ITList Information Technology Blog » Exercise http://itlist.com Current IT field related information Fri, 03 Jun 2011 16:40:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 How to Take Frequent Breaks Without Losing on Article Quality http://itlist.com/how-to-take-frequent-breaks-without-losing-on-article-quality/ http://itlist.com/how-to-take-frequent-breaks-without-losing-on-article-quality/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:36:00 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/how-to-take-frequent-breaks-without-losing-on-article-quality/ In the last article, we talked why it is important for a write to finish one article in one sitting. I supplied quite a handful of reasons to support my claim. While writing that piece, at the back of my mind I had this feeling that there are times when a writer cannot just sit and write. He is bound to get distracted. What to do in such situations? And then I came with something that will help all of us leave our half-finished articles to attend other matters at hand. Let’s see how we can do that.

Prepare a structure for the article

Before you begin writing, you should create a structure of the article. When you undertake this exercise what you are basically doing is creating a skeleton which you will later fill with flesh, blood, and muscles. The structure of an article provides it a basic framework that will later be developed in a full grown article.

Divided the contents in subheadings

Once you know how your final article will look like, you need to divide your articles into sections and sub-sections using headings and subheadings for better readability. To break an article into sections and subsections apply the rule of thumb given below. The rule of thumb is: always put the important ideas into headings of an article, so that people know what individual paragraphs will talk about, and what the article, as a whole, is about.

Write down main points

Now it is time to add some flesh to the structure you have created so far. Under each headings and subheadings, write 2 or 3 bullet points that summarize the central idea of each paragraph, and which add up to make the complete paragraph.

That is it. You are done. Now only the filling up step is left, which could be done anytime, even after one or more breaks.

As said, the final step in the process is to write content beneath headings and subheadings using the main points (bullet points) that you have listed. By following this guide, you will be able to write good quality articles even when you take frequent breaks.

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A Job-Search Guide to Help People Over 45 – XIII http://itlist.com/a-job-search-guide-to-help-people-over-45-%e2%80%93-xiii/ http://itlist.com/a-job-search-guide-to-help-people-over-45-%e2%80%93-xiii/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 03:35:04 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/?p=2335 In the last couple of posts, we talked about résumé and the role it plays in building your case for your employment. We will continue this discussion in two more posts. In this part, we will see what all you can do to fine-tune your résumé.

Wear your Employer’s Shoes

Well, not literally. What I meant was you need to have a fresh look at your résumé to see how a person on the other side of the table will look at it. Put yourself in your employer’s shoes and see if you would have called a person carrying this résumé for the interview? There is no point for being right, so do not lie to yourself. This exercise is done solely to find problem in your CV.

See what is the flavor of the market

Tight fitting, camel toe revealing outfit might be a huge fashion in yesteryears, but today if you wear it you will look funny—I am not a fashion person so I might be wrong here. But, I know I am not wrong when I say you need to use the format that looks modern. See what format is used these days, and follow that trend. You may be 45, but your résumé should not look that old. Dress it up like youth does!

What’s the new lingo

In your youth, hyperlink and HTML would have meant nothing, but today it does. There are many similar changes in terminology of almost every field. Find out what words got omitted and what got added to your field in last couple of years, or from the time you last checked. Embrace the change, at least in your résumé. It will tell your employer how much you are unlike your age, I meant up-to-date with current trend.

We all new to adapt and evolve with time, this is the only way we can sustain ourselves. Keep on working, and keep on evolving.

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Finding Ideas To Write About http://itlist.com/finding-ideas-to-write-about/ http://itlist.com/finding-ideas-to-write-about/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 03:30:47 +0000 SamElli http://itlist.com/?p=1949 One of the huge problems being a writer, is finding your ideas.  You have to be able to create an influx of ideas, even when you feel stuck.  Part of having the longevity to have a writing career is knowing how to work past the tough days.  As a writer, not having an idea of what to write about just isn’t an option, so here are a few tips to make sure you always have fresh ones aplenty.

Something that people are usually able to write about at any time, is an issue that bothers them.  Whether a story in the news, or in your personal life, write about something you dislike.  This can be a useful exercise, as it’s easy to let yourself rant.  Once the words start flowing about something, they’ll start flowing about everything.

If you have a personal blog, which all writers should have, try writing about something different.  If you mostly focus on your current daily life, try writing about your past.  Think about the way things were before you are now.  Confront some hardships, or an aspect of your life that you miss.  Anything that moves you, to get those creative parts of your brain moving and working.

Try to challenge yourself.  Write outside of your comfort zone.  Anything that forces you to think outside of your normal box.  That’s a useful activity to help you constantly see scenarios in different ways, so that you’ll always have new ideas.

The more you can force yourself to write about different things, the  more you’ll be able to write.  Part of writing is letting yourself write content that you aren’t confident about.  You don’t always have to submit that work for someone else’s approval, but progress is progress.  At least getting something out will make you feel better, and less stressed for the next time.

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What Do You Do When You Are Bored of Writing http://itlist.com/what-do-you-do-when-you-are-bored-of-writing/ http://itlist.com/what-do-you-do-when-you-are-bored-of-writing/#comments Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:18:02 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/?p=1930 It is not uncommon for a writer to get bored of writing. Everyone gets bored at one time or another. And once you are bored, writing becomes a drag.

What do you do when writing becomes drag for you?

Do you continue to write as usual or do you do something else?

Believe it or not, despite how torturous writing become, many writers continue to write and what happens? They end up producing mediocre work. This is wrong. This pulls the motivation down. A writer should not continue when he or she is not feeling like writing.

Stop Writing! When writing seems like a drag. There are quite a few things that you can do when writing becomes drag for you, which I am listing below. These steps will not only relax your mind, but it will also infuse enthusiasm in you that will make writing once again a pleasant exercise.

Things to do when writing becomes drag

  • Take a walk in the woods.
  • Sit near a pond, lake or river and listen to the sound of bird chirping and watch the water forming shapes.
  • Listen to soulful music.
  • Watch a movie.
  • Read a book or a short story.
  • Recite a poem.
  • Dance
  • Go out and take a walk
  • See teenagers falling in love for the first time
  • Surf the internet, but do not go to the usual sites that you visit
  • Talk to an elderly person in your community and ask him about his life’s experience.
  • Visit an orphanage, talk to kids there and play with them.
  • Watch a game of sports.
  • Paint, if you like painting.
  • Observe the nature.
  • Lie on the ground and watch the empty sky. Focus on the bubble that forms in the sky (it is actually an illusion).
  • Relax
  • Above all, follow your heart

You should not limit yourself to doing these things. Do whatever you wish is good for you, apart from writing, and see how the experience enriches you.

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How to Build a List of Writing Prompts http://itlist.com/how-to-build-a-list-of-writing-prompts/ http://itlist.com/how-to-build-a-list-of-writing-prompts/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:34:10 +0000 bikram http://itlist.com/?p=1915 In the last blog post, I discussed about what is writing prompt and how to use it. I hope that discussion gave you some confidence to fight with the big monster we call writer’s block. In this post, I will tell you how to build a list of writing prompts to help you in time of need. Yes, I know I told you yesterday that anything can work as writing prompt as long as it helps you get out of “staring at blank page” syndrome. And I am also aware that you cannot include every kind of writing prompt in your list. Nevertheless, a list with writing prompt will help you a great deal when confronting the monster. That is why you need to build a list of writing prompts.

4 ways to build the writing prompt list

  1. Know yourself. Ask questions about your religious beliefs, your political opinion, your view of your community, and your stance on the social and economic issues confronting your community. Ask questions about your views on your community, culture, government’s policy, medical policy, etc. The idea behind this exercise is to look inside yourself and find what you are and what you believe in.
  2. See the world around you. A good writer is one who observes his surroundings. One who remains absorbed in oneself all the time can be anything but a writer. See how people around you interact, how they react in certain condition. What are their inhibitions, what they are afraid of doing, how strongly they cling to their belief, and what makes them stay together.
  3. Notice the nature. Have you seen that little green-colored insect that stays on the flower? Have you seen what the shape of the cloud was today? The point is to get close to nature and observe its beauty. It has motivated many and will not fail to motivate you as well.
  4. Take to people. Ask as many questions as you want. Get as close to people near you as you can. Know about them. Ask about their daily life, their fears, their hopes, their dreams, their ambitions, their aspirations, etc., and you will get enough material to write upon.

There are many more things that can help you build your own list, but the things that I have talked about here will help you regardless of the genre you write in.

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Internet Marketing is a Valuable Part of Business http://itlist.com/internet-marketing-is-a-valuable-part-of-business/ http://itlist.com/internet-marketing-is-a-valuable-part-of-business/#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:47:05 +0000 bizblogger http://itlist.com/?p=1001 Business growth and success is based on fundamental principles that help you to achieve your goals. The first thing you need to do is make a decision regarding what you want for your business. This helps develop focus in a specific direction. The next thing is to develop a plan of action. In the last few years, the internet has become a major part of most businesses. People use the internet to conduct market research, search for products, information, services and even for entertainment.

Most successful people have recognized the need for an integrated marketing approach. There are many important reasons to have a web presence, especially since it has become so much easier and affordable. The internet can offer you valuable exposure for your product or service. Many people find it a daunting task because they have  limited technical knowledge, and automatically assume that getting set up is going to be an expensive exercise.

Before setting up your internet site you need to decide what your message is going to be. Take some time to write a list of what you hope to achieve from your site. You can have access to a vast reservoir of information and intelligence, but it is of little value if you are not prepared to spend the time thinking about what benefits you can offer the consumer. If your information is honest and accurate your site will have credibility. Take the time to work out a definite plan, know what you want your internet marketing to achieve. Unless you are able to monitor the results you have no way of knowing what value this avenue is adding to your business growth.
There are many different approaches to suit the needs and budget of every kind of business or individual. Before you make your decision check out www.gossimer.biz. They offer many different options and there is sure to be something to suit your needs. They can provide you with templates and even give you the option to customize your own web page with just basic computer knowledge. In addition to a customized service they also have many other valuable resources which you can incorporate into your business strategy. It is always best to work with a business that is a specialist in the field of internet technology. 

Once you have your site you need to turn it into a valuable promotional tool that will attract visitors. The real reason for a website is to communicate with a potential consumer. The bottom line of any marketing action is to get new clients. Focus on the reasons why your service will improve the consumer’s life. They must be able to visualize the benefits they are being offered in a clear and concise way. It is the benefits that will motivate a potential client to take action and buy into your message.

If you keep these principles in mind you will find that the internet is a valuable tool that helps you grow your business, and you will generate consumer interest and action.

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