How to Stay Productive When You’re Feeling Low

by Ali Luke

It can be hard to stay focused and productive at the best of times. But when you’re feeling low – whether that’s physically or emotionally – then it can seem almost impossible to concentrate.

Maybe you have a daunting number of things to get done … but you can’t seem to summon up the energy to tackle any of them. You might end up doing something totally counter-productive: procrastinating, or tackling the easy, unimportant tasks, or even driving yourself to tears.

Here’s how to keep yourself on track:

#1: Make a List of Tasks

This is a classic time-management technique … because it really works.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, sit down and write a clear list of tasks. What do you need to do today? What could you put off for a few days if necessary?

The act of writing down the list means that:

- You’ll get clarity. Instead of thinking “I must do something about Project X” you’ll have a clear action step like “Phone John about Project X”.

- You won’t worry about forgetting to do things.

- You can see what really has to be done – and it’s usually not so bad as you imagined!

- You’ll be able to check off each item as you complete it, which can be very satisfying.

#2: Take a Real Break

When you’re feeling low or struggling with your work, it’s tempting to take a break and surf the net or zone out in front of the television. You might feel bad about being “unproductive” – and end up trying to force yourself to do chores.

If you need a break, then take one – and make it something truly recharging. Grab a shower, take a long bath, or even have a nap. Give yourself a real break from what you’re working on, and you’ll find your motivation returning.

#3: Avoid Dwelling on Negative Thoughts

Have you ever started feeling a bit down … and ended up making yourself more and more unhappy? It’s all too easy to get trapped in a spiral of negative thoughts.

If you catch yourself thinking something negative, like “I’m so stupid – how could I have made such a dumb mistake?” or “I’m really bad at managing my time” then stop. Look at your task list and pick something to focus on. Start working steadily through it, and you’ll find that those upsetting thoughts fade away.

#4: Find Something to Look Forward To

When life seems like all work and no play, it’s easy to feel down. Plan a treat for yourself, maybe next weekend. You might:

- Book tickets to see a movie

- Arrange to meet up with a friend for coffee

- Pick a “date night” to spend with your partner

On a day-to-day basis, you can find things to look forward to as well. This might be as simple as watching an episode of your favorite television program in the evening, or buying a novel that you’ve been meaning to read.

#5: Play Some Music

Sometimes, small tweaks can make a big difference. If you’re ploughing through a mundane task – like answering emails or doing the dishes – then put on some great music.

Fast, energetic tracks can boost your energy levels and help you work faster; slower, more contemplative tracks are great if you want to feel calm and relaxed.

#6: Take Care of Your Health

Finally, however busy you are, it’s important to find time for your health. If you’re feeling physically and/or emotionally low, you can often pick yourself up by:

- Getting enough sleep – most people need at least seven hours.

- Eating sensibly – don’t go for hours between means, and avoid high-sugar snacks that play havoc with your energy levels.

- Exercising regularly – this not only helps you stay fit and manage your weight, it’s also great for your mental health.

All the best!!!

How to lead a Life which is beautiful!!!

Written by Editor in Chief, Pick The Brain

Top 5 Ways to lead a beautiful Life:

1. Live Below Your Means

There will always be temptation to forsake the future for immediate gratification. We all want to buy that new piece of technology, treat ourselves to an expensive night on the town, or take out a loan for the flashy car we can’t afford. It might feel great at the time but rash spending hurts a lot later on.

Enjoy life’s simple pleasures and save as much as you can. Expensive things don’t create lasting happiness and security. Careful spending will bring you greater leisure and enjoyment in the long run.

2. Put Your Money to Work

Saving is great, but to make the most of your money you need to put it to work. Good investments can be the difference between retiring in your 40′s or in your 60′s.

A post today at The Simple Dollar really got me thinking. According to Trent’s projections, if a person in their early 20′s invests 20% of their income in an S&P index fund, the interest they earn will equal their current salary when they reach their early 40′s. They could retire without a drop in income!

Wise investing is the surest path to financial independence and it’s something everyone can work on. It’s definitely an area I’ll be devoting more attention to in my personal life.

3. Educate Yourself

To be happy we need continuous growth. The best way to grow is life long education. This doesn’t mean you need to pursue a doctorate or spend 2 hours reading every day. Self education can be anything that takes you out of your comfort zone. The important part is keeping an open mind and searching for fresh ideas and perspectives.

Education builds over time. It might feel like the bits of wisdom you acquire don’t mean much, but over the years they add up to form a wiser, kinder, more interesting person.

4. Develop Lasting Personal Relationships

Suppose you had everything you wanted. Would you be happy without anyone to share it with? The personal relationships we develop with friends and family members are the greatest source of happiness in our lives. Don’t forget about them.

Taking the time to cultivate and enjoy personal relationships is essential to longterm happiness. Without the people you care about you’ll probably be miserable, no matter how successful you become.

5. Work Towards a Dream You’re Passionate About

Even if your life isn’t perfect, you can always build towards a goal you’re passionate about. If you aren’t building towards something, you’re probably stagnating. When this happens to me I start to feel like a victim trapped by my own life. The best way to reverse this is working towards a goal.

We can’t control everything about our lives, but working towards a goal gives us something positive to focus on and lays the foundation for future success. No matter what your passion is, get out there and start doing something. As Lao Tzu said, even a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step.

Bonus: 6. Stay in Shape

You only get one body. Once it’s been ruined there isn’t much you can do about it. Exercise to keep the rust off. Avoid excessive consumption of damaging substances and unhealthy foods. It may feel like terrible self denial at the time but enjoying good health in your later years is worth the sacrifice.

Avoid over-commitment: Say “No” with grace

by Michelle St. Onge

According to a wise old saying, the reward for good work is more work. It goes something like this: you take on a volunteer or professional task and do it well, and people take notice. Then when the next project comes around in need of a take-charge-get-things-done leader, your name will probably come up around the table.

It is a flattering ego-boost to be tagged as a go-to person, especially for an important project or event. People love to be helpful. Most of us have a tendency to pile more and more on our plates, perhaps in denial of our own limitations.  Flattery, the desire to be helpful, and the fear of discovering limits are all effective blinders that can lead us to over-commitment.

Taking on more at work
When a new project request comes from your boss, take special notice and try to be accommodating. Review your current duties and the time they take to complete, and be realistic about what you can adjust in order to add more to your workload. Be forewarned, though, the game has changed since lay-offs and unemployment rates have started to climb.

Everyone is doing more, with less, at work in light of the current economy.  Everyone. So what if you have a contract that says your job consists of completing X,Y, and Z and then you get so many 15-minute breaks and time off for this and that. For every employee hiding behind a contract and ducking additional responsibilities at work, there are probably 10 eager job-seekers more than willing to accept those terms.  Going above and beyond is a good way to ensure job security.

Outside the 9-to-5
One of the most outward expressions of our personality is our formal and informal affiliations with groups. Religious, civic, hobby, professional, and volunteer groups all exist to help us connect with other like-minded people.  Often these groups are non-profit and rely on volunteers to keep them running.  We all take turns wearing one of these hats at one time or another- Residence Association leader, cricket coach, Sunday school teacher, board member, charity event organizer, to name a few.

For the sake of our community, it is important that each one of us volunteer to the best of our ability. If you haven’t added volunteering to your routine yet, please reach out and give your time and support to a group whose goals you admire. But on the other end of the spectrum are the frequent-flyer volunteers who just can’t seem to say no when someone asks for help.

The Art of “No”
Even the strongest resolve to stop taking on more commitments means nothing until the moment it is tested, face-to-face. When you are confronted with a new commitment, it is important to take time to weigh the decision. Regardless of the intensity of the role, ask for a few days to consider before you decide. If you are able to decline instantly because you are over-committed, say so.

When you are ready to respond, start with an offer of thanks for the opportunity to help. If you were flattered, say so. Many of us end up saying yes because we don’t want to disappoint someone or hurt their feelings. Sidestep this guilt by complimenting the person who asked you. Express your admiration for their commitment to the cause, or better yet, refer them to another lead for the role you can’t fill.

If you choose to decline, craft a clear and concise statement ahead of time, and avoid making excuses. Practice with a trusted friend if you need to, making sure your message gets across. If you are able to offer your services in a less demanding role, end with this as a positive note.

Overcoming fatigue

Exhaustion is a condition that plagues many of us. With all the running around required today, it's no wonder we feel tired and lost at times. With the high-stress, fast-paced requirements of life, it is important to minimize conditions that cause fatigue. Try these tactics to eliminate tired days:

Learn stress management. When a person is feeling stressed, his muscles are tenser and his body uses more energy. Consider taking a workshop, talking to a professional or reading a book on stress management.

Make sure that you are getting enough sleep. If you are putting in eight hours of sleep time but still waking feeling less than rejuvenated watch for slumber-inhibitors. Eat a lighter dinner. Avoid caffeine and other stimulants for at least four hours prior to bedtime, longer if possible.

Exercising 3-5 days a week, for 30 minutes or more, is a great way to increase your energy level. While it may seem you cannot spare thirty minutes, you will have more productive time and be more energetic if you incorporate regular exercise into your schedule. With this new-found energy, making up the time spent on exercising will be a snap. Try a bicycle or two, a long walk or lap at the pool.

Watch what you eat and when. Lunches that are high in carbohydrates serve as great pick-me-ups for a couple of hours, but lead to an afternoon slump. Eat a lunch high in protein to avoid the afternoon lull. Also avoid eating after seven p.m., if possible.

Be careful of dehydration. When you become thirsty, your body might be dehydrated. This is a common cause of fatigue. Attempt to drink eight to ten glasses of water each day.

Watch your weight. If you are more than ten pounds overweight, consider making preparations to switch to a more healthy eating regimen. Excess weight leads to fatigue.

All the best!!!

Ensure Before You Commit

A new vacuum cleaner salesman knocked on the door on the first house of the street.

A tall lady answered the door.

Before she could speak, the enthusiastic salesman barged into the living room and opened a big black plastic bag and poured all the cow droppings onto the carpet.

"Madam, if I could not clean this up with the use of this new powerful Vacuum cleaner, I will EAT all this dung!" exclaimed the eager salesman.

“Do you need chilly sauce or ketchup with that" asked the lady.

The bewildered salesman asked, "Why, madam?"

"There's no electricity in the house..." said the lady

MORAL: Gather all resources before working on any project and committing to the client...!!!

12 Tools to Recover From Procrastination and Get Things Done

by: Vera Nadine

Many a times people delay things... knowingly or unknowingly and later they feel that the time is gone and they are never able to recover the lost time to complete the job.

New assignments, new priorities make you firefight with the pending jobs in hand. This is really stressful... believe me as i am undergoing similar situation now.

Procrastination can be traced to 3 major causes:
    - Things that are difficult.
    - Things that are unpleasant.
    - Things that involve a tough decision.

So here i am searching on How do I overcome my procrastination, and how can you do it too?

Here are twelve relatively simple tools that you can implement to help overcome even the most stubborn case of procrastination:

1. Do not place so much emphasis on perfection: This one is at the top because it is my own biggest crutch when it comes to not getting things done. It is especially significant in keeping me from achieving personal goals. For everything that I really WANT to do in my life there is the perfect scenario for how it should be done. Yoga should be done in a light, bright, zen-inspired home studio. Books should be penned in a mountaintop cabin overlooking a desolate lake. We all have hang-ups like this. We have all seen too many movies, read too many new-age magazine articles. Oddly enough, you will write the same wonderful book whether or not you have that glow-in-dark pencil sharpener on the corner of your desk. Once you allow yourself and the environment around you the freedom to be fluid and imperfect, for that is the only state that ever gives rise to true creativity and determination, and too just begin working on the project, you will quickly see that it was all just an illusion. You do not need every bit of jogging paraphernalia to get up and run around the block and even doing the smallest bit of your project will get the ball rolling, without the need for your heavenly dream scenario.

2. Do not beat yourself up when you do delay something: Life happens and as a result, try as we might, we cannot always fulfill every commitment on time and as planned. We get the flu. Emergencies occur, even acts of God. But if you begin placing blame on yourself, giving power to the voice that says you are bad, what happens? You get more dejected, more off-track and the result is not a constructive one (ie. You completing the delayed project.) Instead you begin dragging your feet on other projects as well and the whole thing spirals out-of-control. When you delay something simply make a note of it in your mind. Set a new, firm, time to complete the task and make an effort not to delay it again. Take notice of how often you are delaying things and try to lessen the occurrence over time but do not place blame or shame upon yourself for any delays. You are aware of it, that is a positive step.

3. Find the root of the problem: You are not usually choosing to procrastinate on a conscience level but are instead avoiding something that you find unpleasant. The key is not to ignore the problem, but to sit down and ask yourself where the root of this discomfort lies. I recently did this with my procrastination about writing. I sat down and asked myself if I have always procrastinated about writing. Looking back into my youth I could see that the answer was no. I then continued going through my life and pinpointed the time-period in which this changed. After narrowing the possibilities and timeframe, I discovered that it was all due to anxiety about my undergraduate academic writing class. Ever since I have found writing a breeze and the procrastination in that area of my life gets less-and-less. Try the same exercise yourself to see if the root of your procrastination lies in some seemingly-inconsequential past event or irrational fear.

4. Allow enough time to go at a leisurely pace: Feeling rushed is a very common cause of procrastination. When you don’t think that you have enough time to bring a thing to a successful completion, you are less likely to even begin it. By blocking off a space of time in which you can actually achieve a thing, you will feel more confident when sitting down to begin doing it. If you do not plan your time, at least somewhat, and instead wait until the whole thing reaches a critical moment, you will not feel confident in doing it all. I, myself, do not find strict scheduling to work well for me. I instead like to guesstimate how much time a thing will take if I do it to the best of my abilities and then choose an appropriate-length block of time that I can dedicate to it when I feel ready to tackle to head-on.

5. Admit your weaknesses ie. procrastination: When agreeing, either with yourself or with another person, that you will do a thing, be honest about your tendency to procrastinate. This doesn’t mean marching up to your boss and saying that you cannot do that promotional mailing that you already agreed to do. But it does mean being honest about your own abilities. Tell him: “Of course I can do that for you. Would you mind checking in with me occasionally to make sure that I am staying on schedule?” Or better yet, when working on something with or for others, ask them to request portions of the finished product from you to keep you on track. Let them know that you do want to help them but that you have a tendency to become distracted and to bite off more than you can chew, so a little help and understanding from them will go a long way. Having this out in the open does not free you to use it as an excuse for not completing things, but it does give you the opportunity to begin working on fixing it, one person and one commitment at a time.

6. Realize that you are doing it for you: Whether you consciously know it or not, everything that you are hoping to do or have promised to do is something that you are doing for yourself. It may not seem that way on the surface. “How is my Saturday chore of mowing the neighbor’s lawn something that I do for myself?” Well there can be several answers. You offered to do it because you wanted to seem like a nice guy. You are doing it to earn some extra money. You don’t realize it, but is the only 15 minutes that you get to yourself all week long. Any task is essentially for you and therefore the only person that you cheat by shirking your intention to act is yourself. Go ahead: start that knitting club that you told yourself you wanted to start LAST spring. The longer that you think about something and do not actually do it, the more energy you waste on it, all the while missing out on the energy that you thought you would get from it.

7. Do not expect a specific outcome or reward: As I mentioned above, you are undertaking certain actions, no matter what they are, for yourself and not for anyone else. That being said, once you begin a thing you must immediately find away to put aside all thoughts on the “reason” that you are doing it. Dwelling on the fruits of your labor, and worrying about whether or not they will pay off, is another really big barrier to continuation and completion. “Will that guy really even publish this article?” “Can I even keep this garden alive?” Each of us is constantly questioning the final outcome of or intentions. But, once you begin, your focus must shift, what you are doing must become about the actual doing. “I am doing this because I love writing from my experience.” “I am doing this because I have always wanted to design a garden.” When you make the reason the actual doing of the thing, it releases you from all anxiety about outcome or expectations, leaving you with a lot of extra energy to put into your actions.

8. Do not over-commit yourself: You want to help everyone. You want to achieve everything. But trying to do it all at once virtually guarantees that you will not succeed. Sometimes we do this to ourselves on purpose, something inside of us desires to reinforce our belief that we cannot attain success. But if you find yourself being consistently overwhelmed with commitments and intentions then you need to address the problem head-on. You must learn, for your own mental health and well-being, to say “No.” You are not obliged to solve the world’s problems. And you certainly shouldn’t attempt to solve the problems of others by creating problems for yourself. When you are kind enough to say “no” to someone else’s kind request (or even to the torrent of ideas flowing from your own mind) you save them potential disappointment when you don’t come through and you save yourself the stress of feeling pressured and beating yourself up. In time people will come to appreciate your honesty and the fact that when you do contribute you always give it your all.

9. Enlist help, ie. delegate: The hardest thing for us very independent, modern people to admit is that we cannot do it all, that we sometimes need help. But ask any successful businessperson and they will tell you that the most effective thing that you can do is to delegate to qualified people. If you are skilled at building engineering and you get paid $150 an hour to do that, the most senseless thing is for you to waste 4 hours of your time, and deplete your energies through stressful struggle, trying to research which is the best water cooler delivery company to go with. It’s simple, delegate it . If the task that you are procrastinating on is something that consistently plagues you, or one for which you already know the person who would excel at it, just simply enlist their help and move on to a pursuit that is a much more positive use of your time and energy. Paying someone $20 to do something that would have wasted $200 worth of your personal effort, is a very good trade-off indeed.

10. Allow yourself to fail: If, when thinking of a task or a goal, you immediately think, “I can’t do that,” then the diagnosis would clearly be fear of failure. And why not? We have been taught all of our lives that a failure of any kind is an estimate of a our overall value as a human being. However, having the gumption to try is the true measure of our inner world. When you want to learn something, the only way to succeed is to try. Count your failures as lessons and as tangible things which are evidence to your own initiative, your own bravery and your determination to achieve your goals. To never attempt to manifest anything, simply out of fear that you will not succeed, is the true definition of ultimate failure. Allow yourself to fail with kindness and acceptance toward yourself. When you want to go out on a limb, just go, and let the going be the learning experience…refer back to #7 for a refresher.

11. Turn off the television: I cannot count how many times in my life I have had the energy, the intention and the plan to do something only to become distracted by some interesting thing on the Discovery Channel, undoubtedly followed by some other, equally interesting, thing and so-on and so-forth. Television, whether you think I am a conspiracy theorist or not, is designed to distract you. They want you to sit and watch it for hours-and-hours and they run fantastic scientific tests and studies to make sure that you do just that. So, turn it off. (I actually gave all of my T.Vs away.) Once it is off for a while, you will notice what those ancestors of ours felt back in the 18th and 19th centuries, there is a whole world of stuff out there to be done, to be discovered and to be created. (Unfortunately if your replace the T.V. with the P.C. you encounter a similar problem.)

12. Stop looking at the clock: When we feel like something is not fun or like our energy for a specific task is not flowing as freely as we would like, we tend to still attempt to hold ourselves to our regular high standards. (And let’s face it no one puts pressure on you quite the way that you do.) But with any task, and especially with those that we find difficult, it is important to take it slowly if we must. Put a piece of tape or paper over the nearest clock. Don’t keep looking at it thinking that you should be done by now or that you haven’t done enough in the time that you have spent. Putting forth your efforts should always be about quality versus quantity. Take your time writing those sentences, three exceptionally poignant ones will always outweigh forty-three exceptionally fluffy ones. Let your creativity flow at its own pace without pressure and without shame, for therein lies the high-quality outcome that you so desire.

Always Deliver on Time

- By Thor

This is the prime directive of exceeding expectations and should guide everything you do. An employee who consistently delivers on time will be given visibility and opportunities that others will not, and is the key to success in the workplace.

The two aspects to focus on are what and when. In order to be successful, you and your manager must have the same understanding as to what should be delivered, and when. So long as you both have the same expectations you have a good chance of being successful.

Inititiation:
The best time to get information about a new assignment is when it is being assigned to you. The more interactive this discussion is, the better you will understand what you have to deliver.

This is also the best time to find out when the assignment is due. You are looking for precision here; a date and time. “The end of next week” is too vague. You may consider this to be end-of-day Friday, whereas your manager may be thinking Friday morning. Imagine putting in all of your effort and delivering this early at 2pm, only to find out your manager needed it at 9am for a meeting with his manager, and it’s now useless.

If your manager does say “the end of next week,” clarify that by saying, “I will deliver this by 12pm next Friday. Are you OK with that?

Planning
Now that you know what has to be done, the biggest threat to your success is not having enough time to do it. The best way to determine how much time the assignment will take is to put together a day-by-day list of when each task will be completed.

    - Break down the assignment into manageable tasks
    - Estimate how much time each task will take
    - Decide the order you will perform those tasks
    - Map all of the tasks into half-day time slots

At this point you can clearly determine whether or not you can complete the task on time.

Validation
So long as this schedule ends before the agreed upon due date, you are in good shape. If the schedule goes past the due date, then you need to make sure you feel confident in your estimate and go talk to your manager .

There are a couple of ways to handle this with your manager. You could go into his office and say that there is no way you can complete the assignment by the due date. At this point your manager will be thinking, Bring me solutions, not problems!

What you want to do is show your manager that you've thought the problem through, made some conscious decisions about how long some things will take and have a plan of action to get the work done. Now you and your manager can have a meaningful discussion at a detailed level. You have probably made some assumptions and once your manager clarifies those some estimates may change. If not, then you can agree on a date you are both comfortable with.

The key is that you've had this discussion as soon as possible after being assigned the work. You've now turned an assignment that would have been impossible to complete into a situation where your manager has seen you be proactive in managing your work. More importantly, your manager won't be setting expectations with other folks about when this work will be done. One thing to always bear in mind...Never make your manager look bad.

Execution
This phase will consume the majority of your time. The underlying premise is that you know how to accomplish the task you've been assigned. If you don't, then you've got problems.

The key here is keeping to your schedule. You have committed to a specific timeline, and any deviations from that will be seen as a failure. To be sure, there may be good reasons for a delay, but you must do everything in your power to stay on track.

In the event something happens that will prevent you from delivering on time, you need to do three things:

    - Alert your manager to the problem as soon as possible
    - Describe what you are doing to resolve the problem
    - Provide a new target date

Delivery
When you complete the deliverable make sure your manager knows it! Hopefully, you've found a way to deliver it early, so your manager will be doubly pleased. Just make sure your manager know where to find your deliverable or to get more information about it.

Enrich... YOUR LIFE

- by Ryan Stewart

“When I learn something new – and it happens every day – I feel a little more at home in this universe, a little more comfortable in the nest.” – Bill Moyers

We often get so entrenched in our daily routines that we forget to learn on a daily basis. Lifehacks, GTD, family, work, and social networking are all great ways to grow and enjoy life. They provide new experience and insight while offering endless opportunites for daily learning.

But learning is best when it’s gained through concerted effort. Here are some simple ways you can learn something new every day.

Ask. Did you ever stop to consider why children are like little knowledge sponges? They don’t allow pride to prevent them from asking questions. More than anything, asking questions is the number one way to learn more every day. And while I’m guilty of letting pride stand in my way when an opportunity to verbally ask a question presents itself, I often circle the wagons by searching for and reading about my question on the internet. Then I can follow up with someone who is more knowledgeable on the subject and talk intelligently – which is often better than a one-sided lecture on a topic.

Read. Every day. If you have dead time, you have time to read. With the wealth of knowledge available online, there’s never an excuse not to read. If a question comes to mind and you can’t find an answer immediately, write it down for future investigation – this is a great way to build a reading list. If a question was powerful enough to make its way into your thoughts, it’s likely the answer will be powerful enough to stick around too – so it’ll be there when you need it.

Search. Chase down answers to your most basic questions. Want to know what it means for coffee to taste “earthy?” Spend the next several cups of coffee exploring different flavors and aromas. Ask the barista what tastes you should be looking for in your next cup. No question is so small that it doesn’t have an answer worthy of you.

Slow Down. Stop running so fast. If you jump straight from the bed to the shower to the car to the office, you’re moving too fast to uncover the questions that life presents – much less their answers. Want proof? Experiment by riding your bike or walking to work one day next week. I promise you’ll notice things you’ve never seen before.

Listen. I mean really listen – to a lecture, a spouse, a parent, or even the lyrics of a song. Active listening promotes learning every single time we practice it. Great public speakers are great because they listen to the feedback (audible and otherwise) that they get from the audience and they respond to it accordingly. Active listening to music or nature will not only slow you down, it will teach you something new about the sights and sounds we often take for granted.

Meditate / Reflect. It’s like saying “slow waaaay down.” Believe it or not, some things can’t be learned from the internet – or even the rest of the world. Some answers can only come from the inside out. Taking time to be still and pray/meditate/reflect is one of the best gifts you can give yourself – and it will make you a better learner.

Look. Also similar to slowing down, but quite different at the same time. Look at things from different perspectives (and I mean that literally). If you’re accustomed to seeing something close up, look at it from far away. When was the last time you used a microscope or a telescope? Do you remember when you last looked through a pair of binoculars . . . backwards? Look around and find something fun to examine.

Taste. One of the most enjoyable ways to learn new things is by taste. It can be as simple sampling a new type of coffee or espresso. Some of the most fun I’ve ever had has been trying new food with a group of friends. Taste and texture generate long lasting memories. Describing them can be a very challenging exercise.

Touch. One of the most inspirational minds of modern times relied almost 100% on touch to learn about the world in which she lived. Helen Keller knew more about living a fulfilling life than most of us could ever imagine. Follow her lead and spend a few moments a day just noticing the temperature and texture of the things that surround you.

Smell. Memories of smells are long-lasting due to the close proximity between memory centers in the brain and the terminus of olfactory neurons. Spending a few moments smelling new things can result in memories that last a lifetime.

Bonus Tip: Write.Similar to a gratitude journal, a knowledge journal is an attempt to take the ordinary events of a day and extract the most valuable learning experiences from them. Keep a notebook or journal documenting daydreams, thought experiments, and stressful times and you’ll automatically solidify the knowledge you gained from each.

A Smile ALL Day keeps the Evil Away!

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. ..... Albert Schweitzer. 

Happiness, optimism, and a good general outlook are one of the many keys to success. It is these people that tend to hold on to longer lasting and more fruitful business and personal relationships. Every one likes to be around the happy and cheerful person! 

A smile can uplift ones’ mood; a good word or compliment can make someone’s day! These are one of the biggest tips given to networkers around the world. No one likes the pessimist or complainer – everyone has his or her own problems. It is important to see the good in the bad – after all, the cup is half full!

So go on – smile, say a good word, turn that frown upside down and see how the cup is really half full!

If you are still looking for some more reasons to smile. Here they are:

·         Smiling makes us attractive

·         Smiling relieves stress

·         Smiling changes our mood

·         Smiling is contagious

·         Smiling boosts your immune system

·         Smiling lowers your blood pressure

·         Smiling releases endorphin, natural pain killers and serotonin

·         Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger

·         Smiling makes you seem successful

·         Smiling helps you stay positive

Now wait for what…. Just spread the smile :)

6 Myths That Stand In Your Way

by Mark Harrison

I recently went to see the remake of ‘Clash of the Titans’ at the cinema. I loved the 1981 version as a kid and was keen to see the new movie.

Perseus’ quest to defeat the Kraken, save Andromeda and fulfill his destiny is the archetype of everyone’s life. We are all on a journey and, like Perseus, we encounter plenty obstacles along the way. Many of them seem strange and frightening, and we can be tempted to give up in the face of what appear to be overwhelming odds.

But many of the terrors we encounter along the way are just phantoms – they disappear as soon as we stand up to them. When we face them down, they dissolve like a dream upon waking. Our real enemy, however, is much more dangerous. It is the dream we create for ourselves – the dream of comfort and security, the myths we feed ourselves on. These myths are dangerous because so many people believe them and they can be hard to spot.

We tell ourselves stories because we like to feel safe. They are comfortable and pleasant, and they keep us asleep. Anthony de Mello, a man who really understood human nature, wrote, ‘The first thing I want you to understand, if you really want to wake up, is that you don’t want to wake up.’

Here are some of our fondest dreams.

1. Myth: There is time

Reality: You have less time now than you have ever had. You have less time now than you had an hour ago. You are nearer to your death than you have ever been. Plan thoroughly, but don’t wait too long before taking action.

2. Myth: You can rely on other people

Reality: You are more alone than you know. Certainly, there are people who care about you and will support you, but they can disappear at any time. We are all ships passing in the night. Some stay longer than others, and it is good to enjoy the company and the love of other people, but in the end, we are sailing our ship alone.

3. Myth: You are important

Reality: Go and stand outside at night and look up at the sky. Contemplate how remarkably insignificant you are in this vast swirling chaos of darkness. In a hundred years from now, chances are nobody will even remember your name. Why would they? So make these few short years matter.

4. Myth: You should put others before yourself

Reality: Sometimes we fall victim to a vague sense that, in order to be ‘good’ or to ‘do the right thing,’ we have to put other people before our own needs. I’m not entirely sure where this comes from – perhaps from our Puritan forefathers – but the truth is that your happiness is number one. Let’s not deceive ourselves – we want to be happy and we care more about this than anything else.

5. Myth: Conflict should be avoided
 

Reality: Conflict is all around us. Our ancestors were almost constantly in open conflict and, although we might think we have risen above such things in our ‘civilized’ societies, if you just scratch the surface you will find plenty of evidence of conflict taking place. The truth is that conflict cannot be avoided. We are all different and have different needs and perspectives, so it is inevitable that conflict will arise sooner or later. Instead of trying to avoid it, why not embrace it? The kid who stands up to the school bully won’t get pushed around; the one who tried to avoid trouble only ends up bringing more trouble his way.

6. Myth: The difference between success and failure is LUCK.

Reality: This is a myth that appeals to the lazy. Being successful – whatever that means – takes some planning, commitment and work. Yes, there are many things outside our control, but the lives of successful people are full of lessons we can apply: courage, persistence, single mindedness, vision. To say that success is down to chance is to abdicate responsibility for our own lives.

These, and other myths should be recognized and ruthlessly eliminated. I leave you with more wisdom from Anthony de Mello, a man who truly saw through the dream:

‘Most people, even though they don’t know it, are asleep. They’re born asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up.’

Are you still dreaming?

Revitalized...

by Sam Manfer

Everyone wants to do well at work, especially these days. However, additional stress and heavier workloads can leave some employees without the oomph to perform to their potential. How can you help the motivationally bankrupt replenish their reserves? Heed these dos and don’ts:

• Don’t assume. Your employees are talented, experienced, intelligent people. Still, you can’t assume that means they have the magical ability to get inside your head and know exactly what you want. It’s motivationally draining for workers to continually try to decipher their manager’s needs. Stop the motivational hemorrhaging by making your wants and needs perfectly clear.

• Do coach. What’s the common denominator among the world’s elite athletes? Coaching. If even the most heralded champions still need coaching, then so do the most experienced workers. Providing continual guidance and training will help motivate your staff to stretch their skills and move on to the next level.

• Don’t overlook. Little things mean a lot—especially in the workplace. If you fail to recognize the little things employees do well, they may lose the motivation to try bigger things. Small successes can add up to big triumphs.

• Do acknowledge. Being a manager doesn’t exempt you from the same motivational problems that befall employees. Be aware of your own limitations. When you’re having a bad day, acknowledge it to yourself and try to avoid the temptation to take it out on the people around you. Bosses who give in to the occasional urge to rage at the world can do a lot of damage to the morale of their employees. You don’t have to be superhuman, but sometimes you do have to make a superhuman effort to rise above it all for the sake of your staff.