How to cope with QA Fatigue

December 10, 2014 by HACCP Mentor 0 Comments

It is nearly the end of another year and I am asking the question “where has the past 12 months gone?”  It seems that the older that I get, the faster the years are passing.  Another thing that I am feeling and also seeing in others, is the cumulative effects of the year’s workload from both an emotional and physical aspect.

What is QA Fatigue?  

This is when QA managers are feeling not just only tired, but inarguably exhausted.  From a QA perspective, it is often the case that you may be solely responsible for documenting, implementing and reviewing the HACCP food safety system, running training sessions for food handlers, co-ordinating the external audit process, verifying HACCP records, closing out corrective actions, reviewing suppliers, coordinating product testing, developing new products, liaising with major customer QA departments, managing business relationships and generally just making sure that the food business you work for meets all its regulatory requirements.

Signs of QA fatigue

You may be suffering from QA fatigue if you are:

• Grumpier – you may ‘snap’ at your colleagues and family members more readily
• Distracted – you may find it hard to focus and achieve a set outcome.
• Overwhelmed – you may feel teary or react emotionally to comments or situations that you would normally easily cope with.

5 tips for avoiding QA fatigue

Different people cope with fatigue in different ways. There are a few different strategies that I have implemented over the past few years that definitely help with my own end-of-year QA fatigue.  Some of my strategies are implemented throughout the year where some a specific to the end of the year.

• Be organised – having a clear plan and a clean desk helps keep me focused.  Knowing what I am going to achieve for a given day or week allows me to see an end point.  This includes shopping for Christmas presents and preparing for the holiday season.
• Say NO – just say ‘no’ to projects that are going to add massive workload and stress to your plate at this time of the year.  If you can comfortably manage the extra work on top of your daily work – great – but if not, be realistic with your available time and say no.  I learnt a few years ago to not undertake audits in December after major issues were identified. The audit outcome resulted in me having to drive 2-hours each way every week for the next 6 weeks. It really did put a dampener on my summer break.

• Celebrate the achievements of the year – take half an hour out of your day to write down everything that you have achieved in the past 12 months.  This activity alone can make you feel more positive.
• Have a technology ban – If you usually check emails, take calls or deal with issues outside of your work-hours put a 24 -28 hour ban on yourself.  I have had a ‘Saturday’ work and computer ban in place this year and it is amazing how much just one day a week has made a difference to my overall well-being.
• Take a break – for some people, all that is needed is a break away from your work-place, a time to rejuvenate.  It could be as little as 2 hours a day or an extended holiday.  In Australia, it is summer over December, January and February.  I enjoy heading down to the beach for a few hours each day just so I can swim in the surf and lay around in the sun and relax.

One last thought

If you are feeling more than just the ‘general’ QA fatigue, please consult your doctor.  How are you feeling? Do you suffer from end-of-year QA fatigue? Share your coping strategies by leaving a comment below this post.

முப்பத்து முக்கோடி தேவர்கள்...........விளக்கம் என்ன?

முப்பத்து முக்கோடி தேவர்கள்...........விளக்கம் என்ன?

நமது ஹிந்து சனாதன தர்மத்தில் நம்முடைய தெய்வங்களின் எண்ணிக்கையைக் குறிப்பிடும் போது முப்பத்து முக்கோடி தேவர்கள் என்று கூறி வருகிறோம்...........

இதைப் பற்றிய செய்திகளை சேகரிக்கும் போது ஒர் உண்மை புலப்பட்டது......
முப்பத்து முக்கோடி என்பது 33 கோடி ஆகும்.

அப்படியானால் நமது ஹிந்து தர்மத்தில் 33 கோடி தெய்வங்கள் இருக்கின்றனவா? இது பற்றி மேலும் அறிய முற்படும் போது “கோடி” என்பது எண்ணிக்கையைக் குறிக்கும் என்று நாம் நினைத்துக் கொண்டிருக்கிறோம்.....

ஆனால் “கோடி” என்ற சொல் சமஸ்க்ருதத்தில் “ பிரிவு அல்லது வகை” என்பதைக் குறிக்கும்.

ஆக மொத்தம் 33 வகையான தெய்வங்கள் ஹிந்து சனாதன தர்மத்தில் உள்ளன.

அதில் 12 ஆதித்ய (Aditya)வகையாவன:
1.  தாதா (Dhaatha)
2. மித (Mita)
3. ஆர்யமா (Aryama)
4. ஷக்ரா (Shakra)
5. வருண (Varuna)
6. அம்ஷ (Amsha)
7. பாக (Bhaaga)
8. விவாஸ்வான் (Vivaswan)
9. பூஷ (Poosha)
10. ஸவிதா (Savita)
11. தவாஸ்தா (Tavaasta)
12. விஷ்ணு (Vishnu)

வாசு 8 வகையாவன:

13. தர (Dhara)
14. த்ருவ (Dhruva)
15. சோம (Soma)
17. அனில (Anila)
18.  அனல (Anala)
19. ப்ரத்யுஷ (Pratyusha)
20. ப்ரபாஷ (Prabaasha)

ருத்ரன் 11 வகையாவன:

21. ஹர (Hara)
22. பஹூரூப (Bahuroopa)
23. த்ரயம்பக (Trayambaka)
24. அபராஜிதா (Aparaajitha)
25. ப்ருஷாகாபி (Brushaakaapi)
26. ஷம்பூ (Shambu)
27. கபார்தி (Kapaardi)
28. ரேவாத் (Revaath)
29. ம்ருகவ்யாத (Mrugavyaadha)
30. ஷர்வா (Sharvaa)
31.கபாலி (Kapaali)

மற்றும் 2 அஷ்வினி குமாரர்கள்.........

மொத்தம் = 33 வகையான தெய்வங்கள்..............

நாம் நம் தெய்வங்களை வழிபடும் போது இதை மனதில் வைத்து கொண்டு வழிபடுவோம்!!!!!!!

Village development centred around our culture, tradition, family values

Agriculture or Agri business?

•       There is a transition that is imposed on our traditional agriculture to be transformed to Agri Business?!!!

•       Agri is considered as a “Culture” in our nation.

•       It cannot be considered as a Business as per the western thought.

•       Steps to be taken to revive the ancient tradition culture of growing crops in our own way.

PROSPERITY VERSUS DHARMA

•       NOT only an absence of material prosperity but also an excess of material prosperity leads to an end of Dharma.

•       Steps has to be taken to restore the concept of Dharma among the rural population by

•       restoring the village temples

•        following the rituals specific to the village

•       Forming Dharma Rakshana Samithi

•       Centre for promoting and protecting the art forms

•       Create respect for  women by organising Mahila mandali.

•       Urban people owning the nearby villages.

CONCEPT OF SWADESHI

•       The positive content of "Swadeshi'' should be used as the cornerstone of reconstruction of our rural economy

•       The economic prosperity of the West has created a blind belief in us about the Western system of production.

•       The various certifications like UTZ,  now being imposed by westerners in our country for various crops like coffee, tea, cotton, sugarcane and rubber etc must be viewed from swadeshi angle.

RIGHT TO FOOD

•       Our slogan should be that he who earns will feed and every person will have enough to eat. The right to food is a birthright

•       The ability to earn is a result of education and training. In a society even those who do not earn must have food

•       The children and the old, the diseased and the invalids, all must be cared for by society. Every society generally fulfils this responsibility

•       The social and cultural pro- guess of mankind lies in the readiness to fulfil this responsibility.

FOOD VERSUS FREEDOM

•       WHILE imports may help us tide over our present difficulties, the real solution to the problem lies in maximising agricultural production in our country.

•       That we have not done sufficiently in this direction needs no saying. The present agreement is an eloquent testimony to the Government's failure on this front. With the passage of time we have become increasingly dependent on foreign sources.

•       We fear that due to availability of food in plenty at present the Government may become complacent in their efforts to raise production locally.

•       "there can be both freedom and food". But what we want is our freedom and our food. That is possible only if we revive our old slogan of "Freedom from foreign food". Dependence on foreign sources will impoverish and entangle us.

CONCERNS

•       FOREIGN CAPITAL

•       EFFECTS OF URBANISATION

•       CAPITAL PROJECTS

•       INDUSTRIAL CORPORATIONS

•       CORPORATE FARMING

•       YOUTH LEAVING VILLAGES IN SEARCH FOR BETTER JOBS TO CITIES.

Solutions

1. Aiming for food safety and food security.
The aim is to feed the country at a reasonable price with products that are not harmful to the health of people and animals.

2. Using natural resources responsibly.
In order to ensure the continuity of food production, issues such as soil degradation and erosion and soil and surface water pollution must be prevented. Available water must be used carefully, overfishing must be avoided and valuable nature reserves must be protected.

3. Contributing to enabling citizens and consumers aware about rural economy and effort taken by farming community to feed the world.
Food & agribusiness companies can provide consumers with better information about the rural economy and effort taken by farming community and origins of products. This will create awareness among urban consumers and farmer will be respected in the country.

4. Treating animals responsibly.
The treatment of animals by cattle farmers, fish farmers, cattle dealers and cattle transporters must comply with the prevailing dharmic , ethical standards in society. Training centres focussing on rearing cattle must be formed and our nativity cattle breed has to be promoted.

5.Promoting social welfare.
The social welfare and environment of the people working are to be protected. This entails matters including eradicating corruption and discrimination. Gram Panchayats must be strengthened in the villages and successful gram panchayats must be replicated in all part of our country.

Usage of Bio energy & solar energy

•       The usage of bio energy and solar energy has to be promoted in the villages.

•       Energy is getting wasted in pumping the ground water for irrigation. This can be avoided.

•       Wind energy, solar energy, Gobar Gas can be explored and utilised in the villages.

•       Small inventions by our farmers must be encouraged and popularised.

விவசாயத்தின் எதிர் காலம்

நம் நாட்டில் விவசாயத்திற்கான ஒரு தீர்கமான தொலை நோக்கு பார்வை இல்லாதது வேதனை அளிப்பதாக உள்ளது. நகரத்தில் வசிக்கும் மெத்த படித்தவர்கள் கிராமத்தின் தலை எழுத்தினை நிர்ணயிக்கிறார்கள். இந்த நிலை மாற வேண்டுமானால் அனைத்து கல்வி கூடங்களிலும் விவசாயம் ஒரு காட்டாய பாடமாக இருத்தல் வேண்டும்.

விவசாயதைப் பற்றிய பாடம் ஆரம்ப பள்ளியில் இருந்து தொடங்கப் பட வேண்டும். நாம் சாப்பிடும் உணவு எப்படி விளைகிறது? என்கிற அறிவு நம் எல்லோருக்கும் வந்து விட்டால் மட்டுமே நம் நாட்டில் விவசாயம் தலை நிமிர்ந்து நிற்கும்.

அன்புள்ள

நமச்சிவாய வீடியோ பார்த்து பரவஸமடையுங்கள்.

John harricharan's videos

I have given link to you tube videos of John Harricharan. It's thought-provoking. Pl. see that.

warm regards
ram

Welcome

suswaagatham. welcome to the blogspot of virinchi