Thursday, September 18, 2014

[How-to] How to get noticed at work?

7 Powerful Communication Techniques to Get Noticed at Work



The communication tips below can be implemented on a daily basis in any form of communication. It could be chit chat over coffee, speaking during a meeting or just talking to people for everyday work. These’re important reminders of little things that you can do on a daily basis to make sure that you’re noticed by those who matter.

1. Use Confidence to be Confident

If you haven’t already experienced it, you’ll be amazed at what confidence can achieve. To achieve confidence during communication you must believe in yourself. Believe in your abilities and the fact that there’s a reason that you should be noticed. I cannot stress the importance of confidence as a communication technique for the workplace. If you can achieve this, the rest will fall into place.


2. Be Yourself – Speak Like Yourself

I’ve seen people put on fake accents in this region. It may be because I think people believe it makes them sound more “authentic”. But here’s the thing about fake accents, they make you sound well, fake. Whether it’s fake accents, using words that you wouldn’t normally use or trying to imitate the speaking style of someone else – abandon it all. Instead of putting in the effort to make yourself talk like somebody that’s not naturally you, use the energy to focus your thoughts and get the message across.


3. Don’t Bullshit

Seriously, just don’t. There’s a VERY good chance that the person you’re talking to knows more than you do. Time and time again, I see people trying to convince others of something that really has no basis. And this just makes it all the more difficult to take them seriously the next time they talk. It’s better to stay quiet during a conversation and be known as someone who’s a good listener and knows what they’re talking about rather than become infamous for wasting people’s time.


4. Listen to Others

Have you ever noticed that people who listen get more attention than those who don’t? That’s because people like to be heard. Which means that if you want to get noticed at the office, you need to be the approachable communicator. The person who’s ready to hear the (work related) problems of others and provide appropriate advice. Be careful not to fall into the pit of constantly being interrupted but if you want to be noticed at the workplace, you have to keep your “doors” open.


5. Forget About What Other People May Think

We often assume we know what the next person is going to say and modify our words in accordance with the presumption. This is especially true for women and people who are just beginning their careers. In the fear of not wanting to be wrong, people stay quiet. And that’s the beginning of getting forgotten in the ocean of people that everyone meets. To be noticed, you’ve to speak up and deal with the conversation that will occur (rather than the ones that happens in your head).


6. Admit to Being Wrong 

So many of us come from organizational cultures where constructive criticism isn’t the norm. What this does is, it inherently makes us defensive, which makes it extremely difficult to admit that we’re wrong even if we are. This ties back to point number 3 – you should not be bullshitting your way out of a conversation if you’re wrong. Often admitting a mistake and correcting yourself accordingly is seen as powerful character trait.


7. Ask Questions

 Asking questions provides two benefits. Firstly it makes you stand out and secondly people see that you’re really interested in knowing more. And though there’s really no such thing as a “stupid question” again refer back to point number 3, i.e. don’t ask questions just for the sake of speaking. Be authentic and remain true to your knowledge and yourself.


Knowing the right communication techniques is one of the most important elements of having a successful career. It’s the foundation of how you get ideas across to leaders, how you’re perceived by others and how you interact with your team. Implement the 7 techniques together and I guarantee you’re going to see a positive change in how people perceive and treat you.

Source: PAUL KEIJZER @BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

[INFO] 日幣創新低,這時候不遊日,要等什麼時候?


日幣貶值創新低~現在去日本玩等於就是直接打七五折啊!! 


到底有多便宜,算給你看:

如果以2年前,1日圓兌0.38台幣的匯率計算
東京迪士尼樂園 - 原價6400日圓的門票 = 2432台幣,現在只要1800元! 便宜了632元!
大阪環球影城 - 一日票含稅原價6980日圓 = 2653台幣,現在也只要1964!便宜了689元!

住宿的話,若是一晚1萬日圓的商務飯店,現在也只要2800台幣,整整省了1000元。

還有還有~10月起日本的食品、藥妝、觀光客都免稅喔!! 
現在不去日本旅遊,怎麼對得起自己啊?

再說,雙十連假就快到了,去日本走走,輕鬆計畫賞楓行程
看看這些美麗的楓樹,日幣貶值還讓你整個旅費省很大!
現在是遊日的大好時機,你還在等什麼?

順帶介紹幾個機票/訂房的好站,祝大家有個愉快的日本之旅~



Expedia.com.tw: 一個網站滿足你所有願望!Expedia提供機票預訂、飯店訂房,自助旅行服務以及各地旅遊景點資訊,旅遊優惠,目的地指南等,輕鬆規畫你的完美假期。





Booking.com 是世界上客房銷售量最大的網上住宿預訂公司,每天的平均預訂客房間夜數超過550,000,提供的價格也很優惠!





另一家好用的訂房網,Hotels.com,可以比較飯店優惠、促銷,並有旅客住宿評價可參考。

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

[How-to] Happy with your life.

Today I choose to be happy

Because I can. 

[中文版請看這]

Are you happy with your life right now? Do you feel stuck in life?

I'm not selling you any products, or trying to talk you into some regions. The reason I wrote this topic simply because I sometimes feel it and I keep asking myself these questions. I once typed "how to be happy" in Google searching bar when I hit the bottom. Funny, right? But I believe there are hundred of thousand of people out there have this kind of feeling just like I do from time to time. So, back to topic, how to be happy with your life? What to do when you feel stuck? I'm still trying but here I'd like to share some ideas with you. 

1. Locate the reason that makes you feel unhappy.

This is important and it's a fast way to pull you back from ground. Find out what makes you feel stuck and unhappy, and then do something about it. 

Have a lousy job? Then make a plan, invest yourself and search for the job you want. Not making enough money? Seek out for opportunities and make sure you're ready when it comes. Struggling from yesterday's mistake? Stop your negative thoughts and regret right now, just let go. It's often that we are the one who is publishing ourselves from past. 

Once we locate the unhappy reason, we can take back control of our life.

2. Ignore what other people are doing and achieving, worry less how they think of you. 

It's about your life, not others'. You don't have to compete or compare everything with others. Your life is about how you improve your own, break your own limits to live YOUR best life. Further more, stop gaining or asking for acceptance and approval. You're not everyone's puppet or doll, the only approval you need is yours.

3. You have to do hard things to gain happiness.

You have to do the things that frighten you; the things that others can't do for you; the things that make you question how much longer you can hold on to. 

"Why?" you may ask.

Because those are the things that define you. Those things makes the difference between existing and living – between knowing the path and walking the path. Step out of your comfort zones and do something requires your courage, efforts and determination. Be ready to run farther than you did yesterday and fight harder than you ever have before.  It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

4. Fake being happy until you feel it. 


The last but not the least, and I personally like it the most. Switching your emotion by acting like it. Psychology science research shows that our body doesn't know when a laugh is fake. Even a fake laugh can release mood-boosting endorphins as a natural physiological response. So the simple act of smiling when you’re sad supposedly makes a difference. 


[How-to] 快樂過生活

Today I choose to be HAPPY, becuase I can.
happy  
今天我選擇生活在快樂中,因為我可以


你的生活過的快樂嗎? 是否曾經覺得自己被困住了?

我不是要介紹什麼神奇的產品或是叫你信邪教,我寫這篇文章的原因是因為我也時常問我自己上面這兩個問題。說出來有點不好意思,但以前我在谷底時,我還曾經在Google上搜尋「如何變快樂?」,很好笑,對吧? 但我相信也有很多人跟我一樣,時當質疑自己的生活或是感覺。所以,回到主題,如何快樂的過生活? 當你覺得被生活困住了,該怎麼辦? 我也還在摸索學習,但底下幾個想法和大家分享。

1。找出你不快樂的原因

smileface  
這點很重要,也是最有效率將你從不快樂的深淵中拉出來的方式。找出造成你不快樂的原因,然後針對問題解決它。

不滿意你的工作? 那就訂個計畫,投資自己,提升自己的機會,去追尋你想要的工作。覺得錢賺不夠多錢? 多留意身邊的機會,並確保在機會來臨時你已經準備好把握它。仍掙扎於以前的錯誤/痛苦回憶? 聽我說,過去的事不論你現在做什麼都已經無法改變了,就放開心胸吧! 很多時候是我們自己用過去的事來懲罰自己,別人也許早就忘了或不在乎了。
找出你不開心的原因,把快樂的控制權拿回自己手中。

2。別在乎其他人做了什麼或是達到什麼成就,別在意別人的想法

smileself  
我們關心的是你的生活,不是你隔壁鄰居的,不是某個傑出校友的,也不是某某某的老公或老婆,你不需要跟別人比較或競爭任何事! 別人過得很好,不需要羨慕也無需嫉妒,說聲「恭喜」就好。我們要專注的是自己的生活 – 如何讓自己更好,如何突破自己的瓶頸,如何挑戰自己的極限 - 我們不用去在意別人做了什麼、達到什麼成就或說了什麼,我們也不用委屈自己迎合別人的期待或接納,你不是任何人的玩偶,你唯一需要的只有自己的認可就夠了。

3。你需要付出努力,來得到快樂

morningsmile  
快樂不會憑空出現,你需要付出努力來得到它。也許在付出/努力的過程中,你會感到害怕,你會擔憂,你會想很多有的沒的後果。但這些努力是別人沒辦法幫你完成的,你必須要自己付出/努力,才能得到快樂。
為什麼?” 你也許會問,我不能就選擇輕鬆的路走就好了嗎? 為什麼要折磨自己。
因為這些努力與付出,定義獨一無二的,而不僅僅是一個存在於地球上的個體而已。正是這些堅持與努力,讓你感覺生活在世界上,而不只是存在於世界上。走出你的舒適圈去做那些需要付出勇氣、努力和堅持的事吧。隨時準備好,讓自己今天比昨天進步,堅持你的信念,這並不容易,但最終這些努力與付出都會值得。

4。假裝吧! 就假裝快樂直到你感覺它

fakesmile  
這是最後一個,但也是我最喜歡的一個觀念。就假裝吧,假裝快樂直到你真的感覺到了。我不是亂說的,這真的有科學研究支持! 當你笑的時候,你的身體無法分辨你是真的快樂還是假笑,「笑」這個動作會可以刺激腦內啡分泌 (腦內啡是一種能讓人心情愉快激素)。所以當你傷心難過時,「笑一個」對你的情緒是真的有正面影響的。

Friday, September 12, 2014

[INFO] 6 Stretches for a Lean, Limber Body: target your tightest muscles.

Improve your flexibility with 6 all-new stretches that target your tightest muscles.

Still not getting the results you want from your exercise routine? Blame tight muscles, says Ashley Borden, a celebrity trainer based in Los Angeles. "When one muscle group, like your quads, is stiff, that prevents others, like your glutes, from firing correctly," she explains. End result: compromised performance (and calorie-burning ability), not to mention an increased risk of injury.

Based on a principle called Active-Isolated Technique, it involves contracting one muscle group while stretching the other. This triggers a muscular reflex that will increase your range of motion and deepen the stretch. Best of all, her workout - which targets most women's tightest muscles - takes just minutes a day.

Try these six stretches after your regular cardio or strength workout (aim to do them five times a week). You'll see improvement to your flexibility in as little as two weeks and gains in both your strength and endurance in less than one month.

1. Active Pigeon  

Target: The Piriformis (a deep gluteal muscle)
  • Begin in a full push-up position, palms aligned under shoulders. 
  • Place left knee on the floor near shoulder with left heel by right hip. 
  • Lower down to forearms and bring right leg down with the top of the foot on the floor (not shown). 
  • Keep chest lifted to the wall in front of you, gazing down. 
  • If you're more flexible, bring chest down to floor and extend arms in front of you. 
  • Pull navel in toward spine and tighten your pelvic-floor muscles; contract right side of glutes. 
  • Curl right toes under while pressing ball of foot into the floor, pushing through your heel. 
  • Bend knee to floor and release; do 5 reps total, then switch sides and repeat.  


2. C-Curve

Target: Lower Back
  • Sit on floor with knees bent, feet on floor about 12 inches in front of butt. 
  • Interlace fingers behind hamstrings, pointing elbows out to sides. 
  • Round back, tightening pelvic floor and pulling navel in toward spine; focus on your belly button with jaw pulled in. Inhale through your nose. 
  • As you exhale, draw navel in even tighter and lift left leg, pushing left heel toward wall in front of you while pulling back with pinkie toe; at the same time, push down on right foot (not shown). 
  • Return to start and repeat. 
  • Do 5 reps; switch sides and repeat.



3. Modified Cobra 

Target: Abdominals

  • Lie facedown on the floor with thumbs directly under shoulders, legs extended with the tops of your feet on the floor. 
  • Tighten your pelvic floor, and tuck hips downward as you squeeze your glutes. 
  • Press shoulders down and away from ears. 
  • Push through your thumbs and index fingers as you raise your chest toward the wall in front of you. 
  • Relax and repeat. 
  • Do 5 reps total.






4. Hamstring Stretch Series 

Target: Hamstrings

  • Place a small folded towel behind your head and lie faceup on the floor with legs extended and feet flexed. 
  • Bend right knee to chest and interlace fingers behind hamstrings as close to your groin as possible; gaze at your chest and keep your chin down, neck long (not shown). 
  • Tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor and extend leg, pushing through the heel and contracting quads. 
  • Return to start and repeat; do 5 reps. 
  • Repeat, turning thigh outward (heel points in), for 5 reps. 
  • Relax and repeat, turning thigh inward (heel points out, toes point in), for 5 reps. 
  • Switch legs; repeat series for a total of 15 reps on each leg.



5. Split Squat 

Target: Quads, Calves

  • Stand with feet hip-width apart. 
  • Step right foot about 12 inches in front. 
  • Curl toes of your left leg under; keep weight equal between both feet. Interlace fingers, placing hands under ribs; press shoulders down away from ears. 
  • Tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor; tuck your pelvis under and squeeze glutes. 
  • Slowly bend both knees, coming down in 3 counts; feel the stretch along the left quad. 
  • Press into floor to rise back to start in 3 counts. 
  • Do 5 reps; switch legs and repeat.





6. Quadrupeds 

Target: Shoulders

  • Kneel on all fours with wrists aligned under shoulders and knees under hips, toes curled into floor (not shown). 
  • Bring your forehead toward the floor and slide the pinkie edge of your left hand along the floor in front of you (keep your right palm flat on the floor). 
  • Press shoulders down away from your ears and squeeze your glutes. 
  • Return to starting position by pushing down on your right palm and sliding your left hand back toward your shoulders. 
  • Do 5 reps; switch sides and repeat.


Source: Articles by Alyssa Shaffer; Photos by Chris Fanning @fitnessmagazine

10大怪異Google街景 (竟然有台灣欸!)

10大怪異Google街景   [English]
第10名:Google街景車在東京街頭發現一群面載鳥頭的路人! 原來這些人是日本Daily Portal Z網站的作家們。
top10


第9名:美國底特律有一群少年手中持槍,盯著街景車看。幾個月後,警方在屋中衣櫥中,尋獲一位1歲孩童的屍體。
top9


第8名:台灣GUCCI精品店外行人道上發現一名無人看管的小嬰兒,附近沒有大人。
top8


第7名:知名試車手The Stig出現在蘇格蘭尼斯湖畔,難道是為了宣傳新書 "Where's Stig?"
top7


第6名:2012年,Google街景車在墨西哥叢林中發現一名頭戴防毒面具的男子。
(絕命毒師真實版?)
top6


第5名:德國後車廂爬出的裸男。被發現後,Google很快的刪除此照片。
(話說幸好Google馬上刪除,不然這照片很容易就被鄰居認出了吧....)
top5


第4名:2009年,為了慶祝英國Google推出街景功能,特別舉辦的尋找「威利」比賽。
top4


第3名:協力車載著一隻企鵝玩偶。
(?! 我怎麼看都覺得像猴子載鴨舌帽啊....)
top3


第2名:Google街景車目擊毒犯在布魯克林街角販售毒品,警方搜出海洛因、大麻等毒品,這些人也已被逮捕。
top2


第1名:英國曼查斯特的巷道發現一名應召女朗與客人正從事性交易。Google接到民眾的投拆後,已將照片刪除。
top1


完整影片: div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">

10 Weirdest Things on Google Street View

[中文版]

Top 10: A group of people with pigeon heads stood either side of the Google car spotted in Tokyo.
The pigeons' were staff writers from humour website daily portal Z.





Top 9: A man stands on a Detroit porch pointing a gun at the street view car. A few months prior, the body of a 1-year-old had been found in a closet in that house.





Top 8: A baby on its own in the middle of the sidewalk outside GUCCI. There are no adults in sight on the street in Taiwan.





Top 7: Top gear's the Stig was seen standing at Loch Ness, Scotland. The appearance was thought to be a stunt to promote the book, "Where's Stig?"





Top 6: A man hides in a Mexican forest wearing a gas mask. The Google car caught him crouching between trees in 2012.





Top 5: A naked man climbing out of the trunk of a Mercedes in Germany. Spotted weeks after street view's launch, Google quickly removed the image.





Top 4: In 2009 Waldo was found on street view in Putney, London. The competition to find him was announced in 2009 to celebrate the launch of street view.





Top 3: A penguin being towed in the trailer of a penny farthing. The toy penguin stabilizes the bike of champion penny farthing racer Nicky Armstrong.





Top 2: Street view spotted drug dealers selling on a Brooklyn street corner. Found with heroin, marijuana & drug paraphernalia, they were arrested.A group of people with pigeon heads stood either





Top 1: A prostitute and her client were caught in the act down an alley in Manchester, England. The image was deleted in 2013 after Google received complains.





Which one you found was most weirdest?




Thursday, September 11, 2014

[資訊] 7分鐘運動,讓身體持續燃脂,打造易瘦體質

FitnessMannFrau_thumb
 
2013年,美國運動醫學會 (American College of Sports Medicine) 於《健康與適能期刊(Health & Fitness Journal)》發表了一篇文章指出,只要一張椅子和一面牆,完成這12項高強度訓練動作,就可達到降體脂、鍛鍊肌力、提高胰島素敏感度等功效,而且每個動作都經過科學實證。 - 出處: New York Times 

這組12組動作,結合有氧運動 (aerobic exercise) 與肌力訓練 (resistance training) 的高強度訓練,組成7分鐘一組的高強度循環訓練。所謂的「高強度循環訓練」(HICT),是指透過一系列肌肉鍛煉、阻力運動及有氧訓練,改善心肺功能及肌肉力量,消耗的熱量比長跑更高,具有燃脂及降低心血管疾病風險的效果。
「高強度的訓練」能提供長期耐力訓練的諸多好處,而且只需要幾分鐘瀕臨體能極限的高強度訓練,就能使肌肉的分子發生變化,效果堪稱跑步或是騎車數小時。美國研究發現,每周進行5天的HICT訓練,持續6星期,不但達到肌肉鍛鍊的效果,體脂比例也下降不少。

高強度訓練的精神在於,不是只有在運動時才會消耗熱量,即使運動結束後,在睡覺或是休息時身體仍會持續不斷地燃燒脂肪。因此被證明是比一般有氧運動要更具成效的運動,可以讓你得到達到「一分」耕耘「十分」收穫(A little pain for a lot of gain)的效果。

是不是很心動? 在開始前,先進行3分鐘的熱身,讓體溫升高,稍微有點出汗,讓身體知道你要開始運動了。然後再進行一連串12個動作,每個動作持續30秒,然後休息10秒,再進行下一個動作。

interval_female  

1. 開合跳(Jumping Jacks): 能快速高心跳率之外,也有助於肩膀、手臂、腿部等肌肉的鍛練。

jumpingjack


2. 靠牆半踫(Wall Sit): 這個動作可以幫助受壓迫的脊椎被拉開,訓練大腿肌力並穩定核心,可有效減少腰部痠痛。

wallsit


3. 伏地挺身,或稱俯臥撐(Push-Up): 主要鍛練上肢、腰部及腹部的肌肉,尤其是胸肌。

pushup


4. 腹部捲曲(Abdominal Crunch)
(1) 仰卧,膝蓋彎曲,足部平放在地面上
(2) 將身體中心軀幹拉向脊柱
(3) 肩部上抬,將軀幹捲曲約30~50度,下巴靠近胸前

abcrunch


5. 登階運動(Step-up onto chair): 訓練腿部力量及平衡感。

stepup


6. 深蹲(Squat): 鍛鍊腹肌、臀肌和大腿肌,並強化膝蓋關節及訓練身體協調性。做此式時,背部拉直,且膝蓋不能超過腳尖。

squat


7. 三頭肌撐體(Triceps Dip on Chair): 訓練手臂力量,擺脫拜拜袖,蝴蝶臂的困擾。

tricepsdip


8. 撐體,或稱棒式(Plank): 鍛練核心肌群。做此式時,要注意手肘的位置在肩膀正下方,背打直,腹部及臀部收縮。

plank


9. 原地跑步(High Knees Running in Place): 全身性運動,主要鍛練大腿前、後側肌群和臀部

highkneerunning


10. 彎曲弓步(Lunge): 強化大腿前後側及臀部肌肉。

lunge


11. 俯撐轉體(Push-up and Rotation): 結合俯地挺身與轉體動作,主要鍛練上肢、腰部及腹部的肌肉。

pushupandrotation


12. 側身撐體(Side Plank): 做此式時,要注意運用側腰腹力量將身體往上抬,將上半身撐起,雙腳打直。強化核心肌群穩定性,也可加強鍛練腹斜肌。

sideplank

大家可以跟著YouTube的影片一起做,雖然影片是義大利文,但動畫做的比較好。




運動是一種堅持,是一種生活態度,祝大家都能擁有夢想中的體態!