How to Make Work Feel Effortless - Part 2

Only do your best. Work can easily become a chore when you're trying to constantly be perfect. The truth is, some of your ideas might not be so great. Others will be mind blowing. If you can accept that and just do your best, you stop judging yourself. Guess what it feels like when you're no longer picking over everything you do with a fine toothed comb? It feels extremely liberating. It feels like you can actually enjoy your experience, rather than worrying about how everything is going to turn out. That is working effortlessly.

Act from your gut. When you think you have a great idea, believe it. Follow it. Chase it until you're out of breath and can barely hold yourself up. Because if you don't trust yourself, you'll regret it later. The best way to live is to follow your intuition and trust life. If nothing else, trust yourself. Because if you can't trust yourself, how can you trust your mistrust? That's not very smart is it?

Focus on what matters. Our minds are constantly pulling us in different directions. We have to wash the cat, buy more apple cinnamon oatmeal, finish writing that resignation letter to your no-longer-boss at your dead-end job, and all sorts of other things. We have a tendency to follow what's urgent instead of what's important. In order to get the important things done, we have to be ruthless at removing distractions. If it takes bringing a laptop (or notepad) to a cafe to write your grandiose novel, then do that. Avoid the vacuum of minutiae urgency. Remove all distractions so you can focus on the important things. I would much rather spend 4 hours working on an important project, then 4 hours spinning my wheels and scratching my head trying to figure out what I did today.

Refuse to do what you don't want to do. I often avoid working because I'm trying to do things I think I should do. I think I should read more because it will make me smarter. I think I should buy new clothes because it will make me cooler. I think I should work on this project because it will be good for my resume. Forget what you think you should do (except maybe paying your rent). Do what you want to do. Other people will understand. In fact, they'll probably envy you.

Concluded

How to Make Work Feel Effortless - Part 1

How to Make Work Feel Effortless

Sometimes work can be a drag. You get caught up in trying to be more productive and suddenly your life turns into a series of to-do lists. You gauge your measure of success by how much you accomplish. You even determine how happy you allow yourself to be by how much you've gotten done in the day.

We spend a lot of time trying to find ways to be more productive. To do things faster, better, cheaper and spend our time more effectively. But instead of just doing more in less time, maybe we should focus on actually enjoying the work we're doing instead.

Here are some ways to make work seem like less of a chore and more like a gift:

Follow your natural rhythms. A lot of the time I resent working is because I'm trying to force myself to do something I don't feel like doing. Naturally there will always be some things you're not crazy about doing (like cleaning the toilet). But how often do you force yourself to work more, when you really want to relax? When you force yourself to work when you've promised yourself a break, you'll likely just end up distracting yourself with other things and put off working. Then you get stressed and end up resenting work. Instead, follow your natural rhythms. When you feel like working, work. When you don't, don't. Don't over complicate things.

Do, don't think. I'm going to stay true to this point and not think about writing something elaborate. Just do, stop thinking about it. Fail, make corrections later.

Don't put sugar in your tank. You wouldn't put sugar in your gas tank right? It doesn't make much sense to fill your body up with unhealthy fuel either. If you don't have the energy to get the work you need to done, work will feel forced.

Remove hidden roadblocks. What's making you avoid working? What's making your work seem like drudgery rather than joyful? It might have something to do with your beliefs about yourself. Maybe you believe you're not good enough, smart enough or don't have enough experience. Question your beliefs about what you can and can't do.

To Be Continued....

Top 10 Mobile Battery Saving Tips - Part 2

Turn Off Vibration

Probably the second most power-consuming feature of any mobile phone is the built-in vibration alert. See if you can do without it.

Turn Down Ringer Volume, Keypad Tones and Speaker During Calls

If you're mostly indoors, like in the office or at home, a low ringer volume can go a bit towards saving your battery. Most phones also have DTMF-like keypad tones, which are not necessary if the keypad has decent tactile feedback. I keep them turned off most of the time — you can try it too. Volume of the earpiece when you're on a call can also be lowered, and that helps too.

Disable Voice Clarity / EFR / Voice Privacy

Almost all phones now do Enhanced Full Rate (EFR) for voice communication that consumes a little more power. In most cases, the enhanced quality of EFR doesn't make a difference thanks to the high noise levels in our city. Keep it off, you probably won't miss it. Some phones (mostly Samsungs) have a 'voice privacy' feature which can also be turned off to save battery.

Turn off 3G / GPRS / EDGE

Most 3G/UMTS/WCDMA phones keep searching for 3G coverage by default. In India, they'll keep searching till 2008, draining your battery, so go to the network selection screen and choose GSM-only. If your phone has a secondary camera near the screen, it's a 3G phone. Check your phone’s specs on the website if you aren't sure. Sometimes, even regular GPRS or EDGE connections stay active in the back, so make sure you specifically disconnect when you're done browsing the web.

Use Bluetooth and WiFi Only While Transferring

If you only use Bluetooth occasionally to transfer files to and from other devices, there's probably no point keeping it on all the time. Most phones only come with an on/off setting for Bluetooth, unlike the 'Turn on for 10 minutes' setting available for Infrared in some phones (mostly Sony Ericssons). People tend to forget about Bluetooth being left on after transferring the file — avoid doing this. Same goes for WiFi, if you're phone has that.

Here's another tip — find a USB cable if your phone supports recharging via USB. The Motorola RAZR/KRZR/SLVRs and most Windows Mobile Smartphones have a standard miniUSB slot that can use the same cable as most digital cameras. You're more likely to find one of these lying around somewhere than a charger for your phone, unless it's a Nokia, of course.

Finally, the last tip is not very recommendable, but it is something to consider if you've tried everything else above: don't use the phone too much. Of course, you can't use the camera and media features (most Samsung phones won't even let you, if the battery is low) but you can also be a bit choosy while answering incoming calls — not all of them need to be answered. This is even more true in case of unknown numbers!

Concluded

Top 10 Mobile Battery Saving Tips !!

Top 10 Mobile Battery Saving Tips

If you're expecting a call and your battery icon starts blinking, the first thing you should do is find a charger. But if that's not an option, here are ten things you can do to hang on. We'll skip the usual tips about the 'memory effect' and which battery type is better — NiCd or Li-Ion — because you don't really have a choice in that.

Close Background Applications

If you're using a Smartphone, close applications that you don't need. Applications that stay active in the background use up a bit of CPU, which uses up battery. Make sure you 'exit' the applications from the menu, not by pressing the 'End' key, as that merely puts the application in the background. In Series 60 Smartphones (mostly Nokias), hold down the 'Menu' key to get a list of all applications running in the background to close them. In Windows Mobile 5 phones, open the 'Memory' application and check the 'Running programs' tab to close them.

Turn Down Screen Brightness

The screen is one of the most power-consuming parts of the mobile phone. The lower the brightness, the lesser power it needs. Keep it as low as you can, so long as you can still see it! Also, some phones like the E61 and the BlackBerry Pearl come with auto-adjust features that increase the brightness in brightly lit areas and dim it in low-light areas. If you're setting the brightness low, make sure that auto-adjust is turned off.

Don't Use Animated Wallpapers or Screensavers

The animations in wallpapers and screensavers can drain a bit of battery as they also consume a wee bit of CPU. Turn them off.

Turn Off Keypad Lights

If you've been using the phone for a while, you may be able to use the keys without seeing them. If this is the case, the keypad backlight can be turned off. However, not a lot of phones support this, but it's worth considering if your phone does.

Decrease Screen Standby Time Out

The time till your screen dims out and/or gets turned off is configurable in most phones. 10 seconds is good, 5 seconds is better. Set it as low as you can go without it becoming inconvenient.

To Be Continued .....

The Ten Signs of Good Manners !

“There are ten signs of good manners and they are:

1. Little arguing;
2. Listening well;
3. Avoiding searching for shortcomings;
4. Covering mistakes;
5. Finding excuse;
6. Patience when annoyed;
7. Blaming one’s own self;
8. Seeing one’s own faults rather than other people’s faults;
9. Having a beaming face with the young and the old;
10. Saying kind words to those who are below and above one (with regards to religious knowledge, righteousness, social status, and so forth).”

Stress Busters: Let Your Mind Heal Your Body - Part 2

Express Gratitude

Researchers at the University of California at Davis and Mississippi University for Women may have found a secret to being healthier and even healing faster. In 2007, the team monitored a group of patients undergoing organ transplantation and found that those who kept a daily "gratitude journal," in which they wrote down five things they were grateful for each day and why, fared better in their recovery..

Try it: Start your own gratitude journal. Try to write down five things that you're grateful for each day for three weeks. Anotheridea: "Find a spiritual anchor," says Dr. Rakel. He's being literal: The object you choose as your anchor should remind you of the things that give your life meaning and purpose. It could be a stone, a piece of jewelry or a poem folded into a trinket whatever has meaning for you and can be easily carried.

Forgive

Carrying a grudge doesn't do your health any favors. "When we're stuck in not forgiving, it grinds us down," says Dr.Santorelli. Although research is ongoing, a 2006 study of patients with hypertension found that those with more anger who received forgiveness training were able to lower their blood pressure significantly.

Try it: Santorelli suggests paying attention to the thoughts and emotions that arise when you think about the person you're trying to forgive. Your willingness to work with your emotions starts a process that helps free you from feelings of resentment, sadness or anger. When possible, speak to the person you feel you need to forgive.

Pray

Many of us have sent up a prayer asking for good health for ourselves or a loved one. In fact, 75 percent of Americans surveyed have used prayer for health reasons, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). Research led by Harold Koenig, M.D., at Duke University's Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health found that although prayer's effects on health aren't predictable, belonging to a religion seems to up your odds for staying well.

Try it: You might already know how to pray, but that doesn't mean it always comes naturally. If you need help getting started, Dr.Rakel suggests thinking of prayer as somewhat like meditating or simply focusing your mind's thoughts. Life is a gift to us by God Enjoy life and Be Happy.

 

 

Concluded

 

 

Stress Busters: Let Your Mind Heal Your Body - Part 1

 

Meditate

Meditating is as good for your body as it is for your spirit. Doing it regularly will not only improve concentration and calm your mind, but research shows that it may also relieve tension headaches, make it easier to quit smoking, improve a heart condition, ease a high-cholesterol problem, relieve depression, and help reduce fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Try it: "As little as five minutes a day of meditation can help," says David Rakel, M.D., director of the University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine Program, in Madison, WI. "Just focus on your breath, a word or a prayer. Start simple and small, and use the breathing to guide you."

Get Happy

Positive psychology in a nutshell, the study of happiness has found that the more joy you feel, the healthier you're likely to be. "Positive emotions make us feel lighter, happier and more at ease," says Dr.Rakel. It's hard to say, though, which comes first if being happy improves health or if wellness makes it easier to feel joy. In 2008, the Mayo Clinic reported that "people in excellent health are almost twice as likely to be happier than those in merely good health."

Try it:Volunteering may increase your happiness and health, explains "mindfulness" expert Saki Santorelli, Ed.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "There's a sense of giving back or helping out, and the mood is elevated. That happiness, inspiration or feeling of connectedness seems to improve health."

To Be Continued ....

 

Eight Things About Your Toothpaste - Part 3

6. Organic toothpastes can be just as effective as regular.

If you’re willing to spend a little more to go green, natural and organic toothpastes can be a good eco-friendly alternative to commercial brands—provided they contain fluoride. “Natural and organic toothpastes that include fluoride in their ingredients are as effective as regular toothpastes with fluoride,” says Crocker. You’ll also be avoiding artificial preservatives, sweeteners and dyes.

7. What’s inside your toothpaste might surprise you.

You may not recognize the names listed on the side of the tube, but ingredients like seaweed and detergent can be found in many fluoride toothpastes. According to the ADA , common thickening agents include seaweed colloids, mineral colloids and natural gums. And for that quintessential foaming action, most products rely on detergents such as sodium lauryl sulfate—also found in many shampoos and body washes—that are deemed 100 percent safe and effective by the ADA .

 

8. Pastes or gels—they all do the trick.

You may have heard that one works better than the other but, according to the experts, they all clean teeth equally well. “Other than flavor, texture and how it makes a person feel, there aren’t any major differences among the various forms,” says Crocker. “I think it comes down to personal preference, which might come through trial and error. I encourage my patients to use whichever product encourages them to brush.”

 

 

Concluded

 

 

 

Eight Things About Your Toothpaste - Part 2

3. Whitening toothpastes work—at least to a certain degree.

Countless products promise a whiter smile, but do they really deliver? “Whitening toothpastes—like all toothpastes—contain mild abrasives to help remove surface stains on your teeth,” says Dr. Whall. “The shape of the particles used in whitening products, though, is modified to clean those stains away better, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in how your teeth look.” However, according to Dr. Whall, these products don’t contain bleach, making it impossible for them to brighten your smile as dramatically as professional whitening treatments.

 

4. Less is more.

Despite what you see on commercials, a brush full of toothpaste won’t clean your pearly whites any better than half that amount, according to E. Jane Crocker, RHD, president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association. “All you need is a pea-size amount of toothpaste—yes, I mean the little green vegetable!” Not only will that get the job done effectively (by cleaning and removing plaque, stains and food debris), you’ll also extend the life of your tube.

 

5. How you brush is more important than what you brush with.

You can buy the best toothpaste and toothbrush on the market, but if you aren’t brushing correctly you won’t see results. “To do it properly, you need to position the brush at a 45 degree angle so that you get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums,” says Dr. Whall. “Move the brush in small circles in those areas, and then continue on to the rest of the teeth. This process should take about one to two minutes to complete.” View the ADA ’s step-by-step guide to brushing and flossing here.

 

 

To Be Continued....

 

 

Eight Things About Your Toothpaste - Part 1

Eight things about tooth paste.

Faced with dozens of different products promising to make your teeth fresher, whiter and cavity-free, it’s no wonder you wander aimlessly down the toothpaste aisle. To help you pick wisely, we turned to the pros for the scoop on what ingredients to look for, whether gel or paste formulas are right for you and just how much you need to squeeze onto your brush. It’s never too late to get your pearly whites in tip-top shape, so read on to find out how!

 

1. It’s all about the fluoride.

With a host of ingredients in toothpaste, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s essential. But no matter what your individual needs are (i.e., tartar control, whitening, breath-freshening and so on), dental hygienists agree that fluoride is a must. According to the Academy of General Dentistry , brushing with fluoride toothpaste twice daily can reduce tooth decay by as much as 40 percent. “Even in areas where there is water fluoridation, the added fluoride in toothpaste has been shown to be very beneficial,” says Caryn Loftis-Solie, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA).

2. Look for the seal of approval.

While it’s tempting to save some cash with a generic brand of toothpaste, you may actually be getting an ineffective—and potentially harmful—product. “You should always look for the ADA Seal when choosing a toothpaste,” says Clifford Whall, PhD, director of the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance Program. “Only those products have the scientific data to back up their claims and have been proven to meet our criteria for safety and effectiveness.” With 50-plus approved toothpastes on shelves, it’s easy to find a tube that’s right for you and your budget.

 

 

 

To Be Continued .....

 

 

 

Simple Tips to Reduce Air Conditioning Running Costs - Part 2

3) Seal Off Any Droughts - Droughts and gusts of wind can really cool down your home when your trying to warm it up in winter. Drought stoppers and sealing cracks can reduce these droughts which will keep the warmth in and reduce your heating bills substantially.

4) Learn How To Use Your System - If you are not entirely sure how to use your air conditioning system, you are probably using it wrong. Speak with an air conditioning contractor for some good advice on how to run your air conditioner.

5) Clean Filters & Ducts -Finally, give your ducts and filters a quick clean. It is the simplest thing to do to get your hvac system to run better again. Duct cleaning is still a neglected part in HVAC industry. Only few MNC's are interested in duct cleaning. We cannot reduce electricity cost with duct cleaning, but it will help to reduce lot of Air borne diseases, yes filter cleaning will help to cut the power tarrif and increase the AC units life.

Concluded

Simple Tips to Reduce Air Conditioning Running Costs - Part 1

1) Set a Comfortable Temperature at 24Deg C- & use sleep mode in the night to get the comfortable cooling as per body, we need less cooling in the night( In manual system 

Don't set the temperature at the coolest because the compressor will never turn off and this will cost you money. 

To get the comfortable temperature, turn the AC on with coldest setting on thermostat , when you feel comfort temp cut of the AC compressor through thermostat, it will reduce the power consumption .

2) Have Refrigerant Levels Tested - Compulsory servicing to be done before summer starts & one before rainy season & last service at the end of season to save corrosion in side the units body) through company service center. 

They can test your system to determine if you have a refrigerant leak., motors noise, vibration in indoor unit of split AC & anti Vibration pads of Compressor. 

If required always use genuine spare parts to lower breakdown & power bill.  

Install a good quality Voltage stabilizer to get the necessary Voltage ( if your area has voltage fluctuations ) & reduce your electricity bill. 

Don't install under capacity machine, it will save your initial cost but increase your electricity bill in summer. 

To Be Continued ...

Fourteen Strategies to make better decision

 

• Involve colleagues who see the world differently from you.

• Fight the temptation to solve today’s problem with yesterdays solution

• Solve problems with a win-win orientation

• Solicit information from individuals affected by the decision

• Make sure you are solving the right problem

• Consider as many solution as possible.

• Realize that even the best solution may open the door to new problems.

• If you are using hard data as the basis of your decision, verify the numbers.

• When you make a decision affecting others, share the reason behind the decision.

• Think in terms of satisfying, not optimization.

• Ask a lot of questions.

• Learn from prior decisions

• Ask for criticism.

• Recognize your personal decision making biases

 

 

 

Decode Those Mixed Friendly Signals - Part 2

• Don't read too much into the nice guy act. Some men are just polite and know how to treat women well. His complimenting you may not be a sign of flirting but just the way he is with everyone. Don't mistake his sweet personality as a sign that he likes you.

• Men are a confused lot. They can often be a bit indecisive nd unsure of whether they really like you. Guys also like to play the field. There's a good chance that he's flirting with you and some other girls at the same time.

• Despite their macho image, men are scared too. he may secretly like you but be unsure of how you will react. He could also be fearing rejection or be intimidated by your good looks. See if you still want to give him a chance.

Concluded

Decode Those Mixed Friendly Signals - Part 1

Don't read too much into the nice guy act, he may be like that with everyone.

When you have just befriended a guy, it's often hard to figure out his feelings for you. While some men can be very direct and show interest right away, others prefer sending subtle hints your way. but at times, the signals tend to get really mixed and you can't tell whether he thinks of you as a buddy or something more.

• Try and figure out how he generally is with his friends. This will give you a good insight into his normal behavior. Does he call up or SMS all his girlfriends often or is it just you? See how he's with his other friends and then you will know whether you are reading too much. 

• Make sure you aren't missing the point. Very often women tend to get carried away. For example, if he is extra nice to you and offers to pick you up from your workplace, it may not mean there are feelings. There's a good chance he's just concerned about your safety.

• Men who have been drinking too much, may try to get a little extra close to you. If he's high, he may have said something to the effect that he likes you and it could just be the alcohol talking. Meet him after the alcohol has worn off and see if his feelings still exist.

To Be Continued....

HIDDEN WINDOWS XP TIPS - Part 5

17. Batch Rename Files

You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetised groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In Groups.

18. Album Cover Arts

Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.

19. Handy Shortcut Keys

Windows key + Break brings up the System Properties dialogue box;

Windows key + D brings up the desktop;

Windows key + Tab moves through the taskbar buttons.

Concluded

Warning : 

Users are warned NOT to use the above information without sufficient knowledge or experience. The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions from this article. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer. This information is solely for informational purposes. 

HIDDEN WINDOWS XP TIPS - Part 4

13. Faster Startup

You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer, and click on OK. An Automatically Log On dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.

14. Delete Temp Internet Files Automatically

Internet Explorer 6 will automatically delete temporary files, but only if you tell it to. Start the browser, select Tools / Internet Options... and Advanced, go down to the Security area and check the box to Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.

15. Network Activity Light

XP comes with a free Network Activity Light, just in case you can't see the LEDs twinkle on your network card. Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, then select Properties. Right click on the description for your LAN or dial-up connection, select Properties, then check the Show icon in notification area when connected box. You'll now see a tiny network icon on the right of your task bar that glimmers nicely during network traffic.

16. Speed-Up Your Start Menu

The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.

To Be Continued .....

Warning : 

Users are warned NOT to use the above information without sufficient knowledge or experience. The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions from this article. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer. This information is solely for informational purposes.