FAKE NEWS- 5 Steps To Deal with It And Learn Ethical Use Of Internet

Today we are living in the age of opinions. Everyone of us ( well not everyone) has the privilege to form an opinion and then share it with the world. This has been possible with the power of internet. Now our opinions and views not only matter but also can bring about positive changes. But in some cases it can drive the masses and bring about a negative outcome. This era of connected world has given our opinions and views a power of its own. But have we understood the responsibility that comes with it ?

In today's world of fake information and paid opinion creation, the real value of free speech has become clouded. It is so bad that almost everything we come across on internet today are made with vested interest. And we must admit that they have become damn good at this, as they have successfully lead countries into deadly wars and destroyed civilizations with civil wars. Thus they have quite literally become bloody opinions.

Back in the era of print media, people formed responsible and ethical opinions. The writers thought themselves responsible for their actions and the public. Then out came the digital media followed by social media. They had far more reach than traditional print media and far more unethical creators and editors who neither attach themselves with their posts nor feel responsible for them. And don't get me started on the world of meme's. They have come a long way from simple entertainment to mass murder kind of stuff. Quite a massive leap in my frank opinion!

Yes, the creators, the social media and digital media platforms, the governments all have a role to play to curb this problem. But have you ever thought that we have the ultimate role to play as we are the most important component of this chain- " The Target Audience" ? Our attention, reaction and share give such posts power.

Here are some steps we can take when we come across such a post that's unethical and harmful- 

1- When we come across such a post we must psychologically train our minds not to form an opinion based on that. This is of utmost importance.

2- Many social media platforms allow you to report such posts as inappropriate. Do it!

3- If you come across such a post being forwarded on a messaging platform, make sure to raise your voice and stop that from being shared further.

4- If you come across such a post being shared by an elderly, don't hesitate from raising a concern and making them know the reality of internet today and about the ethics of using it responsibly.

5- Lastly if someone has created an opinion based on some wrong post, try to change it by highlighting the true facts before him.

Internet is a world of information with no control on right and wrong information. There is a very thin line between right and wrong, positive and negative, constructive and destructive opinions. The old saying went as " A pen is mightier than a sword ". Well the new saying can go as " A keyboard is mightier than a gun ". Stay alert and keep internet ethical.

 

 

5 Best Ways To Drive Your EMOTIONS - Easy To Incorporate In Every Schedule

Our body is just the reflection of our mental state. This mental state is pieced together based on the situations we face and the emotions that such situations generate within us. Thus healthy emotions or positive emotions are the pre-requisite for a healthy body which would result into a healthy life.

Emotions of all kinds are natural for human beings. Learning to channel it in a positive way is the most important lesson of LIFE. Unhealthy and negative emotions such as anger, rage, envy when allowed to grow would lead to stress and if channeled mindlessly can cause harm to others in particular and the society in general.

Here let us look into some ways to drive positive emotions for self growth and end the negative ones to lead a stress free life.

1- FIGURE OUT WHAT DRIVES YOUR EMOTIONS:

You need to mindfully analyze the situations or circumstances that generate a particular kind of emotion with in you. These emotions can be positive ones as well as negative ones. Write down those situations on a piece of paper along with the emotion that it generates. This will help you feel that you are in CONTROL of your life.

2- LOOK IF THE EMOTIONS CAN BE SUBSTITUED:

This is only for those negative emotions. In life we are rarely in control of what happens around us but we can surely control our responses. Our responses are driven by our emotions. We must learn to replace negative emotions generated by a circumstance with positive ones. This will lead to good mental wellbeing.

3- PRACTISE MEDITATION:

Meditation is the best way to calm our racing minds. A calm mind will easily be able to segregate emotions. During meditation we focus on the positive emotions which enable us to give our life a direction. The ultimate goal for everyone should be happy MIND and SOUL.

4- MAKE A TO-DO LIST:

To-do list are the best when it comes to leading a meaningful life. In the first step we knew about those situations that drive positive emotions in us. Now we just have to create such situations everyday in order to heal our mental health and achieve all that we want to achieve.

5- SCHEDULE ME TIME:

This is perhaps the most important step for emotional wellbeing. Everyday schedule an hour for doing nothing and just soaking in all the positive vibes that this world has to offer. All these will drive your emotions to build a better life for yourself.

Proper implementation of all these steps require a lifetime to be learnt. But we all are imperfect and we are not here to achieve perfection. We are here to contribute our part in this world and be happy. Happiness will definitely drive us to achieve more and contribute more. It is thus high time that we focus on emotional wellbeing of every individual to bring about a happiness REVOLUTION in our society.

 

 

NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF THE PANDEMIC- AN ENVIRONMENTALIST VIEWPOINT.

 

After a month or two of the pandemic induced lockdown there were many reports about how the lockdown had positively impacted the environment. The reports claimed air was now cleaner, rivers were less polluted etc. There were videos all over the internet that showed how nature had reclaimed concrete jungles. All of them boost our morale and make us believe that all was not bad about the lockdown at least through an environment point of view. But it is far from the truth. Strictly talking about India let's go through how the pandemic has negatively impacted our environment.

1- RETURN OF SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS - They also go by the name Polythene bag. Before the pandemic we had seen a tremendous progress in controlling the production and distribution of single use plastic bags. Cloth bags became a huge hit and many retailers shifted to them. The future seemed promising. But then COVID happened. From free meals to emergency supplies, everything got wrapped up in polythene bags. Even the government used it mainly due to lack of other alternatives. As the law enforcement agencies were busy elsewhere, plastic slowly creeped back in everywhere. All the progress that we had made has PUFF!! vanished into thin air.

2- INCREASED USE OF DISPOSABLES - Earlier only the street vendors and petty shop owners used disposable plates and cutleries. But with COVID SOP's in place, big restaurants too have started serving on disposable plates. This was a golden opportunity to increase the sale of saal leaf plates and wooden cutleries which would have helped the poor tribal communities. But instead of this the market got flooded with polystyrene and paper plates along with plastic cutleries. All of them are non-biodegradable and go straight into landfills and our oceans.

3- INCREASED MEDICAL WASTE - From PPE kits to disposable face masks and face shields, this pandemic has made them items of daily use. Their demand is so high that to avoid supply disruption, government pulled in the self help groups (SHG) and even army to manufacture them. Their use is important and unavoidable. There is also a lack of green alternatives. But still we can reduce the impact by ensuring their proper disposal so that they do not impact the environment and spread the infection further.

4- INCREASED USE OF PRIVATE VEHICLES- The modes of public transport are yet to return to normal capacity. Apart from this the people too want to avoid crowded places and hence they avoid using public transport system. This has increased the number of private vehicles on the road. This change is apparent from worsening traffic situations in major Indian cities. Traffic is not the only problem, more private vehicles on road means more air and noise pollution. Increased air pollution has also lead to thick smog in the cities.

5- REDUCED RECYCLING- In India we have a chain of rag pickers who play an important role in recycling our waste. The lockdown was a challenge for them. Most of them relocated. Thus, the entire system has collapsed. People also do not allow traders who collect old newspapers into their houses due to fear of transmission. This has affected local paper bag manufacturing as they now lack raw materials. This problem has also lead to increased clutter on roads and increased amount of recyclable wastes reaching the landfills.

All of our lives have been impacted by lockdown. Some people have suffered more than others. This has also affected our environment. It revealed that the positive changes we had witnessed before all this began was not able to bring a change of mindset for the citizens. If it had, those green habits would have stuck. For now we can only hope things get back to normal soon and plastic ban is re-imposed strictly. But this time it should not only be limited to fear of fine. It should induce a change of mindset so that the habits become a lifestyle. This is important not just for us but also our planet to survive. 

Inspired about minimalism? Check out my other blogs too. I hope I can convince you to live more minimally and mindfully..

  

MINIMALISM MISTAKES: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

The meaning of minimalism vary from one individual to another. It depends on what the individual desires to achieve by following a minimalist way of life. But during one's journey from hearing about minimalism to finally adopting it, those desires tend to change. The individual desires also change with one's age. 

One thing that is common is that everyone who follows this path struggles with many hardships and also makes many mistakes. Some loose their initial motivation too due to these mistakes. To ensure that you don't loose your motivation I thought it would be great if I share my mistakes with you. 

My sole purpose behind sharing these with you is to let you know that you are not the only one who has been struggling and to cheer you up so that you can keep going. After all this world needs more minimalists like us to survive. Here are some of the mistakes that I have made and the lessons these mistakes have taught me.

1- Minimalism is not a destination, it's a journey-

YES, minimalism is a long term goal. It is not about a single massive decluttering session and then creep back into the same consumerist lifestyle. I have witnessed it. I am a big impulse buyer. I buy stuff when I feel low. No matter how much I declutter, stuff keeps coming back. Thus minimalism is not about short term decluttering but long term change of mindset.

2-Don't get rid of your stuff mindlessly-

In the beginning I was to intimidated with Pinterest posts and Youtube videos on minimalism. I wanted those picture perfect empty shelves and closet. To achieve that I threw away a lot of stuff. In this process I got rid of many things that were actually essential and served an important purpose. I had to ultimately buy more stuff again. I also realized later on that I could have donated many items that I threw. There were even some items that I could have sold via OLX and get some money back. Now whenever I have to get rid of something I try my best to find a new home for that item. I would recommend you to take on minimalism slowly and declutter mindfully.

3-Minimalism is integrative in nature-

 I became a minimalist because I wanted to be more frugal. I wanted to save enough money and invest that money to achieve a steady income. I achieved my target. But along the way I learnt about "zero waste movement". This is also a type of minimalism to save our planet from the harmful effect of waste that we generate. I was fascinated and got pulled in. I was surprised that with little changes here and there I could integrate both the lifestyles. Thus, keep an open mind and you can do good not only for your finances but also our planet.

4- Minimalism is actually essentialism-

Not everybody can understand you and your choices. A minimalist in India gets branded as "KANJOOS" or "MISER". You have to understand that it's your life and your choice matters. You don't have to buy stuff to get social recognition but you also have to maintain your necessities. You have to learn to balance these two. Thus minimalism is actually essentialism. It is hard to learn this balance but when done you become immune to social criticism.

It has been one year since I started my self improvement journey adopting minimalism as a lifestyle. I am fairly new and I know I will make many mistakes in the future as well. I will make sure to share them with you all. As of now I can say one thing for sure, Minimalism will transform you and every aspect of your life in a good way..

Motivated? Want to learn more about minimalism and zero waste living? Check out my other blogs and I hope I can convince you to adopt this way of living for the good of everyone..

 

HOW TO GET WORK DONE ?..PRODUCTIVITY TRICKS..

As you all know by now that I speak a lot about productivity. I keep experimenting with many techniques which I come across that promise to increase productivity. Most of them don't work, for me atleast! The few those do, I make sure that I share them with you all.

This month I had a lot of free time which I used to do some self reflection. In that process I came across how burdened I was from the tasks that I have been postponing. Hence, I decided to go all in. I admit that this required a great deal of determination but when you think about the freedom that awaits you at the end of your non stop hustle, you get pretty pumped up.

We perform well when we race against a deadline. This pressure brings out our optimum performance. I have talked about this motivated go ahead in one of my previous blog titled " Time Slotting Of Task". I will put the link to that blog at the end. Make sure you check that blog out after this. When we talk difference, we assign ourselves days instead of hours as seen in the blog I have just mentioned about. Thus, This is particularly helpful for large volume of work. To our advantage we have plenty of time at our disposal due to this pandemic.

In my case I assigned myself three days slot at first. I gave my optimum during those three days and tried to put in as much hours as I possibly could. At the end of that slot I still had work left. Hence, I gave myself another slot of three days. I gave myself smaller slots so that smaller deadlines could give me the push I needed as well as not overwhelm me at the thought of doing so much work for so long. 

You can tweak the above as per your mindset. But make sure to put enough pressure so that you can perform. Afterall the end thought is to get the work done. The sooner it is out of our hands is gets out of our mind thus reducing stress. After my experience I can assure you that you not only perform due to this but mostly you outperform yourself. 

Adopt this method by implementing it on long pending big tasks at hand such as complete reading a book you wanted, decluttering a close, revising the syllabus etc. The satisfaction that you get when the work gets done is motivating enough for you to jump onto the next big task at hand. My advise though will be to take things on slowly so that you don't end up miserable and exhausted. Keep gaps of one or two days in between task slots to rest and begin the next slot with greater energy and motivation.

                   WORK HARD.....ACHIEVE GREATNESS  

Here are some content for you to read next-

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/02/enhance-productivity-time-slotting-of.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/02/silence-perils-of-excessive-talking.html

MINIMALISM DURING LOCKDOWN- QUARANTINE BLOG.

In my previous blog I have talked about the social impacts of this COVID-19 pandemic. If you have not read it, please read it first and then comeback to this article. The link for the previous blog is given below.

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/05/living-in-changed-world-social-effects.html

 A you know minimalism is not just about material possession. It is a mindset that can be applied in every aspect of a person's life. This pandemic has brought human living to the mere sustenance level. Minimalism is all about sustenance after all..

1. SUSTENANCE MINIMALISM.

Let's first look into sustenance minimalism. It simply means bringing into our life things (or more popularly STUFF) that are necessary for physical and mental existence. Nothing more and nothing less.With people buying supplies in bulk resulting in empty shelves in shops, majority have been forced to accept such a mindset. The economic scenario also helped people adopt this kind of minimalism. I have mentioned mental stuff as well because mental well being is crucial during this hard time..


2. FINANCIAL MINIMALISM.

Financial minimalism is another concept that many people have learned the hard way during this pandemic. With unemployment rates high and people living off their emergency funds, this is the only option they have been left with. When the pandemic recedes, many people will keep dear the lessons they have learned and respect money a lot more. This single mindset can transform individuals and catapult them to financial independence.



3. MINIMALISM OF THOUGHT.

Just four months earlier people had different kinds of worries. Today, they are just happy to be alive and being able to spend time with their families. All those worries seem meaningless now. Indeed many other worries have taken their place but they are all basic- related to health, food and shelter, just like the old times.


In just a short span of time 3,00,000 people have lost their lives. Their struggles have made the entire human race awake. We have been pushed back years in time. The path of recovery is long and hard. Minimalism defines human race today. Sustenance is the key today, be it the rich or the poor. This pandemic has been a great uniting force. Fancy cars, luxury homes, branded clothing and accessories, all such things have lost the battle against hot meal, family time and bank balance to sustain a simple life. This is minimalism for you during this pandemic.

Here are some selected topics for you to read next-

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/04/think-less-work-more.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/09/being-down-to-earth.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/07/hope.html

Links for the items seen in the images-

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki- 

LIVING IN A CHANGED WORLD. SOCIAL EFFECTS OF COVID-19.

We have always taken our lives for granted. Going out, meeting with friends, watching the children play in the parks and many other things felt good but was not something that made our heart skip a beat. We enjoyed living paycheque to paycheque. We took our lives as it was for granted. Those days are now a distant happy memory.

               Today, after more than 2,50,000 innocent lives lost, our meaning of being alive has changed completely. The meaning of humans being a social being has changed completely. Everything that seemed impossible just four months back is a reality now. And everything that seemed normal just four months back, is now out of bounds. Who had thought that final year examinations can be cancelled for students and every one getting passed without exams? The entire meaning of human survival has changed. The meaning of being alive has changed.

               WELCOME to a NEW world, a CHANGED world. In this new world taboos have become social norms. Meaning of spending time with family has changed. The concept of large social gatherings have become alien. Getting into crowded public transport is unimaginable. Spending money on show off possessions is unacceptable. Importance of savings is paramount. Financial minimalism and essentialism is the go to agenda for everyone.

The joy in a cheerful handshake. The feeling of hugging a loved one. The soothing feeling of wiping tears with hands. The happiness of sharing a lunch box with friends. The simple sense of a physical touch. We will miss them. We will cherish them in our hearts.

            We have sacrificed a lot for this life in mask and gloves. In a weird way we are happy amid all this because, after all, we are alive. We are not among the ill fated 2,50,000 souls. This is our new reality. Anger, hatred, jealousy are now things of the past. We are just grateful that we are alive. With a hope that in the distant future we will see good days. Hopefully those days come before good days become a forgotten memory.

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE..

Here are some suggestions for you to read next..

 https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/04/what-to-do-during-lockdown-quarantine.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/01/save-money-3-ways-to-save-money-for.html

ANGER DECISIONS..HOW TO CONTROL ANGER ?

Anger is a common human emotion. The world and its changing nature has increased the level of anger, has diversified the reasons causing anger.. all in all making the emotion more common. The world we know today is full of frustration which breeds anger. Well, this change is not a welcome change at all.

Happiness today has become a virtue. Today psychologists advise patients to fake happiness in order to cure depression. Fake smile is replacing real smile very fast. And in future too the prospects do not seem promising.

Let's come to anger or rage. If you have gone through my previous blogs you must have noticed I have mentioned about the increasing responsibilities on humans. In ancient times we only had to care about feeding ourselves. But today feeding has a whole new meaning. We can not just go into the forest and collect our own food. We have to work, earn money and then buy our food. And this endless cycle continues till we die.

Increasing population has put pressure on resources. This has increased competition. In this competition only few come out with flying colours and enough money to buy food. All the remaining get their share of failure, guilt, frustration which slowly grows into anger.

The above is the most common cause of anger but it is not the only cause. Apart from economic scenarios, there are social scenarios too that breed anger. This anger can lead to self hurt or one can end up hurting others.

Anger decisions are those solutions to problems that pop up in the mind of angry individuals who are going through hard times. The mental situation of these people does not allow them to analyse the solution/ option that has come before them before going ahead. They just act on it immediately.

The decisions taken in rage are never correct. The solution that seemed appropriate during that moment ends up complicating things even more. Thus it is always advisable not to take any important decision when you are angry. Future outcomes of each action should be taken into consideration before going ahead. All this can only be possible with a practical mind, one which angry people lack. 

Violence, social unrest, terrorism, and all other social and economic evils have their origin inside the minds of angry people who have been completely blinded by rage. They do not think and thus get sucked in by rage. They end up in messy, very messy places.

The only way out of this is by mastering one's emotions. We have to control our emotions and never let emotions get hold of us. Be it happiness or anger, our mind should be calm and deal with both the situations keeping a practical mindset.

Writing down the cause of our anger on a piece of paper can help. This can help us think of solutions that are practical and non-damaging. The time invested in doing this will help our mind calm down and also sooth our racing nerves. This simple step can prevent us from getting washed away by our anger and hence can protect us from anger decisions that would have been immensely damaging both to us and the society.

 Our world has been built by great minds. Minds that were stable. People who control their emotions, can never be hurt. They are socially immune. Situations can never change their peace of mind and their sense of purpose. Because peace of mind to them is a choice and they chose it whatever their surroundings may be. To achieve that we have to let go of anger. This is the true sense of being enlightened. From that point on happiness begins because happiness is no longer dependant on our surroundings rather it becomes a choice. And we chose it over everything every time.         

WHAT TO DO DURING LOCKDOWN ?..QUARANTINE BLOG..

The world is going through tough times. Citizens of many countries are under lockdown for months now. The graphs for the infections are showing spikes and the time ahead does not seem promising. But there is a good side to all these too. In today's blog we will discuss one of the positive impact that this lockdown has on us.

The most important thing that we lacked during our normal work days was time. But now we have abundance of time. All the things we wanted to incorporate in our lives but we could not because we were too busy with our lives can now be brought in and easily adopted. One of them is beneficial habits.

One's need for a habit can be wide ranging. This need depends on one's lifestyle, future aspirations and personal mindset. Some want to adopt to-do list for better organising each day. Some others want to start eating healthy or doing exercise. All these habits can be easily incorporated during this time when we are in the safety of our homes and are having abundant time in our hands.

The need for time has been sorted. Now the next important thing is action. We need to take steps so that all the habits we want can be achieved. Once we have started, almost 90% of our work has been done. Because start is the most important phase of anything.

The small actions that we take now needs to stick and get incorporated into our daily routine as a task. We all know that it takes about 21 days to build a new habit. Thus, our path is clear. We just have to keep taking actions regularly so that it fuses into our daily routine. Once the task just happens on its own and we don't have to push ourselves into doing that, we have successfully made a new habit.

All this can be very overwhelming. But my advice to you all is to take on the things slowly. Everything can not be achieved simultaneously. We have to focus on creating one habit at a time. Once we have successfully built one habit we can shift our focus to the next one.

It's an obligation for us to use this time to our benefit. Start learning new skills, build new habits etc. Once this lockdown is over, we should be able to present to the world a transformed form of ourself. One of which we are proud of. Because you never know whom you might be inspiring.   

Here are some blogs for you to read next.....

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-lesson-learned.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/04/blessing-in-disguise.html

A LESSON LEARNED..

"Life is the best teacher". This is an old saying, passed on for generations now. But the significance of this saying has not aged at all. The mindful souls, learn each day because life is full of teaching. And it never stops teaching.

In some of my previous blogs, I have talked about humble living and greed free intentions. Both  are very much interlinked. A person who is humble will never be drawn towards greed. He lives a mindful life and draws energy from the fact that endeavours backed with greed never become successful.

The above is not just a fact but rather a truth. The work which begins with greed to back it will never become successful. Rather it would end badly. Many people must have realised it after facing humiliation and I am no exception. I have too learned it the hard way. Indeed life has unique ways to teach us the lessons for life.

The greed I am talking about is not always monetary in nature. It can be the greed for fame, promotion, attention, social upliftment etc. All such greeds blinds the eyes of mind. We start working in a haste. This haste does not allow us to keep track of our movements. With no mindfulness in our task, we have no control. And at the end, everything falls apart along with our greedy aspirations. Thankfully in my case the loss wasn't that big but a lesson is a lesson when we learn from it. I have indeed learned.

Well humans can never be flawless. One can not guarantee that one will never be greedy. It all depends on the situation and how well one can control one's emotions. But at the end the fact remains that our intention behind every work we do should be pure.

There are two other markers that can guide us back to the right path by indicating to us that we are doing something wrong. They are haste and over imagination.

When our judgement is clouded by greed we try to accomplish everything quickly. This haste to reach the end should be an eye opener that something in what we are doing is wrong. We should stop at that point. Reflect upon our task and then proceed mindfully.

The second is over imagination. Once we notice that we are over excited about the end result of our work and we can not stop imagining all good things at the end, we should immediately stop our work and judge the outcomes we are imagining. If the outcomes reflect greed in any form, which they will, we should immediately take steps to correct our wrong.

We should always learn from other's experiences. This would keep our outlook broad and would enable us to face the challenges posed by life with a mindful approach. You can also go through my other works for more such lessons that would definitely help you live a more mindful life. Here are some suggestions:-

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/04/blessing-in-disguise.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/02/silence-perils-of-excessive-talking.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/02/enhance-productivity-time-slotting-of.html

BLESSING IN DISGUISE..

Human mind is mysterious and human aspirations are boundless. We work for our dreams and then pray that our actions bring fruit or the desired result. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. We have placed our faith on a supreme power and we believe that it is by the wish of that supreme power our aspirations are turned into reality. Well humans have still not been able to understand many phenomenons and hence the above is the go to conclusion in those many cases.

We all have regrets. Some of them are linked to our wants and aspirations. The more practical minded among us would regret of having not worked hard enough. While the majority blame their failure ,on the supreme power because they believe it was all destiny. And what is destiny? It is a preplanned course of life designed by the supreme power himself for each and every one of the living beings. We being on the developed side understand that.

As we study and gain deeper understanding of the abstract world, simultaneously we gain insight into our existence. We look back and gauge each and every life changing decisions we have ever taken. We begin to realize that many decisions did not result in the planned outcome. And yet here we are. This is true wisdom. This is what life teaches us. "Uncertainty".

For the unsatisfied souls, this learning can be life changing. Because enjoying this life and the ability to take decisions that comes with it is a privilege. For those who had well written destiny, this wisdom serves as a reminder of volatile nature of human life.

Whatever might be our mindset at the end, one thing we can clearly support, i.e not achieving somethings that our heart desired back then was indeed a blessing in disguise. Call it destiny written by the supreme powers or call it the uncertainty of life, those unfulfilled wishes made us what we are today, brought us where we are today and gave us people we hold dear today. Not every unfulfilled wish is a curse. Life is what it is and we are what we are. If you haven't retraced your life yet, you are missing the opportunity to let go of all regrets and bring in fulfillment and happiness into your life.. 

THINK LESS, WORK MORE..

In life we can achieve things only by working.. All our dreams and aspirations demand our hard work to turn into a reality. There is no denying of the fact that, the harder we work, the luckier we get. Mere wishing for things to happen does not yield results, working does.

I am in no way denying the importance of planning. In fact I have in my previous blogs mentioned how planning gives us a direction and ensures that we do not deviate from our path. But in reality many people do not go beyond the planning phase. However elaborate and detailed our plan might be, but without the push from hard work and sweat we can never get to where we want to reach.

There have been numerous examples where individuals have climbed the ladders of success due to their sheer hard work. Every successful person will tell you how volatile circumstances forced them to change their plans now and then. This is a very important lesson we must keep in mind. Our plans however full proof we might think them to be, can turn irrelevant with changing circumstances. We have to be prompt to adopt ourselves according to the changing demands. That's working smart. Thus, our plans must be flexible.

In all these, hard work remains constant. The importance of working never degrades under changing circumstances. If the pull of the destination in mind is strong enough, working becomes easy and can enable us to overcome the defects in our planning. Keeping this positive motivation in mind, start hustling. Because a plan, without hard work to back it, is nothing but a dream. So stop wasting time in preparing a full proof plan and start working. Everything else will get sorted along the way at the correct time..All the best!!!!! 

SILENCE- THE PERILS OF EXCESSIVE TALKING..

In the present scenario our senses are always overwhelmed by the number of things that demand our attention. All these things compel us to speak and more often than not we end up speaking more than actually needed. The present day human society is very complex. We have to deal with and store immense amount of information.

 In the old times we only had to focus on sustenance and hence talking was strictly exchange of information about food and dangers around. But today speaking is more of a social thing. Exchange of information is a very small part of our daily conversations. When we stop and analyse our speaking habits in a particular day, we would be shocked. The amount of time we spend talking about things that do not have any value is immense. This mindless talking habit of present day has been labelled as gossiping.

Time is valuable for every individual. But we do not realise how much time we waste in a day talking mindlessly. Gossiping not only wastes our time but also drains our energy. Speaking is a human activity and it needs energy. We all have had experienced feeling of dizziness and tiredness after talking too much or too loudly. Unfortunately the art of silence is fast losing its hold in this digital era. A person who tries to control his/her words is branded as shy in this society. This social stigma associated with controlled speaking makes it hard to preach and practise the art of being silent and mindful talking.

Humans are social animals. In the beginning of human society this habit of gossiping among early humans helped them know more about others and in turn helped them unite into a group. We have come a long way now. The positive aspect of gossiping has passed by. Present day it is responsible in spreading hatred and unverifiable informations. There have been human clashes as well as social clashes all due to rumour mongering fueled by gossiping people. To add to these unstable times we have social media as a gossiping tool which bumps up the level of damage rumour mongering can cause.

"AN EMPTY VESSEL SOUNDS MUCH" This saying still stands true. People with worth and character always come across as people who are most silent individuals. They practise mindful speaking and hence do not waste their valuable energy in talking. Yet with this habit they are no less of an influential speaker. It turns out that words of the person who speaks less is more valuable than their talkative counterpart. Silence liberates us. It makes us a better listener and a good observer. All these advantages should be compelling enough for one to practise mindful speaking. After all we have only one life to do great things, why waste it gossiping..

ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY- TIME SLOTTING OF TASKS..

 We all struggle to maintain some kind of routine in our life. The distractions around us are innumerable. The To-Do list can get overwhelming if not prepared mindfully and with precise planning. The solution? TIME SLOTTING our tasks.

This is not something I have made up. It is an old technique and I have stumbled across it about two years ago. I have practised it for a long time now. Well, every person who practises this has his/her own version of this. I an no different. I have adopted this in a way that suites my lifestyle.

This is not particularly a technique. It is more of a practise. It can indeed be combined with to-do list to enhance one's productivity. It has been observed that people tend to take longer time to complete particular tasks which can be completed in a much shorter time. It's human nature to fill in all the time in hand with a particular tasks. These people may seem busy and productive but in reality they are not. The time that could have been used for other tasks is consumed doing a single task. For example- students can complete the entire exam syllabus the night before the exam which they struggle to complete during the entire span of preparation.

In this technique we assign time limit for each task we need to handle. It is important for one to be true to oneself while assigning time for a particular task so that the least possible time can be assigned for the task. It is human nature to complete the task at hand within the time assigned. This practise ensures that no task takes up more time than it actually should thus freeing up valuable time for other works increasing productivity.

There are certain things which should be kept in mind while practising this technique. First is that one should analyse oneself before time scheduling tasks. If one is more energetic in the morning than all the time consuming and mindful tasks should be scheduled in the morning. The vice versa is true for people who feel productive in the later part of the day. This practise should be customised but in no case should the actual principle be changed or else the benefits will vanish.

The second thing to keep in mind is that any task that would take less than five minutes to be completed should be done right away. Wasting time to schedule those tasks would lead to procrastination and thus wastage to time.

This practise has proved to be immensely helpful to me. But always remember be strict on yourself but not too strict. Reward yourself with some me time when you complete a task with in given time. In this way it will become a mindful practise which will result in highly productive days which will inturn lead to highly productive life

Here are some more lessons for you to dive in next..

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2020/01/save-money-3-ways-to-save-money-for.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/12/delayed-gratitude.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/07/growth-and-financial-well-being.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-baby-steps.html

SAVE MONEY- 3 WAYS TO SAVE MONEY FOR STUDENTS..

LIFE of students is indeed difficult yet the way we spend these years decide our path for the future. These years of dependence on parents teach us lessons that mould us into people who we are going to be in the future. Most of us in our youth do not focus on saving money. Our energies and social commitments are high during these years. There is immense pressure on maintaining a certain standard of dressing and accessories so that one is well recognised in his/her peer group. This leads to financial stress and leaves no room for savings. Apart from this, the added cost of clubbing and partying in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities drain resources in the name of enjoyment.

Clothing, accessories, latest tech are all craze when we are a student. To be really honest these things do define one's image. They make a person matter in a group. But all this recognition does not do any good. This false image and its maintenance robs away one's chances to have a strong hold on finances. When this habit remains, it manifests and can lead one to financial problems in the future with his/her hard earned money this time. 

For these following techniques of saving money to prove beneficial, one must first let go of all the above false notions and practises that in reality does no good. Once this is accomplished here are the ways you can start saving money and take steps for a financially independent future.

                1.SAVE FIRST, SPEND LATER..

This is more of a habit than a technique. As the words mean, one has to keep money aside first as a saving and then decide on the spending part. One has to inculcate this as a habit. Students have limited finances which they are very eager to spend. This step ensures that one remains in check by fixing a certain amount to be kept aside each month and carry on with all the remaining. This limits the chances of over spending. Once the money starts accumulating in the savings, this habit becomes sustainable. It's basic human nature. 

For doing this one can use the famous 50:30:20 rule. This rule states that 50 percent of the money should be used for needs. 30 percent for wants and the remaining 20 percent should be saved away. This technique is not only for students but also for adults who struggle with finances. This ensures that an individual learns to differentiate between needs and wants effectively.

It is also equally important that the saved money is not touched for wants generated during immediate burst of emotions. It is preferable that the money is tucked away in a good old and reliable savings account. It can also be invested so that one can not obtain access to it easily. But that I will discuss it later in a separate blog.

                              2. ROUNDING OFF.. 

This is a very beneficial habit. Although the amount seems to be very small but when it accumulates, it can be pretty amazing. According to this method one has to round off the money one has at the end of each day and save that rounding off amount. For example, if at the end of a day you have 126 rupees in your purse, then you have to round it off to 120 rupees and save the 6 rupees away. Thus you will have 6 rupees savings at the end of the day. This process needs to be repeated daily and at the end of the month this amount will grow into an inspiring sum.

Not only hard cash, this should also be done for amount in one's bank account. The cash can be kept away in a piggy bank where as the sum from the bank account can be transferred to the account designated for savings as mentioned in step number one. I have been using this method for years now and the result has been great. Almost every time I ended up saving away the amount accumulated through this method at the end of a month. This has taught me a great deal of self control which has helped me and my finances.

         3. CONSCIOUSNESS REWARDS TO ONESELF..

This is a pretty interesting technique. This helps one to decide between needs and wants. It also teaches a great deal of self consciousness. This technique can be best explained with an example. Suppose you went to a shopping mall just to wander about. But you fell in love with a dress and you immediately pick that up. Just before paying for the dress your consciousness kicks in. You realise that the dress isn't a need rather a want. You leave the dress and come back. As per this technique you need to be rewarded for your consciousness. Thus you save away the entire price of that dress in your savings account. You not buying the dress saved you money, you just give it the literal sense of savings.

This technique is really for the ones who have mastered the above two techniques. It requires a great deal of self control to achieve this feat. You need not save away the entire money if it feels like a torture. You can save half of the money and the remaining half you can use to treat yourself with something you like. This will boost yourself to carry this on in the future.



All of the techniques that I have talked about have been practised by me for more than 4 years now. One can mould the above techniques as per ones financial liabilities. But these moulding should not change the actual meaning of such techniques. Being true to one shelf is very important and it's advisable that one learns this trait early in life. A penny saved is definitely a penny earned. Jump start your journey towards financial wellbeing by following these steps.

Do comment and share some more of the practises that you follow for saving money..

 Here are some more important reads for you to dive in next..

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/12/delayed-gratitude.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/12/ideal-education.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/12/let-actions-speak.html

https://archishmansardar.blogspot.com/2019/09/being-down-to-earth.html