Lifestyle lessons – a subject which needs to added to the curriculum with Immediate Effectation – May 17, 2016

Lifestyle lessons – a subject which needs to be added to the curriculum with Immediate Effectation

Recently in a traffic jam, a smart, well-dressed educated man driving a sedan was verbally abusing an auto rickshaw driver. The rickshaw driver was trying his best to move his broken auto from the centre of the road. He apologised politely and said he was sorry about the inconvenience caused. This got me thinking. Who was better educated? The well-dressed man or this poor driver.

Many a time, even the best-educated people fall short in their demeanour and this is a pathetic state of affairs. The best schools teach the subjects which help us to earn our livelihood but the lifestyle lessons are ignored everywhere.

What are lifestyle lessons? Lifestyle lessons are not to be mistaken to be only about etiquette and the like. They are also about how to lead a life. Nowadays we are seeing the ‘cool’ generation wherein everything is unplanned, rules are not important and principles take a backseat. These youngster’s daily lifestyle pattern is haphazard and in the long run, people are developing lifestyle diseases. In all this melee, inner peace is lost leading to physiological problems.

What we learn in schools and colleges do not the only thing that takes us forward all through our life. Lifestyle lessons are also very important. It is the ultimate goal of life to find peace with ourselves and our surroundings. This can be achieved by incorporating small changes in our routine life, being more empathetic, and learning the art of giving.

But, how to incorporate them in the curriculum? While it is difficult to allot separate time for this in the timetable, it can be done in every class and every session in the class. At GIBS Business School, A few minutes will be spared by the teachers to enlighten students with some interesting real-life incidents, stories, current affairs, and the like and intake of the student’s input. It is these discussions that will stay with the students long after they complete their education rather than mere theorems and calculus!