What is nuisance value​

Relationships, either personal or business, create situations where people find themselves in the position of nuisance. Typically, in such a case, they are unable to create value for the organization, for themselves or for those near them. But they are capable of causing inconvenience or annoyance. Most rational individuals avoid conflicts, look at the bigger picture but under such circumstances, they are tempted to milk the nuisance.

Nuisance value in business​

In businesses, both velocity and acceleration in decision are important for generating meaningful outcomes. In India, a lot of compliances are needed by the Govt of India including signing of documents by Directors. Ofcourse, they are rightfully placed to ensure the checks and balances in Private Organizations.

Many a times, businesses are stalled, demotivated, threatened by the Directors for appeasing their own ego. Negative outcomes are part and parcel of business, nuisance is both negative and demotivating for most businesses.

Trip to Jaipur​

For Holi 2023, I traveled via road from Gurgaon to Jaipur on Sunday 5th March 2023

• The new route is via Sohna - Dausa - Lalsot
• Gurgaon to Sohna is an easy drive and living in Sohna and working on Golf Course Extension is a realistic possibility with less than 30 minutes travel time.

New roads vd old roads in India​

The roads made in the last few years are significantly better to drive on. They are wider, better marked, better built and more like expressways instead of highways. On the new expressways, attaining an average speed of 100 km per hour is now possible and comfortable.

Gurgaon to Jaipur route​

The new Gurgaon to Jaipur route is definitely much better than the old one. Only the highway continues from Dausa to Jaipur is congested and poor to drive upon and hopefully will be replace via an Expressway.

Drive safe and stay alert!

There's no such thing as a free lunch​

One of the major learnings from There's no such thing as a free lunch for me has been that everything costs in either time, resources, opportunity. The person/entity that ends up paying for it may or may not be the inefficient person/entity.

Inefficient people cost double​

In my experience, working with people who know what they are doing is 5x better than people who are not. The reasons are:

1. Inefficient people suck time and energy
2. After a few tries, both the efficient and inefficient entities are frustrated from the interaction
3. Inefficient people make their work your work

Looking back​

I have enjoyed working with people who are organized, manage their work & calendar effectively. Typically anyone who maintains a workbook and has the patience to understand the problem/process on an atomic level becomes efficient. Typical examples of inefficiencies which have costed me are:

1. The member does not maintain compliance and you end up paying for it.
2. The member does not understand the process/task but claims to. It leads to misplaced faith in execution.

Career Switch​

Met Ameya yesterday evening and wished him all the best to start in his new role at TPA Global - a new Legaltech Firm.

Beginnings​

Beginnings are weirdly exciting and change in the only constant in life. I have learnt that only when I embrace change fully, I enjoy the new normal fully.

At Chayoos, Worldmark Aerocity

Swimming Routine​

I book my swimming sessions using Fitso. While I started learning swimming in March 2022 - at the age of 33. I have started enjoying it a lot, because:

• It is a new skill that I have picked up after college
• I have struggled to improve but persisted for a year now

50 minute swim slot​

I choose before entering the pool either of - 1km, 1.5km or 2km swim for the day. I have found that the act of choosing before helps me to push myself to reach the goal. A 50 minute swim is reasonably long and you can easily do 500+ active calories in the session.

Flow state while swimming​

Since the last 6 months, I have been able to attain a flow state while swimming relatively swimming. Some of the benefits which compound over an year:

• You cannot talk or listen to under water
• You cannot check your phone
• You start observing self talk
• You build a routine of talking to yourself

What I currently think about while swimming​

I have recently started swimming in the morning at 6 am:

• I remind myself about who I am, where I am. It helps me orient myself in the morning. It goes something like: I am Gaurav Parashar, son of Abhay & Jyoti Parashar, currently in Gurgaon ..
• I remind myself about the day, date & month. This forces me to zoom out time to a monthly scale.
• During one of the guide meditations via YT, I learnt how visualizing your loved ones increases the satisfaction of the day. I think about family, friends, people I have met.
• I keep going back to thinking about work, and every time that happens, I gently guide it out of my thoughts.

Swim, 2 Mar 2023

A unique experience was meditating at Langkawi Sky Bridge - I could feel that the curved cable-stayed bridge vibrates/oscillates ever so slightly.

Observing weather and mood​

Temperature, humidity, wind, air quality, sunshine/radiation play a very important role in how I sleep, feel and focus during the day. Observing the extremes in daily life is easier:

• Winters in Delhi NCR and Gurgaon lower the mood due to the smog and temperature
• Hot wind (loo) and extreme heat in summers of Rajasthan increase the stress in my body
• A super cold blast from air conditioners reduces my focus on work

Weather or Seasons by City​

Looking back, the weather of Bangalore throughout the year or Springtime in London has been the most satiating weather I have experienced. The reasons are:

1. Mood is upbeat throughout the day
2. Productivity per hour is high
3. Deep work is easier due to higher focus

Ideal City Hopping for me​

1. Spring in London
2. Summer in Bangalore
3. Fall in Gurgaon or Dubai
4. Winter in Jaipur

Bluewaters Bay, Dubai 2019

A unique experience was meditating at Langkawi Sky Bridge - I could feel that the curved cable-stayed bridge vibrates/oscillates ever so slightly.

While I wait​

I wait for many chunks of 15 minutes during the day, these slots are not sufficient to start a new task/work but sufficient to engage in superfillers. For example, I might wait during the day:

• For household helps (cook/maid) to complete their task at hand.
• A meeting or call to start in 20 minutes
• A friend is late to meet at the coffee shop

Superfillers​

A superfiller is an activity or habit that has the following characteristics:

1. 10 minute atomic Habit
2. Asymmetric long term benefits due to daily compounding
3. Aligned with personal goals

How I wait​

I have found a few things to be highly satisfying superfillers. In the last 1 year, the top of my list would be:

• Reading a few pages of my current book on Kindle while I wait
• 10 minute meditation while I wait
• Walk in the office/society/hall while I wait
• Return calls to friends or family while I wait

While I wait - Meditation at Langkawi Sky Bridge 2022

A unique experience was meditating at Langkawi Sky Bridge - I could feel that the curved cable-stayed bridge vibrates/oscillates ever so slightly.

Happy Birthday Abhi​

Happy Birthday Abhi! I hope you have a great year ahead and enjoy the day in pool with our lovely Oshee at Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah. Wish you all the happiness in the world!

India Visit​

See you soon, have a great year ahead! 😀

Who cares about Handwriting?​

I have always had a below average handwriting. I did not write like doctors but the letters were ill shaped, flow zig zag and consistency missing. And indeed it did not obstruct work in any manner, but it definitely could be 10X'ed.

What to do about Handwriting?​

In 2022, I started a simple practice on pen & paper with the aim of improving my handwriting. It was a 5-min exercise of writing alphabets, patterns, and passages/poems.

While I do not see any measurable improvement in my handwriting yet. I do feel happy about reading some poems again. Poem in handwriting above - All the world's a stage

Daily Content Stream​

It is estimated that we consume roughly 34 gb data and information a day and it has been increase exponentially. If we are not mindful, no wonder we forget stuff. Be it forgetting the airpods, that happened this morning for me or forgetting your friend's birthday. We need to consciously choose what we consume to improve daily life.

What content do I consume frequently?​

1. Music via Spotify
2. Netflix and YouTub on TV
3. Reading via paperback or Kindle
4. Push marketing like advertising in lift lobby, on internet

Saying No​

A few areas which I have struggled to completely streamline are:

• Giving up on my TV, I successfully gave up the tablet in January 2023. I gave it to my mother.
• Fine tuning Spotify to suggest music which drives me to a flow state