The Cyan Project

Procrastination is a challenge we all have faced at one point in life. Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks. Everyone puts things off sometimes but procrastinating is consciously avoiding/postponing a task. It can lead to increased stress, health issues and poor work performance.  In order to know how to overcome procrastination it is also important to understand the ‘why’ behind procrastination   Fear of failure Need for perfectionism Lack of motivation Unpleasant task Ask yourself these questions to self-reflect on the causes behind procrastinating behaviour:  Why am I putting this off? Am I afraid of the outcome? What will I gain in longer run by putting this off? If I ignore this, what will happen? Are there specific factors because of which I am avoiding the task? What is the worst possible outcome that could happen? Will I be able to handle the outcome?  Am I trying to protect myself by putting this off? Overcoming procrastination  Cr...

All things are not what they seem... We are often told that what people said was not always what they meant or were feeling and it was possible to get others to do what you want them to do if you understood how they felt and responded to it appropriately. If we look at the evolutionary theories, our ancestors engaged in non-verbal forms of communication. The ability to understand a person’s thoughts and attitudes through their behavior was the primary means of communication. In evolutionary terms, speech is a very recent phenomenon, first developed between 2 million and 500,000 years ago. Despite body language being the primary form of communication amongst our ancestors, the research in this field began only in the 1950s. Researchers have now agreed to the fact that words only convey information whereas body language conveys interpersonal attitudes and feelings. Sometimes, non-verbal messages become a substitute for verbal messages. For example, a mom giving the “Don’t do this” stare ...

I am a worrier and I usually overthink a lot. I don't think I remember a day when I was not worrying about something. To summarize I used to worry about everything under the sun and accompanying this excessive and uncontrollable worry were difficulty falling asleep, impatience with others and  difficulty focusing at work.  Anxiety is body’s natural reaction to stress. It’s a fear or apprehension about future events. Everyone feels anxious from time to time but when it doesn’t go away, happen without any particular reason or make it hard to cope with daily life it may be the sign of an anxiety disorder.  I had no idea what I feared but this fear and worry overtook my life at some point. I underwent a period of severe distress where I felt I could no longer function, I tried to push myself beyond my coping abilities. The anxiety increased everyday. I don't think there was a day when I didn't cry or worry. I also quit my job because I was not able to concentrate and function...

How to get your point across without upsetting others? Assertiveness is one of the core communication skills. It manages not only your relationship with others but also your relationship with yourself. It takes a lot of effort to become assertive and it surely doesn’t happen overnight! Here are some techniques which will help you become more assertive in your life and your relationships (both personal and professional). The key to assertiveness is practicing these techniques over and over again. You make them part of your life and everyday communication. Learn to say NO! This is something which we have been learning since childhood. Saying NO to people is a difficult task. A lot of us find it difficult to say NO to a co-worker or a friend or partner or family member. We often fear it might hurt them. So, instead of saying NO, we end up burdening ourselves with their work. You should be aware of your limits for time and resources. It is important to understand that you cannot please eve...

Understanding signs, symptoms, causes and treatment of depression. When Arya (name changed) moved to a new city for a new job she knew her transition would be a little difficult. She had to adapt to a new city, new job and a new apartment. Everything seems to going good for a few days but something was amiss. She was always feeling low on energy while working. Everything seemed to be falling apart and she felt sad everyday. She no longer enjoyed anything and would cry the whole day. While we all feel sad, moody or low from time to time, some people experience these feelings for longer periods of time and sometimes without any apparent reason. Depression is more than just a low mood, it’s a serious mental health condition which affects your well being.  Arya felt she was going through some problem for which she had no explanation. She didn't realize the extent of her problems.  World Health Organization states that, "At its worst, depression can be a frightening, debilitating c...

What do you fear the most? Do you fear public speaking or being assertive about things? Do you fear intimacy or an ending in a relationship? Do you fear to lose a job or failing at a task? The list of things we fear is never-ending. It ranges from a fear of public speaking to fear of dating to fear to lose a loved one to fear losing everything. We fear to begin; we fear to change; we fear success; we fear failure; we fear to live; we fear to die. Our fears are unique and the intensity of the fear varies. You are not the only one who feels afraid!   Susan Jeffers in her book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, has broken down fear into 3 levels.  Level 1 is the “ surface story .” This level of fear can be divided into two types: those that “happen” (aging, being alone, illness, retirement, etc.) and those that require action (public speaking, driving, making friends, changing careers, etc.).   The Level 2 fears are not situation oriented;  they require ego ! They...

Life is a roller coaster, full of twists and turns, ups and downs. We face issues ranging from minor setbacks to traumatic events that have a more lasting impact. An individual experiences a wide range of emotions, thoughts, and uncertainty while dealing with these setbacks. An individual is usually able to adapt to the situation and deal with it effectively because of resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from adverse situations in life. These situations can range from an argument with a sibling, loss of a job, sickness to death of a loved one, natural calamities, etc. Resilience helps people deal with the situation effectively and help them get back on track!  An individual is able to adapt to situations well due to resilience. Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if its less good than the one you had before. You can fight it or you can accept that and try to put together something that's good.  Resilience doesn’t mean that an individual will not exp...