Tamil Nadu Order on dispensing M.Phil, Ph.D on distance mode

Improving Concentration on Studies

Many students have difficulty concentrating while studying. Being able to concentrate while you are studying is essential to doing well in class and on tests.
Here are 10 suggestions for improving your study concentration:

·         Study in a quiet place that is free from distractions and interruptions. Try to create a space designated solely for studying.

·         Make a study schedule that shows what tasks you need to accomplish and when you plan to accomplish each task. This will provide you with the structure you need for effective studying.

·         Try to study at the time of day you work best. Some people work well early in the morning, others late at night. You know what works best for you.

·         Make sure you are not tired and/or hungry when you study. Otherwise, you won't have the energy you need to concentrate. Also, maintain your physical fitness.

·         Don't try to do two tasks at the same time. You won't be able to concentrate on either one very well. Concentration means focusing on one thing to the exclusion of all else.

·         Break large tasks into series of smaller tasks that you can complete one at a time. If you try to complete a large task all at once, you may feel overwhelmed and will be unable to maintain your concentration.

·         Relax. It's hard to concentrate when you're tense. It's important to relax when working on a task that requires concentration. Meditation is helpful to many students.

·         Clear your mind of worrisome thoughts. Mental poise is important for concentration. You can get distracted by your own thoughts. Monitor your thoughts and prevent yourself from following any that take you off track. Don't daydream.

·         Develop an interest in what you are studying. Try to relate what you are studying to you own life to make it as meaningful as possible. This can motivate yourself to concentrate.

·         Take breaks whenever you feel fatigued. There is no set formula for when to take breaks. You will know when you need to take a break.

Studying without concentration is like trying to fill a bucket with water when the bucket has a hole in its bottom. It doesn't work.

Unknown facts about your mobile

1) Emergency number the Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly …this number 112 can be dialed even while the keypad is locked. Try it out.

2) Locked the keys in the car? Your car has remote keys? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you happen to lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are home, call someone on your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the other person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the phone on their end. Your car will unlock.Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you.Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other “remote” for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).Editor’s Note: *It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!”

3) Hidden Battery power imagine your cell battery is very low, u r expecting an important call and u don’t have a charger. Nokia instrument comes with reserve battery. To activate, press the keys *3370#Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when u charge your cell next time.

4) How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?To check your Mobile phone’s serial number, key in the following digits on your phone:
* # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. when your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless.

You probably won’t get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can’t use/sell it either.

5) Be careful while using your mobile phoneWhen you try to call someone through mobile phone,don’t put your mobile closer to your ears until the recipient answers. Because directly after dialling, the mobile phone would use it’s maximum signalling power, which is: 2 watts = 33dbi, Plz Be Careful, Message as received (Save your brain) Please use left ear while using cell (mobile), because if you use the right one it will affect brain directly. This is a true fact.
 

Water-Pure and safe?

A recent report claiming that most water purifiers in India do not completely eliminate water- borne viruses like Hepatitis E has aroused concern. But experts say that the chemical poisoning caused by prolonged use of water purifiers is a greater health threat. We check the facts

IF THERE'S one thing we Indians should be afraid of, it's drinking the water in our own country. Like it or not, the reality is that the water that comes out of our taps is laden with chemicals and microorganisms. One casual sip of unprocessed water can result in an episode of typhoid, jaundice or amoebic dysentery. Despite our awareness of the consequences of drinking ' impure' water, most of us are confused about how we should process water to make it safe and healthy for drinking.

It's this very confusion that manufacturers of water purifiers cash in on. There are half a dozen of branded players such as Eureka Forbes, Hindustan Unilever, Ion Exchange India, Usha Shriram Brita, Tata Chemicals and Kent RO System competing with each other for the biggest share in the market.

Every brand of water purifier claims to be better than its competitor. " Don't get swayed by marketing gimmicks. Buy a water purifier based on your needs and the quality of water in your area," says virologist Dr A K Prasad.

One way to keep your water contaminant-free is to boil it. " Boiling water is an ideal way to remove both microbes and viruses, which most purifiers don't do," says Dr Narendra Saini, consultant, Global Hygiene Council.

The trouble is that today's hectic lifestyle doesn't allow the luxury of time needed to boil water. Also, a concern raised by experts is that though boiling frees water of microbial impurities, it cannot completely remove hazardous pesticides such as lindane, malathion, solvents, etc. Therefore, to protect yourself and your family from water- borne diseases, water purifiers have become inevitable.

Nowadays, most water purifiers in the market run on reverse osmosis (RO), ultra- violet (UV) treatment and filtration or chemical purification. Here we help you in finding a water purifier that suits your needs.

CHEMICAL BASED PURIFIERS

The cheapest of the lot, storage water purifiers are becoming hot selling items as they do not require electricity or running water to operate and don't pinch the purse. In fact, last year Tata launched a storage water purifier 'Swach' priced at Rs 999. However, despite their advantages these storage water purifiers have run into controversies because of the chemicals they rely on to disinfect water. According to experts, there is an overdose of these. The residues of these chemicals are toxic and could cause chemical poisoning in the long run, which is becoming a concern in the developing world where many deaths have been reported from it.

Some months ago, Healthy You Foundation, a consumer health organisation, raised concerns over storage water purifiers which use an overdose of chemicals such as chlorine to kill bacteria and viruses. All the five popular brands which were studied in its report failed to disclose the form of chemicals used and the residues of chemicals the purification process leaves behind in their product to consumers.

"Some of the brands use chemicals which aren't meant for disinfecting drinking water whereas others use the right chemicals but in doses much higher than necessary," says Bejon Mishra of Healthy You Foundation.

Experts say that there is no absolute way to determine the safety of storage water purifiers as most companies don't disclose the chemicals used in the process. For instance, the popular brand PureIt has been accused of using a form of chlorine known as TCCA which is used worldwide predominantly for sanitising swimming pools and is not approved as drinking water disinfectant in a water purifier.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

One way to ensure if the purifier is capable of removing chemicals, which were used in the purification process is to check the taste of water after the filtration.

Nowadays purifiers come with ' auto shut off ' feature which means it gets switched off when the chemical which disinfects the water finishes.

However, what most brands won't tell you is the expiry date of the ' polisher' which washes off the toxic dosage of chemicals and its residues. " Get your polisher changed in time as it protects you from toxic residuals of the chemicals," says an industry expert.

Although chemical- based water purifiers such as PureIt, AquaSure and Swach claim to kill viruses, the same can't be said about purifiers such as Kent Gold which use non- chemical filtration technology such as hollow fibre based filtration technology. " Such technologies wouldn't pose a chemical safety issue as the underlying technology does not use germ- killing chemicals but at the same time it won't protect you from viruses either," says Mishra.

ELECTRIC WATER PURIFIERS

THE more expensive the water purifier, the better it is, or so most of us believe. Many Indians are going for high- end RO and UV based water purifiers without considering the quality of water in the area they reside in.

Both RO and UV based purification systems have their own benefits and downsides and it's best to figure out whether they are likely to suit your requirements.

REVERSE OSMOSIS

Reverse osmosis purifies water by using pressure to force water through a membrane that retains the contaminants on one side and allows pure water to pass to the other side. The high quality semi permeable membrane ensures higher purification of water by trapping 99 per cent impurities and dissolved solids, including salt. " RO is the only purification system which removes hardness as well as total dissolved solids from your drinking water," says an industry expert.

However, this form of filtration process works best where the water is hard or salty in taste.

Also, RO is a slow process and requires more time to purify the water. It wastes a lot of water while it is running. Typically, it wastes nearly four litres of water to produce one litre of pure water.

So, it can be a bad choice for areas where the supply of water is unpredictable.

According to experts, another concern with RO technology is that a lot of essential minerals in water get lost in the purification process. Drinking RO water for a longer period may even lead to a deficiency of natural minerals.

Also, it reduces the pH levels of water which can cause imbalances in the body.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

RO is suitable for areas where the water is hard and saline or where water is sourced from bore wells or deep tube wells.

Experts advise the use of RO systems only where Total Dissolved Solids ( TDS) levels are above 500 mg per litre. Best is to get the quality of water in your area tested by sending it to a laboratory such as Delhi Water & General Test Lab.

Though advanced and efficient, RO purifiers are expensive and require maintenance. Their filters have to be changed to avoid growth of bacteria. So, buy them if it suits your pocket.

The semi permeable membrane used in a reverse osmosis purifier wears off fast if it is of inferior quality. So, choose a brand that is covered by an adequate warranty agreement.

UV PURIFIERS

THE most popular in India, UV system uses UV light to cleanse bacteria and germs without altering the taste of water. The biggest advantage of UV system is that it doesn't introduce any toxic byproducts and doesn't change the chemical composition of water. However, it is essential to choose UV system with an effective carbon filtration. This is because UV system only cleanses biological contaminants and not heavy metals, pesticides, chlorine and other chemical contaminants.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

A UV system is not a good choice in areas with salty or turbid water. It is only meant for places where the water is treated to a certain extent before it reaches homes or where the source of water is a river or lake.

This is because UV system is not good at removing dissolved solids.

Buy UV system with activated carbon or other filtration method.

DO THIS

Fibre is the secret to losing weight without going hungry. A recent study says that those who increased their daily fibre intake from 12 grams to 24 absorbed 90 calories lesser per day than those who ate the same amount of food but less fibre. Eating a bowl of oats for breakfast is one way of upping your fibre.

How to handle Pressure at Work?

Pressure is the part of the job we all know that, little pressure is ok to get the task done with improved performance but excessive pressure can lead to lot of problem mentally and physically. Nowadays many people think of ways to reduce pressure at work as growing competition and business hierarchy are major causes of pressure.

 So I would suggest the following things which can help you reduce pressure:

1. Take time before you react. Study any given situation carefully, think about it and come up with a plan. This is better way to respond than being hasty.

2. Prioritize tasks, focus on tasks which are linked to your most immediate objective.
3. Direct your energy toward situations where you can affect the outcome and don’t spend time worrying about what you cannot change. Successful people focus on tasks which they can control and let go of the rest.

4. Take the help of others. You can seek the input of other people before reaching any decision. You may also delegate some tasks to others if you have a tight schedule. Decide which tasks can be delegated to other people and do so.

5. Learn how to deal with different kinds of people at work - complainers, aggressive people etc. Develop your listening skills in order to interact better with people and pay attention to improving your communication skills.

6. Stop looking at the clock. When you have to meet a tight deadline, then instead of constantly looking at the clock, focus on the task at hand. Do the task with full concentration. Break bigger tasks down into smaller ones, try to finish the most urgent tasks first and then the low-priority ones. Assign time frames dedicated solely for each particular task.

7. Think positively at all times. Maintain mental discipline by not allowing thoughts of failure into your head.

8. Keep Your Mind In The Present. Winners maintain mental focus in the present. The here and now is where you perform, not the regrets of the past or the uncertainty of the future. Focus on what you are doing, when you do it.

9. Focus on the task and not the outcome. Achievers keep their eye on the journey and not the goal. Having objectives is helpful, but when you execute, stay focused on the process. You cannot completely control the outcome as it can depend on many other factors, some of which may not be in your hands.

10. Enjoy yourself: Relaxation is important if you want to perform any task well. If you are stressed out, then you may not be able to give your 100%. So enjoy the task you are doing, and you will feel relaxed and enthusiastic about it.

 11. Water bottle. Eight glasses of water a day are recommended by experts. Keep a bottle at your desk to stay hydrated and avoid fatigue and sluggishness—two major signs of dehydration.

12. Tea. The most consumed beverage in the world, tea can increase energy, stimulate brain activity and increase information retention.

Today's business setting will always be full of pressure. Because of technology and consumer demands, businesses have to be swift and should always meet their target or else their company will not survive for a very long time.

 Businesses place this pressure on their employees as employees have to work really hard to meet the goal. Employees know that if they do not perform, they slowly contribute to the eventual downfall of the company they are working for. Some even work overtime just to make sure the meet the expected productivity and let the business survive for the next day.

stay positive

DR. V. CHOCKALINGAM

Heart attack is essentially a lifestyle disease and can therefore be avoided, provided one is willing to go the extra step…

The World Heart Federation, World Health Organisation and UNESCO jointly celebrate “World Heart Day”(WHD) every year on the last Sunday of September with the aim of raising awareness about and preventing Heart Attack (Ischemic Heart disease-IHD) in all its stages — primordial, primary, secondary and tertiary.

The theme of the 10th World Heart day this year, “I Work with Heart”, implies that one has to make an effort and work wholeheartedly with passion to enable the heart to work efficiently for a long time.

Staying focussed

Being aware of the “Power of now” and “Staying in the moment” in the workplace can alleviate the anxiety and frustration of the past and the future. Workplace wellness and taking responsibility for one's own heart health have to be emphasised. Changing negative lifestyles and harmonising our existence with an optimistic outlook will go a long way towards protecting our heart and ensuring good health.

The WHD awareness programme is timely and essential to us as India is fast becoming the world leader in heart attacks and Diabetes Mellitus. Indians are more prone to heart attack, four-fold more than Westerners and 20-fold more than the Japanese. Yearly, 30 million Indians sustain heart attack, of which 90 succumb every hour, and this statistics alarmingly includes 25- to 30-year-olds.

Heart attack is a lifestyle disease and is preventable. Lifestyle is nothing but certain attitudes to life and behaviour of an individual driven by a mindset.

Stress is a reaction of body and mind to the environment. Keeping stress at the positive side of pendulum (“positive stress”) enhances physical and mental function and enables a person to think and work effectively. Contrary to this, if the pendulum swings to the negative side, it triggers a negative Psycho-neuro-humoro-viscero-immune chain reaction, ending in excess pumping of fright, flight and fight hormones (Adrenaline, Nor adrenaline and Cortisol ) into the blood circulation, resulting in high blood pressure, Diabetes Mellitus, elevation of bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease in good cholesterol (HDL). A negative lifestyle of mental stress, overeating, obesity, sedentary life, smoking and alcohol abuse triggers an excess release of oxygen-free radicals like Superoxide, Hydroxyl and Hydrogen Peroxide which damage all body tissues. Abdominal obesity along with Diabetes Mellitus, high blood pressure and high cholesterol forms a dangerous complex, “Syndrome X”.

All these culminate in the blocking of coronary arteries by any of the following three mechanisms and thereby lead to heart attack:

1. Narrowing of coronary arteries by atheromatous plaque — deposit of excess cholesterol

2. Erosion or rupture of the plaque leading to instantaneous blood clot — atherothrombosis

3. Acute Coronary Spasm — Sudden temporary narrowing of heart's blood supply

A positive lifestyle increases the secretion of hormones of wellbeing such as endorphins, melatonin and serotonin and plays a major role in primary prevention of heart attack as well as in reversing the blocked coronary arteries, however severe it may be, in the course of six to 12 months.

Coronary interventions like stenting and by-pass surgery are only temporary measures; the permanent cure is possible only through effective lifestyle modification.

Some tips to keep in mind:

Waist circumference should be less than 90 cm for men and 85 cm for women; “Shorten your waist line – lengthen your lifeline”

Food habits: Do not eat more than you need. Ideally the stomach should be half full with food, quarter full with water and quarter part empty…

The rate of heart attack is highest between 5 and 8 a.m. You can avoid it by getting to sleep for 6 to 8 hrs and planning ahead the day's work with calmness.

Positive lifestyle can be achieved by self-realisation and meditation for 15 minutes/day.

Life is a pleasant journey.

Life is like a stringed musical instrument and the “music of life ” can be enjoyed only by constant “fine tuning of the mind”.

Remember, the three mantras for a healthy heart are positive thinking, healthy eating habits and adequate exercise.

Dr. V. Chockalingam is a Chennai-based cardiologist.

* * *

Ten commandments for a healthy heart

Positive attitude with balanced approach to life, avoiding negative mental stress and strain

Healthy balanced food intake of at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, avoiding saturated fats and trans fatty acids

Regular aerobic exercise of 30 minutes every day

Maintenance of optimal body weight (body mass index (BMI) below 25) especially avoiding abdominal obesity.

Avoid excess salt intake to maintain normal blood pressure.

Say no to tobacco in any form including passive smoking

Say no to alcohol

Include physical activity in your working schedule - cycle to work if possible, take the stairs, and go for a walk during lunch breaks

Workplace wellness should be promoted by incorporating relaxation techniques like stretching and meditation

Know your numbers - visit a healthcare professional to know your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels - keep all below 100 (mean BP<100mmHg, LDL cholesterol<100mg, fasting blood glucose<100mg)

The stress vortex

The word stress, used loosely today in society, has many connotations and can imply a range of circumstances from ordinary workplace or familial dissonance to serious mental disturbance. Crucially, what starts off as a minimal disturbance in one sphere of activity can have significant ramifications that affect many life spheres, if left unattended.

Life and society in the 21st century are profoundly stress generating. While a range of reasons may be held responsible, central to all manner of stress genesis is “the yawning gap between expectation and reality”. Modern lives have spiralled unthinkingly into a vortex, driven by predominantly Western economic models: of unremitting desire, relentless aspiration, pursuit of material gain, needless and thoughtless consumption, transient and elusive fulfilment, and unfettered hedonism. Stress is a natural accompaniment, a constant companion, as new desires replace the old, and the gap between expectation and reality remains constant, if not ever-widening.

Can we escape this vortex? Reduce, even remove, the negative factors that perpetuate stress in our lives? Transform ourselves into that epitome of self-management that others look up to?

Sources of stress

The Psychological Conflict Hypothesis: The concept of a psychological conflict comes from Freudian thought and is believed to underlie emotional stress. Freud proposed that we have both an unconscious and a conscious mind and that there were inherent conflicts between the primitive urges (Id), the unconscious (ego, current awareness) and the feedback from the moral agency (super-ego). While Freud emphasised sexual urges, psychological conflicts are generally believed to have their genesis in the dissonance that can arise between our inner urges and socially permissible actions; a dissonance that may defy resolution.

The Self Actualisation Hypothesis: Proposed by Maslow, it assumes that each individual has to ascend different steps of the self-actualisation pyramid. At the very bottom of the pyramid are the person's survival needs; after which appear, progressively, security needs, social needs and ego needs in that order (see box). When all these needs are addressed to a significant extent, the person achieves a state of self actualisation, of fulfilment and being content with one's lot. Stress is a constant companion at various points on the self-actualisation pyramid and disappears when self actualisation is achieved. However, Maslow's rather utopian view of the lasting self-actualised state of being may not hold true in the fast-paced modern world, where events often outpace individual development in most unexpected ways.

The Locus of Control Hypothesis: An important psychological construct used to explain the development of depression, an important consequence of stress is the locus of control hypothesis. It has been observed that rats placed in connected cages soon learn to avoid the cage that habitually gives them an adverse stimulus such as an electric shock. However, when the rat receives shocks in an unpredictable manner, it becomes listless, withdrawn and inactive, a state of “learned helplessness”. This has led to the understanding that internal locus of control (where the person feels in control of his circumstances) is protective from emotional stress; while an external locus of control (being controlled by one's circumstances), makes one vulnerable to it. In the years of post-war industrialisation this phenomenon was recognised in “assembly line workers” who had little control over the nature or pace of their work and were expected to perform a repetitive task for hours on end. Interestingly, our much vaunted IT revolution has ushered in a new generation of “assembly line workers” who operate on international time and in response to international demands, often with little control over their workspace destiny.

The Coping Hypothesis: One point which eludes us when we are in a stressful situation is that there are, usually, only two ways out. Take for instance the example of a very short-tempered boss who reacts without provocation. One can either attempt to modify the situation (i.e. bring about a change in the boss so that he loses his temper less); or one can modify one's own expectations (i.e. accept that boss with his short temper and learn to work around it). No prizes for guessing which is the easier pathway here. It is often said for this reason “when you cannot modify the situation, modify your expectations”.

Coping strategies are of two kinds: i. Problem-focused coping where the attempt is to short-circuit negative emotions by modifying, avoiding or changing the threatening situation and; ii. Emotion-focused coping where the attempt to moderate or eliminate unpleasant emotions by rethinking in a positive way. Some strategies employed include relaxation, denial and wishful thinking.

In many circumstances, both approaches are combined in the effort to overcome stress.

Preventing Stress

The prevention of stress is achieved through good self management. The key to self management lies in being mindful: of oneself and the world around. Inexorably linked with this mindfulness is developing a better understanding of oneself and one's fellowmen. Caught as one is in the vortex of modern existence, mindfulness can often be elusive, as the roller coaster of life takes us from one event to the next.

PHOTO: K.R. DEEPAK 

 

TACKLING STRESS: A reality of modern lives.

The famous Tibetan Buddhist teacher and philosopher Sogyal Rimpoche differentiates the active laziness of the West whereby unimportant tasks become responsibilities, part of a rigid schedule, and begin to dictate one's existence (appointments, schedules, waiting times); from the passive laziness of the East, hanging out in front of the roadside stall with film music blaring, watching the world go by.

Neither, he contends, is ideal; instead, he highlights the importance of spirituality and contemplation and the need for us to devote some time in each day to examining the deeper meaning of life. In his view “ Our task is to strike a balance, to find a middle way, to learn not to overstretch ourselves with extraneous activities and preoccupations, but to simplify our lives more and more. The key to finding a happy balance in modern lives is simplicity.”

It must be noted that stress clearly has its benefits. Imagine if you did not feel stressed out in advance of an interview or exam; your preparation and performance are both likely to be sub-optimal. Some stress is therefore necessary in order for human beings to “survive”. Too much stress, on the other hand, can be unproductive, even wasteful; resulting in much negative energy being expended. What we must try and achieve, therefore, is a fine balance between ambition and motivation on one hand and equanimity of mind on the other. And, while we strive to control our own destinies, by being in control of our lives and circumstances, our destiny may have other plans, that we cannot fathom; plans that we must learn to accept and live with. Perhaps, therein lies the key to effective stress management.

Dr. E.S. Krishnamoorthy is a Senior Consultant in Clinical Neurology & Neuropsychiatry based in Chennai. Interact with the author on www.neurokrish.com

* * *

Some heart facts

Stress impacts on the heart: it can cause myocardial infarction (heart attacks) and sudden death. It can affect the regulation of your heart beat by the central nervous system.

The INTERHEART study investigated the relationship between chronic stressors and Myocardial Infarction in about 25,000 people from 52 countries. After adjusting for other risk factors, those who reported “permanent stress” at work or at home had double the risk for developing a heart attack (MI).

The broken heart syndrome , sudden ballooning of the heart apex (left ventricle) follows acute stress. Often there is no evidence of obstructive blood vessel disease. Episodes of intense emotional or physiological stress are reported prior to presentation and maybe the triggering factor. Even when intense bouts of emotion don't kill, they may cause long-lasting heart damage.

The Whitehall II study found over a two-fold increased risk for new coronary heart disease in men who experienced a mismatch between effort and reward at work. High-risk subjects were those who were competitive, hostile, and overcommitted at work, in the face of poor promotion prospects and blocked careers.

Cardiac syndrome X affects women more; there is angina-like chest pain and a positive response to the treadmill test with normal heart circulation. Cardiac syndrome X patients report more depression, anxiety and somatic (physical) concerns; they also have better prognosis.

Depression is a primary risk factor for Ischemic Heart Disease and an independent secondary risk factor for Heart Attacks. Depression also has a direct impact on cardiac risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Depression after myocardial infarction more than doubles the risk of death and of another heart attack. People who suffer chronic anxiety are more likely than others to suffer heart attack. Emotional trauma such as the death of a spouse, mental or physical abuse, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases risk of heart attack.

People with Type D personalities (characterised by pessimistic emotions and inability to share emotions with others) and Type A personalities (characterised by anxiety directed outward as aggressive, irritable, or hostile behaviours) are more likely than others to suffer heart attacks.

Freud said that happiness comes when one has pleasure in love and work. Research shows that marital stress in women and both marital and work stress in men greatly increase the risk of death due to a cardiac event.

Be happy and keep your heart healthy!

DR. ENNAPADAM S.KRISHNAMOORTHY

* * *

The 6 Friendly Men of Stress

WHAT IS STRESS?

Events or situations that cause people to feel tension, pressure, negative emotions such as anxiety/ anger

A response to these situations including bodily changes: increased heart rate, muscle tension, bowel/ bladder over-activity, nervous energy etc.

The person's interpretation and response to a threatening event WHO DOES STRESS AFFECT?

Every one of us at different times in our lives; there are people who have inherent vulnerability for stress. Stress affects them more easily and / or has a greater impact on them

In personality terms stress has a greater impact on individuals who have "neurotic tendencies"; those who tend to worry a lot, be sensitive to and easily affected by the external environment, anxious and prone for mood changes.

WHY DOES A PERSON EXPERIENCE STRESS?

Catastrophes

Sudden life threatening calamity or disaster

Major Life Changes

illness or disability, death, divorce and other marital problems, change of employment

Daily Hassles

Noisy neighborhood, commuting, disliking your boss/ business partner, waiting in a queue

WHY DOES EMOTIONAL STRESS LEAD TO PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS?

Freud proposed that the human tendency is to repress emotional conflicts that are anxiety provoking and hence the conscious mind cannot possibly contemplate them. Emotional repression results in these conflicts remaining firmly rooted in the unconscious mind; inevitably, there are times when repressed emotions transcend to the conscious, but given their unacceptable nature manifest (are converted into) a physical symptom, instead

WHEN DOES A PERSON EXPERIENCE STRESS?

When we are busy, have important deadlines to meet, or too little time to complete all our tasks

When we experience problems in our lives relating to work, family, social relationships, finance, health problems, threat of failure or personal humiliation

When we are confronted with extreme danger, threat, or other situations that may affect our lives in a significant manner

WHEN DOES STRESS BECOME SIGNIFICANT
NEEDING MEDICAL ATTENTION?

When it provokes symptoms like anxiety, changes in mood, restlessness (physical and mental), irritability, emotional unrest and physical ill health that are unremitting

WHERE DOES STRESS AFFECT A PERSON?

No organ or system is exempt. Stress has a role to play in all the following

hypertension

diabetes

coronary heart disease - probably by promoting arteriosclerosis

GI disorders like ulcers - hurry, worry & curry are the risk factors

cancer

chronic pain

infections/ inflammation by immunity

mental illness

Obesity

HOW DO WE EXPERIENCE STRESS?

Stress

Sympathetic system- adrenaline

Increased heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure, blood flow to brain and muscles, breathing, sweating, dilatation of pupils, increased cortisol secretion

FIGHT OR FLIGHT RESPONSE

A person may respond in the above manner to stress even when there is no threatening situation; in other words his brain may misread environmental signals as being threatening, when they are not

How to Handle Office Politics

Office politics can get really ugly. The worst part is you can't stay completely out of it when you're a part of the office. It has a way of getting into any organisation - a small or big one. Though you try your best to avoid it, you're bound to get into the trap sooner or later. Here's how to deal with office politics when you're caught in the middle.

1. Don't abuse your position.

Don't let your position of power go to your head and definitely do not use it to your own advantage. This will only attract brickbats from your colleagues and you are bound to be the centre of office politics. 

"While handling your team, avoid using your position to walk over subordinates. Your attitude towards them will fuel office politics," says Adarsh Shetty, an HR consultant.

2. Be a team player.

As a team player, you must understand that the company and team come before you. 

"You can't be selfish and think only about yourself. Being a team player increases your chances of a promotion and makes you look like a better person," says Kavitha Krishnan, an HR consultant. So though you may have an opinion (and a negative one at that) about every one of your colleagues, put it aside when you are at work.

3. Be professional. 

You can't burst into a song when a meeting is in progress. Maintain a professional attitude at all the times. It won't help to cry at the drop of a hat either. "If you're viewed as a professional, people know you are there to work and will involve you less in office politics and dirty gossip," says Shetty.

Another tip is to adopt the company culture. So refrain from wearing mini skirts and party make-up to work if you don't want to be the talk of the office.

4. Steer away from gossips.

If you give gossip and expect to get some, you'll be part of office politics. Krishnan says, "Gossip can get malicious if you're the type that asks for it and provides it. You'll lose respect of the people around you. No one talks well of a gossip monger."

5. Keep yourself busy.

Stay Idle or bored long enough and you will start gossiping. Keep yourself occupied and away from people who try to involve you in gossip. Shetty says, "If you're occupied and keep to yourself most of the time, no one has a chance to badmouth you. This also keeps you from talking ill about others."

Staying away from office politics helps you maintain good mental health and make your working relationships last. So though you can't eliminate politics from your workplace, you certainly can steer away from it!

How to Be the Perfect Boss

Being the boss is never easy but going from being a team member to being a team leader is even tougher. After all, how can you expect your teammates to see you as 'boss' overnight? Belting out orders and cracking the whip on your team is not going to work unless you are looking for the 'dragon boss' title.

So how do you go from taking orders to giving orders? How do you get your team to co-operate with you and respect your authority? Follow these simple rules and being the boss could actually be easy.

1) Listen to your teammates.

While you may be right most often, it’s a good idea to be open to feedback. Keep the communication lines open. Have an open door policy that allows your team-mates to meet you whenever they want (provided you aren’t busy of course). 

"My boss' cabin is just next to my desk so I can pop in any time. I can be honest with her if I'm having trouble with a deadline or I'm facing any issues with the office infrastructure. She cannot always fix everything but she helps us find alternative solutions," says Smita Diwan, a PR professional.

 2) Don't play divide-and-rule.

There is competition everywhere. Your job is to see that that competition remains healthy at all times. Promote unity and encourage teamwork. And make it a point to discourage gossip and backbiting at any cost.

While praising one person you don’t have to pull down another. Instead identify each one’s strengths and make the most of them.

3) Provide incentives.

Work satisfaction is too small an incentive these days. Set up challenges for the team and promise a reward for the one who meets them. Movie tickets or a meal at a fancy restaurant can go a long way in boosting motivation of your team.

"In my old company, I used to really look forward to the monthly team lunches and the half yearly outing organised by my boss," says Aparna Menon, a BPO executive. It’s a great way to build team spirit and make work all the more fun.

4) Don't steal credit.

When you have a team under you, it’s easy to get them to do all the work and then take credit for it. So here’s what you do instead – Once a target is completed well, send out an email making mention of each one’s contribution to your entire team and mark your seniors on it. This way everyone gets their rightful due.

Also make sure to recommend your subordinates to the management and help them get ahead in their careers.

5) Set the rules and stick by them.

It's easy to make rules but do you yourself obey them? If not, then you might want to start leading by example.

"We have to be in office by 10:00 am but the great part is my boss is always there on time too," says Josh Davidson, a media consultant. "Also, he's never too rigid. Once we are done with work, we can leave for the day."

If you’ve set a rule that no one seems to obey (not even you), then you might be going overboard. Be willing to reconsider the rulebook.

And that’s how you can be the perfect boss. Trust us, your team will love working with you.