BLEISURE TRAVEL - By Prof Priya Sawarkar

                                             BLEISURE TRAVEL - By Prof. Priya Sawarkar

Bleisure travel is a term used to describe travel which combines elements of both business and leisure. It typically takes the form of business travellers extending the duration of their trip, in order to enjoy leisure activities, which may range from sightseeing and relaxation, through to hiking, visiting entertainment venues, or attending events.

A trip comprised of both business and leisure components may also be known as a ‘bizcation’ and travel of this kind has possible advantages for business travellers, their employers, and those in the travel industry.

The rise of bleisure travel has understandably led to those in the travel industry placing a focus on who the average bleisure tourist actually is. By better understanding who participates in bleisure travel, hotels, travel agencies, restaurants and others in the industry can target them more effectively with their offerings and promotional content.

For business travellers, the ideas of bleisure trips hold strong appeal for a number of key reasons. On a basic level, the combination of work and fun or personal activities helps to create a far better work/life balance. This tends to result in greater happiness, lower levels of stress and more of a sense that business trips are worthwhile.

In many cases, bleisure travel represents an ideal opportunity to save on the travel costs associated with a trip abroad. Crucially, this allows people who may otherwise be unable to enjoy a personal holiday to do so. They will also have more money to spend on leisure, because travel and accommodation costs are at least partially covered by their employer.

Many business travellers return to the same location repeatedly, or at least more than once. With this in mind, bleisure trips offer an opportunity for travellers to get to know the location and its culture better. This, in turn, can help to improve the quality of work done, while allowing more meaningful business relationships to be formed.

Finally, bleisure offers the possibility of business travel with a companion, such as a friend, partner or colleague. This can help to alleviate boredom, prevent feelings of isolation and assist with overall enjoyment of the trip.

The famous destinations for bleisure travel in India are Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Pune , Hyderabad and Bangalore

Workplace housekeeping and cleanliness practices by Prof. MukeshKumar Langiya

 Workplace housekeeping and cleanliness practices  by Prof. MukeshKumar Langiya

As we know that Starting point for housekeeping and cleanliness in the

organization is the setting of the housekeeping and cleanliness practices and then

training the employees in those practices. These practices must have clear

objectives which are practical and attainable. The practices are to comply with the

regulatory norms and requirements. These practices must be safe and simple so

that employees are motivated to follow them.

Good housekeeping and cleanliness practices ensure an orderly storage and

movement of materials from point of entry to exit. The plan also ensures that work

areas are not used as storage areas. This avoids the employees moving the

materials to and from work areas as needed. Part of the plan can include

earmarked area for different materials and frequency of material disposal from

the earmarked area. This step at workplace results into the elimination of

repeated handling of the same material and more effective use of the employees’

time. Often, ineffective or insufficient storage planning results in materials being

handled and stored in hazardous ways. Knowing the shop layout and the movement

of materials throughout the workplace helps in planning of the work procedures.

Employees’ training should be planned for good housekeeping and cleanliness

practice. Employees need to know how to work safely with the products they use.

They also need to know how to protect other employees such as by posting signs

(such as ‘wet – slippery floor’ etc.) and reporting any unusual conditions.

The practices of housekeeping and cleanliness are to be ‘maintained’ and not

‘achieved’. To be effective, these practices are to be used on a regular and

continual basis by the employees in the organization. One way to ensure that these

practices are followed at the workplace is to integrate them with the job

responsibilities of the employees.

For housekeeping and cleanliness practices special attention is needed for the

places which are ‘out-of-the-way’ or which are unmanned since without special

attention these places are likely to be overlooked. The orderly arrangement of

operations, tools, equipment and supplies is an important part of a good

housekeeping cleanliness practices. Also regular inspection is needed for ensuring

that the practices are followed at the workplace.

Fundamentals of housekeeping and cleanliness at workplace

The major fundamentals which are normally included in the housekeeping and

cleanliness practices at the workplace are described below.

 Removal of Dirt and Dust – Working in a dusty and dirty area is unhygienic as

well unhealthy for the employees since there can be respiratory type

irritations. Also, if dust and dirt are allowed to accumulate on surfaces,

there is a potential for a slip hazard. Hence, regular sweeping the workplace

for the removal of dust and dirt is an essential housekeeping and cleanliness

practice.

 Employee facilities – Adequate employees’ facilities such as drinking water,

wash rooms, toilet blocks, and rest rooms etc. are to be provided for the

employees at the workplace so that employees can use them when there is a

need. Cleanliness at the place of these facilities is an important aspect of

the facilities.

 Flooring – Floors are to be cleaned regularly and immediately if liquids or

other materials are spilled. Poor floor conditions are a leading cause of

accidents in the workplace. It is also important to replace worn, ripped or

damaged flooring that poses a trip hazard.

 Lighting – Adequate lighting reduces the potential for accidents. It is to be

ensured that inoperative light fixtures are repaired and dirty light fixtures

are cleaned regularly so that the light intensity levels are maintained at the

workplace.

 Aisles and stairways – Aisles and stairways are to be kept clear and not to

be used for storage. Warning signs and mirrors can improve sight lines in

blind corners and help prevent accidents. It is also important to maintain

adequate lighting in stairways. Further stairways need to have railings

preferably round railings for adequate grip.

 Spill control – The best method to control spills is to prevent them from

happening. Regular cleaning and maintenance on machines and equipment is an

essential practice. Also, the use of drip pans where spills might occur is a

good preventative measure. When spills do occur, it is important to clean

them up immediately. When cleaning a spill, it is required to use the proper

cleaning agents or absorbent materials. It is also to be ensured that the

waste products are disposed of properly.

 Waste disposal – The regular collection of the waste materials contribute to

good housekeeping and cleanliness practices. It also makes it possible to

separate materials that can be recycled from those going to waste disposal

facilities. Allowing material to build up on the floor wastes time and energy

since additional time is required for cleaning it up. Placing containers for

wastes near the place where the waste is produced encourages orderly

waste disposal and makes collection easier. All recyclable wastes after their

collection are to be transferred to their designated places so that the waste

materials can be dispatched to the point of use or sold.

 Tools and equipment – Tools and equipment are required to be inspected

prior to their use. Damaged or worn tools are to be taken out of service

immediately. Tools are to be cleaned and returned to their storage place

after use.

 Maintenance – One of the most important elements of good housekeeping

and cleanliness practices is the maintenance of the equipment and the

buildings housing them. This means keeping buildings, equipment and

machinery in safe and efficient working condition. When a workplace looks

neglected then there are broken windows, defective plumbing, broken floor

surfaces and dirty walls etc. These conditions can cause accidents and

affect work practices. It is important to have a replacement program for

replacing or fixing broken and damaged items as quickly as possible.

 Storage – Proper storage of materials is essential in a good housekeeping and

cleanliness practice. All storage areas need to be clearly marked. Flammable,

combustible, toxic and other hazardous materials are to be stored in

approved containers in designated areas which are appropriate for the

different hazards that they pose. The stored materials are not to obstruct

aisles, stairs, exits, fire equipment, emergency eyewash fountains,

emergency showers, or first aid stations. Also it is important that all

containers be labeled properly. If materials are being stored correctly, then

the incidents of strain injuries, chemical exposures and fires get reduced

drastically.

 Clutter control – Cluttered workplaces typically happen because of poor

housekeeping practices. This type of workplace can lead to a number of

issues which include ergonomic as well as injuries. It is important to develop

practices where items like tools, chemicals, cords, and containers are

returned to their appropriate storage location when not in use. Clutter is not

only unattractive but, in a work area, it is also a serious threat to safety.

Danger to the employees increases if the established exit routes and doors

are blocked. For this reason, as well as to prevent slips and trips, assorted

waste materials need to be disposed of promptly in the appropriate waste

containers. Aisles are to be kept clear of obstructions for obvious reasons.

 Individual workspace – Individual workspace need to be kept neat, cleared of

everything not needed for work. Many workplace injuries occur right in the

employee’s workspace. This space is often overlooked when conducting

general housekeeping and cleanliness inspections. It is necessary to make

a checklist which is to be used by the employees to evaluate their

workspace.

MAKING JOBS INTERESTING AND MOTIVATING FOR YOURSELF.

 ARTICLE: MAKING JOBS INTERESTING AND MOTIVATING FOR YOURSELF.

Prof.Preeti Kumtha

New research in the emerging field of positive psychology is challenging the view that some jobs are simply dull, boring and meaningless.

The founder of the Whole being Institute, and author of Happier, Dr Tal Ben-Shahar, says we often fail to recognise the rich sources of pleasure and meaning that can be found in any job.

All too often, he says, the potential to enjoy our work goes unnoticed as our focus is on the routine and mundane aspects.

A study supports the view that a chosen attitude and willingness to perform a routine job in a different way can make all the difference in our happiness and well-being.

The study examined two groups of hospital cleaners. One group experienced their work as boring and meaningless. The other group perceived the same work as engaging and meaningful. They found that the second group crafted their work in more creative ways.

The findings showed they engaged in more interactions with nurses, patients, and their visitors, taking it upon themselves to make the patients and hospital staff feel better. They saw themselves as not merely removing the garbage and washing dirty linen but rather "contributing to patient's wellbeing and the overall smooth functioning of the hospital".

So time and frustration in job-hopping to escape work that is less than satisfying often results in the same things appearing again that people were trying to escape in the first place. While some jobs could benefit from employers making them more attractive, not just in the job advertisement, but in the work itself, it often comes down to the attitude of the employee.

Volunteering is one way to use your strengths. Volunteers can choose roles that bring great personal satisfaction.  A volunteer expo recently held by the City of Boroondara attracted more than 50 exhibitors. It offered opportunities in community radio, teaching language to migrants, conservation, looking after people with disabilities, and being the first point of contact in major hospitals.

Author of Working from the Heart: A Practical Guide to Loving What You Do for a Living, Liz Simpson, says those in high status, well-paid roles can suffer a crisis of meaning. "The tragedy is many people have exchanged passion for comfort, security and predictability," she says.

Ben-Shahar says many have chosen a "rat-race" way of working where short-term or daily happiness is sacrificed for a longer-term goal, such as a nice retirement. "What differentiates rat races is their inability to enjoy what they are doing, and their persistent belief that once they reach a certain destination, they will be happy," he says.

He says happiness always precedes success. It has often been assumed that once someone has achieved success, then they will be happy.Psychologist and happiness researcher, David Myers, says extensive cross-cultural studies have found a very low correlation between material wealth and happiness. So the key to happiness and wellbeing at work is not simply to chase the almighty dollar, or to job-hop, but to look for intentional ways to bring meaning and engagement with other people into your role on a daily basis.

6 Fast Ways to Make Yourself Way More Interesting at work

I used to be terrified of being boring. Networking events made me wonder if my small talk sucked. Coffee meetings were similarly nerve-wracking. And when I talked during team meetings, a single yawning co-worker could make me forget my point.

But then, I started paying attention to how the most interesting people around me held others’ attention. I realized that just like you could learn to be a better leader or more effective negotiator, you could learn to be more engaging.

And that’s awesome news for your career. When you’re interesting, everyone you meet—from your boss to your future business partner—wants to be around you. Not only will you make more connections, but those relationships will be easier to maintain and strengthen.

To reap these benefits, check out the six ways to become a more interesting person. (Bonus: You’ll never fear small talk again.)

1. Pursue Interesting Topics That Have Nothing to Do With Your Career

Last week, I spent roughly 10 minutes explaining to a product manager why I’d shown up to a two-hour session about a profession I’d never tried and probably never would.

“I’m just curious about package design,” I told him.

The truth is, I regularly go to meetups and talks on topics that are completely unrelated to my ambitions. 90% of the time I end up learning a bunch of cool new things—giving me some great conversation fodder.

For instance, at that packaging panel, I learned manufacturers spray a coffee aroma onto the lids of their instant coffee jars so you get a whiff of java when you open one. I also discovered bubble wrap’s original purpose was textured wallpaper.

Fun facts aren’t the only thing you’ll take away—you’ll learn how to talk to virtually anyone and expose yourself to new ideas.

So, hop on Meetup.com or Eventbrite and start looking for events you’d normally never attend. Or, if going to an event isn’t feasible, make an effort to read articles or nonfiction books that you wouldn’t normally be drawn to.

2. Have a “Yes” Month

If you want to become more interesting immediately, make a point of saying yes to every invitation she gets, no matter how random, unappealing, or exhausting it sounds.

The great part about doing this? You literally can’t lose. When you end up at the inevitable dud, you’ll walk away with a story. When your experience takes a turn you were never expecting, you’ll walk away with an even better story. And when everything goes as planned, you’ll have a cool anecdote about, say, the Q-tip millionaire you met while playing Frisbee or the cave expedition you went on.

The idea of accepting every request might sound exhausting — especially if you’re an introvert.After your “yes” period is up, you can go back to being more selective with your time.

3. Try an Experiment

It’s nearly impossible to resist articles like, “I Gave Up Social Media for a Month and Here’s What Happened,” or “The Three Weeks I Spent Eating Only Hot Dogs.”

These are compelling because, well, people doing out-of-the-ordinary things always are. Giving yourself a challenge is therefore guaranteed to make you more interesting.

And there’s no reason your experiment has to be unpleasant. Emily O’ Mara, a software consultant at Oracle, ate 101 cheeseburgers in her mission to find the most delicious. Writer Kevin Roose, meanwhile, documented his attempts to create the perfect morning wake-up.

However, if you want to be more interesting and more productive, consider a more traditional challenge. Ideas include temporarily renouncing caffeine or alcohol, turning off your phone after work, or eating lunch away from your desk every day for a week.

From the process to the results, you’ll have plenty to talk about. (Just don’t proselytize — telling people they must stop drinking coffee is the opposite of interesting.)

4. Listen to Podcasts

Lastly, I’ve noticed my conversations with fascinating people are always filled with “I heard on this podcast …” or “According to this episode of [podcast] ...”

It makes sense: Podcasts are chock-full of surprising stories, details, and facts, so listening to them gives you an awesome source of topics.

Plus, they’re the perfect alternative (or complement) to books. You can’t read while you walk your dog or run errands, but you can easily stream an episode of say, Planet Money.

I recommend listening to a healthy mix of topics you’re interested in and topics you’re unfamiliar with. For instance, roughly 50% of my subscriptions focus on tech, business, design, and social psychology: in other words, my core interests. The other 50% is completely random, ranging from food and film to Disneyworld and architecture.

Striking this balance gives me a fountain of information on almost every topic—meaning it’s far easier to talk to people with different interests.

5. Learn New Facts

Interesting people tend to know trivia for every occasion. Maybe you order a charcuterie board, and they announce there’s a bank in Italy with a vault just for Parmesan cheese. Or you spot a wild deer, and they tell you about the British crew that kept a live reindeer on their boat for six weeks during World War Two.

These facts are interesting—so you automatically think of the people providing them as interesting, too.

As a bonus, a relevant but surprising piece of information never fails to spark a fun conversation.

I’ve built up a mental repository of trivia by subscribing to Now I Know, a daily email newsletter for strange-but-true facts. You can also buy a trivia calendar. Or follow writer A.J. Jacob’s lead, and read the encyclopedia. It might sound tedious, but you’d be surprised at how much entertainment is packed between A-ak and Zyzzyva.

6. Listen More

It might sound counterintuitive, but the most compelling people spend a lot of time not speaking.

Listening to others makes you more interesting for a couple reasons. First, you pick up a ton of interesting information—which you can then use down the road with different people. For example, a couple months ago I met a woman who’d grown up in a remote Alaskan fishing village. She told me tons of cool tidbits; as result, when I met a CEO who’d just gotten back from Anchorage, I had a long mental list of potential questions and conversation starters.

In addition, talking only 30 to 40% of the time guarantees that you won’t accidentally ramble. It can be tricky to tell when the other person is going from “engaged” to “bored but politely pretending otherwise.” If you naturally stop before this point, they’ll find you far more compelling.

And the final reason? As Dale Carnegie pointed out in How to Win Friends and Influence People, everyone’s favorite subject is themselves. Ironically, putting the conversational focus on them will you seem more interesting.

As you can tell, being interesting isn’t effortless—it actually takes a lot of hard work. But once you start captivating everyone you meet, that hard work will definitely pay off.

Reference: http://www.smh.com.au/business/make-your-job-interesting-20150331-1mcb3c.html

https://www.themuse.com/advice/6-fast-ways-to-make-yourself-way-more-interesting

How to be interesting at work- Peter w Murphy

Best  workplaces- Steve Jobs.

“CLAY POT COOKING” AN EDGE OVER METAL UTENSILS

 

“CLAY POT COOKING” AN EDGE OVER METAL UTENSILS

By- Prof.Abhijeet Gajaralwar

We belong to generation were most us has always seen use of iron, brass, copper, aluminum, non-stick cook wares etc for cooking. But there is another style of cooking which more ancient and more health beneficiary than above mentioned all types of vessel cooking and that is Clay pot cooking. Clay pot cooking may seem odd or new to current generation but if we ask to our grandparents they all are well aware of clay pots. Many people have a single clay pot ‘Ghada/maath’ at their home to store water in it and all are aware that water from ghada/maath is tastier than fridge water  and also better health wise. Similarly these clay pots were used for cooking as well before the introduction of metal utensils. I still remember when I used to go to my Grandmother’s house she used to give curd which is directly been prepared and set in clay pots and I can immediately find the difference between normal curd and clay pot curd. Bit Obvious the clay pot curd was much better in taste and texture. In this article we will understand the benefits of Clay pot cooking

According to Ayurveda, "cooking in a clay pot not only has a variety of health benefits but also makes for an easier cooking process and in the end, a more flavorful and nutritious dish. Due to its numerous health benefits, Ayurveda suggests cooking in a clay pot. Cooking in a clay pot is much better than cooking in a normal utensil, not just for its various health benefits, but also makes it much simpler to cook and improves the quality of the food at the end. The porosity and natural insulation properties of clay causes heat and moisture to circulate throughout clay pots. This makes cooking in a clay pot a much slower process but has added benefit of preventing amateur cooks from burning their dishes. More importantly, this causes the moisture and nutrient loss while cooking in clay pots to be much lower compared to cooking in metal or enamel lined utensils."

Due to the porous texture of clay pots it allows both moisture and heat to circulate through the food, which results in slow yet aromatic food. It also retains the nutrition of the food, which is generally lost in other types of utensils. The heat generated in clay pots helps meats stay tender and soft as the muscle proteins denature and collagen breaks down completely. It also has an earthy flavour added to it, which we bet you may not get in any other utensil.

 

Clay is alkaline in nature and it interacts with the acidity in the food, thereby neutralizing the pH balance and eventually making food healthier and a lot tastier. It is believed to provide the required minerals including calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and sulphur that benefits our health.

Due to its heat resistance and slow cooking, the food retains all its oils and moisture; therefore, you require less oil and fat for providing moisture to your food.

No matter how modern times may be, we are sure there are shops that still sell pure and unglazed clay pots. Clay pots are not very expensive, at least not more than any other types of utensil. You can get them in different shapes and sizes without really making a hole in your pocket.

The only precaution to be taken in clay pot cooking is to avoid using glazed clay pots. Glazed clay pots contains chemical for better finishing and that can be harmful. It is bit difficult to get products in their purest form, but it isn't impossible. It s a suggestion to start cooking in clay pots, make sure you do not buy any glazed or polished one, rather try and find unglazed ones. If you get your hands on them, you wouldn't want to miss the earthy flavours of food and surely never want to go back to other utensils.

 

Abhijeet Gajaralwar

Asst. Professor

Suryadatta College of Hospitality Management and Travel Tourism

Pune

 

 

 

 

Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction

 

Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction

By – Prof.Atul R Deshpande

Why is it important to reduce food loss and waste?

Around 14 percent of the world's food is lost after harvest, up to - but not including the retail stage of the supply chain, and an estimated 17 per cent is wasted in retail and at the consumption level.

This food loss and waste account for 8 -10 per cent of the total global GHGs - contributing to an unstable climate and extreme weather events such as droughts and flooding. These changes negatively impact crop yields, reduce the nutritional quality of crops, cause supply chain disruptions and threaten food security and nutrition.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development –calls for halving per- capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reducing food losses along production and supply chains.

An estimated 3.1 billion people worldwide do not have access to a healthy diet and some 828 million people go hungry. All of this means there is an urgent need to accelerate action to reduce food loss and waste.

With eight years left to reach the target, the urgency for scaling up action to reduce food loss and waste cannot be overemphasized. Reducing food loss and waste presents an opportunity for immediate climate benefits while improving the overall sustainability of our food systems – a necessary transformation to ensure better planetary and nutritional outcomes for current and future generations.

How to reduce food waste

 1.Avoid buying too much

One of the simplest ways to avoid food waste as a consumer is to buy less. A packed fridge may look appealing, but it may lead to food waste if the household cannot eat all of the food. Taking a couple of shorter trips to the grocery store each week rather than one longer trip may prevent people from buying too much food and help cut back on waste.

 

2.Think twice before throwing food away

Many greens and vegetables may slightly soften or wilt when they are just past ripe. They still may make excellent additions to soups, smoothies, or baked dishes. People can use leftover vegetable scraps to make a soup stock. Even stale bread makes toast or breadcrumbs. “Best before” dates can be misleading — if produce still appears fresh and usable, it is usually fine to eat it.

 

3.Always make a shopping list

Buying foods that are already in the home can ultimately become another source of waste. Taking an inventory of the food in the house and making a grocery list before going to the store might help people avoid purchasing unnecessary foods and cut back on potential waste.

 

4. Organizing the kitchen with FIFO

Organizing the fridge and pantry can help people keep track of what they have at home and help them to identify foods that are ready to eat.“FIFO” stands for “first in, first out” and is a useful way to organize food at home. Placing newly bought foods at the back of the cupboard or fridge will encourage people to use the food in the front row first, which will ensure freshness and reduce waste.

For example, if a person keeps lots of tins at home, ensure that the ones closest to their expiry date are at the front of the cupboard and use those first.

5. Store food correctly

Perishable items, such as fruits and vegetables, each have their best way to store to avoid spoilage. Some tips include:

• keeping the refrigerator below 5°C (41°F)
• storing cooked foods on shelves above raw foods
• storing food in sealed containers

Always transfer leftovers from open cans into a suitable container. Do not store it in the can.