Joginder Singh ji
(Former Director – CBI)
We all start, our days, with good intentions and a resolve that we will get, so and so things done. But unfortunately, at the end of the day, we find that, we have not accomplished much and are, nowhere near, our intended target. The same is true, of our acquiring new skills. Probably one reason is that either we get too many diversions, or interruptions or load ourselves with a lot of unimportant items, which are easier to do or simply procrastinate.
One thing is certain, that we constantly need, to improve our organisational ability and go on focussing on what is most important and vital to us. Occasionally, we are busy with nothing. But we must realise, that being busy is not the same thing as being productive. I find that quite often, I frequently go to the internet to check my mail, both on my lap top and my, I phone.
Any diversion, from writing and coming back, to where I left takes, a few minutes. Further coming back to the stream and line of thinking where I was, takes another few minutes.
Even when I am back some phone will ring again causing interruption in the work. Earlier the major attraction would be the TV. But now since viewing a two hours Movie, means spending four hours in front of TV, I have cut out that option.
Life is a trade off, as we have to forego one thing to gain another. I have realised that time is one precious commodity, which cannot be bought back at any cost. I calculate the cost benefit ratio of any activity and then, either undertake it, or get it done by delegating it to others.
I am aware that the person to whom I am delegating the work, is going to make a double cut of money out of it. I look at this way, that my time is costlier than his and so I buy it to add to my productive. Sometimes back, to give an instance, a telephone bill was received late and the last date for its payment was the same day. So I gave it to my Secretary to pay it and also gave him Rs. 50 to cover the cost of transportation. He wanted happily and I was happier than him that I had spent two hours on reading and writing.
Similarly, the adopter of my lap top had developed a minor problem. So I went to the internet and talked to the supplier, who agreed to send it to me through his salesman at an extra cost of Rs. 150. I happily agreed, as it saved me three hours of time, which I spent more usefully, rather than in commuting to simply collect the plug adopter.
Keeping an open door policy may be a good public relations exercise, for some people .But it is the most undisputed and unquestionable way to ruin your focus and credibility. I find, that if I do not bar people, visiting me at all hours, then I am done in. Indeed, instead of meeting people face to face, I try to dispose off most of the work on telephone. A few days back, a press reporter said that he wanted to see me. I agreed to meet him in the market, where I gave him an interview exactly for five minutes. He was happy and I was happier, that I did not have to waste any time waiting for him and fret over his unpunctuality.
We have to face this problem squarely, fairly and head on, if we want to have time for the things we want to do. It means, organising our life, work and getting rid of pre conceived notions as to how we should systematize and arrange our life. It includes as to what tasks we should do and what we should delegate to others. Our life is our own and it depends upon us, as to how we live and how we approach the problems and difficulties faced by us.
Of course we need the cooperation of others for success in life. But anybody would first succeed and help himself, if he could, rather than others. We should not leave our success to others, neither we should adopt, ‘luck’ as a strategy.
Our whole life is a learning process and there is no finality, to our learning in life. Our ability to learn, absorb and retain knowledge is unlimited. We can learn from anybody we meet. Our thinking and what we want to do should be clear. A garbled thinking leads to garbled results. Clarity of objectives and approach reduces our chances of making mistake. What we sow, is what we reap. Sowing good seeds, leads to reaping a good crop. This law is equally applicable in our lives. We cannot undo, what we have done, whether it is done in good or ill faith. But we can always learn a valuable experience from what we have done, so that we can become conscious, as to what we should do or what we should not do, now or in the times to come. Whatever we do, has a resultant effect on our life and on the life of the others. The days, of our life are less important than the life in those days.
Try to build a good reputation, A good reputation is a great asset for all branches of life. Reputation is not built on one day, but it takes a long time to do so.
Good and efficient workers are always cherished by their bosses, subordinates and colleagues. Whenever I had a chance, I made sure that I had an excellent team of good workers for any work or job, I have or had undertaken. A good reputation is a credibility asset, about which we should be careful and not lose it.
Quitting does not require guts and any one can quit. The important thing is not to quit and instead, stick along till we have accomplished, whatever we wanted to accomplish. You have to give priority to yourself and do introspection from time to time, as to, on what you are spending your time. You examination will reveal to you, as to how much time you are factoring in for yourself. After in the world, you are the most important person to yourself and your life and life style.
