The Art of Doing Nothing

Our PM Mr. Narendra Modi is workaholic. He never took vacation during his tenure as CM of Gujarat. He is driving all crazy in Delhi by his super aggressive working style. 

He is getting praised from all over the world. 

This action begets praise culture is making us action oriented 24 X 7.

When we are not doing anything we are considered lazy.  We always want to do something so much so that many of my friends tells me they get bore on Sunday. 

I think in school we all wanted that extra holiday and now when we have grown up we don't know what to do with our holidays and free time.

I think workaholic means running away from the self.  When we always want to engage with doing external things we are infact do not know how to live with the self. 

People don't like their holidays, vacation or free time is infact a problem with our society. Today there is an article in Mint about Great Rajni Kothari a political economist. Author says he believed that no one should pay price for the progress. This is referred as environment ,villages & villagers need not pay price for the progress. I would add even no generation should pay price for the progress.

We should no over work and in the process kill ourselves in the name of progress and development. I think we are doing for future generation is just a myth ; be it economic development or be it independence freedom fight. Every generation do and act for their own benefit. Benefit to next generation is just a by product.  

Point is we all need to PAUSE and reflect the kind of fast life we all are living under the pretext of working for next generation or for an employer or nation building.

Work with commitment YES but don't fool your self by justifying over work. Have  equal enthusiasm for free time activities. Enjoy your free time and doing nothing time. Doing doesn't mean doing for earning only. Inculcate personal hobby and spend time with self and family. Take vacation and expand your perspective.  

We all spend our prime time in working for earning but 2/3rd of all employees are unhappy. Even entrepreneurs become slave to their business and miss expected happiness and perceived freedom.

Bottom line is LOVE your free time, LEARN the art of doing nothing , LIVE with the self. Our first duty is towards the self and at the cost of our happiness we even cant fulfill our SO CALLED duty towards others.   

Next time when you get free time ,  feel privileged and not just KILL free time CHERISH this time because this is time you are actually LIVING for self. Art of doing noting is the real ART. 

Is your company board lopsided? Lacks diversity?

Last week I was discussing CFO of one of the listed companies about their board vacancy and new members on the board. He informed me that they have inducted two chartered accountants (CA). One CA was already there on their board. I wondered how many CAs a company needs on their board? Company board indicates diversity and inattentiveness of the company.  

In most Indian companies we will find CA and lawyers as independent directors. I fail to understand compliance is the only role of the board? Do executive directors not want views from professionals from various fields? 

Marketing, HR, Economists, Architects, and why not writers ad artists, for out of the box views , social media expert, IT professionals , film directors , media & communication professionals, international and local domain experts I mean there are many diverse professionals available who can add perhaps more value that legal and finance professionals. 

But most companies do not want to think differently. Independent directors should play active role in growth and strategy of the company which is much more than compliance and tax planning or linear thinking. there is noting wrong with CA and lawyers on board but excessive of them wont work. 

In light of above today's interview of SBI Chairperson Mrs Bhattacharya is welcome that PSU boards have surfeit of CAs. I think this should be a thinking point for all boards to review critically excessive of anything. Company board need diversity in times we live in. Markets outside is dynamic and need lateral thinking. When war is of talent , limited and lopsided boards will make companies struggle to survive.

(Anti-Disclaimer:  I myself is a CA)