Don't wait for rewards, pat your own back

This article was shared by one of my colleagues.. very encouraging thought... in times when one feels...not so good with the surrounding work environment... Don't wait for rewards, pat your own back 28 Jul 2010, 0134 hrs IST, Priya Kumar,
I have seen a lot of unsatisfied achievers in the corporate world. They want the recognition, they want the award, they want the incentive and they want all there is to want because they work hard for it. And sometimes despite all the hard work, their performance gets sidelined. A lot of people are discouraged and disheartened when they don’t get their due. One cannot imagine the heartbreak of the employee who put his soul in his project and it still fell short of the credit he so deserved.  Instead of quitting on your passion or living short of your own potential, set yourself up for success. Success is not an announcement from a third party; it is a feeling from within. But so many times we are focussing on the outside for acknowledgment that we miss acknowledging ourselves for our work, an acknowledgment that really counts. Next time when you take up a project and set your eyes on the winning line, set yourself up for your own personal ‘award’ and ‘recognition’. Plan your personal recognition: When I dig myself in my laptop to write an article, or a strategy plan for my book launch or a workshop outline, or anything that I need to get done, I plan to reward myself when I finish. It could be something as small as ‘take a coffee break’ or ‘buy myself the book I wanted to read’ or ‘munch on a bar of chocolate’. It can be anything that marks that I ‘earned’ it. I had a colleague who was very fascinated with the idea of personal recognition and he decided to reward himself with a beer while watching TV at home if he cleared his inbox before he left from work that day. See he was going to drink the bottle of beer while watching TV anyways, so how does it hurt to make it a reward? One had rather drink to success than drink to frustration at the end of the day. Weeks later he told me, “I remember feeling low for almost six months when I was not granted the promotion I deserved. But with my own creative recognition plan I feel important and productive every single day. And because I feel successful and rewarded everyday, I have become a bigger success at work than even what my seniors had imagined.”

Plan your family or social recognition: It certainly is important that colleagues at work appreciate your hard work but what people forget

is that it is more important that the recognition comes from the people you are working so hard for.

They have a stake in your success. It would be great to take your spouse for a weekend vacation to mark the celebration of your quarterly hard work. I tried this idea out with a few friends. One of them told his son that after Daddy does his work well at the end of the month, he would take him shopping. He was amazed that his son kept tab on his progress and actually asked him how his day was every day. Another friend decided to take a casual leave to watch movies at home with his family and called friends over for dinner to celebrate the end of a month-long tenure of work well done in office. “I am happier at work than I have ever been in my 22 years of working. Acknowledging my hard work and celebrating it has contributed to my job satisfaction,” he said at the end of the month.

Work is work. Clearing emails is as much work as is delivering the newspaper as is performing an open-heart surgery. Work becomes contribution when it is done to finish and done well. And work well done must be rewarded. If you are the one keeping tab on your progress and rewards, other people’s opinion of your worthiness won’t matter and you will be successful in ways that matter and count. Make your work a celebration of your hard work for you to feel like the success that you truly are.

(The author is a corporate trainer and best-selling author of I Am Another You)

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/Jobs/Dont-wait-for-rewards-pat-your-own-back/articleshow/6225238.cms?curpg=2

Simple, routine vehicle maintenance and smart driving habits can help you save hundreds of ringgit in fuel costs a year.

SO fuel prices have gone up. Granted, it’s not that much and there is no reason to hit the panic button, but you’re definitely going to feel the pinch, even if it’s a small one.

There are steps that you as a driver can take to help mitigate this. Simple, routine vehicle maintenance and smart driving habits can help you save hundreds of ringgit in fuel costs a year.

Don’t drive aggressively

According to a study by Natural Resources Canada, frequent “jackrabbit” starts (that is, fast acceleration of a motor vehicle from a stationary position) and hard braking can increase fuel consumption by almost 40% and only reduces travel time by a mere 4%.

“The ideal way is to accelerate slowly and smoothly and then get into high gear as quickly as possible,” says Simon Lam of Used Autos Sdn Bhd, a Kuala Lumpur-based used-car dealer.

According to Lam, in normal city driving, about 50% of the energy needed to power a car, is used during vehicle acceleration. “If you notice you’re slamming on the brakes hard and often, then it’s a sign that you’re wasting fuel unnecessarily,” says Lam.

According to eartheasy.com, increasing your highway cruising speed from 90 kmh to 120 kmh can increase fuel consumption by as much as 20%. One can improve gas mileage by 10% to 15% by driving at around 90 kmh.

Alternatively, you can opt for cruise control if your car has it, says Lam. “This is especially good for long trips. Not only will it reduce your urge to speed, you’ll also feel less tired after the journey.”

Keep tyres properly inflated

Under-inflated tyres create added rolling resistance and can increase fuel consumption by as much as 6%, says Klang Valley-based tyre agent Vincent Pang.

“Check your tyre pressure regularly and make sure to inflate them as recommended by the manufacturer. It’s not difficult to do and doesn’t cost you anything. Looking after your tyres not only helps you to reduce fuel consumption, it promotes better vehicle handling and tyre life,” he adds.

But, apart from taking care of your tyres, keeping your entire car in good working condition also ensures that it is running at optimum levels and peak efficiency.

Use air-cond sparingly

Okay, we all know how unkind the Malaysian heat can be, but a two-minute trip to the mamak stall or post office without air-conditioning won’t kill you.

According to eartheasy.com, using a vehicle’s air-conditioner on a hot day can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10% in city driving.

At low speeds, opening the window helps to save fuel consumption by reducing air-condition usage.

However, at high speeds, driving with the air-cond on is more fuel-efficient than the wind resistance caused by having the windows and sunroof open, it says.

Travel light

The more weight you carry, the more fuel you use, says Kuala Lumpur-based mechanical engineer Peter Lau. “Your car is a means for transportation, not a mobile storage facility. Keep heavy items like tools, sports equipment or other items at home when you don’t need them,” he advises.

Lau adds that vehicle add-ons, such as roof racks or even spoilers, can add to wind-drag and reduce fuel efficiency.

“Remove items such as roof and bike racks when not in use. If you have to use them, load them in such a way that any sort of drag or resistance can be minimised while driving.”

Choose This Protein for More Mental Power

An interesting article to keep in mind!! to keep up with the Mental power..

Real age

Chicken or fish? It's not just a choice you make at wedding receptions. Your answer could be a ticket to a healthier mind, too.

A recent study suggests that regularly opting for the right kind of protein could mean a significantly lower risk of dementia later in life. And your brain will thank you if you choose finned foods.

The Fin Factor
The study evaluated the health and eating habits of close to 15,000 people age 65 and older from countries around the world, including Peru, China, India, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. And the people who ate fish often -- nearly every day -- were about 20 percent less likely to be diagnosed with dementia compared with the folks who never ate fish. Researchers suspect that the inflammation-fighting omega-3 fatty acids in fish produce the benefit. (Concerned about mercury in your fish? Here are the kinds of fish you should choose to reduce your intake of this environmental toxin.)

Something in the Water?
So here's what you should choose at each meal if you don't care much about your brain: meat. In the study, the more meat people ate (think beef, chicken, and pork) the higher their risk of dementia. So start making over your meals, and be sure to invite your friends from the sea. Here are a few fabulous meat-free meal ideas to try from EatingWell: