R&Ding My Antidote To Languishing
Deepak Agrawal, Co-founder, and CEO of TurboHire, shares his thoughts on what is, indisputably, one of the most important things affecting us all the world over as we continue battling the pandemic. And as the fight has started to take its toll mentally as much as physiologically, we must quest for ways to keep the resilience going. Deepak talks about what has helped him keep the drive maintained not only for himself but also for the entire team at TurboHire.
These unprecedented times are witnessing not only the rampant spreading of a virus but also the impact it is having on us all. And a distinct part of the latter is mental and psychological in nature because of uncertainty, home isolation, and panic news spreading across the board. Yes — a lot of people spoke about it over the past year, and recently there is cognizance of what this feeling is that is spreading like a pandemic itself. But I wouldn’t say it is an emotion alone; because in many ways, both recognizable and unrecognizable ones, it translates into actions.
So, What Is It To Be ‘Languishing’?
One simple way to understand it is of being in that mental and physical state when we feel ‘joyless’ and ‘aimless’. Languishing is a sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re just muddling through your day, phone, tasks, or even Netflix. And it might just be the dominant emotion of 2021.
Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School of Business, wrote an interesting article on it, in which he talks of creating an antidote to tackle languishing.
Personally, being the problem solver that I am, it was the solution (or ‘antidote’ as Grant terms it) to languishing that I found keen interest in — and that is to find one’s ‘Flow’. For those of you who wouldn’t have read through Grant’s paper let me elaborate on it a bit.
Flow is explained in positive psychology as that mental state of absorption resulting from a meaningful challenge or a momentary bond; wherein your sense of time, place, and self — simply morph into one.
And as idealistic as that might sound, it is a very real phenomenon. Some of you might be aware of being in a flow, some of you might have witnessed it unknowingly, but the important thing to note is that it is achievable by design. In other words, you can find your Flow by (1):
1. giving yourself some uninterrupted time
2. focusing on a small goal
To be able to give yourself definitive periods of uninterrupted time, it is key to think of them as treasures that must be guarded in order to retain your focus. We can find solace in experiences that capture our full attention — be it bird watching, playing an instrument, cooking, or working on a ‘work item’ that requires focus and, therefore, warrants undivided time.
In order to focus on a small goal, you need need to divert all attention on a small but meaningful challenge that stretches your skills and heightens your resolve. That means carving out time, daily, to focus on a challenge that matters to you — an interesting project, a worthwhile goal, a meaningful conversation.
5 Flows In Daily Life
The reason I felt a strong connection to ‘Flows’ being an antidote to languishing is that I could not only relate to it but also vouch for it. With time and experience, I have consciously distributed my day into 5 Flows. And it is with certainty that I can say that they are what enable me to remain productive, balanced, and happy — every day.
I personally focus on Five Flows:
1. Morning Fitness Flow
Millions around the world preach about it and there is absolute truth in it. Our body is the vessel that will see us through life. Come what may, I never miss my 1 hour of running and exercise.
2. Gratitude Flow
Love and gratitude are the bonds that can come to define who we become as people. So I take out time to thank the people who care for me, my family and colleagues at TurboHire; and enquire about the well-being of others.
3. Work Flow
9.30 am to 6 pm is the time I zone into work — first focusing on the tasks having a long-term impact and then the tactical ones. It’s key to never feeling angry or frustrated over things not happening as desired.
4. Family Flow
Personally, I truly believe that very few things are as important as family. My evenings are for my family. It is the time I disconnect from all else to be with them.
5. Learning Flow
The only way to wake up a better version of ourselves the next day is to concertedly fuel ourselves with what is needed. So I spend my last waking hours reading about something interesting, new, or deep, with the underlying goal of learning.
Was adapting to these flows and making them a daily routine, a walk in the park? No, not by far. But is it possible to work through the challenges to design your life around them? Yes, I am proof that it is possible.
And so, as we brave ourselves resiliently through these times, it would help to build a world in our immediate surroundings that help us along the way.
Also, read another article written by Deepak Agrawal giving us insight into why he thinks video interviewing helps in speeding up recruitment in comparison to audio interviews.
