Resolutions for 2017

One of my New Year resolutions is to limit the usage of WhatsApp and Facebook.

• I will be checking Facebook twice or at max thrice a week. 
• I will be checking WhatsApp group messages just twice a day.
• I will also be exiting from forwards-intensive WhatsApp groups. 

Time being spent in reading/ deleting / forwarding an unending stream of jokes, images, GIFs, videos is turning out to be a very high opportunity cost.

WhatsApp has become the primary means to spread rumours, hoaxes and mis-information. Hardly any day goes by without seeing a forwarded message claiming imaginary things such as "NASA discovers sound of Om in Sun" or "Acupressure cured cancer".

What's interesting is: If you have access to WhatsApp, you can access Google (both require Internet) but no one pauses to validate such content.

Whichever groups am part of, I always make it a point to refute such messages, and possibly turn myself into the most hated member of the group ☺ The intention is not to embarrass anyone but to make them aware that by forwarding such false information, they are lowering the cumulative IQ of the entire group.

So, next time anyone tells you China Wall is the only man-made object that can be seen from space, go Google!

To-do list app

I had been searching for a good to-do list app for some time now, trying and rejecting half a dozen apps in the process. 
My search seems to have ended, for now, with To-Do Prime. 

It has most of the features I was looking for, syncs across multiple devices, can work offline, has no ads, and is free.

Work smart... And hard!

The worst advice I ever received was: Don't work hard, work smart.

The "Work smart" part is fine, but it's a capital mistake to think that working hard and working smart are mutually exclusive.

theme-based weekdays

In a fleeting conversation, I heard of "theme-based weekdays" and began to think how it could be implemented. Here's a possible approach.

Monday: The begin day. For many of us, the major hurdle to getting anything done is to actually start it. Hence Monday would be the day to begin all new activities.

Tuesday: Bill clearance day and repair day. The day when you pay all the monthly bills, EMIs and other dues. And place service calls to repair anything broken. Car servicing, AC maintenance, electrical repairs... And most importantly, health checkups.

Wednesday: Study day. Search for new certifications or courses. Read a book. Write a blog. Do a review of the study progress of your kids. Learn a new software.

Thursday: Communication day. Call up friends and relatives. Chat with distant ones. Wanted to meet an old friend but didnt know when? Go out and have dinner on this day. Also, this would be a buffer day to contain in any tasks that may have overflown from previous days.

Friday: Inventory day. Take a stock of your finances, as well as anything is needed in home. Check the balance sheet. Any risks? Any opportunities for more RoI? Plus, this would be a hobby day and/or social activities day, parties etc.

Saturday: Clean-up day. Remove obsolete papers and other stuff. Take backups, make space for new things. In addition, you may use this day to contribute back to the society in whatever way possible to you: Donating material to orphanages, teaching kids or planting trees.

Sunday: Family day. Spend time with your family at home. And if you need to go out, take them with you. Sunday could also be your planning day, where you sit back and think not only about the week or the month ahead but also about the medium and long term goals.

The idea here is not to limit yourself only to the activities specified for each day, but to have one focus area for every day of the week. Of course, the days and activities allotted to them would change as per each individual.

Career Mitra

For the students who appeared for SSC examination, the Maharashtra Education Department and Shyamchi Aai Foundation have created a web site that shows various career paths available based on the marks scored or your interests. It has lots of career guidance and online counselling facilities. Hope this initiative reaches the students that need it the most.
URL: http://mahacareermitra.in/#/