Manhardeep Singh

Solve Problems With A Word List

April 30, 2018

To creatively solve problems you need to get your mind looking in new directions. You can systematically do this by using a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create “what if?” scenarios. You start with the question, “what if it was…” and then insert a word from the list. The “it” in the question is the problem you’re trying to solve, or the solution or situation that exists now.

Using “What If” To Solve Problems

An example will help explain the process. Assume your house is too crowded because you’re running your business from it. You ask, “What if it was…” and insert from the word list, “smaller.” The house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word “divided” might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.

Most words on the list won’t help, so you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. Don’t automatically dismiss them, though, without a few seconds consideration. “What if it was hopeless?” may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can’t keep the business in the house any longer.

As with most problem-solving techniques, it’s important to allow ideas to flow without judging them initially. Don’t stifle the creative process. Evaluate your ideas later, when you’re done with this part.

The Problem Solving Word List

You can create your own list of words. Use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and words that can change your perspective. These could include the following:

What if it was… larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?
Social Bad Habits

April 29, 2018

Having bad habits in social situations can make you a very unpopular person. You may not even know how others feel about your social blunders. However, if you are acting in ways that are not considered appropriate, people will notice.

Many bad habits can be noticed when people go out to a restaurant together. It can be a very unpleasant experience if people have certain bad habits. For instance, chewing with an open mouth can be disgusting to the person watching. When a person does this, it is a thoughtless gesture.

Some people have the bad habits of eating other peoples’ food. They will just reach over and take a bite of something on their neighbor’s plate. They do not consider the fact that the person might want to be asked first. They do not take into account that the person might find it repulsive to share food with someone who has already used their fork.

Loudness in a restaurant is a bad habit that is sometimes appropriate and sometimes is not. In some settings, loudness is the order of the day. In quiet restaurants, though, a person needs to leave the volume turned to a low level. They need to try to fit in with the ambience of the restaurant.

Have you ever heard someone belch, and then say “not bad manners, just good food”? Well, it is bad manners, and bad habits, too. Nobody wants to hear that, and it is not excused by an attempt at humor. Some people seem to do this every time they feel the urge without thought to how others feel.

One of the sickening bad habits people have at restaurants is blowing their noses in a cloth napkin. It is not appropriate to blow their nose at the table in the first place. When they use a cloth napkin, the waiter cannot just throw it away. It has to be handled in order to be washed and reused. It is an inconsiderate bad habit.

Some parents have bad habits when it comes to their children’s public behavior. Some will let their children run through the restaurant doing as they please. They will not say a word when their children misbehave. This can spoil an otherwise nice evening.

Other parents are so harsh and critical with their children that it also destroys any chance of anyone having a good time. These are bad habits just as letting the kids be destructive are. Ideally, parents can find a middle ground.

There are also bad habits that affect the way people feel about themselves. If you are a know-it-all, a person might feel inferior to you at first. Eventually, though, it will get old and they will resent you. If you are tactless, you can hurt peoples’ feelings without thinking. You do it just because you are in the habit of “telling the truth.”

There are bad habits that affect the way you communicate with others in the social setting. Monopolizing the conversation may make you feel good, but others will feel unappreciated. Interrupting can be a bad habit that prevents you from developing closeness with acquaintances.

Correct your bad habits in social situations and you will find that people are friendlier with you. You will see that good habits will get you much more good attention than bad habits.
Creative Solutions Using ‘What If?’

April 28, 2018

For the most creative solutions you need to get your mind looking in new directions. One of the most systematic ways to do this, is with a list of words, primarily adjectives, to create “what if?” scenarios. The process starts with the question, “what if it was…” and then you insert a word from the list. “It” in the question is the problem you’re working on, or the current solution or situation.

Let’s explain the process with an example or two.

Example one: You have is an unpleasant co-worker. You aren’t sure how to deal with him, so you ask about the problem, “What if it was…” and insert from the list “smaller.” How could you make the problem smaller? Spend less time with that person? Get reassigned?

“What if it was… fun?” makes you wonder if being annoying yourself might keep the other person away from you. “Closer” makes you wonder if this person might be nicer to you if they knew you better. You continue down the list and work with each word a bit to get new ideas, which you will look at more analytically later.

Example two: Your house is too crowded because you’re running your business from it. You ask, “What if it was…” and insert from the word list, “smaller.” Your house is already too small, but could the business be smaller? The word “divided” might give you the idea to keep the business in just one part of the house.

Since most words on the list won’t help, you can go through the irrelevant ones quickly. But don’t automatically dismiss them without a few seconds consideration. “What if it was hopeless?” may seem like a useless question, or it may make you realize that you just can’t keep the business in the house any longer. Moving into a rented office might be the most profitable of your creative solutions.

<b>The Creative Solutions Word List</b>

Feel free to create your own list of words. You’ll want to use adjectives, descriptive phrases, and any words that can change your perspective. Here is a short list to get you started:

What if it was… larger, smaller, farther away, closer, sooner, later, easier, more difficult, higher, fat, rich, short, black, certain, hopeless, newer, boring, casual, subtracted from, cheaper, common, divided, more interesting, extravagant, subtle, or fun?

Just as with most problem solving techniques, it’s important to allow the ideas to flow without judging them initially. You don’t want to stifle the creative process. Take notes, then evaluate your ideas later, when you have a page full of creative solutions.
Bad Habits in the Workplace

April 27, 2018

Everyone suffers when someone on the job has bad habits in the workplace. Bad habits can make for an environment that is unfriendly, unproductive, or even unsafe. You can only correct your bad habits in the workplace if you recognize them.

One of the most noticeable bad habits in the workplace is tardiness. Some people just have a habit of being late to everything. They are late to arrive, late back from break, and late back from lunch. This not only puts them in jeopardy of losing their jobs. It can affect the productivity of the whole crew or office.

Absenteeism is another bad habit that people can fall into easily. A new trend is to make all accumulated days off the same. Sick days, personal days, and vacation days are lumped together. You just have a set number of days off and it is up to you how you take them.

The trouble with this system is that too many people have bad habits about using the days off. They get used to taking off whenever they feel like it. Before they know it, all their days off are gone. Then, when they really have an emergency or illness, they have to miss work without pay. In the meantime, their workload is being handled by someone else.

People often have bad habits in the workplace when it comes to paperwork. They do not do proper accounting on their expense reports. They do not keep the receipts that are needed by their company. They fail to keep mileage records on their company cars accurately. This makes the company’s accounting department have to work harder.

Many workers have an aversion to doing paperwork at all. They have bad habits of not filling out jobsite reports as needed. If they do special business reports as requested, they may have bad habits about not turning them in on time.

Clean work spaces can help people get more work done. However, many people have bad habits when it comes to keeping their desks and offices neat. They may have a certain kind of organization if they have stacks of papers on their desks. Yet, if their desk is full of half empty pop cans and crumpled up fast food bags, it cannot help anything.

People often get into the bad habit of losing things. They may lose important paperwork. The paperwork may be critical contracts for a major deal the company is involved with. If your bad habits take over, you can cost the company everything.

People in other kinds of jobs can get into the habit of losing tools. They do not pay enough attention when they lay down their tools. When they get ready to clean up for the day, they have no recollection of where they put a particular tool, if they remember using it at all. This is a bad habit that amounts to laziness in thinking.

If you want to make an impression at work, get a grip on your bad habits. The way you work will be a result of the habits you bring to the table. It is the good habits that make you succeed.
How to Regain Your Lost Self-Confidence

April 26, 2018

Nobody can hurt you without your consent

There are many instances in life where your confidence is hit hard. Sometimes you overcome life’s hardness, sometimes you get overwhelmed. Sometimes your courage and confidence sees you through, but sometimes your self-confidence gets a beating. However, the point here to remember is that “Nobody can hurt you without your consent.” The problem is not as important as the impact it had on you, rather the impact that YOU let the problem create on you. In life pain is inevitable but suffering is optional, as the saying goes. It’s purely your choice, and whether you choose to bounce back or suffer is entirely your prerogative.

There can be many reasons that your self-confidence is hurt. You may have had a bad marriage and now are heading for a divorce. You were not chosen for your college’s football team; you may have been laid off. There’s definitely a lot of pain involved in any of the situations. But you don’t necessarily have to suffer. You must arise and resolve to get back your confidence.

The following ways would help you do just that.

Look at the brighter side

If you have been laid off, it would be okay to feel bad about it for a day or two but not more than that. Losing a job is a terrible thing, but it does not mean the end of the world. Who knows it might be a blessing in disguise. Maybe you have got some time to review your life, get aware of where you are going, have a look at your likes and hobbies which you could not develop because of pressures of your job. Maybe this is an opportunity to start afresh and live your life a new way which is more in sync with your abilities and aptitude. Similarly, a divorce may cause great pain but then you weren’t too happy in your marriage either. It probably was just not meant to be. Now you have a chance to rebuild your life the way you want it to be.

Stop comparing yourself with other people

When we have a problem we always question God – “Oh, God, why me?” Certainly God gave you a lot of rewards as well. Did you then get up and ask God –“Oh God, why me?” That’s what human nature is all about. We complain and remember God when we are in trouble or else we are too busy with ourselves. Stop looking at other people who seem too happy and comfortable to you from a distance. Stop comparing their comfort with your suffering. This will only frustrate you further. Focus on yourself and make every effort you can make to go out whenever you are feeling down. Self-pity is very addictive and capable of destroying lives. Instead of indulging in self-pity (though we all do from time to time), take control of your life and take responsibility for your actions, learn from your mistakes and make a fresh start. And yeah…don’t be bogged down when you hear a “NO”. A “NO” is something which even greats like Edison and Ford, too, had to face. If you look at them positively, you will find that each “NO” actually takes you closer to a “YES.” It’s been reported time and time again that Edison conducted more than a thousand failed experiments before he actually made an electric bulb! So get going and take the an occasional no in stride.

Are you standing in your own way

You will notice that shadows are caused when we stand in the path of sunshine. In our lives, too, we cause a lot of shadows by standing in the way of our own happiness. In today’s world, it is important to be flexible. A lot of people will look for a job for months, yet still reject work coming their way because they are not willing to adapt to some new job requirements. Jane, a schoolteacher, was laid off from her job. She kept trying for months to get a job as a teacher while rejecting opportunities such as taking private tutions, being a nanny, doing copy-editing work as a freelancer. The long wait hurt her self-confidence even more. Sometimes it is wise to be a little flexible and adapt ourselves to new job demands rather than to look exactly for what we lost. It helps regain confidence quickly which brings along enough energy to get an even better job in the field of your choice!
Is Your Marriage a Companionship or a Love Affair?

April 25, 2018

Every marriage is just like any relationship. They have their ups and downs, agreements and disagreements and good days and bad days. When you put two people from different backgrounds with different ideas, feelings and expectations together, you simply can’t expect everything to be wonderful all of the time! While some marriages have very serious problems that can only be solved by intense focus and even therapy, most marriages simply become ‘stale’ or uninteresting.

It is important to reflect on exactly what is causing any conflict or uneasiness in a marriage before acting on it. In a great many marriages, the excitement and ‘take my breath away’ feelings are fading or they are even gone. It doesn’t mean that the love is gone. Love sometimes needs a little stimulation in order to revisit and maintain the feelings we all crave and yearn for. That stimulation is called ‘romance.’

Many people mistake a marriage that seems to be ordinary or unexceptional as lacking love. It simply isn’t the case! Most marriages do not lack love, but they do lack romance! Love is easy and peaceful, while romance is what makes a relationship hot and arousing.

Every single person on earth in any type of relationship desires passion and romance in his or her life. Unfortunately, there are a few things about romance most people don’t understand. The most common problem in creating romance in a relationship is that people simply don’t know how to do it! Other times, people are fixed in cultural classifications and their partners are unable to appreciate them for their own special and unique qualities. Ultimately, some people have simply given up on their search for romance.

In a time where everything is convenient and available almost at the touch of a button, the effort of romance seems as if it takes a good deal of effort. It is very possible to take some old-fashioned romantic ideas and make them work in a modern world while maintaining the genuine intention behind each thought and act. Romance today can be filled with unique ideas, creativity and passion. Romance is simply the way you express your love for another person. It is vital to keeping love fresh, exciting and alive. Without romance, love can become tiresome and even worse.

The expression of love through romance keeps it alive, fun and worthwhile. Romance is only true, though, when carried out with no ulterior motives. The only reason romance should be initiated is in an attempt to show love and appreciation. Romance with true intentions is when you want to show your mate that you are thinking about them and they matter enough to make the effort to bring your love to life through action.

Romance is more like an artistic creation as opposed to an exact science. Those who tend to feel competitive in almost everything they do will need to check that attitude at the door when initiating romance. Love and romance should not be considered a contest that should be outdone time and again. It should be considered a cooperative activity. While love and romance take two in order to work, you can be extremely romantic while still keeping your individuality. Love and romance make perfect partners and can make you and your partner ‘perfect’ companions as well!
Setting Goals for Students

April 24, 2018

All students have universal needs such as good study skills, effective time management, academic and social support systems, and recreational outlets. You may be well out of proper direction if one of these is not given value. You can be guided by a good set of goals.

A set of goals will begin by having a clear understanding of your overall vision or long range goals. You must have a definition of why you are in school and what is important to you now and hereafter.

Set goals that are manageable, realistic and attainable for you now as a student and in the future – meaning short term and long term plans. Set concrete and specific goals that you can transform into achievable tasks on a daily basis. Specific short term goals can be “study my chemistry lessons at least 1 hour every night” compared to the usual “study more.” Being specific in making goals will guide you on what you are exactly set out to do.

Goal setting improves students’ self-image. It calls to awareness your strengths that are necessary to overcome and provide solutions to problems, and your weaknesses so you can start to improve them. If students learn how to set their goals properly, it can give them visualization on how to plan actions to achieve goals and how to carry them out.

Other benefits of goal setting:

– Motivates you to set priorities as a student and make a clear direction of your desires

– Makes you responsible in the decision making process

After you have set your goals, here are some ways that can help you while you are achieving them:

– Find a group of friends that you can really trust even with your life. You can develop friendship with someone that cares about you and your goals.

– Develop your study habits. Do not force yourself if you cannot concentrate, instead walk away from your notes for awhile and relax your mind. Then you can go back to studying as soon as you feel better.

– Design yourself a schedule that will help you manage your time and your school activities. Make one and stick to it faithfully.

– Communicate with your teacher right from the start. If you have questions, ask. This will help you better understand your lessons while maintaining a good relationship with your teacher.

– Focus especially during exams, afterwards you can relax after receiving good grades.

Follow through

Your goals are surely challenging. You will expect and encounter problems and setbacks. That is why self-discipline and persistence are important parts of your action plan.

Being a self-disciplined student and person sometimes means doing what you don’t want to do and giving up something you want – so that you can achieve greater goals. Sometimes, you need to pass up on a movie invitation to give time to studying your lessons for an exam the next day. This can be difficult with peer pressure to add, but just remember that you can watch all the movies you want after passing your all your tests.

Strong will and determination are important for failures are numerous. It is a matter of asking yourself if you truly are willing to do what is needed to get what you really want.

Discipline and persistence are vital ingredients you shouldn’t take for granted.

Do all these with a good attitude.
After all, all of the tests and papers will be over soon enough and a bigger challenge awaits, success in the corporate world.
REST AND SLEEP

April 23, 2018

All the parts of the human body work together, although each one has its especial part to do. The stomach must have a time to rest between meals. The other parts of the body require rest, too. This they usually get while we are asleep. We must not be neglectful and fail to give them enough rest, or they will soon get worn out and give us trouble.

Sometimes, when people are not well or are all tired out, they find they cannot sleep well at night. There are a number of little things that can be done to induce sleep. A warm bath before retiring, followed by a gentle massage, especially along the spine, often will, by relaxing the nerves and muscles, produce very good results. A hot foot bath, which draws the blood away from the brain, frequently will be found beneficial. A glass of hot milk or cocoa, taken just before retiring, often will have the same effect. If the sleeplessness is a result of indigestion, a plain diet will relieve. Sleeping upon a hard bed without any pillow sometimes produces the desired effect. Always have plenty of fresh air in the room. Keep the mind free from the cares of the day. If they will intrude, crowd them out by repeating something else some soothing sentence or bit of poetry. One good plan is to close the left nostril by pressing on it with the finger, then take four deep breaths through the right nostril. Then close the right nostril and take four deep breaths through the left one. Repeat this about four times. Then breathe slowly through both nostrils, but count your breaths. You seldom will count very many. Never take any sleeping powders or tablets except upon the advice of a physician, for they usually contain drugs that will injure the heart.

You will find that you will meet a number of men who are nervous, which means they have not control of their nerves, but let them run away with them. Sometimes this is shown in palpitation of the heart, headache, backache, and many other disorders. There may be a tendency to cry at trivial things, or a feeling of having “the blues.” The cause usually can be found in uncongenial surroundings or occupation, loss of friends, or real or fancied troubles. Whatever the cause, it should be removed, if possible, and measures taken to restore the worn out nerves that are crying for rest or food. Tonics help, so does nourishing food, such as eggs and milk; also a change of scene and occupation, if possible. A man who is nervous frequently does not realize what is the cause of his condition, and considers only the symptoms. So when he has a headache, resorts to medicine. In taking these she only is deadening the pain and not removing the cause, so the pain is liable to return.
Organizing Pitfalls

April 22, 2018

Have you ever considered why you may be having trouble getting organized? Below are the top five reasons. Check and see if you are falling into one of these traps.

1. The ‘I’d Rather Do Something Else’ Mindset.
Let’s face it. We’d all rather be doing something fun, correct? One way to overcome this problem is to schedule your organizing projects for first thing in the morning. Do your project for an hour or so, and be done with it. Once it’s out of the way, your day will be free to do things that you really enjoy.

2. The ‘All or Nothing’ Philosophy.
You may be unwilling to begin an organizing project because you only like to start things that you know you can conclude in one session. Waiting until you can do ‘the whole thing’ often ends up in nothing getting done.

3. Broad Goals and Priorities
Just making the statement, ‘I have to get organized,’ is too open. It often results in an overwhelmed, ‘I don’t know where to start’ feeling. Instead of saying you want to get organized, make a list of the exact things you’d like to organize, such as your bedroom closet, or your filing cabinet at work, or your schedule.

4. A Sense of Attachment.
Sometimes it’s really hard to part with things because you may feel a sense of attachment. It is imperative to decide what things are ‘really’ important to you and what things are just taking up space.

5. Fear of Failure.
One of the major reasons for not starting an organizing project is fear of failure. You may feel that since you haven’t been able to get organized for so many years, that it will be impossible for you to get organized now. Or, you may feel that even if you do manage to get it organized, you might not be able to keep it up. Positive thinking is a must!!
Organizing Your Papers

April 21, 2018

It has been projected we make use of twenty percent of our possessions eighty percent of the time. If we apply this to paper are we in actuality only using twenty percent of the paper fit to bust from our filing cabinets? Hard to see, but pretty probably correct. Below are a few tips to put into practice in your mission to better manage the paper found in your office:

Set up a system for receiving, reviewing and storing your daily mail. This may be a simple inbox sitting in close proximity to or on your desk. The main thing is to have an exact place designated to hold incoming items. An outbox will add even greater organization.

When it comes to filing, remember the mantra “You file to retrieve. You do not file to store.” Files exist to assist us, not to discourage us. Make sure you are filing stuff in a way that will permit you to recover them swiftly and only accumulate the papers that are beyond doubt needed.

Take a good look at your current files. Do you know the contents of each and every one of your files? Are others able to retrieve things in your absence? Are they easy to get to with space for future growth? If you answered “no” to any of these questions, odds are you could do with spending some time sorting and eradication.

Do not be tempted by the copy machine. If you are saving a document by electronic means, you most likely do not have to salt away a hard duplicate too.

Organized offices and homes compel productivity upward, increase competence and assist you to juggle the demands of both. As you develop systems to keep you organized, you will be able to transform your life, not just your space.