Tag / happy

by Aman Sharma

Spending Quarantine the right way

Most of us are entering or going through the 2nd, 3rd or 4th week of lockdown. We have been forced to stay in our homes, but that’s all for our betterment only. The current picture of the situation is not very good but everyone is doing best to cop out with this situation. The picture has become clear that overcoming this pandemic will be a marathon and not a sprint. After all, Health and family are the first priority.

The lockdown has also affected our daily routines very much. Our routine life has been unbalanced tremendously. The main issue is how to make use of the day even by staying at home, many of us might have found various ways but I am writing down 10 tips by which we can be productive even during this quarantine.

Below are 10 steps by which you can use your time properly and keep going through this fight. The one thing to keep in mind is try to stick to the routine you used to follow during normal days and in addition try using these steps also. You will definitely become a better version of yourself when you get back to work. Here are the steps-

1-Keep in touch with your professional work– This basically means that you should be doing your work even staying at home. Many companies are following the routine of work from home. But still if you are not having any work, keep doing small things related to your professional life. Keep practicing your skills and upgrading the level of your work. This will definitely help you grow your value in the company and who knows this might land in your desired position that you have always dreamed off. 

2-Take care of your skin– Staying in doesn’t mean that your skin will not come in any contact with dust particles. They are present everywhere. Wash your face every day with face wash. Scrub it twice a week. Take baths daily. Do remember to wash your hands carefully before touching the face or nose.

3-Workout– Keep this on top in the list of things to do daily. Try various workouts every day and keep your body in a good shape. You don’t want to come out as a couch potato. Do it with your family to make it more fun, keep doing them every day even if you only do minimal. A 20-25 minute workout will be enough. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Your can do various exercises such as skipping, jumping, push-ups etc.

4-Read books or listen to podcasts– Books are your true friends. Books can be really helpful at this point of time. Read your favorite books it can be any genre- fiction, great personalities, romance or self-improvement. You can also read books online if you don’t have hard copies. There are various websites for e-books that can be read with a monthly or annual subscription. Also make your kids and family members read it, developing the habit of reading is very much beneficial in the life. One can also listen to podcasts. They can be listened anytime even during doing your work.

5-Treat yourself– Yes, you read that right. You can still treat yourself without stepping out. Cook yourself your favorite meals, try out different recipes. Have family breakfasts, lunch and dinner. If you’re good at cooking start uploading video tutorials. Let your talent be spread in world.

6-Devote time to yourself– Have an amount of time just for yourself. Devote it to do the things that your personally love or follow your passion/hobbies. Be it be dancing, singing or anything else. Just do it. Study have found that doing things you love helps in the relieving of your stress to an extend amount.

7-Walk for 5 minute every hour– Most of us spend the time by sitting. This might be relaxing but sitting for too long results in back pain or any other type of body pain. So take a walk of your house every hour or so. A 5 minute walk will be enough. This will also rest your eyes as you move away from your screens.

8-Invest in learning– The biggest investment that one can do is learn something new. People complain that they don’t get time during the working days so why don’t we use this time. Learn something every day from google, watch video tutorials on YouTube. It doesn’t need to be related to your professional life but it can be anything. It can be related to how to cook, finances or marketing or learning guitar/piano etc.

9-Spend time with family– The best time is the one spent with family. Take advantage of this lockdown and grow the bonding between the family. Technology has given us many benefits but somehow it also resulted in distancing the relation within a family. Use this time to sit together, play games, meditate, workout, eat and what else you love. Don’t only watch movies or T.V. with them instead do any activities. Also help your family especially mom in cleaning or other household chores.

10-Music and movies– Above were the things that can be done to make your day productive but also you shouldn’t be keeping yourself away from entertainment. This time can be used to watch movies or shows that you added to watch list before. Listen to your favorite music and groove to their beats.

This were the things that can be done to make your day productive and also keeping yourself entertained. I am also sharing a time table or schedule in which you can divide portions of time to be devoted to a specific task. This is what I follow, you can customize it according to your suitability.

7:00- 8:00 am– Wake up

                        Workout

                        Bath

8:30-9:00 am– Eat breakfast

9:00-11:00 am– Devote time to learn something new

11:00-12:00 noon– Midday snack

                            Have a look on your professional work

                            Practice it for a while.

1:00- 1:30 pm– Do family activities/ can be used for the

                       Preparation of lunch

2:00 pm– Family lunch

3:00 pm– this time can be used to help your mom in

              Cleaning dishes or any other household chores.

              If everything is done you can take a power nap   

              Of 20-25 minutes.

4:00-5:00 pm– Keep this time for yourself. Paint, dance,

                      Sing, cook. Do whatever you love.

6:00 pm– Skin care.

6:30-7:30 pm-Board games, Movies, Music or do what’s

                     Left.

7:30-8:30 pm– Dinner

9:00 pm– Wind up time.

              Listen to any podcast, Read or prepare tasks for

              Tomorrow.

10:00 pm– Sleep.

This will help you to keep your routine similar just like in normal days. Sleeping too late might results in waking up late and hence your half day is passed until you wake up. This results in wasting your entire day and blaming yourself later.

So this were some of the things that can be done. Also guys share your suggestion below in comment box. Any other ideas are welcome.

Stay in. Stay safe. Be Responsible.

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by Aman Sharma

Tasty recipes to make on Diwali

India is a land of festivals, absolutely no doubt in that. We celebrate different festivals throughout the year with great pomp and show. But one festival that I personally love is Diwali, this festival is above all on the list. And not just me everyone is so excited about it. The streets, homes, offices and every other place is so decorated with lights and all. The level of joy is on another level during the Diwali week. Everyone dresses up for this occasion and try to enjoy every moment of it. In India we love to eat food, we treat it like a religion. So, how can we celebrate Diwali without talking about food on this very special occasion. We wait so eagerly to get our hands on sweets and namkeens, but what if you can enjoy all this without being much curious about your fitness. Sounds good? So, here I will write about a few recipes that also the diet conscious can eat without a second thought. This recipes taste well and also don’t affect your fitness much.

1- Indo-Italian Chiwda

For Chiwda- 2 cups of flattened rice(Poha) little fried, Fox nuts(Makhana) ½ cup roasted, peanuts ¼ roasted, Potato chips spicy ½ cup, Bikaneri bhujiya 1 cup, Sweet neem(Azadirachta indica) leaves-15 , Italian Spice mixture- 4 small tbsp. Black salt and Pudina Powder- 1 small tbsp. each.

For Italian Spice mixture- Coriander leaves- ½ cup, Black pepper-12, Red Bell pepper, jeera(Cumin), Mix herbs- 2 small tbsp. each,  Chaat masala- 1 small tbsp. Black salt and Ajwain- 1 small tbsp. each.

Recipe- To make Italian spice mixture, heat up a pan and add Coriander leaves, jeera, ajwain and Black pepper in it. Cook it on a low flame and wait for it to cool down. Add bell pepper, chaat masala, mix herbs, heeng and lemon juice, grind it properly. Add the chiwda and spice mixture to a bowl and mix it well. This is ready to serve.

2- Gulkand Petha Laddoo-

Ingredients- Petha ½ kg, mava(whole dry milk) 250gm, Coconut filings(nariyal ka buraa) 250gm,   Gulkand- 2 or 3 big tbsp, Saunf(fennel seeds)- 2 large tbsp. Cashews- 10-12 finally     chopped, Pistachios (Pista)- 10-12 finally chopped, Grinded sugar- according to taste.

Recipe- Heat up oil in a pan and add Mava to it, Fry it until light pink. Take it out and let it cool. Grate(kadukas) the petha in another bowl. Add fried mava, chopped pista, chopped cashew and coconut filings to this mixture. Add Gulkand and saunf in other bowl and mix it. Now you will have the dough ready, make a small ball of it and fill it with material that we have made. Close it properly after filling the material. You can also keep it in fridge for 6-7 days.

3-Beetroot chakri-

Ingredients- Wheat flour(Maida)- 1 ½ cup, Salt ½ small tbsp. Grinded black pepper ¼ small tbsp. ajwain ½ small tbsp. Boiled beetroot paste ¼ cup, Grinded sugar ¼ small tbsp. Jeera(cumin seeds) ¼ small tbsp. White sesame seeds(Til)- 1 small tbsp. Salt- According to taste. Ghee.

Recipe- Make a dough of wheat flour and divide it into two equal parts. Add ajwain, grinded black pepper, salt and one big tbsp. of ghee to one part. Add beetroot paste, salt , grinded sugar, white sesame seeds, jeera and one big tbsp. of ghee to other part. Now make long and thick strips of it of both parts. Now roll the strips on one another collectively. After this, cut this into slices. Now, heat up the oil in a pan and add these into that and fry until little crispy. Ready to serve.

4- Namkeen Nipattoo-

Ingredients- Rice flour- 1 cup, Peanuts-3 large tbsp.  Roasted Chickpeas- 3 large tbsp. Coconut- 1 large tbsp. grate(kadukas), sesame seeds(Til), Red chili powder- ½ small tbsp. Salt- according to taste, Curry leaves( kadi patta)- 2, Oil- 1 large tbsp. Water-according to use, wheat flour- 1 large tbsp. Rava-1 large tbsp.

Recipe- Heat a pan and roast peanuts in it. If required, removed its outer skin. Once peanuts cool down mix it with Coconut and chickpeas and blend it thick in a mixer. Add Rice flour, sesame seeds, curry leaves, Red chili powder, salt in a bowl and mix it well. You can also add Rava and White flour to it. Heat up a pan and add 1 large tbsp. to it, now add the mixture to it and give it a stir. Now add ¼ water to it and convert it into a dough. Make it round circles of it, use fork to make some holes in it so it don’t effloresce(foolna). Heat the oil in a pan and fry it on a medium flame. Your Namkeen Nipattoo is ready to eat.