Stress Management Over Your Holiday

 

Stress Management Over Your Holiday

 

Managing Stress During the Holidays Within All of Your Relationships

Holiday traditions vary, but one seemingly constant of the season is the additional time spent with family and friends. Managing stress during the holidays doesn’t always come easy, with 62% of respondents to a holiday survey reporting elevated levels of stress during the season.

Your to-do list could be to blame, but could your relationships be the cause of your holiday-related stress? While it’s impossible to control the environment of every gathering you attend and interaction you have, you can do your part to keep the peace with the following tips.

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH IMMEDIATE FAMILY
With no school and holiday vacations, you’ll likely be spending more time than ever with your immediate family during this season. Here are a few ways to make sure your household remains calm and collected through the unavoidable holiday chaos.

Set expectations. Kids off school will have spare time on their hands. Don’t be afraid to throw a few extra chores their way to lighten your load. Let them know when it’s okay to have friends over and when you expect family time. That way, they aren’t overwhelmed or disappointed.
Make time for tradition. Sometimes schedules get too hectic and the things that matter most get pushed aside. To avoid the rush, have your family decide on one tradition this year that’s a must. With everyone on board, you’re more likely to make memories than have regrets.
Connect with your partner. Spend time with your partner or spouse celebrating the spirit of the season. Enjoy a romantic dinner or leisurely complete a few holiday errands together. No matter what you do, do it with purpose and appreciation.

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH FRIENDS
The holidays are a great time to catch up with old friends, but if you have more friends than free nights, this is easier said than done. Here’s how to make sure you don’t get overwhelmed.

Develop a gift policy. Though it may seem a bit awkward, take the time to discuss gift-giving practices with your friends. Decide on a budget if you’re going to exchange gifts or make a pact to spend time together instead of money. This will prevent any awkward and unreciprocated gift exchanges.
Don’t overbook. Instead of scheduling dinner with the Jones’ on Friday, bowling with the Smiths on Saturday, and brunch with the Clarkes on Sunday, consider hosting one party where everyone can gather and celebrate together.
Gather in the name of charity. If budgets and schedules are making the idea of a dinner party stressful, consider a party with a purpose. Host a Friendsgiving fundraiser, work a shift at a local soup kitchen, or spend a night hosting Bingo at a senior living center. Whatever you decide, do it together and for a cause.

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS AT LARGE GATHERINGS
Over 80% of surveyed Americans attend gatherings with extended family and friends during the holiday season. If you’re one of them, you might be worried about unresolved or newly developed tension. But by following these guidelines, you can enjoy and escape the big event unscathed.

Accept what you can’t control. If your aunt has a few too many glasses of wine or your uncle frequently spouts pessimistic comments, accept their quirks and move on. Getting upset will only add to your stress, not prevent it.
Shy away from controversial topics. If you know a topic will create tension, it’s best to avoid it and introduce a safe holiday topic If a heated discussion begins to develop, you always have the option to walk away.
Share the work. Between planning, coordinating, cooking, and cleanup, holiday gatherings are a lot of work. If you’re in charge, disperse the work between family members. If you’re a guest, offer to help where you can.
Put off the celebration. The holiday season can fly by. If it’s easier, schedule large gatherings after the New Year. You are more likely to find a date that works for everyone. It may also be easier to enjoy the time spent with your family and friends.

Managing stress during the holidays starts by focusing on your relationships.

“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Maybe they weren’t talking about turkeys and tinsel, but John and Paul were onto something with their famous quote. What are you adding to your relationships? Make sure that what you’re putting out this holiday season is identical to what you hope to receive.

The holidays don’t have to put a strain on your relationships. Make managing stress during the holidays a priority, and the rest is sure to fall into place.

 

How to Live with People During Quarantine

 

How to Live with People During Quarantine

 

If you’re quarantining with a spouse or partner, children, or roommate, you already know: it’s not all fun and games! From kids interrupting conference calls to learning to share an office with your spouse to the near-endless stream of dirty dishes, many of us find ourselves in new and challenging day-to-day circumstances. When we’re with someone 24/7–especially when we don’t have the option to go elsewhere – it’s easy to feel stuck, overwhelmed, annoyed, and even angry. Here are some tips to get along better, and even strengthen your relationships, with the people you’re quarantined with.

COMMUNICATE.
This is relationship tip number one in just about any situation, but communication is even more important when you’re stuck in quarantine. You and your housemates will inevitably get on each other’s nerves. Ignoring your problems and feelings will only lead to resentment and damaged relationships.

One way to establish strong communication is to schedule regular household meetings. During these meetings, each person in the household should have the chance to air their feelings and pain points. But remember, the point isn’t just to get things out–you also need to work together to find ways to resolve problems and miscommunications.

Another important factor to remember when it comes to communicating with your quarantine buddies is timing. Don’t try to discuss a problem or situation when either of you are still upset. Take some time to cool down first, and then talk it out.

Finally, don’t just focus on the negative! Your kids are probably used to receiving praise or acknowledgment at school, and we adults certainly like being appreciated and acknowledged at work. Thank your family members when they help out or praise them for doing something well. You could even set up a “good job jar” where household members can jot down nice notes about the good things they see their loved ones doing. You can read these notes during your household meetings, and even choose a “member of the week”!

GET SOME SPACE.
Maybe the gym has always been your happy place. Maybe you find peace and quiet during your evening drive home from work. These escapes might be off-limits to us right now, but we can still find ways to get much-needed “me time.”

Go for a short walk (it’s healthy to get outside!), take a relaxing shower, or go to bed half an hour earlier than your partner to read a good book. Especially if you don’t have a lot of space, these simple fixes can be real relationship (and mental health) savers!

If you have kids who are old enough to be left alone, set aside thirty minutes a day when they’re not allowed to bother you unless it’s an emergency. Set them up with a movie and then go read a book, bang out a few push-ups and crunches, play a game on your phone–whatever you need to do to come back a little bit refreshed.

Again, communication is key here. If you need to hop on a conference call but your spouse is typing away loudly, see if they could do something else for a while or take their computer to another room. If your roommate asks you to watch a movie but you really just want to read your magazine, speak up. When you need space, don’t be afraid to ask for it!

FOCUS ON QUALITY TIME.
You’ve got the quantity, that’s for sure. But what about the quality of time you’re spending with your loved ones in quarantine?

It’s easier and more tempting than ever to while away the days on our screens. But this is actually the perfect time to put down the phones and reconnect with the people who mean the most to you! Break out an old board game or multi-player video game. Listen to a podcast or audiobook together and then discuss it. Cook a meal together. Play charades. Write and put on a family play. Talk about your lives, your favorite memories, your hopes and dreams for the future–and really listen.

Using this time to make positive memories can help reduce fears about the future and lead to stronger, more resilient relationships.

GO EASY ON THEM–AND ON YOURSELF.
We are living in unprecedented times. The news seems to change hour by hour, and much of it remains bleak. We are all experiencing fear, grief, and uncertainty. We are all human. So give your loved ones a little leeway when they’re not acting like their best selves, and do the same for yourself.

One way to do this is to “practice the pause” –count to five before reacting to negative behavior or situations. This can give you enough time to take a breath and remind yourself that everyone is just doing the best they can. You can then react with a little more patience and grace. You can even teach your kids to do this by counting out loud with them when you sense tension and tempers starting to flare.

We may not know when or how, but this time will pass. By using these simple tips, you can help your family, and yourself, come out even stronger on the other side.

 

Dalian City

 

Dalian City

 

Dalian, Wade-Giles romanization Ta-lien, Russian Dalny, conventional and Japanese Dairen, formerly Lüda, city and port, southern Liaoning sheng (province), northeastern China. It consists of the formerly independent cities of Dalian and Lüshun, which were amalgamated (as Lüda) in 1950; in 1981 the name Dalian was restored, and Lüshun became a district of the city.

Situated at the southern tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian has a good deepwater harbour that is ice-free throughout the year. It has an extremely important strategic position, commanding the entrance to the Bo Hai (Gulf of Chihli) and maritime access to Tianjin. Pop. (2002 est.) city, 2,181,583; (2007 est.) urban agglom., 3,167,000.

Lüshun, historically known in the West as Port Arthur, long was an important port of entry for southern Manchuria (Northeast China). It was used as a staging post in the 2nd century BCE by Chinese colonists of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE) in northern Korea and by the Tang dynasty (618–907) in campaigns in the 7th century. During the 15th and 16th centuries, under the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), it was a fortified port for Chinese settlements in the Liaodong area. It was captured by the Manchus in 1633 and became the headquarters of a coastal defense unit under the Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12). In 1878 it was chosen as the chief base for the Beiyang (“North Ocean”) fleet, China’s first modern naval force, and was again fortified.

Captured by the Japanese in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–95, it was leased to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki, which ended the war. However, after the intervention of the Western powers that followed, it was returned to China. Russia, which was eager to acquire an ice-free port on the Pacific, occupied the Liaodong Peninsula in 1897 after the Germans had taken Jiaozhou (Kiaochow) on the southern side of the Shandong Peninsula. In 1898 Russia acquired a lease of the Liaodong Peninsula and the right to build a railway connecting it with the Chinese Eastern Railway at Harbin in Heilongjiang province—and thus with the Trans-Siberian Railroad. The Russians constructed a heavily fortified naval base for their Pacific fleet at Port Arthur, began the development of a commercial port in nearby Dalny (Dalian), and in 1903 completed the rail link to Harbin. During the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–05, Port Arthur was one of the principal Japanese objectives. In May 1904 the Japanese army cut off the Liaodong Peninsula from the mainland and seized the port of Dalian (called Dairen by the Japanese). The Russian forces withdrew to their supposedly impregnable base at Port Arthur, but it too was eventually taken by the Japanese.

The Treaty of Portsmouth (1905), which concluded the war, transferred Port Arthur to Japan. The Japanese renamed it Ryojun and made it the administrative and military headquarters of their Kwantung Provincial Government (later transferred to Dairen) and of the Kwantung army command (later transferred to Mukden [now Shenyang]). The naval base was strengthened and became a base for Japanese military operations not only in Manchuria but also in northern China.

The Yalta Conference (February 1945) had envisioned the return of the Liaodong territory to the Soviet Union after World War II, and, under a treaty of friendship and alliance concluded in Moscow later that year between China and the Soviet Union, it was agreed that the Port Arthur naval base was to be used jointly by the two countries for 30 years but that the Soviet Union would be responsible for its defense and the Russians would have control of the peninsula, apart from the port of Dairen.

The last Soviet forces finally withdrew from Lüshun (Port Arthur) in 1955, after which it became an important Chinese naval base. Present-day Lüshun district is a fine city laid out on Western lines. It consists of two separate parts: the old (eastern) town, which contains the port installations, and the new (western) town, which is largely residential.

After the Russians took the lease of the Liaodong Peninsula in 1898, they initially focused much of their attention on building up the existing Chinese naval base at Port Arthur as the headquarters of their Pacific fleet. However, they also selected a minor nearby fishing village on the peninsula called Qingniwa to be developed as a major commercial port, which they called Dalny. They laid out a spacious Western-style city, dredged the harbour, and constructed wharves, piers, and breakwaters. Only the first stage had been completed by the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. After control of the Liaodong Peninsula was transferred to Japan in 1905, the Japanese (who renamed the port Dairen) completed the Russian plan, developing a fine modern city and an efficient modern port. By 1931 Dairen was a major Chinese port, exceeded in its volume of trade only by Shanghai.

Under the Japanese, Dairen became a major industrial centre. A chemical industry was established, and the city also became a centre of cotton-textile production; development of the latter, however, was hampered by the competition of Jinzhou (a short distance north on the Liaodong Peninsula) and by the depressed state of the Japanese cotton industry in the 1930s. Since the completion of the South Manchurian Railway in 1901, it had been the railway’s headquarters; huge railway workshops were built to supply locomotives, rolling stock, and equipment to the railway and also to other rail lines in Korea and northern China. In the 1930s the machine-building industry was further developed with the construction of a large plant belonging to the Dairen Machinery Company. In addition, shipbuilding became important during that decade, and by 1941 the port was producing ships of 8,000 tons.

During the postwar Soviet occupation of the Liaodong Peninsula, the city was less seriously damaged and looted than most of the other Manchurian cities. The merger with neighbouring Lüshun to form Lüda (the name derived by combining the first characters of Lüshun and Dalian) greatly expanded the area and population of the city. Further expansion occurred in 1981, when the name Dalian was restored to the city; the former city of Dalian became Zhongshan district, and Lüshun (under the name Lüshunkou) and Jinzhou were among the other districts created.

The amalgamated city experienced rapid economic growth from 1950. In 1984 Dalian was designated one of China’s “open” cities in the country’s liberalizing economic policy of inviting foreign investment, which further spurred its development. It is now a prosperous industrial centre, noted for the variety and quality of its products. In addition to its importance as a base for shipbuilding and the construction of locomotives, Dalian is a thriving manufacturer of machines, electronics, chemicals, petroleum products, and textiles; high-technology enterprises have become increasingly important. An annual clothing fair hosted by the city attracts large crowds of customers from China and abroad.

Dalian port is among the largest in China, and the city is also a fishing and marine centre. A new harbour, built some 19 miles (31 km) east of the original harbour, is large enough to accommodate vessels of up to 100,000 tons displacement. The city has continued as an important rail terminus and is connected by expressway to Shenyang and from there to other regional centres. Its international airport has regular flights to cities in Japan and Korea, as well as to other major Chinese cities.

Dalian has a number of institutions of higher education, including Dalian Maritime University (1909) and Dalian University of Technology (1949). The city’s thriving fisheries have contributed to the development of a distinctive seafood-based cuisine, and restaurants and catering services are plentiful. Dalian’s beautiful beaches and its unique scenery, which harmoniously combine both Eastern and Western styles of architecture, have contributed to making the city one of China’s major tourist destinations.

China Scholarships

 

China Scholarships

 

here are three main scholarships in China: 1) Chinese Government Scholarship; 2) Local Government Scholarship (city or province) and 3) Confucius Institute Scholarship.
Application Period and Notification of Receiving Scholarship
For Chinese Government Scholarship, you can apply from early January to late March of each year. You should check with the Chinese Embassy (Consulate General) in your home country concerning details covering the application period and important procedures. Notification: around May and June, some applicants may receive notification as late as July and August.
For Local Government Scholarship: Each of the local government scholarship has its own details. Application is open all year round for some of them. Notification: from May to September.
For Confucius Institute Scholarship, application is open all year round. Scholarship result should be announced within 45 working days after the application materials are confirmed.
Two Approaches to Study in China on Scholarship
Get a Full Scholarship
Everyone wants to get a full ride scholarship. Chinese Government Scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses and insurance for the entire duration of study. Confucius Institute Scholarship is as good as Chinese Government Scholarship. However, it is limited to Chinese study. If you are planning to study in other majors such as business, engineering and science, this scholarship is not for you.
Some students assume the best way to get the full scholarship is applying to as many universities as possible in Chinese Government Scholarship. We don’t think this is the right way to do it. You don’t know which university and major you can be accepted or whether you can get the scholarship or not until you receive the notification. Some students find out they can’t get the scholarship in July.
If you want to get a full scholarship, the best way to do is focusing on one or two universities that you have a better chance to be accepted. If you take your application very seriously and will enroll at the university after receiving the scholarship, it’s more likely that the university admissions officer will be more willing to assist you. There are other scholarships you can apply for such as scholarships offered by local government, university and enterprise. In many cases, you can still get another full scholarship even if you can’t get the Chinese Government Scholarship.
Choose the Right University
You need to consider whether the university you apply for is helpful for your future career or not. Most local universities in China don’t accept transfer applications. It’s not easy to transfer if you don’t like the university after you arrive in China. If budget allowed, you should choose the university first, then try to get the best available scholarship. Some scholarships offered by local government, university and enterprise may not be as good as Chinese Government Scholarship. They may cover full or partial tuition only.
Generally speaking, it is more difficult to get the scholarship in universities that international students are satisfied with the quality of the education they receive in bachelor or master degree program. As you can imagine, you will need to compete with many students with excellent grades for scholarship application. A university with high ranking or good Chinese language program doesn’t necessarily mean they can provide a good learning environment for international students in bachelor or master program. Students should try to get advice from experts or people who have already done the program.
Steps for getting Chinese Government Scholarship
In most instances, Chinese Embassy or Consulate General is the dispatching authority in your home country. Embassy of each country has its own specific application details and deadline. Information may be updated every year. You must first contact the Chinese Embassy.
1) Submit your application to Chinese Embassy.
2) After reviewing all application documents, China Embassy will issue the award letter to qualified candidate for Chinese Government Scholarship (applicant who is not on the list of candidates will not get noticed).
3) Contact with universities in China that you want to apply for with the award letter. Pre-admission letter will be issued. Submit your pre-admission letter to Chinese Embassy.
Note: The pre-admission letter from a Chinese university is not a necessary application material. Applications enclosed with the pre-admission letter will be sent directly to the host universities for placement confirmation. Applications without the pre-admission letter will be sent to universities to go through admission procedure. For applicants without the pre-admission letter, Chinese Scholarship Council can’t assure the host university will be one of the preferences of institution, since the capacity of the universities and the eligibility of the applicants will also be considered.
4) Chinese Embassy will send all applications to Chinese Scholarship Council for final review.
5) Wait for notification of receiving scholarship.
Important points you should know
1) You don’t know your chance of getting the scholarship. No one can guarantee that you will get the scholarship. However, you can increase your chance by applying to less competitive universities or certain majors.
2) Students can still get the Chinese Government Scholarship without the award letter to qualified candidate for Chinese Government Scholarship and pre-admission letter. Some universities don’t provide pre-admission letter.
3) The award letter to qualified candidate for Chinese Government Scholarship can’t guarantee that you will get the scholarship.
4) If the university which you want to apply for provides pre-admission letter, you must get one. You will have no chance to be accepted if you don’t get one.
5) Pre-admission letter is very easy to get in some universities.
6) You can still apply if you currently live in China. You will have to send all application materials to Chinese embassy in your home country.

Be Confident Even in The Time of COVID-19

 

Be Confident Even in The Time of COVID-19

 

In the face of COVID-19, stay-at-home orders, and now phased reopening for many businesses, many of us have needed to redefine what productivity looks like in both our work and our personal lives. Between figuring out how to work from home effectively, helping kids with remote learning, preparing to return to commutes and office hours, and simply trying to navigate an uncertain situation, it’s been all too easy over the past few months to feel like we’ve lost control over our time. You might have found yourself becoming easily distracted, procrastinating more, or taking longer to finish simple tasks.

So how do we battle the distractions and get back to a place of balance and productivity? While there are countless tips, tricks, and hacks out there to help us better manage our daily to-do lists, the best way to become truly productive is to take a holistic approach. Such an approach can help you be more productive in all aspects of your life and in all situations – even after COVID-19 becomes a distant memory.

Here are a few key concepts to help you regain control over your time and optimize your overall productivity.

IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES
While we all experience those rare days of superhuman productivity, most of the time it’s just not possible to accomplish absolutely everything we might need and want to do. Trying to do so will only lead to burnout. The path to true, sustainable productivity lies in prioritization.

Spend some time each morning going through your to-do list and identify the top 3-5 things you most want to accomplish that day. They could be related to your work, your family life, your personal hobbies and self-care, or a combination of all these. You can still identify more tasks that you want to accomplish that day, but think of those as more of a wish list. If you don’t get to them, it’s not a big deal because you’ve already taken care of the most important things. And if you do get to them, well, that’s just icing on the cake.

IN OTHER WORDS, STOP TRYING TO DO IT ALL. AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT…

STOP MULTITASKING
Many of us take pride in our ability to do two (or even more!) things at once. But the truth is, that’s not how the human brain functions best. We’re not designed to multitask. When we try to focus on too many things at once, we make more mistakes, are less creative, and actually take longer to accomplish anything at all.

If you struggle to stay focused on just one task at a time, start with small increments. Set a timer for 10 or even 5 minutes and commit to focusing on the task at hand for that amount of time. When the timer goes off, get up and do something else for a couple of minutes. Take a walk, get a cup of coffee or tea, say hello to a co-worker, scroll social media, play with your dog. This will help you to come back refreshed for your next segment of focused work.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT
The world around us provides near constant distractions: clients and co-workers, family, pets, technology, chores, the list goes on. Paying attention to your environment and making it more conducive to calm and focus can help you stay on track.

When you’re engaged in an important task, whether it’s writing a report or helping your kid with their homework, silence your cell phone or put it away in a drawer so you won’t be distracted by messages or social media. A clean workspace has been shown to help increase focus, so try keep your work area, whether at home or in the office, clutter-free. Natural light and fresh air can help keep you awake and alert, so try to spend your focus time near a window if you can.

If possible, establish “quiet hours” with your family or co-workers; these should be times when you aren’t to be interrupted except in case of emergency to allow you to focus deeply on your top priorities for the day.

BE ACCOUNTABLE YET FLEXIBLE
Being accountable for your priorities plays a key role in long-term productivity. Accountability can be as simple as writing down your to-do list and checking things off as you go along or downloading an app that tracks your daily progress.

If you really struggle with procrastination or prioritization, consider enlisting an accountability partner. This can be a friend, spouse, co-worker, or even supervisor – just choose someone who can commit to regular check-ins, can be your cheering section when you accomplish your goals, and can give you tough love when you lose focus.

However, it’s also important to remember that you’re human. Some days we are just not as productive as others. Other times, emergencies or unexpected opportunities pop up during our day that require us to reprioritize. Giving yourself some wiggle room will help make your productivity goals more realistic and thus more attainable.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
We’ve all heard the airplane analogy – you need to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others with theirs. The same goes for being productive. In order to accomplish any of the things you want to do in life, you first need to take care of yourself. We perform at our best when we feel our best, both physically and mentally.

Make sure you get enough sleep and exercise regularly. Stay hydrated, eat regular, nutritious meals, and get fresh air and sunshine. Take time to rest if you are feeling ill or burnt out, and reach out to loved ones or a professional mental healthcare provider if you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed. While making time to take care of yourself might seem like just one more thing on your to-do list, at the end of the day, it’s the most important thing that allows you to accomplish everything else.

 

Live in the Moment

 

Live in the Moment

 

Work, family life, social obligations, chores, exercise…Our to-do lists can sometimes feel like they’re pulling our lives, and our minds, in a million different directions. How can we get it all done? Many of us equate multi-tasking with productivity but as it turns out, trying to juggle a bunch of things at once isn’t the answer. Instead, the real secret to a productive and peaceful life lies in being present.

What does it mean to “be present”?

When our minds are busy, we can easily slip into autopilot. We go through the motions of our day just trying to get everything done but not really paying attention to anything. If you’ve ever wolfed down your lunch at your desk without even tasting it or pulled into your driveway at the end of the day with no clear recollection of your commute, you know what it’s like to be on autopilot. It can make life feel like an endless loop of “do, done, repeat.”

This is the opposite of being present.

Being present means being fully engaged and immersed in the here and now. When we’re present, our thoughts don’t center around what happened this morning or what’s going to happen in an hour. Instead, we’re fully focused on where we are and what we’re doing right now.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING PRESENT

When we are focused on the past or the future, we often experience feelings of regret or worry. Becoming more present can help us reduce these feelings and find more joy in our lives. By paying attention to what is happening in each moment, we become more appreciative of the people, events, and opportunities in front of us. As our appreciation grows, so does our overall happiness and wellbeing.

Being present can also make us more productive. When our mind isn’t distracted, we’re better able to focus and reach that coveted state of flow. We accomplish tasks more quickly and effectively and cross more items off our to-do-list. We’re also less likely to make careless mistakes because our mind is sharp and focused, not wandering off into the past or the future.

Presence can also help boost our creativity. By quieting the mental chatter, we free up space and energy in our minds to come up with new ideas and creative solutions.

HOW TO BE PRESENT

For many people, the phrase “be present” brings up images of meditation cushions or yoga studios. But we don’t need to wait to be in the “right” environment to start learning to become more present. We can work presence into our daily lives at work, at home, during our commute, and even waiting in line at the grocery store. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

START SMALL

Becoming more present takes practice, so don’t expect yourself to get it perfect right away. Start with building in small moments of presence throughout your day. Pick a mundane task, something you do every day. This could be brushing your teeth or pouring your morning coffee. Instead of letting your mind wander to the next item on your to-do list, try to focus solely on the task at hand. Take your time with this task instead of rushing through it like you might normally do. Make each movement slow and deliberate and pay attention to any sensations in your body.

FOCUS ON YOUR BREATH

How often during the day do you notice your breathing? Chances are, not very often. Bringing your attention to your breath for a few moments is a very effective way to pull your mind back into the present moment. Start with ten breaths. Count “in, one” as you inhale and “out, one” as you exhale. If your mind wanders or you lose count, simply begin at one again. You can do this throughout your day to refocus your mind on your current task.

CHECK-IN

Program timed reminders into your phone or your computer. When they go off, take a moment to examine where your mind has been. Have you been focused on what you were doing? Had you drifted off into thought about the past or the future? Use these reminders as gentle nudges to come back into the present moment.

STICK WITH IT

Don’t get discouraged if you find your mind wandering. That’s natural—after all, our minds are designed to think! Presence is like a muscle, so the more you use it, the stronger it will get. With practice, you’ll soon find that you get distracted less easily and are more focused, present, productive, and happy in your day-to-day life.

 

Anshan City

 

Anshan City

 

Anshan, Wade-Giles romanization An-shan, city, central Liaoning sheng (province), China. It lies about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Shenyang (Mukden). Originally a post station on the road from northern China to Liaoyang in the Northeast, Anshan was made a town in 1379 and fortified as part of the defenses set up by the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) against the rising power of the Manchus. Under the Qing (Manchu) dynasty (1644–1911/12), however, its walls fell into decay, and during the Boxer Rebellion (an antiforeign uprising in 1900) the town was destroyed by fire. Further destruction followed during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05), which reduced it to little more than an impoverished village.

Modern Anshan grew up some 6 miles (10 km) north of the old town and was entirely industrial in its origins. In 1909 extensive iron-ore deposits were found in the area, and further iron deposits have been discovered in a belt around Anshan at the towns of Dagushan, Yingtaoyuan, and Gongchangling. The South Manchurian Railway established an ironworks at Anshan in 1918, but production was low until initial difficulties, caused by the low grade of the iron ore, were overcome by new techniques. Under the Japanese occupation of Manchuria (Northeast China) after 1931, Anshan was at first a producer of pig iron for use in the Japanese steel industry, but a local steelworks was established, and production began in 1935. In 1937 Anshan was taken over by the Manchurian Heavy Industry Company, which was partly backed by the Manchukuo (Manzhouguo) government, the Japanese puppet regime in Manchuria. The industry concentrated on the production of steel for armaments, and the city expanded rapidly. In addition to the steelworks, various heavy engineering plants were built, and a shortage of coking coal ended with the development of coal mining at Fuxin and elsewhere.

After World War II Anshan suffered from looting by Soviet forces, who removed most of the advanced equipment. The plant had been heavily bombed toward the end of the war and was further damaged during civil warfare that followed the Soviet withdrawal. By 1948 the population had fallen, and steel production had virtually ceased. After 1949 the rehabilitation of heavy industry at Anshan and elsewhere became a major goal of the communist government. Under the First Five-Year Plan (1953–57) Anshan was built up again into the major iron and steel complex in China and was restocked with the latest equipment, much of it from the Soviet Union. By 1957 it was producing a wide variety of steel products (such as heavy rails, steel plates, seamless tubes, and alloy steels). Anshan also produced equipment for other major iron and steel complexes elsewhere in China. By the late 1950s it was producing more than 40 percent of the total Chinese production of iron and steel. As the chief centre for industrial development, Anshan received numbers of technicians and workers who came from other parts of the country for training. Anshan suffered from the withdrawal of Soviet aid in 1960 and the industrial cutbacks that followed, but the city recovered. By the early 1980s it was producing one-fourth of China’s steel.

In the 1960s the attempt to simply increase productive capacity was replaced by efforts to make specialized products, which had previously been imported. In the late 1970s Anshan was China’s chief centre for metallurgical research and technological innovation in the steel industry. It was also a centre of the engineering industry. Industrial products include tractors, chemicals, cement, and paper.

Anshan is part of a well-integrated industrial complex in the southern section of Northeast China. It is supplied with coal from Fuxin, Fushun, and Benxi and magnesium from Dashiqiao, and it obtains food largely through Liaoyang. Its steel production is supplied to the engineering and machine-building industry in other large cities in the Northeast. It also has an oil refinery. Anshan is connected by railway with Shenyang and Dalian. Pop. (2002 est.) city, 1,286,513; (2007 est.) urban agglom., 1,639,000.

Making a Better Plan

 

Making a Better Plan

 

Succession planning has become a buzzword in today’s human resources and business communities.
It’s no wonder: as “first wave” baby boomers begin to retire, some high-level executives of our organizations will be among them. Because the volume of retiring executive level leaders are expected to be proportionately greater than in the past, organizations must ensure that competent, qualified employees are ready to step into these positions. Two questions commonly come to mind; the first is “Why is this important?” A succession plan is created for a number of reasons: so that well-trained, motivated, broadly experienced and capable people are ready to step into these top leadership positions, so that the corporate legacy and memory – the intellectual capital, skills, and culture of the organization – remain with the organization, and so the organization continues to grow and prosper. The second question is “Why should this matter to me?” The short answer: It could just be an opportunity for you.
TIMELY TIPS
Below are tips for both leaders and human resources professionals thinking about beginning the succession planning process, and for employees aspiring to enhance their careers.
For leaders and HR:
Research and explore succession planning standards- even if you don’t have baby boomers planning to retire, key leaders (and the knowledge and expertise they possess) may leave your organization. If you haven’t started your succession planning, do so now. Read about it, get information from contacts and experts, and work with a succession planning consultant.
Determine leadership needs: first, think about critical functions/roles, then identify the key positions associated with each function.
Identify the essential qualities needed to be an effective leader at your organization (the ability to motivate, inspire, create and facilitate change, for example) in addition to the technical skills and qualifications needed for these key positions.
Identify high-level performers within the organization; consider looking outside the organization if additional or diverse talent is needed.
Create a development plan for these individuals. This may include formal education (certificate or degree programs) as well as internal development programs (mentoring, coaching, job rotations, special assignments, and the like).
Plan for a transition period. Development usually takes several years, so preparing for such a change and allowing for new executives to learn informal practices, hierarchies and key relationships are
For the employee:
If you haven’t yet done so, evaluate your strengths and interests and define your career path. Enlist help or a thinking partner to provide an objective viewpoint.
Keep your eyes open for opportunities to demonstrate your skills and commitment. Increase your visibility, perhaps to individuals in other lines of your business.
Pay attention to how business ‘gets done’ at your organization – its culture, its informal practices.
Present yourself as a problem solver, not a complainer. Identify solutions to problems rather than placing blame. Work collaboratively with others to implement a solution. These qualities get leaders’ attention.
Emily can seek out formal education to increase her technical skills. She can also seek support from a coach, groups or seminars for the development of key non-technical skills, such as public speaking, negotiating or leadership skills.
Emily should also look for opportunities to become visible to others in the company, especially those in leadership positions. This may be accomplished by working on special work projects, volunteering for activities or company-sponsored social events that will put her in contact with influential leaders. And, she should remember that demonstrating her skills is a far more effective method to create a positive impression than merely telling others about her expertise.

Achieve Your Goal

 

Achieve Your Goal

 

When you hear the word “goals,” how does it make you feel? Are you excited and motivated? Perhaps you are daunted and a little intimidated? Or are you stressed? The word “goals” can carry a lot of weight for people, but setting and keeping goals doesn’t have to be hard or stressful! When you understand the importance of setting and keeping goals and how to get started, goal setting can lead to a more productive, fulfilling, enjoyable life.
WHY SET GOALS?
Goals act like road signs for your life. Imagine setting out on a cross-country road trip. You most likely wouldn’t start down an unmarked road with no indication of your destination or how long it takes to get there. Without established goals, our lives can often feel like unmarked roads. We are just driving on autopilot with no clear understanding of where we are headed or why. And, we have no way to tell when we’ve arrived anywhere. Goals give us direction and help us stay focused. We can use goals to take our big dreams for our lives and break them down into practical, actionable steps to help us get there.
It’s important to set goals in every aspect of our lives, from our careers to our relationships, health and fitness, and finances. This might sound like a full-time job, but don’t worry. Your goals don’t have to be gigantic undertakings. Something as simple as making time to take a daily walk around the block during your lunch break or scheduling specific times to respond to emails are goals. These small goals move you closer to your desired end result.
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY SET GOALS
So how do you go about setting goals and, more importantly, making sure you follow through with them?
First, take a look at the big picture of your life. What are your big dreams? How does your ideal life look at work, at home, and financially? What do you want to achieve most? These are your big-picture long term goals that will drive your individual goals. Once you’ve established long term goals, you can set smaller, short-term goals that will act as building blocks for your long-term vision.
Perhaps one of your long term goals is to stay fit and active enough to play with your grandchildren someday. When you think about the smaller steps that will help you achieve that goal, you might come up with things like:
Eat a balanced diet so you can maintain a healthy weight
Go to the doctor for regular check-ups
Make sure to exercise at least 30 minutes every day

By identifying the overall target and breaking it down into smaller goals to get there, you can work your big goals into your everyday life more effectively.

Achieving Your Goals
The following tips will help you achieve your goals once you’ve determined your long-term goals and the short-term goals that will help you get there.
WRITE IT DOWN
People who write down their goals are as much as ten times more likely to achieve them. So once you’ve identified your goal, write it down somewhere you’ll see it regularly. Make it your screensaver at work or your phone’s lock screen image; write it on a Post-it note and stick it to your refrigerator or coffee maker. Give yourself a regular visual reminder of what you’re working toward.
MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS
Next, make sure you have a way to measure your goals. We’re all human, and it’s easy for us to get distracted or overwhelmed and fall off track. Having a way to measure our goals helps keep them front and center in our minds. Perhaps as part of your health goals, you buy a fitness tracker to measure your daily movement. Or, maybe you keep a food journal to track your weekly diet. By establishing such simple, practical ways to check in on our progress right off the bat, we can help ensure we keep moving in the right direction.
ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER
You can also keep yourself focused and on track with your goals by enlisting the help of an accountability buddy. This could be a close friend or family member or even an online or in-person group. It’s natural to lose motivation sometimes, and having someone you can rely on to cheer you on and to remind you of your “why” can be the push you need to get back on track.
PERIODICALLY REASSESS
Of course, life changes and we change. Don’t be afraid to revisit your goal and make sure it still aligns with your vision for your life. Similarly, perhaps your short-term goals were a little too large, and you need to break them down further to make them practical. Either way, if you’re having trouble sticking with your goals, don’t get discouraged—just take some time to reassess and make a plan to move forward from there.
By taking the time to set solid goals for ourselves, we can be more proactive in building the happy, fulfilled lives we all desire.