2 SWITCH OFF WHEN NOT IN USE.
“Switch off when not in use”. Whenever I see this message I am not amused. Firstly, because the lights are glowing bright and fans are running at full blast in the vacant room. You come out of the office and are greeted by the bright yellow sodium vapor lamps in the bright yellow sunshine. Secondly, I really do not see the relevance of this sign in our great country where people in majority are as it is switched off to every thing around them. They still feel that the national property is some body else’s. There is no sense of ownership on one side and on the other Indians steal the government property, saying it belongs to them. If we need such messages even after 60 years of independence, we need a serious review of everything, which necessitates such messages.
The statement does not end at appliances but has a deeper connotation too. Coming back to office scene where a regular game of ‘on and off’ goes on; the place where one is supposed to work productively, meaning the switch has to be on. But how far do we witness it?
I adore Robert Frost for his forthright way of putting things in proper perspective, such as ‘the brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office.’
Whether and when one ‘switches off when not in use’ is a matter of concern, but the real important concern on the other side of spectrum is how to switch on the people who are perennially off in their office time. Can they be called as switched on? They always have reasons for their state of being switched off. The higher the post, better are the reasons. The question is ‘are they right? The education (minus the learning in most cases) if at all they have, is used in providing better reasons for their failures.
The big question therefore is do we really know when we have to switch off and on. Does it really matter for whom we work in the office setting or do we take larger interest in mind? Man is the crown of creation only because he is skilled and capable to think and perform tasks.
How often we observe that most of us are switched off even in the first few hours in the working places? The process is very complicated, hence needs a serious treatment. Pretending to be busy will really not work. By merely saying that working for more than twelve hours is not the answer. Introspection is needed that in those twelve hours for how many hours we are on or off! Even if we are fifty percent “mentally on” the justice is done with the work.We must not forget that it is also linked with the happiness derived from the work, summed up by Russel Conwell in his book ‘Acres of Diamonds’ as “The human beings are constantly searching elsewhere for the very things they have at hand.”
Onehas to look for the triggers, which provide a proper stimulus for switching on a person, before it is too late.
Rajendra Chandorkar
“Aabha”, 53 Vasant Nagar
Nagpur: 440022
Cell: 09423102543
Email:
From India, Nagpur
Hi Mr. Chandorkar...
Surprisingly no one has yet commented on this post of yours...22 views !! (I was waiting to see who would..and when,so apologize for the delay)
I agree with what you have to say about the REAL meaning of ''switching on". Most of our collegues (even here) are switched off...arent they ? They 'switch on" when it is of benefit to them...and I am pointing fingers at each person who just VIEWED this post..and had nothing to say. Tsk!Tsk! Tsk!! (Nothing to download for free here is there ???)
I m sorry for being so curt and so openly rude....but when I had joined this site, I had an amazing time reading,commenting,giving feedback and actually enjoyed being a member here....It gave me a community to be connected to and to share not just material, but thoughts as well.
Mr.Chandorkar....people are ''switched off'' because they simply dont care. And personally, they can only 'switch on' if that ''instant'' benefit dangles in front of them...and therein lies your trigger... (however short lived it may be)
Thanks for the post,
Rgds,
Richa
From India, Mumbai
Surprisingly no one has yet commented on this post of yours...22 views !! (I was waiting to see who would..and when,so apologize for the delay)
I agree with what you have to say about the REAL meaning of ''switching on". Most of our collegues (even here) are switched off...arent they ? They 'switch on" when it is of benefit to them...and I am pointing fingers at each person who just VIEWED this post..and had nothing to say. Tsk!Tsk! Tsk!! (Nothing to download for free here is there ???)
I m sorry for being so curt and so openly rude....but when I had joined this site, I had an amazing time reading,commenting,giving feedback and actually enjoyed being a member here....It gave me a community to be connected to and to share not just material, but thoughts as well.
Mr.Chandorkar....people are ''switched off'' because they simply dont care. And personally, they can only 'switch on' if that ''instant'' benefit dangles in front of them...and therein lies your trigger... (however short lived it may be)
Thanks for the post,
Rgds,
Richa
From India, Mumbai
Hi,
I agree with richa that people did not comment because they do not have anything to download from this post(people of citehr have a fascination towrds ppts).
At the same time I differ with her. I believe Mr. Chandorkar posted this on a wrong forum. He should have poted it in general discussion forum. Frankly saying I opend this article in training forum assuming that I will learn some new training technique. But alas. I am disappointed.
Regards
jayram
From India, Bhubaneswar
I agree with richa that people did not comment because they do not have anything to download from this post(people of citehr have a fascination towrds ppts).
At the same time I differ with her. I believe Mr. Chandorkar posted this on a wrong forum. He should have poted it in general discussion forum. Frankly saying I opend this article in training forum assuming that I will learn some new training technique. But alas. I am disappointed.
Regards
jayram
From India, Bhubaneswar
Dear Madam,
Thanks a lot for your response.
That people have not responded actually proves my point that they are switched off. That is understood by me long back. but then as trainers we are supposed to keep our eforts for switching them on. may be a small percentage to begin with. we are not here to change the world but few people within so that at least out portion of the world is a better place to live in.
regards and keep in touch
Rajendra Chandorkar
From India, Nagpur
Thanks a lot for your response.
That people have not responded actually proves my point that they are switched off. That is understood by me long back. but then as trainers we are supposed to keep our eforts for switching them on. may be a small percentage to begin with. we are not here to change the world but few people within so that at least out portion of the world is a better place to live in.
regards and keep in touch
Rajendra Chandorkar
From India, Nagpur
Hello,
I feel if you are here to share some thoughts with your friends, then you should be happy about the views........atleast people are reading it and that should be enough i guess...
I have also posted many threads here and many a times huge numbers of views are there but no replies but it does'nt stopped me i always continued posting...and i am happy about myself...because my basic intention is not to get replies but it should be helpful for others in some manner...
I guess you should be happy and keep sharing
Thanks and sorry if i have hurted anyone out here...
From India, Delhi
I feel if you are here to share some thoughts with your friends, then you should be happy about the views........atleast people are reading it and that should be enough i guess...
I have also posted many threads here and many a times huge numbers of views are there but no replies but it does'nt stopped me i always continued posting...and i am happy about myself...because my basic intention is not to get replies but it should be helpful for others in some manner...
I guess you should be happy and keep sharing
Thanks and sorry if i have hurted anyone out here...
From India, Delhi
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