A Million Lives

A million lifestyle hacks...unlimited possibilities

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How Learning Music Makes You a Better Person

There’s a reason that music is a passion for many- it’s incredible for you. While there’s something beautiful and enabling about knowing how to make music, whether playing it, singing it, or composing, there are so many other benefits to draw from. We have heard about the studies that show how learning music positively impacts our brains, there are other very practical applications that should encourage you to take up this hobby, no matter how old you are.

It Improves Creativity

There are so many different types of music out there, and so many ways to evoke emotion even out of the same piece of music. Improve your creativity with music lessons in Montreal, starting from the basics or supplementing the knowledge you already have. There’s something distinctly “you” when it comes to music, and this can be used for stretching our brains in a creative way and having another way to voice our opinions, style, and talent.

It Keeps You Disciplined

While geniuses do exist, to realistically get good at anything, you must work at it. Practice makes perfect, and no where is this more apparent than in music. While style and creativity are a huge part of music, having the technical knowledge and skill will give you the ability to express yourself with your instrument, voice, or otherwise. This self-discipline can trickle into every aspect of your life, from making healthy food choices, staying on top of schoolwork, or exercising.

It Relieves Stress

There’s something comforting knowing that when you press a certain piano key, there’s a determined tone that is emitted. The dependability of playing music, along with the personal aspect of the sound of it makes music a great therapy tool for those struggling with stress or other difficult things.

It’s a Community

Knowing how to play an instrument or sing can also open the door to the community. You can become part of a band, an orchestra, or just join in on casual jam sessions. Though music is something that you can work on as an individual, it’s also something that you can do as a group. You can even take lessons in a group environment if that’s how you like to learn.

There’s no time like the present to start your involvement in music. It might mean picking up that dusty guitar or signing up for violin lessons, but one thing is true: music is for everyone.

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How to Bring Your Sports Team Closer Together

Team unity is by far and away one of the most important characteristics of any sports team and that is why it is so important that you focus on getting this just right. As history has shown us time and time again, a team of excellent individuals who are not working in sync with the rest of the team, will almost always be vanquished by a collection of weaker individuals working for one another and as a united front. If your sports team needs some encouragement when it comes to togetherness and team unity, here are a few options which you could consider to bring them that little bit closer to one another.

Team Building

The obvious choice here is to organize some team building activities with your sports team. The choices as to which activities you and your team take part in will very much depend on how much time you have on your hands. If it is a school team for example then you may be restricted to weekends, if it is a professional team however then you will have much more time to play with. A team building activity can be anything from paint balling to going on vacation together, the key to it is putting your team in a position whereby they must work together in order to achieve something. The more testing and the more challenging the activity, the better chance of success you will have.

Clothing

Looking and dressing the same is also a key feature of a team unit and so you could spend a small amount of money and get some off-the-field outfits for your squad. If you check out OnTheGo custom t shirts you can get some great deals on training tops, t shirts, sports jackets and a whole range of options which will ensure that your team looks like one both on and off the field of play. When a team arrives for a game and they are all dressed as one, the opposition will know that they are facing a team, and not just a collection of athletes.

Separation

Something which can often happen in a team, and cause friction as a result, is that people will form cliques with their favorite people in the team, and it can end up leaving people excluded. The best way to either avoid or to end this type of separation into factions is to use a buddy system or create small groups in the team, yet using people who perhaps aren’t great friends with one another. In doing this you will be forcing people together and ultimately forcing them to learn about one another, something which will in  most cases greatly help the team.

If you are able to implement any of these strategies then the result will be a team unit who work hard for one another and who want to win together. If you can unlock the key to a tight team, then you will find plenty of success.

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How To Prevent College Dropout

On average there are an estimated 20 million students that enroll in either college or university in America every year. The sad reality is that there are high numbers of those students that fail to make it to graduation. There are studies indicating that only 45% of enrolled students complete their studies within six years of starting classes.

The reasons why a student drops out of their education are many, but for those teachers looking for ways to reduce their falling student numbers, there are some clear and practical ways to prevent college dropout. Combining these methods can keep your class size static, and that will mean that you are making a significant difference to the lives and futures of your students, and becoming a better teacher as a result.

Using technologies to reduce dropouts

Technology has become an integrated part of every area of our lives. Teaching is no different. Every good teacher has learned the value of using technology in the classroom, but it can be used in much more direct and productive ways outside of the classroom too.

Data analysis is a proven way of identifying those students who are likely to drop out, and that identification can help you to focus your attention on their needs. It’s a fact that college retention software is able to help not just your attendance rates, but highlight those students that need the help that you can provide, without disruption. Use technology to help your students, and your classes will improve as a result.

Funding aids

One of the most common reasons for college dropout is financial limitations. Mature students are especially prone to this, but it is an issue across every age range. This can be a frustrating issue for teachers because seeing a promising student fall behind due to money problems has seemingly few solutions.

One thing that you can do is to research financial help options, with some states already having in place retention grants that can help struggling students to get access to help with their finances. Grants are in place, so check with your state to see if these are applicable in your case. These retention grants are just that, and they are not loans that will need to be paid back. The more that you learn about potentially life-changing financial resources, the more that you can help your students and reduce your dropout rates.

Recognizing what the problem isn’t

When discussing the reasons for college dropout, it’s essential to look at the problem in a practical way. The fact is that not every student should be in college. There is a minimal work requirement that not every student is going to be capable of, and pushing those students who lack the commitment means taking your time and focus away from those that will put the work in.

Forcing work onto students who simply don’t want to be there is a waste of both time and money and does neither the student nor the teacher any favors in a very real sense. If you identify those students who have simply chosen the wrong course or the incorrect career pathway, then discuss their alternative options clearly. Give them advice on their options, and you reduce their chances of struggling on a course that they have no interest in.

There’s no disputing that America has a problem when it comes to high dropout rates. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to ensure that your students have the resources and help that they need to take full advantage of their education. Take your time and find the best ways to help your students, and your dropout rates will be vastly improved.

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3 careers for People Who Love to Write

Many writers have fancied themselves making good money from a career in writing but in most cases, such dreams do not come to pass. However, there are some other writers who genuinely love to spend time creating new pieces and actually go on to pursue a career that is fully inclined to writing jobs from home. Let us take a look at three writing careers you could begin to chase.

  1. Screenwriting-Every great film that has ever made box office success has a great script behind it. Think Avengers: infinity war, Titanic, Bridge of Spies, The Big Short, Deadpool and a host of other films: these films all existed in the mind of a Screenwriter  (or a group of screen writers) before they became a reality. If you are a highly creative writer, you could move towards joining the movie industry as a Screenwriter. This would require you to learn the rubrics of writing scripts and internalize lessons from seasoned screenwriters such as Quentin Tarantino (writer of Kill Bill series and Inglorious Bastards), James Cameron  (writer of Aliens, Terminator, Avatars and Titanic). After you may have brushed up your knowledge of how to write a screenplay, the next stage is for you to begin writing. Write scripts that are complex and hold no bounds to human understanding like Inception, or a simple love story between a giant and a child. After writing the scripts, the next step will be to ensure that they are pitched to the right quarters in Hollywood, which includes movie directors, actors and Actresses. You may also have to research how to pitch your script to anyone so that you can tick the right boxes on your way to bringing your script into a high grossing box office successful reality.
  2. Columnist-Have you ever fancied yourself in a career where you constantly pitch in your words at reputable news organizations and make money from that? As a thesis writer, you may send in you works to students, but being a Columnist is exactly what that career entails. Some of the most successful Columnists include Maureen Dowd, Malcom Muggeridge, Mike Royko (who wrote more than 7500 daily columns over thirty years) and others. Being a great columnist can lead you to win the Pulitzer prize for commentary as well as making good money. To begin, you should choose a writing niche where you would be able to write with ease and groom yourself to become better. After getting a distinct niche, the next is to begin to write your opinion on specific trends, topics, innovations and gossips as well. While writing, you can begin to send in your opinions to local as well as popular news organizations. At the onset of this career, you may not be earning the high amounts that you envisioned but you will be getting the needed recognition and the pay will steadily rise over the years. The beneficial aspect of this career is the flexibility of time that you have, and spare time that can be used to pursue other hobbies as well as a spare business.
  3. Social Media Manager- The world has become a global village where everyone who wishes to connect, has an online presence. The same is applicable to businesses, brands and other organizations that intend to get new followers, clients as well as better publicity. In order to achieve these lofty goals, they will all need to have highly appealing and very engaging social media platforms where they will communicate with new customer base. Such social media platforms include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and others. Generally most of these organizations may not have employees who are well versed in writing: that is where you come in. You can build a career by writing for the social media pages of various brands and then getting paid for it. The highly beneficial aspect of this career is that you could confidently manage the portfolios of more than two companies at the same time with the use of great scheduling applications such as Hootsuite.

There is absolutely no paucity of careers that are available for any writer at any given time. You could decide to become an independent author like JK Rowling and have your work transformed into a script for a film, or you could take up a job as a magazine writer. Nevertheless, the most vital thing you should note is that you may encounter a slow start in the career as you are building. However, success is guaranteed when you stick to the career.

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3 Reasons to Pursue a Career in Psychology

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When it comes to choosing a career path, it’s likely that you’re often spoilt for choice. There are so many sectors to choose from and several roles to fill in each sector, so it ultimately boils down to your interests, skills, and talents. One of the things that can help set the course of your career is the degree that you choose to study. You may be reading this because you’re one of many people that has an interest in psychology and want to make your mark in that sector. If this is the case, you’re going to find three reasons to consider pursuing this career in the below article.

It Can Improve Your Relationships

To begin with, one reason you should pursue a career in psychology is that it can improve your relationships. Seeing as you’re essentially learning about people and their behavior, it can help you put things into perspective regarding your relationship with others. Some of the fundamental things that you do on a daily basis in psychology are assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional and behavioral disorders, so you’re bound to learn about other people and what causes their behavior. You should also know that this knowledge is invaluable and can be used in various relationships and interactions with people whether personal or professional. It is also a very marketable skill that employers look for.

Promising Job Prospects

One of the benefits of pursuing a career in psychology is that you have a range of prospects when it comes to employment. If you’ve taken the time out to get a psychology degree online or attended classes every day, then you should know that it isn’t all in vain. Research predicts that by 2024, the employment of psychologists is expected to grow by 19 percent which is considered a lot faster than average growth. This could be because psychologists are needed in a range of areas whether it be schools, hospitals or social service agencies.

Improving Lives

One of the most important things for most people in life is being able to make a difference, no matter how small. The good thing about pursuing a degree in psychology is that you get the chance to do this every single day. Essentially, you’ll be devoting your time and energy to helping people overcome adversity, reach their greatest potential, and be better versions of themselves. As a result, you may also find that your life is improving as a result of helping others. This could be by making you feel happier, helping relieve stress, and giving you a sense of achievement.

Pursuing a career in psychology can seem like a long road in comparison to other careers. However, it is nonetheless one that can be extremely rewarding, especially when you specialize in an area you love. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the people around you and make a positive impact in society. Hopefully, after reading this, your doubt is cleared, and you’re ready to pursue a career in psychology.

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What to Do to Become a Data Scientist

When it comes to dealing with the high-tech world of today, there is no more important a job than data scientist. Anybody that embarks on such a career opens themselves up to having to face a plethora of questions from business owners to government officials who want to know how ‘big data’ can benefit them and their organizations.

To know how to answer these questions, as well as how to create new algorithms, data scientists have to go through rigorous amounts of training — to see just what this training entails, read on.

Decide… are you a good candidate?

The profession of a data scientist is tough, and it is certainly not made for everybody. For this reason, before you embark on your journey to becoming one, you have to decide whether you are a good enough candidate for such a role.

First, you must ask yourself if your nature is curious enough to constantly push yourself to pursue more learning, as data scientists never stop learning. You also need to be very organized and incredibly astute when it comes to sorting out the data that you obtain, as losing even one point in a million of different points has the potential to break a project. Also, a degree of stubbornness and a willingness to never give up on a challenge are traits that all data scientists should have because this a profession that brings about more frustration than it does fruition.

Get the education and the degrees

You cannot become a data scientist without an education behind you and the degrees hanging on your wall to prove that you’ve got it.

To begin with, you should be taking a bachelor’s degree in either IT, computer science, physics, or math. By doing so, you will be able to get to grips with the technology and calculus knowledge that all data scientists need as their foundation.

Obtaining such a degree will not see you come to the end of your educational journey, though, as you still need to be taking and obtaining a master’s degree, such as the Merrimack data science degree. Doing so will sharpen your problem-solving skills and give you the tools needed to tackle any analytical methods that you come across going forward, and it’ll give you the stamp of approval needed to entice future employers towards hiring you.

Pick your specialization

Every kind of business and organization needs a data scientist working for them, meaning you have a plethora of specializations to choose from when you come to pick your own. At this point, you have to study your own experiences, and you have to pinpoint the area that you feel most comfortable researching and analyzing.

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Career Options For Those Interested In Healthcare

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Interested in healthcare? This is a noble and important area to work in as you can make such a big difference to people’s lives, and there are many terrific career options to consider. Many will take a lot of training and hard work, but the employment opportunities are excellent, and many positions can be very well paid. If you have an interest in healthcare, but you are not sure which path to take, read on for a few suggestions of the types of job that you could work towards and how to go about getting qualified. No matter what path you take, it is sure to be a rewarding line of work.

Surgeon

Few jobs command as much respect as a surgeon as you undertake serious operations each day to save and change people’s lives. It takes rigorous training which consists of a bachelor’s degree, 4 years of medical school and a minimum of 5 years on a surgical residency program, but it is also a highly rewarding and lucrative career path to choose.

Physician

A physician covers everything to do with primary care, so this will include dermatologists, gynecologists, cardiologists and other forms of being a doctor. Income will depend on experience and speciality, but primary care is hugely important in making sure that people get the right treatment for their condition.

Healthcare Management

Hospitals and other care facilities must be extremely well-organized if they are to provide thorough care for everyone that comes through the door. Healthcare management is a vital cog that will keep the care facility running smoothly and a role in this area could involve developing budgets, hiring doctors, implementing new policies, meeting with staff to determine needs and much more. You can complete an online healthcare administration masters program that can provide you with all the tools that you need to succeed in this crucial part of healthcare.

Registered Nurse

Registered nurses (RNs) are deemed to be the glue that keeps a hospital together and they often spend more time with the patient than anyone else. An RN will track patient care, administer medication and monitor condition throughout the patient’s stay. To become an RN, you will need to complete either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Psychiatrist

Those with an interest in mental health could consider a career as a psychiatrist which involves diagnosing and treating complex mental health disorders. It is a challenging yet very rewarding and lucrative line of work, but it can be hard and take a long time to qualify.

There are many areas of healthcare to consider with the above being just a few options. All areas are of huge importance as you can save lives and make a big difference, but it can also be stressful, emotional and hard-work so you must be fully committed. Many positions are well-paid with good career options, but in many cases, they will take up a significant amount of your life so you must be prepared for this also.

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How To Constantly Improve To Get Further In Your Career

Continuous improvement is necessary all throughout our lives, in everything we do. As we are confronted by obstacles, disappointments and downfalls we have to get over it so that we can reach the next level in our evolution. Mastering continuous improvement, according to Envision Experience, is something that is challenging for most people. If you do want to master it though, here are some things that are surely going to help you.

Willpower To Improve Overall Direction

You do not have to keep doing what was done in the past if benefits are not as great as you might think. You should choose a new way to go. Use will power in order to begin the entire process. Repeating the past is something that will not bring in the same results. Willpower is going to help you to improve everything and you will watch your choices make true differences.

Always Admit Errors

In many cases you need to declare your errors. Words have to be properly calculated or they could end up leading to some huge conversation problems. If you do not admit errors it is obvious that you are going to lead the entire team towards a bad direction. Also, it is really important that you admit the mistakes you make in front of you.

Always Believe In Yourself

In so many cases the difference between being successful and failing all boils down to just believing in you. This is going to help you out so much more than what you might think since when you do believe in you, it is easier to make the correct choices that are going to influence every single step you take in the future. Without commitment, it is impossible to reach the goals you have. When you have problems and you do not believe in yourself, just take the necessary steps to improve that. Go to courses if this is necessary.

Conserve Effort And Time

It is really easy to get faked out. One of the most common mistakes people make is that they get overworked. You need to be sure you conserve your effort and your time in order to be able to operate at a full capacity. In most cases the only thing you really need is to allow yourself enough time to relax. Vacations are much more important than what you might think right now. Do take them whenever you can.

Invest Profits

Making money now is something that is always a priority for people but what will happen in the future? This is one thought that rarely comes to mind. Since you never actually know what the future holds, it is really important that you invest your profits and that you are ready for all unforeseen events that could arise.

Intensity

You should always invest more of you in what you do. Be sure that you are wiser, stronger and more courageous. Intensify vitality contribution. Focus on your health and increase the intensity of everything that you do. Work hard to seek more power, vitality, heart and vigor.

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Tips On How To Get Into Human Resources

Becoming a human resource manager stands out as a highly attractive process. This is a position that offers positive work environment, high pay and the possibility of making a true, direct difference in the work lives of people. The career is a really rewarding one since every single industry in the world needs to have human resources staff. Kevin Rolle has high experience with this and mentions some things that should be known by those that want to get into HR. His advice, mentioned below, will surely help.

Review The HR Resume

HR is quite faceted. There are different job responsibilities and job types that exist. Because of this, one of the important things to do is to consider personal experiences and background. It is possible you already have some skills that are valuable in HR, like working well in a team, strong critical thinking and the ability to actively resolve conflicts. Employers often look for such things when they hire. As the resume is crafted, build it in a way to properly highlight the way in which these skills will help the organization reach overall objectives. You can also focus on how employees can be made happier.

Rounding Out HR Skill Sets

As you review the resume you can easily figure out if there are some weakness areas you need to deal with. Analyze HR job descriptions and see what the employers now look for. When you fall short in some parts, you can build up the skills in various ways, including:

  • Volunteering– This always looks great on a resume but you need to take it one step further and actually find those volunteering options that build up on the required skills.
  • Advanced study– All ongoing learning efforts develop relevant skills and knowledge. This makes you a better candidate for future positions. Getting masters degrees and advancing your study through other channels should be considered to improve current skills.
  • Relationships – Learning about relationships is a skill that basically relates to people dynamic and how people are handling work.

Build Your Human Resources Network

When you volunteer your network grows as you get to meet people that know you help. When you get hired for any job, another contact is created. This is how networking starts. The connections that you build will help you to find opportunities faster and get good recommendations.

Remember that social media is also really useful these days when you need to build a network. It is always a good idea to join online HR communities in order to talk to others. Being active in these groups will help you make more connections and will establish a presence.

Be Open

When you want to get an HR job but you cannot actually get one, it is time to look for smaller opportunities. A great way to get into the industry is through internships. They add really valuable real-world experience that will always be seen with good eyes by employers. Understanding HR is very important so when you prove that you can do this, you identify yourself as an asset.

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Wayne Imber on the Jobs You Can Get With a Psychology Degree

I have been a college professor teaching psychology for almost 8 years now and in those 8 years I have witnessed a sharp decline of people wishing to take on psychology as a major. My colleague Wayne Imber and I were scratching our heads as to why this was, so we checked out some recent research on the subject. The biggest reason that came from the study,  in terms of why people don’t want to study psychology, is because they believe that there is no really career path for them. Not only is psychology an absolutely fascinating subject to study, where you will learn about the inner workings of the human mind and behaviors, there are also many different types careers which you can embark upon after finishing your studies. Let’s take a look at some of the jobs you can get with your psychology degree.

Therapist

One of the most obvious choices of course is to go into therapy and work as a doctor of psychology, a very popular career choice for many of our students. Working as a therapist you will be helping many people with mental health issues, grief, historical issues, addiction and any number of psychological problems which people may have. This can be a tough but very rewarding career choice that many people enjoy.

Counseling

Being a therapist requires a doctorate but if you simply want to help people to talk through their issues and help them to become better people, you could look at becoming a counselor. Counselors are used by many people across the country who don’t feel at their best and want to use psychological techniques to improve themselves and their lives.

Private Companies

A great many private companies use people who are trained in psychology to work closely with their staff members. This is more prominent in industries such as finance, where there are many people working under huge amounts of pressure. The company will have you working in-house to help the employees with any issues which they may have. Furthermore, the companies like to use therapists and psychologists, to increase the output of their staff by making them better people with more belief and more confidence. You don’t necessarily have to work in the public sector once you have graduated, there are many positions in the private sector which you can also find careers using your psychology degree.

Teaching

My own personal story is one which you could also follow, as soon as I graduated I wanted to share the knowledge that I had learned and teach people about psychology. I started working in the university around 2 years after graduating and I am now a part time professor and spend the rest of my time writing books about the subject. Having knowledge is one thing but being able to share it is something truly special.

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