Esther Perel says that we need two things in relationships: stability -- knowing your partner has your back, and desire. Unfortunately, stability kills desire. Conversely, what creates desire? Risk. In the beginning of a relationship, we have plenty of risk. What if you get your heart broken, what if the other person doesn't like you as much as you like them? Is this the one? Are you wasting your time? There is the thrill of the chase in the beginning stages of romance. It’s exciting and creates the butterflies, the intoxicating feeling of love. Love conquers all. This new love high usually lasts 1to 2 years and then we settle in and become comfortable in the stability of the relationship. While the stability is important and imperative to the success of a relationship, it’s not very exciting. We have a home to take care of and bills to pay. This isn’t the sexy side of being in relationship. We may not always agree on things which can cause additional stress and strain on the relationship too.
Is It Normal to Be Bored in a Relationship?
It’s completely normal to become bored at some point in your relationship and it’s not your fault. We work hard to find the one. The person who completes us, then what? We live happily ever after in a blissful state of union of course. This is what we’ve learned from fairytales and Hollywood. Most of us were never taught how to maintain a relationship nor did we have great role models to show how to keep the romance and passion alive. Unfortunately, this stuff isn’t taught in school and most of us didn’t receive a reference book for guidance. Although it probably should be with divorce rates in the US still hovering around 50%.
Why Do Relationships Get Boring and Lose Their Luster After Time?
In the beginning of a relationship, many times we put forth so much effort to woo our potential partner; planning activities, experiences and even surprises for one another. We go to dinner and talk for hours because we have so much to share and learn about one another. We have engaging conversations about everything, inhaling and soaking in the essence of one another. Then life happens. We settle into our daily life and routines, maybe throw in a couple of kids and the busyness of life allows us to easily put our most important relationship on the back burner. Date nights are now relegated to dinner and a movie if we make it out of the house at all. I get it, you’ve worked hard all week and planning a date night probably seems overwhelming and putting on your pj’s ordering take out and watching Netflix seems like the path of least resistance. When the word date or dating is mentioned, most people conjure up images of single people who are dating and looking for that special someone. Rarely do we as a society think beyond to the fact that we should never stop dating our spouse or long-term partner. The reason many relationships become routine and boring is that couples stop dating each other. It’s as simple as that. Giving your relationship scraps of time can lead to its demise. In the beginning of a relationship, it's very easy to be intentional but over time if you don’t pay attention to it, it’s easy to get into a relationship rut.
How Long Does It Take for a Relationship to Become Boring?
We’ve all heard of the 7-year-itch. The estimated time when the happiness of a couple diminishes. Every couple is different and it really boils down to how exciting you keep your relationship. If you quickly get into a relationship rut of doing the same boring things, you will become bored with your relationship more quickly. However, if you are committed to avoid falling into this routine and are intentional about keeping the desire alive in your relationship, you can avoid becoming bored for the most part. Relationships do have ebbs and flows and of course, there are times your relationship will be more interesting. The problem arises when your relationship becomes stale for long periods of time. In most relationship studies, romantic love dwindles over time and we lose the butterflies we once had in the beginning. In a relationship study conducted by Dr. Arthur Aron at the University of New York at Stony Brook, it was determined that novelty or trying new things can create the chemical surges of courtship and can significantly increase the satisfaction in relationship when practiced consistently.((New York Times: Reinventing Date Night for Long-Married Couples )) Life can be messy and even great relationships can become stale and boring at times; this is absolutely normal. You won’t be at risk of abandoning your relationship if you’re aware of this and have a plan to get out of your rut when you see this happening.
What to Do If You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
Plan a date of course! I’m a fan of surprise dates. In fact, I recommend this to my clients. Commit to plan one surprise date for your partner every month and have them plan one surprise date for you each month. Preferably an interactive or doing date. Then when you grab a bite to eat, you’ll have something to talk about, the new experience you just created together. When is the last time you really had a great conversation? A conversation that doesn’t involve talking about work or the kids? When you share a novel experience, this gives you something new to talk about after your date. It’s great to print out a few questions to take on your date. You can find some great ones on the web or another option is TABLETOPICS Couples: Questions to Start Great Conversations if you need more inspiration. You can keep it light with something like “If you had a super power what would it be?” to something a little deeper such as “If today were the last time we saw each other what would you want me to know?” These probing questions provide greater insight and awareness into your partner and them of you. The great thing about taking turns planning dates for each other is that you eliminate the age-old question, “What do you want to do tonight?” which is usually followed by, “I don’t know, what do you want to do?” Then after debating for 45 minutes, you may end up doing nothing. This is the secret sauce of the surprise date. Just tell your date when to be ready and what to wear and there’s no debate or resistance. No shooting down your date ideas. Just the addition of novelty and doing something different together to increase connection and romance. Once a month, you get to give the gift of adventure and surprise and once a month, you get to sit back, relax and enjoy the date. If you’re on a budget, no problem. There are numerous free date ideas. Some of my favorites are building a tent over your bed, a scavenger hunt, or dance lessons using free YouTube videos. If you’re still craving more date night inspiration check out 32 Cheap and Uniquely Fun Date Ideas for Couples, it’s filled with date ideas you can do on any budget.
Final Thoughts
When your relationship becomes stale, you may feel like the solution is to find a new one that’s more exciting, which is the easy way, but it’s only a temporary fix. If you continue with your same patterns in your new relationship, you’re bound to end up in the same predicament months or years later. While relationships take effort, they are so rewarding when you are in a good one. My hope is that you create an amazing relationship, and that you never settle for one that’s just good enough. Innovation in relationship is the key to avoiding boredom, and ensuring that you have a relationship that will go the distance and last a lifetime. One of my favorite quotes by Tony Robins is,
“If you do what you did in the beginning of the relationship there won’t be an end.”
Create the relationship of your dreams by being intentional about adding novelty and surprise through interactive date nights. You’ll be happy you did!
If Edward Cyr had not rushed into action when he did, Glenwood Little may not have survived the car fire that erupted from his backseat earlier this month.
Half as many diagnosed with depression, a delayed manifestation of Parkinson's, a reduced risk of developing vascular dementia -- but not Alzheimer's. These connections were discovered by researchers when they compared 200,000 people who had participated in a long-distance cross-country ski race between 1989 and 2010 with a matched cohort of the general population.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2rsQL2K
The search for youthfulness typically turns to lotions, supplements, serums and diets, but there may soon be a new option joining the fray. Rapamycin, a FDA-approved drug normally used to prevent organ rejection after transplant surgery, may also slow aging in human skin, according to a new study.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2XSSrik
The search for youthfulness typically turns to lotions, supplements, serums and diets, but there may soon be a new option joining the fray. Rapamycin, a FDA-approved drug normally used to prevent organ rejection after transplant surgery, may also slow aging in human skin, according to a new study.
from Skin Care News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2XSSrik
The largest and most comprehensive study looking at deaths from cardiovascular disease among patients with 28 types of cancer with over 40 years of data has shown that more than one in ten cancer patients do not die from their cancer but from heart and blood vessel problems instead.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Dglrak
Have you ever looked down on yourself or even think you can never achieve anything significant in life? This belittling thought pattern will prevent you from attaining peak performance and becoming productive in life and your relationships. It will also hinder you from being opened to greater possibilities that can change your life. This is the more reason you need to learn how to be creative.
What Is Creativity?
Creativity is the ability or tendency to recognize and curate ideas, possibilities, alternatives that are crucial to solving issues, connect others, and entertain one another. When we talk about creativity, some names readily come to mind. It's interesting to know that most of these creative people from Beethoven to Steve Jobs are ordinary people who exceptionally perform ordinary things. Therefore, it will not be an understatement to add your name to the list if you think you are creative. You may disqualify yourself because you have not created anything new. This has been found out to be a great misconception when discussing how creativity works. Creativity is not only about inventing something new. There is nothing ever new or original. Every genius that has ever worked the face of the earth has only learned how to connect ideas and things to generate meaningful value.
Why Is Creativity Important?
People aspire to learn how to be creative for the following reasons:
The Need to Impact Meaningful Values
We are here to change the world. If you want to make a significant difference in life, there is a likely chance you are tapping the innate creative ability on your inside.
The Need to Address Problems
The world will become short of creative people once we stop having issues that threaten our existence like global warming. Is there darkness in the world? A genius will invent light. Is the light not eco-friendly? Another creative person will design how to leverage solar power to light up the world, and the chain becomes endless.
The Need for Complex, Varied and Novel Stimulation
If you hate the status quo like me, there is a chance you will end up with an innovative idea. Creative individuals learn how to look at life from other perspectives. They don't go with the flow. They test a series of alternatives that can contribute meaningful value to life.
10 Creative Thinking Methods
So how can you be creative on demand? Here're 10 thinking methods you should know:
1. Creative Problem Solving
This is a means of addressing issues or identifying opportunities when conventional thought processes have failed to yield results. The method encourages you to discover fresh perspectives and devise innovative ideas or solutions to surmount a daunting challenge.
2. Brainstorming
This technique is deployed to tackle a design problem. It usually comprises a group that is guided by a facilitator. The capability of each session is inherent in the ability of the participants to draw a connection between their novel ideas in the outside world. Alex Osborn, the inventor of brainstorming in his book, Applied Imagination written in 1953, affirmed that,
"We aim squarely at a particular design problem and generate an arsenal of possible solutions. By not just harvesting our ideas but putting into consideration our colleagues' concept, we cover the issue from all angles imaginable."
3. Charette
It is a thorough planning session that connects designers, citizens, and other polymaths to collaborate on a developmental cause. It offers an opportunity for sharing ideas and provides a rare privilege of communicating feedbacks instantly to the designers. It facilitates inclusion and makes everyone a mutual author of the development.
4. Critical Thinking
This is an objective analysis of facts to generate a conclusion. It is self-disciplined, self-directed, self-corrective thinking and self-guided. It incorporates problem-solving abilities, practical communication skills, and the tenacity to surmount your native sociocentrism (a tendency of viewing the world from your cultural or social perspective) and egocentrism( failure to differentiate yourself from others). You can take a look at my other article to learn more: How to Develop Critical Thinking Skills and Think Clearer
5. Interactive Planning
Russell L. Ackoff defined it as establishing a future by creating a desirable present. Interacting Planning or IAP is a technique employed by project managers to engage relevant stakeholders, as well as subject matter experts. The engagement process includes a collective discussion of the project plan and the strategy to design a dependable, holistic, and an active project schedule. It is often called Participative Planning(PP). A notable benefit of this method is it helps everyone to understand the project scope and design a realistic schedule. It is also a conduit pipe for effective communication to flow. It is relevant in identifying critical milestones, constraints, and assumptions.
6. Force-Field Analysis
This analysis pinpoints the competing forces that surround an issue and employs brainstorming to discover the solutions. It was invented in the 1940s by Kurt Lewin. He initially utilized the technique in his project as a social psychologist. However, it has found relevance in the business environment. It is useful in establishing, sharing go, or no-go decisions. The concept of this technique is that circumstances are established via a balance between forces that drive disruption or change and the ones that resist it. The driving actors must be empowered to cause change, or the negating forces must be weakened. ((MindToolsVideo: Force Field Analysis ))
7. K-J Method
It is a technique that derived its name from its inventor, Jiro Kawakita. It is a facilitated session where participants highlight their priorities on a card, collate them collectively, and arrange them by relationship via individual voting. The objective of the method is to arrive at a consensus of valid information, especially in a group where individuals are bound to disagree. Here I'll just briefly describe how to implement it:((The KJ-Technique: A Group Process for Establishing Priorities))
Gather five or more individuals together in a conducive room for 90 minutes. Give them markers and sticky notes.
Establish a focused question that bothers on the project's requirement and assign a facilitator to oversee the exercise
Allocate 5 minutes for writing three answers to the items on the notes.
Allocate 15 minutes to participants to stick their answers on the board, read others' responses, and add to it. Guide them to cluster similar solutions without discussing them.
Request participants to label each cluster individually. Make this mandatory. They can also segregate clusters.
Put each name on the board cluster-by-cluster. Isolate duplicate words.
Combine duplicate responses as long as the group agrees they are similar.
Three or four teams will typically rank higher compared to others-those responses are relevant for the question.
8. Lateral Thinking
This technique is all about looking at a concept from different angles. It is a deliberate and systematic process. Check out the article Think Laterally to learn more.
10. Play to Innovate Method
Individuals and teams unlock their innate potentialities by going through a fascinating, play-like technique. This method harnesses the creative power of the brain using playfulness. Several people believe we work to sustain a living outside of work. We go through work and life without locating a means of staying happy. Play to innovate methods changes the ball game. It asks, " What if we adjust the work culture and provide reasons for people to work without monetary incentives. This hack examines making work playful while enjoying the benefits of creativity and innovation. ((Marko Rillo: Using Play to Innovate ))
How To Be More Creative If You’re Not Naturally Creative
Besides the above thinking methods, start trying the following ways to be more creative:
1. Distinguish Between Problem-Solving and Ruminating
It is helpful to think about approaches that will aid you in surmounting a challenge, but it is less productive to picture yourself unable to accommodate the pain. Anytime you are deliberating on a matter, take time out to see if you are problem-solving, or just ruminating. If the former, sustain the process. But if you are thinking about things you cannot control or that have occurred, it is a mere waste of time. Declutter your mind and allow your brain to focus on meaningful and productive activities.
2. Implement the Same Advice You Will Give a Confidant.
A lot of people find it easy to criticize themselves. Do you know that magnifying your weak points will only limit and drag you down? Research has linked self-compassion to emotional well-being. The NCBI research indicated that self-compassion affects every dimension of well-being. It enhances your self-esteem and activates your can-do spirit. ((NCBI: The influence of self-compassion on emotional well-being among early and older adolescent males and females)) Therefore, speak to yourself as you would talk to a friend.
3. Name-Tag Your Emotion
Most people, especially men, rarely talk about their feelings. Thus, a lot of people have created a gap between themselves and their feelings. This will only make it difficult for you to detect how you feel at any point in time. Most times, when you name-tag your feelings as adults, you do so using an indirect approach. You say something like, "I have butterflies in my stomach," when you are nervous. It is not a sin to acknowledge your feeling. Give those emotions names and identify how they can impact your decisions. Spend time each day to perform emotional acknowledgment exercise. If something bothers you, note it down instead of transferring aggression (the consequence of not taking charge of your emotion) on others.
4. Balance Your Feelings with Logic
Peradventure you are battling with a chronic disease or facing a difficult financial situation, you will make informed decisions when you can establish an equilibrium between your emotion and logic. Allow the rational part of you to lead when your emotion is attaining its peak. Another approach to step down your emotions is to identify the consequences of your actions. Perusing the list will enable you to minimize the influence of your emotions on your decision.
5. Practice Gratitude
Research has found out that gratitude-oriented people exhibit increased wellness. A deliberate focus on the good side of life will produce interpersonal and emotional benefits, including happiness. ((PsychologyToday: Science Proves That Gratitude Is Key to Well-Being)) Negative people can never be creative. Make a habit of listing what you are grateful for- the morning breakfast, the sunny weather, the green pasture, and many more. Practice journaling before retiring to bed. Allow your brain to reflect on the right things happening within and around you. Focusing on the sunny aspect of life will impact your wellness. Get more inspirations with these 32 Things You Should Be Grateful For.
6. Develop a Healthy Mentality
If you desire to attain a peak in life, educate your brain now and then. You need to train your brain for success by speaking positive and meaningful words.
Bonus: Crack Your Cocoon!
According to Bill Stainton, isolating ourselves from weird people, or what he called 'staying inside our cocoon' robs us of creative ideas that possess the highest capability to address our biggest challenges. It is by cracking your cocoon or embracing individuals and weird experiences that you will discover the link that leads to breakthrough ideas. ((TEDxStanleyPark: How to be a more creative person))
Bottom Line
Creativity is a seed of greatness. You can become great and significant only if you take the responsibility to train your brain for breakthrough ideas. There are many techniques to adapt to nurture your innate creativity to fruition. Find what works for you, and do not forget to crack your cocoon! Creativity can rub on you when you associate with creative people.
Have you ever been in a job interview and were asked a question like, "Tell me about a problem you encountered and how you overcame it”? Did you ever wonder why these types of questions are even asked? It's because the employer is evaluating your analytical skills. Employers value employees with good analytical skills because they are seen as problem solvers. So, let's look at what analytical skills are, why they're important and the 13 most important analytical skills that will help you succeed at work.
What Are Analytical Skills?
Notice that hey are called analytical skills, not analytical talents. This is a very important distinction, as talent refers to a natural ability. A skill is something that can be learned or acquired. And just like any skill, analytical skills get better with time, repetition and practice. But what exactly are analytical skill? For our purposes analytical skills include the ability to:
Recognize and Pinpoint Problems
It's not enough just to recognize that a 20% return rate for a product is a problem. You need to pinpoint a reason for the problem by....
Researching and Collecting Data
This is not always as easy as it seems. There can be a lot of data out there. You need to be able to separate what's relevant from what's noise.
Analyze the Data Collected
This is part of separating what data is relevant and what's not. But it also involves being able to weight all of the relevant factors. For example, that 20% return rate could be due to a combination of manufacturing defects, poor customer education and shipping delays. But how much weight do each of these things carry?
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
Once you have gone through the first three steps, you can now identify the steps needed to solve the problem. You should be able to propose solutions that have a high probability of a positive outcome. Now, in addition to these analytical skills, there are secondary skills that are just as important to your success. These include:
Communication
You could have the best analysis and recommendations in the world. But in order for it to be useful, you need to be able to communicate it effectively to a team, management or shareholders.
Implementation
It's important to have a plan to implement the solutions you are proposing. Just saying that the solution to a 20% return rate is to lower the number of manufacturing defects isn't really helpful. But saying that one hinge is causing the majority of the returns and here's a replacement. Now that's helpful.
Creativity
Sometimes pinpointing the problem is easy, but it's coming up with the solution that's difficult. Being able to look at the data and think "outside the box" is a skill that will really make you stand out. As an example, I once had a company that sold small fryers to bowling alleys, movie theaters and the like. They could make small batches of fries, chicken wings or mozzarella sticks for their customers. The problem was that the price tag was more than a lot of them could afford. Our solution was to partner up with a food distributor. We would give the fryers away for free, but they had to buy all of the food from our distributor. We then received a commission from the distributor for every chicken wing and mozzarella stick they sold. It was a win, win, win for everyone. All the analytical skills mentioned above are important and sought after by employers. They are part of a well-rounded workforce. So, how can you take these skills and make them work for you, your company and your career?
13 Ways Analytical Skills Help You Succeed at Work
1. Budgeting
Owners, managers and department heads all need to be able to create budgets for their departments, teams and projects. A good manager will use analytical skills to gather, analyze and interpret prior data in order to accurately forecast future budgetary requirements.
2. Making Your Ideas and Suggestions Stand Out
So, let's say that your boss has tasked you and three other department heads to come up with ways to increase efficiency. It's tempting to rely on your knowledge and experience to come up 3-4 ways to achieve the goal. Someone might suggest a bonus for completing assignments on time. Someone else may suggest a way to reschedule how a project gets assigned. But if you can be the one that comes in with concrete solutions backed up by verifiable research and data. You've immediately set yourself and our ideas apart for the rest.
3. Estimating and Bidding Projects
Whether you're a contractor going out and bidding million-dollar construction projects, or a web developer building websites, being able to accurately estimate and bid jobs is crucial. And it's only through analytical skills and experience that will keep you from losing money.
4. Collaboration
When working within groups or team, it's important that everyone has a clear understanding of four things:
What the problem is
What part of the solution they are responsible for
The time frame they have to solve it
What an acceptable outcome looks like.
This is the analytical approach to project management.
5. Comparison
There is no such thing as the "perfect" solution. And many times, a problem has more than one solution. Analytical skills allow you to evaluate the pros and cons of various scenarios in order to maximize the pros and minimize the cons.
6. Recognizing Correlations and Causations
We've all heard the phrase "correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation." And it's true. Did you know that an increase in ice cream consumption correlates to an increase in violent street crime? It's absolutely true, but ice cream consumption does not cause street crime. They are correlated because both increase in the summer, when it's hot and more people are outside. But you wouldn't want to address the problem of street crime by banning ice cream.
7. Proper Diagnosis
Having a good analytical skill set allows you to properly diagnosis problem or inefficiencies within the organization. The data may show that there is a problem in the manufacturing process, but it's the analysis of the data that points to the problem. Is the cause of the problem a design flaw, supplier issue, human error or quality control?
8. Human Resource Management
By using analytical skills, a manager or team leader can assess each individuals' strengths and weaknesses, thereby assigning tasks according to skill sets. It is also helpful in pointing out areas where additional or remedial training is needed.
9. Project Planning
Analytical skills allow us to break down a large project into its individual parts. Then, coordinate a synergistic corresponding timeline for the completion of the project. This, is the very definition of an analytical skill that can help you succeed at work.
10. Prioritizing
Whether it's taking on a new project or identifying problems or inefficiencies in a system, there is rarely a single issue involved. Most of the time, there are several steps in the process that need to be addressed. It's through analytical thinking that you can prioritize the problems you have identified. For example, you determine that your 20% return rate breaks down this way. 50% manufacturing defects, 25% from damage during shipping, 15% from poor customer education and 10% from from the design. We now can address these issues accordingly.
11. Recognizing Biases
Everyone has biases, and there is no way to eliminate them in discussions and decision making. The best you can do is to be aware of them in both yourself others and others. This is a skill that takes both self-discipline and self-awareness to master. There is a funny scene in the television show "The Office" where the boss Michael Scott has a surplus in his budget at the end of the year. Half of his staff want him to spend it on a new copier, and the other half wants him to buy new chairs for the office. Michael is torn, until he discovers that if he returns the surplus to corporate, he'll get a bonus of 25% of the surplus. Suddenly his self-interest has created a bias.
12. Process Analysis
This is especially helpful when there are systemic issues that are causing a problem. All too often we only see and address a problem by the result. The customer didn't like the way the website was built so we assume that it's a communication issue between our programmer and the customer. That's easy, but through process analysis, we may find that we assigned a retail website to a programmer who specializes in B2B websites. So, the real answer is to fix the process of assigning projects.
13. Reporting, Both Verbal and Written
Everyone in business has a boss, from the janitor all the way up to the chairman of the board. And reporting to those bosses is an ongoing process. From written status reports to individual and group meetings, supplying information to your superiors is a never-ending cycle. So, unless you are asked for a personal opinion, it's always best to have your thoughts and suggestions backed up by empirical evidence. Your opinions, suggestions and recommendations are going to be taken more seriously if you have the data to back them up.
How to Develop, Improve and Sharpen Your Analytical Skills
So, we've talked a lot about analytical skills, what they are and why they are valued by employers. But how do you learn these skills, how do you discern the pertinent data from the irrelevant? The answer is through a combination of education and experience. We'll start with education as a foundation, and then talk about how to get real life experience.
Education
Community colleges are a great place to start. Almost all community colleges.((The Best School: The 50 best community colleges in the United States )) have courses in business, business administration and statics. But in reality, you don't even need to go that far. With the advent of the internet, there are low cost accredited online courses that you can take in your spare time. YouTube is another great place for free educational videos on analytical skills and thinking. There are a wealth of videos on what analytical skills are, as well as practical ways to develop them. Finally, take advantage of professional training and courses offered through your place of work or trade organizations. These can be especially helpful as these programs are normally designed to be industry specific.
Experience
We've all heard the old saying that experience is the best teacher, and that's certainly true with learning analytical skills. There really is no substitute to putting in the 10,000 hours of repetition and practice to become an expert. But there are some things that you can do to start sharpening your skill immediately. Start playing brain games. There are a lot of them out there and you can start to train you mind to think analytically just by playing them just 15 minutes a day. A few of the more popular ones include, Wizard, Elevate and Brain Trainer Special,((WeForum: 8 apps to train your brain)) but there are many more. But, if you're not into apps or computer games, then chess and Sudoku are excellent choices too. Take notice and start questioning everything. When you get your morning coffee, notice how the place is set up. Where the customer places their order, where the workstations are, how the order moves through the system. Can you understand why the store is set up that way? Is it an efficient setup or can you see bottlenecks that reduce efficiency? What kind of solutions can you come up with to fix any problems? After a while, thinking like this will become second nature. Find a mentor. We said upfront that experience is the best teacher, but experience takes time. Finding a mentor who has the experience is the next best thing. In fact, having a mentor for your professional life can literally mean the difference between mediocrity and greatness. Having great mentors means that you are standing on the shoulders of giants.
Conclusion
Analytical skills can help you with every phase of your career, from helping you stand out from the crowd in the hiring process to advancing your career within an industry. And just like a good salesperson, having good analytical skills means that you'll always be in demand. But the key to improving your analytical skills lies in your desire to succeed. Developing and honing your skills can be done a variety of way as we discussed earlier. But it's up to you to make the decision and commitment to put the time and effort into developing analytical skills. You can start by giving yourself a basic foundation through courses, videos and industry training. Then practice, practice, practice. Soon, the whole process will become second nature to you and your value within the industry will skyrocket.
Have you ever been in a job interview and were asked a question like, "Tell me about a problem you encountered and how you overcame it”? Did you ever wonder why these types of questions are even asked? It's because the employer is evaluating your analytical skills. Employers value employees with good analytical skills because they are seen as problem solvers. So, let's look at what analytical skills are, why they're important and the 13 most important analytical skills that will help you succeed at work.
What Are Analytical Skills?
Notice that hey are called analytical skills, not analytical talents. This is a very important distinction, as talent refers to a natural ability. A skill is something that can be learned or acquired. And just like any skill, analytical skills get better with time, repetition and practice. But what exactly are analytical skill? For our purposes analytical skills include the ability to:
Recognize and Pinpoint Problems
It's not enough just to recognize that a 20% return rate for a product is a problem. You need to pinpoint a reason for the problem by....
Researching and Collecting Data
This is not always as easy as it seems. There can be a lot of data out there. You need to be able to separate what's relevant from what's noise.
Analyze the Data Collected
This is part of separating what data is relevant and what's not. But it also involves being able to weight all of the relevant factors. For example, that 20% return rate could be due to a combination of manufacturing defects, poor customer education and shipping delays. But how much weight do each of these things carry?
Problem Solving/Critical Thinking
Once you have gone through the first three steps, you can now identify the steps needed to solve the problem. You should be able to propose solutions that have a high probability of a positive outcome. Now, in addition to these analytical skills, there are secondary skills that are just as important to your success. These include:
Communication
You could have the best analysis and recommendations in the world. But in order for it to be useful, you need to be able to communicate it effectively to a team, management or shareholders.
Implementation
It's important to have a plan to implement the solutions you are proposing. Just saying that the solution to a 20% return rate is to lower the number of manufacturing defects isn't really helpful. But saying that one hinge is causing the majority of the returns and here's a replacement. Now that's helpful.
Creativity
Sometimes pinpointing the problem is easy, but it's coming up with the solution that's difficult. Being able to look at the data and think "outside the box" is a skill that will really make you stand out. As an example, I once had a company that sold small fryers to bowling alleys, movie theaters and the like. They could make small batches of fries, chicken wings or mozzarella sticks for their customers. The problem was that the price tag was more than a lot of them could afford. Our solution was to partner up with a food distributor. We would give the fryers away for free, but they had to buy all of the food from our distributor. We then received a commission from the distributor for every chicken wing and mozzarella stick they sold. It was a win, win, win for everyone. All the analytical skills mentioned above are important and sought after by employers. They are part of a well-rounded workforce. So, how can you take these skills and make them work for you, your company and your career?
13 Ways Analytical Skills Help You Succeed at Work
1. Budgeting
Owners, managers and department heads all need to be able to create budgets for their departments, teams and projects. A good manager will use analytical skills to gather, analyze and interpret prior data in order to accurately forecast future budgetary requirements.
2. Making Your Ideas and Suggestions Stand Out
So, let's say that your boss has tasked you and three other department heads to come up with ways to increase efficiency. It's tempting to rely on your knowledge and experience to come up 3-4 ways to achieve the goal. Someone might suggest a bonus for completing assignments on time. Someone else may suggest a way to reschedule how a project gets assigned. But if you can be the one that comes in with concrete solutions backed up by verifiable research and data. You've immediately set yourself and our ideas apart for the rest.
3. Estimating and Bidding Projects
Whether you're a contractor going out and bidding million-dollar construction projects, or a web developer building websites, being able to accurately estimate and bid jobs is crucial. And it's only through analytical skills and experience that will keep you from losing money.
4. Collaboration
When working within groups or team, it's important that everyone has a clear understanding of four things:
What the problem is
What part of the solution they are responsible for
The time frame they have to solve it
What an acceptable outcome looks like.
This is the analytical approach to project management.
5. Comparison
There is no such thing as the "perfect" solution. And many times, a problem has more than one solution. Analytical skills allow you to evaluate the pros and cons of various scenarios in order to maximize the pros and minimize the cons.
6. Recognizing Correlations and Causations
We've all heard the phrase "correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation." And it's true. Did you know that an increase in ice cream consumption correlates to an increase in violent street crime? It's absolutely true, but ice cream consumption does not cause street crime. They are correlated because both increase in the summer, when it's hot and more people are outside. But you wouldn't want to address the problem of street crime by banning ice cream.
7. Proper Diagnosis
Having a good analytical skill set allows you to properly diagnosis problem or inefficiencies within the organization. The data may show that there is a problem in the manufacturing process, but it's the analysis of the data that points to the problem. Is the cause of the problem a design flaw, supplier issue, human error or quality control?
8. Human Resource Management
By using analytical skills, a manager or team leader can assess each individuals' strengths and weaknesses, thereby assigning tasks according to skill sets. It is also helpful in pointing out areas where additional or remedial training is needed.
9. Project Planning
Analytical skills allow us to break down a large project into its individual parts. Then, coordinate a synergistic corresponding timeline for the completion of the project. This, is the very definition of an analytical skill that can help you succeed at work.
10. Prioritizing
Whether it's taking on a new project or identifying problems or inefficiencies in a system, there is rarely a single issue involved. Most of the time, there are several steps in the process that need to be addressed. It's through analytical thinking that you can prioritize the problems you have identified. For example, you determine that your 20% return rate breaks down this way. 50% manufacturing defects, 25% from damage during shipping, 15% from poor customer education and 10% from from the design. We now can address these issues accordingly.
11. Recognizing Biases
Everyone has biases, and there is no way to eliminate them in discussions and decision making. The best you can do is to be aware of them in both yourself others and others. This is a skill that takes both self-discipline and self-awareness to master. There is a funny scene in the television show "The Office" where the boss Michael Scott has a surplus in his budget at the end of the year. Half of his staff want him to spend it on a new copier, and the other half wants him to buy new chairs for the office. Michael is torn, until he discovers that if he returns the surplus to corporate, he'll get a bonus of 25% of the surplus. Suddenly his self-interest has created a bias.
12. Process Analysis
This is especially helpful when there are systemic issues that are causing a problem. All too often we only see and address a problem by the result. The customer didn't like the way the website was built so we assume that it's a communication issue between our programmer and the customer. That's easy, but through process analysis, we may find that we assigned a retail website to a programmer who specializes in B2B websites. So, the real answer is to fix the process of assigning projects.
13. Reporting, Both Verbal and Written
Everyone in business has a boss, from the janitor all the way up to the chairman of the board. And reporting to those bosses is an ongoing process. From written status reports to individual and group meetings, supplying information to your superiors is a never-ending cycle. So, unless you are asked for a personal opinion, it's always best to have your thoughts and suggestions backed up by empirical evidence. Your opinions, suggestions and recommendations are going to be taken more seriously if you have the data to back them up.
How to Develop, Improve and Sharpen Your Analytical Skills
So, we've talked a lot about analytical skills, what they are and why they are valued by employers. But how do you learn these skills, how do you discern the pertinent data from the irrelevant? The answer is through a combination of education and experience. We'll start with education as a foundation, and then talk about how to get real life experience.
Education
Community colleges are a great place to start. Almost all community colleges.((The Best School: The 50 best community colleges in the United States )) have courses in business, business administration and statics. But in reality, you don't even need to go that far. With the advent of the internet, there are low cost accredited online courses that you can take in your spare time. YouTube is another great place for free educational videos on analytical skills and thinking. There are a wealth of videos on what analytical skills are, as well as practical ways to develop them. Finally, take advantage of professional training and courses offered through your place of work or trade organizations. These can be especially helpful as these programs are normally designed to be industry specific.
Experience
We've all heard the old saying that experience is the best teacher, and that's certainly true with learning analytical skills. There really is no substitute to putting in the 10,000 hours of repetition and practice to become an expert. But there are some things that you can do to start sharpening your skill immediately. Start playing brain games. There are a lot of them out there and you can start to train you mind to think analytically just by playing them just 15 minutes a day. A few of the more popular ones include, Wizard, Elevate and Brain Trainer Special,((WeForum: 8 apps to train your brain)) but there are many more. But, if you're not into apps or computer games, then chess and Sudoku are excellent choices too. Take notice and start questioning everything. When you get your morning coffee, notice how the place is set up. Where the customer places their order, where the workstations are, how the order moves through the system. Can you understand why the store is set up that way? Is it an efficient setup or can you see bottlenecks that reduce efficiency? What kind of solutions can you come up with to fix any problems? After a while, thinking like this will become second nature. Find a mentor. We said upfront that experience is the best teacher, but experience takes time. Finding a mentor who has the experience is the next best thing. In fact, having a mentor for your professional life can literally mean the difference between mediocrity and greatness. Having great mentors means that you are standing on the shoulders of giants.
Conclusion
Analytical skills can help you with every phase of your career, from helping you stand out from the crowd in the hiring process to advancing your career within an industry. And just like a good salesperson, having good analytical skills means that you'll always be in demand. But the key to improving your analytical skills lies in your desire to succeed. Developing and honing your skills can be done a variety of way as we discussed earlier. But it's up to you to make the decision and commitment to put the time and effort into developing analytical skills. You can start by giving yourself a basic foundation through courses, videos and industry training. Then practice, practice, practice. Soon, the whole process will become second nature to you and your value within the industry will skyrocket.
The current first-line treatment for leishmaniasis, a skin disease that can cause disfiguring ulcers, is grueling and frequently fails. A new study pinpoints genetic factors that predict whether a patient will respond well to treatment. The work could inform the creation of prognostic tests that could help clinicians personalize therapies for individual patients.
from Skin Care News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34dU6kF
Not only did the crew reschedule the family's visit with a complimentary tour and special needs accommodations, the conductor gave the boy a special watch.
Wrinkles on the skin of a microscopic worm might provide the key to a longer, healthier life for humans. Working with Caenorhabditis elegans, a transparent nematode found in soil, researchers found that the nervous system controls the tiny worm's cuticle, a skin-like exterior barrier, in response to bacterial infections.
from Skin Care News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2QDXh1o
Wrinkles on the skin of a microscopic worm might provide the key to a longer, healthier life for humans. Working with Caenorhabditis elegans, a transparent nematode found in soil, researchers found that the nervous system controls the tiny worm's cuticle, a skin-like exterior barrier, in response to bacterial infections.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2QDXh1o
After heart attack injury, ALX/FPR2 is activated by resolvin D1 in immune cells in the spleen and in immune cells at the heart attack site. This speeds expedited resolution of the heart attack injury. Researchers now have used mice that completely lack ALX/FPR2 to learn more about the pathways this resolution sensor uses to target inflammation. Such knowledge will help in finding treatments to delay the human heart failure that often follows a heart attack.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2QAhmp1
Researchers have uncovered new information regarding the effects of impaired expression of the gene SHMT2 in genetically modified mice. They found that suppression of SHMT2 expression of SHMT2 altered activity in metabolic pathways, which in turn inhibited growth and impaired mitochondrial respiration, which is a critical cellular function that has been linked to human aging and age-related illnesses. Activation of SHMT2 may have future potential as a treatment for age-related illness.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2QIu6u5
Personal goal setting starts with having a destination in mind. If you don’t know where you’re going, why bother moving forward? You’ll just get more lost or find yourself back where you started again.
“If you don’t know where you’re going, every road will take you there.”- Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland
You have to have a destination of who you want to become in order to get there. Personal goals will be easier to make if you know where you want to go. You must start with how to get there and break down the steps. These steps must be realistic. That doesn’t mean you can’t dream big; in fact,
“Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you’ll still land among the stars.”
Dream big no matter what but be realistic at the same time. Be open to detours, too. According to Action for Happiness((Action for Happiness: Set your goals and make them happen)), ways to make goals include deciding on goals, writing steps down, telling someone about it and plan out each step. Here I will outline 14 personal goals that can help you become a better you:
1. Live Authentically
You don’t have time to be living your life as someone else. All you can do is be yourself. You must choose to be who you really are. That’s the best way to live. Being yourself is not easy though. It requires dedication to your values and dreams. You won’t be able to be authentic without losing your fear of what others think of you. There’s only one way to be successful in this life and it’s if you do it for the right reasons. It’s if you choose yourself. It’s not until you find that you will be free. Get inspired by my other article: How to Be True to Yourself and Live the Life You Want
2. Take Time for You in Self-Care Prioritization
Self-care is not something you should take for granted. Often, we don’t prioritize it well enough. Some examples include finding time for yourself, do things that make you feel good. Get dietary advice to eat healthy and exercise to improve your health. Take a break. Go outside. Relax. Read a book or watch a good movie with someone you love. It’s about rewarding yourself with your joys and hobbies. You can find more examples here: 30 Self-Care Habits for a Strong and Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit Self-care is not selfish. It’s important to find time for yourself so that you CAN give more of yourself to the areas of life you need to. You deserve it. You are worth it. Remember that.
3. Don’t Take Things Personally
The less you are concerned with others, the more you can focus on doing what matters most to you. What others say does not reflect the real you. It is just their perception, which may not be the full picture or the truth. People who try to hurt you are not happy.
“Happy people don’t try to bring other people down.” - Anonymous.
That’s why it’s just not worth holding on to their words. When you refuse to take things personally, it’s because you know who you are. 4: Decide What You Stand for
4. Decide to Be Who You Are Meant to Be
Look for things you are passionate about. Advocate to make yourself and others heard. Join groups that support your beliefs.
“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.”- Anonymous.
Find happiness in any situation by finding the silver lining. You can decide to be happy because of the good you find. You must choose to look at the good. People often think about the bad first, and they dwell on it. It’s human nature, but if you can look for the good or the silver lining, you will be happier for it. You can learn from any situation or use any situation to better yourself or humanity. Take that and you will overcome it all.
6. Do Something Good for Someone
Instead of just focusing on your problems, do good for someone. It will not only take your mind off what problems you have, but also help you see that you are capable of doing good -- right, you still have things to offer. There are many opportunities to do good. Volunteering, checking on a friend or family member, get involved in a project that serves your community, etc. The more good you do, the better you will feel.
7. Practice Daily Positive Self Talk
Every day is a new day. The way you talk to yourself is how you can ensure you build resilience and endurance through any challenge. Here are some positive self talk examples: “Things may have not gone my way but I can see the good in the situation still.”“At least I am alive. I have my health, my abilities and the opportunities to use what I have for good.”“I am worthwhile.”“I can do it.” Even more here: 10 Positive Affirmations for Success that will Change your Life The more you practice positive self talk, the more you will overcome and accomplish.
8. Surrender, When Necessary
When you surrender, you give in to the current rather than fight against it. It means you value inner peace most of all. You don’t sacrifice your inner peace for anything. You know your worth, and you are willing to see how a situation unfolds. You don’t try to force solutions either. Instead of forcing solutions, you allow the best ones to come forth. You also know how to use what you have. You don’t fight against your situation. You instead use it. When you surrender, you are accepting what is. This makes it easier to move forward.
9. Ask for Help in One Area of Your Life
We are often taught that needing help is a sign of weakness but it is actually a sign of strength. It’s developing skills that you might not be as well versed in. It’s developing mentor/mentee relationships to help you succeed. Success is subjective to every individual. When you are developing yourself, you need others’ input. You need help to be who you are meant to be. There is no shame in asking for help. Asking for help instead opens doors for you that you may not have been able to open yourself.
10. Never Stop Learning
Learning is meant to be lifelong. You can follow your interests, and everything is a “Internet Search Engine” away. But how to really commit to this? Take another class, sign up for a workshop, read books on the subject of interest, develop new hobbies... In Success Magazine,((Success: 3 Techniques to Never Stop Learning)) Ramit Sethi, author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich suggests 3 techniques to never stop learning:
“1. Embrace the Mind of a Child. 2. Put yourself in the hands of a trusted teacher. 3. Read, read, read.” Overall, be responsible for your own growth in life.
You are never too old to learn something new. Start today.
11. Set Boundaries and Say No When Appropriate
Having boundaries can feel uncomfortable because we are telling others what we do not accept. It is also necessary for healthy relationships. You will use them to protect yourself, your heart and your mind. No one can make you do anything. If you are uncomfortable with something, you have a right to say no. Those who truly care about you will not be offended. You are also setting the bar high, or setting an example for others who are too scared to have boundaries too. You will make better choices if you have better boundaries: How to Take Control of Your Life with Better Boundaries
12. Follow Your Gut
Trust your instincts. They are trying to tell you what to trust in. You may not want to do something but feel pressured to do it. Your gut is the one speaking to you, telling you not to do it if you don’t want to. It can save you from many things, for example preventing you from making poor choices. When you follow your gut, you preserve your interests and secure yourself.
13. Do What You Love
Are you doing what you love? You must choose what you can’t live without. Don’t sacrifice that for anything. Life is too short. Your best also comes out when you are doing what you love. You can give more, do more if you’re happy with what you are doing. So, do what you love. Don’t question it: Why You Should Always Do What You Love (And How to Do It)
“Gratitude allows us to recognize good in our lives. Focusing and appreciating the good in our lives constantly reminds us about the great things all around us... Gratitude allows us to see that the sources of that good are usually close by. Practicing gratitude allows us to recognize those who bring goodness into our lives and humbles us in order to give credit to those we are grateful for.”
At the end of the day, you need to recognize what you do have rather than focusing on what you don’t have. You must choose gratitude as your attitude in order to live a happier, better life. You will win then. Counting your blessings everyday will help you bring in more blessings. You are limitless. You will overcome more too if you have that positive perspective. Appreciating what you have starts with the simple things in life. Recognize what’s working. Find your reason to hold on. And then change the world. Here're 32 Things You Should Be Grateful For if you need some reminders.
Final Thoughts
Goal setting is about finding what will better yourself and lead you to happiness. You will find peace with yourself when you are on the right path. You have to make the decision to make the best of everything, and you have to remember what really matters. Your goals will shape you for the rest of your life. Good luck!
Yoga and physical therapy (PT) are effective approaches to treating co-occurring sleep disturbance and back pain while reducing the need for medication, according to a new study. The research showed significant improvements in sleep quality lasting 52 weeks after 12 weeks of yoga classes or 1-on-1 PT, which suggests a long-term benefit of these non-pharmacologic approaches.
from Alternative Medicine News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2QFa8jw
Over the years, education was restricted to the four walls of the classroom with a boring learning routine and sitting positions that are not ergonomic. Joe Nemo, in Inc magazine, classified online learning as a $107 billion industry that nobody is talking about. He also affirms that teaching is lucrative, which establishes the belief that the e-learning sector will continue to evolve.((Inc Magazine: The $107 Billion Industry That Nobody's Talking About)) So, what is online learning? It is a teaching-learning platform that enables students to enroll and participate in courses via the internet. It does not require being present in the physical classrooms. They can join from any location as long as they are connected to the internet. Not only that, online learning is an excellent way for subject matter professionals and experts to pass on their skills, aptitudes, and knowledge in an impactful way. Here’s why online learning is more beneficial:
1. Enhance Your Professional Skills
Online learning is a vital means of updating your skills, knowledge, and attitudes. In a fast competitive world, you need to go through a learning experience that is tailored to meet global demand. Freelancers and experience employees leverage online learning to enhance their career progression and cultivate highly-demanded skills in the marketplace.
2. Improve Your Productivity
Learning equals earning. It is often said that you will need to learn first, then remove the 'L'. This is true at both the personal and organizational levels. Individuals who invest in lifelong learning and training development will always see a significant improvement in their productivity. Several courses are available online to assist you in achieving peak performance in your personal life and at work.
3. Enjoy Diverse Means of Communicating with Instructors
The flexibility that online learning provides over traditional methods of education makes it possible to communicate with instructors. Technology simplifies these communication processes via live chat, email, as well as telephone conversations. You can also get feedback or engage in a Q&A session with a college professor. What an exciting way to network!
4. Save Time and Cost
Online learning is budget-friendly. You can search for courses that align with your objectives and budget. The traditional costs of education are expensive. As long as you can log into your course dashboard when you want to, you can save some money to pursue other ambitions.
5. Customize Your Learning Experience
Online learning affords you the privilege of customizing your learning environment. You can learn while commuting, in your house, at a friend's house, or even set up your ideal classroom and complete your homework assignments. It will assist you in focusing on your academic objectives as it eliminates irrelevant distractions, which are common occurrences in a traditional learning environment.
6. Enjoy a Flexible Schedule
A significant benefit of learning online is flexibility. You have the privilege of engaging in some other rewarding activities. You can care for your family, work full-time, and earn a certification or degree. You can set academic goals on how many courses you want to take next year now. Planning will help you to incorporate your learning goals to align with other schedules better.
7. Participate in Virtual Study Sessions
Learning requires active involvement and engagement. An optimum classroom design relies on the engagement level and the ability of each student to support the other and be civil in the process. Some virtual instructors call it 'contribution'. You can participate in virtual study sessions via discussion boards, assignments, seminars, chats, blogs, office hours, and the Q&A sessions. You can as well present documents, utilize whiteboards during brainstorming sessions and share your screen as long as you have a computer, an internet connection, and a headset. Learning online is now easier!
8. Review Course Materials Easily
You can access your course dashboard, which contains articles, podcasts, videos, and written documents any time you want. Online learning makes it possible to scroll through the pages, utilize the find button, and take some online notes to understand the materials better.
9. Learn at Your Pace
Researchers at Suny Albany found that class attendance has a significant relationship with student success.(( SAGE Journals: Class Attendance in College: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship of Class Attendance With Grades and Student Characteristics)) If you are losing the drive to keep up with your colleagues, online learning provides you a means of knocking out some courses in no time. You can grasp each concept and theory as you have the opportunity to watch videos over and over again without disturbing the instructor. You determine your progress as you control your learning pathway.
10. Develop Self-Discipline
Online learning will compel you to develop self-discipline skills such as time management and project management. You can leverage time management tools to schedule your time and activities using an online calendar. These lifelong skills will impact every aspect of your life.
11. Be Evaluated Immediately
Waiting to obtain your examination scores in a traditional setting is annoying and nerve-racking. The online learning framework provides an instant scoring mechanism that intimates you with your scores having completed the online tests and quizzes.
12. Learn for Free
Yes! You can learn for free through your local library on Lynda. Lynda.com is a learning platform that was purchased by LinkedIn in 2015. You only need a library card to access the library- no subscription is required.((Lifehacker: How to Access Lynda’s Learning Database for Free))
13. Protect the Environment
Online learning minimizes the negative impact on the environment, which emanates from transportation and manufacturing. The infrastructure and the materials required in the traditional education establishments(buildings, desks, electricity, textbooks) are significantly reduced. This goes a long way in conserving natural resources. Not only that, various academic institutions can save both time and money when they implement and expand their online learning platforms.
Bottom Line
Online learning will gain more popularity over the traditional means of education because of its flexibility and convenience. If you have been nurturing the dream of gaining skills and expertise without borders, Lifehack Courses can help you gain deeper insights on some foundational topics including motivation, learning and productivity that can change your life positively.
Over the years, education was restricted to the four walls of the classroom with a boring learning routine and sitting positions that are not ergonomic. Joe Nemo, in Inc magazine, classified online learning as a $107 billion industry that nobody is talking about. He also affirms that teaching is lucrative, which establishes the belief that the e-learning sector will continue to evolve.((Inc Magazine: The $107 Billion Industry That Nobody's Talking About)) So, what is online learning? It is a teaching-learning platform that enables students to enroll and participate in courses via the internet. It does not require being present in the physical classrooms. They can join from any location as long as they are connected to the internet. Not only that, online learning is an excellent way for subject matter professionals and experts to pass on their skills, aptitudes, and knowledge in an impactful way. Here’s why online learning is more beneficial:
1. Enhance Your Professional Skills
Online learning is a vital means of updating your skills, knowledge, and attitudes. In a fast competitive world, you need to go through a learning experience that is tailored to meet global demand. Freelancers and experience employees leverage online learning to enhance their career progression and cultivate highly-demanded skills in the marketplace.
2. Improve Your Productivity
Learning equals earning. It is often said that you will need to learn first, then remove the 'L'. This is true at both the personal and organizational levels. Individuals who invest in lifelong learning and training development will always see a significant improvement in their productivity. Several courses are available online to assist you in achieving peak performance in your personal life and at work.
3. Enjoy Diverse Means of Communicating with Instructors
The flexibility that online learning provides over traditional methods of education makes it possible to communicate with instructors. Technology simplifies these communication processes via live chat, email, as well as telephone conversations. You can also get feedback or engage in a Q&A session with a college professor. What an exciting way to network!
4. Save Time and Cost
Online learning is budget-friendly. You can search for courses that align with your objectives and budget. The traditional costs of education are expensive. As long as you can log into your course dashboard when you want to, you can save some money to pursue other ambitions.
5. Customize Your Learning Experience
Online learning affords you the privilege of customizing your learning environment. You can learn while commuting, in your house, at a friend's house, or even set up your ideal classroom and complete your homework assignments. It will assist you in focusing on your academic objectives as it eliminates irrelevant distractions, which are common occurrences in a traditional learning environment.
6. Enjoy a Flexible Schedule
A significant benefit of learning online is flexibility. You have the privilege of engaging in some other rewarding activities. You can care for your family, work full-time, and earn a certification or degree. You can set academic goals on how many courses you want to take next year now. Planning will help you to incorporate your learning goals to align with other schedules better.
7. Participate in Virtual Study Sessions
Learning requires active involvement and engagement. An optimum classroom design relies on the engagement level and the ability of each student to support the other and be civil in the process. Some virtual instructors call it 'contribution'. You can participate in virtual study sessions via discussion boards, assignments, seminars, chats, blogs, office hours, and the Q&A sessions. You can as well present documents, utilize whiteboards during brainstorming sessions and share your screen as long as you have a computer, an internet connection, and a headset. Learning online is now easier!
8. Review Course Materials Easily
You can access your course dashboard, which contains articles, podcasts, videos, and written documents any time you want. Online learning makes it possible to scroll through the pages, utilize the find button, and take some online notes to understand the materials better.
9. Learn at Your Pace
Researchers at Suny Albany found that class attendance has a significant relationship with student success.(( SAGE Journals: Class Attendance in College: A Meta-Analytic Review of the Relationship of Class Attendance With Grades and Student Characteristics)) If you are losing the drive to keep up with your colleagues, online learning provides you a means of knocking out some courses in no time. You can grasp each concept and theory as you have the opportunity to watch videos over and over again without disturbing the instructor. You determine your progress as you control your learning pathway.
10. Develop Self-Discipline
Online learning will compel you to develop self-discipline skills such as time management and project management. You can leverage time management tools to schedule your time and activities using an online calendar. These lifelong skills will impact every aspect of your life.
11. Be Evaluated Immediately
Waiting to obtain your examination scores in a traditional setting is annoying and nerve-racking. The online learning framework provides an instant scoring mechanism that intimates you with your scores having completed the online tests and quizzes.
12. Learn for Free
Yes! You can learn for free through your local library on Lynda. Lynda.com is a learning platform that was purchased by LinkedIn in 2015. You only need a library card to access the library- no subscription is required.((Lifehacker: How to Access Lynda’s Learning Database for Free))
13. Protect the Environment
Online learning minimizes the negative impact on the environment, which emanates from transportation and manufacturing. The infrastructure and the materials required in the traditional education establishments(buildings, desks, electricity, textbooks) are significantly reduced. This goes a long way in conserving natural resources. Not only that, various academic institutions can save both time and money when they implement and expand their online learning platforms.
Bottom Line
Online learning will gain more popularity over the traditional means of education because of its flexibility and convenience. If you have been nurturing the dream of gaining skills and expertise without borders, Lifehack Courses can help you gain deeper insights on some foundational topics including motivation, learning and productivity that can change your life positively.
Over 6 years, researchers evaluated the cognitive effects of statins in elderly consumers, revealing no negative impact and potential protective effects in those at risk of dementia.
from Healthy Aging News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KArZ7C
Having the ability and confidence to speak up at work is critical for several reasons. It's important on a personal level because it can directly impact your career in either a positive or a negative way. Done correctly, it can have a very uplifting effect on your career and workplace happiness. Done in an inappropriate manner can have incredibly negative effects on your career, and also spread to those around you. On a more macro level, the ability to speak up at work can be extremely productive and create great things for your immediate team and the organization as a whole. If you open your mouth at the wrong time or in the wrong place, all it's going to do is create divides between your colleagues and negatively impact the work being done. Let's take a look at how to speak up at work without being offensive.
When and Where to Speak Up
As we mentioned, there are definitely times and places you should speak up at work; and there are also circumstances where you shouldn't. Let's look at some suggestions for when conditions are right for speaking up.
Situations
A general rule of thumb is if the situation involves you it's a good idea to speak up. On the other hand, if it doesn't involve you, that's a good indicator to not worry about sharing your opinion. Just today, my team and I had a meeting to review 4 different vendors that recently provided us with demo's. We are looking for a tool to help us become more efficient as well as provide a better customer experience. We all offered our opinions regarding the products. This was a great situation for me to offer my thoughts on a tool we will all be using. Several weeks ago, I walked by 2 associates who work in the same department as I do. We don't work together daily but I do interact with them from time to time. One was expressing frustration and displeasure of having to work with someone in another department. This would be a situation where my input would be both not appreciated and not important, because it has nothing to do with me. So I kept walking.
Reasons
The best way to decide whether to speak up is to ask yourself - will something positive or good happen if I decide to offer my opinion? If the answer is yes, then by all means, speak up. If you have a hard time figuring out how something positive happens when you open your mouth, make sure you pause and really think about if you should say anything. Referencing my situation before, where my team members and I were weighing in with our opinions on the vendors. This is a good reason to speak up and share my thoughts. My opinion was wanted for the good of the team. It's a good reason for me to say what I'm thinking. Let's think about another situation. Let's say a coworker of mine is starting to gossip to me about another coworker. First of all, there's not really a good reason for the coworker to be gossiping to me about someone else. It is certainly not a good reason for me to start chiming in as well. Nothing good or positive is likely to come out of me speaking up in this situation.
Manner
The manner in which you speak up will make a difference too. If you share your opinion in a clear and positive way, typically good things will happen. This is true in most situations, from one-on-one with your boss or subordinate, to addressing a large group of people. Make sure you are prepared and communicate clearly. On the other hand, if you mumble a lot or are unable to communicate in a clear manner, you aren't doing yourself any favors. The people who are attempting to listen to you either won't be able to hear you very well or understand you. This will only hurt your career and make the situation more muddied at work.
How to Speak Up at Work without Being Offensive
1. Be Clear
This is key to speaking up without being offensive. Make your opinion known or ask for what you want in a clear and straight forward manner without being demeaning to the other person. Don't make your voice softer or raise your volume, keep it in your normal speaking voice. Don't try to emotionally manipulate the other person, just state your point in a clear and concise manner.
2. Stay Cool and Collected
Sometimes when we are stating our opinions, the conversation can begin to get heated. Different opinions and ways of doing things can cause friction. You think something should be done a certain way and someone else doesn't agree with you. If you are passionate about the subject, the conversation might begin to turn to a more animated discussion. When this happens, take a deep breath and pause. Let yourself calm down at least a little bit. Continuing the discussion when you are upset will usually only lead to saying things you'll later regret.
3. Be Prepared
We all tend to feel a lot more confident when we feel prepared. This is true at work as well, whether it's having a meeting or asking for a raise. If you want to ask for a raise, come prepared and you probably won't get defensive or aggressive when challenged. If you come prepared, you can show your boss the reasons why you deserve a raise. Maybe you could point out the money you saved the company or even better, new business you've brought it. Come prepared and you'll be ready to speak up at work without being offensive.
4. Use Good Body Language
When it's time to be assertive and state what you want at work, make sure you are using positive body language. Keep your posture straight and use open body language. Look people in the eyes and and don't clench your jaw or tighten your facial muscles. Smile from time to time. This will help you be assertive and clear. When you use poor body language such as crossing your arms, frowning, talking in a loud and forceful manner, leaning in too much or pointing fingers, you will come across as aggressive and offensive.
5. Be Comfortable Saying No
Having the ability to say no will help you speak up at work without being offensive. Sometimes, what you see is a boss or manager who, for some reason, likes giving someone additional work simply because the other person allows it. As you might imagine, this can lead to resentment, anger, and eventually quitting and getting a new job. When things are busy, we all get extra work sometimes. If you are consistently getting more than your fair share, be comfortable saying no. I recently was asked to take on an additional project. Okay, I'm a team player so I took the additional work on. A few weeks later, I was asked to take on another additional project. I said no, I simply don't have the bandwidth and the project would suffer because I did not have the time to give it the attention it deserved. I said no and I did not get the project. You can take a look at Leo Babauta's advice on The Gentle Art of Saying No.
6. Offer Constructive Criticism
It's okay to offer constructive criticism if it is your place. Personally, I am open to receiving constructive criticism. Not everybody is. I feel that if you can tell me something in a positive manner about how to get better, I am all for it. I like for that conversation to be able to swing both ways. If you want to help someone get better and you feel they are receptive to it, by all means offer constructive criticism. Just make sure it is constructive. If you are one of those people that likes to offer criticism without the constructive component, chances are you are coming across as offensive.
7. Let Other People Speak
A final component to remember is to let other people speak as well. You are entitled to speak up and share your opinions. It's important for you to be assertive and have your voice heard at work to get what you want and need. That being said, in order to not be offensive, make sure you let other people speak. Yes, your opinion is important and you should ensure you can be heard. It's also important to allow other people the opportunity to speak up at work as well. Remember, half of effective communication is listening.
Bottom Line
We've taken a look at how to speak up at work without being offensive. As you can see, it's important to be assertive at work when needed to get your opinion heard and speak up for your wants and needs. It's very possible to state your position and get what you need at work and in your career in a manner that works well for you and everyone you work with. This can be done in an assertive manner without being offensive.
