...
+91-80-42023484 contact@sincera.in
Apps that will Help Your Productivity

Apps that will Help Your Productivity

by | Dec 19, 2017 | Productivity, World of Work

It is true that the smart phone today might as well be an extension of one of our limbs. Starting from emails, to food delivery, travel and shopping – and just about anything one may be able to imagine, is achievable on a smart phone. While it is indispensable, it is also the primary aggregator of distractions. No matter how busy we are, or how urgent the task at hand is, we still look up from work to check our phones every now and then.

In this post, we actually look at turning this object which is the source of most distractions, into an object which helps you stay focused. How? By recommending the best apps that will help you stay productive.

Productivity is now just an app download away!

  1. Freedom

    At times even if we may prefer to stay away from our phones, our phones don’t seem to get that. With their incessant buzzing with constant notifications for emails, tags, shares, messages and the whole universe of social media vying for our attention – we just can’t seem to cut off. Putting your phone on silent may not be an option because you can’t miss calls. Freedom allows you to choose specific sites or apps you don’t want to receive notifications from, and allows you to set a timer for the same. Sounds like freedom to work? We agree!

  2. Wunderlist

    An especially amazing platform for teams which work from home, Wunderlist is the best to-do list app that there is! You can set tasks for yourself and the app lets you measure your progress. Apart from that, you can also assign tasks to individuals, and collaborate seamlessly with your team on this platform. The app makes visible each persons progress on the assigned tasks, and the results are out there for all to see and keep track of. Not just your regular to-do list, for sure!

  3. Doodle

    Working with a large number of clients, or even within a team can sometimes be tough in terms of being able to find common slots for meetings. As a result, who ever the manager is, ends up wasting a lot of time going back and forth and checking with everyone for possible dates – making all the permutations and combinations and finally coming up with a date that works for all. What if there was an app which did this for you? And you end saving all that time. Sounds too good to be true? Well it is true! With Doodle, all you need to do is send the suggestive dates to all concerned, via the app, email or imessage. The participants for the meeting will then vote for the dates that work for them, and Doodle then freezes the date that works best and suggests it as the date for the meeting.

  4. focus@will

    Do you have playlists based on moods, or dependent on the time of the day? For example, a work playlist, a drive playlist, and so on? focus@will, true to its name, is a music app that helps you focus on your work. It goes by the description, ‘neuroscience based music subscription service that helps you increase your attention span by up to 400%’, and indeed describes itself quite accurately. All you need to do is choose how you feel, and what you need, from the options the app offers you, and it will curate a playlist to help you stay focused. Sounds like magic?

  5. Calm

    This beautifully crafted app is your mindfulness fix for everyday. Loaded with guided meditations, the app helps you get back to the now, stay focused and carry on. With series like breaking habits, working on anxiety, 7 days of productivity, 7 days of focus and so on, the app gives you a true sense of the positive effects mindfulness has on our lives. No time to meditate? You can meditate even when you are commuting and using this app will show you how, with their guided meditations ranging from as little as 2 minutes, to as much as 60 minutes. While not all the options are offered free of cost, you will still have access to quite a few of them. Wondering if you should pay and get access to all? All we can say is you won’t be disappointed!

Productivity never seemed easier!
Got any recommendations from your end? Let us know!

Best Reads on Recruitment from 2017

Best Reads on Recruitment from 2017

by | Dec 15, 2017 | Recruitment, World of Work

The world of recruitment is ever so diverse, dynamic and fascinating. Today, there is so much we can learn about recruitment simply by way of reading some very well written blog posts which draw attention to aspects of recruitment we may not have thought about, before. Wondering which posts stand out for 2017, as far as recruitment related topics are concerned? Check out this list of the best 5 reads on recruitment related topics!

  1. Are We Winning the Battle Against Unconscious Hiring Bias

    This fantastic post by Irene McConnell brings into perspective the prevalence of unconscious hiring bias. This  bias has been the elephant in the room for the longest time, with very little having been done to address it. While she begins her article by referring to the Silicon Valley, she proceeds to explain how it is actually a global situation. As many would agree, India of course falls into that category as well. In her article she identifies what we call ‘unconscious bias’, and speaks about ways to get rid of it from our recruitment processes forever.

  2. How to Fire Someone You Actually Care About

    Just the title of the post is enough to get you to read this. All of us who’ve been in positions of responsibility have in all probability had to face the immensely sensitive task of letting a member of the team go. It is even tougher if you have been given the task of firing someone you genuinely wish well for. This post on The Muse is the perfect read to help you gear up towards implementing this very hard decision. Need more prep? Read our posts on The Art of Firing, and 5 Questions for you before you fire someone.

  3. Before Interviewing, Train Hiring Managers on These 5 Things

    A find on hrbartender.com, this post speaks about the much-needed tool kit every hiring manager needs to possess. Making the decision for hiring someone isn’t as simple as simply ticking off a check list. And this article tells us about what hiring managers or recruiters need to be aware of, before starting the interviewing process. The cost and impact of the hiring decisions, and their role in the hiring process are some important factors on the list. Read the full article by clicking here.

  4. 10 Candidates Every Recruiter will Encounter

    Reading this might feel like chicken soup for your soul, if you are a recruiter. Categorized aptly as ‘coffee break content’ on rulerecruitment.com, this blog post is a funny read on the many kinds of candidates that you may have or will encounter as a recruiter. “The Keen Bean”, “The Scrambler”, “The Over-achiever” amongst several others feature in this list. Read this post and find yourself ticking off the kinds you’ve dealt with, and anticipating the other kinds!

  5. How the Work-space Impacts Employee Experience

    All of us would agree that the work-space environment is indeed crucial to the productivity of employees. It is the little things that make all the difference. This post on speaks about what those little things are, and why they are more than just ‘little’ things. Going that extra mile to help your employees stay happy at work, stressing on work life balance  and being flexible are some of the things that this post draws our attention to. Recruiters, are you listening?

Did any of these make it to your favorite list? Have more recommendations for this post? Let us know!

The 5 Zen Strategies for Success

The 5 Zen Strategies for Success

by | Dec 11, 2017 | Life, World of Work

Being successful is not just about opportunities and hard work, there is something else that comes even before these two factors many of us consider to be the most important factors for success. It is your attitude. Your attitude about how far you are willing to go, and how deep you are willing to dive to change yourself from within is what makes all the difference. And if you are ready then this post is just the right thing for you to read. Read on to find out what the 5 Zen strategies are for success!

  1. Breathe

    All the Zen masters you will ever read about, will stress on one foremost thing – breath, and breathing. Because while we underestimate it, our breath is the most fundamental aspect of our lives.  We are because we breathe. Not many of us believe in the power of tuning into our breaths and staying there awhile. But those of us who do, know how very powerful it can be. Meditation is nothing but a practice of breathing mindfully. To be aware of the rhythm of the breath as we breathe in and breathe out. This practice allows us to clean our minds and get rid of anything that does not deserve our mind space. To breathe is the first and foremost of all Zen strategies you have got to master!

  2. The STOP technique

    The second of our five zen strategies, is understanding the value of the STOP technique. Every time we get overwhelmed, our defense mechanism works itself up – as is natural. However, with a little bit of mindfulness, we can change how we are when we feel overwhelmed. Every time you feel like something isn’t working out the way you expected it to, or is too much for you to handle – say STOP. S – Stop, T- Take a Breath, O – Observe, P – Proceed. As soon as you do this, no matter what the situation is, you will have a greater clarity than you did a few moments ago.

  3. One thing at a time

    We believe that multi-tasking is a sign of greater efficiency. However in the current day context, there are more things competing for our attention than ever. So quite contradictory to being productive and efficient, multitasking can be detrimental to our productivity. Focusing on one thing at a time, and giving it our best enhances our efficiency and also gives us confidence to be able to finish tasks in a structured manner. Following this technique not only increases our productivity but also the quality of the same. Instead of doing multiple things at the same time, doing one task at a time with our full concentration is bound to get us better results.

  4. Respond don’t React

    It takes a while to understand the difference between responding and reacting. But when you do, you realize that you could have saved yourself a lot of unnecessary stress if you tried distinguishing between the two, earlier. Like they say – better late than never. We react when we perceive the situation from a personal point of view. We react when we want to defend ourselves. Many situations of conflict that arise in the work place can be de-escalated if either or both parties responded instead of reacting. When we respond, we detach ourselves from the situation and adopt a practical and logical point of view to what the argument at hand is. On the other hand, reactions are guided by emotions and not logic.

  5. Gratitude

    Making gratitude a practice is one of the most powerful, and fastest ways to unlock the immense potential within us. There is a very simple logic to this claim. When we are grateful for what we have, and what we are, we possess a state of mind where anything seems more. Making gratitude a habit is the most beautiful thing you could do for yourself. Every time you think something is wrong, or there is lack of something – look around you and within you, with your eyes and your heart open, and tell us if you still didn’t find anything to be grateful for.

Have your own Zen strategies? Write to us and tell us more about them!

Working From Home – Knowing When to Switch Off

Working From Home – Knowing When to Switch Off

by | Dec 6, 2017 | working from home, World of Work

Working from home has, in the recent past grown to be an increasingly popular option with several organizations. This option works well not just for individuals who are more productive working out of the comfort of their homes, but also for the organizations offering this option. Saving on the cost of maintaining a workspace is only one of the host of benefits the employers get. Several studies conducted on the benefits of working from home, for employers, have found that employees tend to take less number of days off, are more productive, and are generally more satisfied – which amounts to big bonuses for the employers.

In some of our previous posts, we’ve discussed a host of issues relating to work from home – including benefits, dos and don’ts, and tips on how to be more productive when you work from home. In this post, we speak about knowing when to switch off, when you work from home. As relaxing as it may sound, working from home can be quite the opposite. And in fact, can end up being more stressful than a regular 9 to 5 job, because when you work from home, you are always at work! There is always something to work on, always that “just this one thing to finish”.

Maintaining a work-life balance is essential even when you work from home. Switching off when you work from home can be tougher than working from an office. Here are five ways to help you know when to switch off.

1. Don’t wait for the trigger

It is not surprising that our outlook towards most things takes on the garb of a responsive/ corrective approach rather than a preventive approach. In other words, we always tell ourselves that should there be damage we can always go into the damage control mode. How about we prevent that damage by looking out for ourselves, instead of waiting for the trigger?

2. Practice Mindfulness

One way of preventing a burn out, when you work from home is to practice mindfulness all through the day. The underlining principle of practicing mindfulness is to first of all to practice awareness. Being present in the moment throughout the day is a way of never letting yourself wait for the trigger. While this may sound difficult to practice, with a bit of time and patience you can master it.

3. Maintain strict work hours

The reason why it is mostly difficult to switch off when you work from home is because you are always in your ‘work place’. When you have an office to go to, you know work time is over when you turn off your system and drive home. When you work from home however, switching off may not always feel that easy. Make it a point to maintain strict work hours through the day – just like you would if you weren’t working from home. Start at 9 and switch off at 5. Remember that there will always be that one extra thing to finish off, but ask yourself if it’s really that important that it can’t wait.

4. Have daily rituals

Having before and after work daily rituals is a great way to help you switch off from work on time. Making meditation, some exercise and reading a part of these daily rituals is a great way to have yourself look forward to switching off. Make sure that you go out for a short walk every day after work. This prevents that feeling of ‘being holed up’ all day. When your home is the space you work from, feeling ‘holed up’ is the last thing you want to feel. Having simply daily rituals anchors your day and boosts your productivity by preventing burn outs.

5. Learn to identify the triggers

The first thing we spoke about was to not depend on triggers for switching off from work and tuning in to yourself. However, knowing how to identify triggers is also important. It can be hard to take notice of these if its been a while since you’ve turned your focus to yourself. If you are feeling jittery, unproductive and dissatisfied – these are some definite signs. It is like your mind is turning on an alarm for you to pay attention to what it wants to communicate to you. Which is, to switch off from work and to tune in to yourself and give your soul some pampering.

Do you have problems switching off, when you work from home? What is your tactic to handle this problem?

Post by Shreeradha Mishra
Shreeradha is a development professional who loves her work. She is an avid observer of life and enjoys penning down her experiences and learning from the world of work. You can get in touch with her at shreeradha@obolinx.com.

Gender Equity before Gender Equality – Why Women Need More

Gender Equity before Gender Equality – Why Women Need More

by | Nov 24, 2017 | Gender at Work, World of Work

What is Gender Equity?

In one of our earlier posts, Implementing Gender Equality at the Workplace, we briefly spoke about the concept of equity, and how gender equity is a precursor to gender equality. In this post we explore the concept of equity in a deeper sense. It is not enough for women to have equal rights. Equality does not put them at the same footing with men. Without really understanding the concept of equity, equality will remain a distant dream. To achieve gender equality, women need more – they need equity.

To address gender discrimination, we first need to acknowledge the deep-rooted history of gender inequality and discrimination world over. In doing so, we realize that women have been deliberately subjected to a backward footing, as compared to men. Hence, more than equality, they need equity. But what is the difference between equality, and equity? Here is a common yet effective anecdote that brings out the difference beautifully –

Imagine that you are at a baseball game and have to look over a fence in order to see the game. There are also several others who are in the same situation as you are. The fence is quite high so everyone needs a stepping stool of some sort to see over the fence. In equality, everyone would get the same sized stepping stool. Thus, one can immediately see a glaring problem! Not everyone is the same height. This is where equity steps in. In being equitable, everyone would get different sized stepping stools so that they could all see over the fence. Everyone would get a chance to view the game.

Positive Discrimination to bring about Gender Equity

One of the ways we can bring about gender equity, is through what has been termed positive discrimination,i.e., the practice of favoring individuals who have suffered historical discrimination. Policies at the work place are one of the most effective instruments of bringing about equity. An effective way to practice positive discrimination to ensure equity for women, is by looking into and analyzing the existing workplace policies.

One way to do this, is to ask questions. Questions are always a great way to begin constructive and meaningful dialogue.

  • Does your organisation promote work from home for women?
  • How inclusive is your organisation when it comes to recruiting women staff who have been on a career break?
  • How fair do you think the over all recruitment policy of your organisation is? Are they transparent about their reasons for rejecting one candidate over another? Are women asked questions like, “are you going to start a family any time soon?”, during the interview process?
  • How high is the glass ceiling in your organization?
  • How stringent are the sexual harassment policies of your organisation?
  • Does your work place have a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) committee?
  • How about the much debated, and controversial maternity rules – what is your organization’s stand on them?

To understand what a manifestation of gender equity would look like, let us have a look at companies who are leading by example –

Fortune.com has come out with their list of 100 best workplaces for women, and these are the five companies on the top of the list:

  1. Texas Health Resources
  2. Ultimate Software
  3. Edward Jones
  4. Marriott International
  5. Pinnacle Financial Partners

They explain in their methodology of curating this list that factors such as flexibility, paid leave and no harassment are only the basic factors that lend these companies the title of being ‘the best’ work places for women. What are the other factors?

  • Healthy work-life balance
  • Transparency
  • Environment of Inclusion

We don’t need to look to as far as the USA for good practices when it comes to gender equity in the workplace. Some companies in India are leading by example of being the best work spaces for women, some of which are -Accenture, Cummins India, Deloitte in India,  Hindustan Unilever Limited, IBM India, ICICI Bank, Intel Technology India and Mindtree.

Above everything else, the presence or absence of gender equity at your workplace is about the larger culture of the organisation in question. The foundation, and the culture of an organisation is what influences all other factors. At its inception, an organisation or a corporate entity makes a few choices about being fair, or unfair, inclusive or exclusive, supportive and nurturing or extorting. These choices are reflected in the recruitment and human resource policies, and in the larger culture and environment of the organisation.

How would you score your organisation in terms of gender equity? Need ideas for organizing work shops to bring about awareness regarding gender equity at your work place? Write to us and we will be happy to help!