WHEN LIFE DOESN’T FEEL RIGHT

Sometimes life doesn’t make sense to us. It doesn’t feel right the way it is. Challenging life circumstances can make us feel overwhelmed or not allow us to think straight. A demanding job, family responsibilities, financial stress, or other situations can lead to feeling like we can’t keep up with the pace of life.

Several factors can leave us feeling lonely. For example, either not having a family, strained relationships with family, anxiety about losing the few close ones we have, or inability to make new connections in life. In addition, at times, experiencing trauma or even recovering from having experienced trauma can leave us distraught.

It’s here that we need to pause, reflect and calm our minds down. Then, we must reach out to someone we can feel better with. And if the need is, seek a mental health professional. Depression can interfere with our thinking and make us think that there is no use in getting help or that others have problems worse than ours, so we do not deserve support.

We must take one small step toward whatever we are trying to accomplish; this helps us get momentum to start moving and doing more. The common thread across these factors is that something is missing in our lives, causing us to feel that something is wrong. This can be the most complex problem to solve because we might appear delighted in our current situation to the outside observer.

Unearthing emotions that we might not be in touch with in our daily lives can be a beneficial process to find some answers as to why life doesn’t feel right. This can happen only when we dig deeper into our minds and give ourselves time. This process is unique to each one of us. What works for us may not work for others, as we are all distinct individuals with great strengths and different weaknesses.

Therefore, when nothing feels right, take a break. Do not be in a hurry to find an overnight solution to set everything right. It’s just fine to think that life is not ok. We have every right to feel the particular way we do. We do not have to be in a race to put up a personality that is perfect and happy at all times.

 

Is there any age for Upskilling?

Staying relevant to changing times no matter your age is the need of the hour.

Increasing your knowledge and expertise on subjects and tools associated with your job will likely make you more efficient and adept at fulfilling your responsibilities.

One-off learning is a thing of the past. We are living in a knowledge-driven, skill-oriented economy. As automation progresses, we see continuous changes in the workplace and the marketplace that requires staying on top of new developments and skills. The use of digital technology has made it vital for millennials, or Generation Z, to become equipped with changing market expectations.

Research shows that not-so-young professionals hesitate to take a course because they believe they have been around too long to learn new skills through classes. On the other hand, Gen Z – is more likely to learn new skills to start their own business. Then some people actively seek to learn a new skill because of a genuine interest in something.

Whatever may be the reason or age, one must move with time. Therefore, we must blend our experience with the latest industry trends. Furthermore, as a community, we also exchange knowledge with people from other sectors. Thus, I believe constant learners are better equipped to deal with life's uncertainties since they are more informed in a fast-changing digital environment.

Ed-tech platforms in India play a crucial role in providing skill-based education in collaboration with higher education institutions that promise to offer young professionals an edge at work. Even premier universities are partnering with ed-tech platforms to upskill talent across sectors and build employability by focussing on aptitude and attitude.

Hence, there is no stopping from upskilling oneself, irrespective of whichever phase of your career you might be in.

The Most Unconditional Love Ever Known

The most unconditional form of love you can encounter is with a dog other than a human mother-child bond. Dogs show the same level of excitement and love every day. They have more integrity, love, and loyalty than most people I know. Dogs seem to understand us in a way that no other animal does. It’s a love loop that never fades away and never fails. Their puppy eyes can simply melt away human hearts.

I have two dogs out of choice. And these are not the expensive dog breeds but the ones I crossed paths with most unexpectedly on the street. And they stole my heart away. I give up things just to be with them without a feeling of regret. Both of them, previously having been strays, can eat almost anything and everything. They are not picky eaters. But I sometimes like to spoil them with their favorite food.

Their company makes me feel the happiest. My relationship with them doesn’t feel as transactional as with humans. Their mere presence provides me comfort and acts as a great stress buster. However bad my day might be, their wagging tails make my mind go at ease. I rate a human-dog bond higher than any. It gives me the instinct to love them back, protect and keep them healthy. And it is indeed one of the most unconditional forms of love I have ever experienced until now.

The Importance of a Creative Brief

A creative brief is the foundation of any creative campaign. A fantastic creative idea emerges only out of a compelling creative brief.

The brief brings the client and the agency on the same page about a project. Having a unified document lets, both sides get complete visibility of what’s being done and why.

Most clients feel that it is one of the most time-consuming, tedious documents to write. But it is this that guides the creative team on how to achieve the campaign’s stated goals. The creative brief is usually created by the account manager/client servicing in charge in close consultation with the client. It’s an interpretation of the client’s ideas and vision for the brand and the product.

Since this brief is usually created by and for the agency, it is open-ended. You should include anything and everything that will help the creative team better understand the brand and product. The brief should be simple and straightforward without unnecessary marketing jargon.

Most client briefs I’ve seen hardly have the quality required to yield excellent creative output. Agencies, in such cases, simply try to make the most of the information they are given and create what they believe matches the client's requirements. But the hard truth is that the worse the brief, the worse the output. 

A good brief might take time to put together, but to get things done right (without several reviews), you must ensure your brief communicates precisely what you want. In addition, by taking the time to write everything out, you force yourself to think through your campaign.

 

Agency Vs Client – The Art of saying NO to the Client

The Advertising Industry is one of the most dynamic and forever evolving fields, where trends, client briefs, and deadlines change at the drop of a hat. As a result, it becomes stressful for employees to deal with client expectations and performance under extraordinary circumstances.

As an Agency, we're all quick to say yes to just about everything. This is because we want to be known as someone who gets things done — not as someone who says certain things aren't possible. But, while we might pride ourselves on a can-do attitude, always promising a yes can soon trap us in a pessimistic scenario, especially when it comes to our relationship with our clients and also us as individual professionals.

Screen-fatigued, sleep-deprived employees often shrug off pleas from their friends and family to take a step back from work as they are under constant mental pressure to meet a deadline. There are only so many episodes of intense pressure that people can handle before their brain freezes, their blood boils and they take action in a fit of rage because of high demands and short deadlines.

Now, while my article may be perceived to be biased or arrogant, that isn't my intention. I have been on both sides of the world – Agency & the Client. I absolutely know how it feels having been in both scenarios. But we can be better planned.

We, as an Agency are always expected to deliver work at an exceptional level, with absolute quality, and at competitive rates. We are made to feel that the deadlines are sacrosanct but is it ok for an agency to say 'No' or to push back if the expectations are non-viable?

In my opinion, sometimes it is fair to say 'No' politely when the client demands unrealistic actions. Trust me, saying No to a client is not a crime. In my own journey as an advertising professional, I've found that saying yes isn't always the right decision. The client may hold the money card, but there is a reason the client has approached the agency, and that is because the agency has the necessary expertise to resolve their challenges. The agency is not only the service provider, but a respected advisor, and this is what balances the playing field. We're not doing any favors by promising something that can't be delivered. 

I believe in and follow the saying, 'Honesty is the best policy.' If you don't think that you can get something done, or have the capacity to take on what the client wants, it is perfectly acceptable to be honest with them and let them know that. You're actually doing the best thing for both yourself and your client. Learn how to say no to your clients politely & respectfully — so you can say yes to the clients and projects that matter.

Innovation Surge Post Pandemic

“We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” - Rightly said, Einstein.

To solve the current problems we face today and, in the future, we need a new kind of thinking and a new approach towards innovation. Hence the use of imagination and original ideas to solve complex problems and the urge to create something new has been on the rise post-pandemic. It has resulted in an unprecedented surge in new businesses. A traditional nine-to-five job is not the answer for many anymore. The pandemic has helped people figure out what they wanted. 

The younger generations are turning out to be inherently entrepreneurial, creative, and risk-takers. As they evolve with newer technologies and lifestyles, they are growing into a culture of trying new things, being innovative at every step, and being ready to see how that pays off. In fact, the pandemic has convinced some of the risk-averse older generations to also try new things.

It has been well-accepted by most of us that innovation is the only way out or we get swept away with the tide. To keep the wheel of profitability and growth rolling every business is looking out for innovative ways to address the needs of its customers like never before. 

So, anyone of you who are reading this, what is that one new thing that you have picked up at a personal or professional level to pursue post-pandemic?

Please drop in your comments and share your experiences!

When You Start to Enjoy Being Alone

Do you like being alone? Or are you never comfortable being all by yourself?

Some people think of “being alone” as a bad thing. It either means you’re anti-social, or unwanted, neither of which is a good position to be in. But I believe that embracing solitude helps us to regulate our emotions and energy. It doesn’t have to be good or bad.

Being in fulfilling relationships with other people can be beneficial in its own ways. But once you learn to enjoy being alone, you’re going to grow as a person.

When you’re constantly in the company of other people, it might be fun and entertaining but you’re always making compromises in order to find solutions that suit the entire group. And unfortunately, the things you want most, may not always line up with what the group wants. So, it’s easy to enjoy being alone once you realize that doing so gives you more freedom to do the things you actually want and the way you want to do them.

Well, it’s not that I am advocating that you must enjoy being alone, but I can say that it provides a handful of benefits and helps you align with your thoughts about yourself both at a professional & personal level.

For me, it is mentally draining if I’m constantly connected to other people. A little alone time lets me recharge and take a break from the emotionally and mentally taxing job of continuous interaction. Solitude provides me the perfect environment for self-reflection. I have gotten a deeper understanding of what makes me happy and what upsets me. It gives me a break from constantly trying to keep other people happy.

Time spent alone can be some of the most productive times in your life—mainly because there are fewer distractions, and you can just focus on things you want to. Since the time I’ve started to spend more time alone, I’ve begun to trust my instincts and make decisions without any third-party validation.