Sunday, 20 July 2025

Do you have a door mat Whatsapp group?

 


Do you have one or several? I am in some WhatsApp groups which are not particularly important. I don't read all the messages. I get those good morning and generic motivational messages. There are many messages in such groups - a lot of noise. Sometimes there is useful information, but the signal-to-noise ratio is low. There is one particular way I use these unimportant groups which stops me from leaving. They are my door mats. Let me explain. 

I use WhatsApp groups and messages heavily in my work. They are my inbox. My to-do list. When messages come in, usually I can read parts of them from the phone notification system. I don't necessary have to open them. I often don't want to open them yet, because a chat group or a chat with another person with unread messages means a task I need to do. I use the unread status as my to-do list. If I read a message, and there is something I need to do about it, I prefer to get it done immediately. For example simply responding to it. Or sometimes I need to get something else done which may take more time. When I can't complete the task immediately, I get a little anxious because that chat is no longer unread. I might forget that I need to do something because there is no unread status to remind me. 

This is how unimportant groups help me. If I read a message snippet from a notification and I know there is something I need to do, but I don't have time yet, I don't open the message. I stay in one of my unimportant groups. I know it is safe to ignore messages from the unimportant group. It is my door mat I can stand on without "dirtying" my other important chats. I don't want to click into my important chats and lose the unread status. 

Does anyone else do this? Or do you use WhatsApp or messaging apps in your own unusual way? 

Sunday, 13 July 2025

"Even if you never give up, you may never succeed either."

 

I came across this "motivational video" recently and had a good laugh. We are often flooded with motivational quotes on social media, and this video pokes fun at such quotes. Being a trainer, I am supposed to be positive and encouraging, and I should not be posting such things on my social media. However this "motivational quote" brings out two important points we should think about. 

1. Success is not only about persistence. It is also about working smart and being able to learn. If we are not ready to learn and grow, we may never achieve success because we keep doing the same wrong things. 

2. What is your definition of success? Sometimes you should reexamine that. This sounds like giving up on your original goal, but it is part of learning and growing. With more experience and knowledge, you may find your original goal no longer valid or truly important. Then you must redefine your goal and focus on what is truly important. 

Do you have a door mat Whatsapp group?

  Do you have one or several? I am in some WhatsApp groups which are not particularly important. I don't read all the messages. I get th...