‘Memory Cop’ Uses Incredible Face Recognition Skills to Catch 2,100 Suspects–Including People in Face Masks

An eagle-eyed police officer dubbed “Memory Cop” has used his mind-blowing face recognition skills to catch 2,100 suspects—including those wearing face masks. England’s Andy Pope boasts a photographic memory, which means he can recall faces from CCTV images years after he has seen them. His incredible skill has seen him collar suspects for crimes which […]

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How to be Happier in 2021: Toss Out Your Usual List of New Year’s Resolutions, Says Study

So you want to look trimmer, be smarter, and successful next year? You strive to exercise and call your friends more, and spend less? You are not alone. New Year’s resolutions are as ubiquitous as they are difficult to keep. Does it even make sense to set such lofty goals for the new year, hoping […]

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‘Grandfather’ of Homeless Animals Graduates From Veterinary Program to Care for Stray Dogs

The “grandfather” of homeless animals has been awarded for his volunteering efforts looking after stray dogs—graduating from a veterinary medicine program in his seventies, he now travels hundreds of miles a week to care for them.  Retiring from his career as a biology teacher after serving his community of 42 years, Turkey’s Fevzi Uyar has […]

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Scientists explore deficits in processing speed in individuals with spinal cord injury

A new study examined the neural mechanisms of higher order cognitive tasks of individuals with SCI.

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Boys Make $250,000 From Genius Christmas Ornament Invention—And Are Donating Thousands to Animal Shelters

According to tradition, January 6th (a.k.a. The Twelfth Day of Christmas) is when you’re supposed to take down your Christmas tree. Sadly, many folks, as they wrap up precious ornaments until next holiday season may find themselves a few keepsakes short. Ornaments are fragile things. All it takes is curious cat, a running toddler, or […]

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How To Keep Pushing Forward And Overcome Any Obstacle

Sooner or later, all of us will face adversity that will make us feel extreme stress, disappointment, and a lot of uncertainty. As we lean into the adversity, we’ll encounter some formidable obstacles. When we face these obstacles, we must keep pushing forward. When life gets really tough, many people get stuck or lose their momentum. They suffer from fear, self-doubt, and other negative feelings. To get past obstacles in your way, you must fully acknowledge the problem and have a strong, motivating reason to keep moving forward. You also have to change any unrealistic expectations. Then, you have to develop a positive mindset, see the problem as an opportunity in disguise, and start taking action. Master these six powerful ways to keep pushing past obstacles in front of you so you can reach your goals.

1. Don’t Avoid Obstacles

“Anyone can give up; it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone would expect you to fall apart, that’s true strength.” —Chris Bradford

The first thing to do is not avoid the obstacle in front of you. Don’t stick your head in the sand and just hope it gets better. Avoiding problems generally makes them worse because small problems now will oftentimes become bigger and unmanageable later. Many people avoid that daunting obstacle by either denying that it’s a big problem or purposely downplaying its significance. They usually do this because they don’t believe they can solve the problem, or they realize how much work it will take to overcome it. Other people avoid problems by distracting themselves. They do other things that take their minds away from the painful situation in front of them. How many times have you faced an obstacle and procrastinated instead of confronting it? Procrastination is another very common reaction to a problem we don't want to face. To stop avoiding problems here are some solutions:

1. Accept that there is a problem. Acknowledge it’s there. It can be painful, especially if it’s an emotional issue, but you have to realize there’s something wrong and it needs your attention.
2. Accept that you’re responsible for solving this problem—whether you caused it or not. Don’t waste a lot of time blaming other people or dwelling on how unfair it is. Realize you have to deal with this problem now.
3. Don’t distract yourself with things that take your mind away from the issue.
4. If you find yourself procrastinating, remind yourself that the longer you take to confront the problem, the worse it will get.

2. Know Why You’re Doing It

Many people are unable to keep pushing past obstacles in their way because they don’t have a strong reason to keep going. It’s important you know your “why.” Your “why” should be the driving force that motivates you to keep pushing, overcome obstacles, and achieve your goal. Identify your “why.” Why should you work extremely hard to get past these obstacles to reach your goal? Why is this goal important to you? When I got out of prison, I faced a lot of discrimination. I was denied a lot of jobs because of my felony drug manufacturing-related conviction. This was undoubtedly one of my biggest obstacles. I was very angry. I was angry at myself for getting arrested and going to prison. I was angry at the business world for discriminating against me when I was trying to do the right thing. There were times when I felt like giving up. I thought about becoming a drug dealer again. Then, I thought about why it was important for me to get a job. I had a few “whys.” I knew I was capable of using my skills and talents to do good things in life. I didn’t want to go back to prison. I had to create a stable work history. I knew my best days were ahead of me if I just did the right thing. Once I realized I had some strong reasons to keep pushing forward, I stayed the course. I went to interview after interview until I found people who were willing to hear my story and give me a chance. It took a long time, but it eventually worked. I was able to find some good, compassionate people who were willing to hire me. Why is your goal important to you? To keep moving forward when you face obstacles, make sure you have strong reasons to stay the course. Make sure your goals are aligned with your values. Make sure that the big goal is something you love—something worth fighting for.

3. Let Go of Past Expectations

There will be a lot of times in life when you’ll expect a good outcome, hit an obstacle, and then find that you’re going to have to create a new plan. When I was in prison, my mom died. I was devastated because I didn’t get to see her, but I took some comfort in knowing my wife was there for me. When I was released, I’d live with her and start a new chapter of my life. Later, my wife left me. Now, I had nowhere to go. I reached the lowest point of my life. A few months later, I contacted a couple I knew and told them about my dilemma. They graciously agreed to let me live with them when I got out of prison. I stayed with them for almost 9 months. That experience strengthened our friendship and to this day, they are in my inner circle—they’re family. They helped me rebuild my life. They were at my university graduation and helped me celebrate other milestones on my journey to redemption. We continue to help and support each other. I was able to let go of past expectations and make the best out of a disastrous situation. Realize that life is oftentimes unfair. Know that things can and often will change. Accept that many things are out of your control. Let go of past expectations and work positively toward making the best of bad situations. Revise your expectations when it’s necessary. When things change, pivot to a new plan to deal with the unexpected change in the best way possible. Just keep pushing forward. Follow the wise words of John Wooden:

Things work out best for those who make the best out of how things work out.

4. Have a Positive Mindset

Have you ever tried to solve a problem with a negative attitude? It was most likely an uphill battle. You probably had a hard time thinking of solutions to the problem or believed you just couldn’t do it. Having a positive mindset is one of the most important tools you can use to move past obstacles in your life. A positive attitude increases your confidence in your ability to overcome huge challenges. It keeps your mind open to new possibilities and ways of dealing with problems.

“A positive mind finds opportunity in everything. A negative mind finds fault in everything.” —Unknown

Negative thinking makes you feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and afraid of taking action. On the other hand, positive thinking lowers your stress levels. It makes you more relaxed and ready to deal with problems. It’s important to be “rationally positive,” which means you shouldn’t tell yourself you’ll be able to do everything flawlessly and everything will work out perfectly. Instead, realize you have the courage to face tough obstacles, the ability to adapt to unexpected events, and the perseverance to keep getting back up every time you get knocked down until you reach your goal. As Robert Luongo said:

“It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down. The only thing that matters is how many times you get up.”

5. Look at Obstacles as Opportunities

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” —Molière

I initially thought prison was a huge obstacle. I thought it would ruin my life. I didn’t think I’d be able to get a good job later because of my criminal record. I believed people would dislike me when they found out I had been to prison, and I didn’t think I had a future. But when I started looking at prison as an opportunity to become a better, stronger, and smarter person, my life started to quickly change. I realized that prison was the reality check I needed. If I didn’t go to prison, I could’ve ended up dead, like many of my old friends. Prison gave me the chance to think about the purpose of my life for the first time. It gave me time to think about how I needed to change myself and my life. It started me on a positive trajectory to keep pushing forward. When you encounter an obstacle, determine how it can make you a better, stronger, and smarter person by asking yourself these questions:

• What lessons is life trying to teach me right now?
• How can I use this bad situation to achieve something great?

6. Take Action

Once you’ve accepted that there’s a problem and you have to solve it, you have to take action. This sounds simple, but many people fail to get started because they don't have an adequate action plan. To create an action plan:

1. List all of your options and the costs and benefits of each one. Find the best options and eliminate others.
2. Determine how long it will take and when you need to finish.
3. List the actions you need to take, from the first step to the last.
4. Make sure you have the proper resources to complete the action plan (time, people, money, technology, etc.).
5. Begin executing the plan.

Once you take action, don’t stop. Keep the momentum going. Keep pushing forward until you reach your goals.

Final Thoughts

We must develop a positive mindset and see obstacles as opportunities instead of roadblocks. When we see challenges from this perspective, we learn, grow, and develop new skills and insights. We become smarter, stronger, and better able to tackle the challenges we’ll face in the future. When things get rough, our automatic response may be to avoid or minimize the obstacles in front of us. We have to fully acknowledge problems and know we have what it takes to overcome them. And we have to know that all of our hard work and sacrifices are for a worthy cause.

More Tips on How To Push Forward in Life

• How to Push Yourself to the Next Level and Achieve Success
• 10 Strategies to Keep Moving Forward When Feeling Stuck
• What Motivates You To Succeed in Life and Keep Moving Forward?

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Watch This UPS Driver Being Moved to Tears by Neighborhood ‘Thank You’

One UPS worker in Virginia didn’t just receive a cash gift or Christmas card this December as thanks for their hard work through the pandemic. Hundreds of local residents stood outside their homes and clapped for their favorite delivery driver Anthony Gaskin as he drove slowly by the parade. Over 100 Midlothian locals honked the […]

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Amazing Walk-Through Holiday Village With Lights Borrowed from Disney Set to Raise Millions for Critically Ill Children

An incredible Florida display featuring 89-acres of holiday lights is helping kids with critical illnesses this winter. The display includes a giant mushroom, an ice-cream palace spaceship, and a giant upside down toy box. They all illuminate the night sky in Kissimmee as a part of ‘Night of a Million Lights’—a walk-through show made up […]

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Retired Couple Make 1,400 Toys for Children in Need This Christmas: ’People need hope’

Anyone who believes Christmas comes but once a year has obviously never met Mike and Judy Sullivan. The couple, who recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, spend most days making toys in the workshop of their Desert Hot Springs, California home that they then donate to local charities each holiday season. When Mike, a 72-year-old, […]

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A Homeless Man in Atlanta Rescued All the Animals at a Shelter After it Caught on Fire

Keith Walker has been homeless since he was 13 years old. The one constant in this 53-year-old’s life these days: his dog, Bravo. Never certain of his own circumstances, to keep him safe, Walker arranged with Gracie Hamlin, founder of W-Underdogs, to let Bravo stay spend his nights at the facility. On December 18, as […]

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Small Business Sends a Million Donations of Hand Sanitizer to Essential Groups Who Can’t Keep Up

Hand sanitizer is a much-needed safety item as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, but many organizations are reeling from overstretched budgets and don’t have the money to keep up with the demand they have for basic protective supplies. Florida’s Kira Labs wants to help—by giving away one million tubes of its Medyskin Hand Sanitizer to […]

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Top 7 Self-Management Skills For Peak Performance

If you want to operate at peak performance levels to achieve more in life, then it is important to develop critical self-management skills. These are the skills needed to manage personal abilities to be used in various areas of life. Whether you want to excel in business or your personal life, your success depends upon your ability to manage your own performance. This article highlights 7 self-management skills you will need for peak performance. Each skill listed also includes an actionable item to help you get started. Master these skills for optimized performance and personal growth.

1. Hold Yourself Accountable

One of the most important self-management skills for peak performance is the ability and willingness to hold yourself accountable. If you say that you are going to do something, then make sure you do it. Take ownership of your goals and the work needed to achieve them. If you know that a task or activity requires a certain level of effort, then it is your responsibility to make it happen. If you fail to act or the performance is not sufficient, then be honest with yourself and determine what changes or adjustments are needed to do better next time. Be true to your word. Hold yourself accountable by writing your goal or commitment down on paper. You can carry this piece of paper in your pocket to serve as a reminder or dedicate a journal to these goals and personal promises. Writing it down makes it real and tangible. Reflect on what you have written a few times daily to reaffirm your commitment. Do this until you have completed the task.

2. Set Clear Goals

Have you ever set a New Year’s Resolution that quickly fell by the wayside within a few short weeks? While the media likes to give special attention to New Year’s Resolutions because it is a hot conversational piece, these goals are no more special than any other we might set throughout the year. Top performers know that sexy titles do not make goals any more attainable. Take action by setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals. Use the criteria below with your personal and professional goals.

• Specific – Be specific with what you want and state your goal in simple terms. Boil it down to one clearly written sentence. Avoid ambiguity. Perhaps you want to lose weight or earn more money. Each of these ideas is a good starting point, but they lack clarity. Considering the examples noted above, an individual who lost only one pound or earned just one more dollar will have technically achieved the goal. But chances are that a goal setter would be disappointed with such insignificant results. That is why it is important to be specific by stating exactly what you want.
• Measurable – Use numbers to help measure your results. This way you will know if you are on track to attaining your goal.
• Achievable – This is your goal so make sure it is something that you have the ability to achieve. Assess personal strengths, skills, tools, and resources. Do you have everything necessary to achieve the goal or is something still needed?
• Realistic – Determine whether the goal itself is realistic and can be achieved within the predetermined time frame.
• Time-based – Put a deadline on the goal. When do you want to achieve it? This creates a sense of urgency and can be a motivator to get things done.

3. Develop Time Management

We live in a world filled with shiny objects and noisy distractions. Everywhere we turn, someone is trying to get and keep our precious attention. That's why an important self-management skill you should develop is time management. Have you ever logged onto social media to quickly respond to a message but an hour later realized you were still scrolling through your newsfeed or had fallen down the YouTube rabbit hole? If this becomes a habit, then those minutes and hours will add up and turn into days and weeks lost. Here are two quick tips for better time management. To promote productivity, create time blocks, and schedule your most important activities for these time periods. To eliminate distractions, turn off notifications on social media apps. This is especially important while attending to activities within your scheduled time blocks. Utilize the calendar on your smart device to schedule important events. There is also a wide range of apps to set reminders, track to-do lists and tasks, and keep yourself organized.

4. Be Self-Motivated

Some people are motivated by external drivers such as money, praise, or purchasing material items. Others are motivated by internal drivers such as feelings of satisfaction, fulfillment, or personal achievement. It is also possible to be motivated by both depending on the situation. When working towards a goal, here are three questions to ask that will help maintain motivation:

• Why is achieving this goal important to me?
• By achieving this, what will it do for me?
• By achieving this, what will it get me or allow me to do?

If you find yourself losing motivation, then ask yourself these questions. You may need to go through these questions a few times to get to the deeper and more meaningful reasons that will serve as primary motivators. Focus on your goal and continue to drive forward. You might not be successful on the first attempt, and that is okay. Get up and try it again. Keep going until you succeed. Sir Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from one failure to the next with no loss of enthusiasm.”

5. Adapt to Change

One of the most important self-management skills is being adaptive to change. For millions of people around the world, 2020 provided a master class in learning to deal with change that nobody signed up for but were given front row seats to anyway. Change is a natural part of life, and we must be able and willing to adjust course when necessary. Think about the last time you were driving somewhere and saw an orange sign that read “detour ahead.” Chances are you probably let out a short grumble and mentally prepared yourself for the coming inconvenience. While you had not planned for the detour, you navigated the situation and ultimately reached the destination. Develop flexibility by reframing the situation. In other words, learn to view the situation from a different perspective. The proverbial phrase, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” is a perfect example. The situation might not be ideal, but you can still make the most of it. Learn to be flexible and adjust course as needed, while continuing to drive forward towards your goal.

6. Use Coping Skills to Deal with Stress

Playing at higher levels typically means having to deal with increased levels of stress. It naturally comes with the territory. Take a proactive approach to deal with stress by utilizing coping skills and having healthy outlets to channel negative energy. Effective coping skills could include activities like listening to music, going for a walk, reading for pleasure, or exercising. How do your mood and behavior change when you are experiencing stress? Learn to recognize the signs and utilize the coping skills that work best for you. It might also be a good idea to incorporate activities like yoga or meditation into your weekly routine. Readers who have never meditated before might like to wade in with an easy and relaxing walking meditation. Walking meditation is a form of moving meditation that is exactly as it sounds. Rather than sitting still to perform this meditation, the individual does it while walking. Moving meditations have the same benefits as their motionless counterparts. Simply go for a 10-15 minute walk outside and focus on your breathing. Take deep calming breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Use this time to connect with your inner self and relax. This is your personal time, so leave your phone at home to avoid interruptions.

7. Institute the Habit of Daily Learning

Invest in your future by dedicating 30 minutes every day to learning something new. Advances in technology have allowed people to learn from world-class leaders and mentors at any time of the day in a manner that is most convenient to them. Download your favorite self-help books to read on the go or listen to the audio version in your car or while working out. Watch old TED Talks or attend webinars hosted by experts halfway around the world. Follow your favorite content creators on social media or subscribe to Lifehack and receive tips delivered directly to your inbox. Learning has never been easier. Right now, the podcast industry is booming. There are currently more than 850,000 active podcasts amassing over 34 million episodes. Whether you want to get the winning edge in your market, advance in your career, or simply want to pick up a new hobby, there is a podcast that has exactly what you are looking for.

Final Thoughts

Practice these self-management skills every day. Make them a part of your daily routine to operate at peak performance levels and optimize personal growth. These self-management skills are transferable and can be easily applied and adapted in all areas of life. Practice makes progress. Like anything in life, the more you do it the better you will become.

More Self-Management Tips

• 12 Rules for Self-Management
• How to Build Self Discipline to Excel in Life
• How to Have Self-Control and Be the Master of Your Life

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Become a Pro at Thinking Strategically in 4 Simple Steps

Thinking strategically is boring—if you don't know how to do it. Getting stuck feels bad and moving forward feels good. In this article, you will learn how to never again have to feel that strategic thinking is boring by becoming a pro at it. First, you will learn how to improve the way your brain functions so that it helps instead of hinders you. After that, you will learn how to think strategically to achieve your goals. Take a second to think about how improving your strategic thinking skills might help you in your life. What problems do you need to solve? What goals do you have? By understanding how to improve how your brain works, you can solve problems and achieve your goals more efficiently. Thinking strategically is defined as a mental process applied by a person to set themselves up to efficiently achieve a goal in a specific context.((Wikipedia: Strategic thinking)) For example, you might engage in the mental process of pondering how to read this article to the end without losing focus. Your pondering of this question is a distraction, so stop daydreaming, keep focused, and read on now! Nah, just kidding. Seriously though, pondering how to read this article without losing focus is an example of thinking strategically. You are considering what things you can do to achieve your goal of efficiently finishing this article. I'll break the process of strategic thinking down more in-depth in steps 3 and 4 of this article. But first, here's an overview of the 4 simple steps to become a pro at thinking strategically:

1. Meditate to get a clear perspective.
2. Use cognitive enhancers to sharpen your mind.
3. Understand the problem/goal you want to solve/achieve.
4. Find the most efficient methods for solving your problem.

The first two steps are about improving your brain function to get you into a state of mind conducive to strategic thinking, and the final two steps outline how to actually apply this mental superpower.

1. Meditate to Get a Clear Perspective

To think strategically, you will need a clear perspective on the problem you are going to try to solve and the methods available to you for solving it. Meditation is an excellent way to clear any gunk out of your mind. Having a meditation habit can probably improve your strategic thinking skills in the long term, but it is actually in the short term that meditation has the most prominent benefits for thinking strategically.((ScienceDirect: Mindfulness induction and cognition: A systematic review and meta-analysis))((Hindawi: The Meditative Mind: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of MRI Studies)) I suggest that you meditate just before thinking strategically for anywhere between 10 seconds and 2 hours depending on the importance of the goal/problem that you want to think about. Specifically, mindfulness meditation without any specific object of attention—just resting your mind and observing everything that comes into your consciousness as closely as possible—is the sort of meditation that tends to help me think more strategically as opposed to instinctively. By deliberately observing your thoughts, you will become more and more aware of your assumptions and preconceptions in regards to the nature of the problem and the solutions to it that you've considered so far.

2. Use Cognitive Enhancers to Sharpen Your Mind

Cognitive enhancers—supplements that if used appropriately enhances cognitive performance for the user—can help you think better. These substances are often also called "nootropics" or "smart drugs". Many people have misconceptions about these, either believing that they are super-effective and should be banned to prevent people from cheating with them or that they don't do anything at all.((ScienceDirect: Cognitive Enhancement: Treating or Cheating?)) Both of these beliefs are mostly wrong. Some nootropics certainly can have cognitive-enhancing effects, but these are only extremely good if you are performing poorly, to begin with. Think of Caffeine for example. It doesn't raise your IQ by 40 points, but it helps you think, especially if you haven't used it in a while. To use nootropics to think strategically, it is important to think strategically about using nootropics. What do you want to improve in your mental toolkit? Memory, focus, mood, energy, or stress levels? I work at Nootralize, which is a company that helps people understand the science of nootropics. In our review of more than 500 placebo-controlled studies that examined the effects of more than 200 nootropics in healthy humans, we found that most nootropics that people use and claim enhance their mental performance are severely underresearched. This doesn't necessarily mean that these substances are ineffective, just that the scientific data needed to know is not available. Overall, the 5 most science-backed nootropics are Omega 3's, Walnuts, Bacopa Monnieri, Caffeine, and Sage. But it's important that you know why you want to use nootropics. Caffeine wouldn't help you at all with decreasing stress levels for example, but Bacopa Monnieri might.((Nootralize: Top 10 Most Science-Backed Nootropics - Nootralize)) There are even some nootropics, such as Cocoa and Lemon Balm, that might help you in your meditation practice.((Psychology Today: 5 Science-Backed Nootropics for Mindfulness)) Meditation and nootropics are just two of many science-backed methods for improving your brain function so that it can help you think more strategically.

3. Understand the Problem You Want to Solve

A strategy is not an end in itself but a means to some other end. The trigger for you to start thinking "Aha! It's time to think strategically!" is when you have just identified a problem. When you have identified a problem that you want to solve, it's time to understand the why, when, and where of the problem. Ask yourself:

• Why do you want to solve this problem?
• When do you want this problem solved?
• Where (in what context) do you want this problem solved?

For example, you could answer these questions by saying, "I'm trying to lose 10kg in 2021 because I think that will increase my day-to-day energy levels." It is clear from this statement that you want to increase your energy levels and also want to solve the problem of how to lose 10kg. It is also clear that you want this done before the end of 2021, and that it is you and not your sister or Donald Trump that you want to change the weight of. Getting clear on the context of the problem will enable you to compare the efficiency of the methods available for solving your problem.

4. Find the Most Efficient Methods for Solving Your Problem

To find the best solution to your problem, you will have to understand the underlying causes of the problem. What factors play a role in the problem at hand? What variables can, if manipulated, help you solve your problem? What resources are needed for you to manipulate those variables? This can be people, money, time, energy, food, information, etc. Based on the resources you have available, you will have to find a way to economically solve your problem. To understand which method is the most efficient and economical, you need to compare your options. Imagine you're trying to learn chemistry. Specifically, you've identified that right now you want to learn the chemical formula for water in a short amount of time. You now understand what you want to do, when, and in what context. Now, it's time to find an efficient method for learning the chemical formula for water. The resources you have available are a glass of water, your phone which has internet access, and your mother, a biologist, who is sitting next to you ready to help. How would you go about learning the chemical formula for water? Most people would probably not even try doing anything with the water to understand its chemical formula. But why? Water on its own doesn't have any of the information that is necessary for you in your quest to solve your problem. You would need advanced chemistry tools and knowledge as well as quite a bit of time to find out the chemical formula for water with the help of the glass of water. Would you ask Google or your mom? For comparison between two options when there's no clear winner in terms of efficiency in helping you solve your problem, a simple pro/con list can be very useful. Your mother can answer your question, likely accurately, in a very short amount of time when you've asked her what the chemical formula for water is. Google can also answer your question, more likely accurately, but it would probably take longer to open your phone, open the web browser, type Google, hit enter, type "What is the chemical formula for water?" hit enter, select a good source, and read the answer. This simple pro/con list could be illustrated in a table: When comparing options for solving your problem in practice, it quickly becomes clear that knowing the context of your problem is crucial. If you know that you're looking to understand the chemical formula for water because you're going to have a test on this in school next week, then you might accept the fast and high accuracy response from your mother. But if you're going to hold a speech in front of the nation as the president of the United States, you likely will want to invest more time to get an answer that is definitely accurate. This is an example of why you need to fully understand the context of the problem you're trying to solve before looking at methods for solving it. Thinking strategically allows you to understand the context of the problem. Pros/cons, revenues/costs, rewards/risks, benefits/side effects—all of these are terms that describe the positive and negative aspects of solutions or tools that can be used to solve problems. In some circumstances, the problem is so small that it would take more time to create a pro/con list on paper or to create a clear definition of why you want to solve this problem, which is when a clear and sharp mind comes in extra handy.

When Not to Think Strategically

In the many situations that happen daily where small problems need to be solved, you can cut the time needed to select a solution to the problem down to the time it takes for you to think about the pros and cons of a problem. You likely do this more or less consciously already, but becoming aware that you are solving problems can help you take a step back—perhaps meditate for 10 seconds—and with a nootropic-fueled mind, see the entire list of pros and cons of the possible solutions to a problem in front of you. Thinking strategically takes time. People who are really good at strategic thinking know when thinking strategically is overkill. You don't need to write a pro/con list for which pair of socks you will use tomorrow morning or even think of the pros and cons of the alternatives you have. Sometimes, it will give you the best results to just act and to do so quickly. I encourage you to think strategically now about which situations you want to think strategically about in the future. Personally, I find that the more important it is for me that a problem is solved and that the resources needed to solve the problem are used efficiently, the more strategically I want to think. If I had a test next week for which I needed to know the chemical formula for water, I would not get a pen and paper and create a pro/con list. It would take too much time relative to the importance of the problem. I would just act. On the other hand, if I wanted to use a nootropic, I would read quite a lot online and in the scientific literature about its risks and potential benefits because nootropics alter your biology and your biology creates your experience. Since my experience is very important to me, I would invest more time and effort in thinking more strategically.

Conclusion

To become a pro at thinking strategically, you need to when to think strategically and when to just act on instinct. To determine this, understand what sort of problem you have in front of you. When you've understood your problem in-depth, it is time to understand the solutions available and find the best one for your situation. To do these things flawlessly and efficiently, meditation and cognitive enhancers can be useful. They can sharpen your mind to the point at which thinking strategically is easy and fun.

More Articles About Thinking Strategically

• How to Build Strategic Thinking Skills for Effective Leadership
• How Strategic Thinking Can Boost Your Performance at Work
• 11 Ways to Think Outside the Box

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50 Good News Stories From 2020 – A Pandemic of Kindness and Resilience

It’s truly been a year like no other, and individuals around the world have been done so many good deeds, with people sewing and baking, creating and donating—to make others smile, to keep them going through difficult times. Scientists have been busy, of course: and it’s not just successful COVID vaccines they’ve been working on. […]

The post 50 Good News Stories From 2020 – A Pandemic of Kindness and Resilience appeared first on Good News Network.

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A 93-Year-old Veteran Whittling Walking Sticks Has Raised $16,000 For Food Pantry

When the going gets tough, the tough keep going, or at least that’s what you do when you’re a 93-year-old retired Air Force Colonel—and John Hobson likes to keep busy. “If he just got put somewhere and told him to sit down, he’d go crazy,” his son Mark Hobson, told WKEF-TV. In 2020, Hobson occupied […]

The post A 93-Year-old Veteran Whittling Walking Sticks Has Raised $16,000 For Food Pantry appeared first on Good News Network.

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Top 12 Active Learning Strategies For Busy People

Sustained success in any area requires continuous learning. It goes without saying that to succeed in a job or business, one needs to keep learning pretty much nonstop—read books, attend seminars and conferences, and continually seek new responsibilities. You'll have to find active learning strategies. The same can be said about parenting or relationships—books, conversations, continuous personal reflection are a must if you want to be fulfilled in this area of your life. The same is true of your health—eating better, exercising better, and understanding and dealing with any diseases that may come your way often requires learning new knowledge. What learning strategies can one employ, particularly those suitable for a person with a busy schedule? Ideally, this learning would be active to ensure you thoroughly process the new knowledge instead of just skimming a book or an article. So-called New Year resolutions exemplify our common failure to change, and it also pertains to learning new skills. We get carried away by a shiny new idea, be it learning Chinese, taking martial arts lessons, or meditating only to realize that we have neither time nor motivation to sustain it. Daily sessions become weekly, which then become biweekly, and so forth until the whole initiative is but a distant memory. How can we—real people with real limitations and obligations of busy adult lives—most effectively learn whatever skill we set out to improve?

1. Sort Out Commitments

You should sort out your commitments by making an internal commitment. Decide that the new skill is very important and that you will do whatever it takes to make progress. For best results, write down your commitments. Also, you should learn to scale down other commitments. After all, we only have so much energy, yet we always aspire for more. A specific technique is “one in—one out." If you cannot seem to find time for working on that new skill, pick something else you have been doing regularly that you are prepared to let go of—at least for the time being.

2. Adopt a Long-Term Orientation

Active learning strategy involves adopting a long-term orientation. Daniel Coyle describes a fascinating study of kids studying piano in his bestselling book The Talent Code: Greatness Isn’t Born. It’s Grown. Here’s How. The study demonstrated that having a long-term orientation, such as ”I am going to be learning this skill for ten years or the rest of my life,” as compared to a short-term orientation, such as “I am going to be learning this skill for the next few months or years,” had a dramatic effect on one’s learning progress. While the number of hours invested into daily practice was also significant, children with a long-term orientation who practiced for half an hour each day mastered the skill as well as those with a short-term orientation who were practicing for up to two hours every day! Unfortunately, the study did not detail how one could cultivate this kind of long-term orientation, but knowing it is important is surely a start.

3. Learn Without Motivation

People naturally rely on motivation and make great progress when they feel pumped and optimistic. But then another day comes and they are not feeling it. You must remember that your mind keeps learning automatically, whether you feel like it or not. So, whenever you are not feeling motivated, behave as usual—dive right in! Moreover, you can try to organize a bootcamp for yourself. Studying Chinese? Piano? The art of selling? Either way, dedicate a few full days or even a few full weeks to focus on the new activity nonstop. For best results, participate in an existing training program or hire a coach. Continuing with the same idea, joining a regular training regimen is best in terms of both accountability and structure. While not all training programs are high-quality and aligned with your goals, the method is powerful nevertheless. You can also start reading books about your field. Books are supplementary to more active kinds of learning but are very important nevertheless. If you feel your progress has been plateauing in recent months, look for a new book. Just make sure it is a good one.

4. Talk About the Skills You Want to Develop

Ideally, you will have experts as your teachers and mentors, but even ongoing casual conversations with skilled practitioners can help sustain your progress. Even talking to random strangers about your field can still be helpful. Don’t be afraid to discuss technical details. If you are learning Chinese, talk to everyone you meet about linguistic nuances. If you are studying martial arts, talk all day long about fighting and self-defense.

5. Be Picky About your Knowledge Sources

“Googling” answers is fine for a quick factual question, finding entertainment, or even sparking your creativity. Yet, this is not the way for making consistent, in-depth progress. Just as you did not learn the high school curriculum by googling random facts, you are also not going to acquire a solid knowledge base by following this method in any other area. Find reputable books—or better yet—a reputable teacher, then learn from them. It's best to learn from the best. It definitely helps if you have a teacher or a mentor and if they are highly knowledgeable in the field. Better yet, find those who are also great at teaching students similar to yourself. You can also attend conferences and other events. Meeting others in the same field and engaging in a structured multi-day program cannot but boost your progress. While a single weekend event can never bring the same results as sustained daily effort, it can broaden your horizons and help ensure your efforts are going in the right direction.

6. Participate in Competitions or Performances

Any competition or any public performance will challenge your current level of skill and push you to new heights. If anything, you will discover where you stand. Participating in competitions or performances is a must in having an active learning strategy. You can also aim to obtain certifications. This is not useful if your skill level is high. However, if you are just getting started, many fields have designated levels for beginners. Even if you do not need to get certified, it can be an interesting way to once again test your current level as well as to systematize your knowledge.

7. Introduce Leverage

If you are not putting in the hours, set some rules to “punish” yourself, whether by denying yourself certain pleasures or by having to donate a certain amount of money. For best results, use a friend or a mentor who will hold you accountable. If you respond better to rewards, those can work as well.

8. Practice Using Time-Efficient Exercises

Many fields have key skills that can be efficiently practiced in just a few minutes a day, so long as you bring a lot of effort and concentration to this practice. Stay in the forearm plank for 2 minutes. Meditate for 3 minutes. Go through a 10-minute singing warmup. Such time-efficient exercises are also great in keeping the momentum going during periods when you cannot commit to a more involved regimen.

9. Volunteer Using Your New Skill

Even if what you are learning is not directly contributing to your income, there may well be a way to do it for free—whether by singing at a charity concert, becoming a language partner for a recent immigrant, or teaching kids at a community center. Volunteering is an active learning strategy that will help you practice your craft. There is hardly a better way to solidify learning than by using it to help others. Many different platforms exist for matching volunteers with opportunities. Some such as VolunteerMatch are generic and have every kind of opportunity under the sun. Others such as the Taproot Foundation focus on opportunities for volunteers with business, finance or marketing skills. The United Nations has a wide range of skilled volunteer opportunities in many different countries.

10. Use Visualization

Take a few moments—or a few minutes—to imagine performing your new skill perfectly. This exercise can be practiced in a quiet room, before going to sleep, as well as immediately prior to performing the activity in question. For some people, this technique works very well, but for such results, it also requires significant effort. Imagery has long been used in sports and in the performing arts, such as by the dancer Erik Franklin.((Eric Franklin: Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance )) However, the same techniques have found their ways in many other domains—from business to parenting. An expert on male sexuality Bernie Zilbergeld had been recommending imagery exercises to help couples improve their love life. Some of these are described in his book The New Male Sexuality. Visualization has also been used for teaching language.((British Council. Teaching English: An introduction to using visualization))

11. Journal About Your Progress

Jot down notes about your progress, on a daily basis or whenever needed. The notes can describe your long-term goals, debrief any particular event, whether a success or a failure, summarize lessons learned and things to do differently in the future, or those can just be random observations related to your learning process. This technique is highly individual and takes a lot of experimentation, but many top performers swear by it.

12. Never Give Up

Perhaps the most important strategy is to keep going. If your approach is wrong but you keep trying, keep putting in the work. Eventually, you will make a correction and get on the right track. But if you give up and quit, future progress is impossible. Educational theorist Paul Tough became famous largely because of his book How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character. In the book, he argues, citing some compelling evidence, that grit, or perseverance, matter so much more than intelligence. Adults could also receive Tough’s message and focus on perseverance before considering any other “active” learning strategies. As success expert Brian Tracy puts it, without discipline, no method for achieving success works. With discipline, every method works.

Concluding Remarks

The busier we become, the more important it is for us to keep learning. The tips above contain several helpful suggestions. However, the most important one is to commit to finding time for this learning and to never give up. Good luck!

More Learning Tips & Strategies

• Passive Learning vs Active Learning: Which Is More Effective?
• 4 Learning Strategies Quick Learners Master But Never Told You
• 8 Ways to Train Your Brain to Learn Faster and Remember More

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How To Increase Your Efficiency At Work (14 Simple Ways)

The year has been one for the books. It’s completely changed our way of life, from how we have to do social distancing and mask-wearing to how we work. Twelve months ago, the brick-and-mortar model was going strong. Then, the coronavirus hit, and businesses were forced to shift to the work-from-home model. As we look ahead to the new year, it doesn't look as if we're going back to the old ways any time soon, so efficiency at work has taken on a whole new meaning. It seems like just yesterday that millions of people would wake up every morning, jump in their car, and head off to the office to put in eight hours to pay the bills. Those eight hours would consist of a variety of meetings with potential clients, talking to colleagues, writing and responding to emails, negotiating deals, and organizing events. What was once commonplace has been replaced with sitting in front of a screen at the dining room table or in our make-shift office at home. In the bestselling book, The One-Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard M.D. explains that we shouldn't manage every employee the same way because different people are at different stages in their development. The more experienced employees thrive with less supervision while newer employees need constant hand-holding and encouragement as they are unfamiliar with their new surroundings. Under the work-from-home model, the more experienced employees have thrived as they were able to use their commute time more effectively. Instead of having to attend a bunch of unnecessary meetings, people are now asked to only attend those that are necessary. At the other end of the spectrum, we have the less experienced workers and companies have struggled to address how best to train them so they can acquire all the necessary skills needed for their work. Having been an entrepreneur for over 20 years and having run three businesses and worked in partnerships, I've learned that there's only so much an employer can teach their employees. The rest is up to us and as we live in such precarious times, we should all go to work on ourselves and figure out how we can increase our efficiency at work, even if that means being at home. While certain skills might be career-specific, the following 14 ways can increase our efficiency at work regardless of what industry you are in.

1. Set Achievable Goals

Setting goals is a good thing. It is an effective way to improve our efficiency at work as goals shape our actions and decisions. But not all goals are created equal. Working with entrepreneurs, I have found that many like to set goals that are merely dreams in disguise. Napoleon Hill best explained the difference between the two when he said, “Goals are dreams with a deadline.” The key to setting goals is to remember the acronym S.T.A.G., which stands for short-term achievable goals—the keyword being achievable. Unattainable goals, on the other hand, lead to disappointment. A goal also needs to be clear so that everyone involved understands precisely how to go about achieving it.

2. Less Is More

So many of us are obsessed with getting everything done, it’s almost as if we feel compelled to make sure everything is off our plate. Recently, I watched an episode of MasterChef: The Professionals. In it, one chef with 20 years of experience created some incredible plates of food. Just one problem—there was too much stuff on the plate. As a result, the whole dish didn’t come together and it cost him a place in the semi-finals. The lesson is this—sometimes, we have to know when to stop. By doing less, we’re able to focus more on those things that need our attention and consequently, the quality of those things radically improves.

3. Have a Break, Have a Walk

Our lives have become more and more sedentary, and that's not a good thing. Many people sit in front of computer screens, glued to their chairs for hours at a time. It’s not healthy. So, have a break and short walks from time to time. It’s amazing how much a short walk every 90 minutes or so can improve our efficiency at work. It refreshes our eyes, our mind, and our body all at once.

4. Email Is Our Enemy

Brendon Buchard shared something in a podcast I’ve never forgotten. He said, “Our inbox is nothing but a convenient organizing system for other people’s agendas.” That was a game-changer for me. He went on to explain that if we did nothing else other than not check our email for the first two hours after we wake up, we would improve our productivity by 30%. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

5. Create Your Space

Only have what you need on your desk. Remove all things that are not important. Things tend to pile up over time, which can distract us or create a feeling of being overwhelmed. Keep your desk space clean, and you'll notice an improvement in your productivity quite quickly.

6. Food Is Fuel

Food is fuel, and you want to run your body on high-quality fuel. I used to get a cold at least once a year and each time, it knocked me out for two to three days. I lived on a steady diet of meat and carbs back in the day. Thankfully, my wife fixed me right up. It did take time for my body to adjust, but at age 46, I feel healthier than ever. I haven’t caught a cold since I was in my mid-thirties. That’s about a month saved in downtime not to mention my increased performance levels and not having to pump myself full of NyQuil or Tylenol. Not a chef? No worries, YouTube has you covered. Don’t want to cook? Look for young chefs that are attending culinary schools that need practice.

7. Personal Development

“Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better” are wise words that Jim Rohn used to mention in all his lectures and a quote. It's something that everyone should take into consideration when thinking of ways to increase efficiency at work. The more experience and knowledge we acquire, the easier tasks become, which is why we should always work on improving our own ability.

8. Meditation

While most people think the key to building a successful business is all about clever marketing and cool products, what is often overlooked is the impact stress can have on us. I know more than a few millionaires who have more than enough money for the rest of their lives, but it came at a price—their health. Stress played a big part in that, which is why it’s more important than ever to reset our minds once a day, shut off the noise, and recalibrate our thoughts.

9. Busywork Sucks

Most people aren’t lazy. The problem is they don’t want to do what they should. Instead, they fill much of their day doing activities that give them a sense of accomplishment while never making any real progress on the things they should.

10. Time Tracking

One of the big mistakes people make is they think they are good at managing their time, yet have never taken the time to really analyze just how they are using their time. With clients, one of the first things I have them do is do a time audit. I want to know just how much time they spend and where. It’s often eye-opening for clients when they do this. No matter how good we think we are at using our time, we can always be better.

11. The Commute

As we have shifted to the work-from-home model, this is less and less of an issue. However, we still spend a lot of time in our cars (or trains depending on where you live) whether we are on a trip, heading to work, meeting a client, or simply heading to the supermarket. Sometimes, it’s just 10 minutes, but other times it’s an hour. It all adds up. We spend an inordinate amount of time in vehicles which we aren’t using effectively. Commute time is learning time. Forget Taylor Swift and put on Tony Robbins. Turn off Metallica and instead try learning a language or listen to a podcast.

12. 90-Minute Cram Sessions

Darren hardy is one of the premier productivity experts in the world. He has interviewed hundreds of the most successful entrepreneurs, athletes, and entertainers as the publisher of Success magazine. One secret I learned from him is what I like to call the “sweet spot” of productivity—90 minutes. We need to learn to focus our energy on 90-minute “jam sessions”—as he likes to refer to them—as they give us the greatest return on our energy.

13. Efficiency’s Magic Number Is One

A single-minded focus on a task will transform your productivity like no other. Unfortunately, most of us don’t realize just how unaccustomed we are to this and think that multi-tasking is the key to getting things done. Wrong! It’s precisely the opposite. Multitasking prevents us from reaching concentrated focus and our efficiency at work suffers from it.

14. Notifications Are a Dime a Dozen

Please, if you aren’t a surgeon who needs to be on call because it’s a life and death situation, turn off your notifications. We get distracted, on average, every 4 minutes. Those distractions are absolutely productivity killers as they take us away from our train of thought.

The Bottom Line

Increasing your efficiency at work isn't rock science. In fact, it's downright simple. It's the simplicity that trips people up. Too often people look for new shiny toys when the answers are right in front of them. These concepts transformed my life and those of many entrepreneurs the world over and you'd be foolish not to at least give them a fair shake. Remember, like all concepts, applying them once and expecting big results just won't happen. But over time, simple concepts done repeatedly can achieve incredible results.

More Tips to Boost Efficiency at Work

• How to Be More Efficient at Work, at Home, and in Life
• How to Increase Work Productivity: 9 Ground Rules
• How to Work From Home: 10 Tips to Stay Productive

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Too Tired At Work? 4 Ways To Regain Focus

I once heard it someone said, "No one gets a prize for burnout." It's a lovely saying. But how many of us abide by this ideology? Not many. If we did, Botox and wrinkle cream would be a thing of the past. We're tired at work and because of work. Since childhood, we're groomed to work for the weekend. But working for two days per week robs us from enjoying the other 260 days. None of us grew up with the mission to be exhausted. But far too many of us have accepted this rat race as business as usual. From Monday to Friday, we complain about the craziness. And then escape on Saturday and Sunday with a pitcher of sangria. Isn't this the way that life is supposed to be? There's nothing wrong with hard work. It's what makes the world go round. But if our only moment of joy is zoning out to Hulu in our comfiest pajamas, we might need to rethink our chaotic schedule. If you're tired of grabbing your coffee on the run, yelling at the kids as you race to the door, and driving like a maniac to make it to your morning meeting, grab a nice glass of wine and enjoy this read. In this article, I'll reveal a couple of reasons why your exhausted and give you some practical tips to keep your sanity and social life without experiencing so much fatigue. Let's get you started on this journey.

Why You Might Be Exhausted

Before I go to the practical tips, let's first discuss the two main reasons why you might be tired, especially at work.

You Are Tied to Technology

According to Deloitte, most employees are exhausted. But more specifically, their source of depletion is tied to operating in an "always on" and "always available work" culture.((Deloitte: Workplace Burnout Survey)) Technology has removed all boundaries and in many ways, it has removed an employee's right to say no. Employees don't feel like they have the option to shut off their phones, have a life separate from their job, or escape the piles of paperwork. This reality is leading to burnout and stress. Many employees feel like they can't escape or even take a breath when they're away from work. Because, in all honesty, they're never away from the office. Technology has made a business structure without walls. But that also means that there are no doors. This open concept of business is a blessing, but it's also created a corporate environment that doesn't respect personal boundaries. This constant access to employees might work well for a company's bottom line, but it will lead to higher burnout levels and employee dissatisfaction in the long run.

You Value Performance Instead of Purpose

Workforce Institute conducted a study and found that "95 percent of HR professionals perceive that employee burnout is sabotaging productivity" within the workplace.((Entrepreneur: Do You Even Realize How Your Burnout Culture Is Hampering Your Growth?)) Repeat after me: "Life is more than the weekend." No amount of burnout will get you to the corner office. It doesn't take more energy to reach your goals. It requires making the right decisions. Remember, it's not about working hard—it's about working smart. The hamster wheel will not get you to where you want to be. It will only lead you to more fatigue and frustration. If you feel stuck and tired at work, you're not alone. You can shift your narrative and your sleep schedule. But if you want to change your life, then you need to change your habits.

4 Ways To Change the Way You Work

Change takes time. It also requires you to ask what you want out of life. When you take the time to know who you are and what you need, you'll have the confidence to write your story. Pinning down your boundaries protects your purpose. All of us experience exhaustion. But if you're tired at work 99.9% of the time, then something needs to change, and it's not always the job. Many times, the most significant change starts with us. You can regain your focus, but you need to take some time for personal introspection before experiencing higher productivity. Here are four tips that you can put into effect now!

1. Remember Your "Why"

What is your motivation? When you were younger, you were compelled by your goals and driven by your dreams. But once you hit 30, you realized that you couldn't pay the rent with pretend money or your 3-year vision board. Sacrifice is a part of adulthood. After all, we've all learned how to pivot and survive the twists and turns. There's nothing wrong with being responsible. But whether we like it or not, the strains of reality pop our bubble and push many of us towards burnout. Stepping away from our foundational dreams comes at a price, which can include our health, our wholeness, and our sense of purpose. If we want to regain our focus, we need to take the time to rediscover what makes us tick. We have to make space in our schedules to work on our "why." We can't just be led by our "what." If we don't take the time to remember the reason behind our work, we lose ourselves in work. If you want to regain your focus and stop being tired at work, you need to remember your purpose. Once you make that the foundation of your life, all of your decisions will center around that focus.

2. Recenter Your Life

One of the biggest things that you can do is to carve out time for contemplation. Now, I'm not talking about a quick morning ritual or a meditation retreat. I mean seeing yourself as a priority on your task list, not an option. Too many of us sacrifice ourselves for the sake of deadlines. We spend days preparing our presentation and researching statistics, but we put off going to the gym or getting that extra hour of sleep. We worship doing more than being. Numerous studies have come to the same conclusion: We all need put ourselves first if we want to thrive in business. But we don't listen to the research. Too many of us continue to live off of coffee and spreadsheets regardless of the numbers. It's not healthy, but it is tied to corporate culture. Far too many companies reward this type of behavior. They expect their employees to be available 24/7 and bleed paperclips and printouts day-and-night. And it's only gotten worse since we've started working from home. According to the Harvard Business Review, "one of the best ways to manage through chaos is to anchor yourself in routine."((Harvard Business Review: To Take Care of Others, Start by Taking Care of Yourself)) Self-care has to be a part of our daily routine. Regaining focus requires us to recenter ourselves. It demands that we place our needs into the equation without feeling guilty.

3. Rethink Your Expectations

We all remember the iconic line from Family Matters. Steve Urkel would hike up his pants, adjust his glasses, and utter those four iconic words that made him an endearing celebrity of the 90s. "Did I do that?" We can still picture his squeamish expression as he faced another kerfuffle that he had created. Many of us can relate. After hours of exhaustion, we desperately try to keep our eyes open at work without running into walls. We blankly stare at the piles of paperwork, mindlessly nod as our boss asks us to add one more item to our checklist, and pray that we don't drool through our endless meetings. This is just life. Or is it? For many of us, this is our average workweek. We color-coordinate our schedules, add endless monotonous tasks to our week, and hope that we can balance everything without losing our sanity. What if there was a better way to survive? There is.

4. Reorganize Your Task List

If you're continuously exhausted at work, one of the biggest things you can do to regain focus is to rethink your task list. You don't need to accomplish everything. And even if you do, your task list doesn't necessarily have to be solely done by you. Before you begin the rat race on Monday mornings, use Sundays to restructure your workweek. Write a list of people that you work with and their correlating skill sets. Then, look at your list of things to do. Break your task list into three columns. Fill the first section with tasks that only you can do. Then, fill the second section with functions that don't need to be done or can be pushed to a future date. Lastly, fill the third section with tasks that can be done by others. Adding items to your checklist might give you a feeling of accomplishment. But if you continue to micromanage your task list, you won't be able to move forward. If you want to regain focus and stop being tired at work, start with your planner. Not everything needs to be crossed off or completed. Sometimes, the best way to meet your goals is to remove the ones keeping you stuck.

Final Thoughts

If you're tired of being tired at work, take a look at these four tips and implement one of these practices into your week. Remember, it's not a race. These tips are not just another thing to add to your task list. Their purpose is to help you understand your specific triggers that lead to burnout. If you want to restore your joy, remember your why, and recenter your life—you need to understand yourself. Take time to implement boundaries that provide work-life balance. Make 2021 the year that you enjoy your work week, not the year that makes you pray for the weekend.

More Tips For When You're Tired at Work

• 7 Tips To Survive When You’re Sleepy at Work
• Why Am I Feeling Tired All the Time? (And How to Fix It)
• 9 Energy Hacks to Stay Motivated When You’re Exhausted

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How a Utah Sports Reporter Accidentally Raised $55,000 to Help People During the Holidays

If sportswriter Andy Larsen writes his autobiography one day, he just might have to title it, ‘The Accidental Philanthropist’. That’s because when Larsen, who covers basketball for the Salt Lake Tribune, inadvertently found himself the recipient of a $55,000 Venmo bonanza, he used the money to help families in need for the holidays. The story […]

The post How a Utah Sports Reporter Accidentally Raised $55,000 to Help People During the Holidays appeared first on Good News Network.

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This Week’s Inspiring Horoscopes From Rob Brezsny’s ‘Free Will Astrology’

We’ve partnered with our friend Rob Brezsny to provide his weekly wisdom which can enlighten your thinking and motivate your mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You […]

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Discovery of aging mechanism for hematopoietic stem cells

By transferring mouse aged hematopoietic stem cells (aged HSCs) to the environment of young mice (bone marrow niche), it was demonstrated that the pattern of stem cell gene expression was rejuvenated to that of young hematopoietic stem cells.

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McDonald’s Gives a New Car—And Golden Arches—to Family Whose Autistic Son Draws Them Continuously

The owners of a Florida McDonald’s restaurant have bestowed some incredible holiday joy on one local family whose 15-year-old son with autism has been prolifically drawing the golden arches since he was a little boy. Tim and Tracy Johnstone met Devon two years ago after Hurricane Michael destroyed their McDonald’s building in Panama City. Devon’s […]

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Global Nonprofit that Trains African Prisoners to Become Lawyers is Featured on 60 Minutes

The most popular television news magazine show in America shared an inspiring story about a group called Justice Defenders this week. The nonprofit trains people—and prison staff—in nearly 50 prisons in Kenya and Uganda to become paralegals and lawyers to provide legal services for themselves and others. 60 Minutes reporter Anderson Cooper traveled to Kenya […]

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Hawaii Teen Who Makes Christmas Special For All Wins ‘Spirit of Community’ Award

A 13-year-old from Mililani, Hawaii, is being honored for galvanizing youth to organize Christmas celebrations for children in need and initiating a variety of volunteer opportunities for young people. Rylee Brooke Kamahele grew up volunteering with her parents in a program for at-risk youth, but by age 8 wanted to start making an impact on […]

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9-Year-old Boy Asks Santa to Give His Hoverboard Away to Grieving Child Who Wanted the Same Gift

A nine-year-old has written a letter to Santa asking him to give away his hoverboard to a grieving child who wanted the same gift. 41-year-old Jason and Sandi Boyer wanted to help another family at Christmas and were anonymously matched with a little boy being cared for by his grandmother. The boy, who had just […]

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Woman In Constant Pain From 96 Surgeries is Overwhelmed by $20,000 From Anonymous Santa

A local man in Idaho Falls has been anonymously gifting more than $500,000 to deserving people in his city in the run-up to Christmas. Now he’s changed the life of a woman who’s endured 96 jaw surgeries and chronic pain after an accident at work. Last week we shared the story of Diana Boldman, a hard-working […]

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People Are Getting So Creative in How They Celebrate Virtually: 76% Plan to Cook Together Via Video With Loved Ones

Seven in 10 Americans are planning to participate in more holiday gatherings this year—because they’re being held virtually, according to a new poll A survey of 2,000 Americans revealed 72% of respondents are participating in at least one virtual celebration this holiday season, and of those, 68% plan to be more social than in years […]

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30 Creative Date Night Ideas to Try At Home

We all have it rough these days with a global pandemic across the world forcing people to stay indoors. Couples are especially feeling it in various ways. For one, there isn’t much time to be away from one another, but also there is another growing issue: date night. Date nights are special as they’re an opportunity to show appreciation and take a break from things. They’re something beyond ordering take-out or going to a nice place and having dinner. They’re bold and creative and can rekindle passion for one another. But there is only so much that a couple can do for date nights before they get repetitive and that magic starts to disappear. On top of the restrictions of possibly kids, a busy schedule, and this pandemic amongst other things, you’ve probably exhausted every idea that you can think of. In light of that, I wanted to give you some date night ideas that you might not have tried. These are perfect to try at home making it optimal for during the pandemic, but also after it too. Beyond that, these can save you a tonne of money and encourages you to be more resourceful with what you have, something I’m sure this pandemic has encouraged us all to do.

1. Movie Night With A Twist

Debating over what to watch is especially tough these days, however there are some ways that you can make this more exciting. Some ideas are making the movies more thematic like watching lots of holiday movies around Christmas time or horror films around Halloween. Here're some ideas for you: The Best Date Night Movies That Guys Will Enjoy Just As Much As Girls Some other ideas are closing your eyes and watch whatever you land on or flipping a coin to decide what to watch.

2. Cooking Night

Whether one or both of you have some cooking skills, there are all kinds of dishes that the two of you can make. You can stick to making favourite dishes, or maybe you can tackle a larger recipe together. There are a tonne of recipes online to try out, however you can also look into owning a cookbook yourself. For starters, try out recipes from The Well Plated Cookbook, a bestseller that provides fast and healthy recipes.

3. Learning Something New

Stemming from the previous idea, maybe one of you isn’t that good with cooking. This provides an opportunity for one of you to teach the other. This doesn’t apply to cooking. It can apply to any skill such as learning to speak Spanish or another language.

4. Game Night

Board games are another good at home date night ideas to try out. It’s also fairly inexpensive as well. One good game to play together as a couple is Odin’s Ravens. Inspired by norse mythology, it’s easy to get into and is inexpensive price wise.

5. Lounge Room Picnic

Picnics are usually designed to be outdoors, however there is something nice about having them indoors as well. Pandemic aside, having a picnic indoors is nice as it removes having the elements involved. Not to mention you don’t have to avoid the bugs while indoors. Naturally you’d want cheese for this picnic and I’d recommend picking up some nice gouda

6. Massages

This is another cheap and intimate experience as all you’ll need is a towel and some oil. Having your significant other give you a massage is far less awkward as well since you’re not paying a stranger to rub down your body. The Relax Therapeutic brand offers a tonne of different massage oils to pick from that are cheap and high quality.

7. Fondue Night

While we think of this as a group activity, it can be enjoyed as a couple. There is something so delightful about dipping items into chocolate and eating them. Fondue makers themselves are also pretty cheap to pick up as well. All you’ll need to bring after that is bread, cheese, chocolate and fruits.

8. Video Game Marathon

There are a plethora of video games these days that allow co-operative versions. Some games will make you compete against one another or the two of you work as a team. Nonetheless video games are a fun way to bond with another. There is bound to be a game out there that you and your partner will enjoy.

9. Cooking For Your Partner

For the busy couple, sometimes it’s nice to come back home - or finish a work session - and see that supper is already done. Another cookbook that is nice to pick up is the Cooking for Two cookbook. It has 650 recipes, making it one of the best cookbooks that you’ll ever need.

10. Take An Intro Yoga Or Fitness Class

For many folks during quarantine, they’ve probably gained a bit of weight and this is one way to ease back into exercise. With this pandemic going on, there has been a huge push for live training workouts but you can also find plenty of training regimens on YouTube. My suggestion is to try out a regular workout routine first and maybe branch off into other forms of fitness be it high-intensity or yoga amongst others. Nevertheless, having a mat to workout on will be beneficial to you too.

11. Take Music Lessons Together

While this idea typically involves someone instructing the both of you, there is nothing wrong with one of you teaching the other. If you’ve been practicing an instrument - or even with signing - providing some lessons is a fun way to bond together. The alternative is pulling up some Youtube videos that have tutorials that you can follow. Or if you want to improve your singing voice, you can try taking voice lessons via CD.

12. Rom-Coms Marathon

While these movies are cheesy and so predictable, there is something about them that is entertaining to watch. Put together a nice little playlist and to create a nice romantic atmosphere at home to set the mood. From there you can order food, open a bottle of wine and cuddle up. If you’re not the type to get drunk, I’d suggest a non alcoholic wine to try out that still fits the mood.

13. Wine Taste At Home

There is a plethora of wine available to pick out and each one can deliver an all new experience. Even if you’re not someone who drinks that often, this can be an opportunity to experience something different. Not to mention wine is a good way of mustering up more courage to talk to one another. On the other hand, you could also indulge in a new trend of non alcoholic beverages. Here is a good quality non-alcoholic wine that you can try out.

14. Have A Bake Off

Provided the kitchen is big enough, you can recreate a mock “Cupcake Wars” situation and try to impress one another with various baked goods. Even if by the end the bake off doesn’t make Pinterest-worthy posts, it’s still fun to do. Plus you have food you get to enjoy. You can pull some recipes from the internet, or you can get a cookbook that can go into finer detail on baking other incredible dishes.

15. Or A Paint-Off

Or instead of baking you can look at painting. You don’t need to have a large amount of art supplies using things like markers, crayons, watercolors, or even random pens that you’ve got lying around. In terms of competition, have each other draw the same still-life scene - this could be a fruit bowl or maybe a simple landscape. You could even try drawing one another’s portraits. If you’re doing that, I’d suggest having something more sophisticated than pen and paper.

16. Tackle A DIY Project

Whether the two of you are in an apartment or a home there is always some kind of project that could be done. Doesn’t always have to be something as big as renovating a part of a home or painting, but tackling it as a team makes it far more tolerable.

17. Clean Out The Closets

Organizing closets can be a struggle as we all have a tendency to hoard things over time. With not much else happening lately, one good project to do together is to go through one another closets and start cleaning things out, setting aside stuff you don’t need anymore while keeping some other things. And for the future, you could look into a closet organizer to ensure it stays organized for longer.

18. Make a Bucket List For the Next 10 Years

One great at home date night idea I love is making a bucket list for the next 10 years. For couples that have been together for even a short period of time or longer, outlining each other's goals and desires is key to deepening the relationship. If you’re serious about the relationship, sharing each other's goals is fantastic and what better way to share it than to have a bucket list for the next decade? Just don’t forget to write them down and have a spot to remind you of them.

19. Work On a Garden

While many associate a garden with something outdoors, you can set up an indoor greenhouse of your own. The only thing is you’ll be more limited in what you’re able to grow indoors and you’ll need some extra equipment to get it all working. Still, this is a fun activity for the two of you to do and can spark conversation since it is a mindless -yet relaxing - task. Here are some seeds to help you get started.

20. Play Some Drinking Games

While you won’t be able to really party like you used to, there are some pretty fun drinking games out there. Whether you want alcohol involved or not you can always play beer pong or flip cup on the kitchen table. Here's a drinking game set that's good to pick up. If you’ve got kids - or want no alcohol involved - you can keep it tame by using fruit juice or water.

21. Play Some Classic Card Games

Another one of the great at home date night ideas to try out is playing some classic card games. Things like War, Rummy, Cribbage (provided you have a Cribbage board), Crazy 8, Old Maid, or Go Fish were fun as kids and still fun while you’re older. Of course you’ll need to pick up a deck of cards which are cheap to pick up and provide hours of entertainment.

22. Read Books Together

Whether it’s one person reading to the other or both of you reading in silence, there is something nice about curling up together and reading together in some fashion. While everyone has their own sense of taste in books, there are some books that are delightful to co-read. One book that comes to mind is The Sense of an Ending. It’s the perfect length where it’s not quite a novel but longer than a novella. It’s a deep book that looks into responsibility without getting too depressing as the protagonist works through living on despite his closest friend committing suicide while he was away.

23. Stargaze

While this is technically an outdoor activity you may still have an opportunity in various ways. If you own a home, you can easily head out into the yard and do this. For apartments, there are balconies or going to a non-public area if possible. That aside, stargazing is always a delight and it’s just fun to be in each other's company and look up at the stars.

24. Work On a Difficult And Large Puzzle

There are so many puzzles out there for adults to work on and complete. The idea with this date night is to find a puzzle that’s complex enough and will take a while to complete. One that I’d recommend is this 500 piece mosaic puzzle.

25. Have a Deep Conversation

Deep conversations can begin in all kinds of ways. One easy way to get into them is to play sleepover games like Never Have I Ever and Truth or Dare. The answers that can stem from these can lead to some organic and deep conversations, pulling you away from the typical conversations you’re used to having.

26. Write Each Other Love Letters

Sitting down with some paper and pens and writing out the various things you appreciate about one another. Even though love is complicated, there are usually several reasons for why you love one another and expressing that creates a stronger sense of intimacy.

27. Bowling Indoors

Bowling is a fun sport that many can get behind, though it can be difficult to find a proper bowling alley in your area. Paired up with a pandemic, it’s almost impossible to do that. So why not bring it to your home? There are all kinds of bowling sets you can get to play a game of bowling indoors.

28. Plan Out Future Dates

This pandemic - while long - isn’t going to last forever. Soon enough things will open back up and we’ll all be able to get out of the house and enjoy date night in other ways. In light of this, why not make some plans right now so you can prepare in advance?

29. Build a Fort

As childish as it may seem, it’s another great at home date night idea to try out. Tapping into childhood fort building skills, you’ll probably be able to manage to build a better fort with the materials you have now.

30. DIY a Photo Booth

While they are a relic of the past, you can still create your very own photo booth. All you have to do is squeeze together in a tight space and snap away. You could use your phone to take burst shots, but for those really wanting to make it old fashion you could use a disposable camera.

Bottom Line

If you have such a busy life that you can’t do too many outdoor activities together, having a chance to do some fun stuff inside is always nice. I strongly encourage you to bookmark this article and refer back to it if you need a refresher. Better yet, try some of these this week!

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