To Office-goers: What is your workplace ecosystem like?

Healthier, Happier Workplaces are Small but Beautifully Managed

This question is relevant for anyone who does not have the luxury of working from home – something that I, personally don't count a blessing as huge some folks make us believe. Working from home has totally different dynamics. The reason lies in the office culture, the infrastructure, the people fueling daily interactions and the type of decision-makers that are found at every contemporary workplace. Closing-in on the question – what really is a good workplace environment? Does the presence of a great snack stand or awesome lattes throughout the day mean you are privileged as an employee? There is limited help out there if you want to evaluate your organizational culture, most information found online often heavily manipulated. The answers have to come from you and me...

DIY Anxiety Management: Need that Morning Sense of Calmness

There is one challenge that has been constantly biting me – the inability to dress up in a calm, relaxed manner when getting ready for the daily drive that leads me to the office. Why? I am a self-confessed, highly embraced, chronic anxiety sufferer, and despite my best efforts, the smallest of changes in plans for the day, from a minor change of breakfast menu to running any small errand that might surface at the last moment, I tend to get a bit agitated. During winters, this feeling is somewhat controlled as I don't sweat as much but during summers, the feeling can be excruciatingly bothersome. To explain this better, I will need to divulge more details about my morning routine too, and the stickiness of it that is also a bit of a challenge. The thing is that I need a few minutes of working in the morning to get in the right frame of mind and soldier up for the day to follow. This is not about gaining muscle or fitting into a muscle tee. This is just a means to an end, as it helps me prepare mentally for things that might bother me and those that have already been marked as problems to solve. Whether I am expected to be a peacemaker or a troubleshooter at home or the office, the morning workout helps me be better at it. But working out comes with another challenge - the sweating and the time it takes to snap out of the exercising mode.

Feasibility Analysis for Project Manager: are you doing it?

I have become a hands-on project manager, not by intent or professional training, but as a result of gradual progression at my workplace. However, there are some PMP or project management basics that I have inculcated specifically to ensure that I can better map and manage my projects. For instance, feasibility analysis has a lot more to do with the overall relevance of landing a project rather than just the costing. Some projects have an identifiable starting and termination point – you are aware whether this is an ongoing collaboration or a one-time affair.

The Jaundice Battles: Liver Recovery, Managing Symptoms

Jaundice is really energy draining | Kills You Inside-Out

Recently, about 3.5 weeks back, I was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. Turns out, I was never vaccinated for this medical condition. Though Jaundice sounds like a very regular disease, non-fatal and easy to combat, the reality is quite different. The fact remains that Jaundice takes a toll on your liver. This invariably means lesser ability to metabolize or digest food. The body is unable to holistically remove its toxic overheads and the result is a culmination of many health conditions.

Farhan Akhtar: too dexterous to believe?

Farhan Seems to be Deviating from his Directorial Skills

The guy is seriously talented, almost too good to be human. I am talking about Farhan Akhtar. He has a chiseled physique that would make Stallone proud. Plus, he directs, acts, dances and sings. Add to this, he is also good at story-boarding and doing the screenplay for movies directed by him or by his sister, who is supposed to be equally skilled. I wonder what kind of a genetic mix these guys inherited. Born to a father like Javed Akhtar and their immediate environment consisting of someone as holistically talented like Shabana Azmi does make a difference I guess. However, I would like to say that just being born to talented parents does not mean you are going to be as good. You have to make up your mind and go through the grind!! … this was a good rhyme, wasn’t it?

Spacing-out Your Meals for a Better Work Day - DIY Workplace Eating Management

I have this feeling that everyone around me is either stressed, constipated or waiting for that one, big chance that floods their life with money. Not getting to where you wanted to be, every day, can hit you hard, more so, it can hit your psychological make-up. The result is a feeling of lethargy, malaise, not having enough energy for the daily chores, especially during the daytime, at the office. There is no immediate solution for such issues. You need to think alternatively and make some lifestyle changes...I am going to talk about eating in a way that contributes to better mood, more energy and helps you get through the day more constructively!

Gastric Health Upkeep: Using the Enigma called Isabgol

Say aloud the word and you can bet on all the heads in the room turning towards you as if you shouted something unholy. However, try the same thing in a patient waiting room where you have diabetics, those diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome and folks fighting away the flab, and Isabgol immediately seems something most people can relate with! There is a trick to using Isabgol and you have to be a bit patient since the concoctions take some time to work their magic. Sharing My Gastric Management Strategies - this is what I have learned from my experiences:

- Mixing Isabgol with curd: the best remedy if you have IBS, acidity or the stool movement seems to be lazy. This is not for those diagnosed with chronic constipation. This Isabgol blend helps to add more fiber to the intestinal pathways, helping to add bulk to your stools. Try this if you want that feeling of accomplishment as you lift your proud-self from the toilet seat

Trying to Breathe-In, Hold and Then, Exhale the Anxiety Out of ME

If you have visited this blog a couple of times, it would have been apparent by now that am a unique blend of being a hypochondriac, serial assumer, and unnecessarily honest. Each of these traits, combined with my ability to shunt out any human interaction that does not seem important leads to a widening space for feeling anxious. I have been in and out of gym sessions and yoga classes to help me unwind better, stop the overthinking and get more realistic about life.

Allergy to prescription medicines? Read This...

2017 has been a bit overwhelming, with nearly four instances of a full-blown allergic reaction on the face. This seemed like a herpes breakout and I was using multiple anti-virals for this at one point. Subsequent medical investigation yielded the fact that the breakouts were closer to and more likely to happen again when using certain medications. The trick, as I have realized, after a lot of suffering, lies in finding out the possible factors and then creating layers of self-defense, where you want to avoid the possible allergens, especially when you are already suffering from some disease or a temporary condition like the flu.

Sofit Soy Milk Review: Good not Great with Limited Future

I wasn’t too happy about the idea of trying soy milk. The reason was simple – my milk consumption is already abysmal. I have it in the form of curds and minimally milk-infused shakes. The latter is due to my disposition caused by years of struggle with IBS – this condition made me almost lactose intolerant. As a result, there has been this inclination of trying alternatives. This is how I reached Sofit Soy Milk. Seated on a shelf at a nearby mall, this product was somewhat tested before. I had tasted the sample but it was a bit too flavored to ascertain the real flavor. I don’t like anything that is dairy and too sweet. Even chocolates or ice-cream should be moderately sweet. The choice was natural. I had to buy the No-Sugar-Added variety of Sofit Soy and try it with some DIY combinations…

First of Sofit Soy Milk Impressions

There is nothing wrong with the product. It is better tasting than its contemporaries I guess. However, the no sugar variety means that the blandness of soy gets a boost. The result is a rather UN-tasteful, and not distasteful, glass of something close to being a milk-shake replacement. I bet nobody can have it in its packaged format, particularly when served chilled. At room temperature, the bland taste is somewhat kept in check. I combined this with more dedicated online search to find reasons for drinking soy milk. Pro-soy milk discussions were few. I moved on and tried various combinations of Sofit Soy Milk for better feedback:

• With some fiber-rich, brown-colored sugar – blends rather well…recommended for its earthy, almost rural taste. Takes away any sense of sophistication in the soy drink you are having. This type of sugar also adds more fibrous nature to every sip. Not recommended if you like your soy milk shake very refined and without various textures
• With cornflakes – a decent combination but you will miss the conventional taste of dairy milk. This milk equal actually takes more time to wet and penetrate the surface of flakes. Not the best bet if you want that typical dairy-ness in your cereal bow.
• With some honey – a recommended combo, easy to mix the honey and does not overwhelm the taste buds. Honey blends rather well with soy milk and does a great job of being a healthier sweetener. Just ensure that you don't add too much as the original flavor might be eliminated
• With nothing, i.e. standalone – you can drink some when eating something sweet or spicy. I have also consume Sofit with bites of dark chocolate. These combinations work rather well and don't spoil or bump-up the taste of the drink. These are for you to try and decide which one works best for you.

Overall Sentiments about Packed Soy Milk

• If you are seriously lactose intolerant, soy milk makes a lot of sense. It gives you proteins and supplements the lack of dairy in your diet.
• If you are modestly lactose intolerant, like me, you can use soy milk off and on. I don’t think anyone can have it regularly.
• If you are not lactose intolerant but want to cut out the dairy fat, try soy milk with a pinch of sugar or some sweet cornflakes.

 

Equally Important - how about making packed soy milk a greener choice?

Try to recycle the empty carton for something. sliced the top, using it as a temporary bin which I later dumped into the bigger dustbin. What I saved from this? Using plastic polythene carriers which are an environmental hazard! This is easy DIY work and makes you an instantly greener consumer!

Is Junooniyat watchable?...ummmmm...HELL NO!

What translates into Obsession is actually referred to as a "2016 romantic Indian Bollywood film" in Wikipedia but spend 20 minutes with the content and you will agree that there is very little the director seems to obsessed with apart from trying to stretch a story. Actually, the story is not bad but the eventual dish that is served is sprinkled with mediocre songs and poorly imagined background music and a plot let loose in such a way that you question whether this was worthy of spending your money - I did not spend any as I saw the 2016 movie on a TV channel. Pulkit Samrat isn't that bad but when the story is as fragmented as India's socio-economic policies, with nobody bothering to hold it together, you cannot blame the guy for seeming so weirdly positioned. Pulkit does not look like the leading man in the movie and still occupies considerable screen time. His pairing with Yami Gautam was spoken about by my friends and I had heard the same on FM Delhi stations but she fails miserably as a lady who would self-annihilate if she does not get her man. The music score is without an impact. The lyrics seem OK but when the vocals of singers who have not paid their dues gym-style, you cannot connect with it - that also sums-up the impact the movie made on me - just could not join the dots, leave alone walking the dotted line!

Reviewing Junooniyat for No Apparent Reason - Just Proves My Dumbass Credentials

This movie needed a cast that could portray the obsession that is love like a disease that takes over your mind. This intensity is missing, in fact, it seems to have been totally ignored. Supporting cast does not try to add humor which is good in a way but then, we could have used some breaks from Pulkit looking like Yash Raj Film hero even as he serves and protects the nation. Yami tries too hard in places to cry and force you to believe that she is a damsel who can slit her wrists if love enchanted is taken away. Does she fit the bill? Not really. Yami looks beautiful but does not convince you. Pulkit seems too restrained, as if afraid of acting too much which in turn, might expose anything he is trying to hide. His performance is passive in a way while Yami seems intent of being the enforcer. The story idles a bit too much after the first 30 minutes. There is some lost momentum regained as the marriage party-crashing cast meets the American Desi types. The closing minutes again don't rekindle that the hero and his lady yearn for each other - they seem to have given a good performance but then this alone has never really helped a movie make money, has it?

Weekend watch worthy: NO

CD watch worthy: NO

Laptop watch worthy: NO

First half watch worthy: YES

Disappointed? YES

Impressed? NO 

Can be recommended: NO

Can be forgotten: YES...please! 

Old World Zit Buster that Still Works: Mycoderm, Siloderm

Most of you might already know this – Iodine is one of the most effective topical medicines. You can use it for a wide array of skin problems including serious gnashes, scraping, tissue damage, etc. However, one utility that is seldom discussed is it useful for handling those plan-ruining zits that pop out every now and then. I have used it as an overnight application and the results are rather good. You can use it and step outside since most iodine ointments have this yellowish coloration that is quite strong. The one I use is called Cipladine and it is very easily available. You don’t need a prescription for it. Just dab it on the ugliness called pimples and leave it overnight. The next day, the inflammation would have reduced remarkably and the head of the zit might be fully mature for the ultimate pop and clean routine. Don’t use too much of this medication since it is mainly meant for wounds and not acne treatment.

Pain Lies in the Mind of the Beholder: Your Pain Can Be An Emotional Manager

This can be a bit tricky to describe and might seem absolutely non-sensible, so please bear with me for a moment. I believe in categorizing life and things that fill-up my wife to manage life. This includes pain, anxiety and grief too. I vouch for pain often being an integral part of helping us live better. I call this subtle pain and though it might seem just a memory to some of you, it plays a very active role in moderating our decisions and behavior. For instance, the subtle pain you experience every time you start a new gymming regimen reminds you that all those times you stopped, to restart again, meant that you would have to go through the initial, conditioning soreness.

Lenovo 780: Not Outperforming, Staying Loyal and Real

These are two phones that I found yesterday in my drawer. Immediately, flashbacks hit my mind. These old guys belong to an era where it was about solidity over gorilla glass, grip over RAM, aesthetics over slim, sleek profile. Like bigger, really big bodybuilders from the 90s, these not-so-smart smartphones had it all but one thing...that is? They did not evolve at the right time. The result is their premature death though Blackberry are still to be found in the hands of some folks who took a vow never to leave their faithful friend...

Lenovo 780: Not Outperforming, Staying Loyal and Real

‘Keep it Real’…they often say when trying to humble down a person. I am from the same line of thought. I like doing things in a simpler, uncluttered manner. I was never in the favor of buying a touchscreen phone. I still vouch for my two BlackBerrys. I love their keypad and the easier typing makes life so easy. However, not having a touch surface mobile phone also means looking like the odd one in a room full of people quick to pass judgments. I did little homework but bought something that promised a longer battery life, a sturdier exterior and a reasonably updated interface. The Lenovo 780 filled this small list of criteria. The phone isn’t great by any standards. However, it does not have any discernible flaw either. The Android interface is undemanding to use, the battery life is extremely good and the built can withstand my rough handling.

My Blackberry: End of an Era 

Sadly, like most good things in life, the good old BlackBerry with is typing-patronizing keypad seems to be on its way out. Every other day, there is some news about the company being overtaken or worse, being merged or sold in a way where only the technologies owned by BlackBerry developers would be retained but not the designing element. I have always adored the BlackBerry’s keypad being a heavy typer. I love the feeling of surety and absolute conviction delivered by these handsets. In fact, I wonder what choices people like me have in today’s world? I mean, folks who prefer full QWERTY keypads instead of those touchy-touchy huge screens.