Truly Get On Your Way To De-stessing

We live in a world where we are always running and never stop to take a deep breath and take a look around. We are always so busy with our software development projects and internet phone conferences that we forget how to live. And unless there is a saber tooth kitty about to chase us at any moment, the amount of stress that we experience is just way too much. One of the things that you can do is to daydream by gazing out the window. You might need to find that window first depending on where you work. Your body will automatically relax and as an added bonus, daydreaming can help boost your creativity. You can also tap on your body from the feet up. Use your knuckles to gently tap your way up your body. Focus your attention on the sensations. Tapping is very important when it comes to relieving stress and re-energizing. Lastly, find a pen and just doodle. I find the zen doodles to be very relaxing and it can also stimulate that creative side that you have hiding.

The Internet of Things in a City

With predictions that 66% of the world's population will live in urban areas by 2050, Internet of Things technology is increasingly drawing the attention of city planners, engineers and architects keen on staying ahead of the curve — they're imagining a world with smart street lamps, smart sidewalks and even smart sewage systems. This is not the internet for just web development anymore. In the connected city, there would also be drones making deliveries which in the long run would save money. An interesting part of this concept of connected things is that it is virtually invisible and the cities that are already taking advantage of being so connected look just like any other city. Different metric will be able to be measured in real time giving data that is time based as well as the ability to respond in to the data in real time. Things will also be more energy and cost efficient. This paves the way to living more sustainably. You might be thinking well what is the hold up? First there is the initial cost of setting all this up and secondly, many people are having a hard time buying into it. What are your thoughts?

Keeping an Eye on Your Employees

Did you know that it is estimated that companies spend more that $750 billion paying people for work that is actually not being done? I am not a huge fan of someone alway watching my affairs but when it comes to being in a work place getting place for their work, they should not expect privacy. That is the bottom line. There are some things that employers can do to mitigate the expenses that are associated with people not doing what they are supposed to be doing. Software development and services have come far enough that you can access your employees' computer whenever you want and see what is happening in real time. You can also install video and audio surveillance systems that can record everything and that you can access from any remote location via your laptop and watch and listen in real time. You can also install GPS tracking devices on company vehicles to track salespeople, installers, delivery drivers, and the like who are out in the field.

Do One Thing at a Time

If I can juggle five things at once, I’ll be more effective. If more effective, more productive. If more productive, more successful. The more successful, the happier. It all makes sense. Have you ever been caught in that line of thought? We think that if we do more things now, we will have more time later. The truth of the matter is that when we try to do too many things at once, we are not giving out full attention to any one thing. I bet you are even multi-tasking right now. Do you have music playing somewhere? It there an internet phone service that is demanding your attention? I thought so. Now imagine what would happen if we did one thing at a time? There would be more focus and better decision making which would lead to more productivity because we are able to make better choices. We would also be living more in the moment which research has shown that it is connected to being happier. And isn't that the whole point?

End the Day on a Great Note

All is well that ends well. For the most part anyway. If you are one of those people that feel utterly stressed and worn out at the end of the day and can hardly relax, there are things that you can do before hitting the sack that will help make you feel more positive and get tomorrow off to a great start. The first thing that you should do is get a pencil and paper and write down the things that you are grateful for in your day. Did that video conference go well? Or did you have a good lunch with a friend? You cannot let bad incidents in the day determine your mood. Another great way to de-stress is to take a break from social media and find time to exercise. Take a walk after dinner or if the weather is not good, do some yoga in the house. Lastly, keep things in perspective. No matter how much we plan, things can take longer and get carried over into the next day. It is important to make time for your home life nonetheless. Keep that balance and you will feel better and ready for the next day.

Become a Morning Person

Are you one of those people that hit the snooze several times before you get up in the morning? If you really think about it, it is absolutely ridiculous that we hit the snooze button. It is like saying that you hate getting up in the morning so you do it over and over again. So the question becomes how in the world do you get up in the morning when it is so hard? You could try some mobile applications to get up in the morning and get moving. The key is to consciously decide the next-day's intentions every night to actively and mindfully create a positive expectation for the next morning. Another great trick is to move your alarm clock to the other side of the room. This will make you get up and moving. While you are up, brush your teeth and drink some water. You might be feeling dehydrated which can make you tired.

Big Data and Being Happy

Big data is a good thing in more than one way. It has great advantages in the way of being able to get a glimpse of the trends and some other analyses. It is used for software development as well as in laboratories. There are some things that we as humans can do to really take advantage of it. First of all, since it can be used to remember things, our minds can be less crowded and we can appreciate the moment more fully. Of course, this is easier said than done because we still seem to have our noses in our phones constantly so this "present moment" can get a bit fuzzy. Big data can also know your preferences which means that you will be having to make less choices which in turn will free you from decision paralysis as well as decision regret. We can offload tasks to digital assistants and be able to focus more on the things that make us happy.