REST WITH ZEST

Rest with zest,
Keep yourself calm and cool,
Take a break from your schedule
Don’t behave old school.

Work will be completed
with all its glorious parts,
Help your mind with little zest,
And think about your heart.

Just chill and take rest and
give time to take life’s test.
When heart, body and mind
balance is done,
Soul shows its ecstatic shades.

– Lopamudra Pal

REST – simple word, but very complicated. It has many meanings with prefixes and suffixes. But REST means to keep time for yourself, maintain body and mind balance. ME time fixes the problem and rejuvenates you. It is the perfect time for resting the body and testing the mind for creating new ideas. We in our daily lives don’t take out time for ourselves and then starts the blame-game. Sometimes we indulge into the problems so badly that we don’t realise what we get and what we lose. We try to satisfy each and everyone, professionally and personally. But it’s not always possible. Still we try harder and harder to get it done. We get really tired of being perfect. Perfection and being perfect is good, but not always.

We as human beings, get frustrated and take wrong steps. At times, some of us go to the verge of breaking relationships too. But we don’t realise the main problem. We don’t look at the angle, that we actually need a break and want to take rest with zest. We need to get a break from everything we do starting from what we think, we plan, we cook, we read, we write… everything. ” Just being with self”, that should be the essence of being in rest.

The heart is a very small thing, but very precious. It understands all the feelings, situations, emotions, good, bad … everything. Resting the heart means rejuvenating it with more good and positive thoughts. The longevity increases. Now, everyone is overloaded with work and the pressure is burdened with bad impact on heart and mind. It affects family members and other relations as well. Keeping yourself cool for all situations is the only solution. It can be taken by taking a break for resting. Divide the works among family members and spread equality. Work is a never ending thread. It’s a continuous process. We need to take rest for making the future bonding strong enough to handle all the odds.

“Stop overthinking.
You cannot control or change everything.
Let things go with the flow.”

An understanding heart is always a tired one. It takes out positivity from negativity. It too gets tired. It too needs rest for a while. But actually we don’t take. We should go for the break for our heart, mind, body and soul. Close your eyes, think nothing. Leave the worries behind. Keep your mind cool with low volume soothing music. Take long breathe, exhale and inhale. Feel the power of the heart and the brain syncing together. Then the nerves of your brain will run in a supersonic way.

Taking a break in any way, is to get yourself in a Restart Mode. Sit in the balcony and look around nature with a deep breath. Feel serenity and calmness within. That’s the result of rest with zest!

A STORY OF DECEMBER

The snow has put autumn to sleep
luring people to the
shop of antiques
to greet the Christmas’s bliss
bidding adieu to
autumn departing in divine abyss
as if a pleasure to remember
that comes with each December
Gathers a choir of red Robin
sitting on the dusty hemlocks
singing a mystical winter song
While the flock of Bohemian
teases the pansies and willows
spread across the snow banks
for trespassing their winsome land
A gem of a nature
for some an unwanted stranger
A muse to the lost
amidst the snow frost
A shroud for the dead,
while a scenery for the painter ahead.

Saniya Firdaus

A LITTLE MORE…

“It may look like I’m doing nothing but, in my head, I’m quite busy” – this is almost many of our stories these days. After all, who wants to be identified as a sluggish person!

Since office and school have become virtual there is no need to rush to the bus stop by 9 am. The miles away from the office are inches away from logging in to our computers. All that we are concern about is how the upper part of our body appears on the screen, on the lower part boxer is fine. Alongside the virtual background and screen beauty mode is on duty to make us look good.

You know, I just thought to watch one more 20-minute episode but sadly that a little more took past 4 AM. My alarm rang at 8 AM, I woke up and realized I still have 1hr 30min in hand! Then why not take a little more nap!

Oops, if Mom won’t have shouted at 9:30 AM, I would definitely miss to log in at the due time.

Sailing the same boat, it would be apparent for me to say,

Being habituated of doing ‘A LITTLE MORE’ of what we ought not to have done

is powerful enough to diminish our zeal to work;

distract us from our professional goals and

as an end product, it disrupts our identity.  

This “A LITTLE MORE…” is none lesser than addiction in our life which primarily affects our brain and as we keep entertaining it, it diminishes our enthusiasm to work. The virtual meetings become boring and the professional targets seem unrealistic. It basically, distracts us from attaining our professional life goals. And its end product is well expected! One day to be known as the most passionate employee of the company is now somewhere at the first position in the below performer list over a month.

Is there no way to overcome such an addiction in our life?

Well, the Bible responds to it perfectly.

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.   

Here are some primary tips as a way-out strategy that I have discovered for myself. Hope it may be helpful for you –

• Since our spirit is willing to overcome the addiction but our flesh is weak, let us seek God’s help every time for He is the Creator of our body, mind, and soul.
• Start practicing to say “NO” to that “A LITTLE MORE…”. Every time our addiction prompts us to sleep or watch the Web Series “A little more…”, let us train our brain saying, “No, I will not do this!”
• There is the possibility of failure at the beginning yet let us discipline our body and bring it into subjection by waking up early for a walk or exercise.
• Redo our daily routine. We will fail several times to follow it yet we can notice a change in us if we keep practicing that routine for another 21days (3 Weeks)
• Dress like going office. Even before our systems let us sit as if we are sitting in our office. Let us drop off those Boxers and Bumchums and put on official trousers.
• Leave working like sitting on the bed and keeping the laptop on laps. Use table and chair to sit and work.
• Every night before going to sleep let us note our tasks for tomorrow morning and follow it thoroughly.
• Avoid as much usage of cellphones and stop downloading movies and web series on computers. Let us use our laptops only for official purposes.   
• Eat less heavy food. Let us stay hydrated by drinking enough water and avoid eating junk foods.   

A little attempt to kick out “a little more…” can make our life better. Because the Bible says,

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest —

and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

REST LIKE YOU MEAN IT

“Sometimes the best solution is to REST, RELAX and RECHARGE. It’s hard to be your best on empty.”

But with the new normal the office has entered into our homes. It has systematically eaten into our relaxation time. Office never ends. Calls and emails keep on going from evening to late into the night trying to accommodate all the different time zones in the world. The company says – anyways you have nowhere else to go to so might as well utilize the time. 

There is a kind of buzzing in the house all the time – enter one room and you realize it’s a classroom for the time being. Enter the second room and you have accidentally entered a meeting room with your hubby’s eyes transmitting a huge ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ Board. 

My mixer grinder, cooker and even TV are not allowed to create their usual racket. So what do I do? I blot out the buzz sit on the sofa plug in my earphones and login to my favorite OTT channel.

This was my relaxation. My little world inside this bigger world. I was really enjoying it. I get transported to another world, comfortably lounging on my sofa and the headphones whispering into my ear and time just flies..

Yes it flies and how.. Gone are the good old days of weekly soaps or even daily soaps. Now is the time for series. I am sure no one has dutifully stopped after one episode. One episode leads to the second and then the third and so on.. minutes turn into hours.. 

I have watched entire seasons in matter of days. Just completed the series ‘Sherlock’ which has 7 seasons. 

But seriously I have come to realize that is not rest and surely not relaxation. My body is lying for hours in an awkward angle trying to balance my phone or remote. Binge watching and binge eating go hand in hand. And then most importantly my eyes are not getting any rest. Work also means I am staring at the screen for long hours and fun also means the same. Brain is also buzzing with the non-stop watching. There is a sense of satisfaction that I completed so and so series in such less time but then again it’s a race to complete it not relaxation.

I am trying to kick this habit. Or at least reduce the binging time. 

Do share what is the kind of relaxation you are into. And does it really give rest to your body?

A CUT ABOVE THE REST – A NOT SO SIMPLE STORY

Have you ever seen yourself dead? …you know that very moment when your soul is slowly leaving your body.. and all that’s left on earth is well.. you, or at least the physical you – your lifeless body that people are crying over?

I did… right at the time when she said

“Rest in Peace my friend… you need this”

That’s when it all came back to me. I wasn’t supposed to die, my life was snatched away from me. I didn’t deserve it, and I’m coming back to know exactly what happened.

I could be you…. you or even you crying at the corner. No one can hear me now – but all of you will, soon, very soon. Sooner than you all realize.

Back at the plush bungalow by the pristine beach, ovelooking the Butterfly Creek, stood exactly 3.5 healthy living entities – Shawn: the cook, Pascoal: the next-door-sin-affair, Aditi: the best friend and Pluto: the cute pomeranian – who probably had all the answers, only if he could talk.

The word going around was that I ended it all by myself.

Inspector Mark Gracias, the most eligible bachelor of the Goa Police Force, having surveyed the immediate surroundings, took to the nearest sofa, looked towards Shawn and asked:

“May I have a cup of tea”?

Not an ideal time to be drinking tea – I thought. But then this was Mark we’re talking about, and nobody says NO when he asks for tea. He had always said, his brain worked a little better with a hot cup of tea.

Now, how would I know something like that? Interesting that you noticed:

Incase you are confused, it is still me talking. I am talking from the beyond.

<did I hear you ask: How is that possible? Well… this is my story afterall…>

I am Stella – well, atleast I was Stella while I spent my life down on earth, NOW, I don’t quite have an identity. I am around you or might just be YOU.

The thing about situations like these are: it makes people vulnerable even when they know they aren’t responsible for what has happened. Drooping shoulders, bent heads and sombre faces are all what is seen around.

“Make that TWO” – a voice spoke from the main door, bringing along with the aroma of a strong scent of perfume…

“…fruity floral with notes of citrus, rounded out with jasmine, sandalwood, and vanilla”– blurted out Pascoal almost immediately,

taking in the heavy scent that surrounded the woman, who had now entered the room, giving a fleeting glance on the covered-once-upon-a-time Stella (she was just a body now) making herself comfortable on the sofa.

Giving a quick scan across the room, she looked to the dashing Inspector.

“Let me lay all your doubts to rest, Inspector: I know who did it” …. pointing to the covered white sheet on the floor

“…and the rest as they say, is HISTORY”, she continued

“It is interesting that you say it with so much conviction: Mrs…”

“It is Miss. Miss Surabhi”

“Ms. Surabhi, be rest assured – this isn’t an open and shut case as you make it to be. I am here and I WILL find out the TRUTH, to know exactly what happened.

---

The word “Rest” need not be only associated with relaxtion, slowing down or putting on pause, but it can also be used in an English phrase or an idiom. While the brain works better after giving it adequate rest, for all other other times – a cup of Tea works just as well.

While I’ve had fun brewing up a story out of nothing, trying to use a couple of idioms (of rest) along the way. It is interesting to know that – using phrases like idioms, similies or alliterations, makes the language and the speaker/writer look classy, and in the process if you can weave out a story or two around it – nothing like it.

The completion of the above story is left to the readers imagination. Or maybe simply enlargen it, if it is something you enjoy doing.

• #Fact The Police take a good 25/30 minutes to arrive after a particular scenario arises #India
• Women make even better detective-ghosts than they otherwise do on Earth.
• Perfumes are vital clues in every investigation. Women always leave a trail – even after they’re dead
• My stories should be read with a pinch of salt

MAKE IT VIRAL!!!

Husband (looking into the mirror): Honey!!! Honey!!!

Wife comes running from balcony with phone in her hand. “Why are you screaming dear? You just spoiled my reel!! What on earth made you scream your lungs out? It better be something that really needs my attention.”

Husband : What do you mean by “your attention”. Look what happened to my trousers (pointed towards his trouser that was unevenly ripped only on the left and interestingly it’s not even denim but a regular formal one).

Wife: Oh that thing! I did it. You know my friend made a reel with her husband in a torn shirt and got over a million views. I want to make a better reel and surpass that number, that’s why this ( and she giggles leaving her husband bemused). Honey we need to make funny videos to make our numbers ticking. We can’t just Relax and let others take a lead.

Husband: Yeah funny, hmm. Why don’t you switch on the camera and say that you are Smart!! Funny isn’t it? (Left the room with wife smirking and getting busy with her camera)

Sarcasm and agony written all over that husband’s face which was just a reflection of the restlessness of his wife – restless to make her presence felt on social platform, restless for churning numbers of views and likes, restless for relevance in the context of trends.

I might have given a fictional account of a couple but the scenario isn’t fictional altogether. From vacation pictures of celebrities to absurd challenges; from transformation videos to derision of people in the name of comedy; from cringe like breaking out dancing in the middle of street to being violent to random people – all in the wake of getting “Viral” and gaining attention. What started off as harmless fun has now attained the status of more or less a gluttony that has messed badly with our brains, draining off sanity and peace leaving behind a worked and worn out mind.

Get yourself some rest: Often we hear the term detoxify and the importance of cleansing one’s body. Very much needed indeed in the wake of the content we consume (like literally what goes in -what we eat) and our relatively less physically active lifestyles. But with our exposure to the social media and it’s content, our brain too has consumption. Wanted – unwanted; sensitive – bizarre; informative – crazy – say it , have it. It’s a buffet out there. And the brain too gets tired of consuming tirelessly a plethora of junk. And from consumption to serving dishes we have completed a full circle. And the problem arises when the circumference of that circle enlarges. When we are on consuming side we more often than not let our thoughts processes skew and let emotions embroil accordingly. Let’s go to the other side of the fence. Once a post is made, the next desire is to see it finding the reach – having clicks, views, likes , comments, shares, subscribers, followers, going viral. It’s a pretty much numbers game!! Pretty entangled. And when those expectations are not met we feel bad and rejected. We are in a self doubting mode – was it good enough? Worse , many also go through the existential crises as for them it’s about getting those impressions. We may accept it or not, our brains too need detoxification – a digital one. Our thoughts need a break from that constant worry of being able or not to impress others. Aimless wandering aiming for a set of benchmark numbers is an ailment for sure. Evading from the social scene from time to time is the best possible cure/ detoxification method. This is definitely not a new thing that I am phrasing out here but definitely less trended path.

Few exercises (questions) we constantly need to do:

• Do our private life need social audience every time?
• If the answer is yes to the above question then are we ready to ably handle the unwanted commentary (not supporting it by any means)?
• Why and how opinions of strangers on virtual world matters?
• Are you sure that all the happy faces on the internet are happy in reality as well?
• What if at this very moment “I forget my password for every social account of mine and there’s no possibility to retrieve the same for a long period”, will that affect my quality of life?

These questions from time to time will give a reality check. This is not bashing social media but a small attempt to bring to notice that conscious consumption/supply is of paramount importance. That let’s brain breathe and think. Our brain too deserves rest and it doesn’t mean completely devoid and deprived of thoughts/ ideas/ opinions but it means better utilization of it and not squandering it for trivial and unimportant things.

Sharing my experience: I am politically centre- right aligned person. I was on Twitter where I thought I could speak my mind. But soon I found myself to be really effected by what others say. I rejoiced when I found same voices, I disliked (always in the realm of cordial disagreement) the otherwise opinion (though pondering over arguments backed with strong reasoning and logics) and really hurt over crude comments that had sole objective of abusing the people who don’t agree with their perspective. That left me thinking over and over, worried for some unexplained reasons. I was getting anxious and was evident on my face. My husband intervened at right time. He said ” if you can’t remain level headed, if social media debates are leaving you hassled, if words of unknown faces ring in your head, if you can’t see it as a way to pass of your time then you should better be off the wagon”. He was in a jovial mood when he said those things to me but I took it up as an advice on trial. Deleted my Twitter account, reduced my Facebook and Instagram engagement immediately. And to my surprise found myself lighter by many notches. My presence on social media wasn’t for the numbers yet it effected me as I was weak and let it to do so. I always maintained and practiced – acceptance is the key!!

Be a Voice not noise: The point is how we create or consume content on the social media. Presence of social media in our lives is nothing less than a boon where ideas, perspectives, creativity are given a buoyant push towards the public eye. But a discretion is always necessary as to how the creators and the consumers behave. What we are experiencing now is a rush to be visible and seemingly relevant than actually making sense. This extreme pressure we are exerting on ourselves is making it a noise than a voice. Users discretion is so important, isn’t it?

Try take a break and make this idea viral 😜.

FORTY WINKS TO BETTER PERFORMANCE

“To meet any eventuality and to ensure smooth management of relief and rescue operations which may arise out of flood-like situation due to the heavy rainfall occurred in this district, it is hereby ordered that all officers shall remain present in their respective headquarters including Sunday. Any absence will be viewed seriously and action such as deemed proper will be taken against the defaulting person.”

Orders such as these are not uncommon in my line of work. But, what made me smile on receiving this order two days before was the fact that just few minutes before receiving this order, I had seen a WhatsApp message to write on the topic – ‘REST’ for CandlesOnline. I had volunteered to write for Monday, thinking that I could write leisurely on Sunday. But, what an irony it turned out to be! Leave alone write an article, my rest day was gone! Though losing a day’s rest usually makes one cringe, in emergency situations the call of duty is supreme.

Emergencies emerge every now and then in each of our lives – a loved one suddenly taken ill, a road accident, an unexpected death in the family. These are exceptions requiring occasional adjustments in our schedules for temporary periods during which our rest gets affected. Our bodies adapt, accommodate and rebound without much effort in responses to situations such as these. However, continual deprivation of rest is a silent killer!

Rest (it includes sleep and relaxation) is an integral part of longevity. Research shows that people deprived of adequate rest have a reduced life span, score lower on the performance scale and aren’t able to sustain for long. Machines made to run for durations longer than their performance capacity, often break down. They then need oiling and repair before they start functioning again. Without repair, they simply rust and rot due to disuse.

We humans are so much more than mere machines!

While it is important to find rest times for ourselves, it is equally crucial to identify the need for rest in the people around us. A humanized world is rapidly getting mechanized in a widely expanding digitized world! So much so, that we are increasingly losing sensitivity to the need for rest and relaxation in ourselves and others.  

Heard of the boss who comes to office at mid-day while issuing a whip for his staff to reach office before working hours and makes them to stay on beyond official working hours? An insensitive boss! The rest-deprived employees then vent out their frustration before their families, thus creating an unhealthy environment of depression, fear, anxiety and continual friction. Insensitivity breeds insensitivity!

From of years old, we all have been used to seeing wives and mothers working day in and day out to care for their families. Taking care of sick children, helping in their studies, cooking as per the taste buds of the family members, dusting, cleaning, attending to guests and some even balancing a job alongside. No gender biases, but cultural stereotypes world-over mostly accord the household chores to females, and hence the division of labour. That’s beside the point, since this article is not about gender equality or stereotypes. Be it a man who is engaged in heaps of chores or a woman, each one needs adequate rest. It is not justice for one person to slog for hours together without resting, without any one else lending a helping hand.

Human capital is a rich resource. It contributes aplenty to economic development. Apart from skill and training, the other important factor in assessing and tapping on to valuable human capital is ‘efficiency’. Efficiency is in turn assessed by performance. Performance is directly impacted by rest or the lack of it. Do you see the sequence here? Rest and relaxation indirectly impact economic development big time.

An organization having overworked employees will be an under performer in the long run, compared to organizations offering adequate rest, relaxation and recreation times to employees. Yes, each of us need to be on the toes in a fast-paced world – be it students in their studies or adults at work and home. None of us wants a night’s slumber at the cost of falling behind. Yet, it is wise to let the body clock tick away gracefully rather than pave the way for the clock to leap before time. Recognising the need for adequate rest and unwinding, some work places have a scheduled time for power naps or relaxation avenues like gyms, cafeterias, etc.

Two quick take aways:

DIVIDE AND DELEGATE

You may be a person who can multitask efficiently. Still, identify people around to whom you can delegate some of your tasks. If you are a mother, delegate some tasks to your children. If you are a team leader, delegate tasks to your team members. If you are one of those meticulous perfectionists, who cannot rest in peace without micromanaging, work on yourself to let go of obsessive management and look for smart ways of management with optimum productivity. Use the time saved, for a siesta. A burnt out candle gives no light. It just leaves behind smoky remains. Divide and delegate tasks so that you can continue to glow and shine in the world.

SHARE AND CARE

Look around you for overworked people. It doesn’t mean that you go snooping into others houses, offices or even into other people’s lives. Start from your immediate surroundings. Start at home. Check with your relatives and your immediate community. Share responsibilities so that others get time to rest. Accept delegated tasks without a grumble or a murmur when you have spare time. Awaken the spirit of sensitivity and the sense of realization that people around you need adequate rest. Sharing of responsibilities is a vital indicator of caring for others.

We can contribute towards a healthier world with happier people if we learn to rest well and realize that others need to rest too.