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Messages - Shabrina Akter

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Here are 7 things that I’ve found make a difference in my life by using a personal management system:

I don’t have to think about what I’m supposed to do, it’s written down.  For me this is a big one.  If I don’t write it down, I spend lots of time and energy trying to remember what I’m supposed to do and whether I’ve let things fall through the cracks.

Having a management system allows me a method to review what I’m supposed to do.  Every Sunday I spend 45 minutes looking over my life, making decisions about what the next steps need to be to accomplish outcomes I’m interested in.

A personal management system allows me to evaluate whether something is important or not.  Too often I spend time chasing my tail.  Unfortunately when I do this, it’s often chasing my tail around things that are urgent or appear to be urgent but aren’t very important.  I bet you’ve spent time doing this also.

A personal management system allows me to focus on important, but not urgent projects.  Value for me and I bet for you is created when we work on things that are important, but don’t have to be done today.  When I spend my time focusing on these types of projects I’m happier and feel like I’m doing useful things.

I’m able to keep track of my commitments to others.  Before I started using a personal management system I would often drop the ball on commitments I made to others.  Now this rarely, if ever, happens.  When I make a commitment to someone I enter it in my personal management system and it becomes part of my weekly review process.

It allows me to communicate when I’m behind.  I don’t know about you but occasionally I’ll find I’m running behind.  A personal management system puts this fact right in front of my nose every week.  It also reminds me that if this project involves someone else I need to contact them and give them an update on what’s going on.  This is not only important when working with clients but everyone else in my life as well.

I get to decide consciously what I’m going to drop.  Sometimes I find that I just have too many things on my plate.  Some of them either have to go in the someday file or sometimes I just decide the project is not adding value to my life.  With a weekly review it becomes pretty obvious when a project falls in this category.  If I look at the project for several months and take no action, I know I need to move it out of my active list and either trash it or put it on ice.


Psychological Support / Re: Lifestyle That Boost Your Mental Well-being
« on: August 05, 2021, 01:24:40 PM »
Helpful post.

Peace of Mind / 5 Simple Ways to Increase Your Peace of Mind
« on: December 21, 2020, 01:42:31 PM »
1. Do your most daunting task first thing in the morning

It's tempting to start your day with easy tasks. Don't. Pushing a daunting task back is like holding a glass of water in an outstretched arm.At first nothing happens, but if you do it for hours or even days, you will soon feel the stress.

2. Let go of things you don't control

You make plans to go outside with friends. But at the last minute, it starts raining. What's your reaction?Some people upset and angry, and find the nearest person and start complaining to them. “It's not FAIR that it's raining. This _always_ happens to me!…”
That's not going to accomplish anything – the rain won't stop just because you throw a tantrum. *The rain doesn't care. So make the best of the situation.

3. Don't worry about what others are thinking
I used to be very self-conscious about my dancing.I would rarely go out with my friends, and even if I did, I wouldn't dance, instead just standing awkwardly by the side, because I was worried of what others would think.Then, one day in high school, I decided that enough was enough. So the next time I went out with my friends, I just went to the dance floor, and danced like nobody was watching. And the funny thing was – nobody cared. In fact, people only liked me MORE, because I was having fun.Don't worry about what others are thinking of you – most likely they're too busy wondering what others are thinking of them.

4. List 3 things you love about your situation right now

I first shared this technique with the Positivity Blog readers in my post The Plague of Happiness Ever After (it's got a dragon and everything in it, read it!)Just list 3 simple things about any part of your life that you love. Like “3 simple things I love about the room I'm in right now”, or “3 simple things I love about this week”, or anything else. This is a great technique if you're ever bored while stuck in traffic, or waiting in the grocery store checkout lane. You can immediately transform boredom into happiness and peace of mind!


I got this technique from the Zen master Mary Jaksch.Just walk to a window, look outside, and then take a single deep breath, focusing only on that breath and nothing else in the whole world. This technique sounds extremely simple, but you won't believe how much it can instantaneously increase your peace of mind. And because this is the last tip, you can try it immediately when you finish reading this blog post. Just walk to a window, look outside, and take a single deep breath, focusing on the air going in and out of your lungs, and nothing else.


1. Show your Passion and Connect with your Audience.

2. Focus on your Audience's Needs.

3.Keep it Simple: Concentrate on your Core Message.

4. Smile and Make Eye Contact with your Audience.

5. Start Strongly.

7. Remember the 10-20-30 Rule for Slideshows.

8. Tell Stories.


Common Forum / 7 Qualities Of A Good Presentation
« on: August 25, 2020, 11:20:34 AM »
1. Confidence. I know this seem fairly impossible at the moment but going into a presentation with confidence really helps to sell it to your audience.

2. Passion. Keeping a captive audience is not an ease task, especially within the business world.

3. Knowledge.

4. Naturalness.

5. Organization.

6. Time-sensitive.

7. Clarity.

Source :

Self Esteem and You / Ten Characteristics of High Self-Esteem
« on: July 18, 2020, 09:18:55 PM »

1. Leaders with a Clear Vision: People with high self-esteem are leaders. They create their own path in life. They make their own choices and trust their judgment. If someone doesn’t agree with what they want to achieve in life, they don’t feel guilty. They refuse to follow and enjoy carving out their own path in the world.

2. Guided by Strong Principles: People with high self-esteem are guided by a set of strong principles and values. Some of these values might be honesty, trust, integrity, openness, transparency, or giving value to others. These principles and values provide a roadmap for their life. They believe and act on those principles and values, and they are ready to defend them.

3. Goal-Oriented : People with characteristics of high self-esteem set and achieve short-term and long-term goals. Their goals are aligned with their principles and values. If you are not already doing this, then read my article on how to effectively set and achieve goals.

When they set goals, people with high self-esteem aim high but stay realistic. If you set goals that are not achievable and too challenging, you will not achieve them. And if you do this repeatedly, it will take a knock on your self-esteem. Make sure that the goals you set are realistic but also aim high.

4. Believe in Themselves : People with characteristics of high self-esteem see themselves as valuable, self-worthy and know that other people will enjoy spending time with them. They believe that they are equal to others, even if their financial and personal success is lower or higher than other people. They focus on their strengths and don’t compare themselves to others.

5. Problem-Solvers : People with characteristics of high self-esteem know that obstacles are a necessary part of the road to success. They deal with obstacles by focusing on them as little as possible, but just enough to resolve them.  Their main focus is still on the goal, the vision and their guiding principles and values.

6. Take Care of Themselves: People with characteristics of high self-esteem know how to take care of themselves – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. They are very resilient, emotionally strong, and able to recognize the role of negative emotions. They are not afraid of anger, guilt, or fear. Instead they look into the reasons behind these emotions and then address them.

7. Great with People: Among other characteristics, people with high self-esteem don’t try to please everyone and they avoid gossip.

They can also separate emotion from a message. When someone’s angry with them or upset, they can insulate themselves from the emotion and focus on the message that this person is trying to communicate.

They’re also sensitive to other people’s feelings and their needs. They are fine with accepting and indulging compliments. When they are struggling with something, they are not afraid to ask for help.

8. Transparent: High self-esteem people are open, honest, and transparent. They speak the truth and embrace honesty with no fear of rejection or any intention to harm another person.

If they do something wrong, they are happy to be responsible, take any blame, and own up to their failings. They are accountable for what they say and what they do.

9. Flexible: People with characteristics of high self-esteem are comfortable with change and know when it’s time to try a different approach. They’re not set in their ways, and they can adapt to new technology and new ways of doing things.

10. Live in the Present : They know that the past is the past and that they can’t change it. They have a positive view of the future and the confidence in making that future happen. They don’t worry about the future, and they avoid negative “what if” questions. If they notice them, they come up with a strategy and a plan to address and resolve them.

They understand the difference between the past and the present. Their motto would be “My past doesn’t equal the future”. They won’t think their future depends on their past and see the future as something that they can change and influence right now.

Source :

Health & Medication / Coronavirus Symptoms
« on: June 07, 2020, 11:00:07 PM »
Most common symptoms:
•   fever
•   dry cough
•   tiredness
•   Less common symptoms:
•   aches and pains
•   sore throat
•   diarrhoea
•   conjunctivitis
•   headache
•   loss of taste or smell
•   a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes
Serious symptoms:

•   difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
•   chest pain or pressure
•   loss of speech or movement

Source :

Common Forum / Make hand sanitizer in just two minutes
« on: April 25, 2020, 12:32:25 AM »
The deadly coronavirus spread about 192 countries all over the world, including Bangladesh. As there is no vaccine for the deadly virus the only way to you free from the virus to wash your hands with sanitizer or soap.  Those who are not able to bug sanitizers from the shop can make very easily at home at a low cost.

Let's know how to make hand sanitizer at home-

Ingredients: Aloe Vera Gel 1 tablespoon, pure water, Tea Tree Oil 2 drops, hexol.

How to make: Mix all the ingredients together in a 7: 2: 1 ratio. Then store it in an empty liquid soap or hand sanitizer bottle.


Self Improvement / 8 of the Best Secrets to Self-Improvement
« on: March 21, 2020, 05:34:56 PM »
1. Start Your Day Off Right:
One of the best ways to kick off your day is by waking up earlier. By doing so, you'll be able to be more productive throughout the day because it gives you a chance to eat a healthy breakfast, exercise, relax, plan your day or catch-up on emails. All of these components not only make you more productive, it will also assist you in concentration, handling problems, enduring physical activities, making you more optimistic, and improve your overall health.

2. Be Kind and Generous
Whether it's helping an employee on a project, holding the door for an elderly neighbor, or volunteering or donating to a non-profit, being generous is a rewarding experience that can help make you a better individual.

Even showing your kindness and generosity by doing something as simple as smiling can improve your mood, reduce stress, make your more approachable, and put others around you in a better mood.

3. Accept Who You Are
Most guys would love to be Tom Brady. After all, he has a couple of Super Bowl rings and is married to a supermodel. The thing is, we're not Tom Brady. Instead of trying to be someone you are not, focus on accepting who you are. While Tom Brady may seemingly have it all, there are skills and talents you possess that he never will.

4. Learn Something New
Whether it's learning a new language, how to code, preparing Thanksgiving dinner, or playing a new sport, learning a new skill or talent is one of the most effective ways to improve yourself. It not only opens your mind, it makes you more well-rounded, increases your memory, and helps you get out of that dreaded comfort-zone. And, with podcasts, instructional apps, and free education classes, learning something new has never been more convenient.

5. Be Afraid
We're all afraid of something. It could be being terrified of public speaking, experiencing startup failure, or screaming every time you come across a spider. Fear, however, can prevent you from growing and bettering yourself. Addressing your fear and facing it head-on is one the most powerful ways that you can improve your life because it can keep you from fulfilling your dreams.

6. Replace Bad Habits
We also have bad habits - like smoking, eating fast food, oversleeping, or always getting trapped in toxic relationships - and quitting them can be a challenge. Continuing these bad habits though won't assist you in self-improvement because most of the time they hold you back from doing the things that you always wanted to - try hiking if you're a smoker - and can be detrimental to your health.

Instead of filling your life up with these bad habits, replace them with new and positive habits - such as going to the gym or trying out new restaurants. Not only will you be healthier and happier, you will get a chance to enjoy the life experiences you've been missing out on.

7. Believe in Yourself
This isn't as hokey as you may think. Believing in yourself really starts with setting achievable and attainable. While we all would love to be the next Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, the chances are that you will never reach that goal. And when that happens, we give up and stay in the same place that we are. But when you believe in yourself, you're increasing the chances of making yourself happier and more content.

To set realistic goals, write down the things that you want to change. Make sure that it's positive and as specific as possible. For example, instead of saying that you want to be less stressed at work, your goal could be to walk 15 minutes at lunch.

8. Take a Break
How do you expect to be successful, productive, and happy in life if you're always running on empty? You need to give yourself a break occasionally to enjoy your life. It could be taking the kids to the beach, going out to dinner with friends, or traveling to a new and exciting part of the world. Whatever you decide, getting away from the daily grind gives you the opportunity to recharge the batteries and discover new interests.


Faculty Sections / Re: Top ten habits to have in life
« on: December 12, 2019, 12:43:04 PM »
Motivational post...

1. Ask Basic Questions: It’s tempting to imagine that good critical thinkers ask erudite, convoluted questions when they’re trying to solve a problem. However, the truth is actually the opposite. The better you are at critical thinking, the more fundamental and clear your questions become. To enhance your questioning when problem-solving (and thereby improve your critical thinking abilities), make sure you break questions down.

Suppose you encounter a new problem, in work or life, and aren’t sure what to do. Start by asking the following:

What information about this problem do you already have?
How do you know the above information?
What is your goal and what are you trying to discover, prove, disprove, support or criticize?
What might you be overlooking?
These types of questions encourage you to get right to the heart of a problem, interrogating it for simple solutions before assuming complexity.

If it helps, try writing down the answers to the above four questions when faced with a problem, to help yourself remember your process as you go through it. You can use the same strategy to try and coax someone else through a problem when they bring it to you.

Once again, this shows how critical thinking is important from an interpersonal perspective, not just a cognitive perspective.

2. Be Aware Of Your Mental Process: People who assume they’re good critical thinkers often turn their analytical abilities outwards, arrogantly critiquing other people. However, being a genuinely skilled thinker involves a lot more self-reflection.
In particular, you want to keep an eye on your own mental process; where it started, what it looks like, and where it’s going. Our brains are incredibly impressive and can sort through information at an amazing rate, but this lightning-fast work can encourage us to ignore important factors.

3. Adjust Your Perspective: As noted above, being more mindful of your own biases is a great help in critical thinking. However, it’s only step one in a gradual perspective shift.

One useful thing you can do is read the literature on biases and how they operate. For example, in the field of “CV studies”, researchers show how identical CVs can receive different evaluations depending on whether the name placed on the top sounds male or female, foreign or familiar, and so on.

Meanwhile, there are is all sorts of interesting work on how situational factors influence our seemingly staple character traits. For example, we make different decisions depending on things like hunger, the color of a room, whether we had to climb a flight of stairs, and so on.

4. Think In Reverse: Thinking in reverse is another fascinating and effective technique, especially when you’re stuck trying to puzzle through a difficult problem.

Thinking in reverse won’t always get you an immediate solution to a problem. However, it jolts you out of perceiving the problem in the same old way, which is often all you need to get onto the road to success. Further, flipping the assumed direction of causation is a particularly useful trick in relationships, one that discourages blame

5. Develop Foresight: While one of us are likely to become psychic anytime soon, we can get a lot better at predicting the impact of the choices we make (and the things we say). Consider that good foresight is an asset no matter what you’re trying to achieve. Whether you’re at a job interview, trying to market a business or attempting to date, you’ll be better able to make the right decisions if you can already see the consequences further down the line.

How do you develop your capacity for foresight, thereby improving your critical thinking more broadly? Make sure you take the time to look at all angles of a potential decision.


Mind Mapping / Tips for Using Mind Maps
« on: October 21, 2019, 05:49:16 PM »
1. One central idea, word or image – This helps automatically focus the eye and brain and gives clarity.

2. Use Colours – Colour boosts your ability to remember and allows you to better organise, categorise, order, code and learn.

3. Apply codes – Codes help you make immediate connections between different parts of your mind map. These could include ticks, crosses, triangles, underlines etc

4. One word per line – These words act as prompts and because a single word can have billions of possible associations, you have associational freedom.

5. Connect lines – this enables you to connect thoughts in your mind.


Mind Mapping / 5 Ways of Mind Mapping that Can Improve Your Life
« on: October 21, 2019, 05:47:57 PM »
1. Radiant Thinking

Mind mapping helps you think from a given central point and allows you to think in all directions in quick succession.

Although the mind map is drawn on a two-dimensional piece of paper, it represents a multi-dimensional reality that encompasses color, space, logic etc.

2. Creativity

Creativity is inherent in all of us but stays dormant the less it is stimulated or explored.

Flexibility has been identified as a key element of creative thinking. Other elements include:

Being able to combine unusual elements together
Ability to create new associations from existing ideas
Reversing and turning existing ideas on their head etc.
Different colours, shapes, and dimensions help us think creatively because they engage our emotions and the way we see things.

3. Concentration

I have noticed a spike in my ability to concentrate since I started using mind maps in all aspects of my life rather than just ad-hoc.

Creating a mind map is actually quite relaxing and forces you to stay in the moment and lets your brain do the work of bringing forth ideas.
I use mind maps for such things as making my tasks for the day, preparing for meetings on the go or even writing the weekly meal plan.

4. Better Memory

The two main factors that determine your ability to recall anything are association and emphasis.

The majority of note taking and note making in schools and in our workplaces typically follow 3 patterns

Making lists creates a sense of “coming to an end” when used for writing down ideas. Mind maps by their nature are never-ending as your thoughts make multiple connections from point to point.

5. Productivity

Practically, I am able to do a tonne more because I ideate alot quicker, go deeper with my ideas and follow them through with immediate action points.

My doing aspect further to mind mapping, therefore, flows more naturally, resulting in higher quality and richer work with multiple dimensions captured.


1. You can learn whatever you want:
You can pick the program of your dreams in traditional education, too, but that would involve traveling away from home, living in a completely unknown city, and struggling in an extremely competitive learning environment.

2. Comfort:

3. Online courses look great on a resume:

4. Self-paced learning:

5. Lower costs:
The fact that online programs are cheaper when compared to the ones held in a traditional campus setting is enough to convince you to consider them. The average tuition for online courses depends on multiple factors, so it varies from one program to another.


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