Maham's wandering mind

How I Learned to Be Productive While Working From Home (Without Burning Out)

2026-01-29T23:58:00.003+05:00

Working from home used to feel like freedom to me.

No commute.
No rigid office hours.
No one was checking whether I looked busy enough.

At first, it felt like I had finally figured things out. But a few weeks in, I noticed something unsettling. I was always working and still felt behind.

My days blurred together. I jumped between tasks without finishing them. Even on “productive” days, I ended the night mentally exhausted and oddly dissatisfied.

That’s when it hit me:

Working from home doesn’t automatically make you productive. It quietly exposes how you manage focus, boundaries, and self-trust.

This is what I’ve learned (slowly, imperfectly) about staying productive while working from home without burning out.

How I Learned to Be Productive While Working From Home (Without Burning Out)

The Real Challenge of Working From Home Isn’t Discipline (It’s Direction)

Most productivity advice assumes you lack motivation.

That was never my problem.

The real issue was mental clutter. Too many open tabs. Too many half-finished tasks. No clear beginning or end to the workday.

When your home becomes your workplace, your brain never fully switches modes. You’re technically “free,” but mentally stuck in a constant in-between state, not fully working, not fully resting.

That’s exhausting.

True productivity while working from home starts with clarity, not pressure.

Without direction, discipline turns into self-punishment. I kept pushing myself harder, thinking effort would solve confusion. It didn’t. What helped was deciding why I was working before deciding how long I would work. Once direction came first, productivity followed naturally.

I Stopped Trying to “Start Strong” and Focused on Starting Gently

I used to believe productive people jumped straight into work.

That never worked for me.

Now, instead of forcing intensity first thing in the morning, I give myself a soft entry into the day.

This looks like:

Sitting quietly before opening my laptop
Writing down what actually matters today (not everything that exists)
Letting my mind settle before demanding output

This small pause creates intention.

Without it, the day controls you. With it, you control the day, gently.

Working From Home Taught Me That Time Boundaries Matter More Than Space

I don’t have a perfectly designed home office.
And I’ve stopped pretending that’s the solution.

What matters more than where you work is when you work.

I learned the hard way that:

Working randomly throughout the day creates constant stress
Working late doesn’t mean working effectively
Not having an end time slowly leads to burnout

So I now protect my work hours the same way I protect rest.

When work has a clear end, productivity improves naturally. Because your mind knows there’s relief ahead.

Long To-Do Lists Were Draining My Focus, Not Improving It

At one point, my to-do lists were longer than my actual working hours.

It felt productive to write everything down, but it created invisible pressure. Every unfinished task felt like a personal failure.

Now, I limit myself to three meaningful priorities per day.

Not urgent distractions.
Not vague goals.
Real, finishable work.

This shift alone changed how productive working from home feels.

Focus thrives when expectations are realistic.

Productivity Improved When I Started Working With My Energy, Not Against It

Some hours, my mind feels sharp.
Other hours, it feels heavy.

Productivity advice often assumes everyone operates the same way every day. That’s not realistic, especially when you work from home. Some days your mind cooperates. Some days it resists. Learning the difference helped me stop taking low-energy days personally.

Instead of fighting this, I started observing it.

I noticed:

When I think clearly
When I start rereading the same sentence
When effort stops producing results

High-energy hours are for deep work.
Low-energy hours are for lighter tasks or rest.

This one change reduced frustration and improved output more than any productivity hack ever did.

Hustle Culture Made Working From Home Harder Than It Needed to Be

I used to believe productivity meant:

Working longer
Saying yes more often
Feeling tired at the end of the day

Now I see that as conditioning, not truth.

Some of my most productive days feel calm.
Some don’t feel impressive at all.
But progress still happens.

Sustainable productivity isn’t loud.
It’s quiet, steady, and forgiving.

Ending the Workday Properly Changed My Evenings

One of the biggest mistakes I made while working from home was never closing the day. Building a simple routine can really help you lighten the workload and ease closing your day.

Now, before I stop:

I acknowledge what I completed
I decide what can wait
I close my workspace, even if it’s symbolic

This gives my brain permission to rest.

Without closure, work follows you everywhere.

What Productivity at Home Means to Me Now

Being productive while working from home no longer means squeezing more out of myself.

It means:

Working with intention
Respecting mental limits
Allowing flexibility without chaos
Creating systems that support focus

Some days are productive in visible ways.
Some days are productive because I didn’t push past exhaustion.

Both count.

Productivity at home no longer feels like a performance to me. It is based on simple, easy to follow routines, and my mind always knows what to do next (thereby reducing the chances of procrastination that we often do).

Some days are quiet. Some are messy. Some feel slow. But progress still happens, just without constant pressure.

If you’re struggling to stay productive while working from home, it doesn’t mean you lack discipline. It usually means you haven’t been taught how to build structure without someone else enforcing it.

and that’s a skill worth learning (patiently).

Meta’s Multi-Token Prediction — What Does It Mean for AI Models & Future of Coding?

2024-09-27T14:30:00.015+05:00

In a recent report, researchers at Meta, Université Paris-Saclay, and Ecole des Ponts ParisTech suggest improving the accuracy and speed of AI large language models (LLMs) by “making them predict multiple tokens simultaneously.”

This contradicts the classic structure of auto-regressive language models, which have been designed to predict one token at a time.

Credit: VentureBeat made with Midjourney

Next-Token Prediciton Model — Limitations & Benefits

“Token” is a piece of information or ideas we give in prompts.

The current large language models such as GPT and Llama are trained with a next-token prediction loss.

Meaning? The model — AI — is given a sequence of tokens and must predict the next one.

How are AI Models Trained?

When we give AI a “token” — or piece of information, it adds the predicted token to the input and repeats the process, one token at a time. By doing this over and over on large corpora of text, the model learns general patterns that allow it to generate coherent passages of text.

However, where it seems like a reasonable model to generate “logical” responses. Researchers have observed that it’s limited in “acquiring language, world knowledge, and reasoning capabilities.”

What is Multi-Token Prediction?

Unlike single-token prediction, where the process is repeated over time as tokens are predicted one by one, multi-token prediction allows the AI LLM to predict several future tokens from each position in the training corpora at the same time.

It does not require extra training time or memory overhead.

The multi-token prediction language model is based on the Transformer architecture used in most LLMs, although with some modifications. The model uses the main structure of the Transformer though instead of a single output, it has multiple independent output heads, one for each token it wants to predict.

“While cost-free and simple, multi-token prediction is an effective modification to train stronger and faster transformer models,” the researchers write.

Multi-token prediction also makes models up to 3 times faster at inference time across a wide range of batch sizes, according to the researchers.

Future of Coding with Multi-Token LLM

AI LLM, which has the ability to predict multiple tokens requiring less training and more memory overhead, will prove to be a valuable resource for coders.

How? Tools with such models can analyze multiple code elements at once, provide suggestions faster, and even help debug code more quickly. They can more confidently rely on such tools for repetitive tasks, get quicker solutions, and focus more on complex problems.

AI could also help automate some coding processes, making it easier for developers to write clean and efficient code. Therefore, it will become a powerful assistant for coders, enhancing productivity and speeding up workflows — unlike ever before.

5 Mistakes I Made During My Writing Career

2024-09-26T05:43:00.009+05:00

If I could back in time, here are some things I would tell my naive younger self:

1. Don’t Go For ‘Perfect Copy’ in Your First Draft

Your first draft is to dump all your ideas in one place. Let it all flow — follow your stream of consciousness. Let it be rough, bad, wrong, and full of errors. You can always come back and edit it later.

2. Don’t Mimic Others — Find Your Voice & Style

I confused inspiration with mimicking. Every time I read something that inspired me, I took that as a standard and copied it into my words. No doubt it helped me kick start my journey, but I blurred the line when I needed to write it in my style — find my voice.

3. Document Your Every Work — Create Your Gold Mine

Document everything you write. No matter how bad you think it is. Save it. Draft it. But never delete it. You never know what idea might inspire your next big hit.

4. Experiment, But Find Your Niche

I followed the advice of experimenting with niches religiously. I didn’t narrow it down — maybe also because I couldn’t figure out what’s best suitable for me. But narrowing down your niche, and practicing your style for that market will put you ahead of your competitors.

5. Market Yourself and Your Work Proudly

Don’t shy away from marketing yourself. I know it feels embarrassing to ‘showcase’ your work. But deal with it for a while, you’ll thank yourself later.

How To Start Freelancing with No Experience (Guide for Students & Newbies)

2024-09-26T05:42:00.010+05:00

Are you in the final years of university, or have you just started college and want to earn extra money through freelancing?

Or do you want to create a full-time income?

At whatever stage you are in your life and career, freelancing is a career path you can always explore.

It has many benefits. It gives you the freedom to work from anywhere and be more flexible with your routine, and work schedule. Allows you to take the days off when you want, and plan to work on days you find the most time.

But also remember that, first, it is not a bed of roses to get clients.

Second, it sometimes controls your schedule, and you may be working around the clock, all night.

On some days, you might not have any work and be overloaded the next week.

So it’s unpredictable. But once you have a pool of resources, long-term projects, or consistent work from certain clients, you can enjoy all the perks.

How to Start Freelancing with No Experience (Guide for Students & Newbies)

So let’s first understand,

What Is Freelancing?

Freelancing means you are not bound to work with/for anyone.

You choose the amount of work you do, how much time you spend, and at what rate. You can create an unlimited (or very small) income, depending on your clients and working capacity.

Unlike a job, where you have fixed working hours, schedule, and no control over workload and you get a fixed salary at the end of the month.

How To Figure Out the Skill You Can Sell?

There can be two approaches to it:

Try different things and choose to do what interests you the most.
Research which skill is the most in-demand and master it.

You can do a blend of both; it completely depends on you. But it will be a journey of trial and error. Don’t be afraid of losing track along the process. You will get frustrated and find it difficult to learn at first. But it’s okay.

You can also provide a service of skill you already know about (however beginner-level it is). If you’re freelancing from home, learning how to stay productive without burnout becomes just as important as finding clients.

For example, maybe you once created a poster using Canva for your school project, and you really enjoyed it. So you can explore more about Canva and provide social media post-designing services.

Or if you enjoy writing, you can try blog writing.

If you have a knack for tech, try coding.

If you’re good with words and people, you can try bidding and outreach services.

Figuring out your ideal skill might be a long journey. Try multiple things, and you’ll know what suits you the best.

How to Learn (And Master) Any Skill?

Now you are clear on what you want to sell. How can you learn and master this skill?

Start small. Don’t invest in any paid courses. Take free courses.

YouTube is your best teacher.

Start with any crash/beginner-level course to get an idea of what is it about.
Create some demos. Don’t fear creating a mess or errors. You’ll learn from your mistakes.
You can take up some free projects — later use them in your portfolio.

"Practice, Make Mistakes, Learn More, & Practice Even More"

— Your Mantra to Success

Where Can You Find Clients?

Here are the platforms where you can find freelance clients:

Upwork: One of the largest freelancing platforms offering various job categories.
Fiverr: Ideal for offering services as “gigs” where clients come to you.
Freelancer: A bidding platform where freelancers compete for projects.
Toptal: Specializes in top-tier freelancers, especially in tech, design, and finance.
LinkedIn: A professional networking site where you can connect with potential clients.
PeoplePerHour: Best for hourly work in tech, marketing, and content creation.
Guru: Offers flexible payment options and a variety of project categories.
Behance: A portfolio platform for designers and creatives.
SimplyHired: A job search engine that includes freelance opportunities.

Fiverr and Upwork are very popular but saturated platforms. It can be very challenging to get clients there, especially for a beginner. You can try reaching out to your ideal clients through LinkedIn and other platforms.

Don’t rely on any one platform. Be active on 2–3 platforms, and try different strategies to find clients.

How Can You Get Projects?

1. Market Yourself Proudly

Don’t be afraid of putting yourself and your work out there. Don’t worry about ‘what others will think’. The best way is to create a professional profile (for LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram), or blog where you can document your journey and learning, or simply practice your skill as a writer on different topics.

2. Build a Professional Online Presence

LinkedIn is the new (or maybe now old) Facebook. It’s the best way to present your skills, and achievements to the world.

There are many stories where people got big opportunities from LinkedIn — without approaching the company first.

How? The company reached out to them.

Why? Because they had showcased the skills and knowledge the company was looking for.

Also, it will

give you confidence;
build you an online and resourceful network;
provide you with an opportunity to reach out to ideal clients.

3. Create a Portfolio

Assemble your best work in one place — you can use free platforms like:

Behance: Ideal for creative professionals like designers, illustrators, and photographers. It allows you to showcase your work and get discovered by clients.
Dribbble: Another platform for designers to display your portfolio — focusing on graphic design, web design, and illustration.
Carbonmade: A simple and user friendly platform to create a clean, professional-looking portfolio.
WordPress: You can use the free version of WordPress to build a portfolio website and customize it with various themes and plugins — best for writers, illustrators, and designers.
Journo Portfolio: Perfect for writers, journalists, and content creators, allowing you to showcase writing samples and projects.
Cargo: Provides templates and tools for designers, artists, and creatives to build unique, stylish portfolio sites for free.
Crevado: A free portfolio builder for photographers, artists, and designers, offering a simple drag-and-drop interface.
Clippings.me: Specifically for journalists and writers, it’s an easy-to-use platform to create a writing portfolio.

4. Make Cold Outreach Your Best Buddy

Cold emailing or outreach through LinkedIn and other platforms is difficult and demands courage, as there will be a lot of rejections. But it can land you your dream projects, biggest clients, and maybe a lifetime opportunity to steer your career growth.

Don’t be afraid of reaching out. It doesn’t put you in a weak spot.

In fact, it creates opportunities for you.

Read more to learn tips on how to best reach out to your ideal client.

5. Make Your First Offer Risk-Free and Provide ‘Value’

In your cold message, offer them something of value and risk-free — the best approach is to offer a free trial, a demo, or free suggestions on how to improve them. You can also directly add a few points in the email or attach a doc file with recommendations.

Productivity Tips for Freelancers

Starting out as a freelancer isn’t just about finding clients, it’s about managing your time, energy, and focus so you can deliver consistently.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Time-block your day: Divide your hours into focused work sessions and short breaks. Even two 90-minute blocks can be more productive than a chaotic 10-hour workday.
Prioritize tasks: List the top 3 tasks you must finish today. Everything else can wait.
Batch similar work: Group emails, proposals, or revisions into one session instead of doing them sporadically.
Track your progress: Keep a simple log of completed tasks — it’s motivating and keeps your workflow organized.
Protect focus time: Turn off notifications when writing proposals or doing deep work. Small distractions eat your productivity.

Even if you’re just starting out, treating your freelancing like a mini-business with structured routines makes all the difference. Productivity isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing what matters consistently.

How Much Time Does It Take?

Let's be realistic - no one knows.

Don’t listen to people who claim that they have earned their millions (or a lot of money) in the first month or year.

It will take time. Be prepared for it.

No one knows how much time it’ll take for you.

It all depends on your skillset, market demand, pricing, outreach strategy, and sometimes, sheer luck.

But the best way to ensure success is to stay consistent.

So figure out your plan, and stick to it.

Give it a few months without expecting the booming results in just one night.

You might fail, but always remember why you started.

5 Tips for Freelancers for Higher Productivity - from SOLO by Rebecca Seal

2024-08-08T21:16:00.009+05:00

It is surely challenging to manage your time and space as a freelancer. Working at unpredictable hours, and being available round the clock to be able to respond and quickly finalize the projects is just the layer of the iceberg that lies above the main pressure of delivering your best qualitative work to make up for the absence of in-person interaction and ensuring trust with your clients.

However, above every hassle, one thing that freelancers or “soloists”, as put by Rebecca Seal in her book, “Solo: How to Work Alone (And Not Lose Your Mind)”, have to face is managing your time and productivity.

Here are some tips for you to enhance your work experience and productivity inexplicably:

Tip 1: Create a dedicated workspace for yourself

One mistake that freelancers or remote workers make, especially at the start of their journey, is that they take the term “work from the comfort of home” quite too literally. You can’t lie in your bed and expect high-performing activity from your mind.

Our brain is quite a powerful tool. We can program our minds, and research has shown that if we do something daily in the same space at a fixed time, our body becomes familiar with space and time zones and will automatically get into the rhythm of the task without having to invest much energy and effort. What’s the takeaway?

Create a specific time and space for yourself!

It doesn’t matter how small, basic, or untraditional it might be. It is your space! So don’t worry about how it should be and just get started with what you can get at the moment and you can always upgrade it with time. Make sure it can only happen if you learn to manage and work effectively.

Moreover, creating a space that is decorated as per your taste and style makes it a lot more meaningful for you and gives you a sense of purpose - making you feel more driven, focused, and joyful. In her TED talk, Fetell Lee emphasizes the importance of such “ordinary things” and how they can significantly bring joy to your everyday routine.

Tip 2: Make a Routine

“Having to invent yourself from scratch every morning is much much harder than people who haven’t done it imagine. What they see is freedom, and what we see are overwhelming options”, says Margaret Hefferman, a writer, and an entrepreneur.

You surely need some willpower to follow the routine, even if it’s a simple one. But it takes much more “effort to invent your day every day”. So don’t give up. You can start by making small changes, such as trying to wake up half an hour earlier than you usually do and completing the challenging task in the first two hours of your day. It might not sound much, but it can significantly impact your energy and motivation level by giving you a renewed sense of achievement that will further help you improve your performance.

Tired of procrastinating? Here are 8 ways to help you beat procrastination!

Tip 3: Aim for Short And Focused Hours Schedule

Well, yes.

And even if you have a partner who supports you emotionally and takes care of literally all other chores for you, it is still not humanly possible to work such long hours and ensure productivity. So unless you are stuck in the office with a toxic micro-managing boss who forces you to sit by your desk all day, don’t torture yourself with this mindset.

More than working long hours, it is important that we work the hours that are actually enough for us to get our work done. The hustle culture where you are not supposed to have any time for leisure is actually a manifestation of the capitalist system that causes mental health issues, burnout, and numbness leading you to mindless consumption of data and products - profiting the elites in the end.

On the other hand, if you ever get the chance to observe wealthy and spiritually aligned people, they always value leisure time and are mindful of their time. They understand the importance of working with a sheer focus for a specific time and then coming back to experience the life they worked hard to create for themselves.

So don’t ever restrict yourself to your desk for long hours, but make sure when you are at your working table, you work with utmost focus and dedication. This is the only way to get the most out of your time and yourself for the best performance.

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid of Outsourcing When Overwhelmed

It’s very important to get one thing clear before you start devouring into this field - it is far more important to be “time rich” than be “material rich”, and similarly, it is certainly worse to be “time poor” than to be “material poor”. Yes, it is a thing.

Let me explain it a bit more for you. Being time-rich means you have some time to yourself. You have the time to rest, you can prioritize your relationships, make time for your family, friends, and hobbies, and in general experience life. On the other hand, being time-poor means the ultimate opposite, which sadly has become a reality for a plethora of adults in this hustle culture.

There is also a whole position of “virtual assistant” - people who virtually manage your daily tasks, schedule, and other little things for you that might otherwise consume much of your energy, such as checking emails and responding back to simple queries. So don’t limit yourself, developing the right team can actually get you much ahead rather than working completely on your own.

Moreover, research on money and happiness has shown that outsourcing - whether chores or work - improves well-being to a greater extent than keeping money would have done. So focus on buying time, and you will a significant improvement in your well-being, lifestyle, and productivity.

Tip 5: Learn How to Make an Effective To-Do List

Yes, the to-do list is a simple list of all the things you need to do, but the order in which you list them can have a crucial impact on your performance and productivity.

As a part of writing this book, Rebecca interviewed Nat Rich, a personal responsibility coach with a refreshing idea to manage your time and to-do list effectively. She shares that at the time of the interview, she was at her “lowest ebb” - struggling to manage writing, an investigative article for the Guardian, kids, and other basic tasks. Meanwhile, it was the ideal time for her to meet him. The interview ended with her bawling with the realization of how useful his tips are going to be for her, and I am hoping you will find them just as profound as I found them.

Rich emphasized that when you make a list of tasks randomly, there is a higher chance that you will mention the most basic things at the top with the most important at the end or middle, making them hard to detect and prioritize.

Trick to Creating the Most Practical To-Do List

He proposed the strategy of dividing your list into three categories which are:

Deadline
Money
Contact

In the end, all the people you have to talk to, emails, or calls you have to make go under the “contact” category.

This categorization allows you to prime your brain before picking up the list of similar tasks, and perform them effectively in less time.

Instead of juggling between multiple tasks of varying nature.

So don’t randomly dunk all the things you can think of in these sections.

Make it to the point of achieving all the important tasks first, and then think of other ones as a “bonus” for that day.

Always remember that the soloist lifestyle is all about experimenting. No one has figured it out from the very beginning. It takes time, and it is alright. It’s all about trial and error and adapting to new changes. Just be clear about your priorities, intentions, and values. This will help you detect the system that truly brings out the best in you (without leading to burnout!).

Adulthood, Marriage, and Meaning of Life

2024-07-07T23:57:00.006+05:00

Picture of 'the moment' from my Nikkah day.

Once my mother asked me why girls suddenly become more religious after marriage?
I was amazed by her bold statement and thought for a moment.

"Maybe because they are naive and living in their little world with their unconditionally loving parents, and later the responsibilities make them realize the importance of life, and they find peace in connection with Allah Almighty," I made an assumption.

"You are right," she said in a surprisingly low tone.

I have not always been very close to my parents. Just like every teenager, I used to live 'in my own little world' until university life hit me and made me see the real outside world.

I had problems making friends and found myself in some weird situations where I couldn't make sense of even myself. But my parents took me under their wings, helped me clear my vision, supported me, and made me strong enough with their trust and love to muster up the courage to continue my journey.

After that, I realized the importance of parents in one's life. Since then I started sharing my problems, and observations about life, nature, and people around me with my mother. Slowly, it became our thing.

I took a psychology class in my last years of university which gradually developed my interest in human behaviors and social psychology theories. It was not just limited to books, I started seeing the 'theories' all around me reflected in the people in my life.

I was not always right in my observations, but I entrusted my mother to share her thoughts and whatever disturbed her with me. Then, I shared my take on the situation and guided her to either take a certain required action or ignore it completely. In such moments, I felt our roles reversed and it made me see my mother (and gradually father too) as individuals who are also equally struggling to make sense of this world - be at peace with life, trying to soothe their inner children and go through life day by day.

However, I was still not prepared to become one myself. As adulthood is just too complicated, hard, and just weird.

We talked about everything, but marriage was the only subject that always repelled me. My sister got married at the age of 19 (not common in our family) and I decided to study further. My parents were always very supportive of my decisions.

But the fact that I was 'coming of age' to get married was worrying them. Soon after my sister got married, I started getting proposals, and with every added proposal the discussion was heightened even more.

But I was just not ready for the commitment (more than fear of commitment, I feel, I was scared of the concept of marriage, the fear of losing myself in the marriage and ending up with a man that doesn't see me beyond my physical self).

I am not sure what's this thing about 'seeing beyond the physical self'. Maybe it is because I have seen a majority of desi wives as someone who was not allowed to speak their minds, not turned to for advice, and were only seen as good for household work. I did not want that.

Recently, I got married, and I can understand why girls suddenly become more religious.
I am blessed to have a god-fearing husband who takes care of me and is making every effort to make me feel more comfortable in this new phase of our life, and with in-laws who are very considerate of this change in my life and empathetically allowing me to take my sweet time with everything.

However, on some days, I feel utterly alone. Even by having my family a phone away, the distance of living far far away from them, and the realization breaks me even more that the part of my life where I get to live with them is over - it would never be the same.

It surely can be better In sha Allah, I am hopeful Allah has the best paths for me. But still, it hits hardest on some days. How I have to be responsible for myself, and a family to take care of. It all feels very very hard at some points. I miss my sisters, baby brother, cousins, friends, and the person I am with them.

This transition of marriage is indeed beautiful but a great change for every girl.

This makes you realize how you only truly have Allah with you. How only he can listen to you even when you can't describe the depth of your feelings in words.

Every adult I have turned to to discuss my feelings and struggle with practical life, I have found them as equally struggling children just with many more responsibilities, and burdens to carry. They all are also just trying to go through their respective phases of life. In short, I have for now realized that life is hard.

I am not sure yet if you are supposed to find peace and be content with it, but this whole concept of transitions in life - from childhood to adulthood - and all the people we meet in between and leave, reflects the temporary nature of this world.

How we would eventually leave everything behind. For this, the world is nothing but our short stop to meet our creator in the afterlife.

It helps a bit to think like that. But the emptiness remains. Maybe it will be filled after some days, months, or maybe years. I am not sure. But for now, it's as hurtful as a fresh burn on the skin which you may forget for a while but it's there, the pain may soothe for a while but it comes without warning and kills you with every wave.

P.S. I wrote this in my journal almost 2 months after moving abroad. I was weeping throughout and just wanted to take all these heavy feelings out on paper. I decided to share it here because I've discovered that every girl feels similarly after marriage. At least for the first or two years - which is a long period of time. And I just wanted to put it out with the hope that one day it might help someone feel a little less alone in the depth of these transitory feelings. Also, yes, it does get better. Or you make peace with it, I should say. But bit by bit, although painfully slowly, time heals the wounds. Also, as you move along to discover new phases of this married life and create beautiful memories with your husband, and in-laws, it gets better. So just hold on a little longer, you'll feel better :')

'Our Women on the Ground' by Zahra Hankir - Book Review

2023-11-21T16:13:00.002+05:00

Women On the Ground by Zahra Hankir is a series of essays by 19 female journalists based on their personal yet very similar experiences of covering war, bloodshed, terror, female oppression, and trauma that has become a norm in the Middle East for the last few decades.

Zahra Hankir wrote in the introduction that ' A Sahafiya is twice burdened' and that is exactly why their stories need to be heard, especially with the rise of representation and the dangers of single narratives.

Each essay is based on the individual's journey of how they started covering their assigned war-struck region - Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Sudan, Palestine, Egypt, Yemen, Libyan. Gaza, and Syria. Some were residents and forced to leave, while a few came for coverage and built homes in the regions after years of persistence and lost loved ones.

All stories are simply heartbreaking and make us realize how blatantly Muslim Countries have been targeted by the West over the years, and how deep-rooted its impact is. How it not only kills thousands of people but also oppresses and terrorizes the upcoming generations for decades.

Another important thing that I felt is that the majority of the stories were from a non-Muslim point of view, thus they couldn't understand the concept of Pardah and Haya in Islam. However, the remaining few who were even raised by Muslim families were told to always cover just because "everyone was doing it". This obligation and failure to understand its importance, moreover, the religious extremism surrounding them led them to find comfort and liberation against it.

Moreover, felt like this book is catered more towards "western" reads. While reading the first couple of essays I've noticed a common trait between them. and that's that the majority if not all of the journalists mentioned have been influenced by Western culture one way or another while growing up. sure they're Arab women but for me most of the essays felt like it has been written by foreign writers with Arabic-sounding names.

All of this has very negatively presented the image of the Muslim regions and their outlook on women - mind you, not of Islam but its believers who failed to understand, follow, and preach it adequately.

Meanwhile, it's a must-read book, especially in the time of an ongoing genocide to see an elaborate insight of what life looks like in such regions.

And honestly, it's a shame for us as a Muslim country especially since this has been a reality and an even more tragic version is created for our fellow brothers and sisters in Gaza.

About the Author: Zahra Hankir is a Lebanese-British journalist who writes about the intersection of politics, culture, and society in the Middle East. Her work has appeared in Guernica, the Los Angeles Review of Books, Los Angeles Times, Vice, BBC News, Al Jazeera English, Bloomberg Businessweek, Roads & Kingdoms, and Literary Hub, among others. She was awarded a Jack R. Howard Fellowship in International Journalism to attend Columbia Journalism School and holds degrees in politics and Middle Eastern studies from the American University of Beirut and the University of Manchester, respectively.

Mind Models for Self Improvement | Your Roadmap to Personal Growth

2023-08-24T18:01:00.002+05:00

Self-improvement is a transformative journey, and using mind models can be a powerful way to navigate this path effectively. Mind models, also known as mental frameworks or cognitive maps, provide a structured approach to understanding and enhancing various aspects of your life.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore how mind models can be valuable tools for self-improvement, introduce you to key models, and provide detailed insights supported by research and expert perspectives.

What Are Mind Models for Self Improvement?

Mind models are mental representations or frameworks that help you organize information, make sense of complex concepts, and guide decision-making in your self improvement journey. They serve as cognitive roadmaps that simplify complex ideas into manageable structures.

When applied to self-improvement, mind models provide clarity, focus, and direction, making it easier to set and achieve personal development goals.

Key Mind Models for Self Improvement

The Growth Mindset Model

Developed by psychologist Carol Dweck, this model emphasizes the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Dweck's research has shown that adopting a growth mindset can lead to higher achievement in various aspects of life.

Psychologist Carol Dweck's groundbreaking research, detailed in her book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success," explores the concept of fixed versus growth mindsets. A fixed mindset believes that abilities are static, while a growth mindset believes in the potential for improvement through effort. Dweck's studies demonstrate that individuals with a growth mindset tend to achieve more significant success in various aspects of life, from academics to sports.

The Habit Loop Model

Popularized by Charles Duhigg in his book "The Power of Habit," this model explains how habits are formed and can be changed. Understanding the habit loop (cue, routine, reward) is essential for breaking bad habits and forming new, positive ones.

Charles Duhigg, in his book "The Power of Habit," delves into the science of habit formation. He explains that habits consist of three components: a cue or trigger, a routine or behavior, and a reward. Duhigg's research, based on numerous case studies and scientific findings, offers practical insights into how habits work and how they can be modified.

The Eisenhower Matrix Model

Named after President Dwight D. Eisenhower, this model helps you prioritize tasks based on their urgency and importance. It's a valuable tool for time management and productivity.

His strategies for prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance have been widely studied and applied in time management and productivity literature.

The SMART Goals Model

This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Using SMART criteria when setting goals ensures that they are well-defined and actionable, increasing the likelihood of success.

The SMART criteria for goal setting have been popularized in various self-help and personal development resources. While the model's origins may not be tied to a single researcher, it has become a standard approach for setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals.

The Wheel of Life Model

This model assesses various life areas, such as career, relationships, health, and personal growth, on a visual wheel. It helps you identify areas that require attention and balance in your life.

The Wheel of Life is a coaching tool that has been adapted and utilized by many self-improvement experts and coaches. While its specific origins are not attributed to a single researcher, it offers a visual representation of life areas and is commonly used for goal setting and life assessment.

The 80/20 Principle (Pareto Principle)

The 80/20 Principle, also known as the Pareto Principle, offers a powerful perspective on how you can achieve more with less effort.

Formulated by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in the early 20th century, it suggests that roughly 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes or efforts.

It has since been applied in various fields, including business and personal development.

The SWOT Analysis Model

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

It is a structured framework used to assess the internal and external factors that can impact an individual's goals and decision-making.

By conducting a SWOT analysis, you gain a clearer understanding of your current situation and can develop strategies for personal growth.

Exploration of the SWOT Analysis Model

Strengths: Your strengths are the internal qualities and resources that set you apart. Research in positive psychology highlights the importance of leveraging your strengths for personal development and well-being. Studies have shown that individuals who use their strengths regularly experience higher levels of happiness and fulfillment.

Weaknesses: Identifying weaknesses is an essential step toward improvement. Psychologists emphasize the importance of self-awareness and self-acceptance in addressing weaknesses. By acknowledging areas that need improvement, you can take proactive steps to develop new skills or seek assistance when necessary.

Opportunities: Recognizing and seizing opportunities is a key aspect of personal growth. Research in career development suggests that individuals who actively seek and create opportunities tend to have more fulfilling and successful careers. The ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities can lead to significant advancements in various life areas.

Threats: Understanding threats is crucial for risk management. Research in decision-making emphasizes the importance of considering potential threats and obstacles when planning and setting goals. Being prepared to address threats can enhance your resilience and adaptability.

This SWOT analysis model is commonly used in strategic planning, and is a valuable tool for gaining insights into various aspects of your life and personal development.

How to Use Mind Models for Self Improvement

You can use these models for creating actionable plans as well as simplify your already created complicated plan that you’ve been delaying for weeks.

How? Follow these steps:

Identify Your Goals

Determine your self-improvement goals and challenges. What areas of your life do you want to enhance, and what specific outcomes do you seek?

Select Relevant Mind Models

Choose the mind models that align with your goals. For example, if you want to improve time management, the Eisenhower Matrix and SMART Goals models are valuable.

Apply the Models

Use the selected mind models to analyze your current situation, set actionable goals, and create a plan for improvement.

Regularly Review and Adjust

Continuously assess your progress, making adjustments as needed. Mind models provide a structured framework for self-reflection.

Seek a Mentor

Consider working with a coach or mentor who can provide insights and guidance on applying mind models effectively.

This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth understanding of mind models and how they can drive personal growth. By incorporating these models into your self-improvement journey, you gain structured insights and strategies for achieving your goals.

Whether you aim to develop a growth mindset, establish effective habits, or enhance your time management skills, these mind models offer valuable tools to guide you on your path to becoming the best version of yourself.

Start Your Journey of Self Improvement Today

2023-08-23T18:39:00.002+05:00

"The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday."

Self improvement is like a voyage that we start with a certain goal in mind and with the hope of exploring the depths of our inner sea, residing creatures, and limitless possibilities of surprising ourselves.

This journey is not just about becoming better - it's about becoming the best version of ourselves. Welcome to my blog where we kickstart our exploration of self-improvement with insights, tips, and a well-crafted plan for self improvement.

What Is Self Improvement and Why Does It Matter?

Self improvement is the conscious effort to enhance one's knowledge, skills, habits, and overall well-being. It matters because it empowers individuals to overcome obstacles, seize opportunities, and lead a more fulfilling life.

"Your life does not get better by chance; it gets better by change." - Jim Rohn

Research studies have repeatedly shown that self-improvement is not just a lofty concept; it's a scientifically validated path to a more fulfilling life.

According to a study conducted by Zawadzka et al., (2014), “Does self-improvement explain well-being in life and at the workplace?,” published in the journal "Psychological Science," setting and striving for self-improvement goals can lead to increased life satisfaction and well-being. When you actively work on improving yourself, you are more likely to experience positive emotions and a greater sense of purpose.

In simple words, self-improvement isn't a destination, it's a lifelong journey. It's a commitment to becoming the best version of yourself, and it all begins with a mindset.

Mindsets Essential for Self Improvement

The Growth Mindset

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today."

- Franklin D. Roosevelt

At the heart of self-improvement is the idea of a growth mindset. This concept, popularized by psychologist Carol Dweck, suggests that individuals who believe in their ability to develop skills and talents through dedication and hard work are more likely to succeed.

Dweck's research has shown that adopting a growth mindset can lead to higher achievement in various aspects of life, including academics, sports, and personal development.

By embracing the idea that effort is a path to mastery and setbacks are opportunities for growth, you can cultivate a mindset that fuels your self improvement journey.

Habits and Consistency

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

- Aristotle

To truly embrace self-improvement, it's essential to focus on developing positive habits. According to a study conducted at University College London, it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit. Whether it's practicing gratitude, exercising regularly, or learning a new skill, consistency is key.

Resilience and Overcoming Setbacks

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

- Nelson Mandela

One of the most significant aspects of self-improvement is resilience. Life is filled with challenges, and setbacks are inevitable. However, as motivational speaker Les Brown suggests, it's not about avoiding failure but rising every time we fall.

Research from the American Psychological Association shows that resilient individuals have higher levels of life satisfaction and overall well-being.

Constantly Seek Guidance and Inspiration

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."

- Steve Jobs

Self-improvement often involves seeking guidance and inspiration from those who have achieved remarkable success.

Leaders like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, and Tony Robbins have shared invaluable insights into personal growth and development. Their words serve as a beacon of motivation for those on the journey of self-improvement.

Crafting Your Self Improvement Plan

A journey without a map often leads to confusion. Likewise, your self-improvement journey requires a well-structured plan. Here's how to create one:

Step 1: Self Assessment

Embarking on a journey of self-improvement starts with understanding your current self. Begin by conducting a thorough self-assessment:

Identify Your Strengths and Weaknesses: Take stock of your strengths and areas where you might need improvement. What are you naturally good at, and where do you struggle?
Define Your Areas of Improvement: Determine which aspects of your life you want to enhance. Is it your career, relationships, health, or personal development?
Unearth Untapped Potential: Explore the untapped potential within you. What skills or talents have you not fully explored? Where can you push your limits?
Set SMART Goals: The cornerstone of your self-improvement plan is setting SMART goals—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This ensures your goals are clear, realistic, and have a clear timeline.

For a comprehensive guide on creating SMART goals and actionable plans, check out our step-by-step guide here.

Step 2: Prioritize Your Goals

Not all goals hold equal weight. Prioritization is key to effective self-improvement:

Evaluate Importance: Assess the significance of each goal. Which ones will have the most significant impact on your life?
Impact Assessment: Consider how each goal will affect your growth journey. Prioritize those that align most with your overall objectives.

Step 3: Break It Down

Large, intimidating goals can be overwhelming. Break them down into smaller, actionable steps:

Divide and Conquer: Split long-term goals into manageable tasks. This makes them less daunting and easier to tackle.

Step 4: Time Management

Efficiently managing your time is critical for self-improvement:

Time Management Techniques: Explore time management techniques like the Pomodoro method or time blocking to stay focused, enhance productivity, and allocate dedicated time for self-improvement tasks.

Step 5: Seek Knowledge

Continuous learning is a pillar of self-improvement:

Read Self-Improvement Books: Explore a variety of self-improvement books covering personal development, productivity, and growth.
Attend Workshops and Seminars: Engage in workshops, seminars, and online courses to gain new insights and skills.

Step 6: Consistency is Key

Remember, self-improvement is an ongoing journey:

Commit to Consistency: Consistency is paramount. Even when motivation wanes, sticking to your plan ensures gradual progress and lasting change.

Step 7: Embrace Failure

Failure is not the end but a stepping stone to growth:

Learn from Setbacks: Embrace failures as valuable lessons. Analyze what went wrong and how you can improve.

By following these comprehensive steps and utilizing mind maps as visual aids, you can navigate your self-improvement journey with clarity and purpose. Remember, the path to personal growth may have challenges, but with determination and a well-structured plan, you'll unlock your full potential and achieve remarkable transformation.

Final Remarks

Your journey of self-improvement is a personal voyage to help you explore yourself, and this is just the beginning. Armed with a well-crafted plan, self-assessment, and valuable tips, you are now prepared to unlock your potential.

Stay tuned to my blog as I continue to explore the realms of self-improvement, time management, and more. The path ahead may be challenging, but with determination and the proper guidance, you can achieve remarkable transformation. Remember, the journey itself is the destination.

Time Management Techniques for People with Active Procrastination Style

2023-01-29T10:31:00.003+05:00

Active Procrastinators can be described as a ‘positive’ type of procrastinator. They deliberately decided to delay a certain task because they know they work better under pressure. For example, an active procrastinator may realize that he has an assignment coming this weekend. He still has five days to prepare for it. Instead of getting straight to it the day it was assigned, he may deliberately delay working on it for three more days and decide to prepare it on Friday because his brain produces better results when there is an element of pressure.

Time Management techniques for Active Procrastinators - Maham's wandering mind

There are several techniques that may be helpful for people with an active procrastination style. Here are a few that you may find useful:

The Pomodoro Technique: This technique involves breaking your work into short, timed intervals (usually 25 minutes) called "Pomodoros," and taking short breaks in between. The idea is that shorter work intervals will make it easier to focus and avoid procrastination.
The Eisenhower Matrix: This technique helps you prioritize tasks by breaking them down into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not urgent or important. By identifying which tasks fall into which category, you can focus on the most important and urgent tasks first and avoid procrastination.
The Five-Minute Rule: This technique involves setting a timer for five minutes and starting to work on a task. The idea is that once you get started, you'll find it easier to continue working and will be less likely to procrastinate.
The Two-Minute Rule: Similar to the five-minute rule, this approach suggests that if you have a task that takes less than two minutes, you should do it right away instead of putting it off. This will help to avoid letting small tasks grow and eventually become huge ones.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices, such as meditation and deep breathing, can help you to focus on the present moment and avoid getting bogged down by thoughts of procrastination.

It's important to keep in mind that not all techniques will work for everyone, and it may take some trial and error to find the ones that work best for you. Also, it's not only important to find techniques, but also to implement them consistently, that way they can become habits that help you manage your procrastination style.

5 Tips for Freelancers for Higher Productivity - from SOLO by Rebecca Seal

2022-12-24T17:05:00.006+05:00

Here are some tips for you to enhance your work experience and productivity inexplicably:

Tip 1: Create a dedicated workspace for yourself

Our brain is a quite powerful tool. We can program our minds, and research has shown that if we do something daily in the same space at a fixed time, our body becomes familiar with space and time zone and will automatically get into the rhythm of the task without having to invest much energy and effort. What’s the takeaway?

Create a specific time and space for yourself!

It doesn’t matter how small, basic, or untraditional it might be. It is your space! So don’t worry about how it should be and just get started with what you can get at the moment and you can always upgrade it with time. Make it can only happen if you will learn to manage to work effectively.

Tip 2: Make a Routine

You surely need some willpower to follow the routine, even if it’s a simple one. But it takes much more “effort to invent your day every day”. So don’t give up. You can start by making small changes, such as trying to wake up half an hour early than you usually do and completing the challenging task in the first two hours of your day. It might not sound much, but it can significantly impact your energy and motivation level by giving you a renewed sense of achievement that will further help you in improved performance.

Tired of procrastinating? Here are 8 ways to help you beat procrastination!

Tip 3: Aim for Short And Focused Hours Schedule

Did you know the sinister idea of working long hours of up to 40 hours per week was designed with the assumption that another person would be taking care of all chores of the house, and possibly every other human thing that you need to actually “survive” here in this world? Well, yes. And even if you have a partner that supports you emotionally and takes care of literally all other chores for you, it is still not humanly possible to work such long hours and ensure productivity. So unless you are stuck in the office with a toxic micro-managing boss who forces you to sit by your desk all day, don’t torture yourself with this mindset.

More than working long hours, it is important that we work the hours that are actually enough for us to get out work done. The hustle culture where you are not supposed to have any time for leisure is actually a manifestation of the capitalist system that causes mental health issues, burnout, and numbness leading you to mindless consumption of data and products - profiting the elites in the end. On the other hand, if you ever get the chance to observe wealthy and spiritually aligned people, they always value leisure time and are mindful of their time. They understand the importance of working with a sheer focus for a specific time and then coming back to experience the life they work hard to create for themselves.

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid of Outsourcing When Overwhelmed

But you can get out of this easily and it is by getting help where needed. It is important to understand that even when you choose to work as a freelancer or a “soloist”, you don’t necessarily have to take all the burden on yourself. You can always take help, or outsource some tasks that are basic or too technical for you. There is also a whole position of “virtual assistant” - people who virtually manage your daily tasks, schedule, and other little things for you that might otherwise consume much of your energy, such as checking emails and responding back to simple queries. So don’t limit yourself, developing the right team can actually get you much ahead rather than working completely on your own.

Tip 5: Learn How to Make an Effective To-Do List

Yes, the to-do list is a simple list of all things you need to do, but the order in which you list them can have a crucial impact on your performance and productivity.

As a part of writing this book, Rebecca interviewed Nat Rich, personal responsibility coach with a refreshing idea to manage your time and to-do list effectively. She shares that at the time of the interview, she was at her “lowest ebb” - struggling to manage writing, an investigative article for Guardian, kids, and other basic tasks. Meanwhile, it was the ideal time for her to meet him. And the interview ended with her bawling with the realization of how useful his tips are going to be for her, and I am hoping you will find them just as profound as I found them.

He proposed the strategy to divide your list into three categories which are

Deadline
Money
Contact

Under the “deadline” section, you mention all of your tasks, regardless of whether they are personal or professional, that need your urgent attention. Then you have the section “money”, you list all the things related to finances here. In the end, all the people you have to talk to, emails, or calls you to have to make go under the “contact” category.

This categorization allows you to prime your brain before picking up the list of similar tasks, and perform them effectively in less time. Instead of juggling between multiple tasks of varying nature.

He also emphasized being cautious of what we put into these sections. As a human, you have a certain capacity beyond which you are not able to perform tasks, be it they are as easy as responding to a simple text. So don’t randomly dunk all the things you can think of in these sections. Make it to the point of achieving all the important tasks first, and then think of other ones as a “bonus” for that day.

In the end, always remember that the soloist lifestyle is all about experimenting. No one has figured it out from the very beginning. It takes time, and it is alright. It’s all about trial and error and adapting to new changes. Just be clear about your priorities, intentions, and values. This will help you detect the system that truly helps you bring out the best in you!

What type of procrastinator are you?

2022-12-17T15:50:00.002+05:00

Did you know there are types of procrastinators? – Active and Passive.

Active Procrastinators

This category can be described as a ‘positive’ type of procrastinator. They deliberately decided to delay a certain task because they know they work better under pressure. For example, an active procrastinator may realize that he has an assignment coming this weekend. He still has five days to prepare for it. Instead of getting straight to it the day it was assigned, he may deliberately delay working on it for three more days and decide to prepare it on Friday because his brain produces better results when there is an element of pressure.

Working when there is a certain deadline and a controlled amount of pressure helps them thrive. It is under such circumstances that they enjoy working.

Best visual representation of active procrastinator. (NewYorkTimes)an

Passive Procrastinators

On the other hand, passive procrastinators are a kind of ‘negative’ procrastinators. These types of procrastinators fall into traps of indecision or lack of confidence that cause them to wait until the last minute to do something. This also affects their performance negatively.

For example, unlike an active procrastinator, a passive procrastinator may be presented with the same assignment, but instead of waiting to increase a positive sense of pressure for himself, he may put off working on it until ‘he has to’ simply because he doesn’t feel confident in his ability to do it correctly, or the prospect of doing it sends them into a tailspin of boredom.

A passive procrastinator typically delays the task due to being indecisive, feeling underprepared to do it, or out of fear of making mistakes.

And this cat perfectly conveys what every passive procrastinator would say :D

So which type of procrastinator are you? Do you thrive under pressure and deliver your best performance, or crumble down and don't know what to do?

Learn more about the techniques that are best suited for people with an active procrastination style.

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie: A Book of love, politics, radicalism, sacrifice, and pain - Book Review

2022-12-14T17:06:00.005+05:00

Title: Home Fire

Author: Kamila Shamsie

Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Isma is offered a Ph.D. scholarship at the University of Massachusetts in the United States, and after serving as a defacto mother to her two 19 years old twin-siblings after their mother passed away, she leaped at the offer in the hope of getting a hold of her life more personally this time. However, she cannot stop thinking about her siblings back in the UK - the rebellious beautiful Aneeka, and fierce yet kind Parvaiz. Soon she feels herself falling for a young atheist man, Eammon. But the journey she started with the hope of creating a new life for herself soon becomes a turning point in their dooming family with the tragedy of a lifetime. Home Fire is a beautiful modern tale of classic Antigone play with the central themes of love, loyalty, politics, prejudices, sacrifice, and passion.

Book Review

It is a sort of book that is written in palatable language but influences you deeply, leaves its mark on you, and somehow moves something within you.

Kamila Shamsie's Home Fire opens with a scene that will likely be familiar to any Muslim who has traveled to or lives in the West. Isma Pasha waits in a British airport while security officers check her luggage, go through the browser history on her laptop, and demands "to know her thoughts on Shias, homosexuals, the Queen, democracy, Israel, suicide bombers, dating websites."

In Home Fire (2017), you don’t get to just see the characters living the British lifestyle, the story has much more to offer other than reflecting the struggle of Muslim immigrants across the UK. With themes, references, and settings of the modern world, it is a quite different and beautifully adapted version of the play. Shamsie uniquely captures the essence of the play where the protagonist has to make the choice of either abiding by the land or following her heart and embracing death by the end of it.

Meanwhile, where the storyline is nice and plainly written to target the major audience, I guess, I found the style a bit boring at times. But I wouldn’t say it affects the overall quality of the experience. The novel is divided into 5 portions - a portion for each major character during which we get to see the world from his eyes and experience life from his perspective. Instead of condensing all information from one character’s point of view, that’s how Kamila chose to convey the whole story, and I rather enjoyed it.

However, there is one scene that I found very disturbing to read. I am not sure if that was the narrative Shamsie was mocking or promoting. But here it is - both main female characters, Isma and Aneeka are shown as Hijabis. Whereas Isma, the elder sister, is the voice of reason and compromise, and Aneeka is a rebel. She doesn't comply with the rules of the land or her religion but does what she wills. Therefore, her actions often also contradict the core values of the hijab, and obviously Islam itself. It is understandable that no Muslim is perfect, and even the ones that practice the religion visibly can also struggle at times. But she develops an intimate relationship with Eammon, the son of the Home Secretary of Britain. And during this whole scenario, Eammon also fetishes her Hijab, and that was simply disrespectful.

It felt as if the sacred practice of wearing a Hijab - which not only embodies a headscarf but a whole lifestyle of a woman carrying herself out in the world - was reduced to a mere habit of hiding her hair from a selective group of people while she "chooses what and how much of herself she shows to others" she fancy. But it got me to ponder over the hypocrisy of people. What image we choose to show in the world, and how differently we act in our personal spaces.

Besides it all

There is no question that the novel is a one musical story ingrained in the flawed and emotional nature of humans. In one passage in Aneeka's section, Shamsie delivers a moving perspective on grief: "grief was bad-tempered; grief was kind; grief saw nothing but itself; grief saw every speck of pain in the world; grief spread its wings large like an eagle, grief huddled small like a porcupine; grief needed company, grief craved solitude; grief wanted to remember, wanted to forget; grief raged, grief whimpered."

In the meantime, the novel might not be the perfect one but it is surely a moving one.

Kamila Shamsie

Shamsie is a Pakistani-British writer whose work has been applauded and awarded globally since her first novel was published back in 1997. She has been best described by The New Indian Express as "a novelist to reckon with and to look forward to." Meanwhile, after her enriching journey, she has certainly acquired the talent to hook up her readers and intrigue them even without relying on fancy English vocabulary.

Does Money Buy Happiness?

2022-08-10T00:42:00.003+05:00

Economy. Money. Inflation. All these terms have become the pivotal point in our political and media discussions. They indeed influence one’s life greatly, when we have limited resources that too in such a competitive market; high inflation and an unstable economy certainly hits hard. But does it really matter as much as the media portrays it?

“Capitalism and capitalist media focus on ‘economy’, ‘economic indicators, and ‘demand’ as if these were the core society and in doing so ‘every ideal distinction between true and false, good and evil is destroyed in ‘order to establish a radical law of acquaintance”, Tom Butler wrote in his book while describing Jean Baudrillard’s ideology – a French sociologist, philosopher, and cultural theorist.

As a sociologist from the time when capitalism had just started, he was surely thinking ahead of his time. Baudrillard’s famous book, Stimulation, and Simulacra was an inspiration for the film The Matrix.

All over the news, wherever we may look these days, all programs and discussions are focused on the economy, and more specifically, money as if that’s the core of our stability and happiness as a society. But does ‘money’ really buy happiness? Let’s see.

The World Happiness Report 2021 constituting 146 countries was launched in December last year out of which Finland is ranked as the happiest state. The researchers analyzed comprehensive Gallup polling data from 149 countries over the past three years, specifically monitoring performance in six particular categories; gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity of the general population, perceptions of internal and external corruption levels.

Interestingly enough the top seven happiest countries in the world for 2021 were all Northern European countries. Whereas, not so surprisingly, Pakistan secured the position among the lowest at 103 with 4.93 scores, lesser than last year’s 5.69. Finland took top honors—for the fourth year in a row—with an overall score of 7.842, in order followed by Denmark (7.620), Switzerland (7.571), Iceland (7.554), the Netherlands (7.464), Norway (7.392), and Sweden (7.363).

The United States of America is ranked at 19 positions, Russia at 74, China at 82, Bangladesh at 99, India at 137, and predictably, Iran came at 116 with a score of 4.7 whereas Afghanistan comes lowest at 146 with a 2.53 score, close to last year score.

USA, China, Japan, and Russia, despite being the ‘wealthy’ nations with higher economic growth and better GDPs, Finland topped the ranking with a visible difference. Surprisingly, the nations with rather ‘weaker’ economies than the standard are mostly seen topping the charts and among the top ten rankings. Does that indicate money does not buy happiness?

A mountain of evidence shows that, on average, wealthier people are happier. But making lots of money will not inevitably boost your happiness. How you spend, save, and think about money shapes how much joy you get from it.

The reason for unhappiness can also be another fact that people tend to isolate themselves from others when they are thinking about money. A researcher at the University of Minnesota did a series of nine experiments that demonstrated that money makes people want to be free of dependents and dependency. Reminded of money, participants preferred to:

Play and work alone
Put more physical distance between themselves and a new acquaintance.
Were, in general, less helpful to others

Ed Diener, a researcher who has spent over 30 years studying wellbeing, postulates that a higher income may mean more work, less leisure time, and fewer strong social connections. In other words, the benefits of having more money might be offset by the sacrifices people are making in other aspects of well-being. So while money can give us more control over our time, the fact is that most of us don’t use the money to buy more free time or fun activities with friends and family.

Another fact is that with money we can buy a lot of good things that may bring us pleasure, but the happiness of acquiring goods is always transitory—it wears off. For example, we might be really excited to buy a bigger car, but over time, we take the car for granted. Moreover, we are still committed to monthly car payments, which can restrict our options for fun activities--vacations and dinners out, for example.

Worrying about money clearly impacts our well-being in major ways, and in that struggle, it is difficult to see beyond the needs of the day. But if we can take a moment, we can recognize that we still have ways to enhance our wellbeing: we have some choices about how we spend both money and time. And we can see the truth of what might initially seem trite: that most of the important pleasures in life cannot be bought. What really brings us satisfaction in life is relationships, purpose, meaning, and connection to nature. If we can remember that, we can find ways to enhance our well-being. Another experiment and probably the world’s longest and ongoing experiment studying the reasons for happiness in humans support this argument as well while emphasizing the ‘relationships’ a bit more. The researchers demonstrate that relationships, although being the most complex to manage, gives us the most happiness and stability.

Coming back to the World Happiness Report 2021, the writers also credited the citizens of Finland's strong feelings of communal support and mutual trust as the core reason for their emotional stability. The citizens, they mentioned, felt strongly that they were free to make their own choices, and showed minimal suspicion of government corruption. Both of these factors contribute effectively to overall happiness and well-being.

Obviously, the research can have its own limitations, but at least it provides us a general picture to help us develop a clear understanding of how and what actually matters for individual as well as social well being.

Tired of Procrastinating? Here are 8 Ways to Help You Beat Procrastinating

2022-04-06T11:00:00.029+05:00

If you are here, I am sure you already know what 'procrastination' is. So let's cut to the chase, how to overcome it?

The following are eight ways to help you develop focus and stick to your routine.

I am confident in these as they have helped me at different phases of my growth, and I am writing this article with the hope that they will help you too. I would dearly appreciate your feedback once you have tried any of these methods <3.

1. Time Blocking – Intermediate Package

I find Youtube a great source for information and learning. Therefore, there are many Youtubers I follow and rely on for learning something new and getting authentic references. Mooroo, Crash Course, Raja Zia ul Haq, Ali Abdaal, Pick up Limes, and What If are some of the renowned and useful channels with random themes and focused topics.

Meanwhile, Ali Abdal is a graduate doctor who is a productivity enthusiast, and is the principal shared distraction in his video, "How I manage my time." It says that block your time on your calendar at a specific time and blocks all other activities forcefully even if you have to avoid any distractions. This will decrease your chances of procrastination as you would have no other alternate option. It will help you in completing the task more effectively.

2. 3F Approach

Foresight - Plan things ahead to get an idea about what you will be required to do. This will prepare you to get into the zone easily, as you would already be aware of what lies ahead.

Focus - Focus on what you have to do. The best way is to try methods like the 20-5 principle (put on a timer on your phone for 20 minutes and keep every task as well as potential distractions aside. And purely focus on the task at hand for straight 20 minutes. Once the timer hits, leave your work and take 5 minutes break. You can do whatever you want in those minutes and then go back to working for 20 minutes again. This way, you will be able to focus as well as won't feel exhausted.)

Fun - In the end, enjoying the work you are doing is most important to keep you engaged and active. If you are not enjoying the work, you are more likely to pick up your phone and scroll through social media or reply to a text on Whatsapp. So finding the fun element is integral to maintaining the workflow.

Here, the reason for being unclear about one's goal can be related. If you've ambiguous or abstract goals, you will surely pick up a task that does not truly align with your potential and personality leading you to get drained and exhausted with no valuable outcome. Therefore, clarity of your goals and planning of how you would be moving towards them is beyond impactful in your life.

3. Hell Yes or No Approach

This is a mindful approach to decision-making. It says that we should take decisions based on the intuition and excitement felt immediately at the time of the offer. Precisely, ‘you should only say yes to the tasks and things you truly want to be a part of, however, if you ever feel doubtful about anything, immediately say no to it as it is something that would consume your energy unnecessarily’

4. Be Mindful of the Workload

Staying mindful of your workload and keeping realistic track of them will help you manage your time more conveniently and possibly in the best way.

Keep the list short, and accept your limitations. Cull the bottom of your to-do list viciously. If someone gives you a task, and you know it will be ranked so low that it will never get done, then say "no, sorry, can't do it". If you accept a task, but other, higher priority tasks then push it down into the "will never get done" level, then accept that you have failed that task, and manage the expectations of the task-giver. Hand off that task, give it back, return their money, whatever it takes: get it off your list.

5. Make a Schedule and Stick to it!

Stop working promptly. This is important, too. Especially when working from home. If you're in the zone, keep it if you like. But don't fool yourself, and don't force it. Having a schedule means that, outside of the time when you should be working, you are actually... free. Like, legitimately free of having to do the stuff you have been stressing over. When I discovered this, that free time was a thing I could let myself have even if I'm behind on my deadlines, it was so massively liberating, I can't tell you. I could go for a walk, watch a movie, chat with friends, and not feel overwhelming guilt. Because I'd done the thing that I had scheduled for that time.

6. Learn Time Management

Time Management is a skill that can help you deal with procrastination. We are more likely to procrastinate when we don’t have a proper schedule and yet have to sketch at-hand tasks.

Make a to-do list, and use techniques like time blocking, and the 20/80 rule for better time management.

7. Meditation and Mindfulness

Procrastination is also a form of escape or outcome from the feeling of uneasiness we feel when there is instability inside. When we are anxious about anything, it messes with our attention span making us unable to focus on things. Therefore, we are more prone to postpone our work or tasks that require our attention, especially.

Free time, twice a day. This is one of the most beneficial self-discovered strategies by Dewi Morgan, an Electrical Engineer and one of the Quora users that actively share insights and advice on the concerned topic on the platform. He founds this strategy helpful for him as it allowed him to bookmark all of the extra stuff, content, videos, memes, and basically anything that grabbed his attention during working hours as something to do in his free time.

'If I have this free time twice during my working day, say at lunchtime and after work, then there's never more than four hours until the next playtime. It's no hardship to put something off for four hours. Even if, as it happens, when the four hours have passed, I don't feel the link is as interesting anymore.'

8. Emotional Intelligence

Being aware of your mood and the reasons behind them can help you deal with the situation and yourself more mindfully. When you know yourself and your potential behavior, you’re more able to manage things efficiently.

Pychyl says working to reduce your emotional response will help you better manage small tasks. “We put off a lot of little things and they become big in our minds because we experience the amygdala hijack,” he explains, referring to an immediate emotional response that’s out of measure with the actual thing that triggered it. “We have a negative reaction the moment we think of the task, and that tends to feed on itself.”

It is also important to understand that procrastination is adaptive. Dewi put it as, ' to realize that I'm not defective, I'm the result of millions of years of people who lived because they put off until tomorrow what was not life-threatening, and lived the easy life as much as they could rather than proactively taking risks.' However, now there can be some tasks that could potentially harm us, in different forms, if delayed for too long. So it has become the need of the hour to figure the issue out and learn to 'exploit and hack it, rather than drowning in a mire of guilt.'

'Use it as a ‘tool’ for productivity

Overcoming procrastination is hard and takes a lot of willpower. But the work required to build better habits will save you so much pain. Pulling all-nighters to finish assignments and the panic of realizing that you didn't get something done is just plain terrible. Building these habits and adopting these strategies would not be a piece of cake either, as it is always tempting, although very momentarily, to let the required task go for the time being and scroll social media passively. However, once you have developed them, you will feel much more contented and happier. And this will not only improve your mood, focus, and performance but also the quality of your overall life as you will be able to find more free time to enjoy yourself with your family and basically do anything you want to do to relax.

Recommended Books:

1. Gretchen Rubin's Better than Before - Habit Building. Clarity.

2. Atomic Habits by James Clare - Habit Building. Practical Strategies.

3. The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari by Robin Sharma - Spiritual. Mindfulness. Meditation.

Importance of “Team Work” – Solitary Genius a Myth

2022-04-01T17:12:00.007+05:00

We have long heard the inspirational tales of great discoverers and thinkers like Charles Darwin, Einstein, Thomas Edison, Picasso, Michelangelo, etc. who had unearthed historical discoveries and produced mythical art pieces in solitude - alone. However, there is just a little truth behind this ‘lone genius’ concept.

Source: Post Calvin

In the past, people thought of creativity as a natural gift. Something which only a few true geniuses could behold. But as science and communities have progressed, we have come to understand that it can be learned and grown when working with other people.

We often find inventions and ideas named after one person, however, they rarely come about without the help of a large supporting cast, often unnamed and unsung. And the stories of great discoverers, like Thomas Edison, are no different.

Back in 1995, researchers Alfonso Montuori and Ronald E Purser for the first time in history deconstructed the lone genius myth in a study that sought to point out "the problematic nature of a hyper-individualistic understanding of creativity".

In an article, ‘How Resilience Works’ for Harvard Business Review, Diane L. Coutu wrote that resilient people staunchly accept reality. They believe that life is meaningful and have the capacity to improvise, when necessary. She says resilience isn’t about cultivating an optimistic outlook but is instead about being able to stare down at reality.

When we work with a team, especially from different backgrounds, the diversity helps bring 360 perspectives to the table. According to Frans Johansson, author of the Medici Effect, some of the most innovative ideas happen at “the intersection” – the place where ideas from different industries and cultures collide. In his book, he has greatly emphasized the point. “Most people think success comes from surrounding yourself with others that are like you,” However, he pointed out that true success and breakthrough innovation involves discomfort. Whenever you are in discomfort, out of your comfort zone, that is when your growth starts. Working in a diverse team can be a well-documented pathway to “unlocking new opportunities, overcoming new challenges, and gaining new insights.”

Source: The New York Times

A recent study conducted by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company cemented the statement. They found that teams made up of members with different backgrounds are found to be more creative, adaptable, and skilled, as compared to homogenous teams. Whereas, another research report from Tufts University suggested that it also makes one happier.

A Nobel Laureate, Charlie stressed the same point during one of her interviews post-winning price. While reflecting back on his initial years in the field and addressing failed attempts at discoveries he said, “I felt that I had to do everything on my own because asking for help was a sign that I was not intelligent enough,” Chalfie said. “I now see how destructive this attitude was, but then I assumed that this was what I had to do.” Creativity isn't a solely solo pursuit, it's cumulative and collaborative.

Research is the work of many, fueled by questions and debate, and always improving through critique and feedback.

To put it simply, collaboration makes every project better. So don’t fear teamwork. The importance of solitude can never be stressed enough for sake of one’s personal growth and sanity. However, don’t let it fool you into thinking that you need others.

In a very warming book, Tuesdays with Morrie, Mitch Albom has stated his professor’s golden life lesson that you don't only need people in the early stages of infancy and crippling old age, but also in between.

Can't Help Procrastinating? But Why Do We Procrastinate?

2021-10-31T09:35:00.024+05:00

I am sure you are familiar with the most famous tip to stay productive – make a to-do list!

Every time you scratch an item off of your to-do list, you get a little rush of dopamine. Along with it comes an inevitable feeling of accomplishment as well as a minute failure when we lag behind or are unable to tick off all the tasks on the list by the end of the day. You can recall that feeling? Good. Keep reading.

The utter feeling of disappointment and anxiousness you feel as the night approaches and you still have plenty of tasks pending.

Source: Tiny Budha

Don’t worry, I can relate too.

It makes one feel uncompetitive, lazy, and very unproductive. It’s easy to forget and overlook the tasks we have accomplished when you have even a few unattended in front of you.

You can very easily fall into the darkness, get on the verge of giving up everything or lose the willpower to continue at all because the feeling can become so overwhelming.

However, have you ever thought about why it happens?

One of the main reasons for it is that our definition of 'productivity' is wrong.

Yes, it's right. Productivity.

According to the technical capital-driven perspective, productivity is "a ratio between the output volume and the volume of inputs. In other words, it measures how efficiently production inputs, such as labor and capital, are being used in an economy to produce a given level of output."

However, another definition of it that should be considered for personal and even professional domains is, “productivity is about doing things you love, things you know will help you grow as well as keeping the balance and occasionally picking up ‘unproductive’ things to keep yourself sane”.

We have developed the understanding that only a certain set of things are productive, whereas anything besides it is unproductive.

But we need to correct it, productivity is not about doing things obsessively, daily, or ultimately perfectly, it is all about doing things wholeheartedly, enjoying the moment you’re loving, and focusing on the process rather than looking forward to the outcome with such intensity that it sucks out all the fun out of it.

Note to bookworms:

Hello fellow book lovers,

I understand your obsession and in no way have the intention to question your interests. However, have a quick question, what are you feeding your tbr list that is making it grow so effectively and so spaciously on daily basis? Xoxo :D

On a serious note: have you ever wondered why is it comparatively so easy to pick up a new book while getting to the tbr list is so hard? You guessed it right – procrastination!

Source: Ted Ideas

Why do we procrastinate?

There are numerous reasons and factors why a person might procrastinate. However, many of them are usually misunderstood and most of them are overly emphasized. It’s important to understand that there can be one or many reasons at work making you procrastinate from writing that assignment (or any task in general).

Did you know there are different types of procrastinators? Learn more about your type here.

A brief list of those reasons is following:

1. Perfecto Virus (Perfectionist Approach)

A very common virus that makes us weaker and vulnerable to taking each judgmental comment and even constructive criticism personally. The host wants to do everything perfectly. Consequently, stops us from doing anything out of the fear of doing it ‘imperfectly’. It is found in people of all ages, ethnicities, religions, gender, and cultures. People with this virus are most prone to procrastination because they fear the judgment of others. They make their best strategies, are habitual of overthinking every scenario to make it perfect, and prepare according to each possibility to give their best efforts to deliver the top-notched performance - an extensive process that drains them of their energy even before the event happens.

2. Fear of Failure

The fear of judgment and failure is undoubtedly one of the most obvious and prevailing reasons for procrastination. Alike perfecto-virus, it is not confined to any one category of people, however, it is most commonly and intensely found in teenagers.

3. Inability to prioritize things

When our visions are unclear, it is usually very hard to prioritize things. Passion is indeed a very good quality, and the core required thing for success. But keep in mind that it is the most important but not the only thing. When goals are unidentified followed by intense passion, we urge to take up everything we can get. We fear losing the ‘right’ opportunity as we are not able to see it ourselves at the moment. Such blind effort can easily burn us out and drain us of our all energy and result in unnecessary procrastination.

4. No Self-Control

Self-control is hard to achieve in today’s time. We have every type of entertainment just a touch away. We are beyond borders and barriers connected with our friends and sources of entertainment. This easy access can easily lead to blind obsessions and can make us lose track of time and things.

5. Laziness and Binge Watching

Sometimes staying in bed and doing nothing, which can also be translated into binge-watching a series or scrolling social media platforms, especially when we have tasks at hand, (pain-pleasure principle) is all we want to do. Our technically accommodated lifestyle has robbed us of every opportunity for activity. Slow body activity and less exercise can surprisingly lower our energy level rather than keep us active. Therefore, when our natural energy reserve is low, and the mind is not actively engaged at most times, we are more likely to stay lazy and delay every task we can till we have to do it.

6. Underlying Depression and ADHD

Unlike a popular understanding, depressed people don’t just stay sad or cry all the time. There can be many forms of its expression and everyone can experience it differently. However, a few common symptoms are loss of interest in all life activities, low energy levels, a constant state of numbness; or not being able to feel emotions for a long time. Therefore, as may have lost interest in all activities, so you will be more likely to procrastinate on every task until the deadline.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can also be an effective reason behind your habit of procrastination. It is basically a disorder where you become unable to focus on one thing for a longer time and as most tasks require one to focus, it can become naturally challenging for you to stay put

(Please don't google it! Google is a very dangerous place for such concerns. You can consult a professional or study any published study in an authentic journal to help you get more clarity. But please, do not self-diagnose rigidly.)

7. Short-term Mood Repair Approach

As discussed above, procrastination is a perfect example of present bias, our hard-wired tendency to prioritize short-term needs ahead of long-term ones. We fail to prioritize the long-term goal and prefer to find comfort in the moment which can lead us to make many wrong decisions and trap us into a viciously confining zone of comfort for life.

8. Abstract Goals

Having a certain goal with a general approach is not enough to keep one driven and dedicated. You need to be specific and very clear about what you want to achieve. It could be a short as well as a long-term goal, but keeping your vision specific rather than generalizing it would help you much more in keeping yourself motivated and resultantly, avoid procrastination.

9. Too future-oriented

At times, we find ourselves indulged in thought and future planning. We keep thinking about how it would happen, and we realize how much incapable we are, and how much we need to learn. All this very easily overwhelms us bringing our morale down to the least level. Whereas goal orientation and future planning are important, one must find the right balance to not worry unnecessarily about the things one can't even control.

There are a few things we can control - like our actions - however, we are never sure of their eventual consequences. We can only hope for good and have faith in Allah Almighty. Therefore, staying in the moment and working with what strengths and potential you have at the moment is the crucial and most basic part of the process.

There is not one reason for procrastination. At times, it could be a couple of them together working their wonder, and at other times, one may dominate the rest. However, it is important and helpful to understand these reasons as it may help you recognize which one is influencing under a specific circumstance. So you can overcome it to focus and get back to your routine.

Use Procrastination and Mind Wandering for Better Decision Making

2021-09-14T22:47:00.003+05:00

Procrastination. What scene comes to your mind when you hear the word, lost opportunities? horrors of working at the last moments of a deadline and dreading yourself for delaying it till the last moment yet ending up doing the same next time?

Source: Guts

If you’re unfamiliar with the word, let me break it down for you. However, I am sure you may not know the formal term but you’ll definitely relate to the phenomenon.

“Procrastination is the act of delaying or putting off tasks until the last minute, or past their deadline. Some researchers even define procrastination as a "form of self-regulation failure characterized by the irrational delay of tasks despite potentially negative consequences."

In college, when you were assigned a certain task, let’s say to write a thousand-word essay on any social issue, and the deadline is due in a week. How you would act in such a situation, will you immediately start working on the project as soon as you get home, or in the coming days? Or you’ll forget about it, and enjoy your week, and start working on it only by the end of the week? Similar can go for any professional task.

If you’re one of those lucky and dedicated ones that can easily get to the task as soon as it is assigned, then good for you. But if the former decision sounds familiar then my friend, you’re one of the million procrastinators

“Procrastination is extremely prevalent,” Piers Steel, a business professor at the Universit of Calgary, noted in a 2007 study. “Estimates indicate that 80 to 95 percent of college students engage in procrastination, approximately 75 percent consider themselves procrastinators, and almost 50 percent procrastinate consistently and problematically.”

There could be many reasons why a person procrastinates, be it a student or a professional, but there is no ambiguity about the fact that it is very commonly observed among all these days, especially the Netizens.

To read more about the reasons behind procrastination and how to overcome it, you can read this article.

Meanwhile, I’ve been in a procrastination loop for years. It was an adventurous strategy to bring some drama into boring tasks for me at times, and sometimes, I did just because I wasn’t feeling like doing the work. However, the self-consciousness about my performance in a certain task was also a reason behind some delays. And it was going fine, as I had plenty of time to waste. But things change as soon as you step into practical life. You’re demanded to perform ‘best’ on daily basis and lacking in anything even for a day can bring horrible consequences.

Being a freelancer, I had the advantage of ‘Result Only Work Environment’. I am not required to stay put for a set time, I just have to complete the given tasks within the assigned time. This brings me the benefit as well as the drawback. As I am physically present in the office or an official setting, my punctuality and work quality would define my skills therefore, they have to be perfect and up to the mark that demands time! And when I had wasted all the time in procrastinating, there was not much left, on some occasions, to work up to the client’s standards. Such an incident led to the loss of my client, and it didn’t take long for a few others to follow. That was the moment I realized I had to find some alternative to this ‘habit’ (Yes, it’s a habit).

Chris Bailey Mind Model

Chris Bailey is a Canadian writer and productivity consultant. He proposed this model of mind wandering in his book, ‘hyperfocus’. It’s ironic, for sure. (Also, did you notice that my mind is always wandering? – thus, Maham's wandering mind. Well, it wasn’t derived from this model, I can assure you that) Meanwhile, he proposed that his wandering mind model will help you to in fact focus more. Instead of roaming around freely, you can use different strategies to utilize the same procrastinating phenomenon to your benefit. How? Let’s see.

Source: A Life of Productivity

Creative mind-wandering isn’t mentally passive and it's not quite the same as running on auto-pilot to end up finding yourself in the middle of doing something and you are completely blank of how you ended up here.

In his book, Chris Bailey says there are three modes to mind wandering:

1. Capture mode

Capture mode is all about letting your mind wander, and see where it goes but capture what comes up! This way, you will be able to connect with your subconscious mind and get better and more original ideas.

2. Problem crunching

This strategy is that you keep a problem 'loosely' in mind and let your mind wander for a while. You will surely lose track a lot of times, but it will help you get better solutions rather than sticking to the problem and thinking hard and only about it. It will surely give you a headache, not sure about a solution.

3. Habitual mode

A Japanese renowned writer, Haruki Murakami has also shared this strategy in one of his novels, ‘The Wind-up Chronicles’. The strategy is that you do your regular chores or the simplest task that does not require you to invest mental energy. House chores are the most suitable option for practicing it as you do them daily to most often, thus you’re conditioned to the process. This way, you can do something, focus on the task at hand, while at the same time think about the issue or something at the subconscious level, without formally thinking.

Haruki’s character loved ironing clothes whenever he had some decision to make. He ironed all his wardrobe in an intense situation. Well, I wouldn’t recommend taking it this far but sometimes, distracting your mind partially from a difficult task or decision can really help you to ‘hyperfocus’ on it.

Hell Yes or a Straight No Approach to Better Decision Making

2021-09-14T21:52:00.004+05:00

Source: Entrepreneur

When we feel motivated and decide to do something worthy, at times, we become blind to analyzing what's worth doing.

It must have happened to you many times - when we feel passionate about something, we never want to miss out on anything related to it. We want to do everything. Meanwhile, the greediness to get it all makes us say 'yes' to everything even when it's slightly related to our goal, thinking that it will help us achieve it faster. However, let me burst your bubble because it actually slows your growth down.

Time is the biggest and most precious entity - not any skill, not capital but time. And when you decide to dedicate your time to something which only gives you partial to no specific benefit, it is actually slowing your speed down. It may add more to your other side of the personality, like any other skill or trait, but remember that there is a time for everything. You can't be taking up the courses that teach the 'beginner' level skill that you are master at. Similarly, you can't waste time doing something which brings you no outcome. You've to learn to be very cautious with your time.

Therefore, the "Hell Yeah or No" approach tells you to only say 'yes' to the things that thrill you instantly and clearly reject the proposals that leave you doubtful in any way. This way, you will surely, miss out on many things but it will help you to keep your schedule, energy, and mind ready for something much greater and valuable than average projects.

Considering the approach, whenever you are faced with a situation where you're required to make a decision of saying yes or no to a certain task, you should be faced with three options:

1. Hell Yes! - if that's your immediate response then congratulations, this is the task you've been waiting for for a long time and you should DEFINITELY go for it. No second thoughts!

2. No - if no comes to your mind then it's clear that you don't want to do it. There is no point in beating the bush around just because you're afraid to miss out on something. But you can keep it on the table to revisit later if you still like.

3. Ummm - this is the situation that can trap you in a cycle of mediocracy! Don't fall for it!

Run doe your time! You don't want to be wasting your time on something that drags you down from climbing your stairs to success.

Just go with the things (or people) that instantly drive you and spark something inside you to immediately jump on the opportunity. This way you'll never settle for less, and get what's most suitable for you.

How taking a Personal Development Course has Changed my Life | 10 Lessons Which You Need to Know

2021-03-18T22:14:00.186+05:00

“It is not just about doing things but how you think about what you do and what you believe about what you do.”

As a person who is always seeking means for productive learning sources; opportunities in every possible experience and struggling to improve her vision to make future more realistic and possibly beautiful by becoming best of her version, this course of Personal Development has really enabled me to identify my strengths, align my thoughts properly and taught me to utilize them in the positively best manner.

Although it would be not easy to just state ten things, as I’ve learned more than that and majority of the things have even become subconscious practice of my routine by now. However, the most important lessons which I find highly valuable till date and intend to treasure forever in my life are following:

1. Choose Your Lens Wisely

“Wear the red lens and you will see the world red despite every colour in it. Similarly, wear the negative lens and you will see the world bad despite every beauty in it”

– Maham’s wandering mind.

How you choose to view the world makes all the difference. Mind is a powerful weapon which can be used to make or break you; so it should be used wisely. Meanwhile, if relating it to ‘the law of attraction’, we attract what we think about, and we become what we believe in. According to it, we make the world around us as by how we want to see it. So make sure to keep your thoughts clean, heart and intentions pure and you will find the world helping you wherever you go.

2. Act as if You Are the Person You Want to Become

Visualization is an impactful strategy that can easily help you out of every situation and help you achieve your every desired goal. It was the visualization power and proactive approach of Victor Frankl that enabled him to survive the darkest tragedy of Nazi camps and torture to be ever recorded in human history. It was obviously not easy for him but the mind beholds much more power than only remembering our past memories or enjoying the current emotions – it can create our future as well!

But unfortunately, this aspect and strength of our ability to visualize and better use our mind is not promoted or even acknowledged in our society. However, I am grateful to take the course and our convenient access to learning resources; books, articles, films to online teaching platforms, I have learned to use it to frame my reality positively and design my future path to success.

3. Your Mind is Your Only Constant – Keep it Healthy and Well Fed

As mentioned, mind can be used in many ways to shape one’s reality and alike our muscles needs exercise to stay healthy and body needs food to stay nourished, it also requires a few things in order to perform adequately. One of the important habits I’ve developed in last two years is the habit of reading – initially I read any genre, it did not matter much to me as developing the habit of reading was more important for me. However, now I’ve come to realize that just like what we feed to our physical body can have affect on its shape and health, the type of content we read can shape our thoughts too. So I try to maintain a balance of all different genres and knowledge to entertain as well as educate myself at the same time.

The world around us is no doubt beautiful; full of Allah’s creations and blessings, but the world that we create in our head is our only constant and directs our vision to perceive outer reality. So it’s very important to keep it healthy, and beautiful. So using the strategy of positive affirmations can help you in longer run.

There is inherited intrinsic value in all of us, irrespective of what others say, and affirming yourself of your strength, positivity, passion and humbleness on regular basis can really change your mindset.

“You’re always left alone with that little but the sternest voice in your head. Make sure you keep it happy. Make sure you feed as it is your only till dead companion.”

We all have an inner commentator that bugs us all time, never stops for a moment and is always willing to make up scenarios that can make it an eternal enemy. But if you will keep it happy by feeding good thoughts and affirmations on daily basis, it will become your best friend to help you through every situation easily.

4. Personality Types – Identify Your Strengths and Areas You Need to Work on

Although I’ve always been interested in psychology and personality types kind of content which we often find roaming on social media sites, but taking the course has made me realize the deep rooted impact of knowing oneself and how it can positively change your perspective towards the world.

Knowing your personality type will help dig deeper and understand your behaviors better.

Earlier last year, when we all were forced to stay at home and had no option but to stay confined without our homes, I discovered a lot of different things about myself. One of the most important thing was that ‘we always keep on changing and never stay the same’. But despite all the changes and whole evolutionary process, I found a few characteristics constant in me. However, many of them were the ones I forcefully empowered in me to complement the envisioned future version of myself, and few of them are result of my family setting and cultural values. However these characteristics, some of which I intend to suppress and many encourage are altogether what makes me who I am today.

Meanwhile, after attending very descriptive lectures on each personality type, it has helped me recognize my strengths as well as underlying beauty in the things I earlier thought as my weaknesses. I consider myself as my biggest critique, who does not give me the margin I am always willing to give others and it mostly limits my creativity, but those lectures have helped me view myself from a distant third person perspective – or I should say as another human being without criticizing every small thing I do. So understanding myself better. Now, I have learned to give myself the similar space and margin for growth, rest and being a default imperfectly perfect human being.

5. Cognitive Revolution - Be Proactive in Your Decisions

As a deterministic person, I tend to see a reason behind every smallest event in my life. But it does not mean that I don’t believe in working hard, I think of it in a way that although Allah has a plan for you, but what you dream and love is also a part of his plan, and if he has put a certain thought and desire in your heart (obviously morally and religiously ethical), then you should put all your efforts into achieving it, and even if it still does not happen then it was a part of a plan intended to prepare you for something much better and greater than you could desire for yourself. So yes, I believe in law of attraction and ideology that thoughts can direct your future. And all the lessons, and readings about proactive approach, positive mindset and cognitive revolution has further strengthened my faith and helped me properly outline my future plans and enjoy the reality I live in today.

6. Being Emotionally Intelligence is the Secret to Success in this Time

Being intelligent, dedicated with a distinguished skill set is no doubt crucial for success in such highly competitive time. But as modern time and such high paced life demands much more of you and one has to multitask at a time to manage all the things. So soft skills like good communication skills, teamwork, empathy, and emotional intelligence can really make you stand out, build better relationships and manage yourself as well. Emotional Intelligence is basically the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict. And as we are expected to perform numerous tasks in contemporary world, it is only possible when one is contented and aware of himself.

7. Time Management Matrix – Manage Your Multiple Roles

We perform numerous roles in our daily life – we are a child to our parents and towards them we have different responsibilities, similarly we have different responsibilities as a student, friend, partner, sibling, professional and colleague. So we have to manage our time in order to perform each role adequately. Furthermore, managing your time for productive outcome is not only about managing time for your tasks, but it also includes what you choose to do in your spare time and how you choose to spend that time. Like you can watch a movie, spend time with family, read a book, exercise or play a sport, or simply go for a walk. While some of these may seem more productive than the other but I think it’s all about what you need in the moment and balancing the schedule. Because when you’re too exhausted and tired of working all day, giving yourself a break, sleep and simply resting or watching a lamest movie is actually more productive than forcing yourself to do another task or read a book. So time management matrix can actually help one keep track of their activities and maintain a healthy balance.

8. Your Every Experience is Meant to Teach You Something - Growth Mindset

“You can’t change the reality, but you can shape your reality the way you want.”

– Maham’s wandering mind

You can certainly not control what happens to you, but you have control over yourself and how you choose to respond can make a huge difference. You see how I did not use the word ‘react’ because there’s a huge difference in reacting to something and responding to something and we all have to learn responding instead of flowing with emotions and give abrupt reactions only to find ourselves ashamed, guilty and embarrassed afterwards.

What is the difference between responding and reacting?

Well to start with, the difference is quite obvious even with our limited understanding of our both words. You react to something immediately, while you usually take a moment before responding and that’s exactly the difference. When you react to certain event in your life, you cave to your emotions which are usually not positive in such circumstances, but when you pause for a moment, reflect and think over everything rationally and analyze the situation from alternate perspective and then respond, it allows you to empathetically deal with other people as well as yourself. Meanwhile, this is exactly what emotional intelligence is in fact. You learn control your emotions instead of letting them controlling you. You take responsibility for your actions and decide to work on your shortcomings rather than blaming others for putting you in situations that had you reacting. So if you are able to do that or even have realized the need to do this, you’re doing well.

9. Dedication and Positivity Can Take You Places

After acknowledging my personality type – ENFP – I have understood why I was always influenced by small gestures, noticed shifting body languages, interpreted underlying meanings in conversations, and could not stop myself from getting social with literally every person I meet yet be a highly private person. All this always seemed quite contradictory and generated inner conflicts that I could not possibly share with anyone nor most people could relate, but now I am quite clear on where I stand and how I see myself. Meanwhile, owing to my aforementioned traits, I’ve even learned a lot of things from our trainer, Sir Atif Mirza, who haven’t taught me anything specifically yet did a lot while delivering his lectures.

One of the most important thing that I’ve observed, found and learned from our instructor is your positivity, pure intention and dedication can take you places and when you work on yourself consistently without letting others disrupt your inner peace, no one can stop you from becoming the best version of yourself and achieving all your desired goals.

(You might notice I have not mentioned ‘find yourself’ even once when referring to growth, I used to say it a lot in the past but now I have realized you don’t need to actually find yourself because you were never lost, all you have to do is uncover your hidden treasures and polish them with time, dedication and effort.)

10. You Don’t Need Anyone’s Approval to Be Who You Are

Last but the most important lesson which I’ve learned is that the only person who has the power to make you or define is you!. So only by embracing yourself - by doing things that make you feel the most alive and by accepting yourself truly first, you can become successful and contented human being in this time of chaos.

Embrace Yourself - Self Love is the first Secret to Happiness!

Covid-19 Lockdown and Online Education System

2021-03-10T14:11:00.005+05:00

Source: UNICEF

“There is no electricity for days even in my area, and I have spent over 70 thousand just to get a stable wifi connection so I can attend my classes…”, said a Layyah resident, who is getting his bachelor’s degree from a reputable educational institute in Lahore but had to go back due to the pandemic.

Why is online education system failing so miserably in Pakistan? Two obvious reasons stare at us. First, the generally uninspiring online lectures delivered by teachers. Second, most students and many teachers have insufficient mastery over English to usefully engage with internet learning materials. But another reason which is often overlooked by the authorities is the lack of proper resources. Whereas it has become difficult for students to keep themselves motivated for learning, however, it is not the case for all students as many still want to learn and perform better in class but are hindered due to lack of adequate resources.

Last year was different and very challenging for all of us; from politicians, business owners to labor class, all were challenged in economic perspective. However, students were another segment which was influenced by its outcomes harshly. Covid-19 hit the world and almost every state went into lockdown; bringing its whole educational system online and youth’s future relying on their resources and their self-motivational factors. Children belonging to metropolitan areas and with adequate resources were concerned about the quality of their digital lectures, whereas the story was entirely different for others belonging to marginalized regions.

“However, WhatsApp can work at low charges as it requires low MBs, but our teachers take class on zoom and moreover, due to the electricity issue it also become very difficult for us. So I have now simply given up. My friends inform me whenever we get any marked assignment and I prepare it according to my limited knowledge and with available resources and I am not sure how long it will keep on going like that.” another student commented.

Where some found it entirely baseless with no significant benefit, few considered it as modern alternate to such problems and even best use of latest technology for self-learning purposes, as compared to wasting time on social sites, “honestly speaking, it was a good experience. This is need of the hour to introduce LMS (Learning Management System) in our traditional educational system, especially in higher education institutions, just like many other countries have done. I think online education system should not only be implemented during lockdown or current pandemic, but we should work on merging the both systems for improved and new version of our system.”, a student belonging to middle class background expressed his views. Although, his perspective is appreciable and can be seen as a pro-active approach to combat challenges and get the best out of every situation, but this is certainly not practical for students belonging to different backgrounds because they live entirely distinct realities. Therefore, it may not be suitable for majority part of students, if viewed rationally.

A professor at private institute elaborating the similar perspective said, “for a student who is really eager to learn, it doesn’t matter (to him) through whatever medium he quenches his thirst. No method is good or bad for him, he just gets the best out of everything. I think these online classes made students as well as teachers familiar with technology and provided them with more opportunities to learn and explore. I am not saying our (online education) system is perfect, of course there are many flaws, relative to every institute and student’s circumstances, but all I am saying is we should not completely abandon it once things get back to normal. We should work on its shortcomings and improve it for more productive outcomes.”

Now the third wave is upon us with the chances of institutes switching to online platforms once again, and unlike the first time, students have stopped taking it serious anymore and many wants to go back to the 'normal' routine. Meanwhile, coronavirus has evidently changed the world order, and our realities. Many fell victim to financial crisis, multiple developed depression and anxiety amid lockdown but thousands of students enjoyed their ‘holidays’ with little or no effort put into their online lectures. There is also another complain which is often observed among students that teachers have also become irresponsible. These all factors in combination with a significant proportion of students without proper access to those improper lectures brings quite worrisome questions into limelight. In the post covid world, where skills will be prioritized over anything and knowledge will be preferred over hollow CGPAs, are we preparing our youth for the future which we are creating for them, and making them capable enough to fulfill all the demands of that world? I believe we are not. There is a huge lag of knowledge span and acquired skills in students when compare to the market requirements, all which will unfortunately only widen the existing grave unemployment issue.

What I learned from ‘The Theory of Everything’? | Maham Reviews

2021-02-06T15:22:00.004+05:00

Life is certainly a pattern-less series of events. One after another things past by us and the only thing which is constant is us. All the life events may change us drastically but they don't change the fact who we really are.

Theory of Everything

Theory of everything, a biopic film of world renowned scientist, Dr. Stephen Hawking, is based on memoir, “Travelling to Infinity: My life with Stephen” written by Hawking’s first wife, Jane. The story starts from 1963, a late night party where they both met each other for the first time and instant spark connected them for lifetime. After just a brief meeting, they gravitated towards each other which was followed by few more beautifully fun dates and Jane’s meeting with his family as well. Stephen was studying cosmology, an atheist and had not decided his PhD major yet. Meanwhile, Jane on the other hand was studying Medieval Spanish poetry, religious, passionate, and kind hearted. They both contrastingly complemented each other and everything seemed fine. However, Stephen had been experiencing little clumsiness and shivering while performing his extensive passionate math practices but he ignored them until one afternoon when he fell down the university courtyard in the broad day light bringing all the attention and noticeable injury to himself. That’s when he found about his illness. Motor Neuron Disease, or ALS in other words.

It is the disease in which your brain stops sending commands to your muscles meaning that one eventually loses all control to voluntary movements like walking, talking, or even swallowing. Basically all sort of muscle movement would be lost. The whole body is affected except brain and that’s what I think was the turning point in his personal as well as scientific life.

He was given two years to live and that's when he decided to dedicate all the given time to his theories and use his intellectual capability up to his fullest. Soon he decides his major too, ‘time’. How ironic, he decided to study exactly what he was not left with. On the other hand, Jane refuses to leave him and stand by his side at the alter and carries her three children gradually during their married life.

She took care of him, their children and home, all at the same time without any external help unless he was completely paralyzed and birth of their third child brought Jane to her knees. Out of fear of losing her, he agrees to get help from another young man, whom Jane married in the later life after their divorce. It all started with him voluntarily helping them in regular tasks to escape his loneliness after her wife’s death. However soon they both caught feelings for each other and with him playing the family's father figure and taking their responsibilities made it much smoother for Jane to rely on him. In time Hawking found pleasure in spending time with his live-in nurse whom he married later. Meanwhile, they both married with a spark and left each other to find solace in different arms. This was a glimpse of their personal life.

Meanwhile, professionally Dr. Hawking was cultivating with success as his body decayed rapidly. His mind was the only part of him which worked fine, actually extraordinarily. Its quite amazing to spectate his transformation from a young healthy body to paralyzed world renowned scientist who has presented theories about black whole, time and universe while he is himself limited to his seat. It’s very much inspiring to see how his mind endeavored spaces while his body made him rely on others. How much dependent he become on others escalated his freedom intellectually. He wrote books with shivering hands initially, which were rewritten and corrected by Jane. Later on when his all movement was lost, including speech, he was brought on electrical machine which detected his brain signals and translated his thoughts into words. And that’s how he wrote his globally famous best selling book, “A brief history of time”.

There was another reason why it touched me so much. You see I am a writer myself with a dream and desire to write a book of my own but dragged back each time whenever I sit to write by many distractions and interesting fellow activities. Actually there are two reasons that motivated and moved me; one, I am reading the book, "A brief history of time" slowly from a long time now and witnessing, even virtually and fictionally, how he wrote it inspired me to pick it up again; two, I found his physical condition and illness as a perfect enzyme in his dedication towards writing and passion towards science. His mind was the only thing he was left with, as his only chance to prove himself. As his only source to escape his world and explore new different undiscovered realities. This all pushed him a little harder towards his discoveries. Meanwhile, his illness certainly was heart wrenching but if it was not for it, we may have never met Dr. Stephen Hawking at all.

Concluding it, it taught me how often our opinions change. Through out the movie, his opinions change about love, religion, God, and even his own theories. It taught me how impact our situation has on us yet every tragedy can be turned into a triumph with the right attitude and passion. The way he embraced his disease with a warm smile and funny little jokes, optimistic dialogue to Jane when she broke down, “Everything will be just fine”, taught me how to live in the moment.

Although the movie has been criticized for glamourizing their personal life and playing safe when portraying their reality, I found it utterly wonderful and aesthetically portrayed. However, the only fact that I found genuinely disturbing was how little Jane was appreciated for her efforts and sacrifices. She invested her younger years in him, devoted herself completely to him whilst he enjoyed global fame and appreciation for his genius yet she was rarely to almost never appreciated by him or anyone else for her extreme efforts. She was not recognized in his success, and which was another factor that I think compelled her gradually to part her way from his. She was the person who adored him, empowered him yet she wasn’t credited at any occasion and this made me furious at Stephen and everyone around him for not acknowledging it. However, what we know is just a droplet version of their whole oceanic life story. So briefing the movie, I can say that

Source: Pinterest

It is a love story of a young man, Stephen, and his devoted wife, Jane. It is a journey through constant personal conflicts of a strong mind in fading body. It is an insight in life of an amazing scientist and globally admired thinker for his ability to see beyond universes even when his physical world was crippled into certain room with an unusual perspective of a man with paralyzed body. Precisely, it a lifetime story of young hearts yearning in the fate of illness and a mind blooming in contrast to the decaying body.

Eerie | Poetry | Maham's wandering mind

2020-12-09T19:28:00.003+05:00

Aurora

He stood still, seeing himself as corporeal,

Within a crowd, which felt unreal.

Feeling all alone in the world, he desired for a naked soul.

He longed and longed, but got nothing at all.

One day, with no patience in store, he stepped outside

To begin his journey, which seemed more of a voyage,

Above the sea of all those bodies.

He looked and searched many places,

Exposed, cornered and even the hidden spaces,

But heavy heartedly, headed home at slow paces.

Hopeless and disappointed, with his head bowed,

he walked and almost got lost in the crowd

But then, suddenly, he bumped into a spirit;

Beautiful and pure, like an angelic whole

She stood there in front of him,

And he could see in her, a reflection of him.

He connected immediately, and they could talk for hours.

Happy he felt and jumped with pleasure.

“Where have you been?”, he asked with gleaming face,

“Just by your side, always been. I wonder why you could not see me till now”

Held aback, he felt eerie.

But they were together now,

so he let it go because it felt surreal.

“Strange”, he thought, “how people say one could only find soul mate in a lover”

Together, they went home.

As he found it in his sister,

And she, in her brother.

Why you should read Brave New World? (Dystopian Novel) - Mahams wandering mind

2020-09-21T18:36:00.006+05:00

Source: Medium, Brave New World

Promiscuity, soma, no family restrictions, prevailed technology and ever lasting pleasures.

The story is set in London, in the year 632 A.F (After Ford). The world has changed drastically. After a global destruction, survivors were rescued and gathered in one place, some oaths were taken and new society, with distinct values and priorities, was hailed. Technology has become a dominant force used to control the mass, unlike 1984.

In such mechanic and emotionless society, the story starts with a brief introduction of the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre, where children are born in test tubes with no concept of mother, personal relations and predestined into caste system. Each level holding specific value in a society in order; Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons. With Alphas being the highest and conditioned for information and high authority tasks, Epsilons are considered the lowest with conditioned stunted growth and least worth.

Along with this highly designed society, some of the survivors managed to either escape or actually save themselves from a being of this society and lead their lives naturally, with common diseases, filth, aging body and weaknesses. These people were called as 'savage'

Meanwhile, we evidence a significant episode in the lives of two contrasting characters: Bernard, an Alpha, and John, a savage.

Why You Should Read Brave New World?

1. Perspicacity

Brave New World is not like usual any other dystopian world. It is unique, thoroughly designed and most importantly, relevant to our real world. The setting, hauntingly, match our surroundings. Hauxley has meticulously decided every little detail in his book, from the God being called as Ford; in reference to Lord in Christian faith, and the transformation of the cross into a T, to the names of his characters, literature references, technological advancements and social hierarchy. Everything is relevant and concise. Resultantly, with curiosity and horror, we explore Huxley’s world with as much interest as if it would possibly be our own at some point in the future.

2. Future Prediction

Brave New World is neither usual sci-fi book nor merely fiction. Instead it is a very reasonable and believable prediction of what awaits human civilization in the upcoming centuries. Huxley has cautiously analyzed the society with his unique perspective and afterwards, depicted the future accordingly. Where we can clearly see certain aspects of our current society mirrored in his futuristic world (as it was written ages ago actually, 1931), such as the hierarchy of class, ultra surveillance, and heavy consumerism, while some things are yet in their evolutionary process but still contain their stance. Nothing in this book is without some background evidence and purpose.

Source: geektyrant

3. Horror insights

Whenever future is predicted, we either feel excited to live that reality, which is rare occasion, or we get horrified with dreadful visions of what awaits us ahead. And it may urge us to stop time and not move forward but time stops for none and nothing can change its pace either.

'Everyone belongs to everyone'

In this book, Huxley has shown how the world will be with technology and promiscuity integrated deep in our society. People are controlled with pleasures and love, but it's not like how you might have expected it. No sense of family, personal relations or monogamy, which is achieved by killing their raw natural emotional traits and conditioning for their destined tasks. No one can choose to do anything. Instead all lead robotic life with false pleasures and mechanic surroundings. If analyzing our present scenario, most of it actually looks familiar. We have already headed towards it and the clamor by the end was just the result of one author's imagination and what extremes such settings can elicit in multiple minds is still not imaginable.

4. Smoothness

Despite the grabbing information and scarce visions, the writing style is quite good. It keeps you engaged throughout the book. Huxley writing style is sardonic which ensures that you not only read it as story but also comparative scale for evaluation of your own society. Moreover Huxley excels at building tension through his idiosyncratic dialogues: on some occasions, there can be multiple scenes taking place and reaching their respective climaxes at the same moment.

5. Timeless

Brave New World is simply timeless. It could as well be written in the 1800s as in the 1900s or 2000s, as there is nothing which betrays its age.

Why you may find it difficult to read initially?

1. Demanding

As it is a Sci-Fi and that too, such gloomy one, so it requires you to dedicate some extra energy and imagine the setup properly and if you misplace any information while imagining everything, you may lose the interest completely. Additionally terms employed such as ‘Epsilon’, 'Ford', 'Freemartins’ or ‘Soma’ are not plainly defined for you, instead you will have to decode their meanings through the dialogues between characters. Therefore, it is important to understand the details first to put them into right places. I would suggest you to read some non-spoiler reviews before you indulge into it yourself because those reviews can prove as guidelines for imagining the whole scenario.

2. Story

Where everything is else is perfect, the storyline seems to lose the spark with time. However, overall the book and it's visions and predictions are worth your time!

Brave New World

Verdict: I did not find the overall storyline of the Brave New World very great, but the book stunned me by its serious tone, details and information it holds. And it is definitely worth of all the hype it has been receiving for decades. In fact, everything resembles so much to our own world that I have no doubt that our future might not look too far from what Huxley foretold in his book.
Meanwhile, Brave New World is one of the most important pieces in modern literature and deserves to be read by bookworms and non-bookworms alike. Just keep in mind that it will not be an easy read.

Feminism | What and Why?

2020-08-08T01:56:00.001+05:00

The movement started in Europe and America as voice for suppressed sex (women) at that time, is now tweaked by many and inclined towards their own opinions. According to the definition quoted by Merriam-Webster, "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.", it is simply a demand of economical, social, and political equality for all sexes. It demands equal freedom of choice, speech, and every other form which is at birth granted as rights to men.

Feminism does not mean hating or degrading men by any means. Instead only demanding just rights for women as well. Women alone can't do this without men. Educating solely women or only women protesting for their rights won't make any difference unless men understand it completely and make peace with their demands fully. No true feminists can hate men, because they need men to stand by their side and those who do are not true feminists.

The concept which was originated in early nineteenth century when during the war men were required in the battle ground and women were forced to work in factories to keep the economy running, but as soon as men came back, the women were demanded at homes to be restricted again and enslaved with no choice of career or even political vote. Meanwhile, being non-existent in the view of law, so the question of any right could even not be objected.

Gradually, just like every revolution, surrogates kept protesting for women’s rights for years and years with not any visible outcome until 1919 when they were allowed to vote legally. Since then, after the four waves women have been successful in securing almost multiple rights, from vote to even holding authoritive posts officially.

But, considering racial indifferences which have existed in West, it only advocated for black women’s right of freedom and safety in early years, and slowly as privileged white women too stepped ahead, joined hands and demanded their distinguished rights as well, it evolved as women’s movement in general. With each passing year, different issues were highlighted. Objective remained the same but directions have, at times, altered.

From putting under spotlight the issues of not any right to vote for women, no freedom of speech to domestic violence, rapes, it ignited discussion on every topic. But as it was the West movement, so it addressed mainly the problems west culture produces for women: like they demanded right to birth control, no dress code and freedom to live their life as per their wish with no check and balance (obviously, which implies common promiscuousness and all the things leading towards it)

So, understandably, when it took it’s pace here in Asia, people couldn’t comprehend the need for such rights, although the right to birth control can be somehow given to women considering the unchecked children’s birth and weak mothers’ death rate. But besides all these non-Islamic claims, everything else it demands is absolutely right, like equal wage, laws against domestic, physical or emotional abusers, rapists, harassers, cat-callers, marriage rights, freedom of speech and choice. These all are the rights which have already been granted to women by birth already by the Islam but unfortunately, were not given due to men superiority and patriarchal mindsets. So now they have to fight for their basic rights even.

From being the voice to black women to women in general and now it has also even taken the LGBT community under its shadow. Since then, owing to its diversity and multiple (mostly wrong) interpretation, it has been globally appreciate and criticised, respectively.

However, in past few years this theory has been entwined greatly with many other political propagandas and thus, ended up spoiling the main motto behind it. The most famous Metoo movement was although the best in its nature with the intention to publically reveal the predators, but not fortunately, many spoiled it for personal as well as political reasons.

The radical feminism is not true feminism. And people have to realize the difference. In conclusion, as nothing is bad in its nature but what people associate with it and how they use it, can influence its nature. Similarly, this movement or theory was not bad in it’s nature but greatly kind but the recent manipulation has damaged its true meaning. But its high time to call out the manipulators and regain its purpose and lost-spolied reputation because with such globalization and technological advancements, no country can afford such fall back and wastage of half of it's population at homes. It doesn't have to be about capital but choice. Women too should be provided with choice to make their career as they wish to. And even if they prefer to stay home to care for family then it should also be appreciated as equally as working women because house work is no less than any outdoor work.

Maham's wandering mind

How I Learned to Be Productive While Working From Home (Without Burning Out)

How I Learned to Be Productive While Working From Home (Without Burning Out)

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What is Multi-Token Prediction?

Future of Coding with Multi-Token LLM (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

5 Mistakes I Made During My Writing Career

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 1. Don’t Go For ‘Perfect Copy’ in Your First Draft

2. Don’t Mimic Others — Find Your Voice & Style

3. Document Your Every Work — Create Your Gold Mine

4. Experiment, But Find Your Niche

5. Market Yourself and Your Work Proudly

How To Start Freelancing with No Experience (Guide for Students & Newbies)

What Is Freelancing?

How To Figure Out the Skill You Can Sell?

How to Learn (And Master) Any Skill?

Where Can You Find Clients?

How Can You Get Projects?

1. Market Yourself Proudly

2. Build a Professional Online Presence

3. Create a Portfolio

4. Make Cold Outreach Your Best Buddy

5. Make Your First Offer Risk-Free and Provide ‘Value’

Productivity Tips for Freelancers

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5 Tips for Freelancers for Higher Productivity - from SOLO by Rebecca Seal

Tip 1: Create a dedicated workspace for yourself

Tip 2: Make a Routine

Tip 3: Aim for Short And Focused Hours Schedule

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid of Outsourcing When Overwhelmed

Tip 5: Learn How to Make an Effective To-Do List

Trick to Creating the Most Practical To-Do List

Deadline

Money

Contact

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5 Tips for Freelancers for Higher Productivity - from SOLO by Rebecca Seal

Tip 1: Create a dedicated workspace for yourself

Tip 2: Make a Routine

Tip 3: Aim for Short And Focused Hours Schedule

Tip 4: Don’t Be Afraid of Outsourcing When Overwhelmed

Tip 5: Learn How to Make an Effective To-Do List

What type of procrastinator are you?

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie: A Book of love, politics, radicalism, sacrifice, and pain - Book Review

Besides it all

Kamila Shamsie

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The following are eight ways to help you develop focus and stick to your routine.

1. Time Blocking – Intermediate Package

2. 3F Approach

3. Hell Yes or No Approach

4. Be Mindful of the Workload

5. Make a Schedule and Stick to it!

6. Learn Time Management

7. Meditation and Mindfulness

8. Emotional Intelligence

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1. Don’t Go For ‘Perfect Copy’ in Your First Draft