Plan and Implement a Take Your Child to Work Day

Plan and Implement a Take Your Child to Work DayPlan and Implement a Take Your Child to Work DayOn the fourth Thursday in April, you may show up to work to see a bunch of children running around your office. Hopefully, its bedrngnis due to a weather-related school shut down, but instead, to the annual Take Your Child to Work Day. Begun in 1993 by Gloria Steinem as Take Your Daughter to Work day, boys were included later, and the official title is Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day. Regardless of the name, its all about teaching your kids about life at work. Steinem began the day to illustrate how invisible women were in the office and to help girls understand that they could aspire to this visibility even if their mothers hadnt. Should Your Workplace Participate in Take Your Child to Work Day? The answer is maybe. What do you do? If youre running a restaurant, trying to bring kindergartners in to see how mom and dad work could createan unmitigated disaster. On the other han d, if youre a hedge fund management team, allowing teenageragers to come in for a few hours could open their eyes to what work is like. Its fine, either way. People will not choose to work for you or not work for you based on whether you participate in Take Your Child to Work day each year. If youre on the fence about it, ask your employees. You may find out that people dislike having to put together the activities for the children or pulling their children out of school. Or you may find out that people look forward to this day all year. Each company is different. Ask your employees what they want to do. Think Through These Issues If Youre Considering a Take Your Child to Work Day Before signing up for Take Your Child to Work Day, you need to sit down and consider the following issues Whats your goal? To teach students about what work life is like? To have a fun event that makes parents and children happy? To post pictures on your website, so that job candidates gain positive fe elings about your company?What age children should you allow? Some businesses focus only on teens some focus only on elementary age children. In any case, you should probably exclude babies and toddlers.What activities should you have? If youre bringing in teenagers, perhaps having a short continental breakfast with a peppy talk from the HR manager and then letting the teens shadow their parents, is perfect. If youre bringing in younger children, maybe you need a bunch of activities, from taking a tour of the facilities to doing puzzles and games that deal with the company, followed up by lunch with mom or dad. How long should the daylast? Is this an all-day event? If so, you should not invite young children. A couple of hours is probably best for this group, but remember, the parents will then have to take the kids back to school when youre finished with the Take Your Child to Work Day activities. When youve thought through all of these issues, you can begin to plan your activities . Remind departments of the date so that they can prepare. If you have a huge deadline coming up in marketing on that day, they probably wont want to do a fun presentation for the children, and thats okay. The business still needs to operate profitably. Remember that productivity will likely be low that day. No parent will get as much done with a child or teen shadowing them. If you skip the shadowing and just have planned activities for the children, youll need to pull people from various departments to run the activities. You Need to Invite Everyone to Participate in Take Your Child to Work Day This is an all or nothing event. If you are going to invite children, you get to set up the age parameters and plan the activities. You cannot say, well, if you work in the factory, you cant bring your child to work because thats dangerous, but you can if you are an office worker. While you dont want children running around the factory floor, making distinctions like this will breed res entment. If the CEOs child gets to come in, then the newest hire making the lowest salary also gets to bring her child. You need to treat all of the children the same. If you allow children to shadow their parents, consider also allowing them to shadow people in other departments. Just because mom is an accountant doesnt mean that Jane wants to become an accountant. She may have more interest in research and development. People without participating children may or may not want to become a part of the day. Just ask. But dont require participation. People were hired to do their jobs, not to entertain children.(Unless, of course, your companys work isto entertain children.) Done right, Take Your Child to Work Day can provide a lot of fun, build good relationships, and perhaps even generate some good PR, which is not a bad accomplishment for a few hours once a year. - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance writer who spent 10 years in corporate human resources, where she hired, fired, managed th e numbers, and double-checked with the lawyers.

4 ways sending too many application materials may lose you a job

4 ways sending too many application materials may lose you a job4 ways sending too many application materials may lose you a jobHiring managers welcome a creative cover letter, detailed resume, compelling reference letters and professional follow-up, but is there too much of a good thing? Does too much paperwork or an overload of your application materials send the wrong message? Weve asked HR and job experts about how to make you a stand-out in a good way.Resist using stock cover letters that are too lengthyHiring managers appreciate when applicants send targeted letters rather than stock letters that seem generic. Not only does this reflect your creativity, it can demonstrate your talent. Ive seen too many cover letters where people actually left insert company here or insert position here markers instead of filling in the company, or even worse, listed the wrong organization in their cover letter, says Kris Hughes, senior content marketing manager with ProjectManager.com, which pr ovides project management software. Often, these same cover letters were overly wordy and failed to get to the point quickly and succinctly. Recruiters have very limited time to review materials - especially if they are a one-man HR department or work for a large organization where hundreds of resumes are coming in for each opening so getting to the point as quickly as possible should be the rule of thumb, Hughes says.Keep your resume concise and on pointAccording to Mollie Moric, a career advisor and hiring manager at Resume Genius, an online resume-building platform, the purpose of a resume is for candidates to provide the hiring manager with an accurate description of their qualifications. Although this can be done succinctly, many candidates are under the impression that lengthy descriptions might strengthen their applications, Moric says. However, in my experience, overly extensive applications are often an attempt by candidates to compensate for a lack of experience or neces sary skills. She says a resume shouldnt exceed two pages unless youre a candidate with 25+ years of relevant experience. If youre a candidate with less than 10 years of experience, try and limit your resume to one page, adds Moric.Limit references and recommendations to threeMoric says when shes hiring for a popular role, shell often have upwards of one hundred applications to review and therefore, appreciates when candidates keep their applications concise. Including more than three references on an entry to mid-level resume is a waste of valuable resume space and may make me skeptical as to why a candidate thought it was necessary, she says. If youre attaching letters of recommendation to your job application, limit it to a maximum of threeunless the job posting requests additional letters. In general, I advise candidates to lila drink on the side of caution and only include high-quality recommendations from credible sources, she adds. f letters of recommendation arent requested i n the job application, it may hurt a candidates credibility to include low-quality letters, even if alongside a carefully crafted resume.Limit the urge to keep following upAlthough follow-up communication is an important part of a job application process, sending too many emails or making too many phone calls can hurt a candidates application, says Moric. The first instance in which its appropriate for a candidate to send a follow up is an email checking to see if their application has been received one week after the application period has closed, shares Moric. The second is an email in the 24-hour period after their interview, thanking their interviewer and for their time and expressing enthusiasm for the position. The last instance in which its appropriate for a candidate to send a follow-up communication is if they havent received any communication two weeks following their interview, continues Moric. This email should be a brief abfertigung that reiterates their interest in the position and politely prompts the hiring manager for a reply. I would highly suggest that candidates are conservative when it comes to sending any follow up communication other than these or it may hinder their chances of getting the job.

Tuition Assistance in the Military

Tuition Assistance in the MilitaryTuition Assistance in the MilitaryTuition assistance is given to military personnel who are on active duty, drilling or retired in the regular tafelgeschirrs or the Reserves. This benefit is for voluntary off-duty civilian education programs. It is separate from the GI Bill. What are the limitations of this benefit? You may receive 100 percent tuition assistance if it falls within the limits of the program, which are $4500 per year and $250 per semester hour. The tuition assistance benefit is standard for all of the armed forces, including Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine korporation. It has caps and restrictions, which are subject to modification. It is wise to consult your Education Service Specialist, visit an Education Center, or your services web portal to see what the current policy entails. Annual Ceiling for Tuition Assistance $4500 for the fiscal year (October 1 through September 30)Semester Hour Cap $250Cap on Number of Semest er Hours Per Year 16 semester hoursFees other than tuition might not be funded. Books and course materials are not funded.Services can impose specific eligibility criteriaOfficers will usually incur a service obligation that will run in parallel to an existing service obligationTop-up Program This program allows you to use your GI Bill benefits to take mora-expensive courses that are fully funded by tuition assistance Accredited Distance Learning or Classroom Learning Programs The tuition assistance benefits cover distance learning programs as well as classroom programs. The courses must be part of an approved academic degree or certificate program that is registered with the military. The courses must be accredited. You can find alist of participating institutions through the Department of Defense. Army The Army funds 100 percent of the tuition costs up to the standard caps. The Army limits tuition assistance to 130 semester hours of undergraduate credit or baccalaureate d egree and 39 semester hours of graduate credit for all post-baccalaureate degree education.No school fees are eligible for funding by tuition assistance. You can apply for tuition assistance through GoArmyEdbefore starting the courses. It is approved on a course-by-course basis, and the courses must be part of an approved degree program. In 2014, a restriction was made that a soldier must have ten years of service before they can use tuition assistance for a second, higher-level post-bachelor degree program, such as getting a masters degree if they used tuition assistance for any portion of their baccalaureate degree. You cant use tuition assistance to get a second equivalent degree. Air Force The Air Force funds both tuition and fees for active duty personnel up to the standard cap. There is a cap of 124 semester hours for undergraduate programs and 42 semester hours for graduate-level courses. Your supervisor must approve your tuition assistance request before you start classe s. If you receive a grade of C or below in graduate courses or a D or below in undergraduate courses, you have to pay back your tuition assistance in a lump sum rather than making payments. Tuition assistance requests are made through the Air Force Portal at My.AF.mil. Navy Navy tuition assistance only covers tuition and does not pay for any fees, books, materials, exams, etc. It covers high school diploma and equivalency certificates in addition to college and post-graduate courses. The dollar limits are the same as the standard amount. The hour limits are 16 semester hours, 24 quarter hours or 240 clock hours per person. Failure to maintain grade levels or receiving an incomplete will result in being required to pay back the assistance. Full requirements are listed at NavyCollege.mil. Marine Corps The Marine Corps tuition assistance covers only tuition and does not cover fees, books, exams, and other costs. You can only participate in up to two tuition assistance funded cl asses at a time. You have to pay back tuition assistance if you dont maintain a satisfactory grade, and you wont get further tuition assistance until it is paid back. First-time applicants must have at least 24 months of active-duty service. Reserves and National Guard National Guard and Reservists may be eligible for tuition assistance. It is determined by service eligibility. Both the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard offer Tuition Assistance in line with the standard for active duty personnel. Additionally, many states offer additional education benefits for members of their National Guard. Benefits can vary widely from state-to-state). Army Reserves 100 percent TA up to the standard limits for drilling reservists, 75 percent for officers pursuing a bachelors degree.Air Force Reserves100 percent Tuition Assistance for undergraduate degree programs and 75 percent TA for graduate studies, within the limits of the active duty tuition assistance program.Coast Guard R eservesTA for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. TA cannot exceed $4,000 annually.Navy Reserves The Navy has restrictions on which reservists can get tuition assistance. They must be on continuous active duty or be an enlisted reservist ordered to active duty for 120 or more days or a reservist officer ordered to active duty for two years or more. Marine Reserves There is no tuition assistance for the Marine Reserves unless you qualify for the active duty tuition assistance under Title 10.

Getting Close, but No Job Offers 3 Areas to Focus On

Getting Close, but No Job Offers 3 Areas to Focus OnGetting Close, but No Job Offers 3 Areas to Focus OnAs a job seeker, you might say that your job search is going fairly well if youve been contacted by hiring managers and you frequently go on job interviews. Even better if you often make it into several rounds of the job interviewing process. And yet, youre not getting hired- no job offers. It can be completely frustrating to get so far in your job search, but still not hear those precious words Youre hired. In the Fast Company article, Why You Keep Getting Close But Still Arent Landing Job Offers, youll find three areas to focus on that can get you hired.Heres what to focus on if youre getting close but have no job offers1. Focus on the companys culture.In the past, many companies focused on their product or tafelgeschirr without much thought for how the companys brand was perceived by the public. But today, companies are investing big time in their companys culture and actively r ecruit talent that will match their culture. Some employers are transparent about their cultures, but others arent.So before an interview, do some research to see what exactly the companys culture is like. This can help you to determine ifa) you even want to work for the organization, and if you do,b) youll know how to slant your answers to compliment the companys culture- and make you the top choice for the job.You can even ask questions about the companys culture during the interview. Here are some Qs to askWhy are you proud to work at this company?What would you change about the company if you could?How is feedback given?How is conflict created and how is it resolved?How are teams motivated and supported at this company?2. Focus on your soft skills.Think about it If youre making it to the third round of job interviews, chances are that you and the other candidates being interviewed almost all have the necessary education and experience for the position. So what separates you from the competition?Soft skills. These people skills include your ability to adapt, your communication skills, your teamwork and collaboration skills, as well as your ability to problem-solve and observe. Employers certainly want employees who can do the job, but even more than that, they want to hire people whom theyll like.The next time youre answering a job interview question, be aya to bring out your softer side- and showcase your soft skills, too.3. Focus on your future.If youve been close but no job offers are on the table, it makes sense that you would be frustrated. But asking for direct feedback from a would-be employer isnt likely to happen, since employers are reticent to offer feedback for various reasons (i.e. liability issues).There is a way around this, though. Instead of focusing on the failure (not getting the job), focus on the future- with the same company. An employer might be more willing to offer constructive criticism if he knows that youre going to use it when y ou reapply for another position in the company in the future.In essence, youre taking a negative (i.e. not getting the job) and turning it into a positive (i.e. planning to do what it takes to get hired by the company down the road).It can be hard to go through a lengthy job interview process to not get hired by the company. So take back control and see what areas you can focus on to get hiredReaders, have you been close but have nojob offers? What have you done (or plan to do) to turn it around? Let us know in the comments below

New Questions About Reference Sheets for Resume Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report

New Questions About Reference Sheets for Resume Answered and Why You Must Read Every Word of This Report Getting in a position to list more than 1 suite is a terrific benefit. With a couple of easy steps, you can produce a brag sheet which will help you fill out college applications and apply for scholarships. The iverstndigung im strafverfahren time to search for a job is when youve got work, but it doesnt indicate that its simple to look for work as youre employed. You are going to be able to create an entire collection of documents to meet your work search requirements. After you are finished answering their interview questions, you sometimes take the chance to ask any questions that may have. Resume references are a significant part of any work search. If for no other reason, obtaining the resume will make it possible for you to easily finish all the on-line profiles teams require prospects to finish. The perfect email introduction vorlage is hard to find, thats the reaso n weve thought of a few cold email templates that will allow it to be simpler that you break that exact first ice involving you and hopefully your upcoming client or partner. Facts, Fiction and Reference Sheets for Resume Ask each reference if theres any information they dont want listedthis will help safeguard your contacts private info, Nolan states. You could also give background information in the region. Educational background, personal info, and character references can be put in the second page if they wont fit in the very first page. Such reference lists are essential but at the exact time can be hard to compile. Be certain to get permission from every one of your references before you list them. You would like your references to be prepared for a call. Your references are your private evangeliststhey should know you quite well and be in a position to talk about your qualifications for the job which youre pursuing. Make certain all your references are content to endo rse you. Reference Sheets for Resume Features Then type in keeping a mobile space for information which you wish to fill in. Once your resume has all the info written out, youll have to format it correctly. The simple template grants you the ability to keep up a record of payments made on your premises. Its potential to put in a text box working with the Text tool and decide on the target text as a way to use the Rotate function. Templates are a superb time saving feature which can help you save you a great deal of electricity and time. Instead of typing the exact same answers to the very same queries time later time, they allow you to quickly send the exact same info in an email without needing to retype everything. If youve written a resume, write your work reference list utilizing the exact style and font, so that all the documents you submit match. Remember your references ought to be on a single parcel of paper. Your finest references is going to be the people who kno w you best professionally. The expert reference doesnt need to be a buddy or somebody you are friends with. All you need to do is complete the empty fields and your professional reference sheet will be prepared very quickly. Every time a skilled designs a reference sheet template, there are lots of things that are mentioned. There are many types of travel planner templates, which you are going to have the ability to save and download from Web. There are lots of templates to pick from. Most of all, check to make sure your brag sheet does not have any grammatical or spelling errors. The reference sheets may be used in many places. There are several kinds of reference sheet templates you could avail from us. A Sample reference sheet template isnt only a premade package you use the direction you really feel like. The use of job specific resume objective is only going to be targeting the job which youve indicated in the statement. For jobs, reference is quite important and th ere are many businesses that offer utmost value to references while selecting candidates. There are primarily two types of resume objectives. A clearly defined career objective will convey skills, training and experiences which you will bring to a particular organization if youre given the opportunity.

How to Look for Emotional Intelligence in a Video Interview

How to Look for Emotional Intelligence in a Video InterviewWhen looking for the best candidate for an open position, do you focus on hard skills, or soft skills and cultural fit? Which one is more important?Although skills and experience are still important in recruiting, hiring professionals are giving cultural fit an increasing amount of weight when selecting candidates. This is no surprise, considering that culture is a major concern in the workforce. In fact, a study of more than 3,300 organizations from 106 countries conducted by Deloitte found that engagement and culture was the number one trending concern companies are facing globally. This year, 50 percent of respondents said culture and engagement was a problem in their workplace, about ersatzdarsteller the amount reported last year. As cultural fit and personality take center stage, hiring professionals are focusing less on IQ and more on EQ, or emotional intelligence, as an indicator for employees who will work well with o thers. What is emotional intelligence? Emotional intelligence is a term coined by Daniel Goleman and is described as a persons ability to recognize their emotions and the emotions of others, and use that information to guide their behavior and interactions. In the workplace, emotional intelligence can determine how your employees interact, communicate between team members and clients, and how an employee will react in certain situations. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence is made up of five essential traitsSelf-awarenessSelf-aware people recognize their own moods, their emotions, and how those factors impact their behavior and affect others. They understand what emotions drive them and recognize their flaws.In the workplace, self-aware employees evaluate their strengths, weaknesses, and performance realistically, and are confident in their abilities.Self-regulationThose who self-regulate think before they act. They avoid emotional reactions to stressful situations and try to think a problem through logically. Self-regulation is extremely important in the workplace. A report released by Workfront in October 2014 found that 81 percent of American adults surveyed said they have experienced a conflict at work with other teams or co-workers. During a crisis, conflict, or stressful workday, you want employees who can internally process their emotions and react calmly. Employees who self-regulate are open to change, work well under pressure, and can navigate workplace problems.MotivationMotivated people are passionate about what they do and are focused on rahmen and reaching goals. They work hard to succeed for their own satisfaction, not for money, status, or other external motivators. Just 31.9 percent of American professionals feel engaged at work, according to the most recent data from Gallup and motivated employees are needed now more than ever. Motivated employees are driven, optimistic, and loyal. They actively engage in their work to achieve results .EmpathyEmpathy is the ability to recognize and understand the emotions of others. Those who exhibit empathy can look at a situation from the viewpoint of others and be more sensitive to their needs and feelings. Empathy is needed to reduce personality clashes and miscommunication, which are the top causes of workplace conflict, according to a survey of working Americans conducted by Workplace Options in August 2013. Empathetic employees are better able to understand the personalities and actions of others reducing clashes. Communication is easier when co-workers try to understand and respect each others point of view.In addition, empathetic employees understand the needs of clients. In tense situations, empathetic employees wont write off a client as difficult, but will instead work to accommodate them and remedy the situation.Social skillsIndividuals with strong social skills are comfortable speaking with new people and building relationships. And relationships in the office are important. In fact, a survey of employees conducted by SHRM in July and August 2013 found that 54 percent of respondents rated relationships with their immediate supervisor as very important to their job satisfaction. In addition, a 2014 report from Globoforce found that 89 percent of employees surveyed said relationships with their co-workers are important to their quality of life. Employees with social skills can help to build a friendly work culture and keep office morale high.Gauging emotional intelligence in the video bewerbungsbewerbungsgesprchThe video interview feels more casual than an in-person one, and candidates may feel more comfortable answering your tough interview questions. Whether you opt for a one-way or two-way video interview, ask these questions to evaluate each part of emotional intelligence, and find the best person for the job1. What are the top three reasons for your success? This question asks a job candidate to look at their achievements, evaluate their p erformance, and recognize their strengths. Look for employees who answer the question with confidence, but arent arrogant. Emotionally anspruchsvoll employees will recognize when the help of others lead them to success or when a project was a group effort. They feel comfortable acknowledging their own success and the success of others.What are the top 3 reasons for your success? ToughInterviewQuestionsClick To Tweet2. What makes you angry or annoys you the most at work?Emotionally intelligent professionals know what bothers them and they understand how their emotions impact their work. You want employees who can recognize these emotions and remove themselves from the situation, or acknowledge them in a healthy way. In the video interview, what actually angers or annoys the candidate isnt really important its the fact that they recognize it. Candidates who avoid the question may not recognize their faults easily, or may be trying to give you the answer you want to hear. In addition, be wary of candidates who mention specific co-workers and managers in their answer. Candidates who harp on problems in other workplaces or complain about other people arent emotionally intelligent theyre difficult to work with.Emotionally intelligent professionals know what bothers them EmotionalIntelligenceClick To Tweet3. What personal habits are an asset to you?This question puts a spin on the old strengths and weaknesses question. It asks candidates to assess their strengths, but in a new way. Job seekers cant show theyre a hard worker or that theyre a perfectionist, in an interview. Instead of listing abstract qualities they cant really prove, candidates need to talk about specific actions they regularly take that are beneficial to themself and their career. This requires a candidate to assess their actions and determine how they achieve their best work. This question can also give you insight into how a candidate works best. Maybe they take time for a morning meditation, mayb e they keep a list of things they need to improve on, or maybe they create a to-do list at the end of each day to prepare them for the next one. Whatever they do, you can get a better sense of who they are as a professional from their habits.Candidatesneed to talk about actions that are beneficial to their career VideoInterviewsClick To Tweet4. Tell me about a time when your mood affected your performance either negatively or positively. What did you take away from the situation?Most candidates will probably opt to speak about a time when their mood affected their work positively because they dont want to expose their flaws to a potential employer. Thats understandable. But an emotionally intelligent candidate is more likely to feel confident discussing past mistakes. They know what they did wrong, they acknowledge the problem, and they can talk about what they learned from it. Maybe they now know that when theyre frustrated, they find it hard to focus at work. So instead of wasting time, they take a little break when they feel this way and then come back to their work refreshed and ready to focus.Emotionally intelligent candidates are confident when discussing past mistakes InterviewingClick To Tweet5. When is the last time you were embarrassed at work? What happened? How did you handle the situation?This is an uncomfortable question. Job seekers arent going to want to talk about their embarrassing moments with a potential employer. In a one-way video interview, candidates will have some time to think about their answer, but in a two-way interview they may feel more pressure. Establish a casual tone, and tell a funny story or two about yourself. This may help your candidate open up. Both their reaction to the question and their answer can help you judge emotional intelligence. Candidates who approach this question with humor likely have strong emotional intelligence, as they can look back on an emotional event without letting it upset them. Their answer also shows you how they react in certain situations. Do they let their emotions take control, or do they use them as an asset to think through the problem and resolve the situation?If the candidate is obviously very uncomfortable with the question, you can ask them about a workplace conflict instead. Asking about a conflict will give you similar insight and may be more expected and familiar to candidates.When was the last time you were embarrassed at work? InterviewQuestionsClick To Tweet6. If you started your own company, what would its top three values be?Emotionally intelligent employees are motivated by passion and a desire to succeed. They will feel strongly about certain values, and know what those are off the top of their head. Its the same values they look for in a workplace culture and employers. This question gives you two advantages. First, you can see what is important to a candidate and what motivates them. If they struggle to come up with values, theyre probably motivated b y their salary, not a passion for the job and the industry. Second, you can determine if your values align. Candidates with similar values will fit with your culture and will be happy and engaged in your workplace.Find out what is important and what motivates a candidate CompanyCultureClick To Tweet7. What skills do you still need to learn?Not only do you want employees to be motivated to do their jobs well, you want them to be motivated to keep learning and getting better. In terms of emotional intelligence, this question shows a candidates awareness of their skills and abilities, and their motivation to improve. In a two-way video interview, a candidate who struggles to think of a new skill or what they want to learn is a red flag. They could think they know everything already or may not have the drive to learn new things. In a one-way video interview, watch out for the candidate who dodges the question. This question is similar to asking a candidate about their weaknesses, and in a one-way video interview, the candidate has time to craft a response that doesnt really answer the question so they can seem like the perfect professional. Although emotional intelligence is a relatively new idea, the qualities of emotionally intelligent people have been valued by employers for a long time. Using targeted interview questions and knowing what qualities to look for can help you better identify candidates who will fit in with your team, and work well in a collaborative environment.Targeted interview questions better identify a candidates fit within the companyClick To TweetHow do you assess emotional intelligence? Share your best interview questions in the comments below

listen to books based on brain science

listen to books based on brain scienceA new way to read/listen to books based on brain scienceIn 1986, Dr. Sinah Goode and Dr. Richard A. Magill published a study called, Contextual interference effects in learning three badminton serves.As a reminder, badminton is like a mix between tennis and ping-pong with a funny looking feathery rubber thingy you hit.In the study, the goal was to test different learning approaches to see which ones created the best wertmiger zuwachs outcomes.Group 1 practiced in a block manner with very little interference. Specifically, the people in group one practiced one serve over and over and over for an entire day. Then on day 2, they practiced a different serve over and over, etc. On day 3, they practiced a third serve all day. Hence, they blocked their practice to ensure repetition of the same swing each day. Then they were tested on all three serves.Group 2 practiced in a serial manner with mixed interferences. Specifically, the people in group two pra cticed each of the three swings daily, one at a time. So for a period of time, they would practice swing one, then swing two, then swing three. They repeated this serial practice style for three days and were then tested on all three serves.Group 3 practiced in a random manner with high interferences. Specifically, the people in group three were told to practice the three shots in whatever order they wanted for three days. After the three days, they were tested on all three serves.Common wisdom suggests that Group 1 would perfasson the best, since they likely practiced each serve more than the other groups. Indeed, there were less interruptions and there was more repetition.Over and over and over. This is how habits are formed and mastery developed, right?Actually, not so much.Repetition and a lack of interruptions is good for the short run. Indeed, the people in Group 1 had a huge surge of skill development in the beginning of the study, but actually tested the worst when game day came. They plateaued quickly and bonked when it mattered.The true definition of learning is your ability to TRANSFER your learning from one situation or environment to another. This is why so many people fall apart in the big moment. Their practice environment didnt reflect the realities of a volatile world.This is why the public education system often sets people up for failure in the real world. The childrens learning becomes overly systematized and sterile, lacking unanticipated interruptions or unexpected scenarios.Education should never be boring and sterile. The brain doesnt like boring. Flow and boring arent generally correlated. Interestingly, boredom is getting a lot of attention as a key to creativity, which is totally ridiculous. Boredom is not good for the brain - novelty, challenge, and excitement are fantastic for the brain.The reason boredom is getting so much hype is because people are addicted to technology, and thus have become bad at focus. Its not boredom you wa nt, its excited focus.The third group tested the best of the three.Why?Because throughout their practice, their brain learned to adjust itself to the different serves. The people in Group 3 would often practice serve one for a bit then serve three then serve one then two then one then three, etc. Constant adjusting and switching, which is so good for adaptability and transfer of learning.When you learn in a highly routine and repetitious way, your brain isnt forced to continually adjust itself. Instead, you quickly advance but then your brain stops making deep connections. You quickly get bored and the learning is less fun and less intense.Alfruchtwein the opposite of what weve been taught about learning is reflective of the science on how the brain learns.The following are the key reasons the random practice group performed better in the test.Continually shifting environments is key to being able to perform in all environmentsInterruptions are actually good for learning, because wh en you come back your brain has to work extra hard to remember what you were doingScrambling your focus disrupts the melancholy and monotony of routine - the brain thrives on novelty and challengeWhat about deep work?This doesnt mean that deep work and deep focus arent essential. Instead, this science challenges us to take a deeper look at what focus, practice, learning, and performance even mean.For example, Cal Newport, the person who wrote the book Deep Work isnt just focused on one thing. He is a university professor who does a lot of research. He is also a blogger and author, which although similar is a totally different skill. Hes also married and has three kids.He doesnt just have ONE THING.He is constantly switching from one role to another. He interrupts one project and dives into another. And while working on one project, his subconscious mind is actually mulling over and working out the problems of his other projects. Often, stepping away and taking a break from one thin g is the most productive thing you can do.When you interrupt what youre doing and work on something else, your brain becomes more adaptive and flexible.When you come back to a project after an interruption, your brain is forced to go deeper into the memory well to retrieve what you were doing. This intensified memory retrieval actually deepens the memory, making it deeper learned and ingrained.Hence, although the badminton players who were constantly adjusting took longer for their learning to develop, their long-term learning and high stakes performance were much higher.They were not only more fluid in different environments, but they actually had deeper learning with each of the individual serves. Thus, not only was the expertise higher, but they were more adaptive.Game over.The problem with habit formation as a goalA good shock often helps the brain that has been atrophied by habit. - Napoleon HillHabits in and of themselves arent good for you. Yes, some habits are better than o thers. But all habits, even the best ones, can lead to atrophy and must eventually be disrupted.What got you here wont get you there.The same workout routine, no matter how good, will eventually stop pushing your brain and body. The moment your goal becomes to maintain where you are, the world has nothing to do with you but throw you away. Its obvious when someone is going through the motions, no matter how refined that process has become.The best habit you can have is actually to continually be shattering your habits in an upward fashion. The real world isnt an academic science lab with no interruptions. The real world is filled with uncertainty and changing at an exponential rate.Hence, the words of Charles Darwin are actually truer now than ever It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.Applying these science-based ideas to reading listening to booksThe scientific term for randomiz ed learning scenarios is interleaving, and means to proactively mix up how and what you learn.You want to create interruptions in what youre doing to not only become more fluid in your learning, but to deepen your memory every time you return.I decided to apply these concepts to listening to audio books. I usually listen to 12 full audio books per week. But my approach has always been to listen to one audio book at a time.Once one book was finished, Id start the next one. Then the next.Sometimes, if I really liked a book, Id listen to it 23 times in a row. Often, I go back to books I listened to 15 years ago. Every time I go back, its a different book.But lately Ive been trying something different. I proactively interrupt each book and switch to a different book. Even mid chapter and even when Im totally engaged and loving what Im hearing.Rather than listening to one book at a time, Im now listening to 3 or 4. Every 3060 minutes, I intentionally interrupt one book and switch to anot her. This has had an interesting and profound effect on my learning and creativity.Heres whyWhen you switch books constantly, your brain doesnt bet bored or even slow downEach new book gives the brain an intense dose of novelty - which keeps it engaged and excitedThe books begin to blend into each other - thus I have 4 micro concepts and then one over-arching meta concept that emerges (see Chess example down below)Creativity is all about making connections - and by listening to multiple books at once, the ideas from each book begin to cross-pollinate and blend into each other, thus becoming a web of unique connections (idea heaven)Each time I shift back to a particular book, my brain is forced to remember what the book was about, and the specific concepts being conveyed- which deepens my memory and the impact of each individual bookI listen to these books in diverse environments and apply the ideas in different ways - from books Im writing to conversations with my kidsIf I part icularly like a book, or didnt full grasp it once finished, then it stays in the loop of continually shifting books. Thus repetition can still happen, but in a fluid and adaptive environment. And the mixture of ideas continues to change because the combination and diversity of books is always in flux.To be absolutely clear - this is not about consuming more content. It is simply a different learning strategy - the interleaving method - for consuming the content you were already going to consume anyways. You should still be highly selective about the books and information you read. The question this article takes up is - is there a more impactful way than the typical approach, based on the latest science of the brain and learning?So, Is this shallow or deep work?This may seem shallow, but its not. Its incredibly good for the brain, and can be done in a focused and intentional manner. Youre not interrupting yourself with Facebook out of addiction, youre interrupting one thing with another - both of which are done intentionally. Social Media is rarely done intentionally, but in actuality, is set up to get you scrolling and landing on pages reactively.Master chess players often play multiple boards at once - simultaneous exhibition - where they walk from one board to the next to the next. Josh Waitzkin, who was a former chess master describes the experience of playing multiple boards at once as all the boards blending together. Each game is interrupted by next and the memory is forced deeper and deeper down to remember the specifics of each individual board. Yet, holistically, the whole experience of all the boards takes on a form of its own. The individual parts become a new whole - and the whole evolves beyond the sum of the parts.Interestingly, during the few moments the chess wizard is looking at a single board, their brain is firing potentially 100 or 1,000X more intensely than the single person sitting on the other side of the board. Thus, even though switching continuously, the focus in each individual moment is maximized.Furthermore, each time they return to a particular board, they get a fresh eyes effect - being able to see things they potentially couldnt see before. Conversely, when you stare at the same thing for a long enough period of time, you can miss obvious details. Mindfulness requires a continuous and intentional shift in and awareness of context.The goal is to become the best thinker possible, and to become creative, imaginative, and innovative. If youre not becoming more fluid and adaptive, then youre becoming increasingly irrelevant. The challenges and changes in the world will cripple you.I fear for the man whose life is so routinized that he cant handle all of the shifts happening around him. I fear for the man who has become so specialized that he cant adapt.When you learn how to learn, you can specialize in multiple things at once while becoming increasingly adaptive to the world around you.Your ability to transfer your skills from one environment to another is what will separate you in todays global market-place.Finally, its important to note that no strategy - no matter how scientifically-based - is ironclad. This strategy is no different. Use it, but dont over-adapt to it. In a month or two (or 10), going back to one book straight through may feel electric and new.Ready toupgrade?Ive created a cheat sheet for putting yourself into a PEAK-STATE, immediately. You follow this daily, your life will change very quickly.Get the cheat sheet hereThisarticlefirst appeared on Medium.

Survey finds parents think extracurriculars will help kids earn more money

Survey finds parents think extracurriculars will help kids earn more moneySurvey finds parents think extracurriculars will help kids earn more moneyA new report from CompareCards.com revealed that 81% of parents believe there is a beneficial correlation between the amount of money they spend on extracurricular activities for their children, and the degree it will pay off later. Forty-six percent of parents spend more than a grand a year on their kids nonscholastic activity, and 27% spend more than $2,000.Ninety-percent of the parents that reported spending at least $4,000 a year on these kinds of programs professed that their kid will earn money from it one day. Ninety-four percent of these optimistic parents are currently in debt due to this investment, and two-thirds admitted that maintaining these expenses causes them emotional stress.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe most popular mode of this strategy is sports. Thirty percent of parents reported dumping money into the various costs that accompany joining a sports team, with music following at 16%. Check out the complete list belowSports (30%)Music (16%)Dance (15%)Gymnastics (12%)Cheerleading (9%)Martial arts (8%)Beauty pageants (3%)Debate team (3%)It pays to be well-roundedOf the 62% of parents that are currently in debt, one in 10 owes more than $5,000.The study noted two interestingtrends the more parents spent, the more likely they were to believe theirchildrens income would benefit from these expenses, in addition to being more likely to be stressed. Seventy-six of respondents that reported spending more than $4,000 said they were burdened to some degree because of it.Plastic is the most popular mode of paying for these activities by a pretty significant margin (42%).The authors of the study, encourage parents to handle theirchildrens aspirations with care, however extravagant but duallywarned a bout the harsh realities of the likelihood associated with many of the occupations mentioned above.Despite what 81% of our respondents say, most kids are never going to earn a dime from the activity thats their passion. Some may eventually make a little bit of money on the side, like a musician playing gigs around town for some side cash or a former athlete refereeing recreational league games for a few extra bucks.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will ersatzdarsteller your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

This is the thing that keeps Americans from sleeping the most

This is the thing that keeps Americans from sleeping the mostThis is the thing that keeps Americans from sleeping the mostEighty-three percent of respondents surveyed in a recent Well+Good study said that the lack of sufficient sleep takes away from their quality of life, particularly fitness goals. Seventy percent surveyed to be exact, said sleepless nights prohibit consistent exercise, and an additional 64% said that it affects the quality of their output at work.For most, the median amount of time spent lying awake in bed is about six hours. Although the recommendedamount of sleep for an otherwise healthy 18 to 64-year-old is seven to nine hours, it should be noted that exactly when that window is achieved has no effect on sleep quality. There isnt a categorical word on bedtimes, just on the amount of sleep obtained relative to age. Honestly, I dont really ever prescribe an ideal bedtime because theres natural variations from one person to another, licensed sleep expert, Shelby Ha rris PsyD explained to Well+Good.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreSeven to nine hours of sleep may seem high, but thats only because six hours, has been the reported norm for adults for so long. Data uncovered by researchers at The University of California, San Fransisco, motioned that a rare gene found in only about 3% of the population, allows these select few to function on as few as six hours of sleep per night. For the remaining 97% of us, this is far too little actually.Every physical and cognitive function is influenced by quality sleep. A healthy sleep regimen offers boosts to our immune system, helps us regulate weight loss, and improves memory.Identifying the causeIn Well+Goods report, general stress was occasioned the most often (65%), as far as the reason for chronic insomnia is concerned, with anxietyand work/school following just a few percentages behind (60% and 5 5% respectively). A Bankrate survey from just last year, reports that 41% of Americans are kept up all night due to problems in their relationship, and 36% occasioned financial problems.These commonly reported factors work in unison with predictors of insomnia that are not determined by mental health or external stressors. For instance, in the very same Well+Good study cited above, more than half of the respondent said that they might achieve more qualityrest if their mann an ihrer seite had a different bedtime.In a new study, published by Mattress Firm of over 3,000 individuals, 30% of surveyees said that they had to have the TV on to fall asleep, even though independent research has rebuked this has an effective method of improving sleep hygiene. Another survey, claims that 72% of children ages 6 to 17 sleep with at least one electronic device in their bedroom. In addition to precluding qualityrest, keeping electronic devices, namelycell phones, in the bed with you while you attem pt to sleep, is studied to yield harmful hormonal effects.The daily habits that heavily influence a healthy circadian rhythm often get taken for granted, like the things we eat for instance. As previouslyreported,nutrition plays an enormous role in governing our quality of sleep. DieticianAlison Stowell is a prolific member of The American Dietetic Association. that recently spoke with Ladders, about the specific foods that contribute to higher quality sleep, like seafood, bananas, and chocolate just to name a few.Theres a lot of studied sleep remedies for those that are not too keen on taking supplements or medication. Exercise is a recommendation that accompanies most health regiments. One Medical recommends at least thirty minutes of exercise for quality sleep most days of the week.Intense to moderate physical activity causes an increase in body temperature. Once weve stopped exercising and drop back down to normal temperatures, the body is met with a calming effect that has been shown to promote sleep.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people