Once again I will share with you about something I feel close to my heart - weight loss. I have been trying to lose weight for sometimes already. At 5 foot height, my weight right now is over the borderline of ideal weight. And I am not happy. However, I am entirely to blame because, for almost a year, I have neglected the gymnasium exercises. And my aerobic sessions are no longer like I used to do. I pledge busy almost every other day to go for my exercise. And so, it should not surprise myself that my weight is now....slightly higher that ideal.
I have been poring myself to many exercise tips from books, friends, internet. They all look good and reasonable and logical. However, some may not be as good as they sound or as effective. Through some more readings, here are what i found about some exercise myths:
1. The believe that exercise alone will help reduce the kilos.
- this is what i believe about three years ago when i first started exercising. Then after more than a year of exercising, I found that my weight only went down 3 kilos. A very disappointing number considering I was exercising almost daily for at least an hour. Then, i decided to reduce my carbohydrate intake. I get just about 2 kilos more reduction. Still some more steps to getting the desired weight. Then, I stopped my regular exercise due to being busy. And only rely on diet. It did not work.
Experts say, that we have to combine exercise and right diet plan. Exercise alone, only leads to about 3% weight reduction. So my theory is correct. So, I really have to start seriously do the more effective weight loss program on my own, regular exercise and control my appetite!
2. The believe that cardio exercise burns more fat.
- this is what i did wrong with my exercise routines. I was concentrating more on cardio exercise. Especially at the gymnasium. And then the aerobic exercise.
Expert says, we have to alternate exercise regime, cardio and strength exercises. This will help increased metabolism and number of calories during sleep. Okay, this sounds very logic. Am seriously going to do it now although i do not really feel comfortable doing strength training.
3. The believe that a simple walk is still a exercise
- hmmmm....i walk fast most of the time. I consider my fast pace walking is fat burning in some way. So, lets see what expert says about this.
The perception that we are working harder than we really are may cause us to regain weight. So if we want to know if we really are working hard, is when it is difficult to do normal conversation during the exercise routine. I must remember this when doing the treadmill exercise....if i can still have conversation while walking the treadmill, then that is not going to lose my kilos.
Monday, 12 November 2012
Saturday, 10 November 2012
The apple tree and a boy
I received this from a friend who shared through the internet. I found this story touching my heart and thus want to share with you. I hope it gives the same profound feelings to you as it does to me.
'A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow.
He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.
One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.
“Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy.
“I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied.
“I want toys. I need money to buy them.”
“Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.”
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited.
“Come and play with me” the tree said.
“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”
“Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted.
“Come and play with me!” the tree said.
“I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.
“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”
So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you”, the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the
man replied.
“No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.
“I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied.
“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad. When we grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy.
You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.
~ Moral ~ Treat your parents with loving care…. For you will know their value, when you see their empty chair…We never know the love of our parents for us; till we have become parent''.
Thank you for reading!
'A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow.
He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.
One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.
“Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy.
“I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied.
“I want toys. I need money to buy them.”
“Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.”
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited.
“Come and play with me” the tree said.
“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”
“Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted.
“Come and play with me!” the tree said.
“I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.
“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”
So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you”, the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the
man replied.
“No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.
“I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied.
“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad. When we grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy.
You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.
~ Moral ~ Treat your parents with loving care…. For you will know their value, when you see their empty chair…We never know the love of our parents for us; till we have become parent''.
Thank you for reading!
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Habits that hinder thinking
I want to share parts of a reading material ,'The Art of Thinking' written by Vincent Tran Ruggiero, published by Pearson, 2010.
According to Ruggiero, there are 6 ways that deters forward and critical thinking:
mine-is-better habit, face saving, resistance to change, conformity, stereotyping and self-deception.
The mine-is-better habit
A habit of claiming what's ours always better than others. We are used to the ideas of those which are foreign cannot be better than what we are. We tend to see value things at the pretext, and object to some changes without giving much thought. The mine-is-better habit deters objective thinking and makes us prefer self-flattering errors to unpleasant realities. We are thus advised, to help us thinking better, we should keep our ego from interfering us with the search for truth.
Face saving
It is a natural tendency that arises from our ego. It is not a presumption made earlier but happen after we have uttered or done something and then only realize that what we just did may cause damage to our self-image or image others have of us. It is a kind of defense mechanism. We usually blame someone else for things gone wrong when we are involved with an unwanted situation. We do not want to own up to possible mistake we do. We put blames on others. Sometimes we rationalize the mistake we do - a dishonest substitute to reasoning. The difference between rationalizing and reasoning is, we rationalize when we make the evidence follow our belief and we reason when we make the belief follow the evidence.
Ruggiero advised, to control our face-saving tendency, we must always be alert for occasion when our ego is threatened. A person who makes a mistake and refuses to admit it is thereby compounding the mistake.
Resistance to change
It is a tendency to reject new ideas and new ways of seeing or doing without examining them fairly. One reason for this is plain laziness. Since we are so used to doing something and i seems to be working well, we resist suggestion to do it other way as it may cause us to break our comfortable routine. And also it may suggests us to go against tradition. So we resent the new idea for worry of affronting our family members or society.
Another reason to resist change is fear of change. When we are suggested change, we worry about what may happen as we do not know about our future. But resistance to change will cause us to not finding new discovery, invention, creativity, progress and we remain the same. And to resist change si to set our minds against our own best and most worthwhile ideas.
Conformity
Some are sensible like for example, saying hello when answering a call instead of good bye or does not go beyond the speed limit of the road. being nonconform in such situation may at times cause damage, waste of time or annoy others.
Harmful conformity is according to Ruggiero, what we do instead of thinking in order to belong to a group or avoid the risk of being different. Once we begin to conform, we will do or act similar with others but it may not be the best act for us, we do because it is expected by others. This can affect our creative and critical thinking.
Stereotyping
It is an extreme form of generalizing. Some generalizations can go beyond the boundaries of reasonableness thus overgeneralization. Stereotyping can be even more damaging than overgeneralization. A stereotype is a fixed, unbending generalization, irrationality maintained. Most common are racial, religious and ethnic. things are presorted, predetermined and prejudged. Thus it impedes mind's dynamic activity and forcing everything is to be in certain order and classes and thus impossible to change.
Self deception
Sometimes we are afraid of something, of knowing that we start to deceive ourselves against our own believe. An example is we know about some signs and symptoms that may indicate some diseases but we refuse to belief and we refuse to see the doctor or treatment. Ruggiero suggests that to be a good thinker, we must be able to decide honestly what information we need to solve a problem and acquire that information to help fair evaluation. All we need to do is just be honest to ourselves.
All these six hindrances can be overcome with desire and effort. Ruggiero did suggest how to overcome them...read more from his book.
Happy reading!
According to Ruggiero, there are 6 ways that deters forward and critical thinking:
mine-is-better habit, face saving, resistance to change, conformity, stereotyping and self-deception.
The mine-is-better habit
A habit of claiming what's ours always better than others. We are used to the ideas of those which are foreign cannot be better than what we are. We tend to see value things at the pretext, and object to some changes without giving much thought. The mine-is-better habit deters objective thinking and makes us prefer self-flattering errors to unpleasant realities. We are thus advised, to help us thinking better, we should keep our ego from interfering us with the search for truth.
Face saving
It is a natural tendency that arises from our ego. It is not a presumption made earlier but happen after we have uttered or done something and then only realize that what we just did may cause damage to our self-image or image others have of us. It is a kind of defense mechanism. We usually blame someone else for things gone wrong when we are involved with an unwanted situation. We do not want to own up to possible mistake we do. We put blames on others. Sometimes we rationalize the mistake we do - a dishonest substitute to reasoning. The difference between rationalizing and reasoning is, we rationalize when we make the evidence follow our belief and we reason when we make the belief follow the evidence.
Ruggiero advised, to control our face-saving tendency, we must always be alert for occasion when our ego is threatened. A person who makes a mistake and refuses to admit it is thereby compounding the mistake.
Resistance to change
It is a tendency to reject new ideas and new ways of seeing or doing without examining them fairly. One reason for this is plain laziness. Since we are so used to doing something and i seems to be working well, we resist suggestion to do it other way as it may cause us to break our comfortable routine. And also it may suggests us to go against tradition. So we resent the new idea for worry of affronting our family members or society.
Another reason to resist change is fear of change. When we are suggested change, we worry about what may happen as we do not know about our future. But resistance to change will cause us to not finding new discovery, invention, creativity, progress and we remain the same. And to resist change si to set our minds against our own best and most worthwhile ideas.
Conformity
Some are sensible like for example, saying hello when answering a call instead of good bye or does not go beyond the speed limit of the road. being nonconform in such situation may at times cause damage, waste of time or annoy others.
Harmful conformity is according to Ruggiero, what we do instead of thinking in order to belong to a group or avoid the risk of being different. Once we begin to conform, we will do or act similar with others but it may not be the best act for us, we do because it is expected by others. This can affect our creative and critical thinking.
Stereotyping
It is an extreme form of generalizing. Some generalizations can go beyond the boundaries of reasonableness thus overgeneralization. Stereotyping can be even more damaging than overgeneralization. A stereotype is a fixed, unbending generalization, irrationality maintained. Most common are racial, religious and ethnic. things are presorted, predetermined and prejudged. Thus it impedes mind's dynamic activity and forcing everything is to be in certain order and classes and thus impossible to change.
Self deception
Sometimes we are afraid of something, of knowing that we start to deceive ourselves against our own believe. An example is we know about some signs and symptoms that may indicate some diseases but we refuse to belief and we refuse to see the doctor or treatment. Ruggiero suggests that to be a good thinker, we must be able to decide honestly what information we need to solve a problem and acquire that information to help fair evaluation. All we need to do is just be honest to ourselves.
All these six hindrances can be overcome with desire and effort. Ruggiero did suggest how to overcome them...read more from his book.
Happy reading!
Monday, 1 October 2012
Go and get a good sleep!
Recently i read in a newspaper , a clinical study has shown that if we do not get enough sleep, we have high probability of having heart problem.
Sleep is essential. To me it is the best way to de-stress, unwind, relax, rest. When we sleep, we do not use much energy and our mind activity should fall lower. And that helps our body to regenerate, rejuvenate, refresh itself. And so, sleep we must!
When we cannot sleep, we feel unhappy, uncomfortable, tired, irritated, stress. And when we feel stress, we get more tired. Our immune system gets lower, and so we are prone to having some illness, can be mild initially and then gets worst. The reason why we have to control our stress. And stress leads to many other serious illness especially of the mind.
Some say that sleep can get you younger...okay, if that is the easiest to stay young, why not do it?
Let us sleep well...save the worry for tomorrow, yay! lets!
Sleep is essential. To me it is the best way to de-stress, unwind, relax, rest. When we sleep, we do not use much energy and our mind activity should fall lower. And that helps our body to regenerate, rejuvenate, refresh itself. And so, sleep we must!
When we cannot sleep, we feel unhappy, uncomfortable, tired, irritated, stress. And when we feel stress, we get more tired. Our immune system gets lower, and so we are prone to having some illness, can be mild initially and then gets worst. The reason why we have to control our stress. And stress leads to many other serious illness especially of the mind.
Some say that sleep can get you younger...okay, if that is the easiest to stay young, why not do it?
Let us sleep well...save the worry for tomorrow, yay! lets!
Monday, 17 September 2012
Over make-up makes us look older
This is especially for women. And i read about it from Yahoo! These tips can avoid us from looking 10 years older. Hmmmm...gonna try these tips myself!
1. Foundation - do not put too much foundation and the expert advice us not to buy foundation that says "matte", "velvet" and "long-wearing". Apparently, they make us look older. Use sheer liquid foundation instead.
2. Eye concealer - do not over-conceal our eye bag. Apply it only near the inner corners of your under-eye area, where shadows are most prominent (and lines least).
3. Lipstick - do not use the dark, deep color. It can make our lips look smaller. To make our mouth look fuller, use bright lipsticks and glosses (peaches, pinks, vibrant reds) over deep shades (burgundies, wines, browns).
4. Powder - Expert says, "Powders prevent light reflection and tend to magnify lines in the skin. " So, use very sheer translucent powder and dust it the nose and chin. And if you were like me, have to dust on the T-zones as that part shines during midday.
5. Eyeliner - No to black. Choose brown instead, less harsh. Use it on upper lash line, focus on the outer region of the eyes, smudge it a bit.
6. Lip liner - do not go overboard. For the most natural effect, choose lip liner that match the our lips color instead of the lipstick color. Choose a creamy formula and wear it evenly.
7. Liner and mascara - do not use on the lower lashes, it draws attention to dark circles. Use it on the upper lashes and wiggle a volumizing mascara into the roots and slowly through the ends for the most uplifting effect.
8. Blusher - use it! it helps to put life on our face. Put on the most fleshy part of the cheeks in circles toward the temple rather in straight line.
9. Lipstick again - apply using our finger or lip brush.
10. Eye-brow pencil - choose lighter color rather than dark ones as expert says that our eyebrows get lighter with age. We don't want to look weird, do we?
1. Foundation - do not put too much foundation and the expert advice us not to buy foundation that says "matte", "velvet" and "long-wearing". Apparently, they make us look older. Use sheer liquid foundation instead.
2. Eye concealer - do not over-conceal our eye bag. Apply it only near the inner corners of your under-eye area, where shadows are most prominent (and lines least).
3. Lipstick - do not use the dark, deep color. It can make our lips look smaller. To make our mouth look fuller, use bright lipsticks and glosses (peaches, pinks, vibrant reds) over deep shades (burgundies, wines, browns).
4. Powder - Expert says, "Powders prevent light reflection and tend to magnify lines in the skin. " So, use very sheer translucent powder and dust it the nose and chin. And if you were like me, have to dust on the T-zones as that part shines during midday.
5. Eyeliner - No to black. Choose brown instead, less harsh. Use it on upper lash line, focus on the outer region of the eyes, smudge it a bit.
6. Lip liner - do not go overboard. For the most natural effect, choose lip liner that match the our lips color instead of the lipstick color. Choose a creamy formula and wear it evenly.
7. Liner and mascara - do not use on the lower lashes, it draws attention to dark circles. Use it on the upper lashes and wiggle a volumizing mascara into the roots and slowly through the ends for the most uplifting effect.
8. Blusher - use it! it helps to put life on our face. Put on the most fleshy part of the cheeks in circles toward the temple rather in straight line.
9. Lipstick again - apply using our finger or lip brush.
10. Eye-brow pencil - choose lighter color rather than dark ones as expert says that our eyebrows get lighter with age. We don't want to look weird, do we?
Friday, 31 August 2012
Let's prevent ourselves from dementia!
Hi! It has been ages since i last share anything worthwhile with you. Today i feel like sharing about a disease that is scared by many elderly - losing the ability to remember!
I am sharing information from Reader's Digest, the August 2012 Issue page 62 - 79. Well, the article is about a disease called Alzheimer. It is named after a German scientist, Alois Alzheimer who first discovered about it. It is said to be the leading causes of dementia, a disease of the brain that cause us to lose cognitive ability. There are other types of dementia diseases though like Parkinson's disease, Hintington's chorea and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Sound weird and too scientific? Well, they are all about degeneration of the brain cells or some kind of disorders or lesion that happens in the brain tissue.
Anyway, i would like to share on how to help ourselves prevent or delay dementia.
1. Exercise - make it a habit, do it regularly. I think the reason for exercise to be able to delay dementia is probably because, when we exercise, we boost blood circulation, we make use the extra energy kept in the body, we make ourselves work! And when we play games or involves ourselves with some matches, we make ourselves think of strategy to win the game. So, an active brain cells definitely keeps the brain cells from becoming lazy and cause their presence to be significant.
2. Good diet rich in fish, fruit, nuts and green leafy vegies. Hmmm...that certainly states a balance diet. Carbohydrates are good for immediate energy supply but the rest of the diet, becomes the building block for cells and tissues. Plus some are used as important components for enzymic activities that help in building energy and materials for body tissues. Still....moderate amount is the best!
3. Aspirin is said to be good as well, can help protect brain cells inflammation. But, please do not take if not necessary. I believe this is a side result of a bigger study on anti-inflammation on brain cells. Taking a lot of aspirin without good reason and not following instruction can lead to other body organ destruction.
4. Coffee. Wine. Wow! They are good for you too.
5. Multilanguage. Uhuh! You speak different language in your conversation, that can help delays demetia. Is it not good? So let us learn at least one other different language and use it regularly.
6. Stretch your mind. Do some mental exercises - games like crosswords puzzles. Have good stimulating conversation with friends on some issues requiring some thinking. You are encouraged to build a network of stimulating friendship.
7. Manage your stress well. Do meditation or tai chi or after-dinner walk. Most important thing is take life easily.
I am sharing information from Reader's Digest, the August 2012 Issue page 62 - 79. Well, the article is about a disease called Alzheimer. It is named after a German scientist, Alois Alzheimer who first discovered about it. It is said to be the leading causes of dementia, a disease of the brain that cause us to lose cognitive ability. There are other types of dementia diseases though like Parkinson's disease, Hintington's chorea and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Sound weird and too scientific? Well, they are all about degeneration of the brain cells or some kind of disorders or lesion that happens in the brain tissue.
Anyway, i would like to share on how to help ourselves prevent or delay dementia.
1. Exercise - make it a habit, do it regularly. I think the reason for exercise to be able to delay dementia is probably because, when we exercise, we boost blood circulation, we make use the extra energy kept in the body, we make ourselves work! And when we play games or involves ourselves with some matches, we make ourselves think of strategy to win the game. So, an active brain cells definitely keeps the brain cells from becoming lazy and cause their presence to be significant.
2. Good diet rich in fish, fruit, nuts and green leafy vegies. Hmmm...that certainly states a balance diet. Carbohydrates are good for immediate energy supply but the rest of the diet, becomes the building block for cells and tissues. Plus some are used as important components for enzymic activities that help in building energy and materials for body tissues. Still....moderate amount is the best!
3. Aspirin is said to be good as well, can help protect brain cells inflammation. But, please do not take if not necessary. I believe this is a side result of a bigger study on anti-inflammation on brain cells. Taking a lot of aspirin without good reason and not following instruction can lead to other body organ destruction.
4. Coffee. Wine. Wow! They are good for you too.
5. Multilanguage. Uhuh! You speak different language in your conversation, that can help delays demetia. Is it not good? So let us learn at least one other different language and use it regularly.
6. Stretch your mind. Do some mental exercises - games like crosswords puzzles. Have good stimulating conversation with friends on some issues requiring some thinking. You are encouraged to build a network of stimulating friendship.
7. Manage your stress well. Do meditation or tai chi or after-dinner walk. Most important thing is take life easily.
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Energise your life!
I read these from Reader's Digest and want to share the good tips. Read on ...
1. Drink more coffee, says cancer-prevention expert. And here are some facts about coffee:
- more than 3 cups a day lowers women's risk of developing the most common skin cancer by 20%.
- more than 6 cups a day, cuts men's risk of dying from prostate cancer by 60%.
- drinking at least a cup of coffee per day lowers the risk of stroke for women up to 25%.
- drinking at least 2 cups everyday reduces a woman's chance of becoming depressed by up to 20%.
Drink it black or use some skim milk.
2. Take proteins in the morning, says healthy-eating expert. It indicates to brain and stomach that they are well nourished and satisfied. Taking more than 15% of proteins during breakfast make us have less tendency to eat more after breakfast. Example of high protein breakfast is hard-boiled eggs! Go on and eat your eggs!
3. Standing is good...says exercise expert. Would you believe that. Expert says, if you are spending a lot of your time (in office) sitting, even when you do other exercises, at the gym, have greate waist, and may develop colon cancer.
Standing as brief as 60 seconds, can make us slimmer regardless of how much other exercise we do.
Guys, lets stand up more now!
4. Walking helps improve our memory, says brain expert. Wow! Keep on walking then guys!
5. Chocolate is good to start our day, says energy expert. This one i really like because i am a chocolate-lover. Let's eat chocolate!
6. Family expert said, focus less on your kids, more on your spouse! really? Really...It is said that a happy and romatic marriage requires constant commitment and renewal - new stories, experiences and memories.
Interesting findings don't you think?
1. Drink more coffee, says cancer-prevention expert. And here are some facts about coffee:
- more than 3 cups a day lowers women's risk of developing the most common skin cancer by 20%.
- more than 6 cups a day, cuts men's risk of dying from prostate cancer by 60%.
- drinking at least a cup of coffee per day lowers the risk of stroke for women up to 25%.
- drinking at least 2 cups everyday reduces a woman's chance of becoming depressed by up to 20%.
Drink it black or use some skim milk.
2. Take proteins in the morning, says healthy-eating expert. It indicates to brain and stomach that they are well nourished and satisfied. Taking more than 15% of proteins during breakfast make us have less tendency to eat more after breakfast. Example of high protein breakfast is hard-boiled eggs! Go on and eat your eggs!
3. Standing is good...says exercise expert. Would you believe that. Expert says, if you are spending a lot of your time (in office) sitting, even when you do other exercises, at the gym, have greate waist, and may develop colon cancer.
Standing as brief as 60 seconds, can make us slimmer regardless of how much other exercise we do.
Guys, lets stand up more now!
4. Walking helps improve our memory, says brain expert. Wow! Keep on walking then guys!
5. Chocolate is good to start our day, says energy expert. This one i really like because i am a chocolate-lover. Let's eat chocolate!
6. Family expert said, focus less on your kids, more on your spouse! really? Really...It is said that a happy and romatic marriage requires constant commitment and renewal - new stories, experiences and memories.
Interesting findings don't you think?
Sunday, 13 May 2012
The art of bargaining
People like me, rarely bargains...when shopping. And then i learn, when you are in Vietnam or perhaps in Indonesia or anywhere else where there are places such as night market or wholesaler market, do bargain.
Monday, 9 April 2012
Facts about Cellulite
Huh! Seriously...i really want to know about this and so i read this book: Stay Young - Detox by Jane Scrivner. This is what she said about cellulite (Well the gist of what she wrote):
Cellulite starts from fat cells. And we have the same number of fat cells. Hormones determine the size, distribution and accumulation of these fat cells. Cellulite results when blood circulation is sluggish that fats and slow-moving fluid collect between connectivee tissues.
Men and women do have cellulite. Cellulite is due to many reasons. Among them is lifestyles including diet and activity. Cellulite in men accumulates above and around waists while in women, it is on the hips, buttocks and thighs. Men's cellulite is not as ugly as women's because of their having firmer connective tissue which are tightly packed and they also have thicker skin with higher muscle fiber.
It is said that, regular exercise, good balanced diet in potassium and sodium, correct fluid levels and good skin care techniques can reverse cellulite or reduce formation of cellulite.
- A yo-yo diet can contribute into cellulite formation. (ouch! i am guilty!)
- when sodium-potassium level is not balanced in blood, the short term effects are bloating and fluid retention while the long-term effects are poor cell renewal and regeneration. So go easy with the salts, avoid processed foods and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegitables, sprouted beans and seeds for potassium.
-good body posture helps good circulation and prevents pains and discomforts. Good circulation include that of the lymph flow hence reduce congestion that can lead to cellulite formation.
- try not to wear tight fittings clothing very often for that can cause flow congestion thus cellulite.
- exercise more for good circulation, fat burning.
Hmmmm...good knowledge, eh?
Cellulite starts from fat cells. And we have the same number of fat cells. Hormones determine the size, distribution and accumulation of these fat cells. Cellulite results when blood circulation is sluggish that fats and slow-moving fluid collect between connectivee tissues.
Men and women do have cellulite. Cellulite is due to many reasons. Among them is lifestyles including diet and activity. Cellulite in men accumulates above and around waists while in women, it is on the hips, buttocks and thighs. Men's cellulite is not as ugly as women's because of their having firmer connective tissue which are tightly packed and they also have thicker skin with higher muscle fiber.
It is said that, regular exercise, good balanced diet in potassium and sodium, correct fluid levels and good skin care techniques can reverse cellulite or reduce formation of cellulite.
- A yo-yo diet can contribute into cellulite formation. (ouch! i am guilty!)
- when sodium-potassium level is not balanced in blood, the short term effects are bloating and fluid retention while the long-term effects are poor cell renewal and regeneration. So go easy with the salts, avoid processed foods and eat lots of fresh fruits and vegitables, sprouted beans and seeds for potassium.
-good body posture helps good circulation and prevents pains and discomforts. Good circulation include that of the lymph flow hence reduce congestion that can lead to cellulite formation.
- try not to wear tight fittings clothing very often for that can cause flow congestion thus cellulite.
- exercise more for good circulation, fat burning.
Hmmmm...good knowledge, eh?
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Get rid of the bloat!
Like to share with you this article from Yahoo! I read it because i am really trying very hard to get rid off the extras i have around my abdomen. Wish had done it a long time ago. Hopefully this is not too late for me.
Apart from exercising, food is also important in helping to control our weight. So a combination of both exercise and good diet should be able to keep us trim.
Here are some good food for us to consume to rid off the bloat:
1. Flatten belly with fiber : Up your intake of soluble fiber, found in apples, citrus fruits, seeds, and beans.
2. Add healthy bacteria: let's buy ourselves some yoghurt!
3. Get plenty of vitamin C: aiming for at least 100 milligrams daily, about the amount in 10 large strawberries, one small red pepper, one large orange, or 1 cup of cooked broccoli.
4. Swap carbs for spinach : sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil with chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, and a dash of chili oil. Or serve it in a salad topped with strawberries, minced red onion, and a few pecans.
5. Crank up the fat burn : Studies show that eating the amount of capsaicin found in one small chili pepper at meals may boost metabolism by 23 percent in the short term. Use fresh chilies or peppery Thai, Indian, or Latin seasonings to spice up your meals.
6. Have fruit for dessert : The enzymes bromelain (in fresh pineapple) and papain (in fresh papaya) ease digestion by breaking down proteins in meat, tofu, dairy, and beans, so food moves through your system faster, which can decrease bloating.
7. Slice up an avocado : avocado-banana salsa: Chop a quarter of an avocado and half a small banana and combine with 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
8. Give up alcohol
9. Time your caffeine intake : When you drink caffeine about 30 minutes before a workout, it helps you push yourself harder and longer. Caffeine also stimulates your digestive tract, so it eases bloating.
10. Put a cap on sugar : refined sugar can stoke hunger and cause bloating.
Source: Cynthia Sass, R.D., is a New York City–based nutritionist and Shape contributing editor.
Apart from exercising, food is also important in helping to control our weight. So a combination of both exercise and good diet should be able to keep us trim.
Here are some good food for us to consume to rid off the bloat:
1. Flatten belly with fiber : Up your intake of soluble fiber, found in apples, citrus fruits, seeds, and beans.
2. Add healthy bacteria: let's buy ourselves some yoghurt!
3. Get plenty of vitamin C: aiming for at least 100 milligrams daily, about the amount in 10 large strawberries, one small red pepper, one large orange, or 1 cup of cooked broccoli.
4. Swap carbs for spinach : sautéed in 1 teaspoon olive oil with chopped red bell pepper, minced garlic, and a dash of chili oil. Or serve it in a salad topped with strawberries, minced red onion, and a few pecans.
5. Crank up the fat burn : Studies show that eating the amount of capsaicin found in one small chili pepper at meals may boost metabolism by 23 percent in the short term. Use fresh chilies or peppery Thai, Indian, or Latin seasonings to spice up your meals.
6. Have fruit for dessert : The enzymes bromelain (in fresh pineapple) and papain (in fresh papaya) ease digestion by breaking down proteins in meat, tofu, dairy, and beans, so food moves through your system faster, which can decrease bloating.
7. Slice up an avocado : avocado-banana salsa: Chop a quarter of an avocado and half a small banana and combine with 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
8. Give up alcohol
9. Time your caffeine intake : When you drink caffeine about 30 minutes before a workout, it helps you push yourself harder and longer. Caffeine also stimulates your digestive tract, so it eases bloating.
10. Put a cap on sugar : refined sugar can stoke hunger and cause bloating.
Source: Cynthia Sass, R.D., is a New York City–based nutritionist and Shape contributing editor.
Wednesday, 28 March 2012
Good eating habit
I have been trying to diet without actually doing the crash diet but.
So this is what i always know and rarely give myself enough consideration about it, and what many nutritionist remind us of about eating habit.
Ever heard of the advice: morning meal, eat like a king/queen; lunch, eat like a princess and dinner, eat like a pauper?
The rational to take good high calory food in the morning meal aka breakfast is so that our body has enough energy to kick-start the day. The advice is to take high caloric food. Then midday (lunch) add some fibers into our plate with less carbohydrate. And another advice is, when drinking, dont take one gulp at once but drink slow. Of course at night, even less carbohydrate. Drink plenty of water of course.
Start meal with something simple like fruit as it provides enzyme secretions that is ready to digest other complex food. Oh yes! if we eat more vegies at the start of our meal, we tend to take less of others as well. Stomach is filled up somewhat.
And....food that can help reduce obesity: cereals, oatmeal, salad, popcorn and soup!
Simple right? Lets do it then!!
So this is what i always know and rarely give myself enough consideration about it, and what many nutritionist remind us of about eating habit.
Ever heard of the advice: morning meal, eat like a king/queen; lunch, eat like a princess and dinner, eat like a pauper?
The rational to take good high calory food in the morning meal aka breakfast is so that our body has enough energy to kick-start the day. The advice is to take high caloric food. Then midday (lunch) add some fibers into our plate with less carbohydrate. And another advice is, when drinking, dont take one gulp at once but drink slow. Of course at night, even less carbohydrate. Drink plenty of water of course.
Start meal with something simple like fruit as it provides enzyme secretions that is ready to digest other complex food. Oh yes! if we eat more vegies at the start of our meal, we tend to take less of others as well. Stomach is filled up somewhat.
And....food that can help reduce obesity: cereals, oatmeal, salad, popcorn and soup!
Simple right? Lets do it then!!
Tuesday, 13 March 2012
Secrets of Happy Couples
I just read about this from Yahoo! and thought this is worth sharing here. Let us see what are the secret:
1. They use terms of endearment.
- this is like many calls the spouse, 'Honey', 'Darling', 'My Teddy Bear', etc...
2. They do stuff together.
- cook, shop, clean the house, read....twosome. And enjoying every seconds..Time spent playing together, is an "investment in the relationship"; it provides a relaxed intimacy that strengthens the bond between two people. So even if life is impossibly frantic, make the time for play and do all you can to eliminate distractions.
3. When the going gets tough, they don't call Mom or Dad
- keep things between them. No need to tell family unless very very needed. Brace storms together.
4. They stay connected to their parents.
- but always know where attachment to parents starts and ends.
5. They don't nickel and dime about chores.
- everything is given at the best level, not even a 50-50 share but 150% share of commitment with one another and everything related.
6. They fight constructively.
- a psychiatry professor said: the way couples handle conflict is the most important factor in determining whether or not they stay together.
- In strong marriages, the partners take control of their disagreements by establishing ground rules.
- agreed-upon time-out if the conflict is escalating and unproductive, agreeing to continue the discussion after a cooling-off period.
- also truly listen to each other and won't prematurely try to solve the problem before they've heard each other out.
- Above all, no matter how angry they get, they don't resort to name-calling and insults -- key danger signs.
7. They give each other gifts.
8. They never lose their sense of humor.
9. They take 'for better or for worse' seriously.
Hmmm...what do you think guys?
Source: LOVEBOOK, Yahoo!
1. They use terms of endearment.
- this is like many calls the spouse, 'Honey', 'Darling', 'My Teddy Bear', etc...
2. They do stuff together.
- cook, shop, clean the house, read....twosome. And enjoying every seconds..Time spent playing together, is an "investment in the relationship"; it provides a relaxed intimacy that strengthens the bond between two people. So even if life is impossibly frantic, make the time for play and do all you can to eliminate distractions.
3. When the going gets tough, they don't call Mom or Dad
- keep things between them. No need to tell family unless very very needed. Brace storms together.
4. They stay connected to their parents.
- but always know where attachment to parents starts and ends.
5. They don't nickel and dime about chores.
- everything is given at the best level, not even a 50-50 share but 150% share of commitment with one another and everything related.
6. They fight constructively.
- a psychiatry professor said: the way couples handle conflict is the most important factor in determining whether or not they stay together.
- In strong marriages, the partners take control of their disagreements by establishing ground rules.
- agreed-upon time-out if the conflict is escalating and unproductive, agreeing to continue the discussion after a cooling-off period.
- also truly listen to each other and won't prematurely try to solve the problem before they've heard each other out.
- Above all, no matter how angry they get, they don't resort to name-calling and insults -- key danger signs.
7. They give each other gifts.
8. They never lose their sense of humor.
9. They take 'for better or for worse' seriously.
Hmmm...what do you think guys?
Source: LOVEBOOK, Yahoo!
Monday, 12 March 2012
10 Bad Money Habits
I am guilty of each and everyone of these. Even though i have handled money matters since teenage years still i find it difficult many times to do the very thing you MUST do: saving money. Anyway, these i took from Yahoo: Financially Fit section.
Let us see what are the 10 bad money habits we may inculcate into ourselves:
1. Contributing too little to your saving
The suggestion is to save some 10% of your take home salary. And we can start little first and eventually get to the percentage and perhaps with increase in salary, hike up the saving to higher percentage.
(i am really guilty of this for at this moment, i am unable to save at all...BUT i must now...my next salary will see to that and it is never too late to start anything!)
2. Keeping quiet at raise time
Men are four times as likely as women to ask for a raise, according to a study from Carnegie Mellon University. If you don't ask, you don't get, and the vast majority of people who do ask get something, whether it's a salary bump or another type of incentive. The more often you ask for raises (within reason), the more money you stand to make in the long run, which translates to more retirement savings, more college savings for your kids and a higher KWSP saving (if this is applicable to you), among other things.
(alahai, i am really guilty, guilty and guilty...i never really get involved with this at all. i let other people do the talking and i just get a hitch from there. But i suppose is because i work in an establishment where everything is already structured? But yes, when thing like SBPA came about, CUEPACS did all the talking, yes? )
3. Carrying a balance on credit cards
It's wise to live within your means and pay down your credit card debt. Suggestion: Pay the minimum balance on all of your credit cards except the one with the smallest balance-and put as much money as possible toward that one until it's paid off. Once that happens, take the money you were throwing at that card and put it toward the next-highest balance, and so on until everything's paid off.
(hmmm....i should try this....)
4. Using too many credit cards
When you spread your purchases out over multiple cards, it's tough to rein in spending. "It's harder to be aware of where your money is going," says one financial advisor. Instead, you spend a few hundred dollars here, a few hundred dollars there, and at the end of the month you owe more than you expected. Using a bunch of cards also may hurt your credit score. So stick to one or two cards with no annual fee and a good cash-back program.
(uhuh! agree to this and luckily i don't do this.)
5. Spending money without tracking it
More than a third of women spend more each month than they make, according to a survey by Financial Finesse. If you don't know where your money's going, you can't accurately plan to meet saving and spending goals. Paying attention to cash flow will make you more mindful of your purchases-and less apt to fork out dollars for yet another pair of shoes. Create an account on Mint.com and use it to track your day-to-day expenditures by category.
(right! i have always and in fact diligently track where my money goes but there are times when i just let myself go because i am tired of being too calculative about money...maybe, i should try Mint.com and see what that is all about?)
6. Skimping on emergency savings
If you lost your job tomorrow, how long would you be able to last on your savings? A month? A week? (Good question!) "An emergency fund is a must," says another financial advisor. You should have enough socked away (in a money market account, perhaps) to cover three to six months of living expenses-which should be less than three to six months of income, since income includes retirement contributions, taxes and money for unnecessary spending.
(i never put any thought about this at all. certainly, this needs to be thought, right?)
7. Skipping disability insurance
Your chance of becoming disabled is far greater than your chance of dying before retirement. Start with disability coverage. That will usually cover 60% of your base salary, not including bonuses or commissions. Consider getting a policy that replaces less of your earnings should you become unable to work. Some income would be better than no income.
(hmm...what say you? I have not bought any...)
8. Saving for college over retirement
It's great that you're putting money aside for your child's higher education. But if you're doing this instead of growing your retirement savings, you'll need to work for a long time to make up for it. remember: While there are a variety of ways for your child to pay for a degree-scholarships, grants, financial aid, part-time jobs-no one offers loans for your golden years. You should put at least 10% of your household income into retirement savings before you send the first cent toward college.
(Sounds reasonable to me. When we don't have enough now, how can we think of tomorrow? but of course, we always strive hard for the better...at the end, where is the reward? We put so much thought of our children way and above ourselves, but will they be thinking of us in later years? What did our parent do to us? Not many of us are privilege, born with silver spoon, many work very hard to be where we are...can we not teach the same to our children? Having said this, just because our parent did not provide us with money, we ignore them at their golden age? No...we don't. In fact, some cases, the one with silver spoon who always forget their parents! )
9. Buying high and selling low
This is all about investing. The advice is not to get panic when there is a shift in market value, do not remove all the funds, for we might miss some when the market rebound.
(am not into investment like this, once bitten twice shy...that's me. i'll leave this to people who knows what is good for them and having lots of fund, perhaps? But i do know of few people who did investment without spending a cent of his own !)
10. Letting your significant other handle all the money decisions
Many women aren't involved in every family money move. Day-to-day budgeting? Sure. Women are less likely to deal with big-picture items such as taxes, debt payments and investments. (i suka je....) The problem with that: What if your significant other is more aggressive with your money than you'd like to be? What if he's doing things that you don't agree with? If you're not checking in regularly, you're vulnerable if your spouse mismanages the family finances-or in a real mess if you get divorced or your spouse dies, since you won't know how to take over. Protect yourself by swapping roles periodically and having frequent money chats.
(hmmm....what if i am the one doing all the tough decision? I think i am not guilty of this issue. )
Let us see what are the 10 bad money habits we may inculcate into ourselves:
1. Contributing too little to your saving
The suggestion is to save some 10% of your take home salary. And we can start little first and eventually get to the percentage and perhaps with increase in salary, hike up the saving to higher percentage.
(i am really guilty of this for at this moment, i am unable to save at all...BUT i must now...my next salary will see to that and it is never too late to start anything!)
2. Keeping quiet at raise time
Men are four times as likely as women to ask for a raise, according to a study from Carnegie Mellon University. If you don't ask, you don't get, and the vast majority of people who do ask get something, whether it's a salary bump or another type of incentive. The more often you ask for raises (within reason), the more money you stand to make in the long run, which translates to more retirement savings, more college savings for your kids and a higher KWSP saving (if this is applicable to you), among other things.
(alahai, i am really guilty, guilty and guilty...i never really get involved with this at all. i let other people do the talking and i just get a hitch from there. But i suppose is because i work in an establishment where everything is already structured? But yes, when thing like SBPA came about, CUEPACS did all the talking, yes? )
3. Carrying a balance on credit cards
It's wise to live within your means and pay down your credit card debt. Suggestion: Pay the minimum balance on all of your credit cards except the one with the smallest balance-and put as much money as possible toward that one until it's paid off. Once that happens, take the money you were throwing at that card and put it toward the next-highest balance, and so on until everything's paid off.
(hmmm....i should try this....)
4. Using too many credit cards
When you spread your purchases out over multiple cards, it's tough to rein in spending. "It's harder to be aware of where your money is going," says one financial advisor. Instead, you spend a few hundred dollars here, a few hundred dollars there, and at the end of the month you owe more than you expected. Using a bunch of cards also may hurt your credit score. So stick to one or two cards with no annual fee and a good cash-back program.
(uhuh! agree to this and luckily i don't do this.)
5. Spending money without tracking it
More than a third of women spend more each month than they make, according to a survey by Financial Finesse. If you don't know where your money's going, you can't accurately plan to meet saving and spending goals. Paying attention to cash flow will make you more mindful of your purchases-and less apt to fork out dollars for yet another pair of shoes. Create an account on Mint.com and use it to track your day-to-day expenditures by category.
(right! i have always and in fact diligently track where my money goes but there are times when i just let myself go because i am tired of being too calculative about money...maybe, i should try Mint.com and see what that is all about?)
6. Skimping on emergency savings
If you lost your job tomorrow, how long would you be able to last on your savings? A month? A week? (Good question!) "An emergency fund is a must," says another financial advisor. You should have enough socked away (in a money market account, perhaps) to cover three to six months of living expenses-which should be less than three to six months of income, since income includes retirement contributions, taxes and money for unnecessary spending.
(i never put any thought about this at all. certainly, this needs to be thought, right?)
7. Skipping disability insurance
Your chance of becoming disabled is far greater than your chance of dying before retirement. Start with disability coverage. That will usually cover 60% of your base salary, not including bonuses or commissions. Consider getting a policy that replaces less of your earnings should you become unable to work. Some income would be better than no income.
(hmm...what say you? I have not bought any...)
8. Saving for college over retirement
It's great that you're putting money aside for your child's higher education. But if you're doing this instead of growing your retirement savings, you'll need to work for a long time to make up for it. remember: While there are a variety of ways for your child to pay for a degree-scholarships, grants, financial aid, part-time jobs-no one offers loans for your golden years. You should put at least 10% of your household income into retirement savings before you send the first cent toward college.
(Sounds reasonable to me. When we don't have enough now, how can we think of tomorrow? but of course, we always strive hard for the better...at the end, where is the reward? We put so much thought of our children way and above ourselves, but will they be thinking of us in later years? What did our parent do to us? Not many of us are privilege, born with silver spoon, many work very hard to be where we are...can we not teach the same to our children? Having said this, just because our parent did not provide us with money, we ignore them at their golden age? No...we don't. In fact, some cases, the one with silver spoon who always forget their parents! )
9. Buying high and selling low
This is all about investing. The advice is not to get panic when there is a shift in market value, do not remove all the funds, for we might miss some when the market rebound.
(am not into investment like this, once bitten twice shy...that's me. i'll leave this to people who knows what is good for them and having lots of fund, perhaps? But i do know of few people who did investment without spending a cent of his own !)
10. Letting your significant other handle all the money decisions
Many women aren't involved in every family money move. Day-to-day budgeting? Sure. Women are less likely to deal with big-picture items such as taxes, debt payments and investments. (i suka je....) The problem with that: What if your significant other is more aggressive with your money than you'd like to be? What if he's doing things that you don't agree with? If you're not checking in regularly, you're vulnerable if your spouse mismanages the family finances-or in a real mess if you get divorced or your spouse dies, since you won't know how to take over. Protect yourself by swapping roles periodically and having frequent money chats.
(hmmm....what if i am the one doing all the tough decision? I think i am not guilty of this issue. )
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Great employees
Great employees are reliable, dependable, proactive, diligent, great leaders and great followers... they possess a wide range of easily-defined—but hard to find—qualities.
A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.
Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:
1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done.
When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job.
2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. They seem slightly odd, but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and transform a plain-vanilla group into a team with flair and flavor.
People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.
3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team.
Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.
4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person.
Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.
5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom.
Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.
6. They speak when others won’t. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately.
An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said to him, “Why did you ask about that? You already know what's going on.” He said, “I do, but a lot of other people don't, and they're afraid to ask. I thought it would help if they heard the answer from you.”
Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate.
7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. The kid without a college degree or the woman who was told she didn't have leadership potential often possess a burning desire to prove other people wrong.
Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.
8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied (I mean that in a good way) and are constantly tinkering with something: Reworking a timeline, adjusting a process, tweaking a workflow.
Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it.
writer: Jeff Haden
A few hit the next level. Some employees are remarkable, possessing qualities that may not appear on performance appraisals but nonetheless make a major impact on performance.
Here are eight qualities of remarkable employees:
1. They ignore job descriptions. The smaller the company, the more important it is that employees can think on their feet, adapt quickly to shifting priorities, and do whatever it takes, regardless of role or position, to get things done.
When a key customer's project is in jeopardy, remarkable employees know without being told there's a problem and jump in without being asked—even if it's not their job.
2. They’re eccentric... The best employees are often a little different: quirky, sometimes irreverent, even delighted to be unusual. They seem slightly odd, but in a really good way. Unusual personalities shake things up, make work more fun, and transform a plain-vanilla group into a team with flair and flavor.
People who aren't afraid to be different naturally stretch boundaries and challenge the status quo, and they often come up with the best ideas.
3. But they know when to dial it back. An unusual personality is a lot of fun... until it isn't. When a major challenge pops up or a situation gets stressful, the best employees stop expressing their individuality and fit seamlessly into the team.
Remarkable employees know when to play and when to be serious; when to be irreverent and when to conform; and when to challenge and when to back off. It’s a tough balance to strike, but a rare few can walk that fine line with ease.
4. They publicly praise... Praise from a boss feels good. Praise from a peer feels awesome, especially when you look up to that person.
Remarkable employees recognize the contributions of others, especially in group settings where the impact of their words is even greater.
5. And they privately complain. We all want employees to bring issues forward, but some problems are better handled in private. Great employees often get more latitude to bring up controversial subjects in a group setting because their performance allows greater freedom.
Remarkable employees come to you before or after a meeting to discuss a sensitive issue, knowing that bringing it up in a group setting could set off a firestorm.
6. They speak when others won’t. Some employees are hesitant to speak up in meetings. Some are even hesitant to speak up privately.
An employee once asked me a question about potential layoffs. After the meeting I said to him, “Why did you ask about that? You already know what's going on.” He said, “I do, but a lot of other people don't, and they're afraid to ask. I thought it would help if they heard the answer from you.”
Remarkable employees have an innate feel for the issues and concerns of those around them, and step up to ask questions or raise important issues when others hesitate.
7. They like to prove others wrong. Self-motivation often springs from a desire to show that doubters are wrong. The kid without a college degree or the woman who was told she didn't have leadership potential often possess a burning desire to prove other people wrong.
Education, intelligence, talent, and skill are important, but drive is critical. Remarkable employees are driven by something deeper and more personal than just the desire to do a good job.
8. They’re always fiddling. Some people are rarely satisfied (I mean that in a good way) and are constantly tinkering with something: Reworking a timeline, adjusting a process, tweaking a workflow.
Great employees follow processes. Remarkable employees find ways to make those processes even better, not only because they are expected to… but because they just can't help it.
writer: Jeff Haden
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