“Just checking in. Are we still on for today?”

“Since I haven’t heard from you, I’m assuming we’re not meeting anymore…”

It happens to all of us. You make plans with someone, you confirm ahead of time, and yet they still don’t show up. Frustrated, you have two options. You can either let it ruin your day or you can see it as an hour saved.

Most people choose the former.

The common response

When plans fall through, the majority default to anger.

They feel rejected and annoyed at the person who failed them. But there is a better way to do things. Instead of letting frustration ruin your day, see their lack of attendance as a good thing!

Now you have time to do whatever it is that you have been meaning to do. That could be an email response you’ve been putting off, a book you’ve been wanting to start, or an up-and-extra for your business.

You have an entire hour free to spend however you so choose.

Relieved

This actually happened to me not too long ago. I had a video chat scheduled with someone and they forgot about it, missing the meeting altogether. Instead of being upset though, I was relieved.

My inbox had been slowly growing the entire day and I wasn’t sure when I’d ever be able to address it. And then, suddenly, with the cancellation of that meeting, I had the time to get through it all. I didn’t let the change of plans discourage me. I saw the opportunity and took full advantage of it.

Something that I encourage you to do as well.

A Bored List

In David Allen‘s book Getting Things Done, he mentions having a list of things to do while going through menial tasks. For instance, while on hold with a phone company, you could work through your email, clean off your desk, or fold some laundry.

Since reading his book, I’ve started a similar list for myself.

Deemed my Bored List, I always have at least two things on it. Then, when I find myself in a boring situation — like waiting in a doctor’s office — I pull up my list and work through whatever’s there.

You can apply this concept to your life as well. When your flight’s delayed, or you’re waiting for a client to join a Zoom call, or you’re standing by for a store to open, you can pull up your Bored List and use that time productively.

Refuse to wallow

One issue that you’ll likely encounter when things do go awry is wanting to complain or wallow. But that just wastes time. Instead, you’re better off recovering from the change as quickly as you can.

Reevaluate your time and decide what you can do with those newfound minutes.

Don’t hesitate. Choose what you will do and then take action. That’s a critical factor in making this time work for you. If you let it derail you, it will do so gladly. But instead, if you see it as an opportunity to take advantage of, you will be able to do so with maximum productivity.

Be prepared

The most crucial aspect of using your time productively, especially when plans go awry, is being prepared. It’s having that Plan B thought-out and ready to go before it’s needed. Not scrambling to figure it out in the moment, but knowing that you have options ready to go.

In the case of my video chat cancellation, I knew that I had email to respond to.

So when the meeting didn’t happen, I took immediate action. I didn’t delay. I knew what I needed to do and I got right to it.

The reason for a backup

That’s where having something like a Bored List becomes so handy. You never know when you’ll need it, but you’ll be happy you have it when you do.

You don’t necessarily need a list like this to be productive when plans change, you just need to be prepared. That could mean keeping a book downloaded to your phone. It could be letting a few emails stack up.

Or it could be simply reaching out to three or four people that you haven’t spoken to in a while. The Plan B doesn’t matter so long as you have one.

Plan A, B, C

Your Plan B may have different levels to it as well.

For instance, in my case, I generally don’t opt for my Bored List until I’ve already exhausted my other options. Meaning that before I go through that list, I’m sure to respond to any texts, emails, or Slack notifications first.

So really, Communication is my Plan B. My Bored List is my Plan C.

As you can see though, regardless of the situation, I have options. I don’t let my time be squandered. When I have a minute, I use it as productively as I can.

A little story to serve as example

You get to the restaurant five minutes early. You check-in, sit down, and order a drink. The potential client should be arriving any second now.

Ten minutes go by though and she still hasn’t arrived. You check your phone. There’s a text waiting for you: Running a few minutes late! Sorry! Order without me. I’ll be there soon. You sigh. I hate when people are late.

You feel irritated. Then, suddenly, you remember: I’m behind on my book club book!

Happy she was late

Immediately, you pull your phone back out and start reading. Wow, I forgot just how far behind I was! Now, instead of fuming, you’re relaxed and, actually, quite grateful that the client is running late. You finally have a chance to catch up on reading.

The client eventually arrives. Apologetic, she’s surprised to find you in good spirits. She figured you’d be mad.

“Why would I be mad?” you say. “I haven’t been able to read this much in weeks!”

Your two options

When things don’t go according to plan, you have two options:

• Wallow and complain
• Use your time productively

Most people do the former. But you’re not most people. Instead of letting unexpected events ruin your day, you can take advantage of them. Refusing to let circumstance damage your mood, you can utilise your time and ultimately be happy that things worked out the way they did.

Moving forward with a backup

There is always a chance that things will go awry.

Don’t be surprised when it happens, because it will. Instead, be prepared for it. Keep a book on-hand, have a Bored List ready, be aware of a few people that you haven’t talked to in a while and can reach out to.

Have your Plan B and possibly even Plan C within reach. That way, you’ll be happy when things go according to plan and when they don’t.

You’ll be ready either way.

PS: Wondering what’s on my Bored List? As of this writing, it contains just two things:

• Clean out all of the files in my Google Drive
• Clean out all of the apps on my phone

The post What’s your Plan B? Being productive when things go awry appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Often, the initial response to working from home is relief, perhaps due to the novelty of the situation and other benefits such as relief from long commute times, minimal contact with toxic co-workers, and not having a boss looking over your shoulder at all times. However, after a few weeks or months, people begin to feel the negative effects of isolation, which only tends to worsen over time. This is what most people around the world are now facing.

Increasing cases of mental health deterioration

As per a study undertaken by the Indian Psychiatry Society, the number of mental illness cases in India increased by 20% within a week of commencement of the first lockdown. A few months later, the number of mental health issues reported began to accelerate. Experts attributed this rise in a parallel mental health pandemic, in large part, to woes of working from home. This fallout of working from home is a global trend.

A report published in April 2020, by Blind, a US-based professional network group, states that 52.9% of survey participants across organisations like Facebook, Apple, Walmart, and LinkedIn among others were suffering from loneliness due to working from home and social distancing.

The challenges of working from home

Stress begins to surge once the uniqueness of working from home wears off and its challenges rear their ugly head, leaving people in disbelief. While working from home has its share of advantages, it can create its own unique set of stressors. Here are a few of the common stress-producing challenges that those working from home face.

1. Muddling up of personal and professional life

Professional interactions, adherence to rules and policies as well as structure and organisation are the norm at workplace. Home, on the other hand, is synonymous with relaxation, unwinding and personal/family time. Home is a cosy environment where you enjoy home-cooked meals, read a book or simply play with your kids. When you enter your home, you are supposed to leave the rigidity of your workplace and the woes of your work outside. But working from home tends to dissolve the clear boundary that exists between workspace and personal space. As a result, you begin to feel like you’re never off the job.

2. Too many distractions

The dynamics of a home are different than those of a workplace. There are often children at home, retired parents and sometimes even a non-working spouse. For no fault of theirs, housemates find it difficult to respect the sanctity of work hours and end up causing distractions, even if unintentionally — after all they are at home, which has suddenly turned into an office for you. Plus, there are doorbells, quick personal phone calls, pets, sounds of TV, snacking or lunch with family — you get the drift. What most people don’t realise is that even minor distractions can disturb the flow of work, from which one takes time to recover. The result is poor efficiency and lower productivity.

3. No sense of timing

When working from home, work tends to stretch beyond the stipulated work hours. Employees are often expected to finish work assignments or get on calls at odd hours, including holidays, late nights, and weekends.

4. Communication woes

Not being in physical presence of your colleagues can make it difficult to communicate regarding work related matters, causing potential mishaps and adding to the stress of working from home.

5. Lack of social connections

Being around people and colleagues you can talk to about work-related issues helps release the pent-up steam of stress — a vent that is unavailable to those working from home. It is worse for those who live alone. Isolation might feel blissful at the start, but it can soon transform into full-blown depression arising out of a feeling of being disconnected from the world.

6. Physical and mental strains

Virtual meetings, long phone calls and sitting continuously put tremendous strain on your physical and mental health. Computer vision syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain and other issues are common for those who are constantly working in a virtual environment.

While this is not an exhaustive list of issues that those working from home face, it gives you an idea how and why it can be so stressful. Let’s now see how we can deal with these challenges and keep stress and anxiety to the minimum. Here is a list of 11 ways that will make working form home less stressful and more productive.

11 ways to beat the stress of working from home

1. Plan and schedule

A key trigger of stress at work, or home, is poor productivity, which is usually the result of lack of planning and absence of a proper schedule. So, start your day by writing a to-do list and strike each activity after its completion. The very acts of planning your work and listing your tasks are in themselves empowering. You will feel in control and be able to resist getting distracted and therefore improve your overall focus. You might want to use productivity apps to help your efforts. [Read Sack Your Workload to learn how clearing, focussing, structuring, and action can help you increase productivity at work]

2. Create work protocols at home

Just because you are at home doesn’t mean you are not doing serious work. If your folks at home tend to take you and your work lightly just because you’re at home, sit them down and help them understand the importance of respecting workspace. Set work-related ground rules and protocols that everyone, including you, will respect during work hours. For instance, personal phone calls should be off-limits—unless there is an emergency.

3. Treat your workspace as sacred

Give your workspace the respect it deserves. For instance, keep your desk neat and avoid leaving personal stuff there. If possible, resist the temptation of using your desk for anything other than work. Doing so will create a mental boundary to keep personal and work-related issues from becoming intertwined.

4. Schedule regular breaks

Working at a stretch can, in the long run, cause undue strain on your physical and mental health and the situation worsens in a virtual work environment. In a formal work setup, there are specific times allotted for a long lunch break and short tea time breaks etc. Continue to follow the same schedule and insist that your colleagues follow them too. Breaks are important to avoid problems like eye fatigue and brain fog, which can affect productivity and efficiency, besides adding to stress and anxiety. [Read The hidden and obvious dangers of sitting too long]

5. Ask for help

When working from home, there is a tendency to take on more than you can chew, which often becomes a source of tremendous stress. Whenever you feel overburdened, reach out to a colleague, or even your boss. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. It is an acknowledgement that you are human and have limits — just like everyone else.

6. Step out of your home

Working from home doesn’t mean you stay glued to your chair or sofa all day. Stepping out of your home is necessary for your mental and physical fitness. Assuming lockdown rules in your region allow it, make it a point to get outdoors at least once a day. If possible, take a quick stroll during one of your break times to get some sunlight and outdoor vibes. Later in the evening, go for a walk or just run some errands.

7. List the tasks you complete

Being home all day might make you feel that you’re not doing enough and may therefore experience a sense of guilt, inadequacy or overwhelm. One way to deal with such feelings is to list down all the small and big tasks you have completed at the end of the day. Making an accomplishment list every night builds your motivation and confidence, besides keeping feelings of overwhelm and guilt at bay.

8. Be mindful of your posture

Your posture makes a huge difference to not just your health but also the quality of your work. Always sit upright with your back arched. Invest in an ergonomic chair; if that is not possible, at least put a firm cushion on the back of the chair to support your lower back. [Read Why good posture matters]

9. Spare time to relax

Spare time for some form of stress busting activity – meditation, family time, workout, dance, or art – the idea is to eliminate the stream of muddled thoughts that fill your mind. Regular practice of meditation and mindfulness can produce a deep state of relaxation as well as a tranquil mind.

10. Take days off for sickness and leisure

There will be times when you feel unwell. On such days, don’t hesitate to avail of sick leave like you would’ve done had you been working from an office. You might think it’s OK to work as long as you are physically rested. But when you are sick, you need to rest and recuperate both mentally and physically. So do take time off for full recovery. Also, don’t forget to go on leisure vacations from time to time, for the sake of preserving your mental and emotional health.

11. Go easy on yourself

Finally, there will be days when you’re not going to be as productive at home as you are at the workplace – at least till you become used to it. So, calibrate your expectations accordingly and don’t be too hard on yourself when you fall behind on occasion. Resolve to learn from the experience so that you become better at juggling the responsibilities. Likewise, don’t forget to pat yourself when you do well.

The post 11 ways to beat the stress of working from home appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

“Better than money, praise and personal gestures motivate your workers,” says The Wall Street Journal, “Things that don’t cost  a lot of money are ironically the most effective.” If you can add a bit of levity to the mix all the better. Co-workers who have fun together, share a laugh, guffaw or chuckle are the same co-workers who will go the extra mile, above and beyond what is expected of them and they’ll do it happily. Why? Because they feel appreciated.

If you pulled into a parking lot of your workplace and found a rock band playing, people swaying to the music and hot dogs and hamburgers grilling for lunch, you would think you were at a party. Nope. You would be at CX-Tec, in Syracuse, New York. Once you walk into the building, a three story dinosaur in the foyer will greet you, instantly telling you, ‘this is a place that encourages fun’. As you continue into the building you find that each employee decorates their cubicle any way they wish. Daily contests give employees $5.00 gasoline cards and gift cards to local cafe’s. Holidays and special events are celebrated with gusto in this lighthearted energetic company. The atmosphere is joyous. Who wouldn’t want to work there?

Do silly things. Be wild. Treat your employees like your friends. If none of this sounds familiar to you, maybe you need to suggest a little fun to your boss and see what happens. The workplace should have an atmosphere where people just can’t wait to get to work in the morning and hate to leave when the day is done.  It should be a place where creativity and excitement are rampant. You should hear laughter in the hallways and see miles of smiles in the isles. Create a workplace culture where laughter and silliness encourages productivity, loyalty and longevity.

Here are ideas from some of the most successful companies in the world

• Organise laughter yoga classes during lunch hours. You could also organize these before or after important monthly or quarterly review meetings when the stress levels seem to sky rocket. Attendance should be mandatory.
• Thank you Thursday! Last Thursday of each month have pizza and cake in the break to celebrate any positive occurrence that month
• Hang quirky and humorous posters at the water cooler, printer and outside the restrooms
• Designate a space on company property for an employee veggie garden.
• Encourage employees to play games at lunch and break time. They could play ping pong, volley ball, Nerf basket ball or you could also have some toys like rubik’s cube, slinky or a hula hoop. Playing with these toys at work has also shown to increase creativity and ideation.
• Deliver candy with your office memo
• Have a comedy break room with DVD’s of stand up comics or funny TV shows. You could also organize a movie screening where you play a funny or motivational movie once a month
• Give a bunch of balloons each week to the person with the highest sales
• Monthly employee nights at comedy clubs, restaurants or theaters
• Give gift cards of local cafes and eateries for best weekly performers
• Have a humour board where employees can post jokes or funny pictures. The one contributing the most per week wins a prize.

People want to feel appreciated and to know that they matter. Perks like these show your employees that they matter. It makes them feel that their time at work is valued. But remember, employees will only lighten up as much as they feel they are allowed to at their workplace. So this has to be driven from the top and managers have to set an example by walking the talk. You’ve got nothing to lose and research has found that happier people are just more productive.

The post Levity and laughter: the new office tools appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Though most adults need 7 – 8 hours of sleep to feel alert and energetic through the day, the need for sleep is as unique as our fingerprints. For you, it can be eight hours, for your spouse, seven hours, while your best friend could do with just six-and-a-half hours. If you’re looking for a magic number then there isn’t one, but there is some recent evidence that sleeping less than seven hours per night can be harmful in the long run.

Why should you aim for at least seven hours

Until recently we did not have a clear-cut, evidence-based recommendation regarding the duration of sleep needed for a healthy life. But, in June 2015, after reviewing 5314 scientific articles, a panel of 15 experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society concluded that adults need seven or more hours of sleep every night.

Here are their specific recommendations:

1. Sleeping less than seven hours each night is linked to adverse health conditions such as weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and depression. It is also associated with lowered immunity, increased sensitivity to pain, impaired performance, increased chances of errors, and greater risk of accidents.
2. Sleeping more than nine hours per night on a regular basis may be appropriate for young adults, individuals recovering from sleep debt, and those with illnesses. For others, it is uncertain whether sleeping more than nine hours per night is associated with any health risk.
3. People who are concerned that they are sleeping too little or too much should consult their healthcare provider.

Life is so precious. Why waste one third of it sleeping?

One question that many people often ask is, “I’ve achieved so much in my life by sleeping less, can I not just continue that way?” The answer is: “No, you cannot. Not for long.”

Dr Van Dongen and colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania studied participants after four, six, and eight hours of sleep for 14 days and found a significant dose-dependent decline in their neurological and cognitive performance. Thus, by sleeping less, you may read more, but you will remember less. You may check more e-mails, but your responses will not reflect your true leadership skills. You may interact with more people, but you will be less perceptive. You may work on more problems, but your solutions will be less creative. In short, if you are sleeping less, you might be a liability, as opposed to an asset.

So, by compromising on your sleep you not only increase your risk of diseases mentioned above, but also impair your executive function—creativity, problem-solving, communication, and goal-directed behaviour. These are the reasons why business giants like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Satya Nadela try to get 7 – 8 hours sleep despite their busy schedules.

Bill Gates says he gets at least seven hours of sleep a night because “that’s what I need to stay sharp and creative and upbeat.” Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, says, “I’m more alert, and I think more clearly if I’ve had eight hours’ sleep. I just feel so much better all day long if I’ve slept that much.” Marc Anderson, co-founder of Netscape, admits to needing eight hours. He says, “I can get by on seven-and-a-half hours without much trouble. Seven, and I start to degrade. Six is suboptimal. Five is a big problem. Four means I am a zombie.”

What about people who claim to do well with little sleep

What about Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, Indra Nooyi and the likes, who claimed to sleep only 4 – 5 hours a night? Do they carry a short-sleeper gene? Well, Dr Ying-Hui Fu and her  team at the University of California, San Francisco, did find that short-sleeper gene, a rare mutation, is present in three per cent of the population. But it has not been confirmed if there are other health risks of carrying this short-sleeper gene and sleeping so little.

Motivation cannot happen in the absence of creativity, flexibility and the right mood. All of which get hampered due to lack of sleep

My overworked colleagues continue to argue against sufficient sleep. Here is a list of arguments made by these sceptics and my responses:

1 “I don’t need eight hours of sleep.”

Studies have shown that restricting sleep to four or six hours [compared to eight hours] for 14 days causes a decline in your executive function.

2 “I can fight sleep deprivation with strong motivation.”

Motivation cannot happen in the absence of creativity, flexibility and the right mood. All of which get hampered due to lack of sleep.

3 “I have achieved a lot by sleeping less.”

You could achieve even more by sleeping more.

4 “I don’t perceive the deficit in my performance.”

Sleep deprivation adversely affects the prefrontal cortex [area of the brain called “the executive centre”], which is essential for successful self-evaluation. This makes us unaware of our deficit.

5 “I am highly productive even with less sleep.”

You have increased your output as a worker at the expense of leadership output. You are compromising the quality at the expense of quantity.

Sleeping eight hours but it still seems less

I have made my case for 7 – 8 hours of rest every night, but what if you are feeling sleepy and tired despite sleeping eight hours every night?

First, make sure you are getting quality sleep by following good sleep habits—keeping a regular sleep schedule even on weekends, exercising 30 minutes a day, not working in the bed, avoiding caffeine after 1pm, not eating a large meal before bedtime, not consuming alcohol within three hours of bedtime and most importantly, praying or meditating for a few minutes before retiring to bed. Then, make sure you do not suffer from depression or Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, a disease characterised by loud snoring and cessation of breathing for 10 or more seconds all night long.

In conclusion, invest richly in sleep and get the most out of your limited stay on this beautiful earth. Make a commitment, as a family, to get 7 – 8 hours of rest every night. Enjoy lasting alertness, energy, vigour, and vitality; and live a healthy, happy, and a long life.

I leave you with a favourite shloka of mine from the Bhagvad Gita [Chapter 6, Verse 17]

yuktahara-viharasya yukta-cestasya karmasu,
yukta-svapnavabodhasya, yogo bhavati duhkha-ha
(Translation: A person who is temperate in eating, resting, working and recreation can mitigate all material pains by practising yoga.)

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