How to get promoted as Manager in 365 days

                            

They say it matters what you do but what matters the most is how you do it. Uniqueness always pays dividends in life. Be it in your personality, outlook, creativity, perspective or in the aspect which govern a significant part of your life-career.

A robust career growth is everyone’s dream. Everyone wants to be at the high pedestral of being the driving force of the work they do. In other words, promotion, recognition and designations is the adam’s apple which everyone wants to eat. How come others are suave enough to be at the top in no time while others lag behind in this corporate chase? Reasons are plenty; they don’t do different things but do things differently.

Here are the list of things which can take your career by leaps and bounds and can deliver your promotion right at your desk:

1.      Identify your employer’s degree of Interest-It is one of the most important steps which will pave the way for your much wanted promotion, or that much coveted managerial designation you had been eyeing for so long. Your bosses’ interest in the projects, his goals, vision, mission, thinking is what you should be familiar with. A thorough study of your manager’s objectives will steer you towards the right work at the right time. Thus, a lot of your energy will be saved which will then be channelized into fruitful work inching you towards your final goal.

2.     Self-Motivation-History tells us that motivation is single most important force which differentiates a winner from a loser. Be it any field. No Sania Mirza, Usain Bolt, Bill Gates, Tata, Shah Rukh khan are made without a potent inspirational force acting within fueling fire to excel. To ignite this fire, one can keep the print-outs of appreciation mails on one’s desktop, soft board at office, home which will keep pushing you to work harder and harder. If your superior appreciated you once, he can do it again. Remember, Rome was not build in a day. So, you have be consistent in delivering which will only come if you are self-motivated.

3.     Handle Check-ins with Swag-Firstly, create the situation for the promotion. That, comes by creating perception much before your promotion is due. Get involved in ‘Training’ which will bring you to the notice of the management directly creating a favourable platform for you to launch ‘Promote me to the next level’ campaign once your hike is due. Be on a look-out for opportunities which can put you in a space which is noticeable instantly. Projects, meetings, conference call-make your presence felt positively.

4.     Face the Check-in confidently-Once your meeting to discuss your probable promotion is due, that is where you need to put your best foot forward. Managers will pin you down by throwing the bones of team work, help out your mates, the current project needs you in order to avoid elevating you from your current role. How to do counter answer such statements? By Preparation. Be well prepared with answers like-I can always help my existing team even if I lead a team  of my own or I can always help others provided they ask for help…answers like these will put your Reporting Manager on backfoot. The tone should be firm, confident not offensive. Once the check-in is over. Set the stage for the next meeting.

5.     Frame it big-Talk about the bigger picture. Stray away from a personalised view of the existing problems. Instead talk about the project as a whole, new ideas, how and when part, affects on the larger units etc. Expand the context frame of the obstacles and make your superiors visually feel the impact of your words. That would deter them putting you back to your same old position.

6.     Take back control from managers- Mangers are like Judges who would not give you things easily till you have proven your merit. Make a strong case of your achievements and put it out in front of them firmly. They may say things like ‘ your performance has not been superlative’, you need improvement despite your proven track record, there you need to take stock of things. And present your case with relevant examples from your own career. Talk about growth not just projects.

7.      Focus, determination and hard work- That’s the prequisite for any move in the Corporate ladder. It acts as a foundation stone for your much deserved growth.  Keep making efforts. Be consistent in what you do. Ask questions. And you will be on the right path very soon.

((With inputs from Pramod Chauhan, Manager, Insights and Operations, Adobe Systems)

                                                          Voting Fiasco

“The absurdity of the whole process made me feel selfish….” Priyanka Chauhan’s short story delves into the fads of the social media.

I decided to enrol my four-month-old son to the cute baby contest scheduled for this month. Initial feelings with which I filled the registration form on parenting website were of pride, elation, excitement, competitive fever, social approval and recording a milestone for future.

This was to be the first form I ever filled for my child. Sure, mandatory it was for the competition! My eyes started twinkling thinking of trophy.  I would flaunt it in front of my family and friends after winning, I thought as I keyed in the details.

Firstly, instructions were not clear on the website about the procedure, contest and the voting link. Somehow, I filled in the details. Then, there was no confirmation of the submitted form.

Neither there was ‘Contact Us’ tab on the website, I kept wondering whether my son was registered for the contest or not for the next two days.  Finally, a notification did appear from the organisers saying that my baby is ready to cut the chase.

“Who will be the cutest baby for the period of August 31- Sept 02,” it read. I reenergised myself as if saying with a whistle ‘on a mark, get set and go’ to my little one?

The deciding factor for winning the competition was to be voting.

“I mean, seriously! Voting,” I told myself.

How can voting, that too, by ‘Facebook friends’ decide the cute quotient of my baby. Nonetheless, in order to realise my dream (with I had seen with wide-eyes open during the form submission), I logged in. I was online almost after a year of dormancy to garner support from my social buddies.

I posted a vote declamation on my FB wall to people whose ‘updates’ I never really ‘liked’ or ‘read’. The absurdity of the whole process made me feel selfish. Nevertheless, I kept begging for votes from people with whom I have had zero interaction in the last one year.

As if begging and pleading was not enough, I started explaining the process to ‘my potential voters’: how to follow the voting link and cast their vote, troubleshoot and guide them through technical errors, reconfirming from those who assured they had, reminding those who hadn’t, and fuming over those who were as reactive as a log of wood.

Almost half the day was over in chasing the mission, I glanced at my baby who was being nursed by my mother. As I gulped down my food, a little plug-in point came to my notice. It was given just below the comment box on the contest website and read ‘share the link on WhatsApp’. I pressed and what happened after that can be described only with one word- Harakiri.

The same procedure of FB got repeated on WhatsApp with more questions and even more troubleshooting issues followed by resolutions doled out by me.

“I am the cutest baby for you, by you, of you, Ma.”

My school mate Gunjan who had entered her month old daughter in the same contest a month back replied to my WhatsApp text saying, “It is the most worthless contest ever. It discourages parents and dusts off their sentiments attached with the baby.” This was the only thing left for me to hear, I sulked.

“My daughter received 600 likes on Fb as I requested all in our circles, however, the one with 1000 likes was declared a winner,” she voiced her angst.

I crashed, cringed and crucified myself!

I was exasperated by the evening and cursed myself for having done something as messy as this.

Besides, I overlooked what my son would have felt, had I sought his opinion pertaining to this voting fiasco. Asking the world to vote on his cute face seemed derogatory now. I felt guilty!

Had he been a grown up boy today, he would have said: “Mom, I do not wish to be voted as the cutest baby by the social media.”

“I have a vote which matters the most – yours. I am the cutest baby for you, by you, of you, Ma.”

A pop-up with a clinking sound hits my mailbox announcing, “Your son Voting Report is only at 33. Ask your friends and family on Facebook to vote.”

Published in Learning and Creativity Magazine.

Pics: Pixabay

Tweet it!

by Priyanka Chauhan

Today, we lost 17 of our jawans in what can be described as the dastardly act by terrorists. My father told, “It is a very sad for the nation today. Go tweet this on your handle”. Papa has never spoken of his desire to tweet an emotion before. It made me smile even at the time of crisis. Clearly, my old man has absorbed the language of media so much so that his outlook has also become more inclusive. Papa doesn’t use internet, social media at all. For him to suggest, ‘tweet it’ was as if a generation has come full circle in living abreast with the present times.

Wordless Wednesday

 The famous Cloud walk dome picture cicked from the topmost roof during Singapore sojourn.   Photo credit: me :)

The realm beyond words

                             by Priyanka Chauhan

     Image source-roseinthekitchen.com

Communication is without question the most important skill in life,’ says Stephen Covey, the world-renowned author and motivational trainer. It cements the fragile ties, fills in the gaps and recovers the lost sheen in any filial bond. However, is language the only requisite for healthy communication?

My three-month old baby has taught me that language is the least important faculty required to be in tete-a-tete with someone whom you accept. My baby, for instance, connects with me like no one has ever done. The reason is the bounteous use of the four letter word in our communication: Love.

The need to love and be loved is universal, isn’t? When we act in love without self-interest, our communication is of the highest possible level.

The late Dr Haim G. Ginnot, clinical psychologist and parent educator, wrote in his book, Between Parent and Child that the tragedy of wrong communication often lies “not in the lack of caring but in a lack of understanding; not in a lack of intelligence, but in a lack of knowledge…”

Powerless words-fractured relationships

Communicate rests on simple principles: understanding, acceptance and love. Sadly, these very basics are lost in daily vicissitudes of life where mere words make our world. They shape who we are and how we see life. They shape our response to situations, people and form our destiny. The words we use today become the life we live tomorrow. Are words able to penetrate into the soul of people and connect with them?

Our collective understanding of who we are, the values we stand for, the culture that defines us, the civilisation we belong to, is largely a creation of words. The worldview we inherit and that we take to be the truth has been handed down to us from society through words.

Connection based on mere words cloud real feelings; what is meant is not said and what is said is not meant! Sample the complexity and quality of relationships around us these days. A classic case of fractured verbal syndrome exists in each sphere of our lives.

In the world where my baby and I communicate, words have no place. The multitude expressions which adorn my tiny fledgling’s face, each enunciation conveys the profound intensity and urgency of his needs. The result is much better than words would create. Such is the power his expressions behold, boundless innocence commands.

For instance, if my baby wishes to be picked up or in need of a cuddle, he will convey so by flashing series of expressions on his face. His immediate need will be voiced in a span of few seconds. However, the urgency of his concern is proportional to the variability of his myriad expressions.

Whether hunger has knocked his tiny bell out or a wet nappy which needs change, crying conveys what words cannot. The skill lies in detecting and differentiating the varied versions of baby cry. Shrieks denote urgency and demands immediate response whereas mere sounds in irregular pattern could be just a request go out and be his playmate.

Body Language, an effective tool

Body language is yet another tool which babies deploy profusely to emote. When my son is excited, he expresses the feeling by moving his legs and hands rapidly. His eyes widen which are then yoked with cooing sounds like oooo, aeehhh, mum, awahh etc. indicating his other needs.

They say when a baby is born, mother is born too. As a mother, one learns to tune in to her child’s frequency. My son has also empowered me to learn this secret language of love; Something which I was also born with as an infant but forgot to use aplenty as I grew up.

Scientific and spiritual connection

The feeling is like that of a magician who can make the baby smile, pacify and comfort his pure soul. The magic wand is that of unconditional love which facilitates interaction at a spiritual level too. It is the intimacy of the two souls which adds depth and connect to each action in nurturing the other.

The efficacy of this fact is scientifically proven too. Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) has a concept called ‘Mirroring’ which holds that in order to create harmony between us and the person we are talking to, we mirror their gestures, expressions and postures.

My son and I mirror each other’s verbal expressions. When I reproduce his coos, mumbled words and expressions, the result is no less than a rendition of some world-class poetry played out by orchestra. It is truly the infinite interaction with finite vocabulary!

Real communication is a lyrical ballad

Endless gabble defines the space which my kid and I cohabit. An interaction where he babbles and I understand. Yes, together we communicate! Aren’t these the grounding principles of real communication model taught in school?

The place where the symphony of feelings play a lyrical ballad castigating powerless words. A world where the tiny one’s creation of meaningless ‘meh meh’ carry profound resonance that even a litany of thousand words put together can’t deliver.

I feel if to be a woman is a thing of joy then being a mother is pure ecstasy! As one can bank upon what UNICEF describes as ‘social capital’ for building a better world with better understanding.

Need to open communication channels

I have learnt that unless communication channels that connect the separate, individual worlds are kept open and functioning to receive each other’s life-giving energies, we are doomed to loneliness, alienation and suffering.

Communication skills are vital for a joyous, successful and healthy life. And yet, let’s face it, we just don’t know how. We are unskilled at this most crucial of tasks. We blunder along, venting, reacting, insisting, dominating, manipulating, blaming, and withdrawing. With little or no awareness, we fail to register the other, or our own inner world, for that matter.

We can only communicate appropriately when we are in control over ourselves. To do this we must free ourselves of our fears and inhibitions; our assumptions and prejudices; our needs and desires; our past history.

The article was published in The Hindu

No Vaccination, please!

Yesterday was the third vaccination day for  you my kiddo at the Asian hospital. As soon as you lied on the doctor’s bed, you raised both your arms and craned your neck backwards to look at me with a clear expression of fear on your face. Your body was literally trembling. A strange episode which had never happened before.

The doctor asked me in amazement, “Has he ever done it before?”

Your Nani and I replied in negative.

In retrospect when I think, you were asking me to save you from those deadly injections which the doctor mercilessly gave you. The previous two times you could not express as you did now.

It was a miraculous gesture from your end my boy. I couldn’t understand it then.

Love you loads….

Mummy

Soul Speaks 

by Priyanka Chauhan

Dear Readers,

The Times of India sent home two books today. To know why, read . The first book was a compliation of  the best of The Speaking Tree published under this column by TOI called ‘The Best of Speaking Tree’.

Second one was Soul Curry, a collection of inspiring stories published in the Soul Curry segment of the Times Group.

It feels great to be rewarded in the safe walls of home. Since the delivery of my son, I am literally in a self-imposed house arrest mode, meeting the demands of the little one. Encouraging words or appreciation in any way definitely pushes me to strive harder and harder. A big thank you!

I have now decided to pen down my thoughts on ideas or stories from these books which strike my sensibilities. Look forward to this space for more.

The Ballon Man: Forlorn and Forgotten

by Priyanka Chauhan 

Decades back, the balloon man was a character straight out of child’s wonderland. For children, he was the richest person on this earth carrying the chromatic collection of a child’s fantasy with him. Dressed simply, the Balloon Uncle, shouting “balloons-balloons” on the streets would gallantly announce his arrival with a bugle. Young buyers filled with impatient demands would create outcry: “I want red; I want blue.” While some would point at a particular balloon (the seller had only one of each type), others tried their hands greedily at the strung colourful bonanza. Prized anywhere between Rs 1 and Rs 10, the seller had balloons of all shapes and sizes: heart, apple, pear, and ball, oval, tail twisted. Today, new age cartoons like Chota Bheem, Angry Birds and Dolphins are also found in his rich repertoire, recalls Priyanka to read the full article, click on the link given below:

The above article was written for Different Truths Magazine:http://differenttruths.com/potpourri/the-balloon-man-forlorn-and-forgotten/

Lessons from birds

         by Priyanka Chauhan         

Ever watched a bird building its nest? Day by day, from the time the sun rises to the time the sun sets, the proud parents diligently collect twigs and leaves, preparing to welcome the young one on its way.

I happen to witness this serene spectacle in my garden hedge. The mother bird saw, planned and conquered! She brought strands of dried twigs and chose a shrouded corner below the hedge to build its nest.

Having identified the safe spot to lay her eggs, she went on to accumulate resources. A strand after strand, the nest was built in no time. A physical strenuous task indeed!

Beautifully crafted nest covered with leaves was dangling just below the shrubs. Monsoon was just around the corner; an overcast sky was brooding and grumbling over the earth waiting to unlock the monstrous volley of tears. And here, the saga of curious kinship between the bird and its unborn chicks was about to eventuate.

The mother bird incubated her eggs for hours together braving the unstoppable rains. She was a perfect poised figure of solemn words, patience, resilience and endurance.

A close observation of how she reared chicks out of her eggs was an insight into the finer aspects of management like strategic thinking, planning, organising, executing and training.

Seconds curving into minutes, minutes unfurling into hours and hours finally melting into days paved the way for the two baby birds.

Soon the fledglings’ opened its teeny eyes, screeching and squealing for food, and the mother bird gently fixed her beak into the tiny mouth dropping the morsel, grain-by-grain (an extraordinary experience, beyond words and human telling, even impossible to capture in the lens!). It is a classic example of motherhood and parenting.

I had delivered my son just before the delivery of these birds; therefore, I could observe, understand and relate with this marvellous event closely. My mother remarked, “This bird is like another daughter who has come home for delivery.”

The economy of the bird’s self-sustaining systems unfolded lessons on perseverance, motherhood, independence, resourcefulness, sacrifice, love and hope.

Unlike humans, I felt the birds were in ‘present’ moment. Watching them led me to a state of thoughtlessness. They are willing to rebuild from the scratch: to pick the broken promises, heal the betrayed trust, and to give failed dreams another shot.

There was no respite from Monsoon. It rained again! This time for days together. The mother bird kept her babies warm by sitting on them. Her body heat was the source of life for the chicks amidst the turbulent weather. It was similar to the way my newborn would cling to me for safety and warmth.

My parents did a make-shift arrangement and kept a plastic sheet over the hedge to protect the nest from rains. However, the mother bird grew suspicious of such an adjustment. She would not enter into the nest and observed it only from distance while chirping with anguish. Probably, she saw the sheet as a threat. Help from outsiders was simply unacceptable to her.  A lesson in self-reliance indeed!

Sunshine set the flight training into action. The mother bird began teaching flying to the little ones. She was struggling with the chicks; the tormented voice seemed exhausted from giving directions and instructions to trainees’ who seemed to ask questions (suggested by their fervent chirpings).

It is therefore befitting, in this day and age, to see how the mother bird would respond to its childrens’ questions.

“Learn flying fast! We need to fly away soon,” said the mother bird.

The chicks asked, “Why do we need to leave the nest?  Why can’t we stay in here, mom? Cat won’t find us here!”

“But man will!” “It’s the man you should be wary of when I’m gone.”

Won the Times Soul Curry contest!

I was engrossed in reading when a mail hits my inbox from the Times of India notifying that I have won the Soul Curry Short Story competition. Deja Vu! Moments of pure ecstasy took over my senses for the next one hour. It was quiet similar to the way I had felt when I cleared the national level test of Indian Institute of Mass Communication way back in 2009 for Print Journalism.

I hugged my mother as she was the inspiration behind this short story. She started smiling even though I had not told her yet as to why I was joyful. That’s being a mother, you see! I went ahead and kissed my father. I was jubilant to the core! Thanked Almighty for his generous support and made immediate calls to my brothers’ and husband. IIMC success celebration was much similar to this.

My mother always motivated and encouraged me to push my limits and excel beyond the set terrain.  She is the bedrock foundation of who I am. SO, I broke the news. For her, the important thing was the smile on my face. Till this date, she remains my strongest inspiration. A picture of sheer divinity! Not to mention the delicious panner buji she made especially for me to celebrate this win.

The mail read that ‘your short story has been adjudged as the winning entry and you shall be rewarded as promised’. News like this does make your day.. After all, what life is without such little joys? 

Dated :Sept 9, 2016

Swing and Sway with your baby

                                       by Priyanka Chauhan

                                                  

Women after pregnancy put fitness to back seat citing lack of time and energy as the most common reason. However, I have found my fitness trainer in my four-month-old baby.

Exercising is always fun with a companion. I found mine in none other than my teensy tiny boy. Old enough to understand his surroundings by mere observation, he made exercising such a lively activity.

I introduced a few warm-up exercises to my son one day. And it turned out to be an enjoyable experience for both of us.  Earlier working out was more like a ‘chore’ or a fast routine divorced from any drive, disclipline and devotion.

Now, the sheer motivation of a ‘new learner’ rewarding me with his generous smile fuels my willpower to get up each day. He infuses  positivity into my early morning fitness regime. That’s the end result of any work out-to generate positivity, isn’t it?

I look forward to this ‘alone time with my boy’.  The quality time spent in silence of dawn has also developed mother-child bonding, besides keeping us fit.

When I introduced yoga to my baby, he thought I was talking to him. I went on with my workout counting numbers loudly at variable pitch which kept his attention intact.

Babies, as it is, are alert during wee hours. So, I started capitalising on his unused bank of energy to make ‘our morning routines’ more interesting. Earlier, I gave a convenient excuse that I won’t be able to make time for doing ‘my things’. However, the truth is I have a little person to count on, share moments with, notice responses of, teach a few steps to, a few things to learn from.

As I did pranayama, I laid my son on yoga mat at an angle where he can easily hit his legs on mine. It was a way to track him and measure his responses to what I was doing even with eyes closed. Certain breathing exercises got major hits; while others were just about fine with him.

Rapid movements of his legs and hands made him inhale and exhale  almost like pranayama. Thus, more intake of oxygen for the baby too! If you are into weight training, then you can lift your baby and do your exercises. Yoga poses can also be executed along with the baby.

I have started allowing ‘new’ experiences to tingle me breaking all mental barriers that new mothers can’t do what they like right after child birth. ‘Newness’ made the time spent with the kid exciting and gave way to unknown expressions of love. It is beyond the existing ties.

Health brings sheer excellence in every sphere of life. And the foundation of a healthy child lies in inculcating healthy habits early on. Modelling exercises can go a long way in instilling these positive habits; making the child understand that fitness is a way of life. Such memories are sure to become part of baby’s sub-conscious mind and would naturally come into practice as he grows up.

Life is a way to celebrate with your baby not to find reasons for not doing things. Get up, greet the day with smile. As you smile, your world smiles with you.

The above piece was written for Learning and Creative magazine. 

How has Motherhood changed me

by Priyanka Chauhan

Motherhood is rightly called the second birth for a woman. I found myself born again with a fresh perspective to understand the world around me differently. Pregnancy brought me closer to life. My baby right from the time when he was in my womb taught me innumerable lessons. And I was thinking the onus of teaching him will be on me. How amateur I was in my understanding of this whole phenomenon. I have to admit though, that I took to motherhood as fish to water. I have changed for the better in following ways:

1. Cautious about diet-When I came to know about my pregnancy, I made a conscious decision to eat right. Avoided junk food. Included fresh produce, green leafy in my diet. I would google even if I were to have radish. First pregnancy tends to make you doubtful of everything you do or have. A stamp is always needed on all your actions. That's what happened with me. After careful analysis of the food, it would be palatable for me. The fact I was responsible for a life within me made me a good reader, researcher and analytical woman. Not that I was not before. The whole experience refined my existing set of qualities.

2. Think right-Think right was as important as eating was. All my thoughts will affect my baby. This thought was recurrent. Sometimes, it even caused me stress. As hormones took me on a roller-coaster ride of extreme emotions. I tried hard to keep close to this idea of maintaining positive aura. At times, I was a wreck. I would sob inconsolably. My baby reminded me of his presence and I would mellow down. Insecurities plagued me but I knew somewhere that it can't be that bad. Good things will surely happen once my baby is out.

3. Put others' need before myself-In this competitive race to achieve more, taste success and live for future, I had forgotten to acknowledge my brethren. It was always about me, my goals, my happiness and my life. With my baby's arrival, that me has been replaced with him. I think more about his comfort, his life, his activities, his smile and his aura. A remarkable lesson in the dissolution of the label 'Me' putting me back to my original essence of being- a soul. I looked at him like another soul whose needs are my responsibility.

4. Present moment- My baby taught me a valuable lesson that present is all we have. I knew this concept even before. However, the lived it after my son's birth. Day in day out, as I watched him grow, I grew myself. I was in present observing and chuckling at his growth milestones. Truly rooted in the present moment. Even if my mind meandered into past to future, my son's smile was enough to bring me back.

5. Understood my mother better- I also understood how difficult it must have been for my mother to raise three kids. Having been there and done that, I have an idea of the depth of challenges she must have faced at her time. Though, I can never match up to her candor and excellence. I try, nonetheless. My mother has been a solemn picture of patience, perseverance, unconditional love, sacrifice, a steadfast support through all the downs of my life. I could not be even half as good as she is. I will try. Ordeals of her life will serve as a guidepost for me.

6. The child in me came alive-My son is primarily a potent force for bringing me in touch with the child in me. A lost child who had forgotten what it is to live, laugh at the most silly things, and smile when there are no reasons to.His expressions, sounds and most of all, reactions are invaluable. His first reaction to chocolate, ice-cream, animal sounds, story-telling...to every new thing I  introduced him to is a lesson on originality of expression, simplicity. It is no less than reading a thriller novel. I engaged, enticed and enrapt in his theatrics all day long, Needless to say, I love it to the core.

7. Understanding of time is better- I have covered the period of pregnancy to motherhood in the last year-and-a-half. However, it feels the whole phase was like a nth portion of a nano second. Time flew past rapidly leaving behind memories. The whole control was in the hands of God. I was just the medium to be that time and space. In retrospect, I feel I have lived thousand lifetimes post motherhood.

8. Slowed down-I had been on the wheels, God knows since when. Forever competing to achieve, gain knowledge, read, write, engage with the outside world, learn its cruel lessons hard way. Fall then again rise, the incessant cycle of emotions wrestling with practicality of life all this made my life. I never knew what it would be like to Pause. Pause again. To sit and observe new life. How much enjoyable it will be to hold his little hands in mine and revel in that marvellous moment. Eureka! Yes, even as one would observe the slowest hours of one's life. Yet, remarkable in its own way to work upon the magig of slowing down.

9. Not Materialistic anymore- For someone who was always abreast with the latest in fashion, food, cinema, living life with minimalism was a natural adoption. My only requirements were food, shelter and home. I didn't desire anything else in this world. What I had with me was invaluable-my son. No object could have given me a sense of satisfaction which merely looking at my baby did.

10. Love for other children-I was never so considerate and sensitive towards other children as I am now. Thanks to my baby. I have found that soft corner hidden within me which was unexplored till this day. It was a natural evolution and I adopted all these changes readily. Motherhood constructs a pararell Universe which is beautiful.

How to reduce WhatsApp usage

In continuation with my previous post...........

In the last two years, it never occured to me that my quality of communication actually suffered. A word would trigger me to go on about things vouching in the space where the argument can not hold water. Sheer wastage of energy and time! My mother would often remark, ‘you are always on phone’. She is so right that’s the first thing I checked before I sleep and after I got up in the last two years.

Besides, reading junk information in the countless shared posts, accentuated with silly emoticans only ate my grey matter. I became mentally exhausted way too often. If there was silence in the WhatsApp world, I craved for messages like a drug addict. Seriously! Why would I want the world to peep into my everyday moments. They are too precious and private for me. I want a shield to protect my world from the external gaze.

It has been only two weeks that I have conducted this experiment to regualte my usage of WhatsApp. I need it for official communication. Sure, I do. But What I did was:

1. Set the time-I made it an unspoken rule that I will not feed on the unnecessary information sent by people at any moment. I would check the messanger twice a day: 2’oclock, 8o’clock. Why these timings? Because if there is anything urgent, I can always respond by afternoon and I would not look at my phone after 8. The day ends for me at that time. 

2. Return to Normalcy-I realised within a day of this experiment that I can feel my limbs, breathe with alertness, drink water and eat in peace without typing reply to a friend who has seen me online and now expects me to reply. More importantly, I could listen ‘my Voice’ which was lost in this cacophony. I could think about the issues which I want to; not what others are pushing me to respond to. Got back the control of my time and energy.

3. Technology in my control-The control was in my hand. I could share, respond to whoever I want within the set time frame. Using the technology, but at my convenience. I was not being steered anymore. I governed my time, my energy and my responses.

4. Mental calmness and interest in hobby-Since, I have more time at my disposal, I have started using it for my hobbies like reading, writing, gardening. I so love this new found freedom.

                                                      

Have you tried this digital detox? Tell me about your experiences.

No to WhatsApp

by Priyanka Chauhan

In continuance of my previous post 

In the last two years, it never occured to me that quality of communication actually suffered. A word would trigger me to go on about things vouching in the space where the argument can not hold water. Sheer wastage of energy and time! My mother would often remark, ‘you are always on phone’. She is so right that’s the first thing I checked before I sleep and after I got up in the last two years.

Besides, reading junk information in the countless shared posts, accentuated with silly emoticans only ate my grey matter. I became mentally exhausted way too often. If there was silence in the WhatsApp world, I craved for messages like a drug addict. Seriously! Why would I want the world to peep into my everyday moments. They are too precious and private for me. I want a shield to protect my world from the external gaze.

It has been only two weeks that I have conducted this experiment to regualte my usage of WhatsApp. I need it for official communication. Sure, I do. But What I did was:

1. Set the time-I made it an unspoken rule that I will not feed on the unnecessary information sent by people at any random moment. I would check the messanger twice a day: 2’oclock, 8o’clock. Why these timings? Because if there is anything urgent, I can always respond by afternoon and I would not look at my phone after 8. The day ends for me at that time.

2. Return to Normalcy-I realised within a day of this experiment that I can feel my limbs, breathe with alertness, drink water and eat in peace without typing reply to a friend who has seen me online and now expects me to reply. More importantly, I could listen ‘my Voice’ which was lost in this cacophony. I could think about the issues which I want to; not what others are pushing me to respond to. Got back the control of my time and energy.

3. Technology in my control-The control was in my hand. I could share, respond to whoever I want within the set time frame. Using the technology, but at my convenience. I was not being steered anymore. I governed my time, my energy and my responses.

4. Mental calmness and interest in hobby-Since, I have more time at my disposal, I have started using it for my hobbies like reading, writing, gardening. I so love this new found freedom.

Have you tried this digital detox? Tell me about your experiences.