Friday, July 16, 2021

Fluid - A Poem



The times have changed, and how!

To nature’s bounty and fury, we now sincerely bow!

The seasons as we knew then and now

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, I avow!


A thin line between work and play

Our life is how we mold the day

Nothing is black and white but all gray

Life, as we know, is more fluid today!


They say necessity is the mother of invention

In tough times a need for a new dimension

It’s time to find solutions through collaboration

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, with no exception!


When he/she/they gender pronouns matter

Nothing is what it seems on a platter

When all your earlier impressions scatter

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, and it’s no idle chatter!


How we do business today has changed

Brick and mortar to e-commerce, interchanged

A wave of digitalization unchained

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, unstrained!


School and office buildings have become redundant!

And yet the work gets done by the incumbent

Being self-reliant and yet interdependent

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, a judgment not indulgent!


Less is more, and minimalism is indeed the new maxim

What was indispensable has gone through many subtractions

While true essentials of today cost us a fraction

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, no retraction!


In the pandemic, the mask may have covered the ground

In truth, it laid bare our relationships and trust, unbound

No matter what, love and empathy stand finally crowned

Life, as we know, is more fluid today, I strongly propound!


But who knows what’s in store for us in the future?

As travelers in a time capsule, as actors, and as viewers

Adapt, adjust, hang in there, play our part, and maneuver

Life, as we know, is more fluid today and tomorrow, another adventure!

Tuesday, July 06, 2021

A Poem

 



You are, therefore, I am.

In this moment. At this very point in time.

You are precious. Yet, I don’t care a dime

You are now, you are here

Not in the past or future

But one thing is crystal clear

I don’t need to hear from a seer

You are, therefore, I am.

 

Moments are just grains of sand in time

Some with grime and some sublime

And so many that don’t shine

Yet here we are, just both of us

Intertwined and aligned

Facing the seconds unconfined

I traverse through life as if I don’t mind

Your presence, I undermine

But one thing I must forever remind

You are, therefore, I am.

 

Live in the moment is what we are told

The deep meaning gradually unfolds

Lifting the veil of darkness, I see the gold

The message is loud, clear, and bold

Your understated presence is extolled

When some saw the writing on the wall, I just scrolled

And now it’s too late I am told

Though I wish I was sooner enrolled

To this thought or belief that we must forever behold

You are, therefore, I am.


Breath - A Poem

Sunday, July 04, 2021

The lighter side of The New Work Eco-system.



1. Virtual calls with international colleagues becoming a daily norm, most have finally started understanding the concept of the Time Zone difference. Your global colleagues finally know where India is located on the global map.
2. We have understood it is not apt to wish a ‘Good Morning’ to everyone on a global call as there are colleagues in the meeting from different locations across the world. More correct would be just saying, ‘Greetings to all’. No need to ramble off with the time-consuming time-specific salutations to show you are inclusive.
3. Turning on your video for virtual meetings does not mean showing up at work anymore. If it was required last year, in 2021 it is ok to keep the video off. Your good work in the last year allows you that. If you have not worked hard enough, good luck to you. Even showing your face may not help. Your manager and colleagues can see through you anyway.
4. Logging in a few minutes early is being on time. Logging on time is not enough. And logging even a few minutes after the scheduled time is rude and discourteous. With no traffic woes, no excuse has been yet found to be good enough to report late. Maybe if you say, the previous meeting overran it could be tolerable but otherwise be ready with an apology.
5. Saying that a brand launch is in late summer/autumn is not appropriate if we have a global audience. There may be folks from the southern hemisphere who may totally miss the red-letter event. I say, just spell out the month.
6. Upskilling and taking up new courses has been the hottest trend of COVID19 that may not go out of fashion. An overwhelming majority has joined the (not fire) brigade and taken to drinking straight from the fire hose and oozing with knowledge.
7. If it’s an office call (even phone call) without prior intimation or appointment, it has now become expected to start with permission or request. Don’t be surprised to hear an unexpected warm humble request coming from someone who was known to be cold and brusque in Pre-COVID times.
8. ‘Are you still there?’, ‘Can you hear me?’, ‘Can you see my screen?’, ‘Can everyone go on mute?, ‘Can we take this offline?’, have been unanimously voted as the most used phrases in office seances, oops, office meetings. By showing up for these meetings, is how most of us have kept our spirits alive and home fires burning the whole of last year.
9. With the rise in virtual meetings, there also has been a rise in multitasking, especially in meetings where we are invited but not required. With video kept off, you can be emailing, chomping on your favorite snack, preparing for the next meeting or your meal, completing pending items, doing other phone calls (yes, even that!) and no one will still find out.
10. With the overload of virtual meetings, one can politely declare, ‘I have a hard stop’ or ‘I have to jump to another meeting’ at the start of a meeting. It helps two ways. It helps you to get an early exit from purposeless meetings which you don’t need to be part of in the first place and show you are super busy with a full schedule (even when you are not).
11. The Coffee Breaks or the Virtual Water Cooler sessions ran by HR for team building and employee well-being have now run their course. These concepts if still running anywhere can now graciously call it a day. Honestly, we just want to get off the laptop and our back-breaking chair and take a Real Break!
12. With the lines blurring between office and housework, with meetings scheduled beyond typical work hours, it is ok if our work status shows ‘Away’ (from the laptop) or ‘Be Right Back’ or even ‘Offline’ during office hours. Because - When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go!

Pic Courtesy - thearensic.com