Green tea is an amazing beverage that has infinite health benefits. It not only keeps you refreshed throughout the day but also offers remedial effects for vigorous living. Undisputed green tea benefits include improvements in weight, skin, heart condition, bone strength, and so on.

Drinking tea is highly advantageous yet some people are reluctant to use it due to its caffeine content.

See Also: 4 Best Teas To Help You Lose Weight

Volume of Caffeine in Green tea

Compared to other caffeinated drinks, tea has the minimum level of caffeine. Coffee has nearly 100 – 150 mg per serving while cola has an average of 45 – 50 mg per serving.

However, green tea only has 20 – 25 mg per serving. It is not much concentrated with caffeine to harm you in any case. Simultaneously, it is rich in L-theanine which offers calmness of mind. L-theanine counters caffeine antagonist present in the form of amino acids. This neutralizes the effects of caffeine from this wonderful tea.

Buy the decaffeinated variety

While buying tea, read labels. Today, decaffeinated varieties are easily available in groceries and online stores. The decaffeinated variety has green tea benefits intact but the quantity of caffeine is reduced to 5-10 mg per serving. This ensures a limited or negligible effect of caffeine on your body.

Always buy naturally decaffeinated tea processed with carbonated water using ethyl acetate, a chemical solvent that decaffeinates tea.

See Also: 5 Things I Learned about Success from a Cup of Tea

Choose your variety of green tea

Green tea can be categorized and divided into many varieties. Amongst them, Gyokura or Matcha are highly caffeinated whereas the likes of Hougicha tea have minimal caffeine.

Hougicha tea has low caffeine content but you can enjoy the unlimited green tea benefits in this variety as well. Read labels to find out what variety of tea you’re getting and what the caffeine content is.

Make it de-caffeinated yourself

Yes, you can decaffeinate your cup of tea with some simple steps. Before using tea leaves, soak it in normal water for 40-45 seconds. Discard this water and brew the leftover leaves. This will eliminate most of the caffeine in your tea and you get less caffeine in your cup.

The post How To Reduce Caffeine In Green Tea appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2asyHuO

Do women find sloppy, stumbling-around drunk dudes attractive? I used to think so, especially when the average bar star pulls more tail than the overly serious, super religious guy. You know, the guy who is always talking about his Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or how he can’t do this or that because he’s afraid he’ll relapse.

But, as a recovering addict in sobriety for six years, I’m here to tell you that plenty of guys are changing the face of what it means to be sober. We are defying stereotypes. We are not boring, we don’t obsess about living sober, and we lead healthy adventurous lives that are just as diverse as guys who get drunk on a regular basis.

Sobriety is getting a whole lot more attention these days and women find it sexier than ever. How would I know? Because I’m the guy now who pulls more tail than that average bar star.

While he’s busy picking fights and grabbing booties on the dance floor, us sober guys are sealing the deal. It takes a great deal of confidence to approach an attractive female while sober. I wasn’t comfortable doing it overnight, but with practice, it gets easier, especially when she’s interested.

There are many reasons why women find sober guys more attractive, five of which I am happy to say I no longer have to deal with in recovery.

Getting It Up

Most guys are not great at sex to begin with. Compound that problem with booze, and women are left wondering what just happened.

The number of stories circulating about women who never achieve orgasm can more than likely be attributed to all the drunk men in their lives. Maybe it was the “whiskey dick,” they passed out, or they were only concerned about getting themselves off.

Sober guys, who are mentally in the game, can perform under any circumstance. The best part is that you will remember what you did to make her happy and she’ll let you do it again and again and again. Not a bad situation to be in.

She Hates When You Say, “I Was Drunk. I Don’t Remember Saying That.”

Save yourself from a lifetime of arguments. A sober guy can remember what he said and it wasn’t “I love you,” especially if you don’t mean it, which drunk guys are notorious for doing.

I have to admit that I have the worst memory, but I significantly increase my odds of remembering without alcohol in my system. The sober guy has no excuse. He can’t blame alcohol. Women will respect you for saying what you mean and meaning what you say.

Drunk Guys Go Broke

Some guys spend hundreds of dollars on booze. Drinks are expensive. This adds up quick when guys go out more than a couple nights a week and on the weekends.

It’s nice to have extra spending money to treat a woman to a romantic dinner or simply to show her that you are financially stable. It says a lot about a guy who puts his money toward a better cause than drugs or alcohol.

Strong Enough to Be Her Man

Women are passionate. They like being held in the arms of strong guy, and I don’t mean just physically strong.

Sure, sober guys are more often than not in good shape with healthy skin, hair and nails. When I quit abusing drugs and alcohol, the sparkle in my eyes returned.

But what is more attractive than someone who is strong from within their mind and soul? Staying sober will allow you to set and achieve your goals, something that is important to women.

Sober Guys Display Real Confidence

Liquid Courage is a farce. If you’re like me, when you’re crushing on a girl, asking her out can be the scariest moment of your life. Down a few shots and it’s no problem, right? That was the past.

Now, I’ve grown and use that “pair” I was given and go for it. Confidence is attractive to a woman, so even if she says no, maybe she’ll look at you differently and consider it. If not, you’ll live.

For thousands of years, alcohol has been man’s biggest crutch. We all have a false sense of self while intoxicated. You might be a completely different person when you’re drunk and she might not like you when you’re sober. Don’t drink to make the situation easier for you and harder for her down the road. Give her the real you from the start.

Before you reach for a drink, consider how being drunk will affect your relationship with women. Try playing the game sober and see what happens. You might get your happy ending and one you don’t have to pay for.

The post Five Reasons Women Dig Sober Dudes appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2aqPnma

Education is far from being the only aspect of our lives that is constantly changing under the influence of rapid technological development. Since education in many ways determines our children’s future, changes in this field will have the biggest impact on tomorrow’s world.

Recent generations are easily adopting new gadgets and using them for enhancing work and leisure experiences. Will adoption of advanced technology by educational institutions produce the same effect? Let’s talk about technology’s influence on education and possible changes rapid tech development can bring to current educational system.

Changes in the teacher’s role

From ancient times, until the beginning of 21st century, educational process was overly dependent on teachers and tutors. This influenced them to develop fantastic narrative skills and knowledge on many different subjects.

For several millennia, these professionals have been doing a great job and, among them, we can find some of the most prominent minds of human history including: Aristotle, Galileo Galilee, Sir Isaac Newton and Confucius. Now the time has finally come for the teachers to relax, because advanced technology can be used for multiplying the effect of their lectures and enhancing their student’s experience.

See Also: 35 Inspiring Quotes By The Great Scientist Albert Einstein

In my elementary school, teachers used overhead projectors, cassettes players, VHS recorders and photo slide projectors. In high school, tech advances shift our attention to digital picture, audio and video formats, and enabled our teachers to use all of these media with the help of just one projector and a laptop, without carrying and connecting the old heavy machinery. Tech development also made teachers’ lessons more graphic.

Soon we will be able to use virtual reality simulations for teaching purposes. This means that students will be able to see volcano eruptions or atomic processes or deep space from first person view and with outstanding accuracy and graphics. Of course, this incredible technology won’t leave teachers jobless. Their teaching will just become easier, more graphical and effective.

The look of future classrooms

Today, almost all schools have their media rooms. In the near future, each classroom will turn into the media room equipped with top notch universal home theatres and powerful sound systems .

Wide use of augmented reality concept will also influence the look of future classrooms. It will enable teachers to take their students to virtual field trips. In the middle of lecture about Roman Age, students and teachers will find themselves on the streets of ancient Pompeii, or in the middle of CERN’s Hadron Collider if they wish to switch to physics.

Students will also be able to touch and feel objects they are hearing about because 3D printers will be used for making inexpensive and realistic models.

Free education for all

This is another great concept that is currently reaching its momentum. The Internet represents an unlimited knowledge base, and nowadays, even  the most prestigious American universities are posting their lectures, literature and tests online. This enables people to gain knowledge without making tuition payments, or leaving their bedroom for that matter.

Free educational websites will also allow students to repeat lessons they missed. This means that student absenteeism will produce much lighter consequences in terms of knowledge, discipline and curricula.

Some experts worry that free online education will undermine the role of classic educational institutions. This might happen, but it is not necessarily a bad thing. Any kind of monopoly, even in educational sphere, can be disastrous for future generations.

Now when top colleges are posting free content online, all other market players will need to invest much more time and money in making their lectures more valuable because it will be the only way for them to attract students. This way we will get the top quality education, which is completely free of charge.

See Also: How to Learn Anything Online for Free

In the end, it is easy to conclude that increasing influence of advance technology on education brings nothing but benefits. Although the question from the headline sounds a bit apocalyptic (because technology take-over is still associated with Terminator 2: Judgment Day movie), advanced tech solutions will be able to help teachers to spark interest and engage their students to learn more.

 

The post Technology in the Classroom — Should Technology Take Over The Education System? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2aCWg3D

Are you needing effective time management hacks?

Peter Drucker quoted, “Time is the scarcest resource, and unless it is managed nothing else can be managed.” If time is not used effectively, it can spoil the whole game. Most of us complain that we don’t get time to do something we would love to do. But the fact is, you will never get enough time. You will have to produce it.

We often think that we are overburdened with work. But, the reality is that there is always room for improvement when it comes to managing time. A person can perform a set of tasks in a day while another person can perform the same set of tasks in 5-6 hours. It’s all a matter of efficiency and concentration.

Here are 5 time management hacks that will make every second worthwhile:

Prioritize : Where do your tasks lie?

Many of us fail to judge which task is important and which task is urgent. The day a person learns to prioritize his tasks, he would be a master of his time.

We all are in a time crunch and our tasks are never ending. You can start with segregating tasks based on how urgent and how important they are:

● Start by putting those tasks on high priority in Quadrant I which are both urgent and important.

These are the tasks which can’t be avoided or procrastinated. For example, tasks with deadlines and health emergencies are categorized under this section. Manage time allocation to these tasks in such a way that they consume less of your time. Also, avoid emergency situations which can take a lot of your time.

● Secondly, put the tasks which are important but not urgent in the Quadrant II.

These are your long term goals which will yield you results. It is the most important quadrant and will consume most of your time. Tasks like strategic planning and preparing reports are categorized under important and not urgent.

● Now come the tasks that are urgent but not important.

These are the tasks that are not of much value but urgent. Tasks like taking a phone call or replying to an email which are distracting in nature should be put in Quadrant III. Keep in mind to spend minimum time on these tasks.

● Lastly, keep all those tasks in Quadrant IV which are not important and not urgent. These are the tasks that kill your valuable time like surfing the internet, gossiping with colleagues and chatting with friends.

Plan out everything

You must have heard people saying start your day with a plan, which is not the correct method. To be effective, you must plan your day the night before. Doing so will put less stress on your brain in the morning and you’ll be able to work more effectively.

Planning your schedule on a weekly basis is the best option. You get more room to adjust urgent tasks in between your preplanned week which is less stressful in comparison to planning on a daily basis.

You just have to make a few adjustments rather than planning schedule from scratch every day. Use a daily schedule planner, or better, a weekly planner where you can assign yourself tasks and plan the whole schedule of a day or a week.

Once you have planned what tasks need to be done on what day, allocate time to each task. Putting a deadline to each task increases your productivity. Deadlines imply a goal needed to be achieved. And a goal-driven activity is sustainable itself. Nothing could be better than self-imposed deadlines. Putting a time constraint helps you achieve goals you have defined for the day.

See Also: 3 Critical Time Management Techniques You Shouldn’t Forget

Learn the art of saying NO

Learning to say no is important. If you want control of your life, you have to be stern at times. We all want to be liked by all and stay in everyone’s good books. But sometimes saying yes to others takes a toll on your schedule and messes up your time allocation to each task.

You have to get this thing straight. Not everyone can be a people pleaser and being a people pleaser does no good to you in the long run. Set boundaries and learn to decline someone’s request in a polite manner.

Saying no is a great way to keep you focused on your task and it also keeps distractions at bay. Once you agree to do a task for someone, it is likely that they will approach you again to get their task done. Hence, you get distracted from your tasks.

Learn to say no to others and yes to yourself.

See Also: Saying No As Much As Yes To Enjoy Life More

Early bird catches the worm

Get up early in the morning. Make it a habit. Get an uninterrupted sleep at night for at least 8 hours.

Waking up early gives you time to exercise. And by doing exercise in the morning, you stay active throughout the day. Exercising not just keeps you fit but also increases your stamina which keeps you going throughout the day.

Harvard biologist Christoph Randler found that people who wake up early in the morning are more proactive as compared to those who wake up late. Also, early risers are better planners and anticipate problems efficiently.

Sync multiple calendars at one place

Managing multiple Google calendars can be a hectic task for those who manage more than one Google account. A lot of time gets wasted in logging in and out of accounts in order to access calendars to view upcoming events. Weekplan is a free weekly planner that allows you to integrate multiple Google calendars in one place making it easy for you to keep a track of all your upcoming events.

You will find various blogs, numerous hacks and a lot of eBooks telling you how to manage your time and be productive. One method is to harness the use of technologies like apps to help you manage your weekly and daily reminders and events.

Try out these time management hacks and see which ones work best for you.

 

The post Top 5 Time Management Hacks To Get You Ahead appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2afexkO

Have you ever wished you could use your mind in a more creative way without losing it? Do you want to have a more creative mind?

Let’s admit it – we’ve all doubted our creativity at some point in our life. But what if I were to tell you that today there’s a substantial amount of scientific evidence that shows creativity isn’t intrinsic at all?

Okay then, what is creativity anyway? Well, it’s a skill you practice, develop and hone over time, just like any other.

So, if you think you’re not creative because you weren’t born with it, chances are you don’t know how to use your mind yet. Building a creative mindset isn’t a doddle – it is far less inspiration than it is hard work.

Here are 5 easy steps you can follow to tap into that wellspring of creative energy within you.

1| Make time for Silence and Solitude

Life moves at a crazy speed. So the problem is: we don’t often have time to stop and reflect at things that really matter. Getting caught up in haste and day-to-day bustle of our lives holds us back from those moments of silence and solitude that could otherwise be so rewarding.

So, set aside time each day solely for yourself, because nowhere else does a creative mind flourish than in the stillness of your own mind. Once you find some time to be alone, not only can you hear your thoughts, but also reach deep within yourself.

Your brain is your best tool but only when you know how to use it properly. Go ahead – give yourself a break.

Take a walk in nature. Carve out some moments for yourself. Get rid of social distractions. Stop being a crowd pleaser. Disconnect with the world and try staying in tranquility.

It’s a great opportunity to recharge yourself with more focus and good energy.

See Also: 8 Mind Hacks That Give You Instant Results

2| Connect with your Body

Do you realize what exactly is going on in your body right now? How often are you aware of your own bodily tendencies?

The first thing you must remember is that your body contains the sensations and feelings that are the result of your own thoughts. Most people don’t realize this and spend too much time thinking and thinking alone which in turn gives rise to numbness, physical tension and chronic contractions in the body.

Stop thinking for a moment and focus all your attention on your inner energy field. Just limit your awareness to yourself. It’s time to connect with your body.

If you find it hard to get in touch with your inner body, focus on your breathing first. Try conscious deep breathing. Just feel your abdomen expanding and contracting with each inhalation and exhalation. This is a powerful meditation in itself.

Once you resume your thinking after being aware of the sensations in your body, you’re bound to be more fresh and creative.

3| Stop dwelling on the Past

Most people lose their creativity not focusing on the present moment. All they do is get hung up on the past or concern themselves with the future.

I can tell you it won’t take you anywhere. Maybe you have a history of broken relationships. Maybe you were fired from your dream job. Maybe you’ve screwed up big time and felt like you’ve had it all.

Well, guess what? Thinking about the problems won’t solve them. So move on. They were in the past – not here, right now.

Start today: If you feel like your past is weighing you down and influencing and impacting your state of mind and the decisions you make, it’s time to let it all go. Not only will it boost your creativity, but also infuse a better health and positive state of mind.

4| Always perform one task at a time

Stop multitasking. I know it is essential to multitask at times, but when it comes to sparking that creativity and getting it going, you should be really focusing on one task at a time.

It’s easier to stay present for more time throughout all your day if you single-task everything as best you could. This means you shouldn’t be browsing multiple tabs, answering your emails, checking your phone, or taking notes at one fell swoop.

Pick one task. Something that fires up your soul. Something that excites you like nothing else. Something that can have a huge impact on your work, life and business. And something worth your time and trouble.

Make it as fun as possible. This is going to be the only task you’ll focus on. Don’t switch back and forth. Give your everything to it. Don’t wait. Set the tone as soon as you wake up every day. Set your priorities right.

If you still need to multitask, set off a definite time for it during your day.

5|Practice Openness

The most creative people are the ones that are open to new ideas, concepts and experiences. A research from Emory University by neuroscientist Gregory Berns suggests that creative thinkers bombard their brains with new experiences, which forges new connections scrambling their existing ones.

So, does this mean you can’t be creative if you resist new ideas and experiences? No. It just means that developing a set of new habits can propel you toward greater results.

If you really want to be creative, never hesitate to try new things.

See Also: 7 Amazing Ways to Be Creative Like a Child

Let yourself go with the flow. Don’t stick to the same old routine all the time. Try taking a different route to work. Listen to a new genre of music. Go talk to a stranger without a purpose.

A study from over 3,000 entrepreneurs and business executives shows that creative thinkers spend more than 50% of their time trying to think differently. Don’t run after pleasing people and seeking their approval – it’s only a waste of all your time and energy.

So there you have it. Follow these 5 steps and you will soon discover the fire of creativity that lives in you.

What kind of creativity are you expecting from yourself? Let me know in the comments.

The post How to Unlock Your Creative Mind: 5 Easy Steps appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2a4rKl0

Did you come here to read all about overcoming self-doubt?

I have good news and bad news.

Bad news is we are all here to learn lessons…sigh.

Good news is that we are meant to learn lessons and by addressing them, we can transform them into strengths.  Yaaayyy!

So why not transform self-doubt and anxiety into performance gold?

Just look to Madonna for inspiration.  This sassy, bold chameleon doubts herself saying, “I too have my moments of doubt and weakness.  My moments where I react before thinking things through.  My moments where I take the easy road.  My moments where I gossip and am envious.  My moments of deep insecurity.”  (Madonna admits Self-Doubt, 2001)

We aren’t all gifted with her talents, but why not dance through and past all the ‘what ifs’ using self-expression?

Inspired by the lyrics from Madonna’s, “Express Yourself”, here are 33 expressive methods to live fully through acceptance, failing, looking outward, simplifying, value, presence, spirituality, imperfection, honesty, creativity, and purpose.

Hit it Madonna! (Since I cannot use the lyrics direction, instead let us look to my interpretation of the song.)

1.    Act on your sizzle.

Before a nerve-wracking performance, journal about something you love.  Act on what you love with all your heart!

2.    Make panic your friend.

The more you pretend panic doesn’t exist, the more it tells you it does.  Like Jeff Goldblum’s line in Jurassic Park: “…life will not be contained.  Life breaks free, it expands to new territories and crashes through barriers, painfully, maybe even dangerously….life, uh…finds a way.”

Your panic is trying to live and keep you alive, so give it air and use it as performance fuel.

3.    Reduce alcohol and don’t be cold.

Don’t play it cool. Feel fully and limit alcohol, sugar, and caffeine which fuel anxiety and mask feelings.

She has something to say about it

You need to find your own voice and speak out about your feelings.  Transform your fear by taking accountability for your words, situation, and actions.  Stand out on purpose.

4.    Step out of garbage and breathe.

Step out of the life-sucking garbage of apathy and fear and make yourself a priority.

Build in the life-affirming habits of breathing and living intentionally. Breathe in for a count of 4, hold it in for 7, and exhale for 11 seconds to reset.

5.    Stop expecting to be misunderstood.

Don’t expect people to read your mind.  Find the words and meet people halfway to say what you think, feel, and need.

6.    Rock the boat and don’t ‘fit in’.

Don’t people-please or ‘fit in’. Build up integrity and act intuitively.  Your life is a series of choices. Make them and accept consequences.

Go for the best and don’t be afraid to test it.

It feels safer in your predictable circumstances but what is that costing you? Don’t settle for less or for anything less than the best. Don’t be afraid of things falling apart. Be willing to test things and let them fall apart and fail repeatedly until you succeed.

It takes courage to test your comfort zone and act on your feelings.

7.    Don’t judge.

Liberate from labeling.  Aren’t you tired of judging others and judging yourself? By stopping the cycle you will realize it takes up unecessary and unhelpful space.

8.    Fail fast and fail often.

Embrace quick, repeated failure allowing for the meant-to-learn lessons and opportunity.

9.    Compare real and imagined anxieties.

Test reality by comparing your actual with your anticipated anxiety.  Use that imagination for good and create something instead.

Get your man to express his feelings to know it is real

Be vulnerable to bring out the best in everyone and start the help cycle by asking for and offering help.  Get others to open up by opening up yourself.  Express honestly to bring out the best in yourself and others.

10.  Be a feeling sponge.  

After hearing ‘you’re too sensitive’, have you diluted your emotions? Tune into and channel this delicate, acute awareness positively.  The opposite is apathy, numbness, insensitivity, and unconsciousness.  So feel and contribute.

11.  Leave your island and ask for help.

Schedule a weekly social hour to spend less time isolated. Call a friend or plan a meetup or volunteer event.  Spark new and genuine connections.

12.  Help me help you and be a lantern.

Self-doubt is selfish; when you’re thinking, ‘What am I going to say when they’re done talking?’ 

Lighten your load and get out of your head by helping others with a smile and really listen.

You don’t need fancy expensive things that don’t last

Cut through superficiality; no longer under or over estimating your contribution and problems. You don’t need riches or superficial illusions or distractions.  Discover grounded, focused, light-hearted, and authentic expression.

13.  Ground yourself, start small and build.

I procrastinated through school with unrealistic expectations and break downs.  Grand ideas serve a purpose but make things happen with swift and assertive action.

See Also: How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Follow Through with Your Goals

14.  Be narrow-minded.

Your anticipatory mind is too open to possibilities! That’s fabulous and it’s overwhelming. Use a simplified focus to get clear.

15.  Why so serious?

Stop taking yourself so seriously, learn to laugh and move on.  Do your best.

You need a strong hand to lift you up

Build your future on a rock solid foundation.

16.  Let go of the reigns and get wild!

Anxiety is about control so hand it over and step out of your comfort zone.  Spend time in nature where you can draw upon perfection outside the computer.

17.  Practice Gratitude.

Recall a success.  Get clear and descriptive, using all your senses, to recall it when needed.

18.  Think and be still.

Fill your spiritual well and clear your thoughts by focusing on your breath, 10 minutes daily, for powerful, lasting, and building benefits.

Feel like royalty and never come down

Find the perfection in imperfection and start to feel entitled to a full and rewarding life.  True happiness comes from being, not doing.  Find this space and live fully in the present. You deserve it.

19.  Be like man’s best friend.

Animals are geniuses at life so try to tune into nature with no agenda.  Your pet companion will also calm anxieties and never judges.  My cat’s day consists of sleep, sun, petting, food, and cuteness.

20.  Practice outside in success.

Imagine you are successful through “what if’s”.  Success comes from practice; it’s muscle memory.  Read Amy Cuddy’s book Presence and practice positive body language so that your mind will follow suit.

21.  To the death!

Don’t let anything, especially perfectionism, get in the way of finishing.  Consistent commitment and follow-through automates success, confidence, and a final product of your own.

Don’t be fooled with roses

There has to be trust built upon truth

Keep your head straight with a solid, honest foundation.  Consider the rationality of ‘what if’ outcomes.  Recognize when your thoughts are irrational and refocus.

See Also: 3 Ways to Develop Rock Solid Self-Confidence

22.  Tear down walls.

Feel and express your feelings, even anger.  Honesty will crumble down the walls separating you from others and lead to purpose and happiness.

23.  No more manipulation.

No more sighing, criticizing, complaining, and whining. Don’t pretend things are good.  Live in truth and act assertively as a fruitful place to build upon.

24.   Be yourself and grow.

Live your truth and keep growing.  Commit to something like yoga on Thursdays as a positive way to connect.

You deserve the best so keep walking if it is not the right time

Find your standards, balance, and discipline starting with building positivity and structure in your day.

25.  Build with compassion and friendship.

Instead of destructive “I can’t” language, build and speak from your heart positively.  Master the art of caring without being a doormat.

26.  Balance it out.

Prioritize balance for calm, healthy, centered living.  Don’t underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep, an organized home, a healthy routine, breaks, and a friend over ‘more important work’.

27.  Kick some butt.

Consider a workout routine.  Find yourself in the discipline and connect with your breathing, body, accomplishments, commitment, and follow through.

Express Yourself

Channel repressed thoughts into expressiveness, making decisions that open doors and improve your life’s richness.

28.  Art and Music.

Find your artistic side through painting, sculpting, or drawing, or music.

29.  Rearrange/decorate.

This can be as simple as rearranging your room or organizing your closet. It’s positive, expressive action.  I recommend also the life changing magic of tidying up.

30.  Perform.

Take an acting or public speaking class.  Practice alone, on camera, online, or in front of a group.

When your man leaves you, he might be regretting it and thinking about you and try to win you back

Be mindful, don’t regret the past, and immerse yourself in the present. Make the most out of the present and have no regrets.

31.  Find a cause.

Nothing like getting present, than finding a cause you’re passionate about; it may lead you to your purpose.

Madonna also recommends giving to communities and schools saying, “When you feel down or trapped, get outside of yourself and do something nice for someone.  This is a great cure for sadness, anxiety and self-obsession.” (Madonna admits Self-Doubt, 2001)

32.  Focus on a goal.

Instead of being caught up with what people are thinking of you, consider what you want to get across and consider learning something new.  Ask why on both of these until you get to the core reasons.

33.  Have a positive, action-oriented to do list!

Embrace what you can do today with no regrets.  Commit to completing one item per day that will get you closer to your goal.  “I will write the first sentence of my book today!”

Don’t wither or shy away from your next speech or social event, allowing self-doubt to rob you.  Expand, bloom, and boldly shine as you are with balance, passion, and color to move from self-doubt into honest self-expression.

 

The post 33 Expressive Ways to Overcome Self-Doubt & Anxiety like Madonna appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2azeSEf

Do you want to stop procrastinating? Do you find yourself constantly spinning your wheels and feeling like your to-do list never stops growing? If so, there are things you can do in the next few minutes to stop feeling like you never get anything done.

Here are five things you can do right now to stop procrastinating, become more productive, and get more done today.

1. Make A List

It can be so helpful to write down all the things we want to accomplish. Writing everything down helps us organize all the thoughts in our head and then prioritize them.

After seeing how many tasks are on our list, we can start tackling them one at a time. You can segment your list into items to do today, items to do this week, and even items to do this month.

Lists help us remember what we want to accomplish and keep us on track. Without a list it’s easy to forget all the things we want to get done and instead have a Game of Thrones binge session with regrets. After finishing an item off the list, it also feels great to cross it off!

2. Don’t Keep Your Phone Nearby

When you want to be in a “get ‘er done” mode, put your phone in a place where you can’t look at it easily. Taking the time to read and respond to text messages, checking Facebook, or seeing if there are any new emails, may seem like they quick tasks that only use a little time, but in reality these are all huge time sucks.

We may look at our phone for a quick break and realize that we just spent 30 minutes scrolling through our news feed.

3. Clean Up Your Space

It’s hard to be productive when you’re working in a messy environment. Whether it is your office or your kitchen, doing a quick clean up first will help you focus immensely. You cannot find things and be as efficient if you are always looking for something or getting distracted with the mess in front of you.

Take a few minutes to clean up, and then move onto the tasks at hand.

See Also: 7 Tips On How To Overcome Procrastination Everyday 

4. Close your Email Tab

If you are working on a computer and have your email constantly open while doing other things, close it. We waste time looking at our inbox to see if anything new came through. When new messages come in, we spend time and energy switching gears and then coming back.

Close out of your email so you can focus on other tasks completely. Once you’re finished, re-open your email and spend dedicated time replying to messages. This will keep you on task and more productive.

5. Make One More List

You already have your to-do list. Now make a list of all your “needs.” These are things you cannot work on until you have the next step from someone else. You can include approvals you are waiting on, input from your supervisor, delivery from the printer, etc., on this list.

Having a list like this will help you stay organized and help prevent items from slipping through the cracks. It will also help your brain stay on task and not get distracted thinking of things on the back burner that you can’t quite wrap up.

See Also: How Procrastination Can Make You More Productive

Now that you what you need to do — don’t put off getting started. It is too easy to let procrastination sneak in. So look back over the list and pick one time to do right now.

The post Five Things To Do Right Now To Stop Procrastinating appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2apJfua

**NOTE: This article is being submitted on behalf of Zina Kumok of Retirement Online NOT Tarelle Tolson of Stone Temple**

The sphere of finance and economics is largely male-dominated. From the most powerful positions to the highest salaries, the world of wealth has been a boys’ club since the first drachma was minted in ancient Greece.

While that disparity isn’t disappearing anytime soon, advocates for gender equality can look to one area of finance as a sign of the changing tide: retirement saving.

According to a recent study by investment management behemoth Vanguard, women are out-saving men for retirement, and it’s not even a close race. Read on to learn more.

The Study

A 2016 survey from financial firm Vanguard found that despite the wage and wealth gap, women are outsaving men for retirement. In fact, women are almost 15 percent more likely to save, and when they do, they save 7-16 percent more than men.

Even women who are earning less than $50,000 are still saving for retirement at a rate of 45 percent compared to 28 percent in men. These women prove that a low salary doesn’t have to dissuade you from saving for retirement.

The study also observed that women are more likely using pre-packaged options like target-date funds, which choose a basket of funds based on when you hope to retire. Target-date funds are a good choice for someone who wants to invest in the market, but doesn’t know which securities to choose.

Unfortunately, the study also revealed that both sexes are not saving enough for retirement. Women set aside 7 percent of their salary for retirement—nowhere close to what they need. Most experts recommend saving between 10-15 percent of their salary for a comfortable nest egg in retirement years.

The women involved in the survey earned $68,895 on average, while the men earned $85,983, making their savings rates all the more impressive. The study also dispelled the myth that women are less likely to invest in the stock market, stating in the abstract that “on average men and women take very similar risk levels and hold similar types of portfolios.”

How Men Can Catch Up

While gender experts may be able to extrapolate some deeper reasons behind this gap, there’s nothing inherently gendered about the actions women are taking to save more. Any man is capable of bridging that divide with thoughtful and consistent financial decision-making. Here are a few important steps to take.

● Take advantage of employer-sponsored plans. The easiest way to get started saving for retirement is to sign up for a plan through your employer. Nowadays many companies offer 401ks and other options for their workers, often with a company match. Not only could you be eligible for free money, but you’ll have access to someone designed to walk you through the intricacies of starting and funding your retirement.

● Start early. Men earning less than $50,000 should start saving for retirement now, even if their instincts are to wait until they’re earning more. Time and compound interest can take small, regular contributions and turn them into large sums later on. Even if you can only save $25 a paycheck, it’s better than nothing.

● Take advantage of catch-up contributions. If you’re an older man who’s been slacking on retirement saving, it’s not too late. Those 50 and older can take advantage of catch-up provisions for IRAs and 401ks, which allow you to set aside more money. You can put an extra $1,000 toward your IRA and an extra $5,000 to your 401k per year.

● Take advantage of higher salaries. Not only are men likely to earn more than women, but they’re also more likely to have jobs making more than $100,000 a year. They should use those high salaries and put more money into their employer-sponsored retirement plans (or IRAs if those aren’t an option).

● Ask for help. If you’re having trouble starting to save for retirement and aren’t sure what to do, consulting a financial planner may be the best option. An advisor can tell you how much you need to save and what kinds of investments to choose. They can make custom recommendations based on your goals and where you are in life. And if all else fails, you can turn to the real experts: the women in your life.

Zina Kumok is a 20-something writer for TraditionalIRA.com and RothIRA.com specializing in personal finance. She started covering personal finance while blogging about paying off $28,000 worth of student loans in three years. A former reporter, she has covered murder trials, the Final Four and everything in between. She has been featured in Lifehacker, Daily Worth and Time magazines.

The post Are Men Or Women More Successful At Saving For Retirement? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/29WG8LY

Did you know that for every distraction, you will have to wait for at least 25 minutes before things return to normal? Yeah, I didn’t know that either. That’s why increasing your focus is vital.

The truth is, distractions are now a part of everyday life. Notifications, email, the Internet, social media, colleagues… these are but a few of the many obstacles we face today. And if you have ever struggled with any of these, you aren’t alone.

For example, Facebook and email bombarded me during my last summer break. I knew I had to work, but the temptation to check each of them was constantly on my mind. Also, I found that during conversations, no matter how engaged I am, whenever my phone would vibrate my focus immediately dropped to zero.

Over the course of a month, I have adopted 5 techniques to help me get rid of – or at least minimize – distractions. And I’ve found that these methods give significant results in a short amount of time.

1. Get Simple

One of the main reasons I got distracted from working was the fact that I used Word for writing. Though I have nothing against Microsoft, Word simply sucks when you want to focus on writing. There are just so many options at the top of my screen that it’s hard to focus on doing the task at hand. That’s why I switched to plain text writing – it’s simple and helps me focus.

I urge you to do the same. Simplicity breeds focus. Once you have nothing to do other than work, you will work.

See Also: 4 Habits That Will Improve Your Focus And Destroy Procrastination

2. Fight tech with tech

If you’ve found that technology is your biggest time waster, then fight it – with the right software. A popular one is StayFocusd for Chrome. This app helps in increasing your focus by blocking distracting webpages from the Internet. And if you ever visit these pages? You get this:

Now, what if something came to your mind while working? Something like: “What was the name of the character who *place name of actor here* acted in *place name of film here*?” Good question! Read the next point.

3. Create a Distraction List

Sometimes you will get distracted by a thought that disrupts your focus. When this happens, the last thing you want to do is tell it to go away, as this usually doesn’t work.

So what does? A distraction list. To make this, just create a new text file. Not in Evernote. Not a Word document. A text file.

Now, rename it to “Distraction list”. After doing so, place it in your desktop. Whenever you have a thought, you can just open the file and type the thought down. These are usually things you won’t come back to again, but writing them down usually helps to clear your mind.

4. Go offline

Most distractions you get come from the Internet. While using the right software can help a lot, it still helps to go offline for at least an hour each day.

If you ever decide to do this, do it in the morning. Unless you’ve just napped, your energy levels in the afternoon are not as high as when you’ve just woken up. Therefore, in the morning just after you wake up, go offline for an hour and get on with doing whatever you are supposed to be doing.

See Also: How to Stay Focused When You’re Tempted to Slack Off – in 3 Simple Steps

5. Turn off notifications

Even if you go offline, there is still another thing you should worry about: notifications. How do you stop them? Well, you simply turn them off!

Both Android and iOS let you do this. Check out this tutorial on how to go about it. And while notifications can still exist on the Mac and PC, they aren’t as bad as what you get from a mobile phone.

So there you go! Five techniques in increasing your focus that you could adopt in the next 5 minutes. Make sure to adopt one tonight to get rid of distractions and do what is actually important.

The post 5 Techniques for Increasing your Focus in 5 Minutes appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2apOMkc

If you’re single, then I’m pretty sure you are looking for the right life partner. If you are, you need to have a good understanding of how to attract love.

Finding true love for life requires more than just talent and beauty.

There is no doubt that lasting relationships are hard work. Sometimes you have to go through bad dates, headaches, upsets, and disappointments before finding real love. The bad love, however, will teach you valuable lessons and make you stronger and better at relationships.

It always good to understand the top relationship issues among couples before falling in love. Like prevention is better than cure, knowing the various issues before attracting love could help you get better at your relationship game.

If you’re looking to attract real love in your life, here are six awesome ways how you can do it:

1: Realize your true value and love yourself

If you want to attract the love that you deserve into your life, you must first realize your true self-worth.

It’s actually not very common that we evaluate ourselves but doing so helps us to understand ourselves deeper. You not only set standards for yourself but also learn how you can improve as a person. When you wish to be treated in a certain way, you need to treat your partner in the same way.

On the other hand, when you fail to realize your self-worth, then it’s no surprise that you don’t realize what others are worth as well. That’s when you start abusing and upsetting others more, which in turn leads to unhealthy relationships.

No matter what your needs are — relating to your health, career, ambition, and relationship — make sure you realize what your value is. Be humble in victory and learn from failures. Learn to love yourself. By doing so, you will start attracting positivity in your life which is the true love that you’ve are hankering for.

See Also: 11 Simple Ways to Fall in Love With Yourself 

2: Have realistic expectations

As you learn to love yourself, you will discover new boundaries where you need to draw the line. When you consider your strengths, there is a pretty good chance that you might start setting unrealistic expectations as well.

For example, if you are OCD about cleaning habits, then you might start expecting the same from your partner. Love is all about having the best of understanding and living for each other – you don’t need to set mighty big expectations for your future wife.

Expectation is one of the biggest enemies of any relationship. The more you expect from your partner, the more frustrating your relationship could be. Keep love as the single most priority and all others secondary.

However, there is nothing wrong in being open and honest and expecting the same from your partner. Good understanding and trust stems from being true to each other, so it never harms to expect love and trueness after she comes into your life.

3: Get comfortable with your own company

Once you have realized your self-worth, the next thing to do is learn to feel content in your own company. Don’t forget that you are the only person responsible for your happiness and sadness, so the more you start loving being alone, the more calm and peaceful your mind will be. In turn, you will find it easier to deal with your partner in case an issue arises.

This is one reason why you see people deal with breakups much easier than others. Some never come to terms with the separation but those who know their inner self better are able to lead normal lives after the breakup.

Sometimes, being in your own company is good because you don’t want people who deprive you of your happiness.

4: Figure out what you want

Look for the right partner who will travel the distance with you. When you choose the wrong partner, you are wasting your time as well as her time.

Love is an expensive affair that requires a lot of time, money, and effort. Of course, there is the emotional attachment as well.

Figure out what kind of a partner would be the right choice and write down a realistic expectation so that you can always check back to ensure you’re on the right track. At the end of the day, you have all the freedom to choose whom you want in your life, and she must really be the one that you really need in your life.

5: Identify the toxic ones

Even if you have determined the requirements of your ideal life partner, there is always a chance that something might not click as you’d expect. Sometimes, you will find that your first love is your best match ever. Sometimes, you might have to go through 10 breakups to find the best match.

However, the purpose of your search is to flush out the toxic relationships and attract the one that keeps you happy. Red flag toxic relationships if you are unable to tolerate them beyond a certain point.

6: Understand what real love is

Infatuation is different from true love. Sometimes, you might find yourself attracted to a girl and feel like she is the only one you ever want in your life even after knowing that she isn’t the right match for you. Maybe she is more dominant or she is conditional.

Again, you need to remind yourself that you won’t get 100% satisfaction in such a relationship. You might love her from your heart but the question is does she love you equally, if not more? Once you both love each other equally and you feel that you both are made for each other, that’s when you have found the perfect love.

See Also: 20 Best Love Quotes to Inspire your Love 

Stop looking for temporary love and start attracting real love to lead a healthy, peaceful, and happy life. Cheers!

The post 6 Ways On How To Attract Love In Your Life appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/29SVX1X