At work---Office Politics

It’s true that life comes with surprises for which you just have to keep your fingers crossed. But for those things that are predictable, you can always choose your way. After years of stressless living, stepping into workplace can be quite a transformation to come to terms that you have to take up responsibilities that can tire you out, which you’d rather not think about in your wildest dreams.
And if this is not enough to drain you off, you have these weird and wonderful creatures called colleagues. Colleagues can be a real blessing if they had a little bit of the uncommon thing called common sense
Not having mature work mates can be a major turn off. At workplace, things turn out to be mega competitive because there is money involved. Money and power always invite contest. Not everybody you meet really wants the best to happen to you though they may seem extremely genuine about their intentions.
There is a section of people at workplace who are real pests. They come with a package of three.
1. Plotting ideas to put down the fellow mates to get appraisal.
2. Pretending to be the boss around.
3. Backbiting, one of the oldest forms of weapons used to stain the fellow mates’ impression.
Yes, it is difficult. You just want to run away or kill that blood sucker beside you. No, you can’t because you shouldn’t.
However irritating a colleague is, you just have to deal with it. It’s all about accepting that different things in life need to be handled in a fairly different way.
Having control over oneself is an important trait one should develop while at work place. Keeping yourself occupied in work is a hug tipoff to keep away from colleagues who enjoy wasting your time. People can try to be too sneaky to know what is happening in your life. Never trust a person too much that you give that person a chance to put you in trouble. Keep your fears and strengths within you and only you.
Develop patience especially when it is very difficult which could be the need of the situation. Refrain from discussing personal life with colleagues which could be an interesting subject for gossip. Never be the one who demands attention or throws tantrums occasionally. It is better not be the center of attraction because if you risk it, you will also have to maintain the impression like forever.
If you happen to be the receiver of gossip, ensure that you are only the listener and nothing more to it. Passing around gossip may sound fun but it really isn’t professional and not worth landing your job into risk.
Deal with injustice right away. Remember, your hard work should pay only you, not your fellow mate. Helping a person and letting that person take advantage of your help are two different things.
Dealing with male and female colleagues are always not the same. While being a girl, it is important to retain composure so that you don’t pass the wrong signal to your colleague. Getting emotionally involved should be handled delicately as workplaces can be very strenuous if you’re working with a person with whom terms have been spoilt.
Always be a person who is in charge of his emotions. Losing temper in workplaces will only land you in unfavorable situations. Talking politely should be the only weapon to be used at any time inside the office.
Steer away from people who are dominating as much as possible. They could try to take you in their control to get things done. Learn to speak up for yourself where your integrity is questioned.
It is important to realize that it takes all kinds of people to make this world. It is obvious to expect people with different characters and nature. It is vital to build a rapport with all people at workplace without getting involved into office politics.
At the end of the day, it is for money that people are working for. Hence, it is important to do whatever it takes to not to have unguarded situations.

ADVERSITY STRIKES FOR BETTER

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are”.

It is a known fact that not all moments of life are filled with joy and happiness. Not all times are filled with eternal bliss. There are times which are tough, times that test our will power. Adversity strikes anybody, anytime. Does adversity mean that unfortunate times have befallen us? Does a stroke of adversity determine the course of our life?

Adversity, though it means, bad times, can actually be a blessing in disguise. A lot in life depends on what perspective we look at. It is not always easy look at things positively but when looked at tough situations with a positive mind, can actually make things a lot easier to tolerate.

There are a number of people who fought tough times with might and courage. They take adversity as a scale to measure their capabilities. ‘Life is never easy because it was never meant to be easy. I never had money to buy my clothes also when I was fifteen years old. That adversity drove me to the heights of opening a clothing mall. This might not mean much to others but for me, it is my highest achievement,’ says Mr. Raja, owner of Shopping mall in Coimbatore.

We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way. Life is a combination of sorrow and happiness which is an age old statement. Though we are aware of the fact what life is all about we tend to give in to pressures that surmount us.

We lose hope and become victims of depression which can be very devastating to our lives.
If there is something in life that you do not like it, change it and if that is not possible change the way you think about it. ‘It has never been easy to be a girl in Indian homes. A girl child is looked down upon even in some of the Indian homes today. I faced a lot of difficulties to pursue my education. There were times when I envied other girls who could study without any obstacles. At one point, I decided to change the course of my life instead of letting things happen. I fought for my rights to the extent of leaving home. Today, I am happy that it had brought fruitful results. Adverse situations actually bring out the best in us,’ says Lakshmi, a 26 year old teacher.

Our real strength comes not from what we get but it comes from what we do to get what we want. How far can we stretch ourselves to the crop the tentacles of adversity?
“A bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make a turn”. To be able to analyze temporary adverse situations and accept them as a part of life will bring out the joy and serenity in life.

“Being a playful boy during my college, I enjoyed my freedom to the extent of smoking and drinking. I was never a teacher’s pet either. So, my failure was already predicted. Towards the end I had a number of arrears on my shoulders. I had given up the hope of ever clearing my exams as it seemed an impossible task. After a number of depressed nights and self lectures, I prepared myself for the battle. The day of results was the sweetest thing that happened to me. It all depends on self motivation and perseverance,’ says Aditya, 3rd year B.sc graduate.

Convert adversities into opportunities, for adversities are divine surgeries to make you better. Hence, it can be rightly said that darkness always leads to light. It is reaching the light that is the most important journey of life.

CULTURE SHOCKS!!!

Each one of us has the tendency to get along only with one’s own race and culture. It gives a sense of comfort when we are with people who belong to our caste and religion. Some people are so stuck to their culture that they do not come out of their shells to mix with people of other cultures. It is not the ego that stops but it is the fear of not being able to get along with the other race is what scares them.

Indians do not prefer migrating due to the time which will take to get used to a new location and new set of people. Though, nowadays job transfer has forced people to move to other locations. It is very important that people take relocation as a positive trait. It is always good to know other cultures, their values and rituals.

Few people when asked gave their views in a very different manner. Rita, a marvadi, is working in an I.T firm in Hyderabad. She says, ‘It was not easy in the first place to get along with the new place. One of the barriers was language. I and my friends had trouble in moving around the place but if you happen to ask the right person for queries, nothing is difficult. It’s been a year since I moved here. I have friends who are from different states. Though, we are different from each other in more than many ways, we still have the maximum fun in life’.

Not all are able to put up with the new environment pressures. ‘My friend Anita came to Chennai for her higher studies in communication. Due to the different cultural habits, she moved to her hometown after a two month stay,’ says Mallika.

Not only youngsters face migration problems, but also families where the male member is asked to transfer every three-four years. “My husband is working in a bank which requires transfer every three years. My son and I have adjusted with three places so far. My son had difficulty in the beginning but eventually he got used to the change,’ says Dimple, a housewife.

One of the major problems of migration affects food habits which can be devastating at times. Most people prefer home food to other food habits so much that outside food leaves them starving. ‘I think relocation to north was the most terrible thing that happened to me. I hated the food out there. There were times when my friends used to go out for food and I would live on bread and biscuits. It took almost two months for me to actually start eating normal food,’ says Raji, a media student.

One would point out that other problems such as dressing; living style, behavior and language are the factors that affect migration across states. Though there are problems, it teaches one to survive in a new place with a new set of people. It increases the tolerance power of a person when he gets accustomed to a new place.

Cribbing at the problems will really not bring any results. Instead, learning to go out of our way, breaking the barriers of cultures will work wonders. It is really beautiful to have friends from other states. After all, India is a country where all cultures are respected for their values.

FIX IT RIGHT THERE.

The process of recovery for a drug addict is slow. The recovering drug addict must learn life’s lessons and come to understand why they began using drugs.

People recover from drug and alcohol addiction every single day, but they rarely do it alone. The process of recovery for a drug addict is multi- step. Individuals, who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction, first need to realize they have a problem and willing to work towards a solution.
The appropriate duration for an individual in a drug addiction treatment depends on his or her problems and needs. Research indicates the for most patients, the threshold of significant improvement is reached at about three months in treatment.
After this threshold is reached, additional drug addiction treatment can produce further progress toward recovery. Because people often leave treatment prematurely, programs should include strategies to engage and keep patients in treatment. There are no quick fixes for drug addiction and alcoholism. The skills one learns during intensive drug addiction treatment must be integrated into everyday life and this takes time. Long-term drug addiction treatment programmes are proven to have a higher success rate due to the fact that the individual id given more time to gain benefits of the treatment community.


WARNING SIGNS OF ADDICTION

Slow or staggering walk; poor physical coordination.
Changes in sleeping habit- inability to sleep, awake at unusual times; or unusual sleepiness.
Red, watery eyes; pupils larger or smaller than usual; blank stare.
Puffy face, blushing or pale skin.
Weight loss.
Unexplained nausea, vomiting or excessive sweating.

Fight the drug out of our life because life is worth living with joy rather in the midst of alcohol and drugs. If you ever happen to notice your friend suffering from an addiction, save him and make him realize the value of life. Letting the other person know what life is like giving him life

Public speaking now gets easy…follow the top FIVE mantras.

The worst fear that grips many people is to face an audience. Speaking in public is the last thing anybody wants to do. We would rather prefer jumping from an air plane than speaking in public. However, avoiding the scenario does not make it much easier. There are times when you have to stand up to speak to deliver a message or quote something important. It is very vital to let the flow of your thoughts across in words to reach the audience.

Speaking in public can be the one of the worst dreams for many people but it can be overcome if one has faith and belief on oneself. Anything can be overcome if you believe in it passionately.

Scroll through the following five mantras which will help you speak in public without fear.


Possess a positive mental attitude:

A known fact is that the more stress you give on a thought; you will find that it tends to become reality. If you reflect with a real positive attitude that you can speak in public without shivers or fears down the spine, it tends to happen. You just have to let the thought have a seat in the back of your mind. Repeat to yourself that it can’t get worse and that you are in control of the situation.
Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, your results are automatically positive results.


Use the scrap time:

Nobody is busy the whole 24 hours in a day. There are times when you are stuck in traffic or waiting for an appointment or sitting bored with nothing important to do. Start talking mentally in your head about topics that interest you. Imagine that you are facing an audience and come up with ideas for that topic. Doing so will help you get prepared with a general topic which can help you in giving an extempore speech.


Plan your speech:

It really does not matter whether you are addressing a large crowd or speaking to a small team, speaking effectively is what holds substance. Always plan in advance of what you are planning to deliver. Only when you are familiar with the topic, can you deliver the message across clearly and precisely. Your speech should be able to hook the audience’s interest in what you are trying to deliver.


Inspire yourself:

Hearing someone talk can actually do wonders to your speaking. We have some of the greatest speakers in our time. Listen to what they say. Ask yourself, ‘when they can do it, why cant I?’
Never try to imitate anybody instead possess a style of yours which makes you feel comfortable. You can be yourself only when you do it your way and not the “other’s” way.


Get rid of fear:

Speaking in public can be scary but that does not have to be a reason for never having to face an audience. To get rid of fear, you just have to fight it no matter what. Never be conscious of how people will react to what you have to say. Don’t scare yourself by imaginations. Accept the fact that the audience will not chew you up if you speak. So, go ahead and beat the fear out of your system.

Public speaking is an art which cannot be mastered over night. The right ingredient is possessing patience along with constant practice which can surely lead you to speaking in public with confidence.

Beating Traffic chaos

Traffic in a metro can always be annoying. Seven out of ten working people admit that they are usually held up in traffic signals which delay them to work but also cause unwanted stress.
Traffic signals can also add to the morning blues only when you had to be punctual for a call or an important meeting.
Controlling traffic is certainly not in our hands but controlling the trauma inflicted by the traffic can be definitely controlled.

Here are some tips that will allow you to stay occupied when under stress during traffic.

1.Always carry an mp3 player with a good collection of songs. Plug it in your ears and stay away from the tension.
2.Carry your favorite novel which you have been trying to read since ages. Reading can relax your mind.
3.Engage in a conversation with your fellow passenger. To begin with, you will be occupied. Secondly, you will get to know new people.
4.Some people have the habit of spotting car types or car numbers. If you fancy it, develop it as a hobby during traffic.
5.If you are a busy person, you can jot down a list of things-to-do so that you don’t miss out on your plans.
6.You can even write down a shopping list which could be scheduled for the weekend.
Sms or call your friends and ask how they are doing.
7.It’s easy to forget friends having a busy schedule. Hence, make use of the time to let them know you remember them.
8.If you are a person who demands peace, shut your eyes and relax thinking about your favorite spots.

Traffic signals need not be unbearable anymore. It can be stress-free if known how to make the best use of the time.