I was watching a video of George Carlin when some of his words caught my attention.

“The planet isn’t going anywhere; we are! We’re going away!”

As mentioned in my last blog, our planet has gone through several phases of mass extinctions during which 75-95% of living creatures have vanished from the face of the Earth. Each time our planet has rebuilt itself through mutations.

While the first two, viz., Ordovician-Silurian and Devonian Extinctions, were mainly about marine species, the Permian-Triassic extinction, often called the Great Dying, is regarded as the most significant mass extinction. The event about 252 million years ago wiped out about 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates. But Planet Earth did not stop. Despite the catastrophic setback, life found a way to rebound.

The Triassic-Jurassic Extinction, which happened 210 million years ago, caused the extinction of other vertebrate species on land, allowing the dinosaurs to flourish. Fast forward to the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction approximately 66 million years ago, where a large-scale destructive event, possibly caused by an asteroid, led to the demise of dinosaurs and many other species. Planet Earth did not stop here, either.

The planet transformed the moment of crisis to pave the way for the rise of mammals and, eventually, humans.

I am going back in history to form an analogy that underscores the importance of embracing change. The demise of the outdated, like the extinction of dinosaurs, creates opportunities for newer species and their innovative approaches. Just as mammals seized the spotlight after the dinosaurs' departure, chances are that new species are waiting down the road.

While we all must agree that plugging off our digital lifestyle and business processes may be impossible if we are to believe that we have already started our journey towards the extinction of the Holocene, the only way we can stall the event is by creating an environment of relative stability and flourishing biodiversity, as that is what the Holocene epoch was supposed to establish. The Holocene spirit encourages a long-term perspective, emphasising the importance of sustainable practices in both the ecological and digital spheres.

Drawing inspiration from Planet Earth's history and staying motivated in the face of adversity involves becoming adaptable, embracing change, and fostering long-term sustainability. By recognising the parallels between historical extinctions and contemporary environmental disruptions, we can navigate uncertainties, stay motivated, and carve a path towards the ever-evolving landscape that balances the environment and the digital world.

Finding the balance is the only way to stall our goodbyes to this world. 


 


There is a perception in the industry that, unless signed and sealed, deals done during the week should never be celebrated over the weekend. Anything can happen over the weekend to put twists in the deal. Sometimes, those can also be deal-breakers!

Watching the ICC World Cup Finals, this thought kept coming. Due to the clean sweep throughout the journey, India got into the game as the clear favorite. But the final match was of a different sort. The dominance of Indian batting was curtailed by clever Australian bowlers who took advantage of the conditions and seemed to have come into the game with thorough learnings on the strengths and weaknesses of Indian players. This is reflected in how they got Surya Kumar Jadav out by enticing him with slow bouncers while keeping two at fine leg and third man. It was just a matter of time before SKY did not connect properly and got caught by the two or the wicketkeeper!

One may argue that in a tournament where every team has played against each other in the round-robin stage, having a separate knockout stage is unfair. But I will not get into that argument. The tournament rules were made and agreed upon by all teams and are not up for debate just because the ultimate result was not as per our wishes.

What amazed me the most was the temperament of the Australian team. Despite losing the first two matches, they kept faith in themselves and marched strong into the knock-out stage. They never seemed to stop believing they could win the World Cup. Apart from their skills and years of practice, this faith got them through. 

Not only in cricket but in every aspect of life, nothing is over until it is completely over. There can always be some events, some favorable twists, that will drastically change the course and bring an expected negative outcome to a positive. There will be situations when the ball just touches the edge of the bat and misses it by a whisker on the other. Call it luck, destiny, or just probability; it will keep happening and there is no reason to lose hope before the stakes are completely lost or be overconfident before the battle is completely won.

What can be the best way to describe this than the five mass extinctions our Earth has faced over the 500 million years that life has been on this planet? In each of the extinctions, 75-95% of the living creatures have been wiped off from the face of the Earth, but the very fact that we sit today debating the onset of the Holocene Extinction proves that the 5% who got saved were enough to reconstruct the entire animal and plant kingdoms. (For those unaware of the previous extinctions and the sixth one we face, I shall share more details on my next blogs).

Why, then, should we lose hope halfway down the path?


 


In one of my earlier blogs, I mentioned how the self-employed see work-life balance as very different from those in salaried roles. While self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs enjoy autonomy and are driven by passion, finding a work-life equilibrium is challenging. Though they realize the need for a personal life, for many of them, work and life intertwine, blurring the boundaries between professional and personal. 

The passion that drives them also leads to long working hours, and in this digital era of constant connectivity, the spatial boundaries of work and home have long been erased. The constant and fierce competition in the market amplifies this pressure, making it a challenge for them to disconnect from the work world. If you disagree, you may ask them if they check their smartphones when they wake up in the middle of the night!

If we look from the perspective of the family members, there are two probabilities—either they share the passion or they do not. Even in the first situation, this passion may be a double-edged sword. Sharing the vision may not take away the feeling of being neglected due to time constraints. The unpredictability of an entrepreneur's schedule may add strain, requiring adaptability and understanding from family members. How will they feel if the entrepreneur does not land up at a function, where the family members must constantly answer queries about their absence?

Matters are much worse for those who do not share the passion.

To counter these, open communication within the family is essential to understanding the demands of self-employment and finding mutually agreeable solutions. Normally, under-committing and over-delivering help in such situations.

Along similar lines, establishing clear boundaries and effective time management can help a self-employed professional schedule dedicated family time. Proper delegation of tasks may enhance efficiency, promote a healthier work-life balance, and reduce stress.

In short, I would like to say that it is a myth that self-employed professionals and entrepreneurs do not suffer from work-life balance issues. Even for them, it is a delicate balancing act between their professional and personal lives. Both entrepreneurs and their family members play pivotal roles in achieving harmony. Proper communication and delegation can pave the way for an improved work-life balance.

Is this true for all? No. Every self-employed professional or entrepreneur must find out what works for them, but neglecting personal life is not an option.



 


Continuing from my last blog, I would like to discuss a concept prevalent in the Indian work culture. We like to think that those who work for long hours are more productive than the rest. Other than travel time and logistics, discussed in my last blog, this is one of the core reasons why we have issues with work-life balance.

Many would argue that more time spent at work leads to increased output because the worker spends longer hours doing the job. This is true in many industries, particularly in manufacturing entities where longer machine timings mean delivering higher workloads. So, if it does not justify a full shift, organizations pay (or do not pay) overtime for longer work hours.

There may be others who argue that productivity decreases as hours increase at work. There is a point of diminishing returns caused by fatigue and burnout, leading to low-quality work. Moreover, long working hours may negatively affect physical and mental health, ultimately increasing absenteeism, reducing concentration, and pulling down productivity.

When individual workers put in long hours at work, they get more time to refine or learn skills and gain expertise. This can help in professions where continuous learning is crucial. But can a fatigued person function in jobs requiring creativity and sound decision-making? Tired and stressed individuals are less likely to think innovatively and make rational choices. But again, a few would argue that the extended work hours help them with opportunities for innovative thinking and problem-solving, as they have more time to ponder complex issues.

Traditionally, working long hours has been seen as a sign of dedication and commitment to one's job, especially as a desk worker. It was perceived that this dedication inspires others and creates a positive work culture. But my observation of the Gen Y career aspirants tends to say otherwise. There are several review websites where low ratings are given to companies that have a culture of working longer than standard hours. This is a debate that will not have a definite conclusion shortly.

There is no fixed rule to tie working hours to productivity. Finding the right balance is key. Some industries or individuals may function better with longer hours temporarily to meet specific goals, but that cannot be set as a rule but an exception. It is essential to recognize the potential pitfalls of allowing long working hours, and sometimes employers should step in to force a team member to take a break.

Striking the right balance is crucial for sustainable productivity and the overall well-being of the team. Or else we are risking burnout in the long term.


 



Recently, there has been a lot of discussion on the number of hours one should work per week and the associated aspects of work-life balance. It is an important topic, but I am not sure if it is worth discussing it in a generalized context.

For work-life balance, several aspects need to be considered, and almost all are personal. It is up to the individual to decide how the balance needs to be maintained. 

Let me cite a few examples.

I have seen Mumbai housewives sitting in the local trains cutting vegetables they will cook when they reach home. The world-famous Dabbawalas exist because of the long travel time involved in the Mumbai commute and the officegoers’ need for home-cooked lunches. Does that mean that they do not have a personal life? If you say that the answer is yes, I will strongly disagree. Mumbai is known for its life and spirit. If we go by the generalized inferences, how do they maintain such a lifestyle?

While I took the example of Mumbai, even in Kolkata and other metros, many people commute more than two hours each way to their workplace. 

This brings to mind a common joke I heard back in my childhood. When a father was asked how big his son had grown, he showed it horizontally. On inquiry, he said that he only saw his son lying in bed since he left for work before his son woke up and returned home after his son went to bed at night. It seemed funny then, but thinking about it deeply, it brings up a tragic story of our workforce, where a father can’t interact with his son!

In both examples, I did not bring in the perspective of actual work. It is only the commute that has made life difficult. And why do we have such a long commute? The answer lies in the state of infrastructure and the disparity in the cost of living in cities vs. that of suburbs. 

Now, coming to the time spent at work, we need to distinguish the kind of skills the person has. The culture has changed after the COVID-19 pandemic. Nowadays, white-collar jobs often have more flexibility regarding remote work, while blue-collar jobs typically require physical presence, potentially leading to less work-life balance for the latter. It is unfortunate, but in a country like India, the blue-collar worker often needs to choose between work-life balance and having a job in the first place.

This drives the discussion towards self-employment. Self-employed individuals have autonomy but often struggle to draw a clear line between work and personal life. Salaried workers have more structured hours but sometimes face long hours in the office, which affects their equilibrium. Even if there are paid overtime, monetary benefits can’t substitute personal life.

Does that mean self-employment is the way to go because even with the long hours, one does get the satisfaction that the work done is for the betterment of their company? 

Would like to hear from you before I share my perspective on this.  

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