Attention and focus​

Attention and focus are two cognitive processes that are essential for achieving success in any task, whether it is academic, professional, or personal. Attention refers to the ability to direct one's focus towards a specific stimulus or task, while focus refers to the sustained attention that allows an individual to remain engaged with that stimulus or task for an extended period of time.

Attention and focus are closely related, as the ability to sustain focus on a task requires the individual to maintain their attention on that task. Without attention, focus becomes difficult to achieve, and the individual may find themselves easily distracted or unable to stay on task.

Factors for Attention and focus​

There are several factors that can impact an individual's ability to maintain attention and focus. For example, stress, fatigue, and lack of motivation can all make it difficult for an individual to stay engaged with a task. Additionally, external distractions, such as noise or visual stimuli, can also make it challenging to maintain focus.

Strategies to improve Attention and focus​

Fortunately, there are several strategies that individuals can use to improve their attention and focus. One of the most effective strategies is mindfulness meditation, which involves focusing one's attention on the present moment and letting go of distracting thoughts. Research has shown that regular mindfulness practice can improve attention and focus, as well as reduce stress and anxiety.

Another strategy for improving attention and focus is to break tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks. This can help prevent feelings of overwhelm and allow the individual to focus on one small task at a time, rather than trying to tackle a larger task all at once.

In addition to these strategies, there are several lifestyle factors that can impact an individual's ability to maintain attention and focus. For example, getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in regular exercise can all help improve cognitive function and increase focus.

Overall, attention and focus are essential cognitive processes that play a critical role in our ability to achieve success in all areas of life. By practicing mindfulness, breaking tasks down into smaller chunks, and prioritizing healthy lifestyle habits, individuals can improve their ability to maintain attention and focus, allowing them to achieve their goals and reach their full potential.

Ambience mall​

Ambience Mall, Gurgaon was opened in 2007. It has a retail floor area of 18 lakhs square feet and has 230+ stores or food outlets and parking for 4000 cars. It is estimated to have an average footfall of ~ 7 lakh people per week in 2016. Located between Delhi and Gurgaon, it hosts major brands and exclusive restaurants.

AOV in malls​

Ambience Mall attracts customers with higher AOV and propensity to spend compared to others in Delhi NCR. Compared to the rest of India, it is amongst the top 1% malls of India. Many customers might order the same product online for pricing, convenience or product availability - but they might not order at all before checking out the product in the mall.

Malls vs D2C​

As per the report, Beyond E-Commerce 3.0, by 2025 D2C brands are expected to do $50 bn in annual sales (out of which $15 bn via brand’s direct channel) with a base of 350 mn users. Published in Jan 2023, the report equates to Rs 12,000 on an average spent by 350 mn users on D2C brands each year. That's imaginable but optimistic. A very interesting stat to guesstimate is the overall spend of these top 350 mn users via offline channel (malls & stores), e-commerce (Amazon, FlipKart) and D2C.

Swimming in the last 3 months​

I started swimming season from the month Feb 2023 and have completed 3 months. It has been a very enriching and satisfying 3 months with significant growth in my ability to swim.

Daily swimming chart​

Daily Swimming Stats Google Sheet. I am grateful for the last 3 months and hope to build upon it in the coming months.

Birthday 2023​

Today was my birthday. It is believed that the ancient Greeks were the first to make birthday cakes, which were round in shape, to symbolize the moon and were decorated with lit candles to represent the glow of the moon. I celebrated it with friends in Gurgaon and received many warm and touching birthday wishes.

Birthday wish from Oshee​

The highlight of Birthday wishes for 2023 is this one from Idika Parashar (Oshee).

4km swim​

I ended the day with a 4km swim session in the evening.

Bringing in Birthday 2023​

Today evening was made special with friends and I had a nice evening with friends. Thanks to Ishaan Puri and Nikita Garg for hosting a great dinner.

28 April 2023, Gurgaon

Conflict ridden day​

Conflict are a natural phenomena of human interaction, and some days can feel particularly fraught with tension and disagreement. A conflict-ridden day can be emotionally exhausting, leaving individuals feeling drained and overwhelmed.

Today was one such day, with friction and arguments. It can be summarized as a day which was the polar opposite of path of least resistance. Keeping a calm mind and balanced attitude is difficult on such days. Another day. Another step.

Petrol pumps​

Petrol pumps are rent seeking businesses typically owned by influential old families - politicians, business families and similar. You need a big piece of land, typically on the main road and earn a meager return per sale.

A fair & just petrol pump makes Rs 2.90/litre on petrol and Rs 1.85 on diesel. In other words the commission varies between 2%-3% and they make ~Rs 100 on every 40L filled (typically full tank).

Auxiliary services​

Things appear better in policies than execution. So, as per policy, you should get Washrooms and Free air on every petrol pump. But, in practice, you get neither - at least not consistently.

Typically you would pay Rs 10 for getting the gas filled. While meager, it is 10% of the margin and an astute petrol pump manager will solve for it.

Modern Fuels Gurgaon​

Around a month ago, I took the initiative of giving feedback to Bharat Petroleum about the lack of air facilities, especially in the morning. I had forgotten about it and of course, they did not act upon it. I was reminded about unprofessional retail business practices again this morning when no one was there to fill the air. At the end of the day, I will find an alternative that will be a bit more professional than the usual chalta hai attitude.

Morning routine​

In time away from Gurgaon, the first thing to be disrupted is the morning routine. It is primarily because of two reasons - late nights with family/friends and absence of a go-to swimming pool in Jaipur.

I have a new found respect for an early morning schedule. A late morning schedule is inferior compared to an early morning schedule for the following reasons:

1. If you get up early, you get a lot more time for yourself and to do things you enjoy.
2. Mornings are quieter and calmer. In summers, the temperature is better too.
3. Meditating in mornings helps me in being mindful. Evening meditations aren't as satisfying for me.
4. It is a lot easier to organize and plan your day in the morning focusing on the most important activities.

Back to routine after a week​

The whole of the last week was spent in Jaipur and I ended up getting up much later than the usual 5:30 am. I am a creature of habit and the morning routine of swim, stretch, meditation is something I missed dearly. It feels nice to be back to the routine of ending the day by 10pm and reading for 30 minutes each night.

The second half of a man’s life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half.​

Roads accidents in Uttar Pradesh​

Today, I got to know about the accident of my cousin's car around Gajraula. Thank god, he was safe and unharmed after the accident. This is the third accident in my extended family around the same area within Uttar Pradesh. In all the three incidents, the airbags were deployed and the car was noticeably damaged.

Typically, a front airbag will deploy for unbelted occupants when the crash is the equivalent of an impact into a rigid wall at 10-12 mph. Most airbags will deploy at a higher threshold — about 16 mph (~25 kmh) — for belted occupants because the belts alone are likely to provide adequate protection up to these moderate speeds.

Expressways and safety​

Road safety has been poor in India since I have been driving. Blatant disregard of traffic rules and poor driving etiquettes are common in cities. The new expressways are a lot better to drive upon with clearly marked speed limits, modular flow of traffic, appropriate exits and better lighting. All said, in India, it is your responsibility to anticipate the other person's fault while driving.

Road Accident - Pradeep Parashar - April 2023

Turning a space into a home​

Today, I met Parth and Divya - a lovely warm couple. Parth is my friend from school and a terrific salesperson. We regularly catchup in Gurgaon over chai and today we met over dinner at his newly setup home - an apartment on the 10th floor, overlooking a water fountain. Creating a home that reflects your personality, lifestyle, and values. Like themselves, they have also setup the home tastefully and kudos to Divya & Parth for the work over the last few months.

A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams.​

Pizza, Music and Pan​

We enjoyed pizzas for dinner, listened to a variety of music genres - Punjabi pop, Punjabi deep house, electronic music from UK. We discussed the recommendation algorithms of Youtube vs Spotify. We ended the evening with a drive nearby and saada pan. A perfect end to a lazy Sunday.