Teaching time management skills is like any other form of teaching. When you teach a concept, it takes time before a student or the person is able to learn and fully develop that skill. Teaching the concepts is not enough, but you also need to follow up on your student to make sure that they regularly use whatever skill they have learned. That way, they make good use of it and be able to think of ways to enhance that skill. These are some time management skills that you can focus on when teaching your students.
1.) Prioritizing
Prioritizing is one of the basic concepts you must teach your student with regards to time management. This is because most people are hampered by too many activities at once. Many could fall into the idea of finishing a task just for the sake of it, not knowing that there are more important activities to attend to first. But the more crucial part here is identifying which ones should be top priority, because after all when it is in your list it should be important. Bottom line us, time management would depend on your own mental state of the amount of control you have of your time.
2.) Planning For Long-Term Time Management
You can also teach your students how to plan for long-term tasks and projects. Let them create a mindset that enables them to project their lives 6 months from now. As much as you want to establish the importance of their day to day activities, setting future goals are what drives your present activities.
Once they have realized the importance of future goals, they will understand the importance of being able to accomplish their everyday tasks. Hence, setting long-term goals and breaking them into smaller chunks (such as daily or weekly goals), you would gradually build that skill.
3.) Reviewing Daily Tasks
The third most important skill to master is the daily review of what just transpired within a given day. You must practice how to review and examine the work you accomplished for a day. Ask your students about what specific parts of the day were they able to manage their time efficiently, and which part of the day were they most unproductive. Hence, this will allow them to recognize the flaws in their own time management skills. Unless your students recognize them, they won't be able to fix them.
4.) Commitment To Higher Learning
Another major skill to teach your students is the ability to strive for learning and commitment to further improve their time management skill. It should be a continuous process. You can give them advices when it comes to time management careers, so they would know exactly where to go. As they learn new skills from time to time, they continue to improve themselves and advance their own time management skills.
Tell you students that their focus everyday should be on gradual and continual improvement of their time management skills. Once they have done this long enough, they should be able to form good habits that can lead them into even greater success in their lives.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Self-Improvement For Stress Management
Stress is a part of life whether we like it or not. No matter how we try to get rid of it, it will always come back and haunt you every single day of your life. Stress can be expected as you go through your daily routine, or just come out into the open and surprise you.
Problems, big or small, can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. Even if we keep smiling on the outside, stress usually troubles us from within. Leaving us in doubt, desperate, anxious, or even irritable if we let if get out of control. The best way to deal with stress is to not let it get a foot hold in your life. You should control it before it even begins to grow – and the secret to that success depends on you.
Body self-improvement techniques
Taking care of your body is the initial step to self-improvement. We should be sensitive to what our body needs by knowing how stress affects our physical self to adapt to it. Here are some techniques that you can use to improve your body and getting stress out of your system.
1. Give your body a break. It is very important to know the limits of our body especially when it comes to dealing with stress. Some people would justify that the more our body is exposed to stress, the stronger we become – so not true. Our body can only do so much and will deteriorate rapidly when we exceed our capacity. If you feel some aches and pains while working, then you better take some time off and relax before it turns to something serious
2. Relax and enjoy. To help your body relieve stress then you need to engage in some activities that will push it along the road to recovery. A massage is perfect for energizing your body while getting rid of those tight muscles that will eventually lead pain and limit your body flexibility. Pamper yourself by visiting a health at least once week; a few hours with professional hands can do wonders.
3. Exercise and sweat it out. Indulging in physical exercise is a great way to get rid of stress while keeping your body in top shape. Not many can allocate the time and effort for a physical exercise, but if you really want a stress free life then you better accommodate. Daily 1 hour exercise can do wonders to your cardiovascular functions and keep your heart in proper working order.
Self-improvement for a stress free life
The tips above borders on the physical side of releasing stress, but your mind is till vulnerable to its attacks. Physical exercise can provides an outlet for emotional problems like anxiety, fear and depression. But your mind is something else.
Before you can dispel any stress from your life, you need to improve your coping mechanism first, and it all starts in your mind. Even if we feel the physical and emotional backlash of the problems that we face, it will always start with how you think and how you devise ways in dealing with it.
Before you can apply the tips above, you have to condition your mind by focusing on the need to improve yourself in getting rid of stress.
Problems, big or small, can affect us emotionally, mentally and physically. Even if we keep smiling on the outside, stress usually troubles us from within. Leaving us in doubt, desperate, anxious, or even irritable if we let if get out of control. The best way to deal with stress is to not let it get a foot hold in your life. You should control it before it even begins to grow – and the secret to that success depends on you.
Body self-improvement techniques
Taking care of your body is the initial step to self-improvement. We should be sensitive to what our body needs by knowing how stress affects our physical self to adapt to it. Here are some techniques that you can use to improve your body and getting stress out of your system.
1. Give your body a break. It is very important to know the limits of our body especially when it comes to dealing with stress. Some people would justify that the more our body is exposed to stress, the stronger we become – so not true. Our body can only do so much and will deteriorate rapidly when we exceed our capacity. If you feel some aches and pains while working, then you better take some time off and relax before it turns to something serious
2. Relax and enjoy. To help your body relieve stress then you need to engage in some activities that will push it along the road to recovery. A massage is perfect for energizing your body while getting rid of those tight muscles that will eventually lead pain and limit your body flexibility. Pamper yourself by visiting a health at least once week; a few hours with professional hands can do wonders.
3. Exercise and sweat it out. Indulging in physical exercise is a great way to get rid of stress while keeping your body in top shape. Not many can allocate the time and effort for a physical exercise, but if you really want a stress free life then you better accommodate. Daily 1 hour exercise can do wonders to your cardiovascular functions and keep your heart in proper working order.
Self-improvement for a stress free life
The tips above borders on the physical side of releasing stress, but your mind is till vulnerable to its attacks. Physical exercise can provides an outlet for emotional problems like anxiety, fear and depression. But your mind is something else.
Before you can dispel any stress from your life, you need to improve your coping mechanism first, and it all starts in your mind. Even if we feel the physical and emotional backlash of the problems that we face, it will always start with how you think and how you devise ways in dealing with it.
Before you can apply the tips above, you have to condition your mind by focusing on the need to improve yourself in getting rid of stress.
Friday, June 25, 2010
60 Minutes To Clear Goals
I think that most people would agree that the people who have goals are more successful than those who do not have any.
I often talk about leadership and management. Leadership is about doing the right things while management is about doing things right. Often when we study time management, we study efficiency (doing things right) and make the assumption that we have the effectiveness (leadership) solved.
The first step in any time management system should be to work on goals and as such, I use the following 60 Minute Goal Setting Exercise.
Step 1: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down “values” and then spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down everything that you value. There is a great website: www.stevepavlina.com/ that has a list of several hundred values to start your mind thinking in the right direction. After the time is up, stop doing this and move to Step 2.
Step 2: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down “lifetime goals”. This is where you can dream; for example, what places would you like to visit; what experiences would you like to have; what would you like to accomplish within your lifetime. This might include traveling to Australia; getting a university degree; living in an X square foot house, etc. There are no rules to this brainstorming – simply make a list.
I have done this goal setting exercise many times and I tend to use the same list of lifetime goals and add to the list each time I do the exercise.
Step 3: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down what you would do if you had six months to live. This part of the exercise really came home to me this week when one of my close friends died at 36 years old. Some of us may have only six months to live; however, we may not know it yet. List everything that you would do if you had only six months to live. Part of the purpose of this exercise that I found works well for me is that it brings the truly important into focus. Often I find things that I would do if I had only six months to live that are not listed on my life time goals.
Step 4: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down your goals for this year. After doing the first three steps, you will find this step much easier than the others. These are the goals to focus on NOW.
This total exercise will only take an hour. An hour spent clarifying your goals can save you hundreds of hours.
I often talk about leadership and management. Leadership is about doing the right things while management is about doing things right. Often when we study time management, we study efficiency (doing things right) and make the assumption that we have the effectiveness (leadership) solved.
The first step in any time management system should be to work on goals and as such, I use the following 60 Minute Goal Setting Exercise.
Step 1: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down “values” and then spend 10 to 15 minutes writing down everything that you value. There is a great website: www.stevepavlina.com/ that has a list of several hundred values to start your mind thinking in the right direction. After the time is up, stop doing this and move to Step 2.
Step 2: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down “lifetime goals”. This is where you can dream; for example, what places would you like to visit; what experiences would you like to have; what would you like to accomplish within your lifetime. This might include traveling to Australia; getting a university degree; living in an X square foot house, etc. There are no rules to this brainstorming – simply make a list.
I have done this goal setting exercise many times and I tend to use the same list of lifetime goals and add to the list each time I do the exercise.
Step 3: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down what you would do if you had six months to live. This part of the exercise really came home to me this week when one of my close friends died at 36 years old. Some of us may have only six months to live; however, we may not know it yet. List everything that you would do if you had only six months to live. Part of the purpose of this exercise that I found works well for me is that it brings the truly important into focus. Often I find things that I would do if I had only six months to live that are not listed on my life time goals.
Step 4: at the top of a blank piece of paper write down your goals for this year. After doing the first three steps, you will find this step much easier than the others. These are the goals to focus on NOW.
This total exercise will only take an hour. An hour spent clarifying your goals can save you hundreds of hours.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Nursing And Time Management
Nurses do their best to take care and provide sufficient health care services to people who need it. Nursing is defined as the care for the sick and maintenance of people's health as well. Nursing deals with the tasks of promoting growth, caring and feeding for infants and toddlers, preventing diseases, promoting good health, assisting in faster recovery, and promoting good health to their patients.
Nurses can employ several techniques in order to have effective time management. When they have successfully done that, it saves them from a lot of stress so they can be more productive and efficient. Some of these techniques are:
1.) Organizing And Planning The Days Ahead
Planning ahead your itinerary for the day and for the days ahead will make life easier for most nurses. The list is an effective time management tool that they can consult for what set of tasks they are scheduled to accomplish within a given day. This might seem really simple but it could spell the difference between a highly stressed day over an efficient one.
However, for the list to be effective it must be very specific. Include time frames for each set of activities or activity. Therefore, you will know whether you are spending so much time doing one thing instead of moving on to another task. The length of the list varies according to your preference, whether you want to create a list for the day or for the entire week.
2.) Avoid Distractions
Everyday, we face several distractions in our daily activities. Nurses are no exceptions. With so many distractions, it can lead to waste of time since it could be spent on unnecessary activities. Distractions can come in different forms, whether through taking lots of time on the phone, chatting with fellow nurses or hospital staffs, or watching television.
These are all unproductive activities that you can do without. And yet, they cause you to loss valuable time or even neglect your duties to your patients.
3.) Planning Daily Goals
Listing down your daily set of activities is not enough. You also need to have a set of goals that will aim to motivate you in doing or finishing your tasks. These goals will help nurses do their tasks more efficiently. It is not just a matter of completing your tasks, but you must also determine whether you have accomplish your goal.
4.) Thinking Positive
Positive thinking will help boost a nurse's performance at work. With it, they can follow their list of activities with better functionality. It can always be seen that optimism helps achieve better results. A nurse should teach one's self to strive harder on their task, to always perform better.
Nurses with proper time management skills and have lessen the stress they experience tend to have a more pleasing personality. Stress indeed can be your biggest adversary. Therefore, when you possess a more positive vibe, it enables you to communicate and work with your fellow nurses efficiently.
Nurses can employ several techniques in order to have effective time management. When they have successfully done that, it saves them from a lot of stress so they can be more productive and efficient. Some of these techniques are:
1.) Organizing And Planning The Days Ahead
Planning ahead your itinerary for the day and for the days ahead will make life easier for most nurses. The list is an effective time management tool that they can consult for what set of tasks they are scheduled to accomplish within a given day. This might seem really simple but it could spell the difference between a highly stressed day over an efficient one.
However, for the list to be effective it must be very specific. Include time frames for each set of activities or activity. Therefore, you will know whether you are spending so much time doing one thing instead of moving on to another task. The length of the list varies according to your preference, whether you want to create a list for the day or for the entire week.
2.) Avoid Distractions
Everyday, we face several distractions in our daily activities. Nurses are no exceptions. With so many distractions, it can lead to waste of time since it could be spent on unnecessary activities. Distractions can come in different forms, whether through taking lots of time on the phone, chatting with fellow nurses or hospital staffs, or watching television.
These are all unproductive activities that you can do without. And yet, they cause you to loss valuable time or even neglect your duties to your patients.
3.) Planning Daily Goals
Listing down your daily set of activities is not enough. You also need to have a set of goals that will aim to motivate you in doing or finishing your tasks. These goals will help nurses do their tasks more efficiently. It is not just a matter of completing your tasks, but you must also determine whether you have accomplish your goal.
4.) Thinking Positive
Positive thinking will help boost a nurse's performance at work. With it, they can follow their list of activities with better functionality. It can always be seen that optimism helps achieve better results. A nurse should teach one's self to strive harder on their task, to always perform better.
Nurses with proper time management skills and have lessen the stress they experience tend to have a more pleasing personality. Stress indeed can be your biggest adversary. Therefore, when you possess a more positive vibe, it enables you to communicate and work with your fellow nurses efficiently.
Friday, June 18, 2010
A Key To Success
Emulating successful people is one key to success. Be careful, though, if you ask them for advice. Often, people don't really know why they succeed, but they will give you as many explanations as you want anyhow. One night on the news, I saw a 100-year-old man explain that smoking a big cigar every day was one of the secrets of his longevity. It might be nice to know why he has lived so long, but I'm pretty sure we won't learn by asking him.
Key To Success - Study Successful People
One key, then, isn't in doing what successful people say, but rather doing what they do. This is how to learn success. Naturally you have to look closely and apply a little brainpower to see what they are really doing that is causing their success.
A successful real estate investor told me he didn't believe in setting goals. However, watching him and listening to him, I came to realize that he knew just where he expected to be with his projects in six months. This, of course, is goal-setting - he just called the process something else.
Never stop listening to what successful people have to say, but read between the lines. Listen for insight into how they think about things, how they approach their challenges. Suppose the advice of a successful basketball player is just to practice more, but he casually mentions "I saw that going in," after a great shot. Isn't it time to start visualizing your shots going in?
Key To Success - Model Successful People
You won't always know what is causing a person's success. Internet marketers promote their websites by exchanging links, but when I first tried to exchange links with other websites, the owners didn't respond to my emails. Then I found a simple email letter used by a successful internet marketer to get links. It sounded silly to me, and I wanted to change it, but I tried it anyhow. It worked repeatedly.
It is more important to do the right things than to understand why they are right. To also understand is great, but at first, it may be best to just copy many of the actions, attitudes and approaches of someone who is succeeding. Try to model success, even before you understand it.
As you learn more, you can drop those parts that aren't contributing, and add elements of your own. If you model a successful parent, for example, and life with your children gets better, does it matter if you know right away which changes were the most effective? Of course not.
Is it better to understand why what you are doing is working? Certainly, but you may not ever understand why some things work, and this is okay too. It is better to have success than to explain it, so find successful people and do what they do, not what they say. It is an important key to success.
Key To Success - Study Successful People
One key, then, isn't in doing what successful people say, but rather doing what they do. This is how to learn success. Naturally you have to look closely and apply a little brainpower to see what they are really doing that is causing their success.
A successful real estate investor told me he didn't believe in setting goals. However, watching him and listening to him, I came to realize that he knew just where he expected to be with his projects in six months. This, of course, is goal-setting - he just called the process something else.
Never stop listening to what successful people have to say, but read between the lines. Listen for insight into how they think about things, how they approach their challenges. Suppose the advice of a successful basketball player is just to practice more, but he casually mentions "I saw that going in," after a great shot. Isn't it time to start visualizing your shots going in?
Key To Success - Model Successful People
You won't always know what is causing a person's success. Internet marketers promote their websites by exchanging links, but when I first tried to exchange links with other websites, the owners didn't respond to my emails. Then I found a simple email letter used by a successful internet marketer to get links. It sounded silly to me, and I wanted to change it, but I tried it anyhow. It worked repeatedly.
It is more important to do the right things than to understand why they are right. To also understand is great, but at first, it may be best to just copy many of the actions, attitudes and approaches of someone who is succeeding. Try to model success, even before you understand it.
As you learn more, you can drop those parts that aren't contributing, and add elements of your own. If you model a successful parent, for example, and life with your children gets better, does it matter if you know right away which changes were the most effective? Of course not.
Is it better to understand why what you are doing is working? Certainly, but you may not ever understand why some things work, and this is okay too. It is better to have success than to explain it, so find successful people and do what they do, not what they say. It is an important key to success.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Good Investment Advice: Only For The Rich?
If you think good investment advice is only for the rich, you're not alone. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of investing Americans believe that those with more money are able to get better financial advice than those with less money. Further, more than a quarter (26 percent) state that it takes at least $100,000 to get top-quality financial advice.
This is according to a new survey by the Retirement Corporation of America, which also finds that more than half (56 percent) of investors believe that financial advisors lose credibility when they accept fees or commissions.
Given the above perceptions, it is not surprising that 53 percent rely on themselves or turn to family and friends when it is time to make investment decisions rather than seek professional advice. However, changing investment funds is easier said than done for investors. The survey finds that nearly a third (31 percent) are willing to wait from one to five years before they move their money from a poorly performing option to a better one. The factor that makes it most difficult for investors when contemplating change is the scarcity of time to conduct adequate research, as cited by a third of respondents. This is followed by 20 percent who state that they are confused by all the available options and 16 percent who are afraid of making the wrong decisions.
The Retirement Corporation of America conducted this survey to better understand why consumers stay invested in poor-performing mutual funds. Their newly launched investment opportunity-Money Masters Investment Portfolio-is the first to offer unbiased advice and access to top-performing investment funds for every American.
Taking The Guesswork Out
The good news for confused American investors is the new registered investment advisory account (the "R" Account), offered through the Retirement Corporation of America, with no minimum account balance, commissions, transaction fees or exit penalties. It allows investors to access a fully managed Money Masters Investment Portfolio containing 15 of the world's top-performing mutual fund managers-the "Money Masters." The Money Masters are the top 10 stock fund and top five bond fund managers chosen from more than 8,000 fund managers who meet very strict selection criteria.
How It Works
When an investor opens an "R" Account, Retirement Corporation of America advisors determine the individual's objectives and risk tolerance. Based on that profile, a Money Masters Investment Portfolio is created to best suit the individual investor's needs.
This is according to a new survey by the Retirement Corporation of America, which also finds that more than half (56 percent) of investors believe that financial advisors lose credibility when they accept fees or commissions.
Given the above perceptions, it is not surprising that 53 percent rely on themselves or turn to family and friends when it is time to make investment decisions rather than seek professional advice. However, changing investment funds is easier said than done for investors. The survey finds that nearly a third (31 percent) are willing to wait from one to five years before they move their money from a poorly performing option to a better one. The factor that makes it most difficult for investors when contemplating change is the scarcity of time to conduct adequate research, as cited by a third of respondents. This is followed by 20 percent who state that they are confused by all the available options and 16 percent who are afraid of making the wrong decisions.
The Retirement Corporation of America conducted this survey to better understand why consumers stay invested in poor-performing mutual funds. Their newly launched investment opportunity-Money Masters Investment Portfolio-is the first to offer unbiased advice and access to top-performing investment funds for every American.
Taking The Guesswork Out
The good news for confused American investors is the new registered investment advisory account (the "R" Account), offered through the Retirement Corporation of America, with no minimum account balance, commissions, transaction fees or exit penalties. It allows investors to access a fully managed Money Masters Investment Portfolio containing 15 of the world's top-performing mutual fund managers-the "Money Masters." The Money Masters are the top 10 stock fund and top five bond fund managers chosen from more than 8,000 fund managers who meet very strict selection criteria.
How It Works
When an investor opens an "R" Account, Retirement Corporation of America advisors determine the individual's objectives and risk tolerance. Based on that profile, a Money Masters Investment Portfolio is created to best suit the individual investor's needs.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Dollar Saving Tips on your Next Car Rental
One of the biggest vacation expenses is a rental car. Below are a few suggestions on how you can save money on your next rental car.
If you are flying to your vacation destination and have booked the flight either online or through a travel agency, you can more than likely get a discount on your rental car if you book it as part of the package. The majority of car rental companies collaborate with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car. In addition, many airlines offer incentive and bonus programs where you get extra miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these programs when making your reservation.
When choosing your rental car, a compact or subcompact economy car is usually less expensive than a full size sedan or minivan. Therefore, selecting an economy will not only be less expensive, but you will also get better gas mileage thus saving on gas expenses.
If you need a large sedan, SUV or minivan for the comfort of your family, it is well worth your time to shop around. There is usually a high demand for these types of vehicles and therefore a larger price tag. Travel related web sites are a good place to start your research to familiarize yourself with the average price in your vacation area.
The duration of the rental will have an influence on the cost as well. Weekly rentals are usually far less costly than a daily rate spread over a week. Therefore, if your vacation plans are for a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates. If you are taking a weekend vacation, many companies offer weekend specials on certain makes and models of their cars.
In addition, a number of national car companies and local smaller companies rent their used cars for much less than a new car from a rental agency. In most instances, these cars are only a few years old and provide the same protection as a new car.
For the business traveler, joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons and some very good deals that you could use for the family vacation.
Most people purchase car insurance from the rental agency. Usually, this is not necessary. If you have purchased your rental car on your credit car, you may already have coverage as part of your credit card plan. In addition, as an automobile owner, you car insurance may provide coverage for rental cars. Therefore, it is necessary for you to check your credit card plan and automobile insurance, if you are covered, then purchasing insurance from the rental car agency is not necessary.
If you are flying to your vacation destination and have booked the flight either online or through a travel agency, you can more than likely get a discount on your rental car if you book it as part of the package. The majority of car rental companies collaborate with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car. In addition, many airlines offer incentive and bonus programs where you get extra miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these programs when making your reservation.
When choosing your rental car, a compact or subcompact economy car is usually less expensive than a full size sedan or minivan. Therefore, selecting an economy will not only be less expensive, but you will also get better gas mileage thus saving on gas expenses.
If you need a large sedan, SUV or minivan for the comfort of your family, it is well worth your time to shop around. There is usually a high demand for these types of vehicles and therefore a larger price tag. Travel related web sites are a good place to start your research to familiarize yourself with the average price in your vacation area.
The duration of the rental will have an influence on the cost as well. Weekly rentals are usually far less costly than a daily rate spread over a week. Therefore, if your vacation plans are for a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates. If you are taking a weekend vacation, many companies offer weekend specials on certain makes and models of their cars.
In addition, a number of national car companies and local smaller companies rent their used cars for much less than a new car from a rental agency. In most instances, these cars are only a few years old and provide the same protection as a new car.
For the business traveler, joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons and some very good deals that you could use for the family vacation.
Most people purchase car insurance from the rental agency. Usually, this is not necessary. If you have purchased your rental car on your credit car, you may already have coverage as part of your credit card plan. In addition, as an automobile owner, you car insurance may provide coverage for rental cars. Therefore, it is necessary for you to check your credit card plan and automobile insurance, if you are covered, then purchasing insurance from the rental car agency is not necessary.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Do You Really Need to Buy A New Car?
I have notice that keep on changing new car has become a trend of today’s life in city. People keep on switching to new car for no reason. It seems like car has become a way for people to express and show their status. Every year there are so many new car models coming up. So they keep on changing the car whenever they saw some new models that they like.
I had even heard people saying this: ‘Since I need to pay for my installment every month, then why don’t I switch to a better new car?’ It seems like paying car installment has become part of people’s routine life where if they don’t pay for the installment, they don’t know what to do with the money. Maybe people have forgot that they don’t have to pay for car installment if they don’t want to.
I know that I may offend a lot of people by saying that buying a new car is not necessary. However what I am saying is not that you cannot buy a new car. But when you wanted to buy a new car, think about why do you want to buy it. Is it neccesary? Do you want to buy it because you need it? Or you want to buy it simply because you wanted to show off to people that you are rich. Do you buy the car to boost up your ego?
For me, I only buy a car when it is needed. When I say needed, I mean that I really need the car. Not for no reason, not for showing off purpose. If my house is located at an area where I have no access to public transports, then I will consider to buy a car. If my old car has too many problems, then I will consider to switch to a new car.
Currently I have a car of 5++ years old. I have no intention to change a new car right now as my current car is still in good condition. I plan to use the car for at least 10 years if the conditions are ok. Actually the car is currently used by my wife to drive to work. For myself I am actually taking public transport (LRT). I have no intention to buy a second car although there is no problem in getting one financially.
With this I can save at least RM1000 per month. I would rather leverage this RM1000 per month for other purpose for example paying extra for my house loan. This way I can finish my house loan faster and reduce the interest. Why do I want to increase my expense to somewhere that I don’t really need. I can even use the extra money to do some investment. This will improve my financial situation.
I had even heard people saying this: ‘Since I need to pay for my installment every month, then why don’t I switch to a better new car?’ It seems like paying car installment has become part of people’s routine life where if they don’t pay for the installment, they don’t know what to do with the money. Maybe people have forgot that they don’t have to pay for car installment if they don’t want to.
I know that I may offend a lot of people by saying that buying a new car is not necessary. However what I am saying is not that you cannot buy a new car. But when you wanted to buy a new car, think about why do you want to buy it. Is it neccesary? Do you want to buy it because you need it? Or you want to buy it simply because you wanted to show off to people that you are rich. Do you buy the car to boost up your ego?
For me, I only buy a car when it is needed. When I say needed, I mean that I really need the car. Not for no reason, not for showing off purpose. If my house is located at an area where I have no access to public transports, then I will consider to buy a car. If my old car has too many problems, then I will consider to switch to a new car.
Currently I have a car of 5++ years old. I have no intention to change a new car right now as my current car is still in good condition. I plan to use the car for at least 10 years if the conditions are ok. Actually the car is currently used by my wife to drive to work. For myself I am actually taking public transport (LRT). I have no intention to buy a second car although there is no problem in getting one financially.
With this I can save at least RM1000 per month. I would rather leverage this RM1000 per month for other purpose for example paying extra for my house loan. This way I can finish my house loan faster and reduce the interest. Why do I want to increase my expense to somewhere that I don’t really need. I can even use the extra money to do some investment. This will improve my financial situation.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Body and Mind-Sex and Stress
Have you ever wondered that the role of testosterone in enhancing libido and enhancing erections in men cannot be its only role? There are many other roles and biological effects of testosterone other than its known presence in bodily fluids. It has been blamed for excess hair loss (medical name-Androgenetic alopecia) although the molecular steps of hair loss in men and women are not fully understood.
This hormone is secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although men produce more of it. Various kinds of mental behavior are not only subject to influence by environment and genetics but also day-to-day hormonal changes. For example, stress can also inhibit testosterone synthesis and hence lead to decreased levels of it secretion.
Some goods news has recently emerged. Recent studies have shown that to keep stress at bay you should frequently engage in penetrative penal-vaginal sex. Unfortunately many people from all walks of life find that under stress, they do not have the desire to have sex and even creates undesirable side effects such as sexual dysfunction.
A brilliant study (Biological Psychology, volume 71, page 214) showed that sex but more preferably intercourse is much more effective in combating stress then other sexual activity such as masturbation. As intercourse is more linked with less blood pressure and less stress this cause’s better psychological and physiological function. Also orgasms for women during penile-vaginal intercourse are better for physiological behavior but not so much for orgasm during other sexual activities. As some of us are nervous about speaking in public or stage fright as its commonly called are being recommended to have sex (not on the stage of course) for the stress calming effect.
It is thought when a couple makes love the neurotransmitter oxytocin released relaxes the body and decreases blood pressure hence also preventing stress. Oxytocin is secreted by the brain and other organs including the ovaries and testes. It is believed that oxytocin is significantly decreased during the stress and infusion of the hormone relieves stress in animal models thereby suggesting a role in regulating some physiological responses to stress.
In the light of such elegant studies and lack of public stress programmes such as screening by government agencies aimed at improving recognition, treatment, and reducing stress and depression primary prevention has become necessary. As stress and depression has become a common disorder with serious many unwanted side effects both in men and women, penetrative penal-vaginal sex could be a primary stress prevention strategy.
This hormone is secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females, although men produce more of it. Various kinds of mental behavior are not only subject to influence by environment and genetics but also day-to-day hormonal changes. For example, stress can also inhibit testosterone synthesis and hence lead to decreased levels of it secretion.
Some goods news has recently emerged. Recent studies have shown that to keep stress at bay you should frequently engage in penetrative penal-vaginal sex. Unfortunately many people from all walks of life find that under stress, they do not have the desire to have sex and even creates undesirable side effects such as sexual dysfunction.
A brilliant study (Biological Psychology, volume 71, page 214) showed that sex but more preferably intercourse is much more effective in combating stress then other sexual activity such as masturbation. As intercourse is more linked with less blood pressure and less stress this cause’s better psychological and physiological function. Also orgasms for women during penile-vaginal intercourse are better for physiological behavior but not so much for orgasm during other sexual activities. As some of us are nervous about speaking in public or stage fright as its commonly called are being recommended to have sex (not on the stage of course) for the stress calming effect.
It is thought when a couple makes love the neurotransmitter oxytocin released relaxes the body and decreases blood pressure hence also preventing stress. Oxytocin is secreted by the brain and other organs including the ovaries and testes. It is believed that oxytocin is significantly decreased during the stress and infusion of the hormone relieves stress in animal models thereby suggesting a role in regulating some physiological responses to stress.
In the light of such elegant studies and lack of public stress programmes such as screening by government agencies aimed at improving recognition, treatment, and reducing stress and depression primary prevention has become necessary. As stress and depression has become a common disorder with serious many unwanted side effects both in men and women, penetrative penal-vaginal sex could be a primary stress prevention strategy.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Unhappy at Work? A Change is Coming
We all can’t be astronauts, professional athletes, dolphin trainers or test pilots -- some of us have to work for a living. I’m not implying that the people in those professions don’t actually work, I’m suggesting that some jobs might not seem like work. Unfortunately, I don’t have one of those jobs and I’m guessing you don’t either. For the majority of us, work is a daily grind of repeating the same repetitive task day after day, month after month, year after year while spending eight or more hours a day with arrogant bosses and surly co-workers.
There is, however, hope for us drones. A change is coming. It may not be today, tomorrow or even this year, but your present situation will change. It has to, it’s the law. Okay, maybe not the law, but it is a law. It’s known as 'The Universal Law of Impermanence', which states that everything changes. Some change comes rapidly and some change takes eons, but eventually everything changes. You could find another job, get a promotion or transfer, or maybe your unfair boss or troublesome colleague will leave. Eventually the situation will change -- it has to.
Confucius said “Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life.” If that sounds good to you, you probably don’t want to wait eons for it to occur. Buddhism teaches us that we can either wait for the change to occur naturally, or we can initiate the change. It’s the difference between taking control of our lives or leaving it all up to the whim of the universe.
How much time have you spent actually trying to improve your situation? Sure, complaining is easy but it accomplishes very little. Have you actually looked for another job? Have you tried to improve your skills through in-house training, adult learning centers, books or correspondence courses? If none of these options are available to you, have you tried creating a better relationship with your boss and co-workers? Even the smallest step in the right direction is progress.
There is no one solution that is perfect for everyone -- we all have unique situations, but if we are persistent and creative enough there are always options available to begin the process of change. Some people believe that finding happiness at work is as elusive as finding the Holy Grail, but how will you know until you’ve really tried?
You can help speed up the process of change or you can wait for it to occur naturally. Either way, a change is coming -- it’s a law.
There is, however, hope for us drones. A change is coming. It may not be today, tomorrow or even this year, but your present situation will change. It has to, it’s the law. Okay, maybe not the law, but it is a law. It’s known as 'The Universal Law of Impermanence', which states that everything changes. Some change comes rapidly and some change takes eons, but eventually everything changes. You could find another job, get a promotion or transfer, or maybe your unfair boss or troublesome colleague will leave. Eventually the situation will change -- it has to.
Confucius said “Find a job you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life.” If that sounds good to you, you probably don’t want to wait eons for it to occur. Buddhism teaches us that we can either wait for the change to occur naturally, or we can initiate the change. It’s the difference between taking control of our lives or leaving it all up to the whim of the universe.
How much time have you spent actually trying to improve your situation? Sure, complaining is easy but it accomplishes very little. Have you actually looked for another job? Have you tried to improve your skills through in-house training, adult learning centers, books or correspondence courses? If none of these options are available to you, have you tried creating a better relationship with your boss and co-workers? Even the smallest step in the right direction is progress.
There is no one solution that is perfect for everyone -- we all have unique situations, but if we are persistent and creative enough there are always options available to begin the process of change. Some people believe that finding happiness at work is as elusive as finding the Holy Grail, but how will you know until you’ve really tried?
You can help speed up the process of change or you can wait for it to occur naturally. Either way, a change is coming -- it’s a law.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Boost your savings
It is general knowledge that residents of the United Kingdom are typically not savers. They tend to spend much more than they save; according to studies, saving money is not as popular as it once was. Saving is extremely important to the quality of life you expect to live in the future. Think about it, what would happen if your car suddenly quit working? What would you do if the heater or refrigerator within your home just decided to give up one day? Imagine a situation where an emergency occurred and you had to travel immediately for some reason, what would you do?
Saving your money within an account can be an excellent source of immediate funds for an unexpected emergency. It makes a great deal of sense to simply put away money into an interest bearing account for these types of events, instead of having to take out a loan or bill a credit card for them. If you do either of these things will result in more debt and higher interest payments. Many experts believe that you need to set your priorities in the right direction and you should attempt to, over time, save an equal to your salary over a three month period.
Many people may find this a lot of money to put back when bills need to be paid, that is fine, consider saving as much as you possibly can without setting yourself into a deeper hole. If you simply saved £100 a week over a three-month period you would have saved £1,200 (not including any interest accrued), that would likely pay for a broke refrigerator or a significant amount on a new or repaired heater. There are many different types of savings accounts that you can consider, some of which do not require substantial deposits.
Typically, a banking institution will access a tax on the interest prior to adding it into your savings account, for example a taxpayer at the basic rate level will be accessed twenty (20) percent, while a taxpayer at a higher rate will be accessed forty (40) percent. For those who do not pay taxes, no taxes are deducted from the interest. For those who are non-taxpayers, you will be required to fill out a R85 form, this will allow you to avoid the taxes and receive the total interest accrued on the account.
One thing people should definitely consider is an ISA (Individual Savings Account), the government of the United Kingdom, created these types of accounts in efforts to encourage residents to save their money. In this account, they allow you to save your money in an amount of £3,000 or less yearly, that will be considered tax-free.
Saving your money within an account can be an excellent source of immediate funds for an unexpected emergency. It makes a great deal of sense to simply put away money into an interest bearing account for these types of events, instead of having to take out a loan or bill a credit card for them. If you do either of these things will result in more debt and higher interest payments. Many experts believe that you need to set your priorities in the right direction and you should attempt to, over time, save an equal to your salary over a three month period.
Many people may find this a lot of money to put back when bills need to be paid, that is fine, consider saving as much as you possibly can without setting yourself into a deeper hole. If you simply saved £100 a week over a three-month period you would have saved £1,200 (not including any interest accrued), that would likely pay for a broke refrigerator or a significant amount on a new or repaired heater. There are many different types of savings accounts that you can consider, some of which do not require substantial deposits.
Typically, a banking institution will access a tax on the interest prior to adding it into your savings account, for example a taxpayer at the basic rate level will be accessed twenty (20) percent, while a taxpayer at a higher rate will be accessed forty (40) percent. For those who do not pay taxes, no taxes are deducted from the interest. For those who are non-taxpayers, you will be required to fill out a R85 form, this will allow you to avoid the taxes and receive the total interest accrued on the account.
One thing people should definitely consider is an ISA (Individual Savings Account), the government of the United Kingdom, created these types of accounts in efforts to encourage residents to save their money. In this account, they allow you to save your money in an amount of £3,000 or less yearly, that will be considered tax-free.
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