Organizing a schedule is of utmost importance for everyone- from homemakers to professionals. This helps you prioritize your commitments and helps you avoid missing out on important tasks and dates. You will be less haphazard with your daily life and effectively achieve your goals.
In the age of technology, mobile organizers are fast replacing manual organizers. More people sync their schedules on their phone or tablet devices to save time and logistics.
Here is an overview of the perks and downsides of both.
Manual Organiser/Planner:
Pros:
They are inexpensive and will never crash. Also, they are highly customizable while being open to alterations. And the best part is, they will never run out of batteries or chargers.
You don’t require a password to access a paper organizer either.
Cons:
With the recent concerns surrounding paper use, manual organizers quickly lose their identity. Also, if you misplace them, you will have no backup for the same.
The frequent overwriting due to updates and corrections may be messy to handle, and because there is no login facility, your privacy is also at risk.
And the additional ordeal of carrying them around as they take up space makes manual organizers an outdated option.
Electronic Organiser:
Pros:
Not only do they provide limitless storage, but they are also lightweight and easy to carry. You don’t need to take a separate planner, as you can sync everything on your phone or tablet.
You can easily search using a search tab without flip pages making the process less cumbersome.
The to-do lists are easy to edit since overwriting can be avoided. You can also sync them up with your email.
Cons:
The battery may die out when you are traveling. Also, data wipe-outs are possible, which could prove to be very problematic if you do not have a backup.
Employee unity is one of the major factors contributing to an efficient workforce and a healthy work environment.
You must indulge in effective communication strategies and enhanced problem-solving techniques to ensure your peace of mind and accelerate self-growth.
Here is how you can maintain friendly relations with your co-workers.
Basic etiquette that includes smiling at your co-workers, occasional hi-hello, and helping people out is very important in the workplace.
Don’t involve yourself in any off-putting practices that may endanger your reputation at work.
2. Respect other people’s time
Everyone in the organization is running a deadline. They have their problems to handle. Don’t invade another person’s personal space and harm his productivity by asking him to do unnecessary errands that you could have managed yourself.
Please don’t engage in long conversations that distract people from their work and daily goals. Try not to disturb people having their lunch or attending to phone calls.
3. Self-Help
Before you approach any colleague for help, make sure you have attempted the task yourself.
This will enhance your credibility, and your colleagues will be happier to assist you as they will understand that you’re not an entitled person and have attempted to accomplish the task yourself.
This will enhance your co- worker’s self-esteem and help create a healthy relationship between you two.
4. Be careful with social media.
Keep your social media adventures (and misadventures) confidential, as this may reflect on your image in the workplace.
Don’t discuss company matters on social media sites, and avoid publicizing your personal life with your co-workers, as this may lead to them having preconceived notions about you.
5. Keep away from office politics
Be nice to everyone and stay aloof from commenting on office politics. Steer clear from office nepotism and gossip.
Treat everyone equally as the above practices are highly unprofessional and negatively signal your work ethic and character.
I hope these 5 tips help you maintain good relations with your coworkers. In an organizations, it is essential to have good relations to bring out the best of the team.
We all dread and loathe Mondays and wish they’d never come. Especially after a crazy weekend of Saturday night parties and Sunday movie marathons, Monday seems even more terrible.
But the bad news is, they are inevitable. You may run from them, but you can’t hide from them. So what do you do?
Let us then face the demons and vanquish them for a change. Here is how you can make your Mondays a lot less dreadful.
Why do you particularly hate Mondays? Find the problem, analyze it and then look for a solution because cribbing about it every week will only drain you out.
2. Dress to kill
Wear something nice, so it won’t reflect on your outfit or face even if you feel bad. Good clothes with matching accessories will do a lot to cheer you up.
Every time you look in the mirror or someone compliments you, you will become a little more optimistic.
3. Organize your schedule
Monday gets on your nerves because of your haphazard schedule, which you forget to straighten on a Sunday night. Manage your schedule and include all your goals there to keep track. Keep your to-do list handy, so you’re not caught unaware at any point.
4. Forget about work on the weekend.
Focus on relaxation instead of pondering about work and the office during the weekend. It’s mostly the sinking feeling of going back to work without enough rest that makes us crib so much about Mondays.
So don’t check your work emails and forget about the targets for a while. Just enjoy the weekend and think about work later.
5. Share your weekend adventures with your colleagues
Always have an exciting weekend story ready so you can freshen your mind up before going in for the dreadful work drill. This will keep you positive and entertaining.
6. Have less workload on Mondays
Keep a lighter schedule on Monday and plan for all the heavy work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because you will have got more accustomed to the work by then.
Do all the drag tasks on Friday itself so that you don’t have to tax yourself on Monday. You will get your complex tasks done quicker due to the weekend excitement.
Keep Monday as a day of recovery from the weekend hangover.
Do try these tips and let us know if you were able to beat the Monday blues or not.
Asia has been a hub of design and art since time immemorial. From the Great Wall of China, the relics and sculptures of the Harappa civilization in India, to the monasteries in Tibet, Asia has an eye for beauty with meticulous attention to detail.
It reflects in the design schools that make it to the top colleges worldwide for premier education in art and design.
Here is a list of the top 5 Asian design and art institutions.
Tsinghua University
Located in China and established in 1911, this University boasts of an extensive curriculum offering courses in art and design and science, humanities, law, medicine, philosophy, and economics, along with 56 other departments.
This University ranks 24th in the QS world rankings and comes from a rich heritage surrounding its premises in Beijing.
Tongji University
Founded in 1927, this University is home to specialized state-of-the-art art, design, architecture, and civil engineering and boasts of a superlative industrial base. It is one of the oldest and most reputed universities in Asia.
Seoul National University
The University has stood the test of time as it was abandoned during the Korean war in 1950. Since then, it has risen and catered to many specialties but stood out in the field of art and design.
National University of Singapore
According to QS world rankings, having an enviable reputation of being the top Asian University for art and design, its world-class infrastructure and global exposure, along with available avenues for entrepreneurship, make it a desirable institution for those with the artistic eye.
IIT Bombay
Established in 1958, this institution was under the aegis of UNESCO and boasted of an impressive faculty and provides excellent opportunities in various disciplines, emphasizing research, knowledge building, and skill honing.
So, if you are into art, crafts, and design, do take a look at these schools for your further course of education.
Engineers are amongst the most versatile and multi-talented professionals of all. And with the current trend of engineers foraying into various disciplines, they can escape the rat race if they want and pursue something else even more passionately.
Here are a few career options you can look at if you have an engineering degree but do not wish to be an engineer.
Writer
By: Roman Samborskyi on Shutterstock
Obtaining an engineering degree is no piece of cake. You have to acquaint yourself with technology and science extensively. You can utilize this knowledge combined with your creativity to become a writer- be it articles or science fiction.
The rich experiences and the intellectual maturity of engineers make this a lucrative option. Technical writing jobs pay exceptionally well.
Filmmakers
Being well-versed in technology makes it easier for engineers to handle the equipment. Also, the uncanny experiences in engineering make them more creatively inclined and hence more successful in this venture.
You will be great at creating sci-fi movies because of your experience in the territory.
Attention to detail, along with an artistic instinct, makes photography a lucrative option with high success rates. Many engineering colleges have photography clubs that encourage the shutterbug in you.
If physics and optics are right up your sleeve and you desire to capture moments, then photography is the alley for you.
Event Management
Engineers are rough and tough people with excellent communication skills, and they also have a way with people. They can work under pressure and handle deadlines. Such qualities are ideal in the field of event management.
Entrepreneurs
With highly industrious and enterprising personas and the highest percentage of MBA aspirants, the field of engineering has potential entrepreneurs who can change the world.
Many engineers divert into business and put their skills to use.
Game Designing
All the gadget freaks and game enthusiasts who are bored of their routine job can opt for game designing as it is a highly creative and well-paying field that will utilize your tech knowledge to the fullest.
So, all the engineers out there, don’t worry if you didn’t find the right engineering job for you because there are a lot other options.
The power of the pen has torn people apart and brought them closer. Writing is an integral aspect of worldly life, and writers influence everything.
From a work of literary genius to a simple billboard advertisement, writing provides some of the most sought-after and fulfilling careers.
Here are a few career options for you if you are passionate about putting your thoughts on paper!
Greeting Card Author:
From birthday cards to Valentine’s day posters, the role of greeting cards is not obsolete even in today’s savvy culture. We will always use greeting cards to convey our heartfelt feelings to the special people in our lives as they are more personalised and classy.
Famous greeting card companies are constantly looking for talented greeting card authors who can pen down earnest and loving messages for their cards.
From Sidney Sheldon to Salman Rushdie, the world of novel writing has given birth to many celebrities. Novel writing is a time-taking process and requires a lot of patience and struggle.
There is always an inevitable demand for gripping stories and tales, and this is undoubtedly a lucrative career choice and worth the bargain.
Journalist:
Writers who expose lies and propaganda and acquaint the world with world events are always in high demand. Journalism is an indispensable part of civil society as news is part and parcel of daily life.
Attractive pay packages, fulfilling experiences, fame, and adventure potential make this a highly sought-after field.
Screenwriter:
With the rise and growth of cinema, the demand for a good screenwriter is always on the rise. The screenwriter is the creator of a film plot, and it has become one of the most highly paid professions for writers.
Advertising (Creative):
From creating catchy taglines to composing jingles, advertising has many departments for writers. And the best part? The pay scale is high, and the work environment is very exciting.
The pen is a weapon; use it wisely. Let your passion be your future.
Business meetings can make or break your career, and they are very important if you want to expand your ventures and take your organisation to new heights.
They are equally challenging to nail, and certain codes of conduct must be followed to create a lasting impression and improve your networking.
Be punctual:
Time is a limited resource and everyone’s time commitment needs to be valued. Be present for a meeting well before time to make a good impression as this speaks volumes about your work ethic.
Make introductions:
Introduce everyone in a decreasing order of hierarchy to enable better interaction in a meeting. This will highlight your presence at the meeting, and you will be able to bring your communication skills to the fore.
Posture is important:
Sit upright and don’t slouch, as this may reflect on your attitude at work. How you sit for a meeting gives away your level of concentration and seriousness. So an appropriate posture while sitting is imperative.
Be loud enough:
Being soft-spoken is a sign of lesser confidence and an attribute of submissiveness that can work against you. You need to be audible to everyone in the room. Your voice needs to be bold enough so that your listeners get a taste of your self-confidence and leadership skills.
Keep your phone away:
Keep your phones away from the table and put them on silent mode. Having your phones blink or vibrate while they’re on the table is a rude gesture and distracts the people attending the meeting.
Eating rules:
Avoid eating at a meeting as it causes disturbance and creates unnecessary noises. Also, make sure not to leave any used glasses or plates at the table after the meeting. This reflects poorly on your professionalism.
Ask questions well before time:
Don’t ask untimely questions and put in irrelevant comments. Especially at the very end, it can be irritating if someone starts to extend the meeting by asking questions that are not important.
When business, technology, and user experience all come together, they converge into what is known as Product Management.
The job of a Product Manager, deservedly known as the “CEO of the product,” is to discover a beneficial, utilizable, and viable product.
If you are looking to hire somebody who can design and develop a profitable, outstanding, and useful product, then the Product Manager is your guy!
How to Select a Product Manager?
A few things to bear in mind while selecting a suitable candidate for this job are as follows:
• Your candidate should possess a solid knowledge of engineering concepts.
• They should discuss the essential architecture of a product they have launched effortlessly.
• They should be capable of elaborating on software products they’ve launched previously.
• A suitable candidate will be competent enough to give examples of lessons learned by means of the feedback given by their users.
Product Manager Interview Questions
Listed below are 12 interview questions (operational and situational) to hire the best person for this job:
1. Explain how you would monetize Twitter.
2. Tell me about your process for designing product features in detail.
3. Elucidate a product you have launched previously, as well as your users and competition.
4. Name some products or people who have inspired your method of designing products.
5. Elaborate on how you decide on what not to build?
6. You mentioned one feature from the product in your engineer-speak. Describe it.
7. Describe a commercially successful product of your choice. What, according to you, makes it so successful?
8. You’re almost ready to launch your SaaS product. How do you plan to gather feedback?
9. Throw some light on a time when your engineers questioned a decision you made. What was the problem? How would you defend their opinion?
10. Elaborate on your experience with writing product manuals.
11. These are the flaws in our products. What would you do to improve them? Explain step by step.
12. Tell us how you would like to spend your first week on the job?
There you go, now you are all set to recruit new people.
FlexJobs – A website that provides information about flexible careers and professions revealed some of the most flexible jobs out there, which will see a huge demand this year.
I have put together a list of 10 such flexible jobs, and they are as follows:
1. Product Managers –
A Product Manager is often known as the CEO of a product. The pre-requisites of becoming a product manager are a bachelor’s degree and years of relevant experience.
A nurse practitioner (NPS) job includes supervising and coordinating patient care while examining, diagnosing, and treating patients. NPS requires a master’s degree and suitable licensing.
3. Financial Analyst –
A financial Analyst is a person who monitors financial trends, sets product prices, reviews budgets while also recommending an economic course of action, such as to buy or sell stocks based on their current strength.
4. Client Services Coordinator –
“Customer is King”; good customer service is critical for building a successful business in any industry. A client services coordinator’s task includes addressing and resolving his clients’ issues.
5. Statistician –
Their role is to conduct extensive research, analyze data, and prepare reports for a slew of clients and fields. You need a master’s degree, related experience, and sometimes, a PhD to become a Statistician.
6. Physical Therapy Assistant –
They are required to work under the guidance of a physical therapist, oversee prescribed therapies, provide care, and reach out to patients.
Typically, you will need an associate’s degree in physical therapy assistance and current licensing to become one of them.
7. Operations Manager –
The Operations Manager is hired to plan, help function, and direct companies. They work jointly with the accounting, marketing, sales, and IT departments.
8. Office Manager –
An office manager’s role is to ensure that the office runs smoothly. They also manage support staff, make travel arrangements, manage office supplies.
9. Genetic Counselor –
Genetic counsellors typically work in healthcare clinics. Their job includes preparing cases, collecting histories, and conducting risk assessments.
10. Business Development –
This requires the creation of long-term value for a company. They are responsible for identifying sales opportunities and expanding the business.
So, these were the top 10 most flexible jobs.
Now let’s take a look at the most stressful jobs
10 Most Stressful Jobs in 2017
Distress at the workplace is caused by many factors such as – unreasonable deadlines, excessive workload, erratic schedules, unfair wages, uncooperative colleagues. This often leads to emotional turmoil and physical illnesses, setting a person up for early burnout.
However, specific jobs are stressful beyond the normal levels. CareerCast published an article earlier this year, revealing the ten most stressful jobs considering factors like the risk of injury or death, working conditions, deadlines, competition.
Some jobs on this list might come as a surprise since they are often judged glamorous at face value. Here’s the list –
Firefighters risk their lives to save property and people from destruction every time they put on their suits.
2. Military Personnel –
CareerCast emphasized that careers in the U.S. Navy Seal or U.S. Army expose candidates to a high risk of physical harm to oneself or another, for which no one else would be responsible.
Pilots are responsible for hundreds of lives on board. Can you imagine the amount of work pressure they endure every single day of their lives?
No wonder it’s one of the highest paying jobs!
4. Taxi Drivers –
Have you ever yelled at an Uber driver for being late? Try to think about what they go through an entire day at work with hot-headed customers like us.
Also, the traffic and time pressure only adds to all the stress.
5. Event Organizer –
Organizing a festival may seem very exciting, but one flaw in the execution and you’ll know what it’s like to face the wrath of an A-list celebrity.
It’s certainly not all that glamorous.
6. News Reporter –
A journalist is required to work under tremendous time pressure and sometimes even go to the crime scene or war-torn areas to cover a story.
CareerCast stated that some agencies pay writers based on how many clicks their articles receive. This only adds to their stress.
They may possess a great degree of power and authority, but that’s nothing compared to the stress they go through owing to the dangers involved in their job.
8. Corporate Executive –
The CEO is responsible for the firm’s operations and sometimes has to bear the brunt of the board of directors. That can’t be easy!
9. Public Relations Officer –
Working under public scrutiny while adhering to strict deadlines makes this a highly taxing job.
10. Broadcaster –
According to a recent press release, there has been a downslide in their job outlook by nine per cent this year. Furthermore, like a news reporter, broadcasters have to work around deadlines, and there’s also a risk of being bashed with a lawsuit.
Geology is defined as the study of various natural processes and changes that occur over the planet’s terrain as a whole.
In the wake of environmental disasters and also a global energy crisis, all of us need to become more aware of the consequences.
When coupled with the widespread degradation of land and water due to population explosion, industrial processes, excessive fossil fuel usage and mineral ore mining, the relevance of geologists today has multiplied.
Here are the top 5 vocations a person interested in geology can opt for.
Geological Education:
If you love teaching children and impacting young minds, then you can create awareness about the natural sciences by teaching at the middle and high school levels.
Being a college or university professor requires a PhD at most institutions.
Engineering Geology:
These geologists work in conjunction with engineers and other professionals to monitor the planning and construction of buildings, roads, dams and tunnels.
Their main role is to assess the strength of a particular land drove construction material and figure out how much stress it can take. They also have expertise in rock strength, the stability of slopes, and soils mechanics.
Environmental Geology:
These professionals assess the impact of industrial processes on the environment by carrying out water and soil tests. Then they proceed to the remediation of ground and river water.
They also examine sites for their pollution magnitude to clean toxic chemicals from the water and the soil.
Field Geology:
This field requires extensive monitoring, construction of maps and charts and many field trips to assess various parameters of the Earth’s terrain and help experts find deductions and solutions to the environmental problems.
Petroleum Geology and Economic Geology:
Expertise in geology can be utilised to mitigate the world energy crisis and yield economic benefits. You will extract Earth’s resources- including ore minerals, oil, natural gas and coal- to use them for financial benefits.
