Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Want To Be A Better Writer Overnight? Try This Interesting App

As a writer, you too must have faced rejection some time or the other. There have been times when our submissions have not made the mark. Our hard work returned, rejected or worse, edited in a murderous manner. So much so that our own work becomes unrecognizable.

Want to be a better writer? Well, there’s hope in the Hemingway App

The Hemingway Editor is an awesome desktop app that can help you become a better writer overnight. All you have to do is go to this site, which opens the application for you. There, a headline proclaims “Hemingway App makes your writing bold and clear.” Below that is a color-coded list of how the app highlights the errors in your writing. This will enable you to use it to write crisper, sharper and bolder sentences.

How does the app work?

The app grades your writing from grade 1 to grade 15. Grade 1 is an easy read and grade 15 is too difficult for anyone to make sense. It highlights your sentences to mark out long or complicated ones. You can then choose to rewrite them in a simpler manner. The app does not like adverbs. It will also highlight passive voice in green and even applaud you for not using any.

The idea behind this is that the writing of today differs from that of yore. It shorter, easier to read and does not appreciate adverbs.  You can use this app to make your writing appeal to the readers of today. Shorter and crisper sentences that come straight to the point is key. So, the Hemingway Editor helps you become a better writer.

This article is a grade 4, which is good. Pat, pat! None of my 29 sentences are hard (or very hard) to read. I have not used passive voice or any adverbs. Also, none of the phrases I have used have simpler alternatives.

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Does Beer Actually Hydrate Us Or Dehydrate Us?

Are you the type of person who drinks beer regularly because it has such great taste, has a small percentage of alcohol, and ultimately makes you feel more relaxed? Have you ever craved a cold beer during a particularly hot summer night, having a feeling it would refresh you and quench your thirst? Yet, have you ever wondered whether it is really the case or just your subjective feeling that beer can hydrate you? Does beer actually hydrate us or dehydrate us?

Its popularity differs slightly from country to country, but in most cases, beer is considered a number-one drink that can almost replace water. This is true because beer was actually used a long time ago as a cleaner alternative to bacteria-infected water. However, it should be noted that such beer was quite mild, with only about 0.5% alcohol, whereas modern beer contains about 4-6% alcohol.

The facts are clear [1] as far as beer consumption and hydration are concerned, and they all lead to the conclusion that beer actually speeds dehydration. Since it affects the release of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone), beer actually increases the amount of urine we produce. Normally, the amount of urine we produce per hour depends on our weight. A person who weighs 60kg produces about 60ml of urine. Yet, if a person takes one glass of beer, their ADH production decreases, and an additional 120ml of urine is produced. The overproduction of urine leads to dehydration.

Although it may seem logical, drinking more water with beer won’t actually help significantly, as our bodies will only keep a third of it, making beer-caused dehydration inevitable.

A beer or two every once in a while won’t leave serious consequences for your health. However, next time you are thirsty, try opting for water instead, as it will actually help you hydrate.

Featured photo credit: https://unsplash.com/ via unsplash.com

Reference

[1] Alcohol Mastery Blog: Does Beer Hydrate or Dehydrate the Body?

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The Surprising Reason Why You Shouldn't Always Change Your Sleeping Blanket

Sleep. The routine, nightly journey into the dreamland that we all anticipate after a long, weary day.  As the time draws closer to the final takeoff on this special journey of the night, you might give your favorite blanket a hug of appreciation and wrap it snugly around yourself. Your accompanying sleep companion on this trip is a cozy blanket that will never leave your side and will be responsible for your comfort, ensuring a good night of rest.

The chosen blanket needs to help you stay at a comfortable temperature, not too hot and not too cold. Any extreme of temperature will disrupt sleep patterns, according to Alice Hoagland, the director of insomnia services at the Unity Sleep Disorders Center in New York. Dust mites in blankets can trigger allergies and asthma, and you might end up sneezing and wheezing the night away.

Upset or anxious people can use weighted blankets to aid relaxation. Weighted blankets have pellets sewn into compartments within the blanket. They aid relaxation and sleep by providing pressure to receptors all over the body. Specialized, weighted blankets are not recommended in certain cases in which a person is injured or has respiratory problems.

Snug and soft blankets are gentle and soothing and thus good for sleep. Rougher textures may irritate the skin, keeping you awake with all the itching.

A familiar blanket that is a regular sleeping partner is a great benefit for your feelings of security. It’s not just for toddlers: adults prefer particular blankets. Using your favorite blanket for sleeping every night helps you develops a conditioned response, so the pathway towards sleep is faster. Sleep centers ask their patients to arrive with their personal pillows and blankets from home, which will help them to sleep much more easily. Once you finally discover your special sleeping blanket, stay faithful to it every night, and you will have good sleep. When you are spending a night in a different place and not in the coziness of your own bed, it is best to carry your blanket with you so that you can delve into sound sleep.

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Scientists Urge Drivers To Drink More Water Because Being Dehydrated Is As Dangerous As Being Drunk While Driving

Have you noticed yourself making small but potentially dangerous errors in judgment whilst driving? Made an incorrect lane change or maybe even overtook a car from the wrong side? You believe yourself to be a safe driver and thus do not drink and drive – which is great as long as you do not consume spirits. But if you do not drink water or are dehydrated while driving, it may prove to be just as dangerous as drunk driving!

What does dehydration do to your body?

Obviously, a dry mouth or the feeling of thirst, coupled with a low urine output is the first indication your body gives when it is low on fluids. What many of us don’t realize is that dehydration affects the body variously and things like bad breath, frequent headaches, dizziness as well as mental fog are also symptoms of being dehydrated.[1]Lethargy, feeling tired or sleepy and a lightheadedness that interferes with your ability to walk or stand properly and drive may also be indications of nothing but dehydration.

How can dehydration affect my driving?

Many of us avoid drinking water during long driving trips for fear of frequent bathroom stops. However, dehydration can make you drowsy, tired, and confused as well as put you in a state of mental fog – and if you are not mentally alert while driving, this can lead you to make many minor, or god forbid, major driving mistakes. A bout of dehydration-induced drowsiness can make you nod off at the wheel, while general confusion can make you miss important turns or highway exits. Studies have proven that human error is probably the cause of more than 90% of the crashes and traffic incidents in the world – being dehydrated compounds those errors since it makes you confused and foggy at a time when you need to be mentally alert.[2]

Is this really true?

Absolutely, according to a study led by Professor Ron Maughan of the Loughborough University in the UK, male subjects were put through a series of driving tests for over two days.[3]Altogether, 47 minor driving mistakes were made when these men were well hydrated but the tests when these same very men were dehydrated proved to be an eye opener. 101 mistakes were made when the men were deprived of water, and these many mistakes are pretty close to what would happen during drunk or drugged driving! Being mentally foggy also reduces your reaction time – you may not make an error but dehydration can make you confused enough to be unable to save yourself in time.

Tips to keep hydrated

Remember to drink plenty of water while driving and buy more water bottles at the next pit stop. Avoid caffeine and colas as they make you expel water and become a hindrance in staying hydrated so choose green or herbal teas instead. Avoid high-sodium (i.e. salty foods like chips and fries), as they will make you dehydrated again. Opt for crunchy veggies, juicy fruits as snacks and salads or soups as meals as these will aid you in staying hydrated.

Remember to keep yourself hydrated with water. Consuming spirits or drugs and driving is dangerous not just to the one who’s driving but also to the other hapless commuters on the road. Imbibing lowers your inhibitions and clouds your judgment and basically puts you as well as the others at risk, which is why driving under the influence (DUI) is a crime.[4]

Dehydrated drivers make the same number of mistakes as drink drivers

Don’t drink and drive, but don’t drive when you are dehydrated either. And any time you feel yourself getting too sleepy to drive, make a pit stop and take a nap. Remember the adage, better safe than sorry so make it a point to drive safe!

Featured photo credit: HuffPost via i.huffpost.com

Reference

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Mentally Strong People Mindset: Accept Failures Without Doubting Yourself

If you’re an entrepreneur, you will likely experience several challenges while creating your vision. The challenge with these setbacks is the way we react to them. It’s a real blow after years of work to find that the first draft of your novel has a huge plot hole in it, discovering your business partner has let you down, or you’ve lost that big client.

This kind of difficulty or rejection can make it easy to fall into negative, doubtful thinking. This can mean a loss of focus or direction for your dreams. If you’re are in this situation right now, this article can help you to take your power back, stop doubt in its tracks. You can shift from feeling lost to thinking ‘what now?’

“Don’t confuse doubting yourself with accepting failure”

That’s the advice of Navy SEAL, Sean Haggerty. While we may not all be navy seals, anyone who is driven to create something or make a difference in this world will also come up against doubts.

Setbacks are the worst doubt inducers. The important thing to remember is that you have a choice at this point in the road. Either to notice the doubts and carry on or to quit. Choosing to quit means you’ll never have doubts again, you’ll have regrets instead. It’s up to you whether to sit in the darkness of doubt or step out and face your fears.

If you choose this path over quitting, you might still have doubts and experience some form of failure, but you’ll never doubt your ability to work things out. Accepting doubts will become easier if they don’t have any say in whether you succeed or not. Once you’ve decided you will never quit, you can give them less air time in your mind so that you can get on with the main event. Whatever it is you are trying to achieve.

The doubts of others will hold you back if you let them

Don’t listen to anyone telling you that you can’t do something. Just like your own doubts, these will only hold you back if you take them seriously. Self-belief essentially comes from within us. That is the first step. After that, having people around who are positive role models, who encourage and support us remind us of our true capabilities.

The more you surround yourself with these kinds of people, the better. If you can go to a seminar, or meet with a potential mentor, this will help dispel your doubts and change your focus to what you can achieve.

You are going to want to quit

Movies about successful entrepreneurs often give the image of them never wanting to quit when they face hardship. They keep going, no questions asked. But here’s the thing, we all want to quit something at one point or another. Even if deep down you know something is your life work, at some point or other you might think that you would just rather be watching Netflix than working on it.

The point is, you don’t need to worry about the desire to quit. You only need be concerned if you actually quit something that you know in your heart you’re meant to do. If it seems hopeless, but you still have a grain of hope that there is a way then keep at it. The desire to quit is not the problem in this case. The problem would be quitting when you know the right thing to do is carry on.

Failure is inevitable. But fortunately, failing often leads to other opportunities and ideas we would never come across if we hadn’t taken that detour. Those who are driven give doubt little of their time because they know that underneath that doubt, their resolve is to win.

This knowledge will empower you to be your best self and to push the boundaries of what you thought you could do. So you not only surprise those around you, you surprise yourself. And success is one sure fire way to kick doubt out the door.

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People Start To Leave My Life As I Grow Up, But True Friendships Always Stay

Throughout childhood, your friendships play a very important role in shaping who you become. As we approach young adulthood, most of us believe that our friends will be in our lives forever. We imagine having a dual wedding, raising our kids together, and buying houses across the street from each other. Unfortunately, the reality is that people start to leave our lives as we grow older. We grow distant and lose touch with people. Our friendships are reduced to once-a-year “Happy Birthday” messages on Facebook.

Maybe you’ve already started noticing this in your life. It may seem sad at first, but this is normal. Growing up means that new lifetime events and even romantic relationships become more important. But, don’t worry, true friendships will stand the test of time. True friendships will stay with you as your life changes.

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.” – Attributed to William Shakespeare

When we are young, we spend a lot of time with our friends. But as we approach adulthood, we tend to place more priority on our family and romantic partners. In these types of relationships, we have set expectations. We see our partners every morning and every evening, maybe even text each other throughout the day. We make it a point to speak to our families often, visiting them on the weekends and for holidays. But, what about friendship?

Well, friendships tend to be less structured than family and romantic relationships. We might go months on end without speaking to a friend, for example. This is particularly true as we grow older and our personal and professional lives become busier and more demanding. Most of us would never do this with our significant other nor with our family. We have stricter rules of engagement when it comes to these individuals. According to Ohio University Interpersonal Communication Professor William Rawlins, friendship gives us “Somebody to talk to, someone to depend on, and someone to enjoy. These expectations remain the same, but the circumstances under which they’re accomplished change.” [1]

“I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12.” – from the movie Stand by Me

We grow up, and childhood turns into adulthood. This is a fact of life. Some of us move away, go to university, get married, have kids, start a career, or all of the above. We don’t have the spare time to just show up at our friend’s house with a kickball and ask to play, like we once did. The demands of our personal lives become more pressing than the demands of friendship. When choosing between family dinner and drinks with a friend, most of us choose the dinner. Communication in our friendships becomes less frequent. Occasionally, we find ourselves trying to pencil in time to see our friends. “Are you available on the 20th for a quick cup of coffee?”

Interestingly, this all changes are we get older and move into our senior years. With retirement and an empty nest, the later years of adulthood give us more free time. We reconnect with old friends, looking to increase our happiness during our final years. [2] We want to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones while we’re still alive.

“A strong friendship doesn’t need daily conversation or being together. As long as the relationship lives in the heart, true friends never part.” – Anonymous

Despite the changing dynamics of our lives as we move through adulthood, some people do remain friends for life. Since the expectations we have concerning friendship are lower than the expectations we have of our other relationships, friendship becomes more flexible. Our friends are also going through changing demands in their lives. True friends recognize this and tend to be more forgiving about those long lapses in communication. True friends understand the obstacles that life puts in the way. Another secret to these lifelong friendships is to mutually invest effort and dedication to your friends over time. The key word here is: mutually. Nobody wants to maintain a friendship through adulthood that doesn’t reciprocate the effort.

Reference

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Why "Speed Reading Helps You Read More" Is A Myth

If you have a pile of books to read as big as mine, you’ll understand the desire to read them as fast as possible. I have always been a slow reader, and it was only recently I considered learning how to speed read. But something stopped me. I felt that I wouldn’t get as much depth out of what I read and it turns out, my instincts were right.

While you may physically look at more words when speed reading, it turns out, you won’t actually be taking them in. Here’s why it doesn’t work.

The first suggestion for speeding up your reading is to take in more words than we naturally would. That means aiming for consuming whole lines instead of individual words. This is possible but we don’t really take in the sense of the sentence. It’s like trying to eat three mouthfuls at once. -Hard to digest.

The second is to get rid of your inner voice that you hear when reading. The difficulty with this is that it’s a large part of reading. And if you’re not reading then what are you doing? Just looking at a bunch of words.

The third idea is to control your eye movements so that you don’t scan back over what you have already read. This is another fabulous way to increase confusion over what you’ve just read. When we reread a sentence, we take it in more, and we have the opportunity to understand what we might have missed. It’s a natural part of reading, without which we’d be left frustrated and befuddled.

So, in the end, what we already knew was always true. What comes naturally to you is probably the best. And, if you really like the idea of increasing how fast you can read, the only way to really to this is by reading more. Better get started on that pile!

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