Designed by the architectural firm Designed by the architectural firm HGA Architects and Engineers, this cottage was conceived in order to host musicians spending the summer in rural Marlboro, Vermont, USA. The Marlboro Music Cottages are located on the 500-acre (202-hectare) campus of Marlboro College, tucked into the foothills of Vermont’s Green Mountains. The Marlboro College campus has hosted Marlboro Music, a seven-week summer festival for Young musicians to collaborate..
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The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona opens…
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona opens today! Closed for snow during the winter, visitors can now enjoy sweeping views of this natural wonder from Point Imperial, Cape Royal and Bright Angel Point. Fewer than 10 percent of visitors come to the North Rim, it invokes a sense of solitude and serenity. This is a place that invites you to slow down, to ponder, to feel your own innate creativity and to fall in love with this amazing landscape. Photo from Cape Royal by Michael Quinn, National Park Service.
7 Habits I Started Last Year That Dramatically Changed My Life
Being an entrepreneur and building a business is a big challenge- a very big challenge.
What if you work full time elsewhere, but you’re really passionate about it? Would you still do it?
That’s the case for me, but there’s more to it than just that.
I’m a dentistry student who got a 3.92 GPA in his first year and built a 5-figure freelancing business that same year.
All that and I’m just 20 years old. Sounds challenging, right?
But, I was able to do it. My secret?
I use the power of habits. I keep building habits that help me become productive so that I can reach my goals.
To help you achieve the same things, here are the 7 productive habits that I formed last year that had a huge effect on my life and my business.
Read More… by Smart Reading
It’s no secret that most of the leaders and high achievers in most fields are avid readers. For example, Warren Buffet, the billionaire investor, says that he spends 80% of his day reading.
Back then, I wasn’t able to spend a lot of my time reading due to my studies. That’s when I saw this Ted Talk by Tai Lopez entitled Why I Read a Book a Day (And Why You Should Too).
For a detailed step by step guide, check out this video from Alex Becker, How To Read A Book Every Day (3 Step Speed Reading).
See Also: 7 Reasons To Start Reading Books? Here’s why!
Get the right amount of sleep, even if you’re busy
When I tell any of my friends about my GPA and successful business, they always say something like, “That means you’re sleeping 2 hours a day.”
Imagine the shocked look on their faces when I say that I always try to sleep no less than 7.5 hours a day. Yes, there are a few days here and there, especially during exam time, when I sleep less.
But, sleep is very important for productivity so don’t compromise your sleep just to get more done. To start learning about the importance of sleep, check out the article by James Clear, The Science of Sleep.
Try to avoid exposure to blue light 2 hours before you sleep. This is a fast hack you can apply to get better sleep.
The short wavelength blue light — which is emitted from your laptop and mobile screens — can decrease the secretion of the hormone melatonin. It’s the sleeping hormone that can affect your sleep quality and is essential in getting into deep sleep.
Of course, I can’t stop working 2 hours before bedtime every day. So, I dim the display and I use a blue light filter where the screen turns orange/yellow. I use F.lux and it’s free.
Going on a walk for 30 minutes
I used to have a lot of days where I was completely burned out and I couldn’t study or do any work. When I look at the screen, I can’t write a word and when I try to study, all I get is zero even after an hour.
That is when one of my friends suggested taking a walk for just 30 minutes a day.
In a nutshell, it was worth it.
To get the maximum benefits, I listen to Tony Robbins or a podcast, like the Tim Ferriss Show, Entrepreneur on Fire, the School of Greatness by Lewis Howes and the Fizzle Show.
The benefits of walking included improved sleep and decreased burnout. Plus, I also got to learn new ideas to improve myself and my business.
You need to start this habit, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
Journaling
Thanks to Robin Sharma, this is an essential part of my life now. It helps me feel positive all day.
In the morning, I write my to-do list and one thing I am grateful for. In the evening, I write notes about what happened during my day, especially what made me feel negative.
Before I sleep, I write 5 small wins. This makes me feel good about myself and it helps me to focus on making a few more wins the next day so I can write them down, too.
I use the bullet journal system. You can check out this cool 101 series from Boho Berry.
Don’t skip this one. It’s invaluable!
See Also: 5 Benefits of Journaling To Inspire and Motivate You
Just waking up earlier than usual
Most people wake up at the last minute and get dressed and go to work/college.
After reading The Miracle Morning, I stopped doing that.
Not only did my stress levels become lower, but my productivity became higher, too. What’s great is that you can even customize your morning routine by adding a few short activities, such as exercise, journaling, and affirmations.
If you’re not yet doing this, do yourself a favor and read The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod– ASAP.
Using the Pomodoro technique
I’ve saved the best tip for last.
If you want to know how I achieve more while working less, this is the secret.
The Pomodoro technique is a simple technique where you do focused sessions of 25 minutes of work and then take a rest for 5 minutes. That’s it.
It helps you eliminate distractions and focus on the tasks at hand so you get more done.
Check out this cool article from Chris Winfield, How to Get 40 Hours of Work Done in 16.7.
These are the 7 habits I started practicing last year to achieve what I accomplished today. And these are the exact things that you need to achieve more in your life.
Yes, you can achieve great results in your life, too. All you need to do is take the time and use the right habits to guide you along your way.
You can do it and these 7 productive habits are going to help you get started! To help you apply them, I have created this cheat sheet to guide you along the way. Click HERE to grab it.
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A Unique Urban Garden in Kuwait
This residential project was designed by the architectural firm Line Design Architects, based in Kuwait. The most distinctive feature of the project came from the challenge of incorporating an urban garden as part of the exterior into the courtyard within the scheme. The structure, which resembles a perfect cube, has concrete walls. It is built in a small and narrow space, so it is developed with a vertical orientation. In..
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A Unique and Modern Remodeling in Vila Madalena
This innovative project consists of an apartment purchased by two friends and covering only 18 square meters. It is located on the ground floor of a building on Rua Fradique Coutinho, in Vila Madalena, the bohemian neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil. As a premise, the project included the intention to fulfill all requirements born of mixing a social and private purpose for this interior, and the main goal was to..
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12 Desk Hacks To Make You More Productive At Work
Whether you work from your home or a busy office, your desk and everything around it should be carefully arranged to make you feel as creative, energized and stress-free as possible.
You see, when you treat your desk as an obligatory layover between your breakfast counter and an evening on the couch, you fill it with things that eventually pile up. As a result, you don’t get much done.
Show that desk a little love and it’ll show a lot of love back. With these desk hacks, your workstation will be able to provide you with a calm and inspiring environment that can improve your productivity as well as the general quality of your day.
Make friends with a plant
Pot plants are brilliant. They are the perfect pet for work. They serve as something to nurture and observe yet they won’t constantly distract you for treats or fusses.
Apart from that, the color green has been shown to improve productivity, too. The plant will also help to keep the atmosphere in your office fresh and full of oxygen. Pick one up on your next lunch break and see how much better your afternoon will feel.
Fix the lighting
Light matters.
In one study, workers with windows in their workplace were shown to receive 173% more natural light during their work hours. This gave them an average of 46 minutes of extra sleep per night. As you can imagine, this makes for better health, more alertness and increased productivity.
If it’s not possible to move your desk closer to an external window, think about investing in (or asking your boss to invest in) a light box to deliver the rays your body and brain require to function as nature intended.
See Also: 5 Office Design Hacks That Will Increase Employee’s Productivity
Add a little oil
Essential oils can change the way you feel and think. Peppermint aroma, for example, has been shown to have a positive impact on memory and alertness. And who doesn’t need a bit more of those at work?
Try rubbing peppermint oil on your neck and temples to ensure you get the hit you need. If peppermint doesn’t work for you, do a bit of research into the kind of scent that will provide what’s missing from your day. You can even swap them up throughout the week.
Get chewing
Next thing that should be on your list of desk supplies should be a pack of sugar-free gum. Chewing gum can boost your concentration, so make sure you have one nearby in case your mind starts to wander. Choose peppermint flavor to boost both your alertness and memory.
Cover your ears
You don’t have to be a scientist to figure out that working in a loud office or near a busy building site is bad for your concentration. Scientists have delved a little deeper and found out that such disturbances could actually be doing more profound damage than you think.
Working in a noisy environment can increase your blood pressure, risk of illnesses and even frequency of accidents. So, instead of just grinning and bearing it, think about investing in a decent pair of noise-cancelling headphones. They’ll protect more than just your ears.
See Also: How To Choose Headphones That Best Suit You
Power-up your keyboard
The standard computer keyboard is pretty basic and with the different software programs and browsers, not knowing or using keyboard shortcuts can greatly slow you down.
Shifting to a gaming keyboard makes things a lot easier. With more keys and more memorable visual references, you’ll find yourself using shortcuts for everything. This means knocking off precious minutes for each task, too.
Take ‘blankie’ to work
An organized office begins with an organized body. If you get too cold at work, your internal system scrambles around to adjust and this can affect your concentration and productivity.
Keep your favorite blanket under your desk and you’ll be able to regulate your own temperature- regardless of what your building manager thinks.
A multi-storey solution
Disorganization breeds disorganization. Keeping your desk organized not only creates a good impression on your boss and colleagues; it helps you to become more productive and disciplined in general. Think about getting a multi-tiered tray to make those stacks of paperwork a lot neater.
Get yourself a robot line manager
You know what your workload is and when it needs to be done. However, remembering to take a break, stretch your legs or make a cup of tea can be a bit difficult when you’re in the flow.
Taking breaks is important. Downloading a timer such as Be Focused can help you to regulate your workflow, stay fresh and energized.
Look away
Write it down on a Post-It and stick it to your computer monitor: 20-20-20!
Then, use that new timer of yours to remind yourself that every twenty minutes, you should gaze twenty feet away from yourself for twenty seconds. This technique can help prevent getting eye-strain, which can cause fatigue and other long-term eye issues.
Block your notifications
Those little beeps, vibrations and red dots on your devices can disrupt your attention. If you’re worried you don’t have the discipline to leave them alone by sheer willpower, download a notification-blocking app to do the hard work for you.
Take your toys to work
Okay, so it’s not the 1980s anymore, but yuppie desk toys can still be effective. In fact, they’ve been dragged into the 21st century in the shape of fidget widgets. To help you turn that excess energy into something productive, think about keeping one on your desk.
With these 12 simple desk hacks, you can already transform your work area into a comfortable, dynamic and productive station. Finally, you’re ready to start work for real!
G. John Cole is a digital nomad and freelance writer. Specializing in leadership, digital media and personal growth, his passions include world cinema and biscuits. A native Englishman, he is always on the move, but can most commonly be spotted in Norway, the UK and the Balkans.
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May 15th
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Why a Successful Night’s Sleep is Crucial to Being Successful
You’re reading Why a Successful Night’s Sleep is Crucial to Being Successful, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
When adults are busy adult-ing, sleep often becomes a mythic creature of bedtimes past. A successful life is linked to a successful night’s sleep, but in this crazy, busy world—that seems like a nice dream only fit for four-year-olds.
The truth is that, while you technically can get away with less sleep than a child, you still need the best quality of sleep to achieve your goals in daily life.
Sleep and Success Go Hand in Hand
When you think of the qualities that lead to success, you’re probably considering traits like ambition, hard work, determination and creativity, but the biggest key to business and life success is the quality of your sleep. You need a restful night’s sleep if you want to wake up refreshed to tackle your day, and that’s because:
- Good sleep affects long term and short term memory.
- Bad sleep shortens your fuse, making you prone to irritability and anger.
- Chronic bad sleep quality shortens your life span.
- When you’re sleep deficient, you’re basically drunk—only without your liver dealing with the aftermath of alcohol intake. Sleep deficiency leads to mental deficiency.
For the sake of your sanity, your health and your golden ticket to success, it’s time that you and sleep became good friends. Don’t rely on counting sheep to coerce sleep into your head. There are more productive tactics to get a good night’s sleep and dream your way to success:
- Regulate Your Sleep
The quality of your sleep correlates to the consistency of your sleep schedule. Seven to nine hours of sleep is best for the adult body. When you’re waking up or going to bed at different times, including the weekends, your body will have a different quality of sleep each time.
It’s important to regulate your sleep schedule every day, so that you are going to bed and waking up at consistent intervals. If you have to nap during the day, limit those naps to 20 minutes, because the longer you snooze the more difficult it will be to go to sleep at night.
Even if you work late night shifts, staying on a consistent schedule is key. If you leave work late in the morning, sun glasses will limit your light exposure and help you get to sleep more easily.
Find a schedule that works for your body and your work-life balance. When you have regular and restful sleep, you’ll wake up refreshed to start each day anew.
- Invest in Less Screen Time
Do you check email and social media right before going to bed? Are your straining eyes glued to the light of the TV? Nightly screen time up to one hour before bed impedes your ability to sleep well. 95 percent of people use an electronic device during the hour before bed, at least a few nights a week.
The light from the screen mimics daylight exposure, keeping your eyes open. Your body needs the transition of light fading to cue it into sleep mode. At least thirty minutes before bed, power down those devices.
However, technology can help you manage your sleep. There are sleep apps that track your sleep cycle or install a filter on your phone to adjust screen brightness. There’s even a light bulb called the Drift Light that works like any regular light, but when you activate the “midnight mode” it fades to dark slowly within 37 minutes, just like the sunset. Technology can hinder or help your quality of sleep.
- You May Need a New Mattress
Waking up stiff and sore, more so than you were a year or two ago? If you’re in a relationship and your partner stretches out when sleeping, stress out less with a queen or a king mattress. A mattress may have normal wear and tear, but you need a new mattress when the old one is no longer comfortable.
Resolving your sleep issues may mean investing in a new mattress. If so, consider saving time, and money by avoiding sales pitches, by buying your mattress online. Focus on what you need and not getting bombarded with options by having a mattress shipped to you.
Confusion can lead to an expensive and uncomfortable mattress. At least you’ll have time to ask questions and do your research before you purchase a mattress.
- Establish a bedtime routine
You know that you need a regular schedule to sleep and need to be as relaxed as possible to rest well for the night. However, what if you’re having trouble relaxing? Your body doesn’t seem to be picking up the cues that it’s bedtime.
Like your sleep schedule, your cues need to also be consistent. This is where establishing a bedtime routine is helpful to relaxing your body and your mind to prepare for a good night’s sleep. Bedtime routines are best done thirty minutes to an hour before bed. Your ritual may consist of yoga, reading a book, taking a bath or writing down your worries and joys in a journal.
A good night’s sleep is crucial to success in your daily life. Show up for your bed time routine. Sink into your comfortable mattress, and wake up refreshed and ready to conquer the day ahead.
You’ve read Why a Successful Night’s Sleep is Crucial to Being Successful, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
One Surprisingly Simple Rule that Will Make Your Goals Happen Faster
Like many people, Angel and I spent years struggling to make even the slightest bit of progress on the goals we had set for ourselves.
We started new workout programs with incredible optimism at least a couple dozen times. We threw away all the junk food in our house more times than I can even remember. We tried waking up earlier, meditating, reading more often, writing a book, getting out of debt, running a business, and more…
But, for the longest time, we failed on all fronts.
We’d get started with a new goal, and then we’d get derailed.
And boy did we feel horrible!
We often felt like losers … like no matter how hard we tried, our goals were out of reach! And we’d berate ourselves constantly for not being stronger, smarter, and more disciplined.
But what Angel and I didn’t realize, until we started successfully achieving our goals a few years later, is that it was never a matter of us not having enough strength, intelligence, or discipline. It was a matter of us focusing on our goals in an ineffective way.
In fact, believe it or not, we were actually focusing on our goals too much.
Yes, you read that right. It sounds counterintuitive, but it’s the truth. (more…)
Sig Nordal 