We Americans lobe to play. Nothing wrong with that, but we used to know when it was time to get serious. Now, we are bombarded with reality TV, superhero movies and an endless array of video games. IN fact, we are so silly, we elected a reality TV sow host to be President. Enough.
There are problems apkenty in this land. To solve them we need to stop playing and get to work We are facing climate change on an unthinkable scale, but we have to think about it. WE are, and will continue to, lose jobs as robotics takes further hold. How will we deal with that. The rest of the World loathes us and we must deal with our rapidly fading image as the Big Dog of the World. These are but a few of the issues facing Americans. I am sure you can think of more.
Barman will not solve our problems, nor will any of the countless Pop stars that rule the airwaves. Real Housewives and football players are not going to fix things. And if you are waiting on politicians, God help us all/
Think, learn. Figure ways out of your problems and share what you learn with friends and family. If you have kids, encourage them to learn and to value work. Take care of your health and your mind. Stay away from junk food and junk thought. Be moderate in your habits and tolerant of others. Learn and practice good manners. Take care with your appearance.
I do not want to be a total buzz kill. I love fun and everyone needs a break from their daily grond. But, there is a time and place for everything and right now, Americans need to get serious..
.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Back To Work
The Holidays are over. The wonderful days of feasting and parties, of drinking and celebrating, of turkey and egg nog, are gone for another year. It is sad, in a way, but that really doesn't matter in the least, because they're over. Get to work.
Holidays are only fun because they are breaks from the norm. The norm is work and there is a lot to do. This will be a year of change. We have more than just a change in Administrations in our Government, we have a change in the whole philosophy we will be governed by. Like it or not, this year will be very different and the Practical American will be ready.
Do not be distracted by all the debate and quarrelling we are about to hear. Do your job, whatever it is, efficiently and cheerfully. At the same time, learn to do as many things as you can. If you have a trade, say plumbing, learn carpentry and/ or electrical work. If you have a brand new IT degree, good for you; now learn a trade. Got an MBa? Wonderful, learn the hospitality business. Why?
Simple. We are entering a time of change and one of the biggest area of change will be the economy. No one knows what twists and turns the job market will take, The more things you can do, the more sure you are of employment.
Take care of yourself physically. We do not have a clue how the whole health care mess will turn out, but if you are healthy, your worry goes down a lot.
Pay down your debts. I know that I write that a lot, but it is one of the keys to financial success. If you have to work two jobs for a while, get to it. In uncertain times, you absolutely do not want debt. At the same time, watch your spending. I don't think anyone should live like a recluse, eating Ramen noodles and cheap hot dogs, but use a bit of sense and don't overdo your luxuries.
In short, use your head and get to work. Those are the keys to, not just surviving, but thriving in the New Year.
Holidays are only fun because they are breaks from the norm. The norm is work and there is a lot to do. This will be a year of change. We have more than just a change in Administrations in our Government, we have a change in the whole philosophy we will be governed by. Like it or not, this year will be very different and the Practical American will be ready.
Do not be distracted by all the debate and quarrelling we are about to hear. Do your job, whatever it is, efficiently and cheerfully. At the same time, learn to do as many things as you can. If you have a trade, say plumbing, learn carpentry and/ or electrical work. If you have a brand new IT degree, good for you; now learn a trade. Got an MBa? Wonderful, learn the hospitality business. Why?
Simple. We are entering a time of change and one of the biggest area of change will be the economy. No one knows what twists and turns the job market will take, The more things you can do, the more sure you are of employment.
Take care of yourself physically. We do not have a clue how the whole health care mess will turn out, but if you are healthy, your worry goes down a lot.
Pay down your debts. I know that I write that a lot, but it is one of the keys to financial success. If you have to work two jobs for a while, get to it. In uncertain times, you absolutely do not want debt. At the same time, watch your spending. I don't think anyone should live like a recluse, eating Ramen noodles and cheap hot dogs, but use a bit of sense and don't overdo your luxuries.
In short, use your head and get to work. Those are the keys to, not just surviving, but thriving in the New Year.
Monday, September 26, 2016
The Practical Importance of Goofing Off
Fall is almost here and that means back to school for kids, and, sooner than you can believe, the Holidays will arrive. Fall is traditionally a hectic time of the year as we get geared up for the even more hectic, and fun, season of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
So, as you are running here and there, driving the kids to school and games and various other events, and dealing with bosses who are trying to maximize their years profits, and, in this year, trying to figure out the more than puzzling Presidential campaign, I want you to remember one thing. You must, occasionally, at least twice a day, take a few moments to do absolutely nothing. Goof off a bit. It's good for body, mind and soul.
You cannot push all the time. I know. I have tried. Oh, for brief periods you can, but try to avoid those situations. After all, no matter what we tell ourselves or what others may say, there are really very few emergencies that have to be dealt with immediately.
Find time, make time, every day to just do nothing. Don't work, don't read, no TV, preferably no talking. Just do nothing. The longer the period the better. Whatever you are not doing at the moment, will still be there when you start up again and I am pretty sure that Empires will not crumble and The four Horsemen will not start saddling up for the Apocalypse.
Taking time to goof off, to do nothing, is like hitting a reset button. When you start back, your mind will be clear and your body at ease. You will get back to your chores refreshed and working with a lot more efficiency. So go ahead. Goof off a bit. You have my permission and trust me, I won't tell a soul.
So, as you are running here and there, driving the kids to school and games and various other events, and dealing with bosses who are trying to maximize their years profits, and, in this year, trying to figure out the more than puzzling Presidential campaign, I want you to remember one thing. You must, occasionally, at least twice a day, take a few moments to do absolutely nothing. Goof off a bit. It's good for body, mind and soul.
You cannot push all the time. I know. I have tried. Oh, for brief periods you can, but try to avoid those situations. After all, no matter what we tell ourselves or what others may say, there are really very few emergencies that have to be dealt with immediately.
Find time, make time, every day to just do nothing. Don't work, don't read, no TV, preferably no talking. Just do nothing. The longer the period the better. Whatever you are not doing at the moment, will still be there when you start up again and I am pretty sure that Empires will not crumble and The four Horsemen will not start saddling up for the Apocalypse.
Taking time to goof off, to do nothing, is like hitting a reset button. When you start back, your mind will be clear and your body at ease. You will get back to your chores refreshed and working with a lot more efficiency. So go ahead. Goof off a bit. You have my permission and trust me, I won't tell a soul.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Time is of The Essence
Time is something no one seems to have enough of. We all hurry and scurry frantically around and never seem to get enough done. The answer? It may seem paradoxical but, you simply need to slow down a little.
Let me explain. When you hurry too much and too often, you are not thinking clearly. Your brain will only move so fast. Now, it does move very fast but not instantaneously. Also, contrary to popular belief. multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot think of 2 things at once. Instead, your brain switches back and forth, at high speed, but you do not deal with 2 issues at once. That is an illusion. Now if you keep that up and especially if you keep adding tasks, trying to do several things at once, your brain, which is far from being perfect, will start getting tired and confused. Like an old fashioned Pin Ball machine when banged around too much,, it will finally say, "Tilt," and just stop, but, long before that, it will start making mistakes. Mistakes are inefficient, time and energy wasting.
If you slow down a bit, try to think one thing through before tackling the next, you will work more efficiently, and, as a result, you will find yourself with more time.
A lot of folks realize that but are pressured by bosses to stretch themselves thin. Here's what you do. Realize that your unreasonable boss cannot watch your brain function. Let your boss think that you are balancing everything at once, while, in fact, you are thinking through one task at a time. You will get good results and that is what bosses care about. If that boss continues to push, expecting more and more all the time, get a new boss. Believe me, if you work yourself to death, they will just replace you. Protect your mental and physical well-being.
Another way to function with more efficiency is to learn to take little mini-vacations throughout the day. Here and there, learn to shut your brain down, just for a minute or so. You can be in the middle of performing a task while letting yourself go for a very brief while. Call it meditation, prayer, day dreaming, wool gathering, whatever the name, just take a few deep breaths and take a quick trip to your happy place. You can picture your favorite place, your favorite, person. your pet cat, a flower, anything. You can chant, silently of course, a mantra, say a prayer, remember a funny saying or a snippet of a song. The point is to give your brain a break. When you do this, it is like hitting a reset button. The old garbage clears out and you find yourself refreshed. No one will be the wiser and you will feel a lot better. You feel better, you become more efficient and have more time. Warning: do not go away for too long. 30 seconds is refreshing, any longer and you might doze off. Also do not close your eyes if anyone else is around, it's not necessary and you do not want to attract attention. And do not do this during an important meeting, that would be rude.
I promise you, learn these tricks and you will work more efficiently, have more time, and feel a whole lot better.
Let me explain. When you hurry too much and too often, you are not thinking clearly. Your brain will only move so fast. Now, it does move very fast but not instantaneously. Also, contrary to popular belief. multi-tasking is impossible. You cannot think of 2 things at once. Instead, your brain switches back and forth, at high speed, but you do not deal with 2 issues at once. That is an illusion. Now if you keep that up and especially if you keep adding tasks, trying to do several things at once, your brain, which is far from being perfect, will start getting tired and confused. Like an old fashioned Pin Ball machine when banged around too much,, it will finally say, "Tilt," and just stop, but, long before that, it will start making mistakes. Mistakes are inefficient, time and energy wasting.
If you slow down a bit, try to think one thing through before tackling the next, you will work more efficiently, and, as a result, you will find yourself with more time.
A lot of folks realize that but are pressured by bosses to stretch themselves thin. Here's what you do. Realize that your unreasonable boss cannot watch your brain function. Let your boss think that you are balancing everything at once, while, in fact, you are thinking through one task at a time. You will get good results and that is what bosses care about. If that boss continues to push, expecting more and more all the time, get a new boss. Believe me, if you work yourself to death, they will just replace you. Protect your mental and physical well-being.
Another way to function with more efficiency is to learn to take little mini-vacations throughout the day. Here and there, learn to shut your brain down, just for a minute or so. You can be in the middle of performing a task while letting yourself go for a very brief while. Call it meditation, prayer, day dreaming, wool gathering, whatever the name, just take a few deep breaths and take a quick trip to your happy place. You can picture your favorite place, your favorite, person. your pet cat, a flower, anything. You can chant, silently of course, a mantra, say a prayer, remember a funny saying or a snippet of a song. The point is to give your brain a break. When you do this, it is like hitting a reset button. The old garbage clears out and you find yourself refreshed. No one will be the wiser and you will feel a lot better. You feel better, you become more efficient and have more time. Warning: do not go away for too long. 30 seconds is refreshing, any longer and you might doze off. Also do not close your eyes if anyone else is around, it's not necessary and you do not want to attract attention. And do not do this during an important meeting, that would be rude.
I promise you, learn these tricks and you will work more efficiently, have more time, and feel a whole lot better.
Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Stop Wasting Time Complaining
We all complain. When there is a job to do, whether at home or your job, it is all too human to complain. We sit around and bemoan the fact that we have to do this and that and fuss over how much of our time is spent at our tasks. I did it and I am sure all of you do it. If you don't, then you are in the minority.
One day, I had an epiphany. I realized that I might be spending more time and energy fussing about what I had to do than I did actually doing it. Well, I thought, that can't be true but, as a test, I started keeping track of each job that day. O actually timed how long I spent complaining and how long it took to do the job and, guess what? I was wasting a lot of time and energy on uselessly complaining.
To further the test, I watched my co-workers and found that they too, were spending way too much time kvetching. Then, I applied the same test at home, with the same results.
Just do your work. You're going to have to so it anyway so why waste your time and energy. If your boss has a difficult job for you, just get to it. You'll have a happier boss, you can move onto easier work and you won't be as tired and grumpy.
If you're asked to do an unpleasant task at home, get to it. Everyone, including you, will be happier and home life will be smoother. You will have more time for fun.
So stop complaining. It is in your best interest.
One day, I had an epiphany. I realized that I might be spending more time and energy fussing about what I had to do than I did actually doing it. Well, I thought, that can't be true but, as a test, I started keeping track of each job that day. O actually timed how long I spent complaining and how long it took to do the job and, guess what? I was wasting a lot of time and energy on uselessly complaining.
To further the test, I watched my co-workers and found that they too, were spending way too much time kvetching. Then, I applied the same test at home, with the same results.
Just do your work. You're going to have to so it anyway so why waste your time and energy. If your boss has a difficult job for you, just get to it. You'll have a happier boss, you can move onto easier work and you won't be as tired and grumpy.
If you're asked to do an unpleasant task at home, get to it. Everyone, including you, will be happier and home life will be smoother. You will have more time for fun.
So stop complaining. It is in your best interest.
Monday, July 4, 2016
America - Celebrate the 4th
It's the 4th of July and I hope you have the day off. If not, you have my sympathy and I hope you apply all of my advice to your next day off.
If you're off, relax. Put your feet up, watch a game, stuff yourself with all that good food, have a drink or 2, and just take life easy. If you have a burst of energy, take a walk, go for a swim or play some games. If your community has some kind of event, go. I short, enjoy your day off. You earned it.
How is this practical? After all, there are cars to wash, laundry to do, house work and yard work to catch up on. True, but all of that can wait because, humans need rest. They need fun. It is good for the body, mind and soul to take a break. You cannot go at work 24/7 without something breaking down. You must recharge the batteries. Everything else can wait for just 1 day.
For those of you stuck working, again, you have my sympathy. Still, you can enjoy your day. Relax and coast a bit. Take a few minutes to chat with customers and fellow workers. Refuse to be pushed today. Let me let you in on a little secret, one I took too many years to learn.
To your employers, no matter how friendly they seem, you are but an entity, a cog in the company's machinery. Pushing yourself at work will not impress them. It will not get you any advances that are significant. It will just get you worn out. Guess what? When you have a day when you can't quite keep up, and trust me, such a day will come, they will say bye-bye and never miss you. You'll just be replaced and the only loser will be you. Things weren't always that way, but they are now. So take today and coast a little. Stretch that break an extra minute or so. Goof off when no ones; looking. I won't tell. Promise.
Enjoy this mid summer holiday, Americans. You work too hard and life is short so enjoy the day.
If you're off, relax. Put your feet up, watch a game, stuff yourself with all that good food, have a drink or 2, and just take life easy. If you have a burst of energy, take a walk, go for a swim or play some games. If your community has some kind of event, go. I short, enjoy your day off. You earned it.
How is this practical? After all, there are cars to wash, laundry to do, house work and yard work to catch up on. True, but all of that can wait because, humans need rest. They need fun. It is good for the body, mind and soul to take a break. You cannot go at work 24/7 without something breaking down. You must recharge the batteries. Everything else can wait for just 1 day.
For those of you stuck working, again, you have my sympathy. Still, you can enjoy your day. Relax and coast a bit. Take a few minutes to chat with customers and fellow workers. Refuse to be pushed today. Let me let you in on a little secret, one I took too many years to learn.
To your employers, no matter how friendly they seem, you are but an entity, a cog in the company's machinery. Pushing yourself at work will not impress them. It will not get you any advances that are significant. It will just get you worn out. Guess what? When you have a day when you can't quite keep up, and trust me, such a day will come, they will say bye-bye and never miss you. You'll just be replaced and the only loser will be you. Things weren't always that way, but they are now. So take today and coast a little. Stretch that break an extra minute or so. Goof off when no ones; looking. I won't tell. Promise.
Enjoy this mid summer holiday, Americans. You work too hard and life is short so enjoy the day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)