4 Areas Defence Aspirants Must Focus On For Better Lifestyle

Jai hind everyone. Quite often we have come across Journal writing, mental health, physical health etc but how and where do we begin. Ladies and Gentlemen, I Sajal Roy would like to share some of my insights and ideas on this and try to share a possible solution. This helps me to take out time to connect with many other aspirants, follow my interests, and work-life, all within 24 hours. The intent of the article is to segregate the life in different areas and how we can start preparing in significant ways with a smaller contribution. As we all know 20% of areas affect 80%, going by the rule let’s see how we can shape this 20%. My request would be a month later i.e. after 3 or 4 weeks if this article has helped you, then you rewrite an article on the same or share this to all your loved ones.

Let’s begin….

So, every 24 hours are credited into our account We need to take care of self, our surroundings i.e family members the society at large and focus on our upliftment. Almost these cover all Officer Like Qualities or indirectly shape them. 

Action:  Not to think much but to get going with action.

Refer to the diagram of life. Let’s keep it in 4 work areas. Each day at the end of the 24 hours we will keep a track of these 4 areas

The figure above divides the area of life to be tracked, progressed and accounted in 24-hour basis.

• Affirmations:  This is a few seconds of thought or self-talk you have with yourself as soon as u wake up for the day. Just make sure of 1 thing.  Stop Anticipation of Consequences and results, just focus on planning and doing the task the right way and the best way. Make a to do list for the day. Be it 3 or 4 things. But jot it down and if u complete it then reward yourself.

• Affirm to keep a track of your day. This should be the bare minimum affirmation that we keep a track, even if we have done gaming for 4 hours but you should have a track of the day.

• Now affirm to keep yourself busy and get going than lost in thoughts. Keep such getting lost activities in your self-relaxation time (will discuss below). 

• Affirm to speak to someone during the day, friend or family and make them feel special about themselves. Try listening more than talking about yourself.

• Of late I have been reading a lot of books on armed forces and navy seals. I have come across an interesting way to plan. Try the acronym

• PACE: Primary, Alternative, Contingency, Emergency. If you see this acronym, it takes care of the initial plan, then backup plan, then secondary backup plan when we are getting short of resources and finally the emergency plan where we are completely exhausted.

Wellness Tracker:  Try to do things according to the table

The above diagram covers your weekly progress report and will help you keep a track. Trust me, a week on week progress is one of the most effective. Daily all we need is give exact 10 mins for such tracking.  From the above figure, as I have mentioned about learning time and topic – it is important. Be it 1 topic of reasoning or just few questions. Howsoever small or big topic covered or just a topic of online course keeps a track of it. This will help you when the IO would ask you how and what all you have done in the lockdown and previous months. You will be able to give exact details. Nothing Is more impressive than such exact answers with topics and all. For Example: “Sir in the last 8 weeks, I have covered 3 chapters of reasoning, month wise current affairs, 2 lessons on verbs of English and static gk of Indian & world geography on physical features”. The next question can be on any of those topics, but you will already have an answer to that.

“Keep a class in the lifestyle you live.”

Play and Workout time could vary with people. For me, I love to save time. Here is the list of activities I do for physical workout.

• Hang a ball from the fan and play cricket batting. Helps to build hand eye coordination. (I am nowhere any cricketer, I just love to follow the sport, pure love and no expectations).  Around 150 to 200 knocks or hits
• Cycle to workplace.
• 2 min stretching (Google- inchworms, hamstring stretches, round neck stretching and arm circles, hip openers).
• Jumping jacks for 30 seconds, then push up 2 sets, then casual at place jogging for some time. Just to keep the blood flow.
• Squats is a must for stability. Put jump squats and after the jump go down slowly.
• Mountain climber and plank 1 set or 2 set (mood dependent)
• Use my laptop bag, pack some books and do kind of kettle bell swings or lift the bag and squat.

So, these are some suggestions of freehand workout. I work out at home and all this ends between minimum 18 to 34 mins, enough to get your blood flowing and keeping you in shape.

• Self-Care list:  Moving on to the third and one of the most significant area. This area is where you unwind yourself. Even unproductively you have the habit of getting productive.
• Expression: This is a hobby or a habit where people try to write articles to unwind, journal writing, blog writing, making short videos or Vloging or Instagram creativity.  Some people can text their friends, write creative stuffs, make thank you notes and so forth.  This does not include reading. The reason is reading is also a form of input. There must be 1 form of output. Even sketching, doodling or oregano form a part of this. Keep exploring.
• Relaxation : This is person to person specific. Some may like even just sitting idle and reflecting on the flashback. Some would love to listen some genre of music.  Some feel to swim. Some for music. Rewinding your home décor also helps you relax.  As a suggestion, explore gaming and digital piano over the web. See if it creates some curiosity. Binge Watching is also a relaxation. One can keep binge watching some YouTube series of lectures or understand more about life (meditation). This is a part of my wall décor. (Living room). Field Marshal Sir Sam Manekshaw is my idol and inspiration.

• Socializing: This is a must part of the day where you need and should get in touch with you friends and family through howsoever medium. Giving them a reply on the WhatsApp status or Instagram stories and compliment them. In the reality of this world, we are shrinking with time and deprived of real friends and socializing. Try to mix with all age groups, understand and ask and talk about their life. Let them speak up. You will realize how badly they want to be heard.  With time, they will hear you too. This is how bonds are built. 
• Significant others: Well we all have our significant other as a friend or relationship. Make every effort to be there if they are there. For singles, nothing to worry (LoL). But when I was in relationship, especially college days, used to surprise with chocolates, teddies or roses just out of now where. Even today with the help of various E com platforms, their birthdays are special. So please step up and keep your relations strong.  One can video call, conference call with school pals, or just leave a small video message missing each other or sharing some happy memory. All these activities make significant difference. After all, Life is just once so then live it completely.

Contribution and happiness list: Make effort to make a difference. Contribution to yourself, your family and the society. Help people without expectation. Occasionally visit old age home/orphanage/animal shelters. We are blessed to be born as humans. As an officer like quality we ought to take the initiative and leadership to make the society a better place.  Educate family and relatives of the cyber frauds and empower them with the latest knowledge of digital stuffs. By doing this your communications skills with all age groups will skyrocket. When you will join the forces, you will have to lead the troops many of whom will be senior to our age and their fancy English wont work. So, Embrace this as a part of life. But English will always be your expression in the road ahead of your career and your reporting. Make a list of all things that make you happy and dig deep on each of it.