Why you shouldn’t read blogs?

The correct headline should be: why you should not read too many blogs. And the answer is because reading too many blogs takes time which else could have been devoted to taking action. Reading too many blogs would paralyze you. There are so many blogs out there, each one of them presenting different point of view, calls to different part of your mind. How can you respond to all?

How many should you read?

As many as you can in maximum two hours of time. I know I have been very liberal in allotting time to blog reading and I should have only asked for one hour. But we need to go slow when persuading people to change habit, or else our effort will not bear desirable result.

In the beginning, you should read and understand fully as many blogs as you can in 1-2 hours every day. Not a single minute extra should be wasted on this activity. But over time, you should reduce this time spent on blogging to 45-30 minutes.

What should you do in spare time then?

You should read books, industry journal, watch documentary, do research, or talk to people. In short, you should engage yourself in activities that give you more benefit. It is more about ROI on time invested. Some good blogs, like this one, do give you higher ROI on your time, but surfing through low-quality blogs take away from the overall benefit you get from reading a blog post.

Reading blog can be advantageous, and it often is, but indulging too much into it will reduce your productivity. So be judicious in your time allocation.

So what is the bottom line?

The bottom line is this: you must read various blogs, but your reading should not be limited to blog reading only. You should read from other sources as well. The varied your sources will be, the richer your experience will be.

Consume lot of water

Always remember, water is a great remedy for diseases, pains, skin problems, and energy level. Keep your body hydrated; drink as much water as you can. Keep water bottle and glass handy always, so that it becomes your habit. Good intake of water will also remove your body toxins and keep you fit.

Start your day with your favorite tune

Start your day with your favorite tune, which refreshes you and keeps you on your toes whole day long. You may be tempted to read news early in the morning, but it won’t energize you; instead wake up with your favorite singer’s song. If instrumental music revitalizes you, listen to it. On your way to work you may listen to your favorite track.

A relaxing spa massage

A relaxing spa massage is always revitalizing and very soothing. After a hectic day pamper yourself with a professional massage, it will also detoxify your body.

Healthy food

Healthy food will keep you fit and active from within and ward off all physical illness. Healthy food will bring a glow on your face and keep you energetic from within.

Perform meditation

Perform meditation every morning. It will help you to know yourself better and energize from within, sharpen your memory and find into a peaceful mind. Sit straight, shut your eyes, and meditate. Don’t think of anything, concentrate on your breathing, or chant. Few minutes of meditation will refresh you immediately and help you to start your day in a better way.

Build a positive frame of mind

Always heighten your positive emotions like love, hope, happiness, gratitude, humor and abandon or lessen negative and destructive emotions like fear, anger, disgust, jealousy, sadness, greed. Try to control emotions, it won’t happen overnight. But soon you will change and evolve as a better human.

Find a newer you, energized and happier.

Here are some tips about minimizing television watching and not making it an addiction.

Calculate how many hours you can invest in it

Don’t watch television unconsciously, without worrying about time invested in it. If you don’t have any specific serious purpose like educational purpose or research intention for watching television, calculate how much time you can devote in a day for television watching. Remember, the time gone in television watching casually won’t come back to you and you could do much useful work in that time. Knowing what you wish to watch, fix the hours you can invest in this medium watching. Make sure you adhere to it and don’t extend it by anyhow.

Shortlist programs of your wish list

Don’t watch television casually, unconsciously watching whatever is displayed on screen. Such practice leads to addiction to the medium, if not specific programs. Rather shortlist few good television shows of your choice and watch them only. Know their time of telecast. Such program will make you start television only at the time of the show and close it immediately after it’s over.

Skip it at times

To genuinely overcome your television addiction, skip your favorite television show at times. Replace television watching habit with something else like – book reading, going for a walk, playing sports, gardening, playing with pets, cooking etc. This is a practice to ensure that television watching is something you like to do but not become obsessed with. It will slowly make you feel comfortable even when you miss your favorite programs. Soon you will find television watching doesn’t matter much to you.

Don’t fantasize about your favorite show

Often young viewers start fantasizing about their favorite television show, its characters and think about them all day along, even after the show is over. They talk about the same with friends, read about them on Internet and even watch video. Such practice is none other than addiction. Make sure you don’t dream about your favorite show. Treat it as a television show only.

Try these tips today.

This is the month where Twitter has witnessed a negative growth of 9.4% on its September number which was 28.3 million. If we see year-on-year growth of other two social networking giants LinkedIn and MySpace than we will see a similar decline in the number of unique visitors. MySpace has recorded a negative growth of 20.5%, and it has fallen from 73 million unique visitors to 58 million, and LinkedIn has recorded a 4.7% negative growth, taking its tally from 14.6 million unique visitors to 13.8 million uniques.

Why I think Facebook is killing others?

We all have a finite 24 hours in a day, which we distribute (unevenly) on the works we do, and we have only so much time for social sites or Internet surfing. Seeing the average time spent by users on Facebook, which is in excess of 40 minutes a day, I think, people hardly get time left for other social networks.

Not only that, our habit of unevenly spreading time, also leaves us wanting for more time, which for many could mean cutting back on time spent on the Internet. And as people are more or less addicted to Facebook, time spent on other social sites drops down, which in the long term means, pulling out of these websites.

How they can survive?

For social networks like LinkedIn and twitter, which are not direct competitors of Facebook, developing a Facebook application could be a way, or may be not.

Here are some tips about getting organized.

Start connecting things

Start making mental connections. Organizing things is a mental process. Start treating similar objects as a group. As for example, suppose you are shifting to a new house. While packing your stuff keep kitchen equipments together in a box. All glass items which are breakable could be in one box. Put all woolen clothes in a box. This way, you are actually memorizing things which are similar in nature or by any other reference. You could also group things of same material or color or size. Start grouping and connecting things in your mind.

Divide things

Just similar to the process of assembling or connecting, you can also divide things into separate entities. If you have a huge database of names, you could divide them alphabetically into different sections. And then put them into different folders, with alphabets of names written on top. Too many things together need segregation into many parts. It gets easier to remember.

Keep things in their own place

Don’t keep shifting place of things, it will confuse you and make you forget when needed. So make sure a book is in the book shelf only, money is in the wallet. If you use a thing, place it back where it was initially. If a thing is in its actual position for long, it becomes memorized and habituated to.

Re-sort things often

Even if you are super organized, with time things get scattered, mixed and cluttered. Such situation calls for re-sorting and re-arrangement. New clothes get mixed with the old ones, gadgets pile up, shoes get stored one on the other and such situations calls for re-arrangement and re-sorting.

Get rid of stuffs

At times one needs to get rid of not so important or obsolete old stuffs, to make space for the new upcoming ones. If something has been part of your life since long but has no such meaning in present term, get rid of it. You need not be sentimental about it.

In the following paragraphs, I am going to talk about 3 indicators that tell you that it is you who is stopping you from getting hired, and when I said you, I meant your habit.

3 reasons you are not getting hired

Too high an expectation

Nothing is perfect in this world; neither you nor any job. If you are waiting for a perfect job to fly from the land of fairy and set down in your lap then I am afraid to say the wait is going to be rather long. Meanwhile, I would recommend bagging a not-so-perfect job that matches your skill set, and which can provide sufficient money for you to survive on.

Be realistic. Weigh every aspect of the dream job you want, and see what all you can let go. You will soon be employed.

Too small a net

Are you relying on just one technique to search for the job? Do you feel uncomfortable trying out different job-search tools and techniques?

To catch a lot many fish, a fisherman needs to have a net that is wide enough and strong enough. Similarly, a job hunter needs to widen his net using all the possible tools and techniques to land up in a good job, which sadly enough, very few people are doing, for they are slave of their habit of using one tool.

Too Egocentric (I, me, and myself) cover letter

This is stupendous mistake committed by a job hunter. No one wants someone who has an ego as big as the size of the Milky Way. I know your ego is comparatively smaller in magnitude, but why does not it reflect in the cover letter you send out? Why your cover letter is talking too much about “I”?

Writing I, I, and I will not land you up in a job, forget about a good job, as no one cares how smart, talented, Einstein-esque you are. Your interviewer cares only about his needs, and about an employee who can meet that need. I know what big a dork he is, but at the end of the day, he is the one who will sign your paying slip, month after month.

Wouldn’t it be smart then to satisfy his needs by talking about his company and how you will add solve the problem he has in a cover letter? From where I am standing, it would be smarter, far smarter to this than to talk about I, me, and myself.

If you, unknowingly, committed any of these mistakes then it is time to undo them, should you want to get hired. After all, we call it habit because we do it unknowingly, as a habit.

Proofreading is a 3-step process that begins with skimming through the article followed by hounding the article for mistakes, and finishes again by scanning through the article.

Step 1: Skim through

This is the very first step. In this step the goal is to search for the obvious spelling and punctuation mistakes. You should also fix the grammatical errors that are obvious. Do not spend too much time here. This step is done merely to remove the obvious mistakes. In many cases, this is all you will need to do.

Step 2: Hound for the error

The next step is to read every bit word, every sentence, and every paragraph. Search for mistakes that you missed in the first step. You may have to fix some sentences as well, or have to rearrange some. Find the errors and fix them. Make a note of the errors, if you are fixing other’s work. The writer may want to get his original ones back.

Step 3: Skim again

This is the third step in the process of proofreading. In this step, your goal is to check the cohesiveness of the article, which might have changed because of the editing you have done to the article. Also search for the errors that you might have missed in the step one and two.

Once you are through with these steps, you will get an article that will be cohesive and free of errors. You can also consider reading your article backward — from finish to beginning. It will expose those errors that you overlook, as a habit — particularly in your articles.

Explore options

Being in job is not always good, at times it is confining. It limits your thinking to paychecks and 6PM (when your office bells calls off the day). Now as you are out of job, you have an opportunity to explore many more options, at least until you again get into job. Thinking of things that you can do apart from the job that you have been doing till date. Who knows you end up finding something that makes your heart racing.

Title, what title?

Title means nothing. I know you find it hard to believe it, and especially if you had been in the habit of being referred as senior manager, or vice president direct sales, or whatever. But, the fact is title means a dime. Do not chase titles, rather chase your heart, and find something that you like to do. If work is of your liking then why do you care if you are called a manager or VP?

Start a business

We all have a self-starter within us; all we need to do is give a shout to call it out of the closet. If you are not getting a job then take it as a blessing and start doing something that you wanted to do all your life. Did you want to go knitting, gardening, etc.? Take up this opportunity and start your own small business.

You will be your own boss, and no one will fire you from there. Make a business plan, find an investor (if you need one), and get going.

This marks the end of this bite-size post of the series. I have kept each post small so that you can chew the information provided in its perfectly, assimilate it, and put each tip to use.

Stay healthy, stay fit

The metabolism that you were once proud of has already left you, and so has the ability to regenerate energy; so the extra burden of frustration, anxiety and depression because the strenuous job-search routine may inflict malady upon you. You need to stay fit to fight it off. A fitter body will always help in having a more fulfilled life.

Do not lie about your age

Why will you even think of hiding your age? What is the benefit of doing so? If you hide your age, you are sending a message that you feel that you are too old for the job being offered, and no employer will like this kind of message. Your feeling reflects on your face, and the moment your contempt for being so old comes on your face, it is the end of your interview, at least for the interviewer.

Be yourself

If you are Mr. or Miss X then you are Mr. or Miss X; you cannot be a Y or a Z, even an A, B, or a C, so why even try to be that? The best thing you can do for youself is to be yourself. Just remember, it was you who has brought yourself so far, so why to be ashamed of it now? Act your age, so how much experience you have accumulated in the years that you have lived. This may not work for you, but not being yourself and pretending to be someone else will definitely not work in your favor.

Reflect on the things I have written above and assimilate them, make them your habit. I will catch you in the next part of the series. Use the comment box and let me know your view on the post in particular, and the series in general.

Work on Headlines

A headline of any write-up is as important as the write-up itself. Always remember, 70-80 percent of your readers will go away without even reading a single line, if your headline is not attractive. This is even more important for the copy or content that you write for web. I will suggest you to keep a notebook of headlines. Maintain a repertoire of effective headlines.

Comment on your favorite blog

Commenting on your favorite blog will keep you in touch with the blogger whom you like, and it will also make you write on new topics. Make a habit of commenting on 2-3 blogs daily.

Write even when you do not feel like

At times, writing seems like a drag, you just cannot squeeze a word our two out of your damn head. You just want to go away. Do not do that, rather keep on writing. The best way to keep such feelings in check is to write only. Keep squeezing words even when you do not feel like writing.

Make a note to revisit later

A brilliant idea just flashed in your mind but you cannot use it now in your writing, what should you do? Well, do not move on without writing it down. Make a note of the idea before you move on.

Write for publications

Writing for publications is different than writing for web, but I suggest you to try your luck in publication. Pick a magazine and send your writing idea along with a sample of your style of writing to the editor, and see if the editor approves it. Repeat this process until you get an assignment. At this point, do not concern yourself too much about the size of the publication, and circulation of the magazine.

But there’s more to the exercise to be a better worker concept.  Studies also show that those who find time to exercise at work also kick out better performances on the whole.  There’s a reason Japan has made it a habit to provide for exercise time for every worker during the work day.  Often times taking the entire work force to the roof of their office buildings for a period of cardiovascular activity, before returning to work.

Physical activity has a way of resetting your mind if you’ve been having trouble working through a particular issue at work, giving you a reprieve to reset yourself, and better focus on something else.  Your mind will be better off for it, and when you return to work you’ll feel more relaxed and you’ll be able to concentrate much more effectively.  Exercising works out stress, and emotional tension that you may have, freeing yourself so you can continue in the grind.

A few exercises you can do at the office with ease include:

You could sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair for a period of time.  This will strengthen core and back muscles, improve posture, and burn a few extra calories.

Stand up once every hour or so, flap your arms around a bit and walk around, even if you only have a small space to walk around.  Pace back and forth, and move your arms, this will get your blood pumping, and help you refocus, and calm yourself.

Get a wireless headset for your phone so you aren’t stuck being stationary at your desk while you’re talking.  This way you are free to move about, and motion is always a good thing for keeping you focused and exercised.

Finally, anytime you need to navigate between floors at work, try using the stairs instead of an elevator.  This will help you get in much more physical activity than you would normally be getting, keep your heart working, your blood pumping, and your stress as far away as possible.

Solitary reaper

The journey of a writer is solitary one. Your decision to start writing has put you on the path where you will not get any company. All you will get is this: your characters to converse with; your ideas to talk to; your plot to develop; your message to convey; your words to play with.

Switch off your cell phone, disconnect your landline phones, grab a cup of steaming tea, close the door, Hang a “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, and venture out.

When to write

If you feel in the zone at 2 AM in the morning, start writing then only; if the morning breeze stimulates your creative senses then push the newspaper reading for the day and start writing from 5 AM in the morning. The idea is to fix the time that suits your lifestyle as unlike 9-5 office job, there is no one fix time for writing.

Writing schedule

Writing requires dedication. You need to be disciplined to become successful as a writer. Start the journey with making a writing schedule. Fix a time and stick to it. I will suggest you to write daily, but if your work schedule does not give you enough free time to write daily then write at least thrice a week. This regularity will seed writing habit in you. If you are just starting out, you can even start with writing on weekends, and then increase the frequency when the rhythm sets in.

Clean up

Remove all the unnecessary things from your writing desk. The more things you will have, the more scattered your attention will be. Keep only those things (Pen, paper, reference books, laptop, desktop, etc.) that you need while writing.

Set a Goal

How much you want to accomplish in the coming week? Start with setting a weekly goal. Divide the weekly goal into smaller daily goals, if you have planned to write daily. Always stick to the goal, come may what! How much are you planning to write today: 1 page, 500 words, 1000 words or 2 pages?

Freshen up

Before you begin writing, you can listen to the music you like; watch 10-20 minutes of your favorite television show; take a 10-minute shower, go for a walk; play with your dog; read a book; sit alone and feel the wind; or do a light exercise. The idea is to remove the unnecessary baggage from your mind and freshen up before you begin writing. This way you will be more productive. You cannot write well, if you are not feeling fresh.