S Jaishankar On How He Deals With "Extreme Case Of Stress"

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has shared more tips about how to live well. His lifestyle and health advice peppered with some laughter to members of the audience at an event in Australia over three months ago was also well-received.

At the release of the book 'Live While You're Alive' by author and motivational speaker Shiv Khera, the External Affairs Minister known for his sharp wit in replying to tricky questions on the global stage, shared what he called six of his "own maxims" in addition to what the book contains.

"... My six takeaways from the book: plan for the unplanned, invest in relationships, no appeasement, no toxicity, respect time, and get a good night's sleep," Mr Jaishankar said in a post on X.

"As an External Affairs Minister and as you can see, in an extreme case of stress, there were some takeaways I had. When I look at my responsibilities, now and also as a diplomat earlier - I have, over a period of time, tried to aspire to 3 Cs of success," he said.

"One of course is contact -- the more people you know, the greater your reach. The second C is chemistry -- if you get along with people, they are more likely to do things for you. And the third is credibility -- if you are known to be good on your words, when you tell people what can be done or what cannot be done, people take you seriously," Mr Jaishankar said.

Glad to join the book release of 'Live While You're Alive' authored by @imshivkhera.

My six takeaways from the book:

1️⃣ Plan for the Unplanned.
2️⃣ Invest in Relationships.
3️⃣ No Appeasement.
4️⃣ No Toxicity.
5️⃣ Respect Time.
6️⃣ Get a Good Night's Sleep.

Added my own... https://t.co/sAZbXMLh3s pic.twitter.com/iNkMBNVysI

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 24, 2025

Shiv Khera said the growing impact of stress as a "silent killer", affecting health, relationships, and society at large is a huge concern.

Discussions around stress and work-life balance have ignited huge debates with many calling for a closer look into whether modern societies are moving towards a never-ending cycle of stress.

In the Australia event in November last year, Mr Jaishankar's comment that the only advice he can give was that "as you get older, you feel a little bit more entitled to give lifestyle advice", had drew laughter in a hall full of people.

In all seriousness, Mr Jaishankar added, "I tell everybody to keep fit, it doesn't matter how you keep fit. I take an hour out everyday between yoga and ideally a competitive sport because nothing like playing against someone to keep you sharp. I play squash. It is important to stay fit because at the end of the day somewhere (in the head) and yes, the heart too."