Had days been a few hours longer

Haylo good people! How are you? What’s up? Must be very busy in your daily schedules-ehh?? Yeah yeah, I understand. Otherwise, what else could be the reason that I bunked for over a month from this mini-world of mine? How a week’s break can spread over a month, how getting back to routine can become such a task, how you never get time for the morning workout, reading, blogging and all the other things, you can ever imagine for a perfect life-I understand that … quite well.

Now, if you are nodding your heads in affirmation and feeling so eased that someone could comprehend your plight, then hold on for a second. I am not going to spoil you guys by saying that yes, it’s not possible in this era to manage time for so many things in mere 24 hours. Are bhai…everybody has only 24 hours, still people do wonders. Then why should we give up?

 I don’t want to end up fretting over ‘no time at all’ and so must you be feeling deep in your hearts. Chalo not deep down, but somewhere there in a corner? Please allow me to share the steps I recently identified and followed to drag myself out of a phase where I was totally out of sync, and are helping me overcome the sick rush against time and rather stride with it:

1. Stay Organized

How many times has this happened to you? You require some document saved long back and get something done-whether it’s at office or at home. And then, you spend hours searching for that tiny piece of paper? Sounds familiar? Then read this carefully. Although, it might be the 98765th time you are reading the phrase ‘Stay Organized’, even then, keep your eyes wide open and trust me for this. Put your things in order, now. Simple, clutter-free and clean space is the mantra. As they say ‘Everything in place, place for everything’. Once you do that, measure the time you actually gain.

2. Planning:

‘Don’t waste time in planning, just get back straight to work. Plans don’t work’- I know you don’t belong to this school of thought. That’s why my dearies! I am saying-plan things in advance, even the slightest details; let the plans be as exhaustive as possible-it reduces the chances of error. Devote time to planning and see how quick you accomplish things, the right way.

3. Priorities:

Now don’t look for a checklist or a format ready-made for you. Take out your own scales for your priorities and make some effort to measure the importance or urgency of things in your life. Only then you can take smart decisions of devoting your precious time. Get rid of the things and activities, that don’t matter.

Heard about the Pareto Principle or the 80-20 rule? 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. That simply means-80% of your success comes from 20% of your efforts and 80% of your failure results from your 20% mistakes. Hence, focus 80% of your time and energy on the 20% that matters. Don’t just “work smart”, work smart on the right things.

4. Delegate:

Now stop behaving like a Superhuman yaar. People know you have the capability, and even if they don’t know-why worry? The point is in getting things done without overburdening yourself. Get adequate help/assistance of the right people in your tasks, it lends you a smarter hand. Also, it helps you sharpen your people skills. So it’s a total win-win situation-Just Go Ahead.

5. Avoid distractions:

Emails, feeds, futile tensions, phone calls or any other unimportant thing that gets you off the track is nothing, but mere distraction in whatever you are doing. Keep them aside when something important is going on. Instead dedicate hours with least distractions, to the most important tasks. That’s  one of the reasons, why early mornings are remarkably productive.

6. Keep your cool:

With blood pressure soaring all heights, heart palpitating like a bass drum-isn’t it a matter of common sense that you will end up your day getting all drained out, all exhausted? And now, if you are saying yes, then do I need to mention further that keeping your cool can help you sustain longer, work bigger and perform better? So by all means, Take Things Easy.

7. Recharge:

And above all, don’t miss any little chance to refresh, rejuvenate and celebrate life. Work hard, work smart but make conscious attempts to refuel your batteries. By all means, your productivity will increase much more than you can imagine, the hurried times will squeeze genuinely.

December is already here; the whole year has gone by and you don’t know how many more will pass by without even budging the things lying in your wish-list. In order to check them off and do things that really matter, anyhow, you need to fit them in the daily schedules, wherever you can.

(Am wondering whether this post would work even for a month and will I be able to get back to a regular regime of writing )

Show these ‘Netiquettes’ @ your workplace

Okayyy, before you secretively assume that I am probably about to make a subtle shift from Architecture to HR, let me elucidate the incidence that led me to probe, compose and finally publish this blog-post.

Last weekend, we visited a common friend in Delhi. At dinner, he completely astonished me by narrating his exit interview where he explicitly stated that all he had learnt in that company, was ‘the business of emails’. At whichever stage of career we are, all of us certainly have some notions about communicating in business-working through emails, the etiquette that governs this system, and anyhow, some experiences of their violation too. But the story he continued further, was both hilarious and frightening.

One of his colleagues was fond of writing long-long mails as if framing answer to an essay-type question. Although, those mails were never addressed to my friend but he was always there, in the poor Cc list to become the victim of those brutal mails written. Their whole team wondered how much energy could that colleague summon up to hunt for those bragging words and turn them into offensively direct sentences, that just make you pull your hair apart.

It all led me to clarify my opinion about emails and their purpose. It made me sure that emails are definitely your face, your image because several people whom you never met (or hardly see), recognize you only by name, with your image imprinted in their minds through the carefully crafted emails you send them Various factors that help us make that impression are hence, summarized below (excuse me for a long post this time, but it’s not complete if I don’t mention the following).

1. Be short and precise

The very well-evident lesson from this incidence is-to keep the email messages short. They should be clear, concise and crisply worded. At work, few people have time to read every word of your letter, proposal that crosses their computer. Emails should clearly serve the purpose of providing information or communicating the action required. Nobody is in a mood to judge your vocabulary or writing skills and appreciate you for a good piece of write-up. So better serve the purpose and use some other medium to liberate out your essay-writing skills.

2. Language and content

Content of your email should be in a pyramidal structure. The inverted pyramid structure exhibits importance of message in the first few seconds of browsing through the mail, otherwise it will be unpreventably shifted to ‘to-do-later‘ list.

Typo errors or grammatical mistakes are often annoying to the people who care for. Inevitably, it creates a negative impression too. So never forget to run that spell-check before pressing the ‘Send’ button. Moreover, use specifically gender neutral language; avoid any sort of stage directions or vague words or even 1st & 2nd person. Unlike other forms of writing, emails should be framed in passive voice with no direct name-taking business.Even avoid meager active sentences, such as:

Objectionable: I am sending you this file.

Preferable: This file is being sent to you in this email.

3. Format the email properly

A readable and well composed format is highly effective in composing emails, which can be done by taking care of a few things:

• Readable and simple font type and size
• Color of text and the background should complement each other and not strain eyes
• Even if, you need more room to write, the mail should be structured in short readable paragraphs
• Blank or vague subject lines are often the most irritating. So go for brief, yet descriptive subjects
• Signature attached at the bottom of email should identify yourself clearly, mentioning all the required details about you especially your contact.

4. Professionalism

The level of formality, organization of the content, the word choices depend on the purpose you are trying to accomplish and the image you want to communicate. So not taking care of few things can flash lack of professionalism.

• Using all Caps is one of them, CAPITAL LETTERS indicate shouting words.
• Also resist the urge to use jargons and acronyms even if you know the reader will understand. FYI, FYNA, PFA-distinguish between an sms and an official email.
• Using emoticons, exclamation or question marks like ‘!!! ???’ should be kept under check.
• Moreover use the ‘Cc button’ and ‘Reply all’ judiciously. Reconsider before sending your email.

5. Some other things to remember

Attachments should be positively checked before sending and above all attached for sure. Hmm, now you are saying ‘yes, it happens-people write ‘please find attached’ but nothing is attached though’.

Instead of adding read/delivery receipts, better ask people for acknowledging your email, if it’s that important. Moreover, incorporating a salutation in the mail should be done carefully depending upon the person to whom you are addressing.

There are several websites that provide abundant knowledge on the business etiquette and email writing is one of the most important. But as far as writing nasty mails is concerned, I feel the right ideology is ‘To praise in public and criticize in private’. Writing such mails can serve no purpose except igniting the blame game and elongating the process of work actually getting done. It’s better to talk on phone, clear out the negative air in-between and focus totally on business while writing an  email.

So how have been your experiences in dealing with official emails? What are your methods or observations? How do you react at poorly worded emails? Share here in the comments box and enlighten us all.

Some things I never want to forget

Four years back too, similar were the days. I was counting down the number of days left to join my new job, my first job. I had been fortunate enough, like many others, to secure it during my graduation. Although there was ample time to make a decision-either to join the job at hand or to look for another career option, but the notably tempting idea of working with the largest real estate company in India, was imperative enough to not to choose otherwise.

I was already undergoing my internship and the idea of turning more self-sustaining was far more inviting. Extensive planning and budgeting had already begun to let it all be immaculate. Making all due arrangements for our stay in the new city, me and my friend were all thrilled to kick-start a new chapter. After completing our Bachelors in Architecture, we bachelorette were on the brink of living a crazy life in a newly rented apartment-cooking our own food, washing our own clothes, cleaning, grocery shopping, paying our own utility bills-in short leading our own lives.

After a three-day induction, where we were given such a lavish guest treatment ( I am talking about food and stay. As students you are not accustomed to such things, but some long lectures were undoubtedly mundane), we officially became the part of the grand group, joined our new office and started it off.

In the initial months, we were busy getting introduced, understanding ways and systems, getting used to the daily routine of coming to office and at times, bunking office too  And back home, the new home I already explained, life was much more happening. Weekends had acquired all the new significance. Thanks to the regime of back-to-back late night movies, cold drink and chips parties, dining out and hanging out with friends. Eventually new friends added up to my circle, from our office, and started the modus-operandi of parantha parties at nearby dhaba, after lunch walks, birthday cakes, tea breaks and much more. A whole new world was being created and everything there was so impromptu.

At intervals, taking leaves and visiting my parents made those visits much more eventful. It made me recognize the value of Holidays calendar. Soon two years passed by and now many of my colleagues-turned-friends had started switching their jobs. By now, I had started feeling more responsible about my work, more involved into it and above all enjoying all that. From our huge gang, many people left but meeting them outside the office gave us another reason to have some get-together which nobody chose to miss.

All these things led to a smooth transition from student-hood to real adult-hood to self-sustaining-hood to married-hood. Today, I am all set in this phase of my life, heading towards more and more stability. And now, when I am again undergoing another countdown to leave for my next job, I realized I couldn’t snatch this credit away from the first one. I can mention, all that it has done to me professionally, during my farewell next week. But how could I explain  this difference, it has made in my life?