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| Tuesday, June 3, 2008 |
| Productivity Hack: How to Keep a Sharp Focus at Work |
When you live like me, you have to learn to juggle like me. And what is most important is to be able to learn to have something called "focus" in what you do.
These days, we have a lot of things that could be used to distract us: Internet, SMS (or texting), Friendster, Twitter, instant messaging, RSS feeds, and more. If you do not have any of these distractions, perhaps a little office gossip will take your mind off the more important things. And if you are a little web worker like yours truly, all the more distractions are bound to come your way, in the long run, you are pretty much at risk for losing your focus.
Focus is hard to come by these days. It is not something that you just turn on and off on a whim. Your surroundings are are essential if you want to be more focused. Here are some ways to help achieve a sharper focus as you toil the hours away:
- Plan your day. It is important to list down the things that need to be done today. If you do not have a list to abide to, it is pretty easy to stray from your path and find yourself doing things that could have been done later. In the end, you may have not done what you were really supposed to do.
- Find your down times. At work, most people have a "noisy" time where they somehow relax a bit or become a bit lazy when it comes to work. Find that time which you somewhat do not feel like doing anything and have your break then.
- Set time limits. Everybody has a lot of things to do. So it is best that you set up certain amounts of time to finish or attend to a certain thing and make sure you try to finish what you set off to do for that allotted time. That way, that will be marked off the list of things to do.
- Keep a journal or a diary of the things you did all through the day. The GiGC gave me a 3-year diary as a Christmas present last year (it's pink!), and it has been quite useful in helping me keep tracks on what I did on this particular day, or what happened on this day. Even my frustrations and thoughts go here.
- Use programs to help track your time. Remember when I talked about RescueTime? Yes, that is it. If RescueTime does not help, then I also have an alternative way of keeping track of things to do, the ever helpful MS Excel.
- Take more breaks. I know it sounds crazy, but the only thing that has kept me from having a burn-out is because in every hour, I take at least a couple of minutes off to cool my aching brain. It actually works. One really cannot help process tons of data in 8 straight hours. Have a break, have a KitKat.
- Start the day right. In every single thing you do, it is best to remember that if you start the day right, you go through the day right. Even if there are numerous undesirable things that are bound to happen, if you start off right, eventually, it will end up right again.
These are but a few hacks to keep your focus. I know that it is one of the hardest to achieve. I should know, I think that aside from being a bit obsessive, I think I might also be a tad bit of attention deficit. ;)
Now, Focus!!
 Labels: focus, how to, improvement, learning, lifestyle, productivity, tips |
| posted by Ann @ 8:23 PM
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| Monday, May 19, 2008 |
| Saturday's Hike to The Top of the World |
As planned last Friday, a couple of colleagues and I went jogging/walking in the early morn. We did manage to do so despite some delays, and we had a ball!
Although the idea was to do brisk walking and some jogging, I believe the correct word for what we did was "light short hiking." Oh sure, we walked, but it was a pretty steady up hill climb all the way to the top so there was nothing to brisk about the walk we were doing, but brisk enough to send a friend trying to catch up. Although the course was in not really rocky, or in rough terrain, it still had some of its "hike-like" charm.
After an hour of the steady uphill climb, we reached what I call "the Top of The World." The name fit for that was perhaps the highest place I've come on foot. If you're familiar with Dumaguete, then you might understand that we hiked from Taclobo towards Cadawinonan to a new cemetery called "Gardens" From there, we ran/jogged around the islands. After catching our breaths, we took some really cool pictures (pics to follow), and headed to the Paunay (a marketplace where fruits, veggies, and even meat are really cheap). All those things done in around 2 hours. Pretty accomplishing especially since we started at around 5:00 A.M.
The hike left me exhilarated, if not bushed as well. It did make me consider joining this mountain climbing expedition some colleagues had in mind to go on - around next month. Something tells me I will have a very good time if I go. However, the thought of being out for two days? Hmm.. Hub might just throw a fit. We'll see..
I can't wait to go back on that trail next time.Labels: endurance, exercise, hiking, lifestyle, running, walking |
| posted by Ann @ 2:20 PM
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| Friday, May 16, 2008 |
| Friday Fitness & Health: What to Eat After Working Out |
We're walking/jogging tomorrow early morning. The plan is to be up and about at around 4:30 A.M., and get it kicking by 4:45 A.M. Of course, that is if I ever get my body off the bed. I plan do it, really. Why? Simply because even us, mere mortals, need to get in shape. Sitting in front of a computer day-in and day-out is just lacking movement, IMHO.
Now, I've been down the road of an athlete. For a good number of years, I've played badminton and gone to many competitions in aims of getting the coveted gold medal. Those were the days when I was more mindful of the things that I put in my mouth. These days..not so much. Since I've descended into the realm of the non-moving geeks and worker ants, the question of what to eat before and most especially after working out arises.
When I hang out with my jogging buddies, the usual ending to the workout/exercise is a chow-down at a local eatery. Talk about putting everything lost back on. So, I was thinking, what does a non athlete eat after working out?
Here are some ideas as to what to healthily gobble up after an hour or so of sweating.
- Consume 16-20 oz. of water after working out to aid your body in recovering the fluids lost when sweating away. Fact is, the body loses around a quart of fluid in an hour of exercise.
- Dried fruits and nuts.
- Fruit juice with cheese.
- Yogurt with fruit.
- Chocolate with milk.
- Cereal with milk.
- Eggs and toast.
- Ham or chicken sandwich.
- Pancakes and eggs.
- Any regular meal that contains lean protein, starch, and vegetables.
That means, no more bacon, salami, hotdogs, eggs, rice, and everything nice. Okay, so there are some goodies though. The thing is, eating the right food at the right time after working out is an essential in helping you keep up your energy up, extend the fat-burning mode longer, and your workout performance higher.
Now, I already have an inkling as to what I'm going to have for breakfast after running around tomorrow. Cereals! Mmmm..
Enjoy your weekend everybody!
Labels: eating, eating habits, exercise, Friday Fitness and Health, fruit diet, fruits, health, healthy living, improvement, lifestyle, running, tips |
| posted by Ann @ 3:15 PM
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| Thursday, May 15, 2008 |
| Girl Talk: Care For Naturally Curly Hair |
Last week, I shared some tips on how to take care of straight hair. However, straight hair is not the only hairstyle on Earth. Women with curly hair encounter as much problems regarding their tresses as those with straight locks. So, as promised, I am now sharing some ways to care for naturally curly hair.
- People with curly hair do not need to shampoo everyday. However, conditioning is important every time you shower. Choose shampoo and conditioner that leaves you feeling good, not the ones that make you feel like you haven't cleaned it at all.
- Air dry or blow dry your hair. Choosing to completely blow dry your hair can cause frizz and you don't want that. So stop the drying before your hair is completely dry. Alternate it with air drying once or twice in a week.
- Avoid the daily use of these: elastic bands, blow driers, flat irons, and chemicals.
- Do not use a lot of products. Just use a small amount, rub your palms together to warm it up, then use evenly. Using a lot of products can weigh your hair down. You wouldn't want that. Products that contain alcohol should also be avoided as they dry your hair and often increase frizzies.
- Brushes are the usual culprit of frizz. Use combs or better yet, use your fingers.
These are just a few basic things you can do to take care of curly hair. Follow them, and take good care of your tresses. If you care for them correctly, you will not have to trim your hair as often as others who use flat-irons, blow driers, or brushes because your split ends will be almost extinct.
Ready to flaunt those curls?
Labels: how to, improvement, lifestyle, preservation, street smarts, tips, tricks, women |
| posted by Ann @ 4:00 PM
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| Friday, May 9, 2008 |
| Friday Fitness and Health: Reasons To Eat Slower |
Yesterday, a colleague of mine voiced out his complaints regarding the speed when we eat. Given the 30 minute allotted time for breaks, who wouldn't learn to eat as fast as Speed Racer's driving speed? But we all know this should not be the case.
Although accomplishing a record time of eating is quite admirable, there are numerous reasons as to why each of us should eat slower. Not only is speed eating a sign of a stressful and unhealthy living, it becomes a lifestyle to each of us that we carry on in our lives.
You can snap out of that unhealthy living by starting off by eating slower. How hard could it be? You take smaller sizes, chew slowly and longer, and you feel the play of the tastes of the food you just put in your mouth.
Easy enough? Let's take a look at other reasons to enjoy a good meal:
- Meal enjoyment - If you live by speed eating, you tend to just eat because your stomach needs to eat. You should be able to enjoy the food you bought or prepared. Why go through all the seasoning, spices, and hard work if you're just going to gobble it down in less than 30 minutes.
- Prevent indigestion - Who wants to have digestive problems? Eat slower so that your body can digest the food better.
- De-stress - Forget about what you're supposed to be doing. When you're eating, your time should be devoted to eating. Being conscious of the things that are happening right now rather than thinking of your to do list gives your brain and body some "down time".
- Weightloss - My favorite part. :) Studies show that by eating slower, you actually lose more weight even when you've skipped on your exercises. By eating slowly, you are consuming lesser food, and thus, lesser calories! :)
- Time for relationships - Eating slowly gives you more time to spend with people around you. It allows another facet of your life to come out for a walk. No doubt when you're at work, work is pretty much in the agenda. So just be on your break.
Perhaps these are such small reasons that you feel you can brush it off. But truth of the matter is, if you simply eat slower, you are making the first steps to having a slower more meaningful life. Speed and hype might feel really good, but in the end, it becomes unhealthy and a stressful.
Relax, enjoy your food... Live life!
Cheers!
Labels: eating, eating habits, food, Friday Fitness and Health, health, healthy living, improvement, lifestyle, nutrition |
| posted by Ann @ 3:00 PM
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| About Me |
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Name: Ann
Home: Philippines
About Me: even when she has fairy wings on, this girl is anything BUT dainty. perhaps the size, the weight, and the personality alone are just too much for her to be considered delicate, prim, proper, and refined. this girl with the mud smudged cheeks has been down on the ground one to many times. these times forced her to be tougher, smarter, and more savvy than she has ever been. perhaps she will always be, never dainty.
email me: neverdainty [at] gmail [dot] com
See my complete profile
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