Life Metaphors And How They Affect Us

Life metaphors are those that describe the process of living, of going through life as a human. Actually, "going through" is a metaphor itself, and in conveys a sense of something we come into and then eventually find a way out of. Some common metaphors we use include life as a journey, a game, or a dream. But how do these metaphorical perspectives affect our actions and our experience? Let's take a look at a few of them, and how to best use or avoid them.

Life Is A Movie

This one is a fairly common life metaphor. We say, "Time for my big scene," or "This is the part where..." followed by some movie reference. More than just a clever thought, this is actually a way to make sense of what is going on. Some people also unconsciously take the role of movie-goer in their own lives, feeling like they are watching the story of their life, one that is directed by some other power or person.

The movie metaphor can provide some objectivity, and so may keep a person from suffering as much as they would if they did not have this distancing perspective. A new scene is on the way, after all, and there are always unexpected plot twists that can be good news in the end. Unfortunately this also may create a sense of passivity. Maybe it would be a more useful metaphor if you saw yourself as the writer, director and producer, as well as the actors and audience.

Life Is Purgatory

Some religions explicitly use the purgatory metaphor, claiming that life is pain, and that by suffering virtuously, you get to go to some wonderful place afterwards. Perhaps it is under the influence of this idea that people work at jobs they hate for most of their lives, in order to get the "reward" when they retire. Personally, I think this metaphor sucks the joy out of life, and is best avoided.

Life Is A Party

The party is one of the "fun" life metaphors, but perhaps only for a limited time. People who treat life as a party often are self destructive and end up bitter later in life. Partying to excess has its consequences, and a party has to be paid for. If life is a party, we are understandably disappointed when we don't have the resources to keep it going strong, even though these could be perfectly peaceful and happy times for those with another perspective.

The Best Life Metaphors?

Life metaphors can be a useful way to understand our experience and enrich it. For example, a "path," "journey, or "quest," can keep you looking for a better way, and maybe motivate you to overcome any obstacles. Seeing your life as a "story," might make it more meaningful. The "adventure" metaphor could make you see life challenges as exciting and interesting, rather than as problems.

Life can be a dream, a vacation, a tragedy, or a roller coaster ride, but what would each of these do to our thinking, and so to our choices and experience? When working in a casino, I found myself using that as a life metaphor. Some players put the odds in their favor and won, while others played when the odds were against them (most players) and lost, and the "house" or casino owners always made a profit. I found myself applying these lessons in many areas of life later on.

But life metaphors can be limiting as well. A "game," for example, has winners and losers, and competition is expected. You might miss out on a lot if this is your ruling metaphor. Even "quests," or "journeys," have their limitations, since that view may not encourage relaxing and enjoying just being here now.

The metaphors we use then, should change continually for best results. This is how we get the most out of each, without being limited by it. Let your life be a movie, for example, when times are tough, and consider the later scenes in which your problems are resolved. Play the "game" when you need to make strategic choices in life. Use the metaphor of life as an "awakening," or "expansion of consciousness" to learn life lessons and develop your spirituality.

These things can be understood in many ways, and the best life metaphors are not the cleverest, but those that give you the best results in real life.

How You Can Keep Track Of Your Time

time management strategies

It will help you manage your time well if you determine where your time actually gets spent. One useful way of knowing your actual usage of time is to track your time. This is one of the most important part of effective time management. and is is one of the important time management techniques that you must use. The process here is like planning a schedule, but it works in reverse. Instead of noting down the things that you are planning to do, time logging is a process of noting down the things that you have already done. Doing this is sort of a get- to-know-yourself exercise because this process will highlight many of your habits that you might unknowingly ignore currently.

For example, some people realize that every time they plan to do Physics homework they end up watching TV. Instead of studying for that math test, they play Internet poker. Other people just can't seem to follow their schedule until the week before finals.

Whatever your time habits are, tracking your time will help you adjust and fine-tune your time management habits. Having precise information about your time usage patterns can serve as an important point of reference for self-monitoring. The following are a couple of ways to track your time. Take a moment to try this – it will truly help you open your eyes and take control of your time.

1. Time tracking is pretty straightforward. At the end of every hour jot yourself a quick note about how you specifically spent your time for that hour. The note needn't be long - one sentence or less will do. If the way you spend your time doesn't tally with an already planned activity, just enter a comment as to what you really did during that time. This way you will be able to review patterns that emerge in your use of time and make the necessary adjustments to improve your productivity.

2. Some may find it helpful to modify the planning page to facilitate tracking time. The modifications are easy enough: make two columns on your paper for each day of the week. In one column, write down the plan you are trying to follow; in the second column, make notes on what you specifically did with your time. The side-by-side comparison is very informative and is an excellent way of figuring out where you are not using time in the way you have planned.

3. Another effective way to make changes and get results from your time management strategies is to summarize your use of time according to time categories such as: sleep, study, work, travel, etc.

Estimate how much time you think you use for the various activities listed and enter these in the "expected" row of your summary sheet. Feel free to include further additional categories that might be helpful. Then log your time for one week on an hourly basis. When the week is done, summarize your time by category for each day, add up the values for all seven days of the week, and record the totals in the "actual" row of your summary sheet.

Summarizing your use of time allows you to discover how much time you actually spend in the various areas of your life. It is almost certain that you will see a significant difference between the number of hours you expected to use in certain categories and the actual number of hours you spend.

If you discover that you spend more time in one area than you wanted, and less in another, the weekly summary of your use of time clearly shows you which activities to reduce to find the extra time you need for the neglected areas of your life. Indeed, you will find that this method of tracking your time will serve you well as one of the most important time management strategies that you can employ as you put it to use in your everyday routine.

Subliminal Messages For Effortless Positive Thinking

Have you ever heard of positive thoughts attracting good fortune? Or noticed that most happy people are optimists? Have you ever observed that people who stay calm during the worst crisis are generally the ones who do not harbor negative thoughts? You must have noticed that most successful people have supreme faith in their abilities and believe that they deserve success.

You can see examples of positive thinking everywhere. Yet most of us end up spending half our lives worrying about or expecting the worst! Why? Have your worries ever actually stopped the problem or situation from occuring? Has expecting the worst situation to come true ever made it easier for you to handle the situation when it does happen? Isn’t it nicer to expect good fortune? At least you are saved the anxiety of spending hours expecting the worst. Isn’t it nicer to live a carefree life instead of spoiling our now thinking about tomorrow…when we are not even sure of what it might bring? The problem however only exists within your mind. It seems to control us. Negative thinking can always creep up on you - even when you make a firm commitment to think more positively.

Positive thinking and Re-programming the mind

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could learn to control our thoughts? If only we could control our mind instead of it working the other way? But re-programming the mind requires effort at both the conscious and the subconscious level. The following approaches might be of help:

Efforts at the Conscious level:

Positive Affirmations:

Telling yourself that you deserve the best constantly will help bring about a shift in your perception. The logic is basic - if for example you are told repeatedly that you can't dance you will start to believe it, and eventually you will avoid the dance floor and feel self conscious. Similarly if you tell yourself repeatedly that you deserve the best, the affirmation will become your truth.

Consciously diverting your mind-

Every time you catch your mind sneaking in dark thoughts, make a conscious effort to divert your attention to a positive thought. Just as anything that you do repeatedly becomes a habit, with time thinking positive will also become a habit.

Efforts at the Subconscious level:

Clinical Hypnosis-

Clinical hypnosis is a therapy through which a trained practitioner can delve into your subconscious and reprogram your mind. This is particularly helpful when you have a deep rooted habit of negative thinking or are suffering from depression induced by chronic negative thinking.

Subliminal messages-

This is a do-it-yourself approach. Subliminal messages have the power to influence your subconscious - there are even postive thinking subliminal cds. The most commonly used instruments transmitting subliminal messages (for self help) are audio cds. In such Cds subliminal messages are either hidden behind music or are played in reverse (mixed with music). Often these messages are moved above the level of human hearing (above 20,000 Hz). People who believe in the power of subliminal cds claim that listening to them repeatedly can reprogram your mind and make it easier for you to control your thoughts.

The key to keeping a positive mindset no matter what is to align your subconscious mind with your conscious thoughts - so that they are both working hard to reach the same goal, and not holding each other back.

 

Determining Your Big Rocks And Managing College Student Activities

time management strategies

We all know how hectic college life could become sometimes. With all the classes, conferences, and researches, it is no wonder that some are hopelessly stressed out and confused and have their priorities all mixed up.

There are those who hold a part-time job while studying in college. Others have to juggle their studies with extra-curricular and civic activities. Of course, you also need to spend time with your friends and hang out with them.

All these things are actually part and parcel of what college students need to cope with. Organizing your time so that you can successfully accomplish your college degree and still do your other responsibilities is a feat you have to master. Learning time management skills to increase your effectiveness is important if you want fare well as college student.

Firstly, you have to know how valuable each time of the day is and how to utilize it effectively according to your activities in college. There is a famous story in Steven Covey’s "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" which has a profound lesson of how to utilize your time effectively.

The story is about a lecturer who stood before  a class holding a big jar, which he placed with big rocks. After filling it up with big rocks, he asked the class if it is full and the students said yes.

Then, he got smaller rocks and dropped them in the big jar as well, along with the bigger rocks. The smaller stones, of course fit in the jar. After which, he again asked the students if the jar is already full. Still, many of the students said yes. Other students cautiously said it seems full.

After their answered was given, the professor produced a bag of sand and emptied it into the jar, too. The sand, of course filled out all the tiny spaces between the bigger and smaller rocks. After emptying the entire bag of sand unto the jar, he again asks the students if the jar is already full. The class,cautiously, said that it is full.

However, the lecturer was not done yet, he took out a glass of water and emptied the water into the jar, which really did seeped up into the sand and ranks and eventually filled up the jar.

After this, the lecturer asks the class what the moral of the story is. The class, believing that they have spotted the trick, replied quite readily that the moral of the story is that "you can always squeeze a bit more in."

But, the man immediately pointed out that the real moral of the story is that “you need to get your big rocks in first, or all that other smaller 'stuff' gets in way too soon and takes up all the space."

Indeed, it is very true and is really, a profound insight concerning time management strategies for college students.

First, you have to know what are your ‘big rocks’ – the things that matter to you the most. Of course, you could always squeeze in other less important activities along with your ‘big rock’ activities.

However, if you fail to identify your most important priorities and always accomplish them first, then you will never have the chance to finish them out. This is because those other activities you are doing will take up most of your time and drown your efforts for your top priority activities.

According to Covey, these are the Quadrant 2 activities. Covey further reiterates that if you fail to take time to set the most important goal in your life as the first thing in your college student activity schedule, then you will never get the chance to let your ‘big rock’ activity evolve and grow.

This kind of effective time management is also a means of self-management. In fact, these two concepts are one and the same. College students have to establish priorities for themselves from number 1 or the most important thing they desire out of life, up to the least important but significant little activity they need to do that supports their achievement of their most important goal.

After you have determined your ‘big rock’ activity, then you should manage your college student activities – studies, researches, extra – curricular college activities, civic duties and socials, without ever straying far from your ultimate goal. Make sure that you do not wind up doing everything but finish up with nothing.

Take time to think about your reasons for being in college and your reasons for involving yourself in other college student activities. Doing this exercise will help you draw up the list of priorities you need to accomplish.

Always remember Covey and his big rocks, though. In listing down your priorities in life, always determine your big rock activities.

Power - What Good Is It?

Although we all want power, few of us freely admit it. It is common to think what one would do if he or she was a king or the president. We imagine that we would do good things; better than what is being done now. We think of power in personal terms too, as when we imagine that enough money or control over others would enable us to solve most of our problems.

The latter may be partly true. With enough money you probably could solve many of the problems you have now. But it's also likely that you would have even more new problems. As for our "if I was emperor" fantasies, what makes us think that all the presidents and kings of the world haven't shared our thoughts? They too undoubtedly planned to use their power for good. And in their position we would be subject to the same corrupting influences as them.

How, then, do we arrive at a power which is good and useful? We'll get back to that in a moment. First, let's look at some of the specific tools of power.

The Tools Of Power

Money is an obvious one. It is easy to imagine what could be done with large amounts of it. On the other hand, I have seen money come into peoples lives and wreak havoc. Not only did it not bring the beneficial changes they anticipated, but it put them further in debt and more stressed out. I have also seen people try to help others with money, only to make matters worse. Having money without proper knowledge and understanding is like having a car without a steering wheel - it's a wreck waiting to happen.

Suppose you study subliminal influence over others, and learn powerful techniques. Then what? You use your secret techniques to win the love of a woman or man, but perhaps the relationship adds only pain to your life. Or you use your mind power to get a job, and learn years later that you not only hate it, but you passed up a carreer you would have enjoyed. Isn't it common to find that our best-laid plans often get us not what we want, but more trouble?

There are other tools of power. Political connections, knowledge, and charisma come to mind. But they all have the same limitations that are hinted at above. Obtaining them is like putting more guns and knives in the hands of an infant - as long as we are in some ways like that child. This gets us to the real source of a good and useful power.

Self Knowledge

You cannot be powerful in a good sense without a high degree of self knowledge. You have to first exercise a kind of personal power to observe yourself honestly and come to understand who you are, what you need, and the nature of your relationship to the rest of the world. This is easy to understand intellectually if we use a simple example, like a man who has the power to build a kingdom - but not the wisdom to see that it is really a personal hell.

One definition of power is "The ability or capacity to perform or act effectively." This view sees that the "engine" of a car is meaningless without a steering wheel and good driver. It raises the natural question, "effective for what?" In other words, we have to truly know what our highest values are, or the specific manifestations of power become self-destructive and destructive of others as well.

To return to the metaphor of the infant with a knife: He does not understand his own body, or the danger of a knife to that body and others, or how to use it and for what purposes. He has to grow and learn more before it is appropriate for him to have a knife. We are always that infant in some sense, because we too can have the tools of power put in our hands before we are ready to safely and wisely use them.

If what money you have now is not used wisely, why would having more change that? If what influence you have over others has not brought about great results, why would more be better for you or them? If the knowledge you have has not been very helpful in bettering the life of yourself or others, why would knowing even more of these things improve the odds?

The personal power to understand and be in charge of oneself is where we have to begin. Getting tools we are not ready for will only cause more harm. Seeking a better understanding of ourselves and the world is the path to True Personal Power.

Nine Essential Time Management Tips for Graduate Students

time managment tips

When you are going though the initial months in the graduate school, you feel very optimistic about the level of your studies.  But later on, you seem to get discouraged and very much burnt out. Graduate Students will always experience that they have plenty of things on their plate but very little time to accomplish them.  How are you going to keep your sanity if you are full of course requirements, teaching, researches and the demands of your life?

In order to prevent yourself from burning out and from being drained from your energy, you  should do something to manage your time, that is, you will have to record down how you use your time everyday and make a progress report of your goals.    It has been said that time is money.  Time is one of the most valuable resources that we have.  You have to use it wisely.  When you lose it, it won't come back again.  Make the most of whatever time you have. This is where time management will apply.

Time management do play a vital role for your success in the graduate school.  When you use sound time management strategies, it does not mean you will be able to slow down or speed up the time.  The success of time management depends on you.  It is actually about managing yourself.

Moreover, you will be employing proven time management techniques in order to be organized.  If you are not organized, then everything will be in a mess.  It is then necessary to put things in order so as to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.  And this can encourage you to be more productive and contented.  Time management simply refers to your responsibilities and the choices you make in utilizing your time.

We suggest the following nine time management tips for graduate students.

1.  You need to have a calendar and school planner.  Put some space where you will record your appointments, lists to do and assignments. Make use of a yearly, monthly, and weekly calendar.

You are required by the graduate school on long term perspective of time. Write a plan at least two years ahead with a yearly calendar which will be divided into months.

2.  Allocate time to do planning and organizing.  Each day, make it a point to check your calendar, take note of your future assignments, and your lists has to be be continually updated.

3.  Divide your tasks and assignments into smaller portions.  It makes it more manageable and easier to tackle.

4.  You should be able to determine your set of goals and the time needed to achieve them.  An example for this is when you determine deadlines which are realistic for every phase of finishing a large assignment such as a term paper.

5.  You should classify your tasks according to priority.  The big picture should be taken into consideration.  You decide which is the most important among your tasks.  Which assignments will be due this week?  Which assignments are more challenging?

6.  You should be adaptable at every moment.  Be aware that there will always be distractions and interruptions which will disrupt your daily routine. Allow space for necessary adjustments of your time.

7.  You need to know the time when you are very productive.  Identify your biological peaks and ebbs.  Are you at your best in the morning?  Or are you an afternoon person?  Schedule your whole day properly.  You must reserve the most important task during the time when you are at your best to do things.

8.  Don't be afraid to say no to a person if you unable to do it.  It is something that you are honest with him.  There are occasions wherein you may be given additional courses, responsibilities of job, activities which are outside your schedule.  Try to examine carefully how relevant they are to you, before you decide to accept them.

9.  The time wasted must be used properly for productive purposes.  Are you aware that you spend a lot of time  commuting and standing in lines waiting for your turn?

Always bring a pocketbook so as to utilize the time which will be wasted.  Take with you a minor assignment which can be done easily.   You could also use the time to make some changes in your planner.  With the additional number of minutes, you will be able to do more.

The Importance of Time Management Strategies For Athletes in College

time management techniques

You finally finished high school, passed your college entrance exams, and chose the college you will enroll in. Another great thing is that you have been given the opportunity to avail of scholarship for athletes.

You are thrilled, but simultaneously nervous upon entering the college campus, you have no idea what to do next. You first visit your coach and he or she told you that practice starts early in the morning.

After seeing your coach, you subsequently go on to class. As a summary, the first day was not too bad, no assignments, no formal lectures, just plain introduction of the topic and course curriculum.

Next day, you awake early in the morning, refreshed and ready to train. The coach gives you a hard time, and you tell yourself that it is only natural for coaches to give newbie’s a hard time.

After training, you go to your dorm to get ready for your classes. You are jerked into shock when you attend your first class, the professor who seemed so nice turns out to be your worst nightmare. The professor gives each of the students a 1500 word essay with a short deadline, and you tell yourself that you can manage. On the next class, the situation gets worse.

After finishing the class, you then go over the field and make friends with the other athletes, everyone is talking about party on that night and they invite you to go. Naturally, since you wish to make an impression and seek their acceptance, you accept their invitation immediately.

In the party, a thought occurs to you that you still have that 1500 word essay to work on. However, you think that you can still manage and the deadline is not that short.

After the party, you’re tired and return to your dorm room, and as if all the things you experienced on that day wasn’t enough, your roommate is also having a small party in your dorm room. The music is loud, you can't study or sleep and the place is a complete mess.

You then wake up worn out and stressed out, you go to the practice field late, and your performance is the worst performance in your entire life and adding to your poor performance is the thought of the 1500 word assignment still undone. Your coach is angry with you because of your performance, he gives a hard time and tells you to stay and clean up the locker room.

At last, you finish cleaning the locker room and you go to your first class of the day as fast as you can, but still, you arrive to class late. Your professor, as a punishment, doesn't let you into the class because of your tardiness.

What is worse is that the professor is giving tips on how to write about the essay. You think  about failing the class but that would mean your athlete scholarship would be revoked.

All these may seem far fetched but such situations do happen to college athletes. They should have a more sophisticated time management techniques. Being admitted to college is quite easy. The hard part is effectively using your time to accomplish all the activities you are committed to, and never affecting your studies.

Many students in college find it challenging to successfully manage their time between studies and other extra-curricular and social activities. It is especially so for college athletes. They got to undergo stressful trainings and cannot afford to lapse in their schoolwork as they have to keep their scholarship.

The sudden spike in responsibility is very shocking for college students, especially freshmen and college athletes. You just have to study harder and train harder because of the new level of competition.

You may be the track star back in high school, but in college, many competitors can easily beat your record in high school. You have to train more diligently to keep competing in your sport.

The following are several time management tips for college athletes:

One of the priorities you should include in your time management planning is study time. You have probably done it before back in high school, but it is slightly different in college. It will be a lot harder as you have less time for studying.

As an athlete in college, you can get conflicts on your match schedules and your classes or even exams. Colleges offer tutors for college athletes to avoid missing their classes and school matches.

Go talk to your professor about your schedule and he or she might consider transferring you to another class with the same subject at another time.

When you usedevelop effective time management strategies, you will definitely have sufficient time for your trainings, matches, study time, socializing, and your personal life.

Tapping Into the Power of Your Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind lies within the deep recesses of the brain and most us have not the ability nor the mental vision to fathom how it exists, what it does and which part of our cortex spawns it. Coined and first defined by the famous and one of the first to be in the field of psychology, one Pierre Janet, who in his studies found that the human mind has a hidden level of awareness and some sort of mechanical response and storage system that he called the ‘automatism’ of the human mind. He discovered that even when the conscious mind was rendered inoperable, the subconscious was something he could talk to. It held everything about the subject; his personality, his traits, his memory and his cognitive knowledge, which was amazing. This discovery spawned the works of people who, in years to come, would be considered the authority for subjects of the mind, such as Sigmund Freud and Fredrick Allen Soho.

It soon became apparent that the focus should not have been on the conscious mind, but rather,; the true power, the one dominant factor within the mind, the one that defines the human soul and the human spirit is the subconscious mind. Only then was the power of the subconscious mind realized. Since then, science has been for the longest times, seeking ways and means to reach, directly or indirectly, the subconscious mind. Tinkering around with stimulants which resonate with the cortical response systems within specific lobes in the brain, they have finally scratched the surface of the secrets of the subconscious.

They include autogenics, affirmation messages and stimulation, biofeedback, magnetic field induction, binaural beats, traditional and advanced forms of hypnosis and subliminal messages. These methods of delving into the recesses of the subconscious have one singular purpose, and that is to find a way to unlock the true power of the brain. Till this day, science has no idea, no clue, stabbing in the dark when it comes to neurology - the brain is only active at levels between 5 to maybe 20% (in some individuals) and the mammal family have certain similarities with the animals around us. Science has discovered that certain parts of the brain which are similar to dolphins' have areas which could potentially grant us the power of near-psychic ability and sound manipulation.

Once we are able to understand how to truly manipulate the subconscious can the unbelievable be a reality for us. For now, science, with these methods, has the ability to give us super states of the mind - which means we can conquer things which seem to be unassailable in the past, meaning we can kick bad addictions, make us smarter, understand complicated calculations within moments and even adopt a third or even fourth language within minutes. You too can take advantage of the advancement in such technologies and tap into the power of your subconscious mind is what matters now for the industry of self development.


Don’t hesitate!

7 Vital Time Management Activities for High School Students

time management techniques

Creating a time table to manage your time is kind of like setting a budget. Just as the purpose of a budget is to place an organization on your money, your goal in employing effective time management techniques is to establish the management of your time.

To a lot of people, time is money. Businesses regarded this to be so for a long time. The more time you use to do a certain task, the more money will be spent depending on what the business is.

Businesses don't like the idea to compensate employees who waste their time in unimportant matters. They give importance to people that can present the job done in an appropriate time and manner.

In schools, you are requested to do more tasks, frequently by your teachers teachers or supervisors who don't care about the other tasks that you are doing. It only depends to you on how you will manage all your works in order for you to finish them on the time provided to you.

Maybe, you might also want to have some free time to enjoy yourself and live out a fulfilling and full life.

Here are some time management tips for you to use in order for you to beat all of your deadlines and have a systematized and well managed time table.

1. For the coming week, note down all your activities. Put in your record the time you will appropriate for each activity, what are the types of tasks that you should do and how long you usually take to get them done. Arrange all these data in whatever manner you desire, but make sure you include all of your available time to be scheduled. You should also make sure to put in your record the time when you are not busy or doing anything.

2. Decide how you will manage your time. For instance, think of the following questions:

• What have you observed regarding how you use your time?
• Have you finished all the tasks given to you within your deadlines. For example, have you already completed your homework?
• Were you able to attend to other things that you enjoy besides your your studies?
• Were you able to do all your duties at home?
• Do you still have time to spend with friends?
• What are some activities that you enjoy doing but do not have the time do it at all?

Once, you have found the answers to the above questions, brainstom on the ways about how you can make your time management more effective.

3. Search for more information online. There are many sites online that can help you with your time management.

4. Plan your own timetable to create a schedule for yourself for the entire. Make sure that you give some time for recreation. Be realistic in your expectations. Try your timetable for one whole week, have a precise record for each activity.

5. Let your classmates know about your timetable. If they too have a schedule, evaluate the differences of your timetables if possible. get to know the strengthsof each schedule and understand how each of the timtables work.

6. Change is the only thing in a person’s life that is permanent. What you used to do during your spare time may be totally different from the things you do in half a year or a year from now. If you have a winter game that you are participating in, you know that when the winter is over, your schedule will for sure be different.

If you are involved in a drama presentation, you should expect yourself to be busier before the performance date than you are when the rehearsals initially begins.

Take a look at the big picture before starting on anything. What will your timetable for the rest of the year look like? Choose the dates on that timetable and create a timetable that you can keep.

7. Plan a timetable for the coming five weeks. Make sure to put any changes you expect from your recreational activities and other seasonal events. Stick to the schedule and be ready to comment on it after the five weeks are over.

For high school students, it is generally taken for granted that they be kept busy because of their studies. Nevertheless, no matter how busy their schedule gets, it is still important that they employ effective time management strategies in order to be productive in their work.

Essential Time Management Strategies That You Need For Your College Career

time management strategies

The kind of time management techniques you employed while you were in high school will stop working when you enter into college. If you are used to procrastinating backing those days, you will realize that this is not workable in college. For you to do well in college, you need to follow the following good time management strategies listed in this article.

Unlike high school, college classes do not always meet every single day. The temptation in such a situation is for you to just set your projects for later. You will tend to think that there is no rush and that you have plenty of time to do that.

You should realize that if this keeps up, you would have piles of homework to catch up to. When this occurs, you will be soaked in so much pressure that you do not know what hits you.

If you desire to have the best out of your college life, then take these time management tips into consideration. They will ensure that you have the free time to ensure other college activities.

Know what is the most important thing needed to be accomplished. Be certain about things that should be your top priority. You could drop subjects that you think is not important during that semester. Create an ordered list of these important things. Then you can try and make them your top priority before anything else.

Don't pay attention to distractions. It is while you are in your most focused moments that your friends pop by and ask you to go out with them. If you are like most people, then you will feel pressured to oblige.

However if you want to keep the schedule you set upon yourself, you will stay and go on with what you are doing. There are a lot of things you can do so as not to be bothered. You can lock your door and hang up a “do not disturb” sign outside. You can also turn off telephone ringers and let the machine take all calls for the meantime.
Do not skip breakfast. It is true; breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The right breakfast will give you the sugars and carbohydrates to keep you energized throughout the day.

For the body conscious ones out there, not having breakfast is not really a slimming option. You need know that the breakfast calories are burned quickly within the day. They don't remain long in your body. By not eating your first meal in the morning, you will not only feel tired immediately, you will also be stripped of the drive to be at your best.

Make the best out of your classes. Don't take your classes for granted. You will realize their usefulness when you get into the working world and begin working.

Stop arriving late and skipping classes. Plan to do some advance reading into the subjects written on the class syllabus. There is nothing wrong being a step ahead of your peers. Besides, you will feel very much a genius when the professor talks about something you already know beforehand.

Learn you should say "no." This is one of the important things you must do to be able to manage your time well. When you don't have time to spare, you must be able to say “no” to your friends when they ask you out. Say “no” when someone asks you to do something for them when you can't afford the time.

Simply tell them that you will go out with them or help them another day. You don't have to put more pressure on pressure; just say "no" when you don't think you have time for it. This is one method of prioritizing.

Be mindful that there is a time for everything. There is a time for studying. There is also a time to give yourself a break. A nap or two is one way of resting your mind and regaining some of your lost energy. Going out of the house, hang out with friends or playing a game or two are all relaxing activities that that help you to unwind.

Not all college students have similar time management needs. Each one has specific time management skills they need to improve on to become succesful in their college life.

 

Essential Time Management Tips For Studying

time management strategies

The amount of time you spend on doing something has affects the quality of work you end up with. A good system to follow is to have 2-3 hours of schoolwork outside class for every hour of class time. Yes, this means for a full-time student with 15-hours of class per week load, the recommendation is to do between 30 and 45 hours of homework each week.

Sure, that's a big jump, especially if you breezed through high school or past years of college on less. This estimate merely reflects the time it actually takes to learn properly. It’s not steadfast and set in stone. If you find yourself really comprehending the concepts of a chapter after a half an hour, it is okay to take a break. The goal here is to set aside the time solely for homework. If you finished earlier than expected – that’s a bonus!

Now this number shouldn't mean that you completely forgo time for yourself. It is important to have some personal time. Even though you may work a part-time job, and doing so isn't necessarily counter-productive to success at school, you'll need to take some time for yourself and for recreation each week.

A starting guideline can be something like 10% of your week, or 17 hours. What is more important than these specific targets is that you spend enough time on school work to ensure that you're successful and that you spend enough time outside of school to ensure that you have a healthy balance.

Allow for unexpected interruptions in your time table. This means leaving some empty spaces during the day or in some way being adaptable enough to anticipate interruptions. If there are no interruptions for the day, there is free time to do something we were saving until the next day.

Plan to do your homework in the earlier parts of the day so that there is a smaller chance of getting crowded out by unanticipated events like catching up with an old friend or having a roommate ask for help with one of his classes. Homework should be a part of each day’s time table. Students in a major study on stress, reported doing homework as the most pervasively utilized strategy for decreasing stress in their lives.

That could appear weird to you, but by staying ahead of the game and finishing your homework off on time, your stress level will lower because you wouldn't have that unfinished work hanging over your head and in your mind every single moment.
 
Be reminded that your daily time table should include at least a bit of time for doing what we want to do rather than just a long list of "have-to-dos." Looking forward to something every day is good for our emotional well being and can help prevent the feeling of burnout.

Some days may feel overwhelming when we take a look at our schedule. If that is the situation, it is helpful to concentrate on one thing at a time and avoid looking at the day in its entirety. We will be amazed how fast the tasks of the day will be completed.

Ultimately, you will have to readjust your plans and your time management strategies. As you encounter time troubles, keep in mind that some are predictable, and some are not; some are controllable, and others are not. For those that are cannot be controlled, don't lose your cool and get back on schedule as quickly as you can. For time troubles that you can control, and particularly those that occur predictably, deal with them directly and forcefully so that they don't prevent you from achieving your goals.

Time management techniques demands self-management. It requires time but after a short period of self-management, time-management becomes an everyday habit.

• Give attention to how your time is spent.
 
• Don't procrastinate on chores that you need to do. Do not leave assignments and projects till your datelines are round the corner.

• Schedule some time in the day for doing things you enjoy and for eating and sleeping. Getting enough sleep is beneficial to those with an active schedule.

• Learn to ignore things that do not need your attention.

• Manage your time carefully. If you take the bus, you can do some reading while traveling.

Possibly one of the best time management tips is staying one day ahead. I'm certain this statement is met by some collective groans, but I assure you that keeping exactly one day ahead of your classes will make your life much easier.

 

 

Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

Have you ever suffered shortness of breath, trembling, racing heartbeat, dizziness and sweating?  If so you may have suffered a panic attack.  Some people had the added stress of pain in their chests, this causes further panic as the symptoms appear the same as a heart attack.  Unlike a heart attack, panic attacks are not fatal and with the correct treatment they can be controlled.  If you are suffering panic attacks frequently your conditions may have developed into a panic disorder.  Whatever the degree of your panic attacks, these are the signs and symptoms of anxiety, an anxiety which is getting out of control.  This is your body telling you to stop and consider you stress levels.

Panic attacks are a very personal experience, no two people will ever have exactly the same experience.If you consider how you respond to stress you'll start to be able to build up a picture of your signs and symptoms of anxiety.For example, if you are annoyed what is the first thing which usually happens?  Do you sweat, get sweaty palms?  Does your heart race and do you get flushed?  Do you tremble or feel sick?Once you have suffered panic attacks is the likely that any future ones will follow the same form.  By looking at the signs and symptoms of anxiety in mild situations you can start to see how these accumulate to form a panic attack.  One of the most disconcerting aspects of a panic attack is the apparent randomness of their arrival.  Many people suffer panic attacks in the night, when they should be at their most rested.

One big step in addressing panic attacks is understanding what causes these signs and symptoms of anxiety.   Sometimes professional help is required to help deconstruct the environment, both mentally and physically which is causing the panic attacks.  Sometimes an apparently relaxed environment can induce a panic attack because of the association which the suffer has with this situation.  On the whole there are reasons for  all signs and symptoms of anxiety and by breaking these down and rationalizing the irrational the anxiety can be reduced.It is central to understand how and why you react to anxiety in certain ways as it will help you to use your bodies warning system when the stress levels are increasing and will help you to hold your stress in check.

If you find it difficult to understand the signs and symptoms of anxiety it is still worth persevering with as panic attacks rarely stop on their own.  Signs and symptoms of anxiety are not something you should try to work through on your own.It is critical to understand how and why you react to anxiety in certain ways as it will help you to use your bodies warning system when the stress levels are increasing and will help you to keep your tension in check.

Anxiety and Depression

How's the old happy meter looking these days? Is your level of bliss up to expectation? Don't you laugh; these are all legitate question. It seems that people need loads of catalysts to stir a little happiness. There are many who suffer from it and do not even know the reason. I take a gander at our youth and wonder what happened. How can so many teens suffer from bouts of anxiety and depression? I do not remember experiencing this affliction as a child or teenager. Regardless,anxiety and depression are dilemmas that must be dealt with.

Do you know someone who suffers from social anxiety idsorder depression? This is no laughing matter; nor is it anything to be ashamed of. But, it is still a problem that need to be dealt with. I am totally shocked at all the anxiety and depression troubling teenagers in this modern world. What do they have to be down about? Of course,provided that they have a decent home life and the necessities. I can still clearly remember when I was a child. I didn't need anyone but me and my imagination. The sky was the limit for fun and excitement. Even when I was younger, I will entertain myself with things I enjoyed doing. These days the concept of good old-fashioned fun seems to have gone to the birds. Children across the country suffer from anxiety and depression. And some of these juveniles have no cause for their torment and melancholy. Is it possibly the media warping their young perception? One must admit it's a tad difficult to understand why some one with their entire life ahead of them, and hardly any work to do would be down. Luckily, there are ways to deal with anxiety and depression. Another popular alternative is counseling. So if you do know someone suffering from anxiety, you need to help them. Many of these individuals will not acquire help on their own.

A good way to understanding anxiety and depression is via the Internet. There are many online sites that can educate you on the effects and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sleeping too much, avoiding others, staying inside, lack of motivation and failing to eat are all signs of anxiety and depression. If this is all too familiar to you, it is time to get help.

3 Simple Tools For Time Management

 

There are no hard and fast rules about what tools you must own, if you are going to embark on a mission to improve your time management skills. The following simple tools, however, are inexpensive, and can help make the process of tracking, planning and organizing your time easier and less burdensome.

Time Monitor Journal- This resource comes in both the digital and traditional varieties. It is useful in helping you to monitor and record your own use of time, in order to identify key areas for change.

While a special journal is not needed, you may find that a ready made one saves you time in the long run, by doing the majority of the work for you prior to the actual recording of your activities.

Planner- Available in digital and traditional formats, planners are wonderful for recording goals, making notes, keeping track of appointments and more. A planner is a must have to help you stay organized and on target, when working toward your goals.

Select a planner that allows you enough room to keep track of a number of appointments and daily goals, but that is small enough so that you are able to carry it with you at all times.

Organizer- These can be useful for planning a specific project, or managing a number of projects all at the same time. Digital and traditional versions of project organizers are available that can help you stay on top of the job.

Time Management - About Time Boxing

Time boxing is a system of time management which breaks down a long and complex task into smaller pieces. Each piece of the task must be accomplished by a specific deadline. In time boxing deadlines are not flexible, but everything else in the project is.

In time boxing a large task is broken down into several sections. Each section has specific guidelines for its completion. When the boxes are first “laid out”, along with their deadlines, the project may be very detailed. As each deadline approaches, if the tasks first pinpointed in the time box are not near to completion, certain aspects of those tasks may be scraped.

One example of this type of time management system might be to consider a script for a motion picture. The scenes are laid out in boxes, with 5 or 6 scenes to be completed at each deadline. As the deadline approaches one of scenes may be dropped, in order to finish the completion of that section of the project on time.

Time boxing does not work in every instance. The key element to this system of time management is the deadline. In some cases if the deadline is not met, the entire project is scraped as a result.

The system works best when a strict budget must be adhered to, thus preventing the extending of deadlines, in order to finish the work.

 

Controlling Techniques for Anxiety Panic Attacks

Anxiety disorders are regrettably proving to be more common and there are several different side effects. One of these is the panic attack. Anxiety panic attacks are draining to many folks, making them feel powerless and much overcome with emotion. If you have ever felt this way, then you realize how important they are to control. Read on to find out how to cope with anxiety panic attacks and discover more about them on the way.

An anxiety panic attack is a symptom of different anxiety disorders. If you suffer from them, then it is essential to realize what they are. An attack is when the anxiety together with stress levels in a person balloon to a degree where they cannot control it. They rapidly start to fear their surroundings, think they are dying, having a heart attack, or are going nuts. It is a cognitive sequence where your mind will tell your body that it is going through a likely non-existent discomfort. The experience can last for a period of one minute up to fifteen minutes. Oftentimes an attack will cause a person to live in fear of the next attack, which only worsens the symptoms.

Maintaining a cool head during an anxiety panic attack is hard to do, particularly when you suffer from an anxiety disorder. Nonetheless, if this is something you have to manage for the rest of your life, it is crucial to master the art of stress management. Anxiety panic attacks come on rapidly so the best thing to do in most cases is to calm down and then lay down. Once you do this, you can try to calm your brain by stating that it will pass by and saying to yourself that the pain you are feeling is not real. You can try to prevent these episodes by asking yourself why do I have anxiety attacks and figuring out what triggers them off. For example, do they occur in certain situations or do negative thought processes bring them on?

It is possible to take the controlling techniques to a higher level in order to eliminate your anxiety panic attacks. You can begin by teaching yourself relaxation practices. You should opt for something that is right for you. Several of the more popular options are listening to relaxing music, reading and employing yoga. Once you understand what an anxiety panic attack is and what to do to bring them under control, your life should be on the road to recovery. Anxiety disorders can make life complicated but with a clear head and a lot of determination you should be able to manage whatever they throw your way.

Time Management & Goal Setting

Time Management Tools

While technology is at its most advanced state today, there remains to be a lot of things to juggle for a typical career-oriented woman. For most family-oriented women, there is the burden of juggling work, career, family and other factors involved in one's social life. 

You can read more on Time Management & Goal Setting

The answer is Goal Setting. Many highly successful persons are often asked what their secret to success is. And more often than not, they have the same response, and that is Time Management. However, although this is almost an expected response, many are still surprised at how Productivity really works.

Time Management is quite simply the proper allocation of time for certain important tasks. First, the important tasks have to be arranged in a certain way where it is clustered into sectors and listed according to urgency and importance. For example, the important parts of your life are career, you parents, your home, your art, and your family. You have to know which one to drop first whenever you need to do something.

After that, you will need help from some Goal Setting Tools designed to aid you in the correct process of prioritization AND remembering that order.

Quick-and-Easy teasers

Goal Setting Tools & Time Management Techniques

There are a lot of persons who need lots of reminder when it comes to taking care of small businesses. Often, they are too medium sized that they are disregarded as unimportant. If you are one of them, buy some quick-and-easy Reminders. What's good about technology is you can probably put a tickler just about everywhere! Cellular phones nowadays have built-in organizers, post-its are available in different variants, and even the good old fridge door magnets have come in a lot of forms.

What is important is that the frequency of the reminding is now being increased. This is good for Goal Setting because it keeps you aware of the things which you have to do especially if they're urgent.

The organzing device of your choice + Watch Tandem

These are staples for just about every busybody from the college beadle to the corporate leader. The organizer is something that holds your appointments and it's also a tiny little space for some writing. Busybodies usually have contact numbers of random people they meet, gifts for a not-so-relevant birthday party that he has to go to or some sudden brilliant ideas that come to mind. For these and more, you will need an organizer. It has to be a little agenda, just enough to fit in a small handbag, and should be made of durable material. You must bring your organzing device of your choice with you every day, in case you need to list something down as a reminder.

And indeed, the perfect complement to an organizer is a good working watch. Just because your watch didn't work well You may have experienced running late for an appointment.  What's worse is that the person you're meeting wouldn't even believe you. This blunder can easily be avoided. Just get a high quality watch. Having a good sense of time is practically the first step in Productivity.

The Perfect manner of thinking

It's pressuring to know that you have a lot of things in your hand and it seems like you can't even do anything about it. Don't tip over. 

Moreover, keep a be on your toes kind of manner of thinking as you maneuver your way into your busy life. Sure, there are times when you distance yourself from your organizing device of your choice. It is a painful reminder of the busy life they lead for some. It's perfectly alright to feel some sence of urgency but take some time off once in a while. You must never forget yourself in your list of priorities.

More on how to get more done

Easy Relaxation Techniques For Busy People

If you are busy person with tight schedules then you most likely are stressed and tired all the time. You are constantly tired which is affecting your sleeping patterns. What is the correct way out for you? Learn a few easy relaxation techniques which can improve and reduce your stress. It can remove your anxiety levels as well. Learning relaxation skills will improve your sleep patterns also. The only question here is that you should find time to practise relaxation techniques.

Most relaxation skills have key skills which are common to all of them. Learning them would be a cake walk if practised regularly. Relaxation techniques are one of the easiest to learn. For starters, here is what you can do:

Notice any signs of physical tension in your body

Feel your body. Look out for signs of tension. Look out for how your body reacts and feels during different times of the day. Check out how your breathing is. Do you take very deep breaths or are they shallow breaths. Look out for head aches and clenched jaws. Will you be able to describe how your body feels at any given point of time? Looking out for all these just takes a few minutes and this process is known as body scan. A Body scan can easily reveal if you have any built up tensions in your body.

However, it is best that signs of stress and tension be recognized early. This will not only help you combat it effectively, but help you ease your tensions quickly. But it must be kept in mind that each and every person has his or her own way of reacting to stresses. One way of recognizing stress early is by doing a body scan, as described above, several times a day.

Breath Control

Breath Control is a part and parcel of every relaxation technique. If you feel you are breathing fast during a body scan, learn to slow it down. An ideal cycle would be 10-12 breaths per minute. Use abdominal breathing and learn to breath deeply and slowly. In fact, slowing down your breathing is one of the best and fastest relaxation techniques. This is because it changes the concentration of oxygen in your body. It can also help in easing muscle tension. Yoga Exercises do incorporate a lot of effective breathing exercises which can be applied effectively.

It would be good if you start noticing the way you breathe. Is it plain, shallow breaths, or fast? Is your chest and throat feeling tight? Try changing your breath pattern and check if it has any effect on your level of tension. For starters, do not straight away take big deep breaths. You are sure to harm yourself by hyperventilating yourself or become light-headed which will increase your tension.

Slow you Mind

In these busy days, almost every one has their mind occupied with one or other issues. It could be just things to do, or a whole lot of tensions, or it could be just plain worry. Usually, people have serious trouble switching themselves off from the worry mode. One way to get out of this worry mode is by letting go of your thoughts. Also, during the regular body scan, try noticing when your mind is active and when it is calm. That way you are keeping track of how busy your mind is.

As with any other area, even the sphere of relaxation is subject to myths. Most people do think that relaxation means emptying your mind of thoughts. That is next to impossible. During relaxation you can't let go of your thoughts, but you should just let them float about without attempting to concentrate on them. It is akin to sitting at a bus station; buses come and go and there is no rule that you should climb every bus that comes your way.

The ideal ways to relax yourself is to start noticing for signals. Noticing for body tension, controlling your breathing, as well as slowing down your mind, are the very basics of relaxation techniques. As the adage goes, "Practise makes a man perfect". Practise more and you will be able to relax much more effectively in a much quicker time.

Get a free Stress Management 7-Part E-Course and receive a free mp3 download of an interview with a clinical social worker ('Coping With Stress') with your first issue.
Visit http://WillYouRelax.com for details and get loads of great relaxation tips and strategies for coping with stress. Free meditation report also available.

10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But for many with ADD, having negative thoughts is not uncommon, due to all the frustrations and overall feelings of discouragement that are brought on by it. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward.

Positive thinking will help people with ADD to better concentrate on their accomplishments and strengths, giving them more motivation and joy in life. It will help in better using your time to work on making progress, rather than feeling discouraged and helpless. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns :

1. Remember there is only ONE of YOU, so taking good care of yourself is first and foremost.

When you take good care of yourself by eating healthy, exercising and getting adequate rest, it is much easier to be positive.

2. Make a List of the Things You are Grateful for in Life

When you take the time to remember some of the things that are good in your life, then stress from the challenges you face are not as difficult. By just taking a few minutes each day to think and vocalize appreciation for the good things, it will make you feel better and be stronger.

3. Don’t give in to ’making assumptions’, but instead discipline your mind to look for proof or actual facts.

A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member’s bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Otherwise you will spend a lot of wasted time worrying about it, so it is best to get the facts and not make an assumption based on a thought impression.

4. You Should Not Use Absolutes

Words like, ’ALWAYS’ or ’NEVER’ when used in a negative descriptive way, such as: "You NEVER call me any more" will only increase the negative experience. Thinking and speaking absolutes in this way will only work to make the situation seem worse than it really is, and will cause you to believe something about others that very well may not be true.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts

Our thoughts determine the way we live and therefore you need to discern them and discipline yourself to overcome negative thinking. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, recognize it for what it really is and don’t follow it.

6. Squash the "ANTs"

Dr. Daniel Amen, founder of the Amen Clinics for, ADD tests and ADHD Tests, authored a book called; "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life", in which he talks about the ’ANTs’ - Automatic Negative Thoughts.

ANTs are usually negative reactionary thoughts, like "They are talking about me behind my back" or "The boss is looking for me, it must be because I did something wrong"! Begin to recognize these ANTs for what they really are, and then stomp down on them!

7. Begin to show your family and friends positive physical contact with a hug, smile, pat on the back or welcoming handshake.

Giving and receiving a good hug can go along way in making your day better. Showing positive physical contact with your family and friends and even your pets, is a great ’feel good’ interaction, one that we all need in life. There was a research study conducted, in which a waitress was told to gently touch some of her customers on the arm as she gave them their checks. Her tips were noticeably higher from the ones she touched, then from the customers she did not touch!

8. Be Involved with Some Sort of Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you will decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way.

9. Be Involved with Helping Other People or Volunteer in an Organization

Everyone feels good after helping. There are several ways to do this, you can volunteer your time, resources or money. You may have heard it said, ’Give and it shall be given’, this is a true saying and the more positive energy you put in the world, the more you will get back.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Harmful Thoughts.

If you find yourself beginning to think negatively, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Recognize old thought patterns that may be hyper-focusing on something negative. It’s never productive, because it’s not rational or solution-oriented, it’s just excessive worry. You can change what your thinking by doing something different, like going for a walk outdoors. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

You can also find good quotes, bible verses or sayings that will help you be positive, the following are two of my favorite quotes, that motivate me to be positive: Oprah Winfrey - "Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." A Swedish Proverb - "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours"

Time Management: How To Finish Multiple Task In A Short Period Of Time

These days many people are now required to perform a variety of tasks at the same time There are many who are able to perform these multi-tasking activities quite easily, however there are also many that are unable to and easily get overwhelmed with the volume of tasks that they need to complete in a short time frame Should you be one of the many that encounter problems of time management, then it would be appropriate for you to start learning the ways and methods by which you can manage your time effectively. The art of time management can quite easily be learned and mastered so it should not be something that you should worry to much about for the mean time. Once you develop your time management skills, you will soon be breezing through your multiple tasks almost effortlessly.

Getting Started

One of the first items on your list that you should do to learn time management is to set your priorities and manage your goals Before you even start with each task you need to complete, you should first create a to-do list and then rank the items on this list based on priorities The to-do list is a very important step, as this list will be your guide when you start the tasks that you need to do, and this list will also keep track of your progress as you tick of each item that has been completed. The list will also help you analyze and determine which of the tasks need to be accomplished first and this will assist you in prioritizing each individual task.

Making Your Priorities

Being able to set your priorities for each given day is very important. You need to know which things must be done first and which ones can be left towards the end of the day. To set your priorities, you need to develop criteria. When setting your criteria, you will need to consider the relevance of a specific task and the time relevance towards the other tasks. As an example, if you happen to be working multiple projects simultaneously, you will need to determine which tasks in each are critical and which ones are not. Also if you happen to be doing a series of tasks, you need to determine which tasks need to be finished first that is most urgent before proceeding to the next set of tasks.

Scheduling

The ability to be able to schedule your tasks is very important when it comes to time management. You will have to learn ways to be able to split your day so that more tasks can be accomplished. Every minute counts when it comes to time management, and in order to be able to accomplish more, you should give yourself hourly deadlines. For example, you assign yourself one hour to work on a specific task and when the hour is over, move on to the next task on the list.

{Which Anger Management Truths Should You Believe?}

{Do you get aggressive when you get angry? If you do, you should know that aggression is a learned behavior and is not part of human behavior. Animals naturally get aggressive when they get angry. The fact of the matter is that aggression is not a natural human trait. Which is the more reason you should learn how to get rid of it in the first place.}

{Before you react to anybody or anything that makes you angry, stop and think about whether it is worth it or not. Anger can be especially destructive if you fail to take its potential consequences into account. You need to be able to weigh each and every action before you react in anger.}

{Having a close friend that you can talk to in times of anger can help you control it. You can call up a friend or mail them when you are being threatened with the tide of anger. You can get a friend to help walk you through anger management techniques.}

{If you are thinking of enrolling for an anger management program, know this - Anger management programs are not created to teach you the art of repression or suppression. Anger management programs are geared towards giving you a tangible positive form of expression for your anger. Anger management classes make you a better person in the long run.}

{You can easily take control over your anger by adopting a philosophical outlook in life. When you are tempted to get angry, ask yourself, does this situation warrant my anger? Try and be logical and philosophical about your reaction. That away you will be able to rein in any unnecessary outburst of anger.}

{Empathizing with the person who makes you angry is one fine anger management technique. When you wear the shoes of your protagonist and feel the pinch, you will be more inclined to forgive any slight on his or her part. Empathy- the process of empathizing with the person who angers you is fast becoming a popular anger management technique.}

{Learning all about anger can help you understand its destructive potential. If you don’t know how to, consider attending anger management classes. Anger management classes teach you what anger can do if it isn’t controlled. The more you learn about anger, the less you will get angry.}

{The more you know about anger, the better your chances of handling it. Anger is not a terrible emotion on it’s own, unless it is used as a violent means of expression. To overcome anger, try and understand it and its effects on you and people around you.}

More insightful articles about anger management can be found at http://www.anger-management-tips.org

Proper Stress Management For The Workplace

On-the-job stress is a commonly occurring problem in today’s society. For most workers, job-related stress comes with the territory so it’s important to develop coping skills. Stress can be minimized if you know the things that cause it in your workplace and develop ways to keep your sanity in the midst of it all.

Here are some of the common stressors in the workplace and ways to handle them:

Unprofessional Co-Workers

Most of us have had to deal with rude co-workers at one time or another. Having to be exposed to that rudeness can cause a lot of stress for anyone, making their job performance suffer needlessly.

There are a few ways to handle this kind of situation. First of all, decide if it’s something that really bothers you or not. Sometimes just ignoring them is all you need to do your job effectively.

When ignoring them doesn’t work, you may want to try talking the situation out with them. Sometimes, they may not even know that they’re coming across as being rude. Getting it out in the open relieves that added stress.

If direct confrontation does help quell the bad behaviors contact you supervisor. State your complaints in writing in a formal tone. Make sure to explain what behaviors are bothering you and how they are affecting your work performance. Try to avoid emotional pleas and high temper complaints. Remain factual and offer supporting information and your superior will most likely side with you and assist in rectifying the situation.

Poor Management

If unprofessional co-workers are unpleasant to deal with then poor management has to be twice as stressful. The options for dealing with poor managers are more limited, but there is no reason to let poor management style give you stress or anxiety. As will co-workers ignoring the behavior is the first and most preferable option.

If that doesn’t work, then you’ll have to go over their head to someone else and tell them what’s going on. Keep a list of the things the boss has said and done and share it with an HR person or whomever is suitable to discuss them with.

Suffering silently with a management problem is not a good idea. It will make you miserable and anxious and eventually flow on to decrease your productivity and effectiveness. Most places of business want to hear about these types of situations and will do what they can to correct them.

Assignment Overload

Trying to manage an unreasonable workload will certainly cause a lot of anxiety. Accept only the amount of work that you can deal with in a given period of time. Take any assistance offered by co-workers and return the favor when they need help. Working together can have far reaching rewards.

Discovering, reducing, or eliminating workplace stress where possible is a positive step towards having a fulfilling and productive work experience. Stress in the workplace is inevitable, but correctly managing stress can help prevent job burnout and increase job satisfaction.

Get Josh Murphy's latest free report 'Self-Care Boot Camp' - jam-packed with more great stress relief information at StressReliefTipsWeekly.com. Check out the site for more great info on topis like relieving stress as well as a free weekly newsletter that subscribers can't get enough of!

Easy Relaxation Techniques: The Foundation of Good Health

In these days of busy lifestyles, it is a rarity that people find time for themselves. They are stressed out and badly need a time for relaxation. But their lifestyle ensures that they have no time for relaxation.  Relaxation can not only recharge your worn out batteries but has innumerable benefits for the mind as well as body.  But unfortunately people are too busy to even find time for some simple relaxation exercises.

The key to improving your general health and well being is a regular relaxation time period. This regular practise will allow the body to recover from the daily stresses it faces as well as allow it time to heal.  Even better it is a shield that can help you cope with problems and tensions when they occur. Even better, it prevents the build up of pressure.

What does it feel like being relaxed? Various people have had various experiences while relaxing.  But an agreed factor is that being relaxed is like feeling drowsy accompanied by a feeling of heaviness, while some report feeling light.  Essentially, deep relaxation is a state where your body is free from muscle tension and there is a slowing down of your mind.  One thing that can be assured when you are coming out of a relaxed state of mind is that you will certainly feel fresh and alert.

There are numerous positive benefits that relaxation has on the human body, including:

1. Lower Heart rate
2. A slow breathing rate
3. Blood pressure is lowered
4. Muscles get relaxed
5. Requirement of oxygen is much lower when you are relaxed
6. Slows down the number of thoughts
7. Calmness and peace descends on your body

Regular use of relaxation techniques offers many health benefits:

1. Blood Pressure is lowered
2. The regular aches and pains are reduced to a large extent
3. High level of alertness
4. Concentration is improved to a great extent
5. Anxiety and panic feelings are reduced
6. Angry outbursts and irritability are lowered to a tremendous extent
7. Better reaction to pains
8. Emotional reactions to problems is reduced
9. Study Skills are enhanced
10. A feeling of being in control
11. Increased ability to handle stressful situations
12. Immune systems functions at an improved level

Relaxation can benefit all age groups . Though relaxation would mean doing nothing to a lot of people, the body actually will be doing a lot of work even in a complete state of relaxation. This is essential for good health. Relaxation can even help when you are recovering from an illness or trying to improve your health.Maximum improvement is obtained only when relaxation techniques form part of your recovery strategy.

Relaxation is a very inexpensive way of boosting your health. The human body as such is not designed to be active or in a state of tension all day.  Relaxation is a great way to put your body into peak working condition thereby improving its ability to cope with stress, think clearly and a feeling of being in control during stressful situations.  Set aside some time each day to listen to relaxation tapes without interruptions.  Soon you will be glad to find yourself in a healthy state feeling fit and eager to get going.

Get a free Stress Management 7-Part E-Course and receive a free mp3 download of an interview with a clinical social worker ('Coping With Stress') with your first issue.
Visit http://WillYouRelax.com for details and get loads of great relaxation tips and strategies for coping with stress. Free meditation report also available.

Are You Displaying These Symptoms of Stress More Than You Realise?

Stress is a normal facet in our lives. We thrive on a little stress because it keeps us focused and enables us to stay mentally alert. Sometimes, though, stress can start to take over and cause us to have anxiety attacks.

The anxiety attacks can come on unnoticed and they can seem like everyday stress-related problems. If these attacks continue to go untreated, they can dramatically harm one's life very quickly.

Recognizing the symptoms of an anxiety attack is an important first step to treatment. Though everyone reacts to stress in different ways some common indicators of unhealthy anxiety include difficulty concentrating, racing or uncontrollable thoughts, memory lapses, and feelings of confusion. In order to recognize the indicators for an anxiety attack, you have to understand the symptoms of stress first.

When an attack is occurring, some physical symptoms may be more prevalent. Difficulty breathing, heart pounding or palpitations, weakness or shaking, gastrointestinal discomfort and temperature disturbances are all possible problems that may occur.

During the height of an anxiety attack the physical symptoms can be so overwhelming that that they are upsetting. People often report feeling “out of control” of their body or as if they are “dying.” The first time a person experiences an anxiety attack they are unlikely to identify the symptoms of those of anxiety and are more likely to feel that they are experience a heart attack, stroke, or serious medical emergency.

Often it is someone else who notices the symptoms of an anxiety attack. Once an anxiety attacks are suspected immediate medical attention should be sought. Anxiety attacks have similar symptoms to more serious, life threatening medical conditions.

When the physician rules out anything medical and determines that they are anxiety attacks, he may start them on some type of medication to help relieve them of some of the symptoms and encourage the patient to seek a counselor.

A therapist will gather information about your past and present life and work with you to figure out the major sources of your stress. Once you understand what’s causing the attacks, you can work with your doctor and counselor to determine your plan of action. A therapist is trained to help you learn to cope with your stress in healthy ways.

There are many websites devoted to the use of relaxation techniques that reduce symptoms to a more manageable level and breathing exercises to improve oxygen intake, which could help slow down a racing heart rhythm.

As the stress in your day to day life increases, there are many strategies for coping. Getting assistance in learning how to manage your anxiety is the first step. Determining the major stressors in your life and developing an effective strategy to cope with them will increase your comfort level and bring hope back into your life.

Get Josh Murphy's latest free report 'Self-Care Boot Camp' - jam-packed with more great stress relief information at StressReliefTipsWeekly.com. Check out the site for more great info on topis like stress symptoms as well as a free weekly newsletter that subscribers can't get enough of!

How to manage stress

People with full schedules and busy lifestyles tend to get more prone to a higher rate of stress. Stress and its nature vary from simple to complicated. For instance, taking care of your children can cause stress while facing debts and financial commitments can do the same thing as well. Because the various stressful matters differ slightly than one another, almost everyone wishes to stray away from any stress-generating source. Stress management teaches you how to get your stress lessened to the minimum while dealing well with it.

Basic Methods

When it comes to stress management, a lot of us tend to imagine aromatherapy, Yoga or any other type of spiritual therapy. However, stress management brings about a much deeper meaning. Stress management methodology offers you a wide variety of choices to pick from. This can easily get you to do without Yoga. You should know that some of these ways are simple while others require more perseverance. Read on to check some of the simple various stress management routines.

Stay organized and try to avoid doing everything at the last moment. Stress management starts at something as simple as getting the clothes you are going to wear next morning ready just one night earlier. Also, you can always make use of an organizer to remind you of important meetings and events. Organizing your day shall set your head clear and get you to avoid more stress as you would not be very concerned about your weak memory anymore. The most effective element in such a stress management method is that it allows you to get every single step well organized on your mind leaving you almost nothing to be stressed about.

Furthermore, try some brain exercises and you would notice how that would positively affect your stressed out head. You should know that even little stress could have the worst impact on you. Hence, via stress management related exercises, both your brain and body would learn how to naturally unwind and calm down. Being extremely stressed out has a negative impact on your body’s muscles and in turn it affects your overall performance. There are a great number of exercises from which you can pick the best and the most enjoyable for you. All sports and workouts can be effective stress management methods. So, enjoying your time while coping with stress at the same time would become much easier now.

Both organizing your day and exercising are considered part of the stress management program that allows you to deal with stress and get the control over it. Organizing your time and tasks should minimize the level of stress and over pressure that you are dealing with in your everyday life. On the other hand, Resorting to exercising calms you down both; physically and mentally. Stress is a common problem affecting us all, yet you can always rely on the different stress management routines.

Speed Reading: Can it Change Your Life?

by Kim Allarie

You might have read the hype about speed reading being able to transform your life by enabling you to take in information considerably more quickly than usual, thereby enhancing your skills as well as upping your value as an employee.

For a number of people, increasing their reading speed is the main objective, while for others, it is more essential that they develop their ability to comprehend and retain what they read. A high-quality speed reading program can do both, and consequently amp up both your personal and professional life.

The typical reading speed is around two words a second with standard comprehension. For ordinary reading this is probably sufficient, but with the help of a good speed reading program the average rate could be boosted to four or six words a second with similar comprehension.

But there are those who have very particular reading requirements and wish to improve their reading speed to ten-plus words per second with better than normal understanding. A comprehensive speed reading program with lots of practice and testing can help them reach their objective.

Many speed reading programs train students to rapidly search through the text to ignore irrelevant information and pick out the pertinent parts. The idea is to be able to gather the essence of the material through reading entire sentences or phrases as a block, instead of just individual words.

Improve Speed, But Don't Lose Comprehension

Sometimes individuals who undertake to learn speed reading encounter difficulties with the practice of sub-vocalization. This is the tendency to mentally sound out each word while they read. In speed reading, a primary focus is on developing the ability to not sub-vocalize while you read. In its place, you are taught to concentrate only on the words that have significance to the general context. You will become skilled at intentional reading and will therefore increase understanding at the same time as speed.

There are various ways of teaching speed reading, as well as different ways that each individual learns. One method might work better for some students than another. Basically, speed reading endeavors to guide the brain to distinguish only important words without sounding them out mentally. If you have difficulty with one approach, find another speed reading course that teaches these skills in a way that will assist you to progress more efficiently.

Just like learning any new activity, you need to continuously practice your speed reading techniques in order to master the art.

Learn more about the time management skill of speed reading at The Speed Reading Site.

I am going to stay in the present

"I am going to stay in the present!" I declare! And, in the time it takes me to write those words, the present is long gone.

I find myself firmly grounded in the future. I am thinking about my daughter's report that is due on Tuesday, the clients I will talk to later this week and wearily wonder when our dog will learn that although our bathroom is inside the house, his bathroom is outside.

Or, I am in the past. Why did I buy that pair of pants I will never wear and what possessed me to commit to co-chair the annual school fundraiser? Gurus, well-meaning friends and self-evolved mothers alike tell us to "be here now" and "take one day at a time." They extol the virtues of the present as though it were as wonderful as a pair of new shoes, as relaxing as a Swedish massage and as satisfying as a hot fudge sundae.

Being in the present comes with so much endorsement, I tip toe into the realm of spending some time in the "present," just to see what all the fuss is about. The first thing I can tell you is that staying in the present is mighty hard. Unfortunately, in order to stay in the present, one must be aware of each moment. This takes a disciplined mind and my mind is anything but disciplined. In fact, it needs a time-out. And the irony is, a time out is exactly what I am trying to give it!

But each time I tell myself to enjoy the moment, my mind veers off like a sleepy driver on a lonely stretch of highway. It wants to think about my to-do list. It wants to worry. It wants to hope for a better moment to come. It wants to imagine how great life would be if I could clean out the closet or lose 5 pounds. But, determined and committed, I trudge on. At first I am able to bring myself to the present for fleeting moments a few times a day. As I practice this, I am able to remember more often and enjoy more fully, the feeling of a cozy bed, the joke that my daughter just told me and the great smell of coffee brewing.