I have been trying to include strength training into my exercise regime for last few months… I do it couple of times and quickly fall back to my routine.The change simply doesn’t stick! I realised I am dealing with cognitive inertia.Just as inertia keeps an object moving in the same direction (or remain stationary) unless … Continue reading Overcoming cognitive intertia
Author: Padma Rajeswari
Mad over tulips
Say you love tulips, how much are you willing to pay for a tulip bulb?Will you pay a price which is equal to buying a house?In the 1600s, people in the Netherlands did exactly that during the period called ‘Tulip Mania.’ The prices of tulip bulbs shot up, not because tulips were actually worth that … Continue reading Mad over tulips
Pen or Pencil
Last week, I wrote about how our brain works when we write by hand and why it enables better thinking.Is there a difference between writing with pen or pencil?I prefer pencils over pens. I wondered if there was any reason behind it… I asked Google (and ChatGPT), but didn’t get any neurological reasons.Here are the … Continue reading Pen or Pencil
Rest isn’t lazy
Rest isn’t lazy!Life can get overwhelming—whether it’s deadlines, social commitments, or just the constant notifications pinging on mobile devices. When our minds don’t get a chance to recharge, we experience mental fatigue.Last week, I conducted a poll on signs of mental fatigue, here's what people had to say:👉 38% said feeling overwhelmed: making even simple … Continue reading Rest isn’t lazy
How writing helps
Do you find your thoughts flowing more easily when you are writing by hand than typing? If yes, we are alike! It turns out there is a neurological connection between thinking and writing. Here’s why putting pen to paper can actually make us think better: Writing is akin to giving our brain a workout. While … Continue reading How writing helps
Our unconscious is smart!
I was waiting to catch the flight back to Mumbai. An elderly lady dressed in a simple cotton sari was brought in a wheel chair. She sat next to me.In a couple of minutes, she frantically started looking for something in her bag. I asked, “Aapko kuch chahiye? Mein madad karoo?”. (Are you looking for … Continue reading Our unconscious is smart!
Out of office, into life
Time off from work is precious; yet, many of us feel tethered to it. When I took a short vacation couple of weeks back, I decided to do things differently, thanks to the insight from a poll I conducted last month.I asked how people truly spent their time off. Surprisingly (and encouragingly), only 5% of … Continue reading Out of office, into life
Recongizing a good manager
I remember my manager from yesteryears. I was leading a cross-functional project for the first time. I was struggling to influence couple of stakeholders. She gave me feedback, “Padma you need to be more assertive with your stakeholders.”However, she didn’t stop at that. She shared few tips from her experience, invited me to shadow her … Continue reading Recongizing a good manager
The powerful curved line
“Why are you smiling?” asked my colleague. When I said, “just like that,” he gave a suspicious look. We can smile… without any reason. Here’s the Science behind Smile When we smile, we activate several facial muscles: the corners of our mouth lift & skin around our eyes crinkle. As our facial muscles relax, they … Continue reading The powerful curved line
A tool for enhancing your effectiveness
What if there was a tool that could reveal your hidden strengths, help you crush your blind spots, and make you a better person and professional. Enter the Johari Window (developed by Joseph Luft & Harry Ingham), a simple 4 part framework answers two questions: What do you know about yourself? What do others know … Continue reading A tool for enhancing your effectiveness