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Saturday, January 5, 2019

12 expert tips to make 2019 your most productive year yet

As a nation, we’re obsessed with getting stuff done. There is an endless supply of advice from time management experts, productivity evangelists, and thought leaders who have managed to hack their way into the 24-hour day and wring out the maximum output into each waking moment. Productivity software alone accounts for an $82 billion market, according to IBISWorld research.
At Fast Company, our deep research regularly divulges the secrets of the most productive people both on a dedicated podcast and through our reporting. But as the new year dawns, we’ve put together a special collection of fresh new tips along with a selection of the most helpful advice we’ve gathered to help make 2019 your most productive year yet.

Keep it simple

Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, an international authority in leadership assessment, people analytics, and talent management, breaks down what appears to be a complex equation to its essence. “Productivity is doing more with less: output divided by input,” he advises. “If you want to be more productive without working more, then your only option is to work less.”  That means you need to eliminate wasted time by ditching trivial activities and focusing on what really matters. “Even if your output doesn’t go up,” he says, “you will at least have more free time to produce (or waste) in other areas of life.”
If you want to know how to achieve big goals (like saving money, getting a promotion, or running a marathon), Fast Company’s assistant editor Anisa Purbasari Horton has the formula. She hit the mark on all of these resolutions in one year by switching up the way she approached them. “They were things that I had control over–they were habit goals, which focused on the process, rather than achievement goals, which rests on the outcome,” she explains. “I knew exactly what I needed to do each week, and I simply made that a priority.”

Cityblog Events Corner


Cityblog Special: Indian Army Fan


Cityblog Feature: PJ of the Day

You heard the rumor going around about butter? Never mind, I shouldn't spread it.

Cityblog Special: Yearly Review by Morgan Freeman


Cityblog Feature: MPC News

Cityblog User: Germany

Cityblog User: Stability of Japanese Bullet Train

Friday, January 4, 2019

Cityblog Feature: Nayakgiri: 2018 Review: Year of Crossroads


Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
----------Robert Frost

There is a time in everybody’s life when life offers two choices: One right and One Wrong. This is the time to trust your instincts, use available information and experience, assess your abilities, respect your spirit, follow your conscience and keep faith in universal scheme of things. Year 2018 has led us to this crossroad as an Individual, Punekar, Maharashtrian, Indian and as a Global Citizen. We need to take this call in 2019. And it has to be right else we will be going back in time and be labeled either unfortunately as people who took wrong decision or gloriously as people who made right choice.
As a Global Citizen, every country is at steps to take a call where one needs to think beyond Nationalism and think as a part of very closed, interlinked world sharing same concerns. 2018 has taken us close to disaster on environmental fronts. We saw floods, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, storms creating disasters. This is the gravest situation and humanity has to make very wise decisions in 2019.Paris turned into National muscle flexing completion. Some countries chose a path of extreme sense of Nationalism in Americas (US, Brazil), Brexit, Right wings all in Nato and erstwhile Warsaw pact countries. US politics was in turmoil throughout though economy did well. The slump is stocks have warned of global recession trends for 19 unless taken some wise decisions. US legislators and people have a choice although with very complex mechanisms. World also has to take wise decisions on trade, tariffs, visas to avoid actual and cold wars. There were many shooting incidences in US which needs good governance to avoid such human disasters. Iran sanctions pose great challenge in Middle East politics which saw turmoil in Yemen, Qatar and Saudi capital after killing of Khagosshi.  US pullout in Syria and Afghanistan will create a vacuum in the regions creating instability in 2019. Russia has gained much confidence and credibility after soccer WC 2018 will have more impact on world politics. China is also on crossroads on feasibility of its economic model and international domination.  India has had say in Srilanka, Maldives as well as has problems due to US pullout in Afghanistan. It should be vary of Himalayan countries of Nepal and Bhutan though especially Chinese influence (for whom border issues still need to dealt carefully). Pakistan saw Imran as puppet PM staged by Army, but there is no change in terrorism and outlook towards India. US cut in aid will hurt where it hurts most as well Chinese will claim their pound of flesh. 

Cityblog Events Corner


Cityblog Feature: PJ of the Day

Once five house lizards were climbing on the wall. One lizard started to sing a song. Moment it stopped singing other four fell down from the wall. Why??

Cityblog Special: Know what is Sundog


This phenomenon is called 'Sundog' scientifically 'Perhelion'. 

It occurs when ice crystals are left hanging in sunlight,  they refract the light at angle of 22°, at that time there seems to be more Suns in the sky.

Cityblog Feature: MPC News

Cityblog User: Savitribai Phule

Cityblog User: Top Universities

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Apple cuts revenue forecast on weak China sales

Apple on Wednesday cut the revenue forecast for its latest quarter, citing fewer iPhone upgrades and weak sales in China, and its shares tumbled in after-hours trade.
The company forecast $84 billion in revenue for its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29, which is below analysts' estimate of $91.5 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. Apple originally forecast revenue of between $89 billion and $93 billion.
"While we anticipated some challenges in key emerging markets, we did not foresee the magnitude of the economic deceleration, particularly in Greater China," Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said in a letter to investors. "In fact, most of our revenue shortfall to our guidance, and over 100 percent of our year-over-year worldwide revenue decline, occurred in Greater China across iPhone, Mac and iPad."
Wednesday was the first time that Apple issued a warning on its revenue guidance ahead of releasing quarterly results since the iPhone was launched in 2007.
Apple shares, which had been halted ahead of the announcement, skidded 7.7 percent in after-hours trade, dragging the company's market value below $700 billion.
A slew of brokerages reduced their first-quarter production estimates for iPhones after several component makers in November forecast weaker-than-expected sales, leading some market watchers to call the peak for iPhones in several key markets.
On Apple's earnings call in November, Cook cited slowing growth in emerging markets such as Brazil, India and Russia for the lower-than-anticipated sales estimates for the company's fiscal first quarter. But Cook specifically said he "would not put China in that category" of countries with troubled growth.

Cityblog Feature: Amita Nene's Yummy Expressions: Chocolate Chips Oatmeal Cookies

Amita Nene's Yummy Expressions


Chocolate Chips Oatmeal Cookies



My kids have stopped believing in Santa about 4 years now, but they still pretend play that they do believe in one, in order to make it an occasion to get gifts!! For couple of years, I actually did play along and bought them gifts. But finally called it a day a year back, much to their dismay! Imagine they will complete 13 this month!
Tough one isn’t it? Managing a pair of kids who offer me a unique combination of experiences with their childlike persuasions and demands on one hand and a bagful of attitude and airs that scream ‘teenage’ on the other!!
All I know now is that in my closet, I have a box full of hand-painted greeting cards, an elf doll, few thank you notes, Pokemon stickers and many other trinkets that were kept under pillows for Santa over the years, and had to secretly make their way into my closet. And in return “Santa” did leave gifts for them all the time.

Cityblog Cartoon


Cityblog Feature: PJ of the Day


Sam: Mai paida Mumbai me hua, Par padhai Chennai se ki hai . 
Tom: Phir to rooj aane-jane me bahut der lagti hogi na?

Cityblog Special: Badminton in Disguise



Cityblog Feature: MPC News

Cityblog User: Clean Singapore

Cityblog User: Life as in Karan Johar Film

Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Cityblog Condolences: Kadar Khan


Stop Doing Low-Value Work


In the past, time management experts would recommend that you divide up your work into A tasks, B tasks, and C tasks. The concept was to do the A tasks first, then the B tasks, then the C tasks, when you can get to them. If priorities changed, you just changed the order of your As, Bs, and Cs. Doing all aspects of a job seemed possible then, if you just followed some basic time management rules.
That kind of thinking ended during the recession of 2007-2009. Between January 2008 and February 2010, 8.8 million jobs were lost. Although the jobs went away, much of the work didn’t. Teachers ended up with more children in a classroom; customer service representatives ended up with more phone calls; and managers ended up with more people to manage as teams were consolidated. No matter the job, everyone ended up with a lot more work. And although there have been real gains in productivity since then, the days of A, B, and C tasks are over. Overwhelmed is the new normal.
Therefore, it’s actually a matter of professional life or death to get rid of your low-value work – tasks that mean little or nothing to customers or colleagues. Take an active approach. Design a new, do-able job for yourself. Here’s when to do it:
  • When you start a new job, you have a fresh perspective on what has to be done and you can see the low-value work more easily. Take a look at everything on your plate. Propose three-month goals to your manager, getting rid of as many useless tasks as you can.

Cityblog Special: Japan


Cityblog Feature: Fitness Tips from Fitcon


Cityblog Feature: P J of the Day


Dedicated to the Memory of Kadar Khan

Kadar Khan aur Shakti Kapoor dono bus stop pe khade the... 



Bus aai aur Kadar Khan chad jata hai per Shakti Kapoor nahin jata. 

Kyon??? 





 
Answer: Qyonkieeeeeee woh Shakti Kapoor dusri bus ke wait kar raha tha

Cityblog Special: Kora Kagaj Tha on Sitar


Cityblog Feature: MPC News

Cityblog User: Exemplary IAS Officer

Cityblog User: Effects of Travel