You Can Do to Be Happy.....

1.      Go for a Walk: If there's one thing that's virtually guaranteed to make you feel better, it's going for a walk. Walking is one of the most therapeutic things any person can do for relieving anxiety and stress. Go for a walk in the park. Walk slowly and admire the view. If you have a pet dog, take your dog for a walk. Several studies have shown the stress-relieving and improved heart health benefits of pets.

2.      Talk to Someone: When you are having a sad day it is a good idea to talk to someone and not hold what you are feeling inside. As much as possible, spend time with those you love, and with others who you enjoy. It could be a simple phone call, or a short visit.

3.      Laugh: Laughing can soften the blows. As someone once said, humor is a free ride to happiness. Not only is it good for your heart, but also for you and the people near you.

4.      Watch a movie: Movies are an inexpensive way to change your mood in a few hours. Pick something you really like. It doesn't have to be something that makes you really think; it might be just a good fun film.

5.      Take a hot shower: Just close your eyes and relax and let the water massage you. You will feel better and happier.

6.      Listen to Music: A great way to change your mood from sad to happy is to put on some upbeat music, sit comfortably in your favorite chair and listen to it. Studies have found that listening to music activates reward centers of the brain, releasing dopamine, and giving you the same hit of happiness that you would get from a piece of chocolate or sex.

7.      Treat yourself: Take a few minutes each day to give yourself a little treat, whether that's something like chocolate or gifts or taking a nap.

8.      Do something new: Nothing excites quite like something new. So go out and do something fun that you haven't done for a while, or even something that you haven't ever done before. Even spending time to learn something new will help. Learn a new language or spend time on the Internet reading about a subject that you wish you knew more about.

9.      Finish a long-postponed task: Finishing a task that you have been postponing for a long time -- like cleaning your wardrobe or desk, or making an appointment with your dentist -- will give you a rush of elation.

10.  Make someone happy: Just make someone feel great and you will feel as well. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others' successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness.

11.  Take breaks: Everyone needs breaks. Don't skip them to get a head start on other work. Take this time to relax and do something you enjoy.

Try using a combination of different sadness relief methods and avoid using only one. The more ways you can implement relaxation, enjoyment and positive thinking into your lifestyle, the less sadness you will have a hold on your life.

Wish u joyful Life...

Mani.V

How to Improve Your Concentration?

What is Concentration?

Simply put, concentration is a person's ability to focus his thoughts in a particular direction for a considerable time without getting distracted by other things. Everyone has the ability to concentrate. Some people are quite good with concentrating. There are people though who find it quite difficult to focus their attention in one particular thing without their thoughts wandering. This can be quite frustrating. If you find difficulty concentrating, you need to practice and develop your concentration skills.

Your ability to concentrate may depend on a lot of factors. It can depend on your commitment to your work. It can also depend on your enthusiasm for a project, an assignment, or a work. If you don't know how to go about doing the job, you might be quite disinterested and end up losing your concentration. If you have problems and you are tired and stressed out, you'd have problems concentrating. If the place is not conducive to concentrating, you might not be able to concentrate on your work at all.

If you want to improve your concentration skills, here are some tips that you can follow:

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Strengthen concentration: Twice a day, practice holding a specific object in mind steadily for 5 to 10 minutes. The item should have some detail that you can imagine, but it should also be simple to "see" it in your mind. Some good examples: an apple, a pencil, the face of your child or pet, your house as it looks from the outside, and so on. Choose something you won't have trouble picturing, but something that requires you to focus in order to see it clearly. Call up a strong mental image of it, and then try to keep your focus on the object for a full 5 or 10 minutes without losing your focus.
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Empty your mind: Another focus-killer is a head full of scattered thoughts. You know those days when you've got a million things going on and you're trying to remember them all at once and you keep forgetting things anyway? Emptying your mind can do wonders for scattered thoughts! Before you do this exercise, first make a list of everything you can think of that you need to remember. This will help you feel more comfortable about releasing your scattered thoughts.
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Clarify Objectives: Know what your goal is clearly before you start. If you aren't sure what the end result is, the confusion will make it impossible to focus. Unclear objectives often result in having to redo sections of work.
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Visualize for practice: If you've got an important goal or task coming up and you're feeling unsure about your ability to do it, visualize it first! Many studies have been done on the power of visualization, and the general consensus is that performing tasks and activities mentally over and over again is equally as effective as performing them physically! That means that visualization can serve as a powerful practice session that helps you master anything including better time management!
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Do one thing at a time, set aside specific time period: It helps concentration if you just do one thing at a time giving it your complete undivided attention. Multitasking (doing many things simultaneously) will make you distracted and it is an ineffective way of doing things contrary to what many people believe. Do one thing at a time in order to develop concentration. If you are trying to think of giving presentation at office, or studying for your exam, for the next 30 minutes or so, just think of that alone. Focus your mind on the details of the job and how you plan to do it. Let not your attention wander to other things during this time.
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Use the "Two More" Motivation: When you feel your concentration begin to wane, tell yourself that you'll work for two more minutes or complete two more tasks. Once those are completed, settle on two more. When you break up a task into tiny sections, you'll find that you improve your concentration. It allows your mind to focus on smaller portions of tasks, thereby seemingly decreasing the amount of work that needs to be done. You can use Two More or Five More or Ten More or whatever works for you, but make sure that it's a number you can work with. If Ten More sounds daunting, go for five, and so on.
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Break task into smaller parts: Breaking a task into smaller parts will make it seem less daunting and help you approach it with more positivity. If you are trying to study a textbook for exam, then you can make a goal of finishing one chapter at a time.
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Do a thing wholeheartedly: If you approach something half-heartedly, it can show in the quality of the work. In order to do things better, do them with interest. Whatever you are doing, try to find some aspect of it that interests you. If you can find something interesting in each thing you do, you can enjoy even the most mundane and boring tasks.
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Check your diet: Research has shown that diets high in saturated fat and sugar help reduce your ability to concentrate. Monitoring your diet and reducing your intake of foods in these areas can certainly help to improve your concentration. In addition, keeping your body hydrated with plenty of water will help in this area as well. Your brain needs water to perform at an optimal level so give it what it needs and it will reward you with increased focus and concentration.
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Give Meditation a try: If you have never tried meditation before, perhaps now is the time. Many definitions of the word meditation include the words focus and concentration as the prime goal of this exercise. Taking time to yourself and clearing everything from your mind and working to focus on one specific thing can help bring a sense of relaxation to your body and help to de-stress yourself which will in turn allow your body to become more focused on whatever goals that you set for it.
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Reward yourself: Decide before starting your work how you would like to reward yourself when you finish. The reward can be anything that makes you happy and relaxed like having your favorite food, going out for a walk, meeting your best friend etc. It doesn't have to be something big, any activity that gives you pleasure and takes your mind off work for some time will do. This system of rewarding yourself will increase motivation for doing things.

Mani.V

Read more: http://www.lifemojo.com/lifestyle/how-to-improve-your-concentration-3534650#ixzz1CX1ZAoVw

8 Tips to Focus Your Mind

Hi...

1. Witness your thoughts.

No one can stop thinking entirely; it is impossible. If you start trying not to think, you only end up thinking about how to stop thinking! What you can do, however, is to withdraw from your thoughts and become more of an objective spectator.

2. Picture your mind as a blank canvas or a dark sky.

Allow your thoughts to come and go, but resist the urge to follow each one. Your brain will eventually slow down and you will feel less pressured.

3. Count.

If you find it difficult to let go of your thoughts, try counting slowly as you breathe. Watch your thoughts and try to resist following them. Turn your attention to the count as you breathe out.

4. Pay active attention.

As you work and think, try to keep your attention on the task at hand. Be strict with yourself and each time your mind wanders, return it to the task. As you keep refocusing your attention, your “mind stillness” will improve.

5. Still your body.

One sign of fragmented attention is fragmented movement. For example, when you are at the theatre, it is easy to tell if others around you are fully attentive to the performance. People who sniff and sigh, move their heads this away and that, and wiggle in their seats are having some difficulty concentrating. Rapt attention is usually accompanied by still body posture.

6. Find a comfortable position and don’t allow yourself to move.

Concentrate on what you are doing or watching, drawing your attention away from physical distractions, and focus your thoughts on your task. After a while, you will notice that you fidget less and feel less physical discomfort. You are now channeled into mental exertion.

7. Interest your mind.

Try to find interest in projects to help you concentrate. Taking up a new hobby can be a tremendous help. You should also try to find something interesting even in the dullest chore. If you are at a gathering, find someone and start a conversation. Be inquisitive and you might discover you have similar interests.

8. Open the mind.

Just as strength, stamina and flexibility must be incorporated in your physical routine, the mind needs new and absorbing challenges to give it a change from its everyday journey. Notice something new on the same way home that you might not have noticed before. Buy a magazine on a subject you normally wouldn’t look at, read it, and open yourself to new possibilities.


Mani.V [hug]

Source: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-tips-to-focus-your-mind-how-to.html#

JOB INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

First impression

When you walk in the room the very first impression you make on the interviewer can have a great influence on the rest of the interview. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and are friendly. The first question is often a "breaking the ice" (establish a rapport) type of question. Don't be surprised if the interviewer asks you something like:

• How are you today?
• Did you have any trouble finding us?
• What do you think of the weather lately?

Don't be surprised by the friendly tone. The interviewer wants to put you at ease (help you relax). Answer the question without going into too much detail. The language you use should be simple but polite, for example;

How are you today?
GOOD
I'm fine thank you, and you?
I'm well thank you.
BAD
So, so
OK
Not so well

What is most important?

Talking about your experience and credentials (qualifications) is the most important part of any job interview. Your qualifications include your education from High School on and any special training you may have done in the past. Your experience is any work that you have done that is directly or indirectly related to the job you are applying for.

Education

Remember that your education took place in the past. Therefore you need to use the past tenses, for example:

I attended the University College of Engineering and Technology  from 2001 to 2005.
I graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering.


If you are currently a student you should use the following present tenses:

I am currently studying at the University College of Engineering and Technology Malaysia and will graduate with a degree in Electrical Engineering in December.
I am studying English at the Borough Community College.

Past training
Remember to include any training you may have had when talking about your education. This includes any computer training, correspondence courses, etc.

Make sure to mention your English studies.

This is very important as English is not your first language and the employer may be concerned about this fact. Assure the employer that you are continuing to improve your English skills by any courses you may be taking, or by saying that you study a certain number of hours a week to improve your skills.

Experience and Qualifications

Work experience is by far the most important topic of any job interview (at least in the United States and Britain). Therefore, it is important to explain what experience you have in detail. Generally, employers want to know exactly what you did and how well you accomplished your tasks. This is not the time to be modest. Be confident, and talk freely about your accomplishments in past employment.

The tenses you should use are the following:

When talking about current employment be careful to use the present perfect or present perfect continuous. This signals that you are still performing these tasks at your current job, for example:

Smith and Co. have employed me for the last 3 years as a salesperson.
I have been creating customer contacts for 6months.
Etc.

When talking about past employers use the past tenses to signal that you are no longer working for that company, for example:

I was employed by Jackson's from 1989 to 1992 as a clerk.
I worked as a receptionist at the Ritz while I was living in New York.
Etc.

Talking about Responsibilities

Most importantly, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications and skills, which are required for the job you are applying for. The job skills that you have acquired in the past may not have been for the same exact job. Therefore, it is important to show how the capabilities you do have relate to the job you are applying for.

Example from a real story:

 A student from Moscow who had worked as the manager of an important theater in Moscow would like to apply a job in New York. Unfortunately, he had to start from the beginning in New York and therefore wanted to get a job as a rodent exterminator (someone who kills rats!). When asked what kind of experience he had, he replied that, as the manager of the theater, he had had to make sure that the theater was always rodent free and was therefore capable of doing the job well! This is a fantastic example of the type of adaptability most employers are looking for.


Use the Right Word

Below is a list of great verbs to help you express just exactly what you did with impressive vocabulary. These verbs are used to express responsibilities and tasks performed:

acted
accomplished
adapted
administered
advanced
advised
allocated
analyzed
applied
approved
arbitrated
arranged
assisted
attained
blended
brought
built
carried out
catalogued
changed
classified
collaborated
compared
completed
computed
conceived
conducted
constructed
consulted
contracted
controlled
cooperated
coordinated
corrected
counseled
created
dealt
decided
decreased
defined
delegated
derived
designated
detected
developed
devised
directed
discovered
distributed
documented
doubled
edited
encouraged
engineered
enlarged
escalated
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
expanded
experienced
explored
facilitated
finalized
formulated
founded
functioned
governed
grouped
guided
handled
harmonized
harnessed
headed
identified
implemented
improved
increased
indexed
initiated
inspected
installed
instituted
interpreted
introduced
invented
investigated
justified
led
localized
located
made
managed
maintained
mechanized
merged
moderated
motivated
negotiated
opened
operated
organized
originated
overcame
perceived
performed
pioneered
planned
prepared
presented
presided
processed
programmed
promoted
provided
purchased
raised
recommended
recorded
recruited
rectified
redesigned
repaired
replaced
restored
reversed
reviewed
revised
saved
screened
selected
serviced
set up
solved
sorted
sparked
specified
started
stimulated
strengthened
summarized
supervised
supported
systematized
tested
trained
transacted
transcribed
transformed
tripled
upgraded
validated
varied
verified
vitalized
won
wrote

To describe your skills the following adjectives are useful

accurate
active
adaptable
adept
broad-minded
competent
conscientious
creative
dependable
determined
diplomatic
discreet
efficient
energetic
enterprising
enthusiastic
experienced
fair
firm
genuine
honest
innovative
logical
loyal
mature
methodical
motivated
objective
outgoing
personable
pleasant
positive
practical
productive
reliable
resourceful
self disciplined
sense of humor
sensitive
sincere
successful
tactful

trustworthy

Use these verbs and adjectives and really sell yourself. You only have a few minutes to show how good you really are. By using this precise vocabulary and being confident can help you make the best impression possible.

COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTION

First Impressions

The first impression you make on the interviewer can decide the rest of the interview. It is important that you introduce yourself, shake hands, and be friendly and polite. The first question is often a "breaking the ice" (establish a rapport) type of question. Don't be surprised if the interviewer asks you something like:

• How are you today?
• Did you have any trouble finding us?
• Isn't this great weather we're having?

This type of question is common because the interviewer wants to put you at ease (help you relax). The best way to respond is in a short, friendly manner without going into too much detail. Here is some examples of correct responses:

Interviewer: How are you today?
You: I'm fine, thank you. And you?
OR
Interviewer: Did you have any trouble finding us?
You: No, the office isn't too difficult to find.
OR Interviewer: Isn't this great weather we're having?
You: Yes, it's wonderful. I love this time of year.
Interviewer: Did you have any trouble finding us?
You: No, the office isn't too difficult to find.
Here are some examples of incorrect responses:
How are you today?
So, so. I'm rather nervous actually.
OR
Interviewer: Did you have any trouble finding us?
You: As a matter of fact it was very difficult. I missed the exit and had to return via the highway. I was afraid I was going to be late for the interview.
OR Interviewer: Isn't this great weather we're having?
You: Yes, it's wonderful. I can remember this time last year. Wasn't it awful! I thought it would never stop raining!
Interviewer: Did you have any trouble finding us?
You: Yes, the office is too difficult to find.

Getting Down to Business

Once the pleasant beginnings have finished, it's time to begin the real interview. Here are a number of the most common questions that are asked during the interview. There are two examples of excellent replies given for each question. Following the examples, you will find a comment describing the type of question and important things to remember when answering that type of question.
Interviewer: Tell me about yourself.

Candidate: I was born and raised in Gambang, Kuantan. I attended the University College of Engineering and Technology Malaysia and received my degree in Electrical Engineering. I enjoy playing tennis in my free time and reading magazines and books.
Candidate: I've just graduated from the University of Lancaster with a degree in Computers. During the summers, I worked as a systems administrator for a small company to help pay for my education.



Comment: This question is meant as an introduction. Do not focus too specifically on any one area. The above question will often be used to help the interviewer choose what h/she would like to ask next. While it is important to give an overall impression of who you are, make sure to concentrate on work related experience. Work related experience should always be the central focus of any interview (work experience is more important than education in most English speaking countries).
Interviewer: What type of position are you looking for?

Candidate: I'm interested in an entry level (beginning) position.
Candidate: I'm looking for a position in which I can utilize my experience.
Candidate: I would like any position for which I qualify.
Comment:You should be willing to take an entry level position.
Interviewer: Are you interested in a full-time or part-time position?

Candidate: I am more interested in a full-time position. However, I would also consider a part-time position.
Comment: Make sure to leave open as many possibilities as possible. Say you are willing to take any job, once the job has been offered you can always refuse if the job does not appeal (not interest) to you.
Interviewer: Can you tell me about your responsibilities at your last job?

Candidate: I advised customers on financial matters. After I consulted the customer, I completed a customer inquiry form and catalogued the information in our database. I then collaborated with colleagues to prepare the best possible package for the client. The clients were then presented with a summarized report on their financial activities that I formulated on a quarterly basis.
Comment: Notice the amount of detail necessary when you are talking about your experience. The employer wants to know exactly what you did and how you did it; the more detail you can give the more the interviewer knows that you understand the type of work. Remember to vary your vocabulary when talking about your responsibilities. Also, do not begin every sentence with "I". Use the passive voice, or an introductory clause to help you add variety to your presentation
Interviewer: What is your greatest strength?

Candidate: I work well under pressure. When there is a deadline (a time by which the work must be finished), I can focus on the task at hand (current project) and structure my work schedule well. I remember one week when I had to get 6 new customer reports out by Friday at 5. I finished all the reports ahead of time without having to work overtime.
Candidate: I am an excellent communicator. People trust me and come to me for advice. One afternoon, my colleague was involved with a troublesome (difficult) customer who felt he was not being served well. I made the customer a cup of coffee and invited both my colleague and the client to my desk where we solved the problem together.
Candidate: I am a trouble shooter. When there was a problem at my last job, the manager would always ask me to solve it. Last summer, the LAN server at work crashed. The manager was desperate and called me in (requested my help) to get the LAN back online. After taking a look at the daily backup, I detected the problem and the LAN was up and running (working) within the hour.
Comment: This is not the time to be modest! Be confident and always give examples. Examples show that you are not only repeating words you have learned, but actually do possess that strength.
Interviewer: What is your greatest weakness?

Candidate: I am overzealous (work too hard) and become nervous when my co-workers are not pulling their weight (doing their job). However, I am aware of this problem, and before I say anything to anyone, I ask myself why the colleague is having difficulties.
Candidate: I tend to spend too much time making sure the customer is satisfied. However, I began setting time-limits for myself If I noticed this happening.


Comment: This is a difficult question. You need to mention a weakness that is actually a strength. Make sure that you always mention how you try to improve the weakness.


Interviewer:Why do you want to work for Matshisita Electronics?

Candidate: After following your firms progress for the last 3 years, I am convinced that Smith and Sons are becoming one of the market leaders and I would like to be part of the team.
Candidate: I am impressed by the quality of your products. I am sure that I would be a convincing salesman because I truly believe that the Matshisita Electronics is the best product in the market today.
Comment: Prepare yourself for this question by becoming informed about the company. The more detail you can give, the better you show the interviewer that you understand the company.
Interviewer: When can you begin?

Candidate: Immediately.
Candidate: As soon as you would like me to begin.


Comment: Show your willingness to work!
The above questions represent some of the most basic questions asked on any job interview in English. Probably the most important aspect of interviewing in English is giving detail. As a speaker of English as a second language, you might be shy about saying complicated things. However, this is absolutely necessary as the employer is looking for an employee who knows his or her job. If you provide detail, the interviewer will know that you feel comfortable in that job. Don't worry about making mistakes in English. It is much better to make simple grammar mistakes and provide detailed information about your experience than to say grammatically perfect sentences without any real content.

Best of LUCK.......

Mani.V

Adapted from: Beare, Kenneth ( 2004) Finding a job for ESL learners {on line article} retrieved 18 Mac 2004 from http://esl.about.com/library/business/bl_jobs_vocabulary.htm