link. Thank you.

Top 3 Books for 2016

If you have been with me reading the blog or checking tweets and watching the occasional pop ups in Instagram, you will know that I read for work and pleasure. This year has seen me get back to it more than the last two years. 

So, if you like to red or looking for a last minute gift idea, you can check out these 3 books which I think have had the most impact on me. 



·    The 193 pg book focuses on the benefits of maintaining a checklist through various industries. 
·      A surgeon from NY, the book The Checklist is not about just to do lists. It’s a brief list that helps critical decision making in sensitive situations like the operating room by saving lives or during investment decisions or in aeronautical situation (mid air crisis).
·        
The reason I liked the book is because:
§  It’s a simple idea that’s so well researched that it makes you think that we should all implement more checklists in our work places and homes to save ourselves from complications.
§  He talks about how the checklist that was created in John Hopkins hospital that raised a possibility that people talking to each other  a minute before starting the operation was a strategy to foster team work which lead to higher success rates. 
§  It made me think that the basics of any project management should be about certain checklist like its focused a lot in Agile with the ceremonies and DOD (definition of done) and exit criteria’s all set to actually ensure that everything is in its place and chances to miss it is reduced thereby ensuring the quality of the potentially shippable product.
§  It’s a book that will make you think and has take away's that you can actually implement in your work. It also provides you with enough case studies that will allow you to make a strong case with the right set of data that you will need to get buy in from your team or management to get the checklists implemented. 

If you need an awakening of your mind and soul, if you want to grow more, need a way to organize your thoughts and dreams, want to be happier....this is what you should be reading. It shook me up literally. ·It’s a must read and will be my staple on the bedside table for the next few month definitely.          

  • 223 pages excluding the glossary and others, this book will help you understand your expectation from life and how to get them. Book talks a lot about the realities that the author faced as he tried to build his own business that thrives successfully now.
  • He gives example from his own life and multitude of other people like Dalai Lama, Richard Branson, Arianna Huffington and Tony Robbins on how they look at success.
  • My favorite in the book is chapter 5- where he talks about the structure that’s split into 8 sets of qualities that we need from life and for me thinking the way he has laid it down was life changing. I really knew the actions I had to take to grow more personally and professionally.
  • This is a book that helps you look inside you, fix it... so you can fulfill your dreams outside.

·         This was an impulsive buy in airport because I was looking to read something while I was on vacation for my son’s 2 birthday this August. I don’t think I have ever thought of sleep so much in my life till I started reading this book. I will be honest, I am not much of a sleeper, I like to stay awake more than I like sleeping. I have in the recent years also been very sleep deprived; I call it the Rio Effect. The book surprised me with the health benefits and the link to better decision making and yes now that I try to sleep more I do see the payback myself.  

  • ·We all know sleeps important, but the author breaks the modern myth of going sleepless and how cool it is especially for youngsters and showing why and how it’s important to achieve our goals.
  • It talks about medications, health issues, and extra cost to government dealing with health crisis that can all be reduced just by sleeping.
  •  It also talks about how from Warren Buffet to Satya Nadella all emphasize about sleeping and its bond to good decision making and the effectiveness and efficiency.
  • If you like informative and well researched book like I do and the topic is something you can relate to- it’s a good read.
For me I can connect the dots of the take away of the 3 books- I think resting the mind to work and function better in a structured way through checklists will make me happier and give me better value for the time invested in doing it. And happiness will ensure I work through my challenges better and have the capacity to fulfill the dreams.

Pic courtesy: Google and Soma Bhattacharya
Some of the links are Amazon affiliate links, you don't pay extra for it but it helps this site run. Thank you.

December without Snow

I am in the mood to celebrate life and December is my favorite month.

So, I have ordered a few more books and my Sundays are mostly about trying to cut down the clutter and soaking up the sun. 

 I am trying to get back to my original self, being more grateful, trying out new hobbies and hoping that this month is where I get to be creative again.

Last month I traveled, planted some more plants in my tiny balcony and started posting in Instagram. I also sprained my left ankle.

I have so much stuff coming for the blog and I am positive that my new change of routines and way of working will ensure I actually can get them done. So, it’s just not a concept running around wild in my head!

For some random links that I have been browsing recently:
  • Let’s start with the gifts: click here 
  • How about unwinding for the year by doodling and learning about its benefits: click here
  • Thinking about starting your own and finding out the latest in the tech world journalism: Click here
  • If you follow a end of day or beauty routine, ever heard of the capsule format: click here
  • Why Scrum is a scale free architecture: Click here
  • How about some serious reading on how social media and mental health are connected: click here
Anyone interested in browsing through the top 50 project management blogs (By Feedspot). can look up here.


(Pic Courtesy: Pinterest)





Whats in my Bedside Table- The Reading List

Oct 25, 2016 | | 0 comments |
This is whats going on right now.

The last book I read was The Sleep Revolution.

Current Read- The Checklist Manifesto.

To read- The Talent Code.

To see why you should be reading these as well, check this space next week.

Whats in your bag?

(Pic Courtesy: Soma Bhattacharya)

This is How I work- Laurens Bonnema

Laurens Bonnema is an Agile Management Consultant with Xebia and an expert in sustainably aligning business and IT to improve the results of IT projects. He also helps people (re)learn how to visualize their ideas through sketchnoting, graphic recording, and videoscribing so they can communicate those ideas more effectively, help each other to solve problems, and have lots of fun.
For the past 17 years, Laurens has served in almost every role in IT. Even Project Manager! More about Laurens’ work at Xebia can be found here. Want to know more about sketch-noting, graphic recording, and videoscribing? Hop on over to www.bonnema.ink.

When do you wake up every day? What’s your alarm set to? 
 My alarm is set to 5:55. Most of the time, that’s also when I wake up.
Tea or Coffee? 
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon.
Any rituals to set the tone for the day in the morning? 
After I wake up, I drink a glass of water and meditate for 10 minutes. When time permits, I read a few newspapers on my iPhone before getting out of bed. If not, I hit the shower, get dressed and go downstairs to grab some breakfast. Over breakfast, I look at my calendar to get a feel for the day, and check my Sprint Backlog to select the three most important things I want to get done today.
When do you feel most productive?
I feel most productive in the morning. That’s when I get most of my work done. After 12:00, my energy tapers off. I usually experience a small burst of residual productivity around 21:00. But between 12:00 and 21:00, I’m mostly on autopilot.
Where do you work?
Work is where the client is. For me, that’s usually in or near one of the main cities in The Netherlands: Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and Utrecht. But I’ve done assignments in Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, and India as well.
Three must have items on your desk
 If I could pick only three items to have on my desk, it would be my Leuchtturm1917 Whitelines Link notebook, Montblanc Meisterstück LeGrand fountain pen, and Apple Macbook Pro.
What do you listen to while working?
To concentrate on work, I listen to classical music. Mostly Mozart. When I need less focus, I switch to podcasts. At the moment, the Tough Girl Podcast by Sarah Williams is my favorite.
What are you reading currently?
I’ve just finished “Your Press Release is Breaking my Heart” by Janet Murray and am currently reading “Verbaal Meesterschap (Verbal Mastery)” by Remco Claassen. Remco is one of the most celebrated public speakers in The Netherlands. Next up is “Ego is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday.
How do you organize?
I use Scrum to stay organized and productive. I have a Product Backlog spread out over several Trello boards. Every two weeks, I select items from those boards and put them in Todoist. That’s my Sprint Backlog. Every day, I select the three most important items to get done from Todoist. Some days I do more, almost never less. I don’t distinguish between personal and client items. When I did, the personal items never seemed to get done. Now, I have a nice work-life-swirl going that suits me much better than work-life-balance.
Any hacks you prefer for work?
 Learn something new! And start teaching it to others as soon as you’re somewhat competent. It will keep you engaged, fresh, and enthusiastic. That translates to all the other stuff you do. Even the stuff you don’t like as much.
What are your favorite gadgets?
At the moment, my favorite gadget is my iPad Pro. I love it! It’s a wonderful drawing tool that also functions as a powerful tablet. Highly recommended for anyone getting into digital drawing!
What apps can you not live without?
 It’s a bit of a list I’m afraid, but I’ll try to keep it brief and limit myself to the eleven iPhone/iPad apps I rely on the most that aren’t time-wasters: Mail, Trello, Todoist, Calendar, Fantastical, Buffer, Overcast, OPTIMIZE, Headspace, Adobe Draw, and Concepts.
Any new addition to your routines?
The newest addition to my routine is guided meditation with Headspace. I’ve been meditating for years without guidance, and I love the way Headspace makes it easy to stay focussed. I’m still a bit on the fence about it though. Maybe in a few weeks I’ll discover I prefer unguided meditation after all.
Also, I’m trying to make habits of exercise and writing. Mostly failing at that so far. So tomorrow I’ll try again!
How do you recharge?

Reading. Nothing gets me relaxed faster than reading a great novel. That, and sleep of course.

(Pic courtesy: Laurens Bonnema)