Life Work Health Balance

Your WorkOut for Healthy Life

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An unprecedented #LockDown initiated in response to the covid-19 crisis has thrown up challenges for balance in Life, Work and Health. Most of us remain motivated as of now and seems to be coping up well but we might be in it for the long haul. I would recommend that we create a Plan B which may in long run ultimately be Plan -A for lot of us. I had concluded my last newsletter by hoping that companies most affected by the current crisis would adapt and perhaps develop an even more resilient corporate DNA. Let us hope that we as individuals would also adapt and emerge stronger after this crisis.

DTW

During the Week, we had more news on the Covid-19 scare and then Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s March 24th address announced a Three Week #LockDown effectively stopping all non-essential activities and travel.

Of course, the next few weeks will be a trying time for all of us. I also think that this would force us to change our daily practices dramatically to manage this crisis and as a result our society would also change drastically. I would like to divide the narrative in two parts- one, changes brought out to deal with crisis and two, changes brought into our lives in long run because of our crisis response.

We have seen some once-in-a-generation fundamental changes in how we live, work and take care of ourselves. Being in home has changed our relationships within families or close neighbours. There is a greater awareness of what we have and perhaps many of us feel gratitude for what we have been blessed with- love and care of our near and dear ones. Now is the time to develop a daily regimen of activities with a mix of work, social and physical aspects.

In terms of work, we have made lot of changes in how we work and in fact whole approach to work itself. Use of technology may soon become more prominent and lead to some layers of management being laid off permanently. Our relationship with work and centrality of work in our lives may also need a serious rethink. For some of us, our work has defined our identity and changes like this may force us to find an identity beyond work.

#LockDown is not a period for binge watching of your favourite series. OK, first few days may feel like that but you need to recover faster and get back to the work mode. Make sure you familiarise yourself with the technological tools being used in industry so that it is easier when your companies decides to deploys them. With no physical oversight of managers, some of us might have the tendency to slacken off. Make sure that you use physical cues and digital tools to keep yourself on track.

#LockDown has made socialising a challenge. The temptation to go out and grab those few minutes of catching up with friends and neighbours is overwhelming. This brings me to discuss mental health aspect of staying in physical isolation. Humans are social creatures and we also determine our identity through our relationships in physical world. I have had some discussion with friends on their coping mechanism during this isolation period. Lot of them have taken to scheduled calls with their loved ones and supporting each other. Few have taken to sharing their talent with strangers and creating new connections. Some have started meditation and silence sessions to create a mental space within.

Few have asked me about my running now that going out is out of question. And it hurts every time somebody brings it up. Well, I am not running outdoors. Period. My wife and daughter have taken up doing group Zumba with online groups and I am still making my mind to do something indoors. I have earlier tried the 7-Minutes Workout by NY Times and found it to be extremely useful and fulfilling.

I have often spoken about mental toughness and resilience as an important determinant of individual and societal success. Feeling gratitude and spirit of giving would help us tide it over.

Would love to read your perspective on your current situation and plans for near and distant future.

OTW
The tragedies unfolding around us made me re-read parts of Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. Central idea of the book is how to deal with inevitable death and make choices between length and quality of life (Rajesh Khanna had one perspective but you may have another ).

Of course, personal tragedy of death of my Nani (last of my grandparents ) set me thinking about the choices that we make while we are alive. A stark reminder of measuring our lives not by years but by our deeds and being the best version of ourselves. She lived her life to fullest and died in peace at her ancestral home in Garhwal Hills surrounded by her near ones. Of course, many of us were deprived of chance to see her one last time but she is going to be in our memories forever.

I am reminded of one of the incidents way back in 1996 when I was visiting her in the monsoon. It was just chill time with her. Would get up early morning , help her in some household chores, get a hearty breakfast of stuffed paranthas and one of the local banana (ripened at home) and be done for the day. Evening time would be spent having an early dinner and then playing cards long into the night along with her hunting stories and recitation of Pandava Jagar (Folk Lores of Uttrakahand). NO TV, NO PHONE, NO COMPANY and of course I loved every moment of that fortnight.
One evening, it rained heavily and lightening struck nearby so she went out looking for the local wild mushrooms and cooked with her usual secret recipe. But unlike other days, she insisted on eating first that night. Now, I realise that she was practicing social distancing. She later explained her logic in her typical pahadi jest- Let me eat first and if I survive then you can also eat. She was in fact creating a distance between us and thus protecting me against an occasional case of food poisoning because of wild mushrooms.

Would like to rephrase the current COVID-19 #SocialDistance Motto in her memory- Keep Physical Distance but Get Emotionally Closer to Each Other.

I Love You

PS- Wash your hands and keep your loved ones closer. Hope to see you soon.