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Monday, January 23, 2017
5 Crazy Future Tech Trends to Start Preparing for Now
With every passing day, we’re reminded that the future is here. Yeah, that’s sort of a redundant thing to say. What I really mean is that new innovations and disruptions are popping up every day, and they’re materializing at a rate never seen before.
I mean, think about the fact that the modern computer, which was created in either 1942 or 1946, depending on who you ask, used to cost a fortune and fill up an entire room.[1] It was almost 50 years before that computer would be reduced to the size of an affordable desktop in 1995. 20 years after that, it’s been engineered to fit in your pocket and is hundreds of times more powerful than that room-sized computer it was derived from.[2] Technological innovation is happening faster than it ever has before, and it’s only speeding up.
Right now, we have the unique opportunity of looking at new technology and seeing it both as the public saw the “computer” in 1946, and as the modern person sees the computer now. We can look at these technologies and predict just how much they will change society. Without further ado, here are five crazy future tech trends to start preparing for now!
1. Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual reality is already here. Samsung has been leading the charge with consumer VR with the Samsung Gear VR for the Galaxy S6 and S7 lines supporting virtual reality applications already. These apps include games like Minecraft, as well as entertainment applications like VR concerts from Live Nation.[3] It’s great to see these things finally hitting the scene after years and years of hearing talk about them, and you can even trace their roots all the way back to the Nintendo Power Glove.[4] The application for VR is limitless it seems and, as more realistic virtual environments come into play, we can expect to see it more in training scenarios and education as well.
Augmented reality, on the other hand, has not quite reached peak popularity yet. Sure, Snapchat filters that change your face into a dog counts, sort of, and Pokemon Go! showed promise. But while Google Glass showed us what the world could look like with a virtual overlay, it brought short-lived hype along with it. The world wasn’t ready for universal AR glasses and has stuck with purpose-specific AR headsets for now.[5] Fortunately though, the hype is still alive with Apple announcing AR-offerings that should materialize by 2018[6], and other manufacturers lining up to do the same.[7]
2. Transhumanism
The worst part about VR and AR are those clunky headsets that you have to wear, if you ask me… but what if I told you that in the future you won’t have to wear those headsets to see VR/AR? What if I took it a step further and told you that you’ll be able to make phone calls just by tapping your ear and listening to signals vibrating through your jaw bone?[8] What about sending emails with your mind?[9]
- Neil Harbisson, world’s first legally recognized cyborg, can hear colors
Transhumanism, like VR and AR, is still in its infancy, and some are taking it way further than others.[10] The most simple way to describe transhumanism is by saying it advocates the creation of cyborgs, or technological implants in organic bodies. Some people call this “biohacking”. This idea goes a long way back, but people like Rich Lee and Neil Harbisson have made it a reality by becoming some of the world’s first cyborgs. As computers get smaller and smaller, it’s not absurd to think that we may dump nanocomputers into our bloodstream, or implant small microchips subdermally.
3. CRISPR Gene Editing
For those unfamiliar with CRISPR and have about 15 minutes to spare, check out this informative video by Kurzgesagt.
For those that don’t have 15 minutes, here’s the cut and dry version: a new technique in gene-editing called CRISPR has allowed us to perform very precise gene-editing and has also made it much, much cheaper than it used to be. The first human testing occurred at the end of 2016 in China[11] to combat aggressive lung cancer in clinical trials, and CRISPR also shows promise in fighting bladder, prostate, renal-cell, and mesothelioma cancers.
The hope is that eventually we’ll be able to fight back against any negative genetic predisposition, as well as to even modify ourselves in ways that may not be natural. This includes physical traits, and even extending our lives. Of course, there are plenty of consequences that pop up when we think about tampering with genetics–scenes from Jurassic Park immediately come to mind–but many are not as obvious as you’d think. The creation of designer babies, for example, presents interesting ethical quandaries[12], including whether or not those who opt out of genetic “optimization” would be discriminated against. It’s an interesting thought and one that is definitely worth exploring more before we embark further down the genetically modified path.
4. Artificial Intelligence
Smart homes. Smart cars. Smart…everything! Nowadays, it seems like it’s impossible to get away from the “smart” trend, and for good reason: everything is connected to the Internet, recording and sharing data, automating itself based on that data, and doing things that we previously reserved for science fiction. With Google’s foray into Nest, Amazon’s with Alexa, and others with their integrative “personal assistant” type devices, our homes gained ears.[13] Now they’re gaining eyes[14], and soon will be driving our cars too![15]
The news that self-driving truck startup Otto completed its first delivery at the end of last year[16] without any snags means that the self-driving industry is ready to blow up, especially because of what Otto’s ready-to-install systems can do for other trucking companies’ KPI.[17] Now, this isn’t technically “true” A.I., but could be considered “expert systems” confined to our homes and our cars. Nevertheless, Ray Kurzweil, who has generally been pretty “on” with his predictions, thinks “true” A.I. will be invented by around 2045.[18]
When true A.I. is invented–or, I should say if, and that’s a big if, because some people claim it cannot be done–we will have reach what some people have dubbed, “The Singularity”. Nobody knows what will happen if a super-intelligent computer becomes self-aware. Will we have a Skynet/Terminator situation on our hands? Or will our robot overlords be benevolent in nature and help us reach our full potential? There’s plenty of debate out there–but one thing is for sure: after the singularity, nothing will be the same.
5. Space: The Final Frontier
The awesome thing about these future tech trends is that they work very synergistically, meaning that A.I. and automation, genetic-editing, and techno-implants could all work in unison to help us achieve even bigger undertakings. As we’re already pretty intent on setting foot on Mars by the mid-2030’s, you can’t help but think that pretty futuristic tech is going to have to get us there. Perhaps nanobots that protect the body from harmful cosmic radiation, or even genetic-editing that would allow people to live in the thin Martian climate. Even local space adventuring, like Zero G orbital manufacturing, is well-within our grasp.[19]
- Previously science fiction; soon-to-be science fact
Of course, these are all just predictions, even if they are well-informed. What’s important is that we guide these predictions and control our technology instead of letting that technology control us. When it comes right down to it, the future is in our hands.
Reference
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Top 5 most secured ways to share your files and data
Data sharing is a very important tool in our everyday lives. Most of the time, it’s very easy to pair your phone with an acquaintance’s in order to just send and receive a few documents, files and data, whether for work, school or any other purpose.
However, one main issue that often gets neglected when sharing files is the safety of the transfer medium. These days, there are many media for transferring files. However, not all of them are safe and can guarantee the protection of your files from intruders, spies or thieves.
Even cloud sharing could be a risk. Cloud-based file storage and sharing services are advantageous to all types of businesses as they provide easy, economical and convenient access to information anytime and from anywhere. However, if any of your employees uses their personal accounts and free services that are designed for consumer use, they could be putting your business at a huge risk of a security breach.
The safety of shared files and sensitive data has become a major technological question these days, especially since the hacking of several seemingly impregnable storage services has let out a lot of information that is valuable to millions of people around the world. We have bridged that gap and come up with a list of safe media for file transfer. Our list is compressed to just 5, although there are many more in the market today.
Dropbox
Dropbox, although mainly used as a storage medium, is also quite awesome in sharing files and data. To protect a file or data that is being sent, Dropbox makes use of SSL/TLS for its file transfers. It creates a secure tunnel that is protected by 128-bit or higher AES encryption security. Dropbox file data is stored in file blocks that are fragmented, almost unrecognizable and highly encrypted using 256-bit AES encryption.
Apart from this, a Dropbox user can’t directly view another user’s files unless he is provided with a link to share or view folders. It’s quite secure, although human users also have to be vigilant in protecting their data.
Google Drive
Yes, Google Drive is a form of cloud storage service and we have stated earlier that cloud storage might not be as secure as we think it is. However, Google Drive is one of the few exceptions to our assertion. Google Drive enhances flexibility, reduces overhead costs and promotes collaboration.
To secure files, it also makes use of high levels of encryption. This means that as soon as a file is backed up to Google Drive, its security can be guaranteed. If you want to share a file from Google Drive, its security while in transit is still 100% guaranteed. No intruder will be able to scan your files and you’ll be in full control of what you want to do with it.
Barcode Media
Barcodes are specific images with specific codes embedded in them. A barcode is specific to a device and no two devices have the same barcode. Recently, there have been great strides in transfer using barcodes and barcode scanners.
However, not all file transfer media that make use of barcodes are secure. For a secure option, we’ll recommend Waspbarcode. This service, although primarily a tracking and monitoring device, ensures the security of files that are sent via its medium, also making use of top notch encryption.
SHAREit
SHAREit is a file transferring app that was developed by Lenovo to enhance the speedy dissemination of files from Windows and Android-operated devices over a network. Although its potency has been questioned over the years, SHAREit recently launched a new version which included hard coded passwords. SHAREit has a secure mode, where it asks users to provide their passwords before they can successfully share files to others. Secure mode also makes use of 256-bit AES encryption in securing file transfers.
NFC
Near Field Communication is a service, like Bluetooth and Infrared, that allows for free and safe file sharing, although it started as a means of making payments. Its breakthrough came when Apple decided to make use of it on their devices to make payments.
To secure the files that are sent through its service, NFC makes use of special processors and a high-end encryption process. Its security is very stable, although it is advised that when you’re not making use of it, you should turn it off as an idle NFC device could serve as a host for intruders to tap into the files of others whose NFC services aren’t so secure.
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How To Get Out Of Your Own Way So Your Brain Can Recover From A Concussion: 12 Tips to Maximize Healing
It happens so fast; One minute, you’re a competent, active person expertly juggling the demands of work and home life while squeezing in time for favorite activities and friends.Then life socks you in the head—literally. Maybe you got your concussion, or MTBI (mild traumatic brain injury) from a sport; Maybe from a car accident; Or you slipped on the ice or tripped over your child’s toy truck. There are a million ways to hit your head, and while some lucky folks heal quickly, for many others, the road to recovery is long.The symptoms are brutal–dizziness, nausea, extreme fatigue, headaches, noise and light sensitivity, lapses in cognitive function, anxiety to the point of paranoia, insomnia, and depression, among others. It feels as though your brain has suddenly walked off the job of thinking, sensory processing, and emotional regulation. Just helping your body with its basic functions is what your brain can handle right now–nothing more.
Unfortunately, as you may already have figured out, current treatment for concussion amounts to waiting it out while your brain heals itself–which it will do. New research in neuroplasticity has shown that adult brains are capable of regeneration, essentially building new neural pathways after injury or age-related damage. (Check out Norman Doidge’s excellent The Brain’s Way of Healing for more on the emerging good news on neuroplasticity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c5aTlq3nYI)
Getting out of your brain’s way and not worrying about its ability to get better is the true challenge of the concussion survivor. Not providing it with the conditions it needs to heal can stall or even reverse the healing trajectory.Here are some of the empowering things I did for myself during my own concussion recovery. Please note that they are intended not as a substitute for medical advice, but as a complement to it:
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Cocoon Yourself
Sensory overload via light and noise sensitivity is one of the hallmarks of the post-concussion period. Invest in a pair of dark glasses that block bright light from the front and sides, along with a pair of earplugs to tone down the noise. Doing this will allow you to engage with the world at a level your brain will be comfortable with, instead of not going out at all, an isolating move that can bring on depression. Don’t be afraid to look weird: I once attended a loud and brightly-lit YukYuk’s comedy show with dark glasses and earplugs—that dose of laughter was therapeutic and worth the modification.
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Find a Health Care Provider Who Will Make an ImPACT
Many sports medicine doctors are now using a computerized brain function test called ImPACT which allows them to pinpoint the area of your brain affected by concussion. This will allow them to determine the best course of treatment for you; some of these health care professionals work in tandem with physiotherapists and OT’s with specialization in post-concussion treatments like vestibular rehabilitation. My own ImPACT test was not covered by my health plan, but at $100, I considered it well worth the cost and the connection with a concussion clinic where I received excellent personalized care and support in the nine months following my injury.
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Nurture Yourself
Do something relaxing and/or nurturing for yourself every day. These don’t have to cost money. Some suggestions: I wrote down and taped positive words around my house that reflected the qualities I wanted in my life: “healing,” “perspective,” “rest,” and “calm.” If massage isn’t covered by your health plan, try to find a massage training program; the one in my city offered $20 student sessions. Or ask a loved one to rub your back or feet.
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Reach Out to Sources of Help
Many friends and family members are concerned about you, but may not know what to do to help. Figuring out what we can manage and knowing when we are becoming overwhelmed is one of the valuable lessons of a concussion. If cooking and housework are taxing you right now, ask your friends for help, perhaps via a free online scheduling tool like Take Them A Meal (http://ift.tt/1jayr0j) to make sure you’re getting fed. Child care and grocery shopping can also be triggers for the noise and light sensitive: set up a schedule of respite care for yourself and dedicate more quiet healing time to your hurting brain.
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Keep Track Of Symptoms Using A Spreadsheet
A simple, cost-free move that allows you to be your own health coach, a daily five-minute routine of tallying up the number and type of symptoms you experienced that day will illustrate the trajectory of your healing, plotting it on a graph. If you’re not familiar with programs like Microsoft Excel, now’s the time to ask a tech-savvy friend or neighbour to set you up, or opt for an app like Symple that converts your phone into a health tracking device. However you choose to keep track of symptoms, it’s a good idea to note the sources of stress in your life that can precipitate bad moments— keep a journal of experiences in tandem with the symptom chart, giving a complete picture of your recovery. As you pursue your charting, you will notice that while the symptom trend is usually downward (yay!), there will be days and weeks when symptoms increase before declining again. Keeping an eye on the big picture is an affirming practice on days when you feel you’ve slipped backward.
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Find Your Groove Again With NIA
NIA (short for neuromuscular integrative action) is a magical hybrid of dance, contemplation, and martial arts. Borrowing from a broad cross-section of disciplines, from yoga to Aikido to Latin dance, NIA nourishes the body and mind with gentle, restorative movement at all stages of the life cycle. Recently, NIA has used as a therapeutic modality for Parkinson’s patients, who exhibit many of the same symptoms as concussion sufferers. (see http://ift.tt/2jLjYhy) The aerobic component of NIA—the part that gets you to break a sweat—also helps curb anxiety and depression.
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Ban the Screen
This is a tough one for inhabitants of a wired world, but dramatically reducing or eliminating all screen time during the acute phase of recovery is essential to recovery. In my own case, scrolling through emails brought on nausea and dizziness so severe I had to stop and lie down after 20 minutes, while watching TV shows and movies that featured quick action sequences, or any kind of violence was emotionally overwhelming. In the weeks and months following your injury, you can gradually reintroduce screen time, setting a limit of 15 or 20 minutes per day (use the timer function on your phone to keep yourself honest). Binging on the screen can set back your recovery. Tell friends that you’re not going to be messaging for a while; use your phone for real chatting rather than the virtual kind.
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Listen–Don’t Read
The same text that gave you headaches on a screen may be doing the same thing to you on the printed page. Book lovers need not despair, though. Ask for audiobooks at your local library—I found the kind folks at the information desk were more than happy to make suggestions when I asked for something light and funny that would distract me from aggravating symptoms. If you’re not and about yet, try YouTube for your favorite books read aloud. Or put out a call on Facebook for your friends’ favorite podcasts. Let someone else do the reading for you—you’ll still be getting your word fix, just in a different format, for now.
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Lie Down
Listen to your body when it asks for rest; it’s responding to the brain’s cues for what it needs. Be aware that it may do this many times a day. Even 10-15 minutes of lying down will help the feelings of extreme fatigue that come along with concussion recovery.
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Live in the Moment
Leaves waving on the tree outside your window and the birds that visit; the sound of your child laughing; the smell of soup warming on the stove. Those with a meditation practice will be good at this. The power of living in the moment can be healing.
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Steal Your Kid’s Wii
The Wii balance board accessory can be used as a therapy tool for those with vestibular issues. Playing some of Wii’s balance games as part of my treatment was a heck of a lot more fun than just walking a taped-on straight line week after week at the clinic. Focusing on the game actually can help your brain strengthen its vestibular function. You’ll likely feel tired afterward so be sure to allow time for rest.
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Stop Giving a F**k about Everything
High-powered individuals, those multitasking wizards who are used to doing lots are often the ones with the longest recovery times, according to the wise physio who ran the concussion clinic I attended. We are the ones who seem unable to go easy on ourselves, even when we’re sick, and push ourselves to keep going. We’ve done this our whole lives, so it feels natural and part of who we are. Unfortunately, this pushing slows down our healing. Remember that concussion is unlike all other injuries; a hurt brain is not a head cold we’re going to work through in a few days. In this regard, Type A’s have something to learn from couch potatoes. We need to care less, allow more to slide by, and delegate more to others. My own concussion taught me that we deceive ourselves in thinking that our world won’t function without us. Learning to not give a f**k as part of one’s medical treatment can be amazingly liberating! For suggestions on how to get started, get someone to read you selections from Mark Manson’s excellent The Subtle Art of not Giving a F*ck. You’ll be glad you did.
Having a concussion can be a life-changing experience. The good news? Many of the changes you make to accommodate your brain in its recovery are also great life tools that once mastered, will improve your post-recovery in the long run. Giving yourself permission to heal may be the most powerful tool of all.
Bio: Elizabeth Peirce writes books about how busy people can grow, prepare and preserve their own food. Exhausted parents get extra empathy at her blog, C.O.O.K. (http://ift.tt/2jWagLP) along with recipes, how-to’s, and book links.
Featured photo credit: Eflon via imcreator.com
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5 Ways to Keep Your Skin Youthful and Glowing in Winters
A drop-in humidity and temperature levels in winter season leaves your skin feeling rough, dry and itchy. And for those who are prone to psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, or other skin diseases, the condition becomes worse than just a general dryness. Moreover, the problem does not improve even if you heat your home using wood or electricity.
Therefore, taking extra care of the skin is the best option to keep it fresh and moisturized. Luckily, there are several ways to get clear, youthful, healthy and glowing skin even during the harsh winter days:
1. Bathe in Lukewarm Water
When you have a dry skin, it seems like a good idea to wash it with water. However, excessive washing, especially with hot water, makes dry skin worse. It removes the protective oils from the skin, make it vulnerable to drying. Therefore, instead of using hot water, you should use warm water while bathing.
2. Avoid Using Soaps
If you use too much soap, your skin will likely pay the price. Only apply soap in body areas such as in your underarms, on your legs and feet, and in your groin area. Opt for mild, moisture-rich, and fragrance-free soaps, especially in winter, as this may aggravate dry skin. Don’t rub your wet skin with a towel, but gently pat it to avoid over drying.
3. Go for Water-Rich Foods and Juices
You can also improve your water intake by having fruits and vegetables that are already high in water content. Fruits such as grapes, berries, papaya, watermelon, peaches and apples contain 80 to 90 percent water. Among the vegetables, you can pick onions, peas, tomatoes, broccoli and carrots. Apart from fulfilling the water needs of your body, these fruits and vegetables also provide the essential vitamins and minerals to your body. Also, it is advised to limit your intake of certain foods that may harm your skin and cause skin problems like wrinkles, allergies, pimples, acne and many more.
4. Apply Moisturizer to Keep Hydrated
Moisturizing after washing skin can help trap moisture on the skin and prevent dry skin. It is advised to apply a moisturizer several times a day and mainly after having a bath.
There are four basic types of skin moisturizers: Cream moisturizers, ointment moisturizers, lotion moisturizers and oil moisturizers.
Non-comedogenic or oil-free moisturizers are best for those who have oily or acne prone skin. Go for gentle, creamy moisturizer if you have sensitive skin. For dry skin, ointment moisturizer is an apt option. However, ointment moisturizers sometimes feel greasy. If you are looking for something less greasy, you can select lotion moisturizers.
To treat your cracked lips in the winter, choose lip balms with special moisturizing agents. You can also apply honey on your lips before going to bed. It is one of the best natural ways to keep your lips moisturized for a longer time.
5. Drink More Water
The most common problem that occurs in winter is dehydration because we do not feel thirsty in this season and therefore the amount of fluid in our body decreases. Consequently, our skin becomes dehydrated and under-nourished. It is recommended to drink at least 2-3 litres water a day beginning with two glasses of water when you wake up and a glass of water every two hours after that.
If you find it difficult to drink plain water, you can go for its alternatives. Try lemon water, coconut water or non-caffeinated teas. If that doesn’t work, try flavouring your water with vegetables or fruits. You can add strawberry, cucumber, mint leaves or orange to flavour your the water.
If your skin is still rough and dry, consider asking your dermatologist about it. Your doctor can help you understand why your skin is dehydrated and give you the required treatment to keep it healthy.
Featured photo credit: langil/pixabay.com via pixabay.com
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Hiatal Hernia: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
When an internal body part pushes itself into an area where it does not belong, this medical condition is known as a hernia. Furthermore, a hiatal hernia is a medical condition in which a small tissue of stomach sticks out through the opening in the diaphragm into the chest cavity. The hiatus is a diaphragm opening which separates the abdomen from the chest cavity.There are two different types of Hiatal hernias: a para esophageal hernia and a sliding hernia. In most cases, a hiatal hernia does not cause any pain or other problems. Furthermore, you may never know that you have this medical ailment unless your doctor discovers during a check-up. But if you have the large hiatal hernia, it can allow stomach acid and food to back up into your esophagus which leads to heartburn. In this post, I will take you through every aspect of a hiatal hernia and answer common questions of patients.
What are the causes of Hiatal Hernia?
In most of the cases, the real cause if a hiatal hernia is not known. There can be the plethora of causes if this ailment. It is possible that a person may be born with a larger Hiatal opening. In addition, increased pressure in the abdomen such as from obesity, pregnancy, coughing, or straining during bowel movements may also cause this ailment.
What are the symptoms of a hiatal hernia?
Many people having hiatal hernia never have any symptoms. Some people have same symptoms as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) which occurs when different digestive juices move from the stomach back into the esophagus. Symptoms of GERD include:
- Heartburn
- Bitter or sour taste in the back of the throat
- Bloating and belching
- Discomfort or pain in the stomach or esophagus
Although there appears to be a link between GERD and hiatal hernia, one condition doesn’t seem to cause the other. There are many people who have GERD without having a hiatal hernia and others a hiatal hernia without GERD.
Another symptom of a hiatal hernia is chest pain and in some cases stomach pain. Since chest pain can also be a symptom of many other diseases like heart attack and stomach gas, it is important to contact your doctor if you experience chest pain.
Who Is at High Risk for Hiatal Hernia?
This medical ailment occurs more often in women as well as people older than 50 and people who are overweight.
How is a Hiatal Hernia Diagnosed?
A hiatal hernia can be diagnosed with a specialized X-ray (using a barium swallow) that allows a doctor to see the esophagus or with endoscopy.
What is the Treatment of Hiatal Hernia?
Most people don’t experience any symptoms of a hiatal hernia so no treatment is necessary in the case of a small hiatal hernia. However, it can sometimes cause your stomach to be strangled. If you are experiencing this issue, your doctor may recommend you a small surgery to cure it completely. Other symptoms include stomach and chest pain–which should be evaluated properly.
When is Hiatal Hernia Surgery Necessary?
There are various effective treatments for a hiatal hernia available that can cure it without any surgery. In case the hiatal hernia becomes severe and is in danger of becoming strangulated or constricted (so that the blood supply is cut off), then a small surgery may be required to reduce the size of a hernia. This means putting it back where it belongs.
How Can Hiatal Hernia be Prevented?
Lifestyle and dietary adjustments help to control a hiatal hernia. Remember the following points for effective prevention from this ailment:
- Avoid reclining after meals.
- Avoid acidic foods, spicy foods, alcohol, and tobacco.
- Eating small frequent meals so as to keep the pressure on esophageal sphincter.
- Eat a high-fiber diet.
- Elevating the head of the bed a few inches can improve both the quantity & quality of sleep.
Wrapping it All Up
A hiatal hernia is not a perilous ailment, but in absence of proper care and medication, it can become severe. A healthy lifestyle and proper exercise can help you stay away from this ailment.
Featured photo credit: Stomach Pain via digestionresource.com
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Four Things You Can Fix Without Calling A Repairman
Part of life is that things deteriorate and eventually break. This is true for just about anything (although my Toyotas sometime make me believe this may not be true).
Because most people’s homes have a large number of appliances and systems working together to make everything run smoothly, it may often feel like there is always something new breaking in your home. That is probably true. This can get incredibly expensive if a repairman or specialist is required every single time something goes wrong. You will have to pay for the time they drive to your house, parts, labor, and likely a few other expenses. It can be extremely frustrating when they fix the problem in ten seconds, yet leave you with a bill in the neighborhood of $100. Here are four things that, should they break in your home, you can probably handle yourself.
Toilet
Sure, a toilet might sound like the most complicated thing on planet Earth, but once you take off the top and see how it works you come to realize that toilets are a great, but simple invention. Most of the parts that keep a toilet operating are standardized and cost just a few bucks to replace. A common issue is leaking toilets, and they are one of the easiest to repair. There is something called a flapper which essentially stops water from going into the toilet after a certain point. If the flapper is old and deteriorated then it will have issues.
A flapper costs about $2 to purchase at Home Depot and takes about thirty seconds to install. A plumber may charge you upwards of $60 for that same repair. A flapper is just one example. There are a few things that can go wrong with a toilet, but most of them can be solved by watching a simple YouTube video.
Garbage disposal
Garbage disposals may sound big and scary, but they are frequently quite easy to repair. All they are is a motor that spins- fairly simple. There are a few issues that can arise with them, but oftentimes it is just a simple button that needs to be pushed, or some gunk that needs to be cleaned out by hand. You can watch a quick guide for garbage disposal repair here.
Hot water heater
Hot water heaters can be dangerous and should be treated as such. However, they also have a common issue that many people are unaware of. They have a pilot light that is a continual flame for the water heater to draw off of. If the pilot light goes out, the water heater will not work. Sure, you could call a specialist, but you could also light the pilot light yourself with a lighter. Some pilot lights today will even light with a simple turn of a knob. Here is a pretty good video of this.
Electricity out
Electricity can be extremely daunting to deal with. Fortunately there is a common issue that most houses go through at least a few times. Their breakers flip. If a breaker flips, it is usually due to a circuit (group of outlets) having too many items plugged in. The electricity will go out in part of your house leaving you thinking you may have to rewire your house. Oftentimes you can open a box in your house and simply flip the breaker back on. You will want to be careful to unplug a few things before doing so to make sure it doesn’t flip right back off, but it is often that easy. Don’t pay an electrician to come push one button in your home.
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Are You A Boss Or A Leader? And One Is Definitely Better Than The Other
You’ve nursed your dream along slowly, patiently with equal parts of blood, sweat and tears. And now it’s starting to blossom and grow. People are noticing you, your business is growing. You’ve gone from a one-man show to hiring employees. Congratulations. Take a moment and smile and thank everyone for their support and commitment. But only a moment. Then it’s back to work.
Now you have a decision to make: Are you going to be a boss or a leader?
And I hear you saying,“What is the difference?”
The difference is, in a word, huge.
A leader is in the middle of it all
The difference can be summed up in a meme that is popping up all over the place these days: A boss tells you what to do, and a leader is out there with the people leading the way. To be sure, there are times when a leader has to do some telling, or be a boss, but a leader never makes that his/her main way of directing or leading.
The boss stands apart from people not with them. Sometimes it is necessary to stand apart for a few moments to take a breather (momentary) and look at the big picture. But after the breather, the leader jumps back in and is back in their shoulder to shoulder, and elbow to elbow with everyone else.
One time, Sam Walton (Wal-Mart) went to visit one of his stores in Florida that had planned a special event.Upon arriving he found an electrical storm had disabled all the cash registers in the store, leaving the customers stranded in long lines as the cashiers had to do everything by hand. Upon seeing the growing lines, Walton grabbed a pencil and a pad of paper and began working his way through the lines tallying up each person’s purchase (and rounding down to the customer’s advantage). (Self-Made in America. John McCormack with David Legge. 1990. Addison Wesley. Pages 127-128)
Struggling school teacher Ruth Fertel bought the famous New Orleans steakhouse, Chris’s Steakhouse (later to become Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, but that’s another story) and spent a decade working alongside her employees, saying, “I thought my employees would respect me more if I worked right alongside them, so I did.” (When God Winks at You. SQUire Rushnell. 2006. W Publishing Group. Page 128)
Working with and leading your employees will give you not only a better vision of where you’re taking your own dream, but also a vision of life in the trenches of your own company/enterprise/dream. And both those visions will make things better for everyone, if you’re able to retain your humility and understanding.
What makes a good leader?
A Google search will reveal a whole host of lists of characteristics that differentiate leaders from bosses. Some of those include listening to their employees and valuing their employees; leaders don’t’ command/tell, they lead. Leading by example is the best way because the people actually see what it is that needs to be done, and can learn from you as they work next to you.
Leaders lead and learn simultaneously. They have the idea and vision of where to take things, and so they must lead, out there in the front blazing the path. But as they do that, they also share with everyone else, their vision and excite them about it. At the same time, they recognize they don’t know everything, and they are smart enough to know when to keep their mouths shut and listen and learn from someone else, even if that person is the lowest person on the totem pole. A leader knows that everyone is smarter than him/her in at least one area, and they are willing to learn from others. Leaders also motivate; they don’t use fear to move their people. Fear only works as long as someone is there with the gun, the stick, whatever the fear factor is. Motivating with vision gets down inside people and stays long after the boss has left the building.
The servant-leader
The next step up the ladder is the servant-leader.
Besides just being out there working shoulder to shoulder with their employees, the servant-leader does their level best to make sure the employees—and therefore also the clients/customers—are being served. Is this job helping this person (or my people) grow and become better? Is this company serving its employees in the best way possible? Are we serving the community in the best way possible?
If the servant-leader believes an employee will do better in another job they will help their employee find something better, be it in their own company or elsewhere. They encourage their people to educate themselves not only in the things of their business, but personally, recognizing that education opens more doors and possibilities to their employees. But they don’t hesitate to lower the boom when necessary.
The question is what kind of leader will you be?
Featured photo credit: Emma Frances Logan Barker via unsplash.com
The post Are You A Boss Or A Leader? And One Is Definitely Better Than The Other appeared first on Lifehack.
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