The MIT Media Lab's
John Maeda
lives at the intersection of technology and art -- a place
that can get very complicated. Here, he talks about paring
down to basics, and how he creates clean, elegant art,
websites and web tools. In his book Laws of Simplicity,
he offers 10 rules and 3 keys for simple living and working
-- but in this talk, he boils it down to one simply
delightful way to be.
It would be nice to think
that the companies on the leading edge of work/life
balance programs are simply being good citizens and
doing the right thing! But, the fact is that these
programs make good business sense.In addition to
increased productivity and employee satisfaction,
companies can retain valuable employees in a competitive
environment, and attract new employees with these
programs. Every generation in the workforce today
reports that work and life balance is one of
the top issues for them and that they want to work in a
company that supports their desire to have more balance
in their life. Whatever the reason for the movement, we
should be glad it is upon us.
People bother us when we don't understand
their pressure pattern. Customers become rude, clients
become demanding and managers become intimidating
because of how they process pressure.
When you understand their pattern, you
are able to connect with them, make the sales or provide
the service, and resolve issues quickly, without being
burdened by their emotional luggage.
Usually we enter
relationships hoping they will make us
happy. We hope that this one is the right
one, that we are not repeating mistakes of
the past, and that finally we will receive
the love, support and companionship we have
been seeking.
Although this approach to relationships is
normal, it usually brings disappointment
because happiness comes and goes. It has to,
because happiness depends upon
circumstances. When things go well, we are
happy. When we get what we want, when the
sun is shining, others value us, our
boyfriend finally pops the question, these
are moments of happiness.
Joy is different. It doesn't come and go, or
depend upon outer circumstances. When things
are difficult, when our hopes are not
fulfilled, it is still possible to feel
joyful. Joy is a positive decision we have
made about ourselves, and others. It
involves taking responsibility for our lives
and relationships. How much joy do you have
in your love life? Here are five ways to
find joy in relationships:
Do you listen to your self-talk? What is your self-talk
saying? How is your self-talk serving you? If your
self-talk is more negative, and sounds like a snake's
rattle, it will scare you off from moving forward. This
is poisonous thinking for people who are in the business
of selling
Can you recall what anger in a relationship feels like? Anger is
a learned reaction to something negative in a situation, often
referred to as a trigger. It’s best described as an unbridled
horse. For instance, if you do not take control, it is likely to
control you.
In this section of the
site, I intend to outline a method whereby you may form a record
of your dreams. I shall endeavour to explain the details of this
system as this section unfolds. However before doing so, I would
just like to take a few moments to offer you a brief explanation
of the purpose of dreaming. So that you will know exactly what
it is that you are attempting to recollect.
Nourishment is about more
than eating. It is about intention. Not everything you put
into your mouth is nutritious. Many processed, treated, and
refined foods lack any nutritional value at all. They are
laced with chemicals and preservatives. They are high in
salt, sugar, and unhealthy fat. In other words, they offer a
lot of what you don’t need and very little of what you do.
Wanna Stay Thin? Go To Sleep!
A study found that women who
sleep too little are at risk of major
weight gain. Scientists monitored almost
70,000 women for 16 years, recording their
weight and sleep patterns. Compared with
sound sleepers, women who slept no more than
5 hours a night were 32% more likely to gain
33 pounds or more during the course of the
study and were 15% more likely to become
obese. The researchers said the findings
were not related to
diet or
exercise.
More on the subject...
Control
Yourself
"Johnny, stop crying and get control of yourself!" "Susie, if you can't
control yourself, go to your room!" It seems we spend the first 18 to 21
years of our lives "getting control of ourselves"...whatever that means.
Are
you looking for more calm satisfying experience with you daily life?
Do
you get frustrated with yourself at the end of the day because you've gotten
stressed, unfocused or agitated?
Are
you tired of getting over emotional and worn out.
Whether you are experiencing one or all of these feelings here are my 5 best
tips on reducing the unwanted feelings so that you will feel calm and
satisfied with yourself each day.
Based on the clever titles, it might be
tempting to dismiss these programs as gimmicks, and in fact when your
weekly menus are
literally "color coded," it might seem that the diet book authors are just
scrambling for a new hook or premise on which to base an entire eating
program.
I have not read any of those
books you mentioned yet, so I can't comment on any of them specifically.
However, as "gimmicky" as
eating from every color in the rainbow may sound at first, there is some
very legitimate and scientific evidence that this is a great idea.
Read more
Losing weight seems to be a very common goal. More than half the population in
the western world say they want to lose weight at any one time.
But do they really want it?
Or is losing weight one of those things that we would all like to do if it was
easy but just can't be bothered with if it takes any effort at all?
Is it like wanting to be rich, where we are happy to buy a lottery ticket ("It
might just come up") every week but are not prepared to work our tails off to
achieve any real wealth?
How much do you want to lose weight? Do you want it enough to change your
habits?
I have shelves piled high with diet books of
every shape and description. They are full of theories and plans, food
allowances and calorie counts, strategies and tips.
Some of them have a simple message. Others try
to complicate things
with lots of scientific
explanation. There's some truth in all of them
but they simply don't work for most of us.
You can read every diet book out there. You can
start out full of enthusiasm on yet another new
weight loss plan or program every few months.
But until you realize that it's not the plan or
program that is keeping you from success - but
you - you're likely to be still trying every
diet under the sun until
you give up wanting to lose
weight in your nineties.
If your car is a lemon, you’ve got problems. But if it actually
smells
like lemon, it may make its owner a better driver. Or so concludes the
British RAC Foundation for Motoring which has done research on the
effects of smells on drivers and claims that certain scents can enhance
or diminish driving performance. Psychologist Conrad King explained that
because "smell circumnavigates the logical part of the brain...the
ability of various smells to over or under stimulate us as drivers can
have catastrophic results." Scents like coffee, peppermint, cinnamon,
and salty sea air, they claim,
Introduction
Water is essential for numerous functions in the body. When the body's
fluid levels become depleted, through increased sweating and/or
inadequate fluid intake, dehydration can occur. Almost all levels of
dehydration are associated with a reduction in sports performance.
can increase alertness and concentration
almost imperceptibly. On the other hand, fried food and baking smells
can stir up road rage potential because drivers who feel hungry tend
toward irritability and excessive speeds. The scents of chamomile,
jasmine, and lavender are also dangerous, since they can to cause
drivers to relax - possibly too much - and feel sleepy. Natural odors,
like pine, cut grass, or wildflowers can distract from the task at hand
as well. Before abandoning the air freshener dangling from the rearview
mirror for good, however, take note: even scentless car interiors can be
problematic; they may heighten irritability and even incite the driver
to odor hallucinations.
This is the text of the Commencement address by Steve Jobs, CEO of
Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, delivered on June 12, 2005.
I am honoured to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest
universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this
is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell
you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.
Article
continues
If
you are dreading December because of all the parties and
food then read on and don't worry. You don't have to be the
misery at the feast if you're trying to lose weight during
the festive season, nor should you throw all caution to the
wind and sink 6000 calories in a single dinner either.
(I know it says “Sales” but I think these
tips could be applied anywhere ….)
Do you feel drained or get
upset after a sales rejection?
Do demanding clients/customers make you feel
tense and uptight?
Does a series of unsuccessful
sales de-motivate you?
No matter how
often you close a sale, you will be spending
some time dealing with rejection. Being
able to stay positive and energetic, instead
of stressed and drained, when dealing
with sales rejection or setbacks is an
essential skill for business success -
however very
few people can actually do it!
Regardless of whether you are in sales or
not, just think about this...
A poor posture
will
create
tension in your body - making you feel
drained and unenthusiastic.
When combined with the disappointment of a
sales rejection or setback, the way in which
you hold your body during the day can
determine whether you bounce back quickly or
feel tired and unmotivated.
Firstly let me begin this section by telling
you that your memory is excellent. Yes you
read correctly. I did say excellent! What do
you mean you don’t believe me? The plain and
simple fact of the matter is that it has
been proven, with the aid of such techniques
as hypnosis, that everything that an
individual sees, hears, thinks, or does in
his or her life, leaves some trace (no
matter how small) somewhere in their brain.
And unless someone’s brain suffers some kind
of physical trauma – for example an
haemorrhage, tumour, or some other form of
injury or disease that results in the
permanent destruction of certain regions of
the brain. Then the memories will leave some
record for the rest of their life.
Many non-pharmacological approaches exist
to improve falling asleep and staying asleep. Doctors and health professionals
may suggest any of the following, depending on the type of sleep disruption, the
person's situation, and their specific sleep needs.
This quiz is free. There are 25
quick questions and it takes about two to three minutes to complete.
Then get your FREE results immediately.
"These questions are based on a thorough review of today's most current
research pertaining to stress. For your maximum benefit, please be honest
..."
* The Web's BEST Bargains!
If you like to save money, check in each day at DealofDay.com for the
latest bargains, discounts, steals and deals on the web.
Visit today and save money!
The Internet is exploding with opportunities for you
to grab all kinds of FREE STUFF! Your mailbox can
literally be stuffed with everything from free deodorant
to free cat food. Online merchants want your attention,
and FreeBitz tells you where to find all the goodies!
Over 1000 items are listed at:
What makes a person so attractive that people are
magnetically drawn to them? Think of people
you are drawn to, that you like to be around.
What makes them such people magnets?
Of course, physical attractiveness helps, as
does celebrity. But for most of us who are
neither physical "10s" or famous, we can still
become highly attractive to others. Here's how:
Coffee and cake comparison
Some coffee drinks, particularly the chilled, iced and
frappé versions, provide a lot more kilojoules, fat and
sugar than you might realise. CHOICE tested the
kilojoules, fat and sugar in a range of hot and chilled
coffee drinks from coffee chains. To give you an idea of
just how much they, and other treats contribute to your
diet,
try our interactive nutrition tool.
This is really a "cheap trick" in that it costs you practically
nothing, but it can change your life. How's that for an intro?
Take a 3x5 note card. Turn it to where the 3" is at the top,
like
a small sheet of paper.
Write this at the top in large print:
"IS THIS WHAT I TRULY DESIRE?"
Under that, draw a line down the center of the card. On the
left column, write "YES", and on the right, write "NO".
Forget white noise machines and warm milk before bed.
According to researcher Hans-Peter Landolt, the key to a good
night's sleep may be in your genes. Landolt and his team at the
University of Zurich, Switzerland, have identified the "slumber
gene" - a particular variant of a gene that produces an enzyme
called adenosine deaminase (ADA). In a groundbreaking study
published in the October 25, 2005 issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Landolt
demonstrated that individuals carrying the slumber variant ADA
gene sleep considerably more soundly than everyone else. In
addition to providing new insight into the biological mechanisms
surrounding sleep, Landolt's work may someday lead to new
treatments for insomnia and other sleep disorders.
Not to long ago I was at a leadership conference
where one of the keynotes, Suzanne de Passe of Motown Productions,
talked about protecting the entrepreneurs’ greatest commodity – our
energy. Suzanne’s key comment was “how you spend your energy is
how you measure your success.”
Glycaemic Index: 5 minute CHOICE
We’re used to the idea of good fats and bad fats. Now, it seems, some
carbohydrates might be healthier for us than others. But despite the
hype, there’s not yet conclusive evidence that low-GI foods are either
generally health-promoting or slimming.
In the same sense...
* When you focus on the negative aspects of other people, they
tend to bother you more often.
* When you focus on the negative aspects of your business/work, you
tend to feel more
uptight, annoyed or stressed.
It is not that people, work or life bothers us. Rather, it is
the negative aspects of people, work or life that we focus on that tend to
bother us.
Becoming resilient to pressure is a choice.
How fast you bounce back from stress, pressure and burnout is a choice.
> Question: So, how do you choose
to be resilient?
The month of June can be a frantic time for many businesses, being the end of
financial year, and for many, working longer hours just to get everything done
on time.
Over the last few weeks, I have noticed that many people in my seminars are
feeling somewhat 'burnt out' and saying 'I would love to have a few days off
to just catch up on sleep'.
The truth is that, unless you allow your body to get good sleep, your body
cannot bounce back fast from pressure and working long hours.
Without the right amount of rest, your body will eventually break.
Exercise is a lot like spinach -- everybody knows it's
good for you; yet many people still avoid it, forgoing its potential
health benefits.
But researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who
study the effects of exercise on aging point to new findings that may
inspire people to get up, get out and get moving on a regular basis. The
research team, led by kinesiology professor Edward McAuley, found that
previously sedentary seniors who incorporated exercise into their
lifestyles not only improved physical function, but experienced
psychological benefits as well.
How many times have you read through an
interesting passage in a book, or an amusing quotation in a
newspaper, and thought to yourself – ‘that makes sense, I’ll
remember that.’
If you are like most people, then I would think
that the answer is probably many times. The next question then
is how many times can you accurately recall the passage or
quotation concerned, after a moderate interval of time has
passed by? The problem is that recalling any reasonably long
piece of text is for most people not an easy task.
When we are tired we can become ill, as we can't be bothered
to look after ourselves. When we are tired we can get down and
become bad tempered and irritable. Tiredness can also kill. Car
accidents, workplace accidents, mishaps at home and so on, can
all be caused by tiredness. So here are ten tips to help you
stop tiredness and fatigue and to build your energy and stamina.
That ancient Greek philosopher, Epictetus once said, "It is
our attitude toward events, not the events themselves, which we
can control." Combine that bit of timeless wisdom with one that
is more contemporary and you get a proverbial formula for
stress- less happiness: "Happiness is not a matter of good
fortune or worldly possessions. It's a mental attitude. It comes
from appreciating what we have, instead of being miserable about
what we do not have. It's so simple, yet so hard for the human
mind to comprehend." --- John Luther.
Behavioural medicine has clearly demonstrated that the human
stress response does not go off in reaction to external events
which are not physically traumatic. Rather, it is set off by the
meaning we give to those events. In other words, stress is not
caused by events outside your skin, but how we think about those
events.
Developing the body language of
confidence can be really important when attending job
interviews, presenting, dealing with complaints and being
involved in related activities. One confident person differs
from another in their body language but these are some general
guidelines.
Letting in a little extra light throughout
the day may do more than just lift your
spirits. It could make you more alert and
help you avoid an afternoon energy slump.
People today are spending longer
hours at work, in front of their
computers, just to meet their
pressing deadlines and KPIs. As a
result, there are more incidents of
debilitating back pain, neck ache,
headaches, RSI and burnout that are
reducing productivity and increasing
stress leave.
Three-quarters of workers in Europe
suffer health problems as a result
of working on computers. One survey
found that backache was the most
common complaint, followed by sore
eyes and headaches.[1] In fact,
more than half of computer users
each year develop neck or shoulder
symptoms and just over one-third
develop an impairment or the loss of
some function [2]
In Australia, back problems are the
leading specific musculoskeletal
cause of health system expenditure,
with an estimated total cost of $700
million in 1993-1994 [3].
One of the worst
mistakes I've ever made was to
"compartmentalize" my life. It dawned on me
a few years ago that I don't have a
"personal life" and a "business life," but
simply A LIFE. Consequently, I do things
when they feel right, which might include
writing an article or taking care of client
work on a Saturday morning, and sitting at
the pool on a Tuesday afternoon.
>>>more
Remembering things in the long-term can be
tricky. Yet, especially in today’s busy
times, increasing deadline-related projects
and growing to-do lists, much of the
information we take-in needs to be “stored”
for later use or application.
It is completely normal for memories of
things learned to be clearest immediately
after learning them. But, as time goes on,
we tend to forget more and more of the
information, finally being able to recall
only small parts of what we so-diligently
learned.
This can be particularly destructive in the
workplace, making it important to find a
reliable tool that keeps information “fresh”
and saves you valuable time and effort by
not requiring “relearning.”
Surprisingly, it may be as simple as
reviewing the knowledge you need absorb and
apply later more frequently, which enables
you to keep it fresh and alive in your mind.
This makes it easy to recall when you need
it with a minimum of effort.
How am I going to get
through all this work?
I don't know what will happen if I fail?
What happens if we don't meet the sales
budget?
I hope that I don't get sick!
If
this is a familiar train of thought then
you are in trouble!
Pessimism has been found to not only
increase stress, but also increases
incidence of illness &
absenteeism, tiredness, slower recovery
from surgery, low self esteem, and
causes the under use of abilities.
You simply cannot afford
to 'put up' with a bad mood, having a
miserable day, or negative colleagues.
Pessimism will drain both your
productivity and quality of life.
When losing weight is your main focus in choosing
what to eat you set yourself up for a cycle of failure.
How can I say that as a weight loss coach, when my clients obviously have losing
weight as their goal? Surely it helps if they are focused and dedicated?
The problem with too much focus on your weight is that:-
It has been said that standard education will get you
jobs, and self-education will make you fortunes. This is
no doubt true, and I believe that reading is a key skill
necessary to self-education. Statistics say the average
CEO in America reads 4-5 books per month while the
average American reads 1 book per year! This same
statistic goes on to say that 60% of those average
American's don't even get past the first chapter in that
one book! You may shrug your shoulders and say – okay
big deal – so what? I am not a reader and why should
that bother me?
Read on ...
In some cultures, aging is embraced. The experience and wisdom of elders is held
in high regard. In American capitalist culture, however, signs of aging are met
with increasing resistance. Appearing “old” has become undesirable. At present,
the existence of an expanding anti-aging industry serves as proof that such
societal values are becoming pervasive.
This paper explores the forces behind the anti-aging trend
in America, including the influences of capitalism and the media as well as the
maturation of the baby boomer generation. The thesis attempts to answer the
question of why looking one’s
age is currently deemed unacceptable in American
culture. It offers a focused base from which to consider larger philosophical
questions surrounding the roots of self-image, the body as a commodity and
signifier, and the cultural value of the “natural.”
Earlier this year the US Department of Agriculture retired the old Food Guide
Pyramid and replaced it with MyPyramid, a new symbol and "interactive
food guidance system." The new symbol is basically the old Pyramid turned on
its side.
Check out the dynamic 3D animations of the Doze family members
depicting effects of age and such sleep and alertness influences
as shift work, caffeine, alcohol, stress and "Monday morning
blues" and watch as the control panel demonstrates several
interrelated behavioural and internal systems that help guide
the user through the learning process.
