Why worry?

It is our most common daily mental activity. It is the greatest misuse of our mental energy. It is a complete waste of time. It’s called WORRY.

It’s good to worry, isn’t it? Worry shows you care, doesn’t it? It means you are cleverly anticipating the future … yet?

No!

Worry is anxiety based on fiction. It is a series of negative thoughts which disempowers the natural creativity of your consciousness. It is the dredging up of memories of hurt, rearranged into an imaginary tale of conflict or loss still to come.

The most surprising fact is that despite the majority of us acknowledging worry as a waste of time and energy, it is still one of the most common lessons we learn from our parents. The prevailing myth that is handed down from generation is, ‘it’s good to worry, it shows you care.’

Worry is fear, and care is love, and fear and love are polar opposites. If you stop for a moment and become aware of why you worry about someone else, you may also find it is motivated by selfishness — you actually are really worried for yourself.

You are worried about how you will feel if something bad happens to someone else. In fact you are already feeling it. Worry is simply a learned habit, an addiction that is fed by a toxic diet of bad news, unfortunate events and tales of personal traumas of others.

The best and the easiest way to get rid of this habit of worrying is “to live in the present”, rather than escape into a negative future or a painful past.

Remember, we can only find peace in now, we can only live with love now and be fully present and available for others now.

Editor’s note: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji is a writer at www.brahmakumaris.com and can be reached at nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in.

Effective email management

Those good old letter boxes are now on the verge of extinction! Email inboxes have taken charge, making letterboxes a nostalgic memory. Whether you like it or not, email has changed the way of communication to a great extent. Not only that, it has also made communication faster and less complicated, making it easier for people to stay in touch with each other sans the hassle of glue stamps and post-office visits.

Emails have also made communication more regular and hence more specific than paper letters, however, there are instances when you get tired of managing your email account and the overflowing inbox. It is now well-known that unorganised email management decidedly affects productivity negatively. Being a little organised would help you minimise the time that you spend browsing your mails, making it easier for you to focus on your core job. Read the following section to better your email management skills.

Turn-off email alert indicator

This should be the first step if you really think you need to hone your email management skills. It is natural that you feel like checking the inbox whenever you see an alert pop up so turn off the alerts to avoid wasting time on checking irrelevant alerts.

Allot a specific time slot

Allotting a specific time slot to log in to your account would help you manage your email account, without spending too much time on it. Process your mail once a day and if you do not finish it within the time, continue the task the next day. This habit would help you spend less time sorting your emails which, in turn, would increase your productivity. However, this rule may exempt those mails which need to be considered on an urgent basis. Remember, you mustn’t allow your mails to rule your life.

Prioritise mails

Each email is different in terms of the relevance of its subject. It is not good to keep all read mails forever. Read the mail, consider the subject, work on it and delete. However, job opportunities, interview calls, work related mails and personal letters should be kept in your mailbox for some times whereas, all others, including subscription letters and ads, need not to be kept in your account.

Create a reply box

Do you think it is important to reply to every mail? It is not! Reply only to those mails which you cannot avoid. Also, create a reply folder and allot three days in a week to reply to the mails. However, those which need to be looked into urgently should be exempted from this rule.

Create template

If you need to send similar replies very often then there is no point in wasting time in typing the same thing over and over again. Create reply templates for different types of mails. You may create separate folders for separate categories. For example, you can have different templates for replying to an interview mail, thank you mail, business proposal mail et cetera. Stick to the template whenever you need to respond. This would help you save a lot of time.

Act judiciously

You need not read all the mails that find their way to your mail box. You may already have an idea about the content of some letters, especially newsletter subscription, fitness, blogging et cetera. Do not read them important; just delete! This would help you avoid reading unimportant letters.

Segregate mails

You might be aware that most of the email providers allow you to label the mails. You may categorise mails under different labels like professional, personal, family, friends et cetera. This would keep your mails organised. Also, use hierarchy system where you can segregate big categories into first level folders and their sub categories into second level folders. For example if you are a writer, then you may make a first level folder for your work and sub folders for your writing and editing works.

Use filters

It is sickening to see a bulk of the unread mails whenever you open the mailbox. Well, getting irritated will not help; you need to find some solution for this. You need not do a research on this; most of the email providers have filters with which you can select the kind of mails you wish to receive in your mailbox. You can filter mails based on email IDs, subject lines, body text and more!

Unsubscribe!

It is quite common that you subscribe to certain things and then irrelevant mails start filling your inbox daily and you end up deleting these mails without even opening them. Then why not unsubscribe then and lessen you efforts?

De-clutter

Do not kept too many mails in your account. Delete unwanted mails and spam on a regular basis and keep enough space in your inbox. Be judicious about the mails that need to be kept and the ones that needn’t. Do not save your chats unless you consider the conversation important.

People have a tendency to glance through the inbox every the inbox every now and then. This can distract you from your regular work and you might end up spending a large part of your productive time checking mails. This is why effective email management has become necessary to improve productivity. — Agencies

More than just a laptop

Touchscreens are spurring wild new designs in a category called convertibles

Your next laptop is probably going to be a lot more than just a laptop. Touchscreens are spurring wild new designs in a category called convertibles. So will your next notebook flip, rip, double or roll? Let us think of this historically; your old laptop opens and closes. Or maybe you have a tablet with a single, standard touchscreen. But the introduction of touch screen recognition in the Windows 8 operating system has computer manufacturers trying to combine those devices in inventive new ways.

Lenovo Helix: It flips over the Yoga, and has the option to rip the screen out into a stand-alone tablet. It is fully touch capable and has a built in Wacom stylus. Lenovo says it will run for five hours in stand-alone tablet mode or 10 hours if docked. It will be available in February at USD 1,499.

Lenovo Yoga 11S: An 11-inch laptop running a full version of Windows 8, but its double-jointed hinge opens it all the way up and you can flip it over into a tablet at USD 799. The Yoga 11S is also one of the first device to be powered by Intel’s enhanced ultra-low-voltage processors.

MSI Slider: This runs a full version of Windows 8 on an Intel Core i5 processor, but it seems like it is primarily designed to be used as a touch tablet. When you want a keyboard, you slide the screen back and up. The keyboard is at the front of the underlying dock, so there’s no place to rest your palms and wrists, but if you only want a keyboard occasionally, this might be the design choice which will be available by March, 2013; at USD 1,099.

ASUS Transformer All-In-One: ASUS is going in a totally different direction with one of its convertibles. The Transformer All-In-One looks like a desktop PC running Windows 8. But the 18-inch screen can be pulled from its stand to function as a massive Android tablet. Imagine putting it on your lap to play Plants vs Zombies or stream a movie and its battery will last four to five hours.

Lenovo Horizon 27: Another big statement in convertibles is the Lenovo Horizon 27. This 27-nch touch screen tablet runs Windows 8 with a wireless keyboard and mouse. You can prop it up on your desk for a display or put it on a rolling stand so it lays flat. But the more practical idea is for meeting where people could stand around the tablet and collaborate. Available at USD 1,699.

ASUS Taichi: ASUS announced the Taichi hybrid earlier. It is a dual screen notebook. So you can use it as a notebook when open, a touch tablet when closed, or two people could use it at the same time when open, one on the notebook side and one on the tablet side.

Intel Haswell Chips: One development for convertibles and ultrabooks alike is the chips from Intel. Codenamed Haswell, these new fourth generation Intel Core processors are all about reducing power consumption to improve battery life. Their aim is to double existing battery life up to 13 hours in some devices.

Android Devices and Tablets: Finally, this year will provide a boom in Android tablets. NVIDIA shook things up early when they announced their entry into gaming devices, called Project Shield, which plays Android games. It has a console-quality controller complete with D-pad, face buttons, and can stream video over Wi-Fi. Appliance maker Dacor has a USD 7,500 oven that has an Android tablet ‘baked in.’ On the other end of the spectrum, the Coby has a USD 149 Android tablet. Alcatel has two Android tablets for less than USD 200. And Acer has confirmed a USD 99 Android tablet called the Iconia B1 that’s aimed pretty squarely at newbies and kids. Polaroid has gone whole hog for the under 12 set, releasing a USD 149 ‘Kid Tablet’ loaded with goodies for the aspiring digital photographer or videographer. — Agencies

Charge smartphone with disposable fuel cells

LONDON: Soon, giving your phone a quick charge on the go could get a lot easier than it is today. No longer will we need to carry phone-chargers and spare batteries to keep our phones juiced up.

Developed by Rohm, these disposable fuel-cell chargers are easy to use and seem like a practical concept. With only hydrogen as a byproduct, these disposable chargers power up with the reaction of a metal material and water. Providing each handset about 5W with a single charge, these juice-packs are good enough to keep your phone switched on until you can finally spot a more-permanent charging solution. — Agencies

Remember only the best

When I come to the end of my journey
And I travel my last weary mile
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And remember only the smile
Forget unkind words I have spoken
Remember some good I have done
Forget that I ever had heartache
And remember I’ve had loads of fun
Forget that I’ve stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way
Remember I have fought some hard battles
And won, ere the close of the day
Then forget to grieve for my going
I would not have you sad for a day
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I lay
And come in the shade of evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west
Stand for a few moments beside me
And remember only my best.

— Lyman Hancock

Feeling truly great

All of us want to feel great all the time, who doesn’t? Perhaps there would be none.

However, to start with, we should first begin with thinking positive, then feeling positive, then good, then better till best and, finally, great.

Certainly, we cannot feel great about anything until we feel good and positive about the self within, despite what others say or what negative things that have happened in the past. The idea is not to hide the negative, pretending that it’s not there. Instead we must extract the hidden opportunities from what appears chaotic, unfair and unwanted to us in a given situation. We must not forget the fact that everything that’s happening in our life has a reason for coming our way, trusting that it has a specific purpose. This helps us to maintain a positive outlook that would make us feel satisfied from within, which forms the foundation of feeling great. Feeling great is not a temporary euphoria. It propels us into a constant positive awareness of our self — driven by conscience. This comes when we experience our true self, the identity and resources as inherent facts of our being, not just a hope, or a theory but a reality to be experienced once in a lifetime. In quietness we connect with the reality that anchors our life in such a way that no upheaval can make us a victim. As we gain self-mastery, we feel great and confident in all situations. No excuse of hiding behind ‘because’, ‘if’ and ‘but’ and can deceive us in any way. Instead we say: ‘I can – let’s do it – now.’

So, when we have the courage to dare, to experiment, and not fear the outcome, we feel great as we haven’t simply done the usual complaining, blaming and regretting. Spiritual perspectives that emerge from quietness enable us to drive towards inner self and perceive the positive, the good, the better, the best and the great, enabling us to reach greater heights of consciousness.

Editor’s note: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji is a writer at www.brahmakumaris.com and can be reached at nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in.

Expect The Expected

Five new Apple products that may be launched this year

Analysts Gene Munster and Douglas Clinton of Piper Jaffray took a stab at predicting what used to be unpredictable: Apple’s product calendar. Their report includes a number of not-so-prominent product upgrades, which lead Piper’s analysts to the conclusion that 2013 will set the stage for bigger changes in the product lineup in 2014 and beyond.

Apple Radio in March

Media discussion surrounding Apple Radio has been ongoing since October, so an expected release in early 2013 would come as no surprise. The free radio service — which would make money through ad revenues — will most likely be part of iTunes and offer major competition to the likes of Pandora. Piper analysts believe that Apple Radio will be unveiled alongside another product launch in March.

iPad mini with Retina Display in March

Apple sold more than three million iPads with retina display over a single weekend in March, and between eight to 10 million iPad mini devices are reported to have shipped by the end of 2012, according to Digitimes. By combining the best of both products, Apple is hoping to maintain its place atop of the growing tablet market. The timing would make sense — Apple launched new iPads in March of 2011 (iPad 2) and 2012 (iPad with retina display).

iOS 7 in June

Apple users were outraged with the iOS 6 upgrade that eliminated YouTube and Google Maps apps. Apple’s maps app was so bad, in fact, that CEO Tim Cook issued an apology to customer in September and even encouraged them to try competitor’s apps until the problem could be resolved. Factor in the management shakeup that resulted in the firing of Mobile Software Chief, Scott Forstall, and the pressure is on Apple to come back strong with iOS 7. Look for Passbook, the mobile wallet feature of Apple’s operating system, to play a more prominent role in the upgrade.

iPhone 5S in June

Munster and Clinton believe a new iPhone 5S will come out in September, although some reports have pegged a launch date as June. The iPhone 5 was a September release; so was the iPhone 4S in 2011. Regardless of the date, users can expect an updated camera and better battery life. The 5S will took the same as the iPhone 5 — same size and width but the new stuff will all be inside.

Apple Television in November

Not just the digital receiver box already available as Apple TV — an actual Apple Television. Munster and Clinton predict an predict an Apple TV will measure 42 to 55 inches and cost between USD 1,500 and USD 2,000. Similarly sized plasma and LCD TVs from Vizio, Samsung and Panasonic all clock in at under USD 1,000 but Apple has never shied away from offering high quality at high cost.

Microsoft to kill the Messenger

The tech titan plans to migrate MSN Live users to Skype

WASHIGTON: Beware the Ides of March if you are a user of Microsoft’s Windows Messenger Live. Microsoft announced last November that it would soon retire its instant messaging in favour of Skype, which Microsoft acquired in October 2011.

It has started informing Messenger users that the service would go dark for majority of users that the service would go dark for majority of users on March 15. Skype officials said in late October that Skype would most likely replace Messenger someday, but had declined to provide a public timetable. A blog post in November indicated the switchoer would occur during the first quarter of 2013.

Skype began testing new Windows and Macbeta releases in October that let users sign in to Skype using their WindowsLive ID, allowing them to send and receive instant messages and see the presence information of those using Live Messenger, Xbox, Hotmail or Outlook.com.

After migrating from Messenger to Skype, users will be able to use Skype’s instant messaging, as well as its video calling, landline calling, screen sharing, and video calling on mobile phones. — Agencies

Why you are not the boss?

You might be waiting for years to get promoted to a managerial position, but every time you get disappointed because someone else, sometimes even your junior may gets that position. You may think you are the right person for that managerial post, but your organisation doesn’t think that way. Wondering why you can’t get promoted to that position? One or more of these common problems might be the reason:

You don’t look the part

It might seem superficial and unfair, but appearances really do count. You might get away with pushing your office’s dress code to the limit, but it’s probably impacting the way people perceive you and what opportunities you’re offered.

You’re terrible at time management

Managers always need to keep track not only of their work, but also should keep track of other people’s time. If you can’t stay on top of your own projects, your employer isn’t likely to have faith that you’ll be able to monitor the work of an entire team.

You aren’t very good at tough conversations

A manager needs to have tough conversations, make decisions that may be unpopular, and enforce standards and consequences. If you shy away from difficult conversations—or the opposite—you likely won’t be seen as manager material.

You gossip or are part of a clique

One of the most important traits all managers must have is that they need to be unbiased and objective—and not only that, they need to appear unbiased too. If you’ve already crossed professional boundaries within the office, it will be difficult to rebuild those lines as a manager.

You don’t know how to prioritise

Managers need to look at possible projects and identify the most important ones to. And these managers should stay focused on those goals without letting distractions intervene. If you already have trouble figuring out the best place to spend your time, the problems would only compound.

You act entitled

Entitlement from someone at a junior level is hard enough to deal with; entitlement in a manager is even worse. No employer wants to deal with a manager who thinks her department deserves a higher budget or more staff allocations than everyone else, or who tries to exempt herself from the policies and procedures that everyone else has to follow.

You don’t manage your own boss well

The ability to manage upward gets more and more important as you move up the ladder. If you’re not skilled at managing your relationship with your manager now—including communicating well, getting aligned on expectations, and getting her what she needs in the manager she prefers it—it’s likely to hold you back from higher-level roles.

You’re a complainer

Managers need to have the maturity and perspective to understand how policies that might be annoying still serve the larger good of the company. They also need the judgment to raise concerns professionally and through the correct channels, rather than sharing them with anyone who will listen.

You do your job duties and nothing else

Average work might satisfy the requirements of your current job, but it’s not enough to get you promoted. Promotions go to people who go above and beyond the minimum and seek out ways to improve constantly.

You don’t make your accomplishments visible

You might be doing a fantastic job, but if no one knows that, you won’t be rewarded for it. So don’t be shy about sharing accomplishments with your manager. — Agencies

Stop making career mistakes

How do you know if you’re making a costly career error? Experts weigh in on some of the common mistakes you might be making and how you can turn things around —

Not making yourself indispensable

One of the biggest mistakes people make in their career in today’s layoff-prone world is not becoming truly indispensable. Find a task … your boss hates to do and offer to take it over. You might tell the boss you want to do it to gain the experience and to continue your career development, but that’s only part of it. If losing you will mean going back to doing something the boss hates, he or she will fight for you as if you were the company’s most valuable employee.

Not maintaining your network

A common mistakes workers make is networking only when it’s of immediate value. Doing so can appear self-serving and may dissuade contacts from advocating for you.

The best networking occurs when you don’t need something. This is when you can form genuine relationships with people and really learn about how you can help each other. The best networking is mutually beneficial. Besides, you don’t want to become who only reaches out when you need something.

Not increasing your marketability

Once you commit to a career path, you might think that the knowledge acquired at your job is enough to keep you marketable. In this competitive economy, that’s not always true. Find other ways to continue your education and sharpen your skills, so the next time you’re looking for a job, you have an edge.

If your company offers tuition reimbursement, take classes that will enhance your résumé. You might consider getting a certification in your field, since certifications have become very common in many fields.

Being too humble

If you’re someone who puts yourself down — this is probably a stupid idea, but … ­— or downplays your contribution to a big client win — “I didn’t really do much; it was Paul who did most of the work” — stop it now. Sure, you don’t want to come across as pompous, but if you don’t make your achievements known, you may be passed over for promotions or high-profile projects.

It’s up to the employee to position and communicate accomplishments and success, and to identify how they contribute to the success of the team, the department and the organisation.

Not keeping track of career accomplishments

One of the biggest mistakes employees make is not keeping track of all accomplishments from day one. Proof of career wins can land an employee a raise, a promotion and even help them to build their professional brand.

Burying your head in the sand

It might not seem like the best time to quit your job, but staying in a dead-end job may end up causing more harm. In soft economies, may people think it’s safer to stay with their current employer than to risk taking a job with a new company, and often it is. But don’t bury your head in the sand and hope that everything will be okay. Even in the best of times, companies routinely are merged, acquired, imploded and overtaken, sometimes leaving hundreds and thousands of people looking for new jobs. Be prudent and aware of your business condition. — Agencies

Learning self-respect

Each one of us want respect in our lives. Nobody loves to get humiliated. When others criticise us or speak behind our back, and if we get affected or react to them in any way, it would mean that our self-esteem is very fragile.

This stems from the temporary foundation on which our self-esteem is based and built. We base our self-esteem is based and built. We base our self-esteem on the opinions of others. But what we forget is that each one would have a different opinion of us and we can never really know what others are thinking, because we are not in their minds.

Even if we do know what others are thinking, aren’t they entitled to their own opinion? Why should we allow their opinion to shake our self-esteem and lose our inner stability?

So, don’t worry about what anyone thinks of you. Once you know who you are and know your true self, you need not depend on the opinion of others. Self-esteem and self-respect are intimately linked. One is not possible without the other. All of us have been taught how to show respect to others, but are we taught how to respect ourselves? Not really. Because of this our relationships, lack harmony and our lives are filled with both inner and outer conflicts. Lack of self-respect has brought about disharmony and negative in our life. Hence, if we can maintain self-respect, we would be able to re-maintain stable and positive. There would then be no ‘tit for tat’ attitude in our lives, no misunderstandings and disharmony. The only way to build and strengthen self-respect is to practice giving respect to others, regardless of what they are like or what they are doing.

This is because when we are giving respect to a person, we also create an image of them in our mind. And because for that moment they exist in our mind, we are giving respect to them, but creating it first in our minds.

Editor’s note: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji is a writer at www.brahmakumaris.com and can be reached at nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in.

How to land a new job in 2013

Sharing relevant industry news is a great way to show you are knowledgeable and up to date

According to a new survey by Right Management, 86 per cent of employees polled said they plan to actively look for new job in 2013 — an increase of 26 percentage points since 2009.

“There’s always a spike of job-seeking activities from January to March when the New Year’s revolutionists come out,” says Amanda Augustine, job search expert for TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. “It will be even higher this year because companies are now doing more with less, and a lot of employees are taking a step back and questioning their current positions.”

Despite December being typically a slow month for interviews and hiring, Augustine says jobseekers can use the time to reflect, prepare and start reaching out to contacts. Then they can hit the ground running in January. Based on a new survey of TheLadders’ five million members and the latest hiring trends, she reveals her five best tips to land a new job in the New Year.

Get professional help

Jobseekers are 40 per cent more likely to get noticed with a professionally written résumé, but most candidates do not even think to hire a professional writer. “It’s very difficult to be objective when you’re talking about your own life,” Augustine says, “And no one searches for a job often enough to understand the nuances. It’s better to have an objective person who knows the right terminology.” Because résumé are so often filtered first by software programmes, without the right keywords, your résumé may never even reach a human Hiring a professional is pricey, but she believes it is absolutely worth it.

Google your name often

Of the jobseekers surveyed, more than 35 per cent Google themselves only once a year and 16 per cent have never searched their names. Augustine says a candidate’s digital presence has become so important that it is essential to consistently monitor your top search results and adjust them to best reflect your professional brand. That means updating old profiles, revising privacy settings on personal social media sites or posts, and understanding what surfaces at the top, in case you are asked about it in an interview.

‘The big four’ social sites

While you do not need to be a social media whiz, Augustine says it is important to have a basic understanding of the four most common sites: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Not only are they helpful for research and networking, these sites can also build out your professional brand. You can use your profile to highlight your career background and link to relevant writings or sites. Sharing relevant industry news is also a great way to show you are knowledgeable and up to date. Furthermore, surveys show that 85 per cent of hiring managers say a candidate’s positive digital presence impacted their hiring decision. But beware: one of the biggest mistakes a candidates can make online is using poor grammar.

Look the part

Appearance matters — in person and online. Research show that people asses your competence and trustworthiness in a quarter of a second based solely on how you look. Because recruiters and hiring managers are likely to look you up online before they call you in for an interview, Augustine recommends updating all of your social media profiles with a professional-quality headshot. It is important to humanise yourself with a photo of you rather than a group or abstract image or, worse, the default photo of an egg or blank silhouette. When you land an interview, make sure your look is polished, stylish and appropriate.

Get smarter, go mobile

According to 75 per cent of respondents, owning a smartphone can have a positive impact on your job search. “Mobile technology allows you to be much more responsive and to take advantage of dead time by investing in your job search,” says Augustine. She advises saving a copy of your résumé on your phone, so that you can quickly send it to potential employers. Having e-mail at your fingertips also gives you the ability to set up interviews and calls without any lag time. Furthermore, mobile technology allows you to search job listings during a commute or other down time, so that you are missing any opportunities. — Agencies

How the graduate job market has changed over 2012

Be clever with the roles you apply for

With a shoddy economy and more university leavers than ever to compete with, let us take a look at new trends in graduate recruitment over 2012 and how you should respond.

Employers’ needs are more specific

Employers are now more picky about the qualities they expect from graduates. This has put pressure on students to start thinking about their careers and researching what employers in their field look for much earlier in their studies. Browse the vacancies on jobs boards or recruitment consultancies, nothing the required skills or experience. If you have an exact company in mind and they have a careers section on their website, research their ideal candidate and read profiles of current employees. You will find sectors vary considerably in the specifics.

Employers have become more innovative

Traditional methods of e-mail and job adverts still play a massive role in candidate attraction. So, screen e-mails carefully and learn which ones are more relevant. Recruitment consultancies will often personalise e-mails with really useful and relevant inform-ation for you and it is these that you need to prioritise.

Students only see the tip of the jobs market iceberg

Jobs and graduate schemes are available at a wide range of organisations. Small and medium enterprises are becoming more prominent in the graduate market, with an increase in the numbers of graduates being hired. Do not ignore the idea of working for them even if you have your heart set on one day working for a global, blue chip employer. They can offer you more prominent roles with early exposure to responsibility, instead of large, corporate structures.

Mass applications are on the rise

Mass applications are not attractive to employers. They will notice if you apply to all their jobs in every department and it will land you in the ‘no’ pile. So be clever with the roles you apply for. Make sure they are relevant and interesting to you, not just linked tenuously to your degree.

Digital literacy stands you in good stead of finding a job

Exposure and knowledge of technology and the internet is second nature to the current generation of graduates. Growing up with social media is a strong asset, compared to other generations who had to learn as it boomed. Use this point to your advantage in your CV and interview pitch. As a bare minimum, graduates should also have knowledge in standard Microsoft Office packages. Experience in software relating to your industry of interest is advantageous, such as Photoshop if you want to get into marketing or InDesign for publishing.

Students need to get work experience

Work experience is crucial. A common problem we come across is students leaving it too late to start thinking about their career and getting work experience. Take the initiative when you have the time in your first year of university to secure work experience, as your final year will be focused on the academia. — The Guardian

How you hold your drink reveals a lot

All revellers fall into one of eight different personality types which are given away by their drinking techniques, a leading psychologist has concluded. Dr Glenn Wilson, a consultant psychologist at King’s College, London, observed over 500 drinkers in bars. He analysed drinkers’ body language and then advised on their openness to being approached. He has categorised them as the ‘Flirt’, ‘Gossip’, ‘Fun-Lover’, ‘Wallflower’, ‘Ice Queen’, ‘Playboy’, ‘Jack the Lad’ and ‘Browbeater’.

Dr Wilson said, “The simple act of holding a drink displays a lot more about us than we realise — or might want to divulge.”

The Flirt: Usually a woman, who holds her glass with dainty, splayed fingers and uses it in a provocative way. She may position it over her cleavage so as to draw attention to her attributes or peer over the rim to make eye contact when taking a sip. She may ‘tease’ the rim of the glass with her finger, perhaps dipping it into the drink and sucking it dry. Assuming her agenda is appealing, the best way to approach is with reciprocal flirtatious gestures.

The Gossip: This (mainly female) drinker tends to cluster in all-female groups talking about other people, and can be critical. She holds a wine glass by the bowl and uses it to gesticulate and make points in conversation. She is inclined to lean over her drink, in towards others so as to speak confidentially.

The Fun-lover: This type of drinker may be a man or a woman, who drinks to be sociable and values togetherness. A convivial individual, s/he enjoys being with their friends, and likes a laugh. Swigs taken from bottled drinks are short, so they don’t miss out on chipping in with the conversation. The bottle is held loosely at its shoulder for ease. This type of person is always happy to extend their social circle.

The Wallflower: This is a shy, submissive individual who holds the glass protectively, not letting go, as though afraid somebody will take it away. Palms are kept hidden and the glass is used as a social crutch — the drink is never quite finished, with a mouthful left in case of emergency. This individual needs to be approached in a gentle, sensitive way, with perhaps a few understated compliments to build self-confidence.

The Ice-queen: This is a mainly female type whose natural style is cold and defensive. She drinks from a wine glass, or a short glass, which is held firmly in a barrier position across the body so as to deter intimate approaches. It is usually a waste of time approaching this woman.

The Playboy: This man is the active, self-confident, Don Juan-type seducer. He uses his glass or bottle as a phallic prop, playing with it suggestively. He is inclined to be possessive, and can be tactile with his female companions.

The Jack the Lad: This ‘peacock’ is conscious of his image and will drink a bottled beer, or cider. Inclined to be confident and arrogant, he can be territorial in his gestures, spreading himself over as much space as possible, for example, pushing the glass well away from himself and leaning back in his chair. If he’s drinking with his mates, he would be unlikely to welcome approaches from outside the group, unless sycophantic and ego-enhancing.

The Browbeater: This rather pugnacious type is again mostly male. He prefers large glasses, or bottles, which he uses as symbolic weapons, firmly grasped, and gesticulating in a threatening, ‘in the face’ kind of way.

Something of a know-it-all, he comes across as slightly hostile, even if only through verbal argument, or jokes targeted at others. He should be approached with great care, or not at all. — Agencies

Believing in dreams

Written by Gustavo Aldolfo Velez

A friend of mine Gabriel, had a tiny farm near Medellin, Colombia. He only had only had a cow and dreamed about having a large ranch. Once he told his father, “Jose, I would like to have that land over there… how can I get it?”

His father encouraged him to go and talk to the landowner. Gabriel replied, “But we don’t have the money.” His father said, “Do not worry. Go and talk.”

Now Gabriel not only owns the land but Via Lactea Theme Park that includes several hundred cows, an small zoo, canopy, horse ride cabalgatas, four wheels motos.

A year ago, Gabriel’s wife Sarah had a dream… “I want to build the biggest cow.” They called Manuel Hernandez for this task. He had plans for the project. Then they asked, “How much will it cost?” Hernandez mentioned a big sum of money.

The manager of the bank trusted them and their dreams. On October 2008, La Manuela, the biggest cow in the world was opened to the public.

It is nine metres tall and 16 metres long. The cow actually eats you … and you travel inside the cow learning how grass is converted into milk. Afterwards, you descend from the udder of the cow lift completing a 17-minute magical ride.

Moral: If you can dream about it and put all your energy and desire to make it happen, it will become a reality.

Believing and knowing

Written by Steve Maraboli

Imagine you were going skydiving for the first time. Your heart would be racing as the instructor gives you final instructions before you jump from the plane. You ask an important question, “Are you sure this parachute will work?”

Now, which answer would you prefer your instructor to give, “I believe it will work,” or “I know it will work.”

The word belief implies question. By definition, there is a degree of certainty. Think about it, if you believe with certainty, then you wouldn’t say, “I know.”

To know is to be certain. There is no question in knowing.

There can be no doubt found when you ‘know’ something. Take time to analyse your internal dialog and perspectives. Do the words you use imply empowerment or disempowerment? I’m reminded of a story I once heard about a community. This was a test between believing and knowing. The story goes like this:

Several years ago, a small farming community was experiencing a terrible drought. The leaders of the community called a prayer meeting in hope of everyone attending and holding a group prayer for rain.

One man was in attendance with small son. As everyone was praying, the small boy reached up and tugged his father’s shirt to ask, “Daddy what is everyone doing?” The man explained that everyone was praying for rain and then went back to his prayer.

The boy looked around for a few more minutes and was puzzled. He tugged again on his dad’s shirt and asked, “Daddy, if everyone is here to pray for rain, why didn’t anyone bring an umbrella?”

Think about it…

Do you believe you can reach your goals or do you ‘know’ you can?

Beauty within

Being unique is one of the most important human characteristics. We are all unique human beings with unique histories, patterns of thinking and behaving. However, we have acquired deep habits of comparison early in our life. We are taught to compare ourselves with others, to imitate their style. This imitation always ends in painful failure and lowering of the sense of self.

Comparison and imitation are the greatest destroyer of self-esteem. It prevents us from being ourselves, and it keeps us at a very superficial level of existence. So the first key to the door of self-esteem is to break the habit of comparison and imitation. Remind yourself that you are unique. It is through acknowledging and accept our weaknesses, faults and imperfections, because it is only when we accept ourselves the way we are, that we’re able to begin the process of true self-transformation. Always remember, we are all already beautiful and perfect. This is a paradox. Because this beauty is a hidden treasure lying deep within the self which we find difficult to access. Why? Because we have not been taught to go deep inside ourselves to see it, feel it and express it. We are so preoccupied with outer beauty to even begin to focus on inner beauty. We fall for the messages of the marketing gurus directing us to believing that beauty can be bought, surgically added or painted on. Hence, the rebuilding of self-esteem is a deep inner process of self knowledge and self awareness, for which we need to spend some time every day in stillness, in silence, and see and experience our inner qualities to experience the change from within.

Editor’s note: Rajyogi Brahmakumar Nikunj ji is a writer at www.brahmakumaris.com and can be reached at nikunjji@brahmakumaris.in.

Winning much more than a race

“Race again,” replied the wise man, “this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together”

Written by Darren Edwards

In old times, fable retells the story of the young athletic boy hunger for success, for whom winning was everything and success was measured by such a result. One day, he was preparing for a competition in his small native village, himself and two other young boys to compete. A large crowd had congregated to witness the sporting spectacle and a wise old man, upon hearing of the little boy, had travelled far to bear witness also.

The race commenced, looking like a level heat at the finishing line, but the boy dug deep and called on his determination, strength and power. He took the winning line and was first. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, expressing no sentiment. The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

A second race was called, and two new young, fit, challengers came forward. The race started and sure enough the little boy finished first again. The crowd was ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man remained still and calm, again expressing no sentiment.

The little boy, however, felt proud and important.

“Another race, another race!” pleaded the little boy. The wise old man stepped forward and presented the little boy with two new challengers, an elderly frail lady and a blind man. “What is this?” quizzed the little boy. “This is no race.” “Race!” said the wise man.

The race was started and the boy was the only finisher, the other two challengers left standing at the starting line. The little boy was ecstatic, he raised his arms in delight. The crowd, however, was silent showing no sentiment toward the little boy. “What has happened? Why do the people not join in my success?” he asked the wise old man.

“Race again,” replied the wise man, “this time, finish together, all three of you, finish together.”

The little boy thought a little, stood in the middle of the blind man and the frail old lady, and then took them by the hand. The race began and the little boy walked slowly, ever so slowly, to the finishing line and crossed it. The crowd were ecstatic and cheered and waved at the boy. The wise man smiled, gently nodding his head. The little boy felt proud and important.

“Old man, I understand not! Who are the crowd cheering for? Which one of us there?” asked the little boy’s eyes, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders, and replied softly, “Little boy, for this race you have won much more than in any race you have ever ran before, and for this race the crowd cheer not for any winner!”

Rules that make sense

Here are some basic rules that children should be learning in school, but unfortunately don’t. Not all of these have to do with academics.

Rule #1: Life is not fair. Get used to it. The average teenager uses the phrase, “It’s not fair” 8.6 times a day.

Rule #2: The real world won’t care as much about your self-esteem as much as your school does. It’ll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself. This may come as a shock. Usually, when inflated self-esteem meets reality, children complain it’s not fair.

Rule #3: Sorry, you won’t make $40,000 a year right out of high school. And you won’t be a vice president or have a car phone either. You may even have to wear a uniform that doesn’t have a label.

Rule #4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He doesn’t have tenure, so he tends to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he’s not going to ask you how you feel about it.

Rule #5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grand-parents had a different word of burger flipping. They called it ‘opportunity’. They weren’t embarrassed making minimum wage either. They would have been embarrassed to sit around talking about Kurt Cobain all weekend.

Rule #6: It’s not your parents’ fault. If you screw up, you are responsible. This is the flip side of “It’s my life,” and “You’re not the boss of me,” and other eloquent proclamations of your generation. When you turn 18, it’s on your dime. Don’t whine about it, or you’ll sound like a baby boomer.

Rule #7: Life is not divided into semesters, and you don’t get summers off. Not even Easter break. They expect you to show up every day. For eight hours. And you don’t get a new life every 10 weeks. It just goes on and on. While we’re at it, very few jobs are interesting in fostering your self-expression or helping you find yourself. Fewer still lead to self-realisation.

Rule #8: Television is not real life. Your life is not a sitcom. Your problems will not all be solved in 30 minutes, minus time for commercials. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop to go to jobs. Your friends will not be as perky or pliable as Jennifer Aniston.

Rule #9: Be nice to nerds. You may end up working for them. We all could.

Rule #10: Smoking does not make you look cool. It makes you look cool. It makes you moronic. Next time you’re out cruising, watch an 11-year-old with a butt in his mouth. That’s what you look like to anyone over 20. Ditto for ‘expressing yourself’ with purple hair and/or pierced body parts.

Rule #11: You are not immortal and it will never be possible. If you are under the impression that living fast, dying young and leaving a beautiful corpse is romantic, you obviously haven’t seen one of your peers at room temperature lately.

Rule #12: Enjoy your youth time while you can. Sure parents are a pain, school is a bother and life is depressing but someday you’ll realise how wonderful it was to be a children. Maybe you should start now.

Written by Charles J Sykes

Hold your drink

If you’re going to drink alcohol, these five tips may help you avoid overdoing it —

Drink more … water
For every alcoholic drink you have, your body can expel up to four times as much liquid. The diuretic effect of alcohol and the dehydration it causes contribute to the discomfort of a hangover. Pace yourself and don’t overindulge.

Staying hydrated can reduce the negative effects of alcohol. Alcohol dehydrates you, so when you wake up with a headache and a generally sick feeling, dehydration is usually the cause. Replacing lost fluids with water combats dehydration and keeps you from drinking more alcohol in the meantime.

On the rocks
Ordering drinks that are on the rocks brings the benefit of the drink being diluted as the ice melts. Taking your time with a drink also pays off. Your body absorbs alcohol quicker than you metabolise it. The faster you drink, the more time the toxins in the alcohol spend in your body affecting your brain and other tissues.

No to the bubbles
Researchers at the University of Manchester found the fizzy mixers increase the rate of alcohol absorption in the blood. The theory is that the gas in the bubbles is what speeds up the process. Instead, mix your spirits with fruit juice or water.

Pay now or pay later
Researchers have found a link between drinking alcoholic beverages and congeners, the chemicals that contribute to taste, smell and colour of alcohol.

In that study, people drank either bourbon or vodka with the same alcohol content. The next day, both groups reported hangovers, but the bourbon drinkers reported feeling much worse than the vodka group. The researchers attribute the difference to congeners — bourbon has 37 times as many congeners as vodka.

In general, clear or light spirits contain fewer congeners then darker drinks, but that’s not a hard and fast rule. This next tip may hurt your purse, but try expensive alcohol tends to contain higher levels of congeners than pricier versions, experts say.

Keep mouth busy
Having a conversation is an easy way to pace your drinking. If you’re chatting, you’re not guzzling, so you’re slowing down the rate the alcohol hits your blood.

One of the best ways to occupy your mouth and reduce the odds you’ll have a hangover is to eat something. Eating slows down the absorption of alcohol so you have more time to metabolise what you’re drinking. — Agencies