Candy’s on my Mind

Working in Middle East can alter your lifestyle to a great extent, for example during summers it is too hot for any outdoor activity and you develop a habit of visiting mall’s every weekend, for grocery / window shopping / kids entertainment etc. and this continue during winter as well J.

We too have developed this habit and visit local malls every week since last 6 years, for kids there are many things to buy / activities to do in play area, so to control their demands we set a rule of 1 thing a weekend, either to buy a toy or Candies else go into play area.

My Little one will plan for the weekend and decide beforehand what she want, one such visit we were going into the mall and she was quite so I asked what are you thinking, bang the response came CANDIES, it was the candy day for her. I asked anything else? Yes, the different type of candies I will chose today. So we went to the shop and she picked up her favourite gummy bear, coke bottle, Dracula teeth’s etc.

Next week the same ritual and I asked what are you thinking? Which ride to go in the play area and she took out a list she prepared during the week.  I asked you are not thinking about candies or toys? NO was the response. She was very clear on her requirements. With this she asked me what are you thinking and I was like 

“Mails, escalation, Appraisal, Tax, Twitter, home loan, salary increment, savings etc” I realised there is chaos in my mind. I was thinking of everything except the fun I was supposed to have with family.

This make me think the way we are managing our life’s, when we were kids, we were focused and clear on what we want to do that day or next day or the weekend even with little or no fund the fun was unlimited, we had friends, places to go and all the time in the world to study and enjoy.

 Now with monthly salary which in most cases many times higher than our parents we struggle to take out time to have fun, meet friends, spend time with family and deliver the quality work we are expected to do.

One issue I figure out is focused approach and the advice to all will be Stay focused on the goal …. not the distraction. When you start any new assignment / project or begin the day, list down the tasks and begin with the end in mind (7 Habits style), keep the distractions off to achieve the goal.

My Mentor advised to Channelise energy / anger / frustration into something productive. We all are busy / wants stuff or unhappy for some thing in life and it keeps bothering us day and night, it takes the focus to distractions rather than the goal. For eg. If you are unhappy with your job, channelise your energy to create a new CV, update LinkedIn profile, connect with your ex colleagues, network in the market to find a new job. Think how you can channelise your energy to be a star.

It is better to have candies in mind rather than chaos.

In the end to all those workaholic people killing themselves trying to prove their worth, listen to this song at least once every day, coz the race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself J

Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen