Mysticpixels

After a pretty long break, im back again with some worthy notes to share and to learn !

Was enjoying my time with my family, and getting the much needed recharge which would keep me going amidst the overwhelming encounters that life has me to offer. Today, in my office where there are lots of vacant seats and where there is no meeting requests and no scheduled sessions…im getting some quality time to jot down some human side of my life here in this small space on the world’s dictionary….as i would call it

Life often makes us to think, what really is the ultimate objective we are thriving for, we are competing for, we are so arrogantly after…Is it the position, is it the wealth, is it the top of the ladder in the corporate arena or is it the just being yoruself and enjoying whatever you do ?? This, im sure is a tougher question to ask and ofcourse seems to come right out of a spiritual mind…no worries….im still an interactive developer ;). But at times i feel the huge contrast that lies between the work and life, which nowadays the pros call ‘WORK-LIFE Balance’.

Family, Relations, Love, Care all take a primary priority in life and maintaining it in the right place and playing safe to your career is what is my version of Work-Life Balance. In this starting stage of my career, i feel the pressure for maintaining that balance and it really is a challenge to get over it with cool head. One of the main ingredient of a balanced life is the passion and love for work, without which life could seem too vaccum, and im fortunate enough to be in that genre !

I would say, its half the job done if you are passionate enough for the work that you do. All the other things that you would be doing is pure time management and smart work @ workplace…and you are ready to unwind the treasure of life..which is a completely balanced life

Wishing you all a happy holi and a happy BALANCING

Personal health is the prioritised topic over one’s professional life…atleast its for me ;), and i feel it should be. There are times we are get caught up in the whirlpool of professional life and totally have to ignore the personal health atleast for sometime. But, remember…if you are really ignoring your health over the professional milestones and the deadlines are making you forget about your family and personal well-being, give it a second thought ! You may be risking something very important in your life !

Yes stress can bring a lot of bad in times to come…but not when you are all prepared to handle it and are confident about getting rid of the stress from you mind.

How to Reduce, prevent, and Cope with Stress

If you’re living with high levels of stress, you’re putting your entire well-being at risk. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life.

The goal of stress management is to bring your mind and body back into balance. By adopting a positive attitude, learning healthier ways to cope, and changing the way you deal with stress, you can reduce its hold on your life.

Stress management strategy #1: Avoid unnecessary stress

Not all stress can be avoided, and it’s not healthy to avoid a situation that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised, however, by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate.

• Learn how to say “no” – Know your limits and stick to them. Whether in your personal or professional life, refuse to accept added responsibilities when you’re close to reaching them. Taking on more than you can handle is a surefire recipe for stress.
• Avoid people who stress you out – If someone consistently causes stress in your life and you can’t turn the relationship around, limit the amount of time you spend with that person or end the relationship entirely.
• Take control of your environment – If the evening news makes you anxious, turn the TV off. If traffic’s got you tense, take a longer but less-traveled route. If going to the market is an unpleasant chore, do your grocery shopping online.
• Avoid hot-button topics – If you get upset over religion or politics, cross them off your conversation list. If you repeatedly argue about the same subject with the same people, stop bringing it up or excuse yourself when it’s the topic of discussion.
• Pare down your to-do list – Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you’ve got too much on your plate, distinguish between the “shoulds” and the “musts.” Drop tasks that aren’t truly necessary to the bottom of the list or eliminate them entirely.

Stress management strategy #2: Alter the situation

If you can’t avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem is avoided in the future. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life.

• Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If something or someone is bothering you, communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the situation will likely remain the same.
• Be willing to compromise. When you ask someone to change their behavior, be willing to do the same. If you both are willing to bend at least a little, you’ll have a good chance of finding a happy middle ground.
• Be more assertive. Don’t take a backseat in your own life. Deal with problems head on, doing your best to anticipate and prevent them. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk.
• Manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. When you’re stretched too thin and running behind, it’s hard to stay calm and focused. But if you plan ahead, you can avoid these stress-inducing pitfalls.

Stress management strategy #3: Accept the things you can’t change

Some sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

• Don’t try to control the uncontrollable. Many things in life are beyond our control— particularly the behavior of other people. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems.
• Look for the upside. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
• Share your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or make an appointment with a therapist. Expressing what you’re going through can be very cathartic, even if there’s nothing you can do to alter the stressful situation.
• Learn to forgive. Accept the fact that we live in an imperfect world and that people make mistakes. Let go of anger and resentments. Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Stress management strategy #4: Adapt to the stressor

If you can’t change the stressor, change yourself. You can adapt to stressful situations and regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude.

• Reframe problems. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Rather than fuming about a traffic jam, look at it as an opportunity to pause and regroup, listen to your favorite radio station, or enjoy some alone time.
• Look at the big picture. Take perspective of the stressful situation. Ask yourself how important it will be in the long run. Will it matter in a month? A year? Is it really worth getting upset over? If the answer is no, focus your time and energy elsewhere.
• Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection. Set reasonable standards for yourself and others, and learn to be okay with “good enough.”
• Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, take a moment to reflect on all the things you appreciate in your life, including your own positive qualities and gifts. This simple strategy can help you keep things in perspective.

Stress reduction tips

Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by making healthy lifestyle choices and taking care of yourself. If you regularly make time for rest and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors when they inevitably come.

Nurture yourself

Don’t get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that you forget to take care of your own needs. Nurturing yourself is a necessity, not a luxury.

• Set aside relaxation time. Include rest and relaxation in your daily schedule. Don’t allow other obligations to encroach. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and recharge your batteries.
• Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be stargazing, playing the piano, or working on your bike.
• Keep your sense of humor. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary “highs” caffeine and sugar provide often end in with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don’t avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

Good Morning !

Yet another day of fights and challenged awaits me…Still diggin deep into my keyboard and staring into my monitor, im just minutes away from breaking my record of latest office stay ever in my career…

Developing CSS for an application, im still enjoying it to the last second. Never have i thought that CSSing would be this much fun. I wants to hear my mind saying to go bit more far into the process, but my fellow organs are just not allowing me to stay any longer…im feeling the tiresness now, have to sleep now, and have to rush to bed

HAPPY CSSing to ALLLLLLLLLLLL !!!!!!!!!!!!!

My day @ office today, could be described as a date with JS. My long-time wish to be a killer UI developer who can create killer web UI and web presence, was ignited yet again today, when i just dived into the mysterious world of Javascript, HTML and CSS today.

Diggin deep into the fathoms of the language, this is a gud start and hope to make the most of it in the coming days.

Gnite !

Nowadays, life’s full of bugs and hacks all around !

Working, as a UI developer (interactive developer, thats what i shud be called. At least within my office premises ;)) i find myself amidst all these nowadays. Being the one and only UI expert in the team feels good, but getting screwed-up at times when there comes a rather unexpected bug/issue is something that everybody doesnt want to be living with. Being a beginner in hardcore UI Development, its all in the game and u ought to live with these and beyond

Slowly walking into the fathoms of UI Development, my title change has come at the right time and im sure im playing fair to my title - INTERACTIVE DEVELOPER.

Its all in the learning curve…

Eversince ive joined SAPIENT, bangalore, there have been one thing or the other happening everyday. Now, into the orientation program that im exposed to here, it was really impressive and there is a sense of feeling that im being provided with some key information that i think were missing in my professional life.
“TIME MANAGEMENT” was the topic and the training spanned a full day of interactive and useful workshop. Handled by Rema from “TIME MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL”, it was indeed a treasure of information being passed on to all the thirteen of us, all being associates in respective streams. Eventhough these were the basics that my dad have been telling me from childhood, its our nature to pay more attention to something thats being compulsorily forced upon us rather than on something which is available freely. That was exactly what happened here also. I feel satisfied now having listened to the session carefully and grabbed some points and principles that Rema was trying to convey. Now the real challenge lies in actually implementing those things in the real life, and that is what counts !
The four box models of planning and other topics are really useful to be implemented in the real life and there are more stuff coming the next day, in the form of “BUSINESS COMMUNICATION”.
Exposed to such stringent and valuable orientation programs for the first time, its been a reallly eventful experience and hope to continue with the good spirit.

This still seems to be a mystery search for me…..
Being a creative designer, Ive been puzzled about the prospective positions that one such professional can get after he has gained pretty much experience in the field. Having found a dream company for creatives…im still confused if a creative designer is having a wider options as compared to a developer, in case of the prospective roles that he can play in his employer organisation. Considering the fact that, creative designers cant play a much important role than developers in an IT company…i doubt if a senior creative designer position is all wat a creative designer can get in an IT company. Of course, a creative designer is in much demand than a developer in a multimedia company, but when it comes to software companies….the role of a creative designer is limited. It often gets limited to a senior creative designer or atmost a manager creative designer or likewise positions.
Looking down the line, i feel that, a creative designer to make it to the top of the hierarchy tree, he should be ready to sacrifice something in his career. Maybe, he can opt for a role of Information Architect or so on goes the tree. But in the case of an IA, he moving closer to a developer role and he surely needs to sacrifice the creative thirsts within him…..

Wonder….if thats the only option left …………….

Im excited!
Making my shift, to the silicon valley of india, will certainly be a turning point in my career as a designer. The employer being one of the best employer in the country adds to my current state of mind. Have been waiting for such a chance for sometime now and its god’s grace that ive got thru this opportunity put forward to me. My new profile will be Associate - Creative Design and Web development, and ill have to concentrate into standard compliant designing, using css and meeting the w3c standards. Have been preparing for sometime now in w3c compliant web pages and there it will be a scintillating experience as far as career and personal life is concerned.

Being closer to my family, brings joy to the mind and being with my childhood friends will be refreshing and motivating.

Now looking forward to the experiences in my new breeding ground.

Watch out Bangalore…Im coming to join you !

Have been working hard to establish in freelancing, but while working in a company. Well, the first 2 experiences have given me very bitter memories. The client’s and my perspectives were never matching. I was just hoping that ill get the design confirmation as soon as i show him the first draft, but he is so demanding and never liked the designs that i did over and over again, atlast there was a point of time where we had to abort the project.

Dont know if he is playing any prank, but nothing has worked for me yet. Still trying hard. As far as the designs are concerned, i dont think ive done a bad job at all. They( 4 different layouts) were professional enough and i cant think of a reason y it shud ve failed.

Anyway all these are learning experiences and will have 2 live with it. Now im into settingup my online portfolio, asap……looking for a change towards a dream company

Sitting idle in the workplace, just gifted me some valuable time to get deeper into the fathoms of the net. Always a source for inspiration, this network of information is really amazing, and ive been telling this for years and i really cant help saying it……
Was going through a famous forum for flash and tried to know more about it. Was just amazed about the person behind such a phenomenal meeting point of flash aspirers and professionals all around the world. The wow factor just got bigger when i came to know that the person behind this was a student and who is younger than me….wanna know which forum im talking about?
It is kirupa.com, a guy called kirupa chinnathampi is behind this and he is a sophomore in MIT (Sophomore means second year undergraduate in US), specialising in electrical engineering and computer science.

Was really aweinspired by this and was wondering how much room for improvement a man can get if he is in european/american countries !!!! The course structure there and other things that are available there are some key factors of this difference.

No wonder y there are such great designers out there in those developed countries. I think for india to be in the map of designers worldwide, we need such course structures that make the students realise the right path to chose and to provide genuine information about the standards of designing for various media. Now, as the case is, i dont think there are too many designers who are trained in their budding stage from genuine trainers, they just come out by trial and error and thsi may hamper the design standard of indian designers……so according to me well structured courses related to designing can bring india to the global designer map.