Time Management

Is there any bank that credits a balance of 86400 in your account at the start of everyday and nullifies the same by the end of the day?

NATURE is one such bank that provides 86400 seconds every day and by the end of the day, nullifies the balance. Whether we use/ misuse/ do not use the balance, not a single second is carried forward. But the way we use the balance determines our success or failure in the journey of life. Assuming average life span to be 80 years, we all can calculate how much of this balance have we spent (used / misused) and how much are we left with.

Michael Altshuler said an interesting thing about time-"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot." So true…the way we use our time today will have an important bearing on the rest of our lives (also going by the law of deeds as mentioned in previous blog on Management of deeds).

So, is time management important? I’m sure everyone would reply in the affirmative. Be it the biggest political figure, a filmstar, CEO, student, housewife, just anyone and everyone needs to manage time effectively so as to enjoy the journey of life and reach the destination. How? A few tips-

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  Set worthy and SMART goals (more on goal setting in the coming posts).
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  Set priorities in light of your goals-learn to differentiate between important, urgent, not important and not urgent activities. 
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   Keep your time log- analyze current expenditure of time (note down every activity time-wise-from the moment you get up till the time you go to sleep).
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  Re-allocate time to important activities and do include reading, spending time with family, doing things that make you feel healthy & good in body, mind and soul (exercise, a game, a hobby, meditation, a selfless deed, meeting friends).
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  Begin with the end in mind and plan for some slippage . 
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  Keep a clean desk and well-organized systems, but don't be obsessive.
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  Never try to eat an elephant all in one go, (ie break very big tasks down into doable chunks). 
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  Use waiting time effectively- a couple of years ago we used to carry word lists, numeric exercises etc. as MBA aspirants while going to a bank/ doctor/ a place where we were required to spend time waiting for someone or for our turn, and it paid. If you are a student, try this out; if you are a professional, use this time to catch up with a close one.
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  Introspect- before going to bed everyday, sit for a while and look at what you’ve been doing the whole day. If there is anything that you should not have done, just say 'cut' like the editor of a film and promise yourself not to repeat it tomorrow.

 In the end, just a phrase for those who have a typical brooding habit.

Past is history, future is mystery; this moment is a gift, that is why it is called PRESENT. So give yourself the best gift by making the best use of the Present.

Management of deeds

We think so much before investing our money. Rightly so, it should be given a good thought, after all, it’s our hard earned money, and where we invest it today will determine our tomorrow ( financial future). BUT, do we think at all before investing ourselves, that is, before doing whatever we do? Will our deeds not have an impact over our entire life (present and forthcoming lives)? After all, as we sow, so shall we reap. In today’s fast paced life, we do most of the things just to move ahead and be on the gaining side without even thinking of the repercussions. High time to delve at least now... 

I believe that all the fundas of wealth management are applicable to management of deeds. Every deed has the power of compounding ; one good deed may come back manifold and one bad deed can bring a lifetime misfortune. Haven’t we heard wise people saying that, such and such thing happened, and it was nothing less than a miracle that came to rescue. So very true. This miracle is nothing less than a good deed which comes back compounded manifold just when needed (HIS timing and accounting are just so perfect). Miracles are nothing but divine interventions that take place as a result of our worthy deeds and Almighty’s grace. 

How can we create this worthy reserve or surplus? Here are a few points:

• Do atleast one selfless deed everyday-It could be taking someone to the doctor if required, giving a good reference, passing useful information; If nothing else, then atleast talk helpfully. When we think of doing a good deed, we’ll surely have endless options.
• Empathize when required (without being sympathetic).
• Encourage- words of inspiration can make someone’s day, even life.
• Smile-It not only radiates one's inner beauty, but also has the power of brightening someone’s day, including your own:) 
• Donate-Giving away a certain percentage of one’s earnings for a noble cause will make your reserve replete and give tax benefit too:)
• PRAY-Prayers are very effective when done for others.

 So let’s start right away and create a worthwhile portfolio of our deeds. If there have been some not so worthy acts, let’s churn the portfolio now as we must have done with our financial portfolio at the beginning of the new financial year:) ; and finally, let's trust and thank The Infallible Porfolio Manager.

Management of words

Words have the power to make or break lifetime relations, both personal and professional. During the most heated arguements there are just a few words that are responsible for deciding the fate of the relationship. And all it takes is a little self-control and prudence in selecting one's words. How does one do this? Here are a few points:

1. Make sure your words pass the three gate test - are they honest, kind and necessary? If not, please don't utter them.

2. Do not use offending words (words that hurt someone's dignity).

3. Do not judge others and give a name unless that's your job.

4. Make a habit of using more positive words-like I did a few days back when I had to send an SMS to a friend. First I wrote, "Please do not forget to...."; then I reminded myself of being positive and changed the message to "Please do remember to....". Try this out:)

5. Leave the place where others are indulging in negative conversation like slander, idle gossip, criticism etc. I always do it, and it helps in staying positive.

The power of words is further reinstated by the rigorous effort by scientists in capturing the hymns and chants of vedas and ancient spiritual scriptures. Medical science is using spiritual/ devotional music for curing chronic diseases. Agriculturists are using Gayatri Mantra for getting bountiful yield (and the results have been quite encouraging).

Some people have such a charm or positive aura surrounding them that we feel like being with them without any requirement too, on the contrary some people have such a repulsive aura that we dread going near them:(.  Let's come in the first category).

Happy talking.

Further to Thought Management

A further note on Thought Management in response to the comment given by Kritika.
Life is a lot like a roller coaster ride. For some of us the ride is too bumpy and the bumps are quite frequent, while for others a little less. But if one is in God's refuge and seeks HIS grace through good deeds and prayers, the bumps do not hurt all that badly.

We should not let a negative past influence us and even while battling with a tough situation one has to stay strongly positive, so as to fight it out. How negative have one person's experiences been viz-a-vis that of another cannot and should not be defined. And when one starts to look down he realises that there is a lot to be thankful for.

No method for being positive works unless one wants it to. We have to constantly instruct and train our minds to come to the positive track when it loses one (that's where the tips given in the blog on Thought Management work). Permanent satisfaction will come with practice, patience and perseverence for the same:)

Stay positive and happy, life is too beautiful, despite all odds.

Please write in with your contact details.

Women's Reservation Bill -is it needed?

In a country where Goddesses are worshipped and mothers are said to be the first form of God, do we need any kind of reservation for women? The ideal answer should be NO, we do not need any reservation.

The other day, after ratification of Women’s Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha, I saw Barkha Dutt talking to Sonia Gandhi on one of the news channels. My initial reaction after seeing the two women of substance, was, that if we have more and more women like these, there shall be no need for Reservation in Parliament or anywhere else. But hold on... immediately after that interview, I saw the animal like behaviour (sorry for the harsh words) of some of our so called leaders who were throwing bits n pieces of paper on the Speaker amongst the uproar in RS. And then I realised, that as long as such contemporaries exist, Reservation for Women in Parliament would help.

But, this convinces me only on a superficial level, and somewhere within I feel that reservation is not enough for women empowerment (don’t confuse it with a feminist movement:)). Empowerment starts much before a woman reaches the eligible age to enter Parliament. It starts right when you have one in your family. Family is the first and foremost unit that nurtures a person-man or woman, a male or female child. If a girl child is welcomed with the same warmth and love as her male sibling (female foeticide is still at a growing rate in our country), given the same if not more opportunities, encouragement, support (not just financial but emotional and moral support too), a feel good factor, there shall be no need for any kind of reservation anywhere. It is very important for a family to make the female member strong and capable enough to make a standing of her own in any circumstances without compromising on her dignity and losing her feminine grace.  I'm lucky to have one such family (that's why kept on wondering initially if Reservation was required:))

Thought management

Light travels at a speed of 186000 miles per second. Can you guess the speed of our thoughts? Thoughts travel faster than light. In a fraction of a second there are millions of thoughts in our mind-positive or negative? I guess mostly they are negative- worrisome, anxious, brooding over not so happy past, worrying over future. Is’nt it?
The thought of a charitable hospitable or an atom bomb has its genesis in just a thought. So a small thought has the dynamic power to save a life or destroy many lives. Hence, it is very important to manage one’s thoughts. But how do we do it? Read on...
1. Power of repetition
What do we do when a dry ink bottle is stuck on our table? How do we clean the stains in the bottle? The answer is quite simple and predictable. Go on pouring clean water in the bottle and the stains will be washed; there will come a stage when the bottle is free of stains and has pure serene water. Now let’s apply this example to our thoughts. To remove the stains of negative thoughts imprinted in our minds, let’s go on pouring more and more positive and self assuring and happy thoughts (as given in my previous blog).

2. Power of orientation
Though I have not been very good at Physics during my school days (have been a Commerce student ever since then ;) ) I read about ‘ Power of Orientation’ –a law of physics in the book ‘Thought Power’ written by Swami Sivanand and found it to be very effective. The law says that, a mass of energy cannot create current or power unless connected with a magnet. How do we relate this to our thoughts? Our thoughts shall not yield the desired power to succeed in life unless connected with the Divine magnet- GOD. The previous blog mentions a bit about making a connection. Once this connection is established, no one can stop the power of thoughts to take us to heights of success.

3. Be the captain of your ship
What does the captain of a ship do while navigating the ship? What does he do when there are high and low tides in the sea? He changes the direction of the ship. An efficient captain is in full control of the ship in all situations else the ship is at a risk of sinking . Similarly, let’s be the captains of our mental ships. Whenever there is a negative thought, just change the direction of the ship (mind). Start recalling a happy moment, think of the joy derived by helping someone, chant a mantra, your favourite quotation, peep into the garden, onto the sky, stars, think of the beautiful colors of a rainbow-they are meant for you, just grab them with both your hands.
So now enjoy your thoughts:)

Association with wise

In life is it important to be associated with the wise? Let’s verify this with an example from the famous epic Mahabharat (I’m sure we all are familiar with it). Before the battle of Mahabharat, when one representative each, from the team of Pandavas & Kaurava goes to Lord Krishna for seeking His help, Krishna asks Arjun (Pandava) whether he wants Krishna or His army (a very powerful-Yadav Sena- an army with millions of soldiers and best of artillery; Arjun requests for Krishna Himself. And Duryodhan the representative of the Kauravas gets Krishna’s army and is very happy to get the same. We all know the result of the war. Who can defeat the team that has Lord Krishna Himself as their charioteer? The Pandavas are victorious in the battle of Mahabharat.
So if you are convinced that it is important to be associated in wise so as to be victorious in life, read on.......
How to associate yourself with the wise? It’s quite simple. Just a few interesting points that can be adopted in our day to day life.
1. Cultivate the habit of reading
A famous tennis player was once asked that how did he become so successful in his game. Can you imagine the reply? He said that when he started play, he used to play against his seniors who were quite successful in their game. As a result, he gave his best shot and with every game he started improving on his best shots and became a world class player. Though this example can be related in a lot many ways, let’s stick to reading for the time being. When we read something motivational, creative- like, biographies of achievers (who were once losers), books on self development, good fiction etc, our thoughts get the wings to give nothing but the best shot, we learn to look beyond constraints and think of soaring like an eagle. So, cultivate the habit of reading, be it –Swami Vivekanand, Warren Buffet, Ayn Rand or Dale Carnegie, motivational quotes..just anything effective. Start and end your day with reading something positively impactful.

2. Make a list of people who have influenced you 
I’m sure all of us are influenced by some or the other person at some or the other time. He/she could be anyone from Amitabh Bachhan to Sachin Tendulkar to Barrack Obama-just anyone who has influenced you.
Now let’s do a small exercise- on a blank sheet of paper make three columns:
a) Name of the person who has influenced you b) What do you like in him/ her c) How can you imbibe his/her qualities. I can tell you some of the common qualities that would come up- commitment to oneself and one’s goals, self discipline, zest to keep moving. You make your own list and paste it where it is visible and legible every day.

3. Get a coach/ mentor 
Someone who inspires you, helps you find a path when you lose one, guides you; he/ she could be a family member, friend, friend’s family member, neighbour, senior in office/ college/ school, teacher, just anyone with the above abilities. Then,

• Spend some time with such a person regularly
• Discuss your goals and plan of action
• When in problem, seek his/her advice
• Try to imbibe the qualities you like in him/her

 4. Get rid of negative thoughts/ emotions 

Oh they take all the energy away, please get rid of negative thoughts/ emotions asap. Is it possible? Sure......

• Repeat self affirming thoughts like, I shall not give up, I shall not feel de-motivated, I shall not get angry, I shall give my best etc. every morning and as and when required.
• Make a list of your blessings-who and what you have.
• Say a mantra, prayer; imagine the picture of someone/ something you adore when feeling negative. A lot more in on Positive Attitude in the forthcoming blogs..

 5. Get connected with nature and or God 

Observing a rainbow, a flock of birds, beautiful sky, sunshine gives not only a sense of joy and serenity, but also adds to the creativity and abundance within us.
Last, but most important, make a connection with the SUPREME LORD. Is it too early, difficult, boring? NO. The sooner we start, easier and interesting will our life be and victory shall be guaranteed. How do we make that connection?

• Listen to your inner voice.
• Talk to GOD as you talk to a dear one.
• Introspect and be ready to correct yourself seeking HIS help.
• SURRENDER not to the circumstances or failures, but to HIM.
• Pray- for others and yourself.

Enjoy .....

The Art of Conversation

• You are responsible for 50% of the conversation.


• Make a connection.


• Show a genuine interest in others.


• Be positive - avoid politics and religion.


• Monosyllabic answers will not get you anywhere. Give expanded answers.


• Ask open questions.

Pay attention and be a good listener.

Compliments
Give and receive them graciously.
Give sincere compliments.
Say thank you when you receive one.
Be positive.

Good Listening
Pay attention and focus on what is being said.
Maintain good eye contact and body language.
Look for feelings as well as facts.
Don’t interrupt.
Be an active listener.
Show that you are listening with nods, words like’ I see...’
Ask questions to clarify.
Paraphrase what is being said.
Give feedback when necessary.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are
unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.


WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very sma ll amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to no urish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.


12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the
body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax
and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

I AM ASHAMED

“I AM ASHAMED” said a decrepit man to his grandson on watching the aftermath of ‘Kargil in Mumbai’ on television. Can the series of events on and post 26/11 be an eye opener for all of us please?

The lust for power, fame and wealth displayed by the acts of certain sects of responsible people was disgraceful to the core. We know that a person who gives away his life for the motherland is said to attain immortality. Why then is his soul being treated as filth by the mortal souls? Have our souls gone dead? A foreign citizen might get a second grade treatment in another country, but why is he getting third grade treatment in his own country?Can we for a moment pause and dwell within our own selves to find out if we are a part of the problem or the solution.


Ø Why can’t we question as to where is our hard earned money being used? Do we have any idea of where are the huge sums of cess and taxes are being deployed? If corporate India can present quarterly Profit & Loss Account, and Balance Sheet why can’t the administrative machinery do the same?

Ø Are we doing our duty well? After all rights and duties are complementary to each other. Do we ever hesitate to bribe the traffic police after breaking traffic laws and being caught? Do we think twice before throwing a chocolate wrapper or any garbage on the road from our vehicles? Are’nt we adding to the poisonous environment? Do we want our coming generations to breathe in the poison contributed by none other than us?

Ø Why have we become so used to adopting shortcuts? Do shortcuts take us to the destination of human life or to deep pits? As they say, as you sow, so shall you reap.

Ø Why have we become so complacent that nothing but only self interest interests us? Why have we become so redundant that we can take everything lying down with ease first and then taking out our frustration somewhere else? Is there no room for improvement? Are there any locks without keys?

Let’s pause for a moment and do a little rethinking about our own acts, so that we do not have to say this to our grandchildren “I AM ASHAMED”.

Jagjit Singh in one of his ghazals says “yeh mere khvabon ki duniyan nahin sahi lekin, ab aagaya hoon to ---- karta chaloon”. I beg to differ, though I love the ghazal, it’s we who have turned away from our dreams, and not the other way around. Let’s take the first step in the right direction so that we don’t die leading a life full of compromises. I’ll end with a prayer that has helped me through various ups and downs of life:
GOD GIVE ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE,
THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN,
AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

Your suggestions and comments would be of immense value.