Measuring metrics

We are talking about the self help tips and positive psychology techniques to improve. One of the easiest ways to slip is when we do not measure our performance. When we have nothing to compare how do we even try to improve. Have a measuring method to see how you have performed yesterday and compare it with today. 

All great performers, athletes, managers... all of them push themselves harder to perform better than yesterday and ensure they have the right tools to help them to do so. Measure your time spent on mail, chatting, social media, making reports, tasks that you have to do, talking on phone and all other mundane tasks like coffee breaks and so on. Do it for a week and see how much time you can save when you were focused and how much time was lost in non productive things. Once you know the number, try to get more on the focused side this week and repeat next week till you know you are good enough and have productive time on your side.

Usain bolt, Roger Frederer, Saching Tendulkar and all the other winners have something in common. They measure their work everyday. Work on their techniques, strategy, performance every day and train everyday. They have professional teams to look up their numbers, crunch them for trends, ensure they are ahead. When you see these leaders and masters of their game, it is these hours and hours of training and hard work they put in that pays. This is possible only when you measure constantly and improve on that.

When you do this regularly you tend to me more satisfied with yourself as you can see continuous improvement, feel less tired and learn to prioritize your tasks easily. What is the point of going to work everyday if you do the same things again and again and end up with a boring schedule? Time to change that. Make improvements, implement measuring metrics, change your daily schedule to better than yesterday and make your today get you more.

#AtoZChallenge

#PositivePsychologist

#ConsumerPsyche
#MeasuringMetrics

Top 5 things to consider while planning to study in Ireland - Guest post by Rebecca Heins

View of Liffey River on O’Connell Street

It is good to be back home in Namma Ooru Bengaluru, but the last 2 years in Ireland, especially Dublin will always be special in my life.

“A place is only as good as the people you know in it. It's the people that make the place.” ― Pittacus Lore

The above saying holds true to Ireland. This was perhaps the top most deciding factor for me when I decided to leave a thriving career with HP and move to a place where I did not know a soul.   Studying in an international environment is something that I will recommend to everyone; not just for the experience and exposure it offers, but also for the development of your overall personality. 

Though I was initially looking at Europe and was offered admission in couple of Universities in UK, I finally chose Ireland after talking to a friend who had been working in UK for really long time.  While discussing with her about studying in EU, it was the friendlier nature of Irish is what caught my attention and that was the deciding factor for me finally ending up in Dublin.  Though I have traveled before, but I’ve never lived in another place other than Bangalore.  It was quite challenging for me to transition from a sheltered Indian family setting to an unknown place I had to stumble and figure my way out.    That is when I decided that I will try and put all those information together more from an international student perspective, so other students might be better prepared and have an easier time than me.  So here are all the information I have put together a page for potential students interested to Study in Ireland and facebook group to answer queries.  My time in Dublin of course was not a cake walk like any other part of life, but I believe those experiences is what makes it special.

Based on my experience here are the Top 5 things you need to keep in mind while planning to study in Ireland:

My University UCD Michael Smurfit College

Research Research!

Think long term before you decide on any Masters or specialization after their undergrad.  I get asked the same kind of questions from students on Quora all the time about studying & career.  It is important to think through your long term goals before you invest in any area of specialization.  Speak to career counselors, analyse your personality, Volunteer/intern to gain additional skills,  work in the area that interests you, gain couple of years' experience before you embark on any Masters course.  One of the top most reasons for many students to study abroad is to gain working experience in that region. If that is your top most reason, research on the job market - do you find enough opportunities for internationals in that area? Connect with University alumni or student groups.  This is an investment that you are making that will set you up in a specific career path, therefore it is important to spend time talking to former students and also professionals in that area. 

Being part of HR, one thing that I would like to stress on is that, if you can afford it study in highly ranked and accredited Universities, Do it! It is worth the investment personally and professionally as it will be well recognized by global companies wherever you go.

Prepare to weather the Irish weather:

Ireland has the awesome summers! Winters are the hardest when it is grey and it becomes dark by 3PM. Someone coming from India where you take the sun for granted, you will end up craving for some Vitamin D in that season. Until Ireland, I had never heard about 'cold beaches', the view of the sea is wonderful, but just don't dare step in it other than summers! Your legs  will freeze! It can also get quite windy there! You will find out the true meaning of resistance walking or resistance biking in the windy season.  The heavens may also open up and pour on you anytime of the year! You need to be constantly prepared with a jacket that can protect you from wind, cold and rain (Oh if you are lucky light snow too)! I gave up on buying new umbrellas as any of the strong one does not seem to hold against the strong winds.  With all that, I can say one thing! Ireland is beautiful!  Over a period, rain will not stop you from looking forward to taking those walks around town to explore and start clicking photos of the lovely landscape.

Get your living arrangements sorted early:

Getting accommodation during the University starting season can be really challenging. Campus accommodation is limited and expensive, so only a few can manage to get them.  Arrive early or make connections who can help you with the finding an accommodation.  Connect with your other students who are perhaps in the same batch or from the same University to tentatively get a place together as housemates or roommates; It is easier to decide on a 2 or 3 BHK's sharing when you know how many are going to be sharing with you.  Never book long term accommodation without arriving and actually looking at the house as there number of scam that happens at that time. It is recommended to arrive in Ireland before the semester starts to find a place off campus.  The places get filled pretty quickly during the viewings set up by the landlords. So it is best to decide and book as soon as you find an appropriate place.  The intensity of the race to find rented places perhaps is a little lesser in smaller towns than in Dublin.

Gain skills outside your academic life:

Unlike in India preference is not just given to topping academics alone, but an overall personality development in Universities abroad.  So while you are thinking of studying in Ireland, acquire some skills through volunteering, sports, arts, leading programs alongside your academics or through some internships.  Not only will these things add value when you apply for the courses and for scholarships/bursaries, but continuing to participate in the various societies arts or sports during your Education in Ireland will help you stand apart; with your job applications to employers in Ireland.  Being an active participant in-class and outside leading programs during your course here will help you teach many dynamics of working in a team, leading an initiative and giving you confidence while you begin your career.

The Irish Pub

Get out of your comfort zone:

Here is an opportunity for you to live in a different country & experience their culture, so don’t waste it. Ireland is part of the EU, so you will find a number of mainland Europeans visiting or studying in Ireland. Get out from your comfort group mingle with other international students. It is easier to get tied to familiar nationalities due to the comfort of knowing them. While you tend to be fonder of your own nationalities particularly away from home, don’t lose the opportunity to learn about other nationalities.  You can learn a lot about each other’s cultures, values and enjoy diverse opinions. I have made some really close friends from France to New Zealand during my time in Ireland. Irish are friendly people; you will find them returning your smiles or chatting up randomly on the bus. There are a number of times I have got lost and have had someone walk with me half way as I did not know which direction I was heading.  Good and evil acts exists everywhere, one warning to students visiting Dublin city centre – Mobile/bicycle thefts are rampant; do not wave around your phone to click your picture while you are in the city.

Wicklow, Ireland – The county famous for movie PS, I love you.

When you have an opportunity of living and studying in a beautiful scenic country, make the most of it.  Walk or Bike and explore places around Ireland whenever you can, you will learn a lot of its ancient history.  Share the enthusiasm of the locals and it will be returned.  Irish are friendlier :) when they are especially high on life, beer and Gaelic football.  You might still never get used to some of the accents from other counties, but before long I am sure you will not mind the ‘Shite’ or  perhaps join in on their ‘Craic’ slangs!

  

The famous Temple Bar Area

If you have any questions about Studying in Ireland, connect with me on this fb group and me or the former students will try and answer them.

About the author: Rebecca is a good friend and she just got back from Ireland where she graduated in International business. I caught her to get this post. Hope it helps you if you are looking do study in one of the most beautiful landscapes of the world. Born among the hills of Coorg, a true Bangalorean by heart, Rebecca loves all things Arts and likes to keep up with the pulse of Business & Brands. After spending more than a decade of working in corporates in the field of Marcom and Branding, she decided to take a sabbatical to pursue a Masters in Dublin, Ireland. Her love for writing finally took shape during this break through  www.bizlifebytes.com. 

Being alone in a different country and trying to figure things out can be quite difficult as she found out. So to help students, she has put together information to help students who are looking forward to study in Ireland.  

Book Review: 50 things you did not know about China

Strange! That is the word that comes to my mind when I think of what all I have read when I picked up the book, "50 things you did not know about China". Sometimes we think we know most of the things about a place. We are not in the world where information is hidden in the form of directories and encyclopedias and yet it is humbling to know that we don't really know everything. This book by Alchemy Publishers tells you just that - facts about China.

Written by Brendan O’Reilly who is an authority on the topic having observed the local customs and traditions first hand while he taught English at Jiujiang University in China for three years makes it more interesting and authentic. Brendan’s work has been featured in various publications, including Asia Times, BBC Vietnamese, Business Insider, The Diplomat and China Outlook. Brendan is conversational and literate in Mandarin Chinese.

It is a pleasant read with a smooth flow and a matter of fact way of story telling. He manages to build up the facts into interesting tit bits which dispel your notion of knowing the details about the Middle Kingdom, their forbidden cities and things not to do in China as well as things to do in China. Several interesting stories are here in this little books, many facts from ancient China. Some strange, some bizarre and some downright shocking! 

Here are a few: A Chinese Muslim eunuch once kidnapped the king of Sri Lanka. The one-child policy only applies to a third of Chinese couples. China loans more money than the World Bank does. Four hundred million Chinese people can’t speak Chinese.  China will soon have more bullet trains than every other nation in the world – combined.

Though we could get most of the facts mentioned in the book on the Internet, the way the story is built up, narration, suspense and the excitement is what kept me reading the book. To be frank I believed in the contrary to some of the cool facts about China mentioned in the book or have had a misconception about their origin. Such small tit-bits of information woven into interesting stories that keep your interest high packed into a pocket sized book is a good read to have a peep into the customs and traditions of the Middle Kingdom. Definitely worth if considering you don't know most of the facts about 1/7th of the world population and our neighbour.

Whether you are checking for the top things to do in China or things not to do in china, you have it all in here. Pick it up today from flipkart here.

Rating: 3.5/5

Verdict: Pick up

Pic is from here.

Deep fried fish

Passion Pays

We were at the beachside Dhaba/eatery in Doha, Qatar and the chef's recommendation was this freshly caught fish, prepared and fried to our taste. Decked and marinated in five different herbal and spices paste, the fish was left to marinate for 1 hour and quickly fried in searing oil for 5 minutes. The sumptuous salad was superb too.

Why did we go for the chef's recommendation? The passionate explanation on how this fish was of the right size, apt age, right weight and how his craftsmanship was going to transform the simple-looking fish into an amazing masterpiece. Of course, the free salads and fryums we got during the one hour wait and the lemonade was inviting too.

Sometimes, your product may not be a lot different from what the market is offering. But your attitude to serve and the passion you put behind the pitch matters. And can make your customers remember you, despite the fact that this was almost 7 years ago!

Show passion in whatever you do. Real, raw passion.

#MarketingTalk #TalktoTiger #PositivePsychologist

#TigerTravel

The #LiveLodgycal experience @ Blogadda

Day -12: I am on my twitter app updating myself and I suddenly see the tweet from Blogadda. Something exciting is happening and I am invited to be some of the select few. How can I say no? I decide to skip the session of RTI at my law college and jump on the bandwagon. 

The Light Liders

Day 1: It was a good day to wake up. Last night it had rained and the cool original Bengaluru weather was welcoming but the excitement was more about the hot humid Goan weather that would invite us in some time. 40 (top) bloggers from all across the country woke up early and gingerly finished their tasks and moved towards the respective airports to board Air Asia flights and headed to Goa. While the flight was uneventful, there was very high expectation in the air about what the Renault Team with their new MPV - Lodgy would have for us along with their co-conspirators - Blogadda. Now we all know the hospitality of Blogadda and we were only ready for being pampered. I personally was coming off after 72 hours work shifts and had left my little one at home and it was a promise to come back as soon as I finish my testing and review of Lodgy.

We landed on time in the little Goan airport and stepped into the arrivals lounge when the Team #LiveLodgycal were ready to receive us and we were ushered into the waiting bus and wow we had 20 more people to join us in this crazy drive. I dozed off on the bus to reach the hotel and was ready to experience the fun and the famed five star service The Leela Kempinski Beach Resort. With the floral welcome came the coconut drink and off we went to the rooms to fresh up. The evening was fun too as we were introduced to all the bloggers and the meet and greet ended with a small brief about Lodgy and the specs of the MPV. We were repeatedly reminded to have fun and not worry about the vehicle or anything else. 

The BlogAdda team were more than willing to ensure this would happen. We wanted to go to the beach but the weather played rough and it was almost impossible to walk on the beach without moon-walking. A quick dinner and a dip in the warm tub got me ready for bed but the excitement was just too high that we got up early and went off to get hands on the New Renault Lodgy. Boy this was going to be fun. 

Day 2: We were a team of four with Neha Mathur, who while not riding SUVs and MPVs cooks a mean dinner and is known for her food recipes, Hina Gujral, who has fun and frolic with food when she is not admiring the beautiful Nainital, and Giridhar the brain behind one of the top techblogs in India, and we were 'the Light Riders'. We got the higher end vehicle to tryout and we were already to ride quick and light after a filling brunch. Burp! 

The vehicle was flagged off and we zipped off on the moist Goan roads and were quickly greeted by drizzles and showers that made the driving more fun. The events planned all along with the way and we made good progress. Once we reached the Cavelossim - Assolna Bridge we had to stop and take a break. Break from tweeting, clicking pictures, tagging and retweeting and having awesome fun. The four of us had the best of times during that drive. We had Ankita to help us out with the route and it was beautiful. The view was too damn awesome. You have to stand on the edge there look at the lone fisherman in his boat under a palm hat and rain drops hitting your face and you are the only human amidst the massive plantations, flooding river and a cloudy sky. Damn it was fantastic.You got to be here to see this. And then we zoomed off to the venue – The Lalit Ashok. We went off to the beach and there were 15-20 ft high waves and a strong wind blowing at you. With all cameras being guarded all the bloggers were taking pics and strolling on the beach. My shoes got to kiss the ocean and the fun was I could click this picture. 

Soon after lunch we went on to proceed back and we convinced Archanaa to come with us to shoot the video bits while we were driving. And again we stopped to have a break at the bridge. This time the rain stopped and we were again in for some nice treat. We clicked a couple of pictures and were sitting there while others joined us and we all sat there just looking at the sun set in the horizon at his own pace. Once it sank in we pulled some stunts on the Lodgy we are not really allowed to do to see how it performs in pressure on the wet sludgy roads in rain. The vehicle performed well and I have a separate review coming up for the same. Once we reached back, I went out to do some shopping and got back to go to the beach and off to dinner and the party. 

Blogadda team was very particular in making us feel very comfortable every step of the way. We had an awesome musical night planned with Frontline, the best of the bands in Goa performing for us and the real fun started with bloggers started to take the mike and belt out smooth numbers like professionals. The highest point was when Neha clean bowled everyone with her incandescent deep voice and the whole of Bollywood came on to the floor. After a light dinner we bid good bye and went off to rest our tiring feet and had specific plans for the morning to shoot some short films on the beach. 

Now I have to mention the place specifically as they had one of the best resorts in India and we were really enjoying the hospitality. Once we rested our bodies we woke up to a hard hitting rain in the morning and yet we went off to the beach to have some fun and were joined by Santosh and Prashanth. We shot some funny videos while having too much fun, too much to be read as the cold swift rain hitting at you as you try to stand straight. We went off to the hotel, freshened up and packed and were ready to have a sumptuous breakfast and the Lodgy’s were missing but we had enough to talk about politics, food, travel, wildlife, life and philosophy. 

The flight was delayed but we had some fun waiting for it too. We reached Bangalore and traveled back with Garg Ankit, Piyush, Pariknnita and called it off. This was really a fun experience and it was awesome to the hilt. Thank you Blogadda for pampering us and keeping us happy, busy and engaged. It was more a fun event than 40 bloggers working for something. 

We made 45 new friends - Tina , Pranav, Atul, Manjulika, Aditi, Neha, Senthil, Rutavi, Debojyoti, Sammy, Ragini, Prateek, Murtaza, Piyush, Nirav, Madhu, Deepak, Satish, Rekha, Roshan and Omkar. Now Harish, Ankitha, my bags are packed and am ready for the next adventure. Thank you Renault and BlogAdda for everything. 

#LiveLodgycal #Peace.

I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India.