Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Spend the Halloween Night in a Coffin at Dracula’s Bran Castle...











Spend the Halloween Night in a Coffin at Dracula’s Bran Castle in Transylvania

That’s right, the world-famous 14th-century castle that inspired the setting of Bram Stoker’s chilling novel has just been listed on Airbnb as part of a Halloween giveaway.

To enter the contest, participants are required to tell in max. 550 characters what would they say to Count Dracula if they were to meet him in the castle.

As well as a chance to sleep in a luxurious velvet-trimmed coffin inside the frightening castle, the prize also includes a sumptuous candlelit dinner, breakfast on November 1st, a horse-drawn carriage ride, and other spine-tingling surprises.

Not to mention, your guide and host will be novelist Dacre Stoker, Bram Stoker’s great-grand nephew.

Finding “The One” by Chance, Keeping “The One” by Choice

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It’s an ongoing debate, in my own head anyway. Does ‘the one’ just exist or do we have to work at it?

Are some couples happier because they found the right partner, or do they work harder at being the right partners?

Or, my own pondering…are some people just totally inept at ever being truly happy with any single person?

Is ‘the one’ out there?

It seems a lot of us think of these questions. Married or single. Male or female. The issue doesn’t discriminate. It just nags at many of us.

If I could count people who comment or message me about my blog as research, I would say it’s the reason a lot of people contemplate or get divorced. The search for ‘the one.’ The belief that they married the wrong person and the right one is out there somewhere waiting for them. (Or, they think they found them already.)

And, for those of us who are single, we’re sitting around waiting for ‘the one’ to magically appear in our lives. Or, we’re actively pursuing looking for him or her. Or, we’ve decided that we are going to just be happy on our own and ‘the one’ will come along when we least expect it. Whatever it is, it’s all about ‘the one.’

Maybe, maybe not

One school of thought is, ‘yes, the one is out there.’ The quotes say something like, “You’ll never find the right one until you let go of the wrong one.” Or, how all the failed relationships were just leading to the perfect one. This might be true. Or, it might not.

It might be more about making it right. Sure, there are people who are better for each other. People who will have chemistry, share common interests, connect. And, others just don’t work at all. We all have that friend’s husband who we say “there is no way I could be married to him.” So, no, not anyone can be ‘the one.’ But, I’m not sure it can’t be the one you’re with. Or the one you were with.

Most of us start dating for some reason. Some initial attraction. Something that draws us to the other person. Many relationships end quickly, like the next morning when the wine has worn off and you wonder what the heck you were thinking. Or, a few weeks later when you realize he really doesn’t have a job, is living with his parents, and he’s 45.

Other relationships go on from there.  You enjoy each other’s company. Are physically attracted to one another. And/or think it’s a good thing. You start to share your lives with each other. Introduce the kids. And, start making plans together. You might even get married. You are a couple.

And that’s where the road divides. For a few lucky ones, it goes straight ahead. Onward and upward, to bigger and better things. There might be a few bumps along the way, but they continue on.

For too many others, the road goes off in another direction. Doubt sets in. Communication starts to fail. They forget what they ever saw in the person. And, maybe a new road pops up that looks like a better option. A straighter path to the destination.

The thing is, all roads have their problems. It’s whether you fix it or build a new one that is the question. So how do you know?

By Chance

This is where that combination of chance and choice comes in. Chance is meeting someone. Choice is making it work. We have all had chances to meet ‘the one’ but are we willing to choose that person over and over again.

There is something about meeting someone in your 20s that seems to be problematic. My argument, you have no idea who you are at that age. It’s that college/post-college time when you’re your most rebellious. It’s the time when you are trying to decide who you want to be. Trying to live up to your expectations of yourself. Finding someone who also lives up to those expectations.

So maybe who we choose during that time is not someone who will easily adjust to who we become when we’ve finally settled in to who we really are. Or, maybe we won’t adjust to them. Maybe that’s when we find a new ‘one.’ Someone who gets us the way we are now.

And, that makes sense. We all want to be loved for who we are. But, is it worth the sacrifices? All the years you invested? The kids? The possibility of being alone for the rest of your life?

And what if you weren’t in your 20s? What if you just met a year or two ago and things just got too complicated? It was too difficult to blend families. You got used to being on your own and didn’t want to give up your freedom. Or, perhaps, you got scared of getting hurt again.

Whatever the scenario, the reality is, you already found ‘the one’ but are now debating letting ‘the one’ go. Unless you choose not to.

By Choice

You can choose to stay with that one. Make things better. Go to counseling. Learn to communicate better. Work at it. But, I mean, really, really work at it.

This is where the choice truly makes a difference. How hard are you willing to work at it? And, perhaps just as importantly, how willing is the other person to work at it? It really does take two to make a relationship work.

When you work together, you can establish the communication, commitment and collaboration (the 3Cs of relationships, in my opinion) it takes to find what’s missing. What you lost. Or, learn what each other wants now. You can choose to rediscover ‘the one’ you’re with.

Are you ‘the one’ you’re looking for?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out. Sometimes both people aren’t willing to do the work. Which begs the question, of me anyway, are some people just never going to be happy with any single person? Oftentimes, it’s only one person who actually has a problem with the relationship. The other person is perfectly happy and sees no real need to work on anything. They understand you’re not happy, but nothing they do seems to make it any better. So why should it be different in any other relationship, with any other ‘one’?

Maybe the core of the problem is that ‘the one’ you’re not happy with is yourself. Maybe that’s the person you need to worry about first. Perhaps your significant other will understand this and give you all the time you need to figure that out. Perhaps he or she won’t and you’ll need to do it on your own. Whatever the case, ‘the one’ you’re looking for is you. Find you, and maybe then you will find ‘the one.’

Featured photo credit: MarkGroves.tv via markgroves.tv

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The 10 Coolest Gadgets of 2016

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So far 2016 has seen a variety of incredible gadgets.

From smartphones to projectors and headphones, we have had a lot of cool gadgets over the 9 months.

In this article, you will find a cheap PC circuit board, a high-flying drone, amazing smartphones and possibly the finest TV that we have ever laid our eyes on.

Below is a comprehensive list of the top 10 coolest gadgets of 2016:

  1. Amazon Kindle Oasis

In an era of ubiquitous tablets, smartphones and screens on almost everything, the dedicated e-readers seem to have plenty to choose from– unless you are a die-hard book junkie, where nothing but the best E Ink devices will do. In such cases, you will want the Amazon Kindle Oasis pronto.

Amazon has aimed for the top-end with this Kindle Oasis and it scores big with a fantastically sharp screen, an easy-to-use interface, amazingly lightweight build along with a leather cover depending on your preference. Even though it lacks adaptive lighting, the Amazon Kindle Oasis is perhaps the best e-reader that has ever been made.

  1. The Swegway

Mainly due to some high-profile celebrities using them, Swegways are one of the most sought after new gadgets around today. They look sleek and many models feature on-board Bluetooth speakers.

As such, you can pair the Swegway with your phone, and then listen to all your favorite music as you cruise along. If you are the type of person who likes walking around with your phone in the hand blasting music from its speaker, then you’ll certainly like this feature.

This Swegway is not just a gadget fad as it uses some advanced technology in detecting the slightest changes in pressure from the feet to move backwards, forwards, change direction as well as spinning 360 degrees. There have been some concerns about its safety, so be careful when purchasing.

  1. Oculus Rift

After years of giddy impressions and prototypes from trade show demonstrations, a modern age of the high-end virtual reality has officially started with the release of Oculus Rift.

The Oculus Rift certainly doesn’t disappoint on performance and it offers immersive VR experiences as well as an ultra-refined fit and build.

Availability of virtual reality headsets has always been an ongoing issue due to the shortage of parts and the ill-considered retail moves. However, that should not diminish both the quality and importance of the Oculus Rift and the upcoming release of Touch controllers should also give it a very big boost.

  1. Raspberry Pi 3

The Raspberry Pi 3 might seem in to be an odd company on a list that’s filled with expensive and highly covetable gadgets.

Nevertheless, this is truly one of the most useful tech devices in the market today. The Raspberry Pi 3 has made DIY computer projects to be approachable, accessible and affordable more than ever. Furthermore, the third-gen model is a huge upgrade from the previous models.

The Raspberry Pi 3 packs in more processing power as compared to the previous editions. In addition, it has the Wi-Fi connectivity standard. Raspberry Pi 3 is a perfect pick for any person who has a fun weekend project in mind or those who simply want to learn more about what’s inside their gadgets.

  1. DJI Phantom 4

DJI continues to rule the drone market, and although it costs a pretty penny, the Phantom 4 shows exactly why. It’s not a dramatic shift away from last year’s model, but the enhancements are numerous and meaningful and it’s still the easiest drone to pilot if you’re not a pro.

Key to that are improvements like obstacle detection and automatic flying modes, plus the ability to maintain focus on a person or thing while in flight. Add in steady and tremendously sharp 4K video shooting and the high price becomes (a bit) easier to swallow for enthusiasts.

  1. Sky Q

Given how appealing cord-cutting looks by today (thanks, Netflix), it is admittedly nice for us to see Sky fight back with a modern, big upgrade and try convincing us to stick with the dish. If you have the money for it, then Sky Q might just be worth it.

Sky Q brings a sleek and ultra-fluid new interface, which learns from all your viewing habits and then allows you to tap easily into multi-room viewing thanks to the add-on Mini boxes. Even though it is a pricey pickup between the installation costs and monthly fee, this is basically the best version of classic Television in the market. Furthermore, the upcoming addition of 4K is only expected to sweeten the pot.

  1. LG OLED55C6V 4K TV

While 4K revolution still remains in an early adopter mode, we are starting to see lower-priced hardware and enough content to believe that it is just about to hit the mainstream. However, if you are looking to spend a lot on a marvelous set, then look no further than the LG’s 55C6V.

This curved, 55-inch OLED display is certainly remarkable. Besides handling 4K footage (either by streaming or from connected 4K Blu-ray players) with grace, it also supports HDR standards for ultra-vibrant lighting as well as contrast. The asking price is obviously not cheap but this dazzling TV is set for the future.

  1. Apple iPhone SE

Did you feel left behind when Apple decided to shift to large handsets with the release of iPhone 6? Is a 4-ichn display your sweetest spot for a smartphone? If yes, then you are lucky because iPhone SE has made the small phone sexy once again, even if it’s essentially an upgraded iPhone 5s.

Within that familiar shell comes a huge speed boost, with iOS 9 and similar chips as the iPhone 6s with TouchID and a stellar battery life.

  1. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

If we are being practical, the standard Samsung Galaxy S7 is the smarter choice of the Samsung’s latest flagship duo, offering incredible perks and performance at the relatively lower price point. However, if we are giving in to our deepest urges, then we cannot help but pick the unrivaled look and beautiful curves of the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge resembles last year’s phone to a certain extent. However, the enhancements aren’t less; along with the performance boost, the smartphone itself is just a bit larger.

In addition, it adds waterproofing features and a microSD support. Beyond that, it is every bit the stunner that we saw with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, thus making it one of the coolest phones on the planet today.

  1. Apple iPad Pro 9.7

Say goodbye to iPad Air and welcome the smaller iPad Pro. Instead of refreshing the old line after a relatively longer-than-usual wait, Apple has opted to shrink down 2015’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro to a more travel-friendly 9.7-inch while keeping all the enhancements that came with the previous big model.

That means it still features support for the Apple’s Pencil with a Smart Connector that fits the Smart Keyboard. There are more peripherals ahead and the tablet sees a huge power boost with the TrueTone screen that impresses. You will pay a bit more as compared to the previous model but you will not find a better tablet today other than Apple iPad Pro 9.7.

Featured photo credit: Pixabay via pixabay.com

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How To Travel in October

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Travelling is a hobby for some and a leisure for others. It’s something that unwinds the mind from our everyday hustle and provides a cushion to our soul. We enjoy travelling and we often wish to go to places that haven’t been discovered and hop on planes to never be found again. We enjoy the soft touches of the foreign land, we bite into exotic food and normal cuisine; multiplies its taste in our taste buds. We enjoy meeting people and we enjoy being in the midst of amazing cultures. Sometimes we might just travel to the next county or district, however, that journey alone might put a smile on our faces as to what’s about to come to life.

A breath of fresh air they say, however, unlike summer, autumn can definitely be a challenge for anyone who’s looking forward to travel. There are several things one must take into consideration and I’ve managed the 4 most important detail one must pay attention to while traveling in October.

1. Choose The Right Gear

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Travelling in October requires preparation mentally and physically. You need to ensure that you’re equipped with the right gears according to your travel destination. In most parts of the world, October brings upon a turbulent weather people believe that it’s a symbol of a struggle before the grand festivities; in this case it would be Christmas.

If you’re travelling in a cold country, make sure to always have a thick coat, boots, and enough winter gears with you. You might not know what the weather might turn into. Always ensure to have an umbrella or a raincoat to protect yourself from the rain. If you’re planning for an adventure which involves camping, make sure that your camping equipment is meant for the cold weathers and prepare yourself a winter sleeping bag. A summer sleeping bag will not be able to sustain you throughout the cold.

On the contrary, if you’re headed to a warmer country make sure to find out the vaccines and medications needed for that particular country. Take on some loose clothes and summer gear that would allow you to enjoy the country. However, if you’re transitioning from a cold to a warmer country, be prepared for when you arrive again in your country by taking one set of clothes that helps manage the cold.

The right gear is important as it helps you cope as well as stay healthy during this season.

2. Determine Your Travel Destination

Travelling somewhere individually or in a group can be stressful, especially when choosing a particular destination. The destination would eventually set the tone for your whole trip. Are you planning for a relaxed trip or are you planning for an adventure? Are you planning for a warm travel or a cold cozy travel?

This can all be based on your personality and your mood.

No one knows yourself better than you, so whilst deciding a destination, find yourself asking the questions on where your body adapts well to the temperature. If you’re a person who enjoys the warmth of summer, then you can take a trip to the Bahamas where during October, the weather is a bliss for a great swim. However, if you enjoy the cold autumn weather, then head to the Scandinavian part of Europe. You would not only find the cold weather enticing, but you will catch the whole country feasting on their traditional delicacy which is particularly famous for being a winter cuisine.

3. Get Yourself to A Doctor Before The Trip

The biggest mistake people do during these travels is that they forget making a small visit to the doctor. Many may find this unnecessary, however, this helps to narrow down your physical condition. If you’re an asthmatic or you’ve got high blood pressure, the countries you’re headed too might impact your health; meeting your doctor allows you to have an open mind towards your risks.

If you’re travelling to countries where there’s a possibility to contract some form of disease or stomach flu, be sure to get a prescription from your doctor. This will help you avoid any unnecessary circumstances that might end up ruining your vacation. Some of the best advice is if you’re traveling in Asia, be sure to have a steel stomach. The depth of flavor and use of spices might be a surprise to your intestines if you aren’t used to it.

So always keep in mind to meet your doctor before going on your vacation.

4. Always Be Prepared with A Plan B

When planning a vacation, it’s definitely hard to think of a Plan B. You’re so fixated on the first plan and how you envision your vacation to be. You often picture how your vacation to be and what you’re entitled to. You picture the comforting weather, surrounded by new people and delicious food. However, sometimes you might need to have a Plan B to recuperate if your Plan A fails.

During October, the weather is definitely volatile and unpredictable. If you’re planning to travel to another country or continent be sure to check the weather and the flight schedules, this is because sometimes flights might have been delayed or canceled due to the terrible weather. On the other hand, if you’re driving make sure your car is in great shape, but also keep together an emergency plan in case of any accidents.

Keep with you a spare phone, torchlight, and an emergency set of numbers. This would help you in case something unthinkable happens.

If you’re planning to travel in Autumn then make sure to be prepared, than being sorry. You’ll be guaranteed to have one of the best travel experiences one could have.

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This Man Went From Being a North Korean Prisoner to Powerful Human Rights Activist

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What are the biggest issues that you face in your life?

For Shin Dong-hyuk, being born and raised in a North Korean political prison camp meant that torture, near-starvation, and back-breaking labor were ordinary parts of his everyday routine.

At an early age, Shin had watched as his mother and brother were publicly executed for their “wrong doings.”

After completing basic schooling, he was eventually assigned to work in a textile factory, where beatings commonly took place. But his assignment to this place turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as he met another prisoner that would forever change his life.

Mr. Park, a well-educated 40-year-old man that had visited the world outside North Korean, was placed to work alongside Shin.

As they worked  together, Mr. Park told Shin amazing stories of life beyond the camp. Shin, who was starved and lacked proper clothing, listened intently to the stories. Most of all, he pictured the luxurious food that people outside North Korea seemed to enjoy on a regular basis.

Fuelled by the images of food, Shin decided to plan an escape with Mr. Park. They watched and waited for the perfect opportunity. Shin managed to escape, while Mr. Park was unsuccessful

Through a series of lucky breaks and his ability to adapt, Shin traveled up to the North Korea-China border, where he crossed over by bribing hungry guards with bartered goods.

What Would You Risk to Change Your Life?

I recently read Shin’s biography in the bestselling Escape from Camp 14, in which Blaine Harden describes Shin’s life and journey from North Korea to China, then to South Korea and eventually the United States.

It’s a powerful story that is heartbreaking and courageous, telling the story of someone living in brutal conditions and then escaping successfully to later become a human rights advocate.

As I read the story, the concept of change stood out to me. What makes people want to risk everything they know, including their own lives, to go towards an unknown place? How could the person learn to adapt and survive in a new environment?

The interesting thing about facing hardships is that sometimes, we use up all the energy and resources we have to get out of a harmful situation. But there are other times where we are stuck somewhere we don’t want to be, yet we get used to it and eventually become averse to anything else.

Two Types of Stress With Opposite Effects

When we think of stress, we normally think of someone in crisis mode who’s trying frantically to deal with an issue. But stress can be more subtle than that.

The first type of stress we commonly think about is acute stress. It’s intense, sharp, and short-term.

We run into this type of stress frequently, from an upcoming project deadline we rush to finish to that dreaded feeling of boarding an airplane for a long flight. While it’s nerve-wracking, we also know that it’ll be over and done with soon if we can just deal with it for the time-being.

In small doses, acute stress can be exhilarating and even exciting, but too many doses can leave us exhausted and fatigued.

The other type of stress is chronic stress, which isn’t exhilarating at all. People who experience chronic stress are worn out by the day-to-day routine of being stuck in an unfulfilling career, a toxic environment, or any situation that seems hopeless.

If you’re not sure whether or not you’re stuck in a rut, you may want to check whether or not you show signs of it.

Chronic stress isn’t sharp and intense, but mild and dull instead. It can be much more harmful than acute stress because people get worn out and used to it. There isn’t much incentive to change because someone with chronic stress doesn’t know how to or has gotten too used to their situation.

If nothing is done about it, someone feeling chronic stress will eventually deplete their energy sources, leading to a mental breakdown.

While it can be difficult to get out of a state of chronic stress, it is entirely possible and within your grasp to do so.

Set Your Norm

The first step is to acknowledge that you’re feeling stressed. It’s too easy to deny that we’re in a bad situation, simply because we don’t want to or don’t know how to get out of it.

Sometimes it means experiencing something inspiring or even worrisome to motivate us to change our environment. For Shin, it was hearing stories of food that sparked his desire for more, as he once said: “I still think of freedom as roasted chicken.”

By exposing yourself to something different, you can start to change your norm. Maybe it means meeting someone new, going somewhere different, or experiencing something outside your regular routine.

There are times when these moments alone aren’t enough to create change, though. For example, you might feel inspired to start a business after talking to a successful entrepreneur, but inspiration isn’t enough to come up with the right business idea. In these cases, you also need a sense of urgency.

When Shin planned his escape route, he set a deadline to escape by the New Year. He knew that if he didn’t set a timeline to push himself to run away, he would never go about doing it and would spend the rest of his life in the prison camp.

Deadlines, coupled with a plan, turn chronic stress into acute stress, which can be useful for getting tasks done efficiently. Using the “Page Turner Technique” helps you to keep on working towards a goal without losing motivation.

At the same time, you also need to pick the right goals that are within your control.

For instance, it’s nice to say “I want to double business revenues by December”, but that isn’t within your control.

Using a more action-based goal, such as “I talk to three business owners to go learn about their growth strategies” is a better goal because it’s something concrete you can do. Once you start doing similar tasks over and over, you can turn it into a habit that’s part of your everyday life.

You Are Capable of Much, Much More

Shin could easily have gone day to day in his dreary life in the prison camp until he died of undernourishment or beatings by the age of 40. No one else had escaped the prison camp he was in before.

But Shin made the impossible possible. He kept running to freedom, then shared his story with journalists, who shared the story with the world. He’s joined human rights groups and has spoken out against violations of human rights ever since.

His story is a reminder to all of us is that there are many possibilities out there if we’re brave enough to take them.

Sometimes it just takes inspiration.

Featured photo credit: Wikipedia / Staff Sgt. Clayton Lenhardt via commons.wikimedia.org

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10 Signs That You Should be An Entrepreneur and Start Your Own Company

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Not everyone is cut out for the stress of a new venture. Successful entrepreneurs will tell you that their success came from blood, sweat and tears, and maybe even a little luck. No training or education can get you ready for driving the success of a new venture; so how do you know when you’re cut out for it? Here are 10 signs that you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

1. You Can Handle Risk

One reason people stick to a safe, consistent job is that they know money comes in every month with little worry. It could be that they can’t risk the possibility of failure due to family and financial commitments, or they just want the comfort of knowing that they always have a paycheck coming in.

Entrepreneurs are ready to take the risk. They see it as a challenge and maybe have a plan B should the venture fail. They could have a safety net but always have a plan to make it work. They also handle risk well and don’t let it deter them from their goals.

2. Confidence with Your Idea

It’s easier to accept risk when you have strong confidence in your idea. Confidence isn’t learned. You’re born with it, and it usually comes with an idea that you strongly believe provides a solution to a problem.

Entrepreneurs exude confidence both in their idea and their own abilities to launch the idea. They usually have a positive attitude towards new ventures, and look at the world with a “glass is half full” point of view. This confidence greatly improves their ability to deal with risk and problems that arise as they deal with problems during the unstable startup phase.

3. You Approach A Problem with A Solution

No matter how confident you are in your idea, you should expect hurdles and challenges that will test your patience. If you approach these hurdles with an attitude that you can find a solution, then you have the right entrepreneurial spirit to make it work.

Entrepreneurs approach problems differently than the rest of the world. They approach a problem with the question: What is a good solution to solve this problem? This is why coders and web designers make such great entrepreneurs. They can code and design answers to some of the world’s problems with their skills in technology.

4. You Have Ideas that Don’t Fit into A Regular 9-5 Job

Most corporations love employees with ideas, but sometimes they go unappreciated. Sometimes your ideas don’t fit with the status quo in your organization. It could be a great idea, but most regular 9-5 jobs have certain rules and standards. Long-term organizations rarely deviate from their common workflow. This puts a stop on any ideas you have to make a change in the way the organization operates.

You can take your idea and turn it into your own venture. If this is something you’ve considered, you could have the right entrepreneurial attitude to make a change for the better and move on from the corporate world.

5. Salesmanship is One of Your Strong Traits

As an entrepreneur, you’re likely the only one in your startup at the very beginning of the venture. Partnering with someone else is a luxury, but most entrepreneurs start off with just their own idea and salesmanship.

You need to have the right salesmanship to sell your idea to investors, customers, and anyone else who can help further your ideas such as a software development firm. If you don’t have the ability to sell your idea, your venture will struggle. You can even partner with someone who brings this trait to the venture, but this is usually at the cost of equity.

6. You’re Persistent

Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that they struggled at some point during the startup phase. Some challenges are too difficult for people to handle, and they fold after a few bumps in the road. It’s important to know your limitations, but entrepreneurs are often persistent to a fault. This persistence can sometimes be perceived as stubbornness, but in a good way.

Drive and dedication lead to persistence, and confidence helps drive your never-ending desire to make your ideas work rather than quit.

7. You’re Never Happy with The Status Quo

Some people have a desire to look at current standards and improve them. Entrepreneurs aren’t happy with the status quo. They want to make things better using their own ideas and inventions.

Entrepreneurs find ways to improve process and workflow in every part of their lives. This can be using technology or other industries. Usually, the entrepreneur is an expert in their field, but it’s not always the case. If you see ways that things can change for the better in everyday life and you have the desire to fix it, you have the right spirit.

8. Building Solutions is Your Hobby

Entrepreneurs like building things. These “things” are solutions to problems. They do it in their personal lives as well as their work life. They see it as a hobby, and sometimes a hobby can become your main source of income.

The “things” you build could be for any industry including technology, finance, entertainment or travel. If you have an idea, it could be time to turn it into your future.

9. You See Opportunity Everywhere

This point goes along with the “see the world as a glass that’s half full” scenario. Entrepreneurs are not only positive minded, but they also see opportunity everywhere. This is what turns them into strong business owners that build a startup from a one-man idea into a strong organization with several employees.

10. You’re Always Competitive

Entrepreneurs are usually competitive. They have to be to compete with bigger businesses. They use their confidence, persistence and ideas to generate a competitive venture. Most entrepreneurs have been competitive since childhood. This competitiveness gives them the motivation to soldier on through the tough times during the startup phase, even if similar, competitive startups to theirs already exist in the marketplace.

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4 Things Women Can Do to Empower Themselves

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Women worldwide, old and young, are being inspired to find ways to become empowered. Empowerment is essential in the successes of any society, as it has been proven to increase a variety of solutions to eradicate poverty. It gives women the willingness to learn new skills, think positive about themselves, and allows them to know they can do anything they put their mind to. There are many things that women, no matter the age, can do to take steps to empower themselves for the greater good of the world and their own lives.

1. Seize Learning Opportunities

Empowerment comes with education. Education is the single most important thing a woman can do to help herself grow mentally and emotionally. It is not only empowering in those areas, but also in the areas of skill development and self-confidence; it is a full process of development. Education gives women the knowledge they crave in seeking out their passion. It drives them to learn about the world around them, in addition to what specific niches in which they want to become experts.  This powerful tool carves a path of success through accomplishing any dreams, job opportunities, helping others, and building their own self-confidence, as well as their children’s self-confidence.

2. Adopt a Positive Mindset

Never underestimate the power of a positive mindset. The mind is a very powerful entity that controls everything within our inner being. Thinking positively through all situations gives women a sense of calm, a peace of mind, happiness, productivity and a full feeling of self-worth. There is nothing a woman cannot do with a positive mindset. Maintaining the daily habit of being aware of what and how the mind is thinking allows women to pick and choose their thoughts by being in control of their mental state. Thinking positively helps women confidently solve problems and face life’s daily challenges with a smile, knowing that everything will work out to their benefit and the benefit of others.

3. Be Confident and Believe

With education and maintaining a positive mindset comes an overwhelming degree of confidence. Self-confidence empowers women by giving them the enthusiasm and readiness to believe in themselves and never give up. Self-confident women view mistakes and failures as a chance to learn, grow, and keep trying to pursue their dreams. They know that despite any obstacles they can shift their gears and try another way to achieve success in all aspects of their lives.

4. Take Risks

Making the decision to reroute their lives by trying something different is what empowered women do. They seek change if they do not feel fulfilled in their personal lives or careers and figure out a way to make the change happen. They acknowledge that life should be lived in happiness, balance, and harmony. For many, the decision to take risks may seem daunting at first and may begin with hesitation, but in the end, the empowered woman takes the leap of faith and uses her tools of knowledge, confidence, and a positive mind to get her where she wants to be. Women that are empowered have a vision of what they desire their life to be like, and they make that vision a reality.

Along with all of these actions women can take to empower themselves, comes self-discipline. Making smart choices that pertain to the future, such as eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep, focusing on the many tasks at hand, adopting a consistent exercise routine, developing patience, and accepting responsibility for their own lives are all qualities that empowered women possess. Any woman can change herself in order to change the world. It can all start at this given moment with a little persistence and big dreams.

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14 Time Management Templates to Help You Get Organised

time-management

Time Management is the skill that unlocks all other skills. Plus, if you want to get ahead better, time management will help. If you want a better work or life balance, time management is the answer. If you want to feel less overwhelmed and more in control, managing your time better is the answer. At the heart of more effective time management is a time management system and supporting that is a set of lists. These time management templates can help you to create those lists.

If your best friend were to use your time management system, what would she/he say?

Reading this article you are likely to fall into one of 3 groups;

  • Those in Denial – ‘I am so busy there’s no way I’ve got time to improve my time management.’
  • Those in Ignorance – ‘My time management system has been working fine for 15 years.’
  • Those in Need – ‘If this can help I’ll give it a go because I’m sure I can make some improvements.’

Appealing to the ‘Those in Need’ group, these time management templates will help. They are simple, practical and you can use them straight away. If you had the time you would have created similar templates. It’s hard when you are in the trenches.

My passion is to help others and being an avid student and trainer of time management for 14 years I wanted to share some of what I had learnt. Learnt the hard way so you don’t need to.

How to Use Each of The 14 Time Management Templates

The templates are designed in order of how they need to be used. The first is the toughest, Key Result Areas (KRA) and then they get progressively easier. For example, the ‘Daily To Do List’, the ‘Projects List’ and the ‘Weekly Evaluation’.

1. Key Result Areas Time Management Template

Imagine the football team you support, or if you don’t have one, a team that a friend supports, or just one that you’ve heard of. Mine is Oxford United (Cue the gentle abuse!). Oxford United’s KPI (Key Performance Indicator) is likely to be to win the league. This a team target that everyone in the team aims to achieve. This target is not for an individual. Oxford United might win the league, but did every player ‘pull their weight’? This is where KRA’s are important. A Key Result Area (KRA) is an individual target. The idea is that if each person works towards achieving their KRA, the team should achieve their KPI. Coming back to our football team, the goalie’s KRA might be a ‘clean sheet’. The Striker’s KRA is to score one goal per game, and the Defender’s KRA is to win 80% of they tackles. What is your KRA?

Action: Complete your KRA’s using time management template #1 so that you now why you are on the payroll – KRA’s.

2. Daily To Do List Time Management Template

This time management template is the easiest to understand because it just requires a list of what you are going to do each day. The challenge is that many people write a continuous to do list and not a to do list for each day. Having a to do list each day focuses the mind. If you don’t have a to do list each day two things tend to happen. First, you’ll be stuck in your email inbox because that makes us think that we are working hard and therefore ‘busy’. Second, someone else will fill your day with tasks if you haven’t chosen the tasks yourself. These tasks might come in the form of emails, a bosses’ request, or actions that you receive in a meeting. ‘Have a plan each day or someone will have one for you’. A Daily To Do List is the foundation of every time management system. Use this template each day.

Action: Complete a list of what you will do tomorrow using time management template #2 so that you have your plan – The Daily To Do List.

3. Projects List Time Management Template

Very few people have a ‘living and breathing’ Projects List. Some have one, but it was written once and has not been updated since. A Projects List is a means of knowing what the big stuff is. Those things that will make the biggest positive impact on our KRA’s. It is the connection between the Daily To Do List and the reason that you are on the payroll, which is the Key Result Areas. By having a Projects List you have transparency of the big and important stuff. Research tells us that each person has between 50 and 70 projects on the go at any one time (Home and work). This template just asks for 14.

Action: Complete a list of projects that you are working on by using time management template #3 to keep track of the ‘big stuff’ – The Projects List.

4. Meeting Actions Time Management Template

Meetings are the necessary evil of any knowledge worker. We cannot get away from them. They seem to be where the hours are lost and nothing is achieved. One of the key reasons for this is that the actions are either not captured, or not captured well enough to make anything substantial happen. Of course meeting objectives, the right attendees, focus, etc., are all valid reasons too. This template starts with getting the actions captured. This is because by having clear actions captured, people will have no room to wriggle by saying, ‘I thought he was doing that’, ‘Or what did that action mean?’, or ‘I only got the actions yesterday. The meeting 2 weeks ago’.

Action: Complete time management template #4 so that you can increase the likelihood of actions being completed – Meeting Actions.

5. Waiting for List Time Management Template

You delegate to people. People above. People Below. People to the side. How do you keep track of who you have asked to do what by when? A Waiting For List helps you to keep track. This template provides a place to park what you have asked to be done so that you don’t keep hounding the person and so that they were clear when you wanted the task completed by. And so that, of course, you don’t forget. The key to a successful Waiting For List is to assess it. This might be every day whilst it is a new piece in your time management system. ‘Further down the road’ it might only be at the start and at the end of the week as you become comfortable using this template.

Action: Complete a Waiting For using time management template #5 so that you are in control of what you have delegated – Waiting For List.

6. Distraction List Time Management Template

One of the biggest challenges of time management, and especially in an open plan office, is starting a task and completing it. Learners on our time management training course tell us that this is the reason that they feel like they get nothing done. Part of the reason for this is that knowledge workers have to juggle so many balls. Partly it is because we procrastinate because we don’t ‘like a task’. Mainly it is because they do not having a structured way of deal with wandering thoughts. A ‘Distraction List’ is a simple template that you would keep on your desk. Then, as you focus on one task and then thoughts come into your mind you write them down, get them out of your head, enabling you to get back to the task in hand. Over 50% time is added to a task by not starting and completing it in one go. Print and keep this template on your desk or keep it open on your screen.

Action: Complete Distraction List time management template #6 so that you can stay focused on completing one task from start to finish – Distraction List.

7. Weekly Goals Time Management Template

Imagine a sales team with no sales target, or Oxford United’s football team going out to play each Saturday ‘just for a kick about’. It’s the same with time management. You probably have targets (KPI’s and KRA’s) for the year or the quarter. These templates challenge you to have goals for the week. At the start of the week this templates asks, ‘If you were to look back at this week, what would you be pleased to have achieved?’. By writing down our goals for the week it helps us to focus on what is important as we get ‘stuck in the trenches’ of emails, phone calls, and meetings. Ideally the weekly goals would make a positive impact on the priority projects, which in turn make an impact on your KRA’s, which make an impact on the KPI’s. If this happens you have a steel chain of links running right through your time management keeping it connected and strong.

Action: Complete your Weekly Goals for this week so that you have identified what you want to achieve using time management template #7 – Weekly Goals.

8. Weekly Evaluation Time Management Template

At the start of the week you have completed the ‘Weekly Goals’ template with the 7 things that you want to achieve that week. At the end of the week it makes sense to see how you did. The Weekly Evaluation template asks whether you achieved those weekly goals with a simple tool called, ‘PMI’ – Positive, Minus, and Interesting. At the end of the week you write 3 things that were positive about the week, 3 things that were minus, or not so good about the week, and 3 things that were interesting about the week. For example, ‘P: Great meeting with new client ABC’, ‘M: Only achieved 4 out of 7 goals’, and ‘I: Two of my team off sick’. The last box asks you to then take one time management action having evaluated your week, e.g. ‘I will schedule into my diary 1 hour per week for the XYZ project.’

Action: Complete the Weekly Evaluation so that you know if you achieved your Weekly Goals using time management template #8 – Weekly Evaluation.

9. Monthly Goals Time Management Template

Similar to ‘Weekly Goals’. This template prompts you to write the big things that you want to achieve that month.

10. Monthly Evaluation Time Management Template

The ‘Monthly Evaluation’ time management template asks you to evaluate the goals that you wrote on the ‘Monthly Goals’ template.

11. Annual Goals Time Management Template

The ‘Annual Goals’ template completes the series of Goals; Weekly, Monthly, and then Annual. The challenge with setting annual goals is to make them big enough to warrant being an annual goal, yet not too big that they might be ‘life goals’. Life goals are not discussed within these templates.

12. Annual Evaluation Time Management Template

Completed in January, the ‘Annual Evaluation’ is about looking back at the year gone. Identifying what worked, what didn’t work, and the lesson learnt for writing the next year’s annual goals.

13. Some Day Maybe List Time Management Template

This template is essential to achieve one of the key mindsets of an effective time manager. The mindset is summed up best by the phrase, ‘The most successful people are the ones with the empties heads’. The Daily To Do List and the Projects List are great templates for managing our immediate and big tasks. The Some Day May Be List is a place to put all those things that you want to do, but they’re just not urgent or important now. Some examples might be, ‘Filing all the home documents’, ‘Get a pension’, ‘Write a succession plan for the company’.

Action: Complete the Some Day Maybe List so that you have a place to put ‘everything else’ using time management template #13 – Some Day Maybe List.

14. Project Time Management Template

The average knowledge worker manages projects and if they are honest with themselves their experience of managing projects is just what they have self-taught. They may have heard of big IT projects managed with Gantt charts or qualifications like Prince2. Yet, they yearn for something simple that gives them control without being too cumbersome to use. This one page template helps you to manage your important projects better by preparing better and avoiding the main reasons why projects fail.

Action: Complete the Project Time Management Template #14 to prepare better for important projects and to keep them on track – Project Template.

Download and Use These Time Management Templates

Download these 14 Time Management Templates to use with a pen and paper.

Download these 14 Time Management Templates to complete on-screen.

Begin by incorporating one of these templates into your time management system. Then another a week later, until you are using the template habitually. It takes 21 times to form a habit. You can now get more organised. Good luck!

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