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The week is filled with chores, work, hectic scheduling, and of course obligations of various kinds. More often than not the devices designed to save time and work are creating more of the same by allowing almost immediate access to the individual and employers, family members, and of course the schools more than happily take advantage of this convenience. The weekend provides two days to recharge but if you are not careful, even these two days threaten to get swallowed up in the planning and setup for the next five or-in some cases-they may be taken up by the overflow of the previous five! Here are some simple yet vital steps that help you to relax on a weekend-and yes, singing is a vital part of it!

Instructions

Relax on a Weekend

1.  Commit your schedule to relaxing. Just like you put your child’s ballet recital and your boss’ meeting on the calendar, relaxing also needs to be scheduled or it most likely fails to happen. Block out a chunk of time and do not double book yourself!

2.  Exercise your power to say “no.” Although many a hard worker and dedicated friend feels awkward about saying “no” when asked to help a friend move, a teacher put together a classroom, or an overworked boss to prepare for the big meeting, if the request to do so falls into the scheduled block of relaxation time, you must exercise your “no.” Make yourself available before or after your scheduled relaxation time, but not during the block of time!

3.  Reconnect with your family. Relaxing on weekends means spending time with your family, especially the kids. This is not the time for homework and getting the costume for the recital ready, but instead it is a time to not have to do anything! Play games, lounge in your backyard pool, dust off your guitar and sing together, or just do a crossword puzzle with your older ones.

4. Remember that pets are family, too! Do not shortchange your dog, but instead pack the family in the car for a drive just so that Fluffy can let its ears flap in the breeze. Even if the drive takes little more than an hour, your family pet is sure to appreciate the extra attention it might have lacked during the workweek.

5.  Reconnect with yourself. Take some time away from everyone and plan a quiet morning on the golf course, a lonely hike up a trail, or just a drive in the car by yourself. Pop in your favorite CD, sing along to the tunes, listen to a favorite radio show, or just enjoy the peace and quiet.

6. Relax your body along with your mind. The previous steps focused on relaxing your mind but do not forget to also relax your body on the weekend! There are several exercises you might follow, but the hands down best is vigorous exertion followed by structured breathing exercises and a long hot shower or bath. You can almost feel your muscle groups relaxing one at a time as you do this!

Tips & Warnings

• The cell phone is the enemy of relaxation. Unless you are an on-call doctor, lawyer, law enforcement professional or clergyman, turn off your cell phone completely. There is nothing that comes your way this weekend that could not wait until Monday morning.
• Singing is a great exercise in the relaxation of the mind as well as the body. Those who believe that their portion of the choir is the frog section still can enjoy singing in the privacy of a car or shower!

Read more: How to Relax on a Weekend | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2305210_relax-weekend.html#ixzz1qxlnTNpD

Re-Shared By: Monster Design Studios.

[post_quote type="full"]I’ve been at the company … since 2006,” says Sam Moreau, who oversees design and user experience for Windows. “Internally, that’s code for: Vista isn’t my fault.[/post_quote]

IT’S THE ULTIMATE DESIGN CHALLENGE. YOU’VE GOT 25 YEARS OF WINDOWS BEFORE YOU.

Moreau spoke yesterday at New York City’s Soho House, an intimate, members-only club in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District. Surrounded by the library’s tufted chesterfield sofas and leather-bound books, with a plate of hors d’oeuvres in one hand and a fizzy cocktail in the other, Moreau talked casually about the monstrous task he faces: to rethink the world’s most widely used operating system in developing Windows 8, the most radical overhaul of Microsoft’s premiere software since Windows 95.

[post_quote type="full"]It’s the ultimate design challenge,” he says. “You’ve got 25 years of Windows before you. It’s really hard to take all that, and preserve it. There’s a responsibility to preserve it, but you also have this responsibility to evolve it forward–knowing that when you change something, you’re changing how computing works.[/post_quote]
Moreau and others at Microsoft refer to this challenge as “the tyranny of having a billion users.” In the same way that Google and Facebook can’t introduce a new feature without receiving some backlash, Microsoft can barely adjust a single pixel without causing a worldwide uproar. So imagine what it’ll be like when users around the globe first feast their eyes on Windows 8: a mobile-inspired operating system with Metro-style animated tiles, designed to connect user experiences across PCs, tablets, and smartphones. (The desktop, a common and comfortable concept for users of all ages, has been demoted to a background function.)
[post_quote type="full"]Taking away things wasn’t really the point of our design,” Moreau says. “You can’t just change stuff for change sake. We have this saying: Change is bad, unless it’s great.[/post_quote]

To wit: For Windows 8, the design team decided against reusing the “Start” button, one of the operating system’s most recognizable features. “It wasn’t like we had this idea to get rid of it,” Moreau says. Rather, once the design focus shifted to tiles, the “Start” icon, which gave users access to menus, files, and programs, became irrelevant. “An icon is just this thing that looks like fake glass, is kind of shiny, has a fake light source and drop shadow, but doesn’t really do a good job of telling you all the context hidden inside of it,” Moreau says.

Moreau calls interface changes a “promise” to users. If you can’t commit to a change like tiles completely, then it won’t resonate. “Otherwise, it’s just another thing that you’re not confident about how it will work,” he says. “If I can’t make that promise universally, then I can’t have it do that job.” In other words, you can’t upgrade the design and functions, and just “clutter it with all this other stuff” for good measure.

IF YOU CAN’T COMMIT TO A CHANGE LIKE TILES COMPLETELY, THEN IT WON’T RESONATE.

Microsoft acknowledges there will be a learning curve for Windows 8, but that’s the case with almost any innovative new idea. Moreau cites the mouse, now an extremely familiar product, but a device that Moreau says was “super controversial” when PC makers first introduced it to the world. “People hated it; they freaked out; they didn’t understand it,” he recalls. “But I don’t think anybody would say that we should’ve taken the mouse away and not done that evolution. Those types of evolutionary steps take a hump to get over.”

For Moreau, the decades-old baggage of Windows isn’t ultimately a downside. There is something rewarding about designing products for more than a billion users. “It’s not like a legacy hanging around my neck–it’s the opposite,” he says. “Otherwise you’re designing something that’s irrelevant. I’ve done that before: I’ve worked for companies where all I did for years was vision projects. They were never real; it was all fake or vaporware. It’s super boring. Yes, you can fill your portfolio with interesting and pretty stuff, but it’s not very fulfilling.”

He adds, “What’s fulfilling is to take something that really, really matters, and make it better in a way that moves the world forward.”

Read my blog post, Top 10 Tips for Getting Your Resume Read, to give your resume a complete over haul. Many people revisit their professional documents only when there’s an urgent reason — like applying for a job or meeting with a client or partner. However, it’s easier to polish up your portfolio, resume or CV before you need it — and when you aren’t under pressure or facing a tight deadline. When an opportunity comes up, all you’ll need to do is customize the information.

Craft your online presence

Not using social media for your career, or not keeping it up to date? Experts say we should be paying more attention because employers are watching. Surveys show more employers are using sites like LinkedIn and Facebook to check out potential employees — and check up on current ones.

Social media can also further your career or business. Use it to highlight your skills, experience and accomplishments and connect with colleagues, potential employers and clients.

If you aren’t using social media, consider starting with LinkedIn, a professional networking site that’s strictly business. (I have posted 3 previous times, about the reasons to use this networking site, 3 Reasons LinkedIn Is Better For Business Than Facebook or Twitter, and how to use it to gain referrals, 3 Rules for Using Linkedin to Find a Job and 6 Steps for Baby Boomers for Job Referrals from Linkedin.)

If you’re already using social media, now’s the time to double-check those privacy settings and make sure your content is clean and current. Employers have eliminated potential candidates and even fired workers based on what they’ve seen online.

Update your image

Like it or not, appearances matter and an outdated look could suggest that your skills and experience are outdated too. According to a recent article from AARP, refreshing their look is a concern for many older job seekers — even to the point of Botox treatments and plastic surgery.

However, a polished, well-groomed look doesn’t necessarily mean going to drastic lengths. Replace that 90s suit with a new one. Boomer men get rid of the 80s haircut and mustache. Try a fresh haircut or a new pair of glasses.

Bonus tip:

Never stop learning, and acquiring new skills that can make you an asset to your company — not to mention boost your resume. Employers look for a willingness and ability to learn as well as the talent you bring you to the table.

Not sure where to start? Use your contacts on Linkedin to find out what skills are in demand. For instance, learning a new piece of software or tackling project management would add value to your your resume.

Blog post by Boomer54 Mark This is a Power 3s list.

Re-Shared By: Monster Design Studios.