Peace of mind

During my stint with McKinsey, I was going through a period of intense stress — my family moved back to India and I was all alone in the US. I could have kept pushing myself to the breaking point. Or I could take a break. So I took a break — for a week....

Why are we so busy

Why the hell are we so busy all the time? This disease called “back-to-back meetings” is spreading faster than Covid’s Delta variant. In today’s hyper-connected, competitive world, some busyness is understandable, but a lot of it is artificially created. And the...

Focus bubble

A few years ago, a friend inadvertently showed me the secret of extreme productivity. Here is the story. This friend was on a short sabbatical and popped into my office, asking if he could help me with anything. Knowing how bright he was, I asked him if he could flesh...

FOMO and addiction

To get addicted, you don’t need the ‘white powder’. Here is my story. In my early days as an IPS officer, when I was back home after an intense, stressful day, I wanted a break. Since I never partied or socialized, watching TV became my ritual. And before long, I...