5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creative

5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creative5 unexpected blocks keeping you from being creativeIf you are ever faced with the feeling that all your creative juices have dried up, there is one question and one question only you need to ask yourselfWho are you studying?Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreI am such a believer of input and its role in staying creative over long periods of time.Do you know why you feel so inspired after seeing live music?Or going to the theater?Or watching a really great movie?Its because you are allowing yourself to take in, instead of being in output mode.And if you stay in output mode too long, thats when the infamous writers block appears.1. You arent making time for inputLike I said above, if you arent constantly studying your craft and learning from others, where on earth do you think all your brilliance is going to come from?Your desk?In yo ur empty apartment?You have to, have to, have to make time to not only study the work of others, but also to take a break from focusing on output.Its just like going to the gym. You cant lift weights for 10 hours straight without eating.In fact, eating is the most important part2. You arent sleepingTrust me, I know that sometimes sleep deprivation can lead to some pretty incredible a-ha moments - like a vision quest in the desert, or something - but 99.8 percent of the time, sleep is your best friend.And more than that, its not just about sleep, but allowing your brain a gelegenheit to rest. Again, this goes back to always being in output mode.You have to allow your engine a chance to cool down.3. You arent surrounded by creative peopleYou are the product of the environment that surrounds you.You are influenced by those around you.You are inspired by those around you.You learn from those around you.Environment plays such a monumental role in our development as human beings.If you want to be truly creative, you need to be surrounded by others who are also creative in their own ways, and will push you outside your conventional patterns of thought.4. You arent mastering your emotions - your emotions are mastering you.At first, I was going to say, You are not in a positive place emotionally, but some of the worlds greatest art has come from tragedy and heartbreak.I think a more true statement, when it comes to creativity, is to be aware of how you feel and to use that as inspiration.It is one thing to be depressed.It is entirely another to know you are depressed, witness that emotion, and then transmute it into something incredible.That is, and should always be, the goal.5. You arent practicing.And finally, the simplest but most easily forgotten habit of all, the importance of practice.You might be naturally creative, but if you arent actively practicing, that muscle will become weak. Oddly enough, you will mucksmuschenstill hold yourself to the same standard y ou once performed at, but will not be able to replicate the same success because you arent practicing.Creativity is a skill.It must be practiced, diligently and with focus, in order to be honed and cultivated.This article originally appeared on Inc Magazine.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Automated Logistical Specialist (MOS 92A) Description

Automated Logistical Specialist (MOS 92A) DescriptionAutomated Logistical Specialist (MOS 92A) DescriptionThe Automated Logistical Specialist is primarily responsible for supervising and performing management or warehouse functions in order to maintain equipment records and parts. This position is akin to quote a few civilian occupations, such as laborers and freight, stock and materie movers. Theres some logistician skill required, so its also similar to a purchasing agent job in wholesale, retail or farming or purchasing managers. Duties performed by Soldiers in this MOS This kind of Automated Logistical Specialist has a wide array of duties. In this position, youd be responsible for a certain amount of paperwork, including maintaining stock records, inventory records, material control, accounting, and supply reports. In addition to that, youd be establishing and maintaining both automated and manual accounting records, posting receipts and performing dues-ins and dues out acco unting tasks. Lastly, on the paperwork side, youd be correcting any errors and exception documents, in addition to reviewing and verifying quantities received against bills of lading, contracts, purchase requests and shipping documents. On the physical ends of things, youd be responsible for unloading, unpacking, visually inspecting, counting, segregating, pelletizing and storing incoming supplies and equipment in addition to maintaining the stock locator system and administering document control procedures. You would repair and construct fiberboard or wooden containers as well as bins, shelving and all sorts of storage aids in order to pack, crate, stencil, weigh, and band equipment and supplies. On the shipping side of things, this position is responsible for processing requests and turning-in documents at direct helfende hand level through the warehousing section. You would process inventories, surveys, and warehousing documents, as well as performing prescribed load lists and sh op stock list duties in manual and automated supply applications. You would prepare, annotate and distribute shipping documents in addition to breaking down and distributing field rations. It would be your responsibility to ensure that inventories and location surveys are performed in accordance with established procedures. To do so, you would instruct warehouse personnel in loading, unloading, segregation, dunnage, pelletizing, and selection of stock and storage areas. You would perform property disposal storage functions and ensure the application of special procedures for handling, storing, packaging and shipping retrograde material. Additionally, you would retrieve and analyze the historyand activity files pertinent to system rejected documents, as well as recommending additions and deletions to authorized stockage list. You would maintain accounting records of property disposal activity as well as performing reviews requests for major and controlled items. Monthly and quarterl y, it would be your responsibility to reconcile activity records for reporting and status reviews. You would processes data inquiry and manager referred listings and cards in addition to managing controlled, critical and reserve stocks and operational readiness floats. You would perform financial management functions, process output from a catalog inquiry program and document modifiers and special cancellation requests. You would perform commissary storefunctions to include stock replenishment, price changes, inventories, security and stock receipt in addition to overseeing the construction of displays. You would be responsible for computing the cost of the Basic Daily Food Allowance and ensure that subsistence items stockage objectives are met. You would prepare data input and utilize ADP output to assist in material management. You would prepare reports on labor and equipment, available storage space, relocation of material, warehouse refusals, and stock requirements. You would direct the correction of location survey discrepancies as well as assisting unit intermediate maintenance personnel in planning a maintenance program. Additionally, you would plan and coordinate subsistence supply activity and directs corrective action to minimize spoilage, flavor contamination, and improper warehouse practices. Training for the Position Job training for an automated logistical specialist requires 10 weeks of Basic Combat Training and 12 weeks of Advanced Individual Training with on-the-job instructions. A portion of that time is spent in the classroom and part in the field, including practice in handling and storing stock. For your ASVAB Score, youll need to score a 90 in the aptitude area of the CL. This position doesnt come with a security clearance. Physically, be prepared to lift very heavy equipment quite often your physical profile requirement will be a 222222, and youll need to have normal color vision. During all of this training, youll learn stock con trol and accounting procedures, as well as procedures for shipping, receiving, storing and issuing stock. Theyd teach you all that goes into the movement, storage, and maintenance of ammunition in your charge, as well as the procedures for handling medical and food supplies.

What it takes to get your book published

What it takes to get your book publishedWhat it takes to get your book publishedWith a shrinking book market and a growing corporate emphasis on profits, it has become harder than ever to break into the big leagues of book publishing. These days, the big leagues has dwindled, too, to the Big Five publishers. They are Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, and Simon Schuster. That said, publishers need authors, and the notoriously passionate people who work in book publishing still get excited about great writers, especially those with proven sales or at least strong sales potential. Heres what youll need to get in the door. Youll Need a Platform Your platform might be an established history of literary publications and prizes or a popular blog. It might even be a web series with a strong audience or a Twitter feed with 100,000 followers. In any case, a publisher will look to you to help bring an audience to your work. Its a rare author these days wh o stumbles upon a publishing contract armed with nothing but a great manuscript. Even if the book is still just a gleam in your eye, you can start building an author platform. Youll Need a Great Manuscript or Proposal If you dont have a hit TV show, a viral web series, or 100,000 Twitter followers, youll need to deliver the goods up front. That is, youll need a great manuscript, if youre a fiction writer, or a great book proposal, if youre writing non-fiction. Either way, you need to present yourself and your work in the most professional light possible. Youll Need an Agent Literary agents are the gatekeepers for book editors. They pre-screen the gazillions of manuscripts and book proposals that are produced every year, winnowing them down to the few most likely to succeed, and pitching them directly to publishers. A credentialed literary agent can be a powerful advocate for your book. These days, there are opportunities to directly catch the attention of print editors. The digital-first imprints of major publishers are prime examples. But most of the time an agent is essential to getting a contract with a major publisher. Youll Need to Be Flexible If youre published by one of the Big Five, theyare making an investment in you, the author, and your intellectual property. From editorial to production to sales and marketing and publicity, the publishers are staffed up and ready to take your book from manuscript to the marketplace. These resources cost them money.There are likely to be some creative compromises along the way. Moreover, all of that support means youre going to see less of the bottom line from your book sales. Traditional book publishing contracts favor the house. To some extent, you can insulate yourself from being taken advantage of by properly negotiating your book contract. The Alternatives If all of the above sounds like too high a bar, you should know that small trade presses generally have similar parameters but operate on a m ora modest scale and might be a better fit for some authors. You also might consider self-publishing your book. If you have that effective platform already, you have in place the means to promote and market your own book. Finally, a hybrid publisheris an option. Ifyou have a business to promote or a modest marketing platform you want to exploit with a book, that might be the way to go. It requires the writer to subsidize publication costs but provides some services such as marketing and distribution.

Air Force Assignment System

Air Force Assignment SystemAir Force Assignment SystemAir Force assignments are governed by Air Force Instruction 36-2110. Qualified people with the needed skills must be in the right job at the right time to meet the Air Force mission. At the same time, the Air Force has a responsibility to keep attuned to the demands placed on its members resulting from personnel tempo, a quality-of-life metric that measures the amount of time an individual spends away from his or her home station for operational and training purposes, such as temporary duty or designated dependent-restricted assignments. Consequently, the Air Force classifies and assigns people worldwide as equitably as possible to ensure a high state of readiness. While the primary consideration in selecting personnel for reassignment is the members qualifications to accomplish the mission, the Air Force also considers additional factors. How the Air Force Determines Assignments The Air Force assigns members without regard to color, race, religious preference (except chaplains), national origin, ethnic background, age, marital status (except military couples), spouses employment, education or volunteer service activities of spouse, or gender (except as provided for by statute or other policies). The Special Experience Identifier (SEI) system complements the assignment process and is used when specific experience or training is critical to the job and no other means is appropriate or available. The SEI system is also used to rapidly identify personnel to meet unique circumstances, contingency requirements, or other critical needs. Manpower positions are coded with an SEI to identify positions that require or provide unique experiences or qualifications. While some assignments require special experience, the vast majority of Air Force enlisted assignment slots do elendlage. Positions often require members assigned to have access to a specified level of classified information. Selection for these jobs may be necessary from among members who currently have access or can be granted access immediately. Volunteers Selected First Within a group of qualified members who meet the minimum eligibility criteria for PCS selection, volunteers are selected first. Non-volunteers qualified to fill a requirement who meet the minimum PCS eligibility criteria are selected ahead of qualified volunteers who do not. For example, time on station (TOS) is a PCS eligibility requirement. A qualified volunteer who meets the minimum TOS requirement is considered first in order of longest on the station. Next, the qualified non-volunteer who meets the TOS requirement in the order of longest on station and finally the qualified volunteer who does not meet the TOS requirement may be considered. First-term Airmen serving an initial enlistment of four or more years may not be given more than two assignments in different locations following initial basic and skill training during their first four years of servic e, regardless of tour length. First-term Airmen who make two PCS moves are permitted an additional PCS in conjunction with an approved humanitarian reassignment, a join-spouse assignment, as a volunteer, or when the PCS is a mandatory move (such as returning from a tour at the end of the prescribed tour length). Availability and Deferment A member is considered available for reassignment on the first day of the month in which theyre available. Deferments may be authorized when possible in most grades and jobs to maintain an equitable assignment system and also support the need for stability in certain organizations or functions. Deferments are normally approved to preclude a members PCS while theyre being evaluated for suitability or during a period of observation or rehabilitation. Deferments also exist for such things as completion of an educational program or degree, to serve as a witness for a court-martial, when accused in a court-martial, to control the roster, Article 15 punishment, base of preference (BOP) program, retraining or humanitarian reasons. Humanitarian Assignment Policy The humanitarian policy provides reassignment or deferment for Air Force members to assist them in resolving severe short-term herausforderungs involving a family member. The problem must be resolvable within a reasonable period of time and the members presence must be considered absolutely essential to resolve the problem. Family members under the humanitarian program are limited to a spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law, and those persons who have served in loco parentis (one who has exercised parental rights and responsibilities in place of a natural parent). While brothers and sisters are not included in the definition of family member for humanitarian consideration, a request involving a brothers or sisters terminal illness often is considered as an exception to the policy. Exceptional Family Member Policy The Exceptional Family Member Policy (EFMP) is a separate and distinct program from the humanitarian policy. This program is based on a members need for special medical or educational care for a spouse or child that is required long-term, possibly permanently. It is not a base-of-choice program as assignment decisions are based on manning needs of the Air Force at locations where a members special medical or educational needs for a spouse or child can be met. Under the EFMP, a member may receive a reassignment if a need arises for specialized care that cannot be met where they are currently assigned. A deferment from an assignment may be provided for a newly identified condition if the members presence is considered essential. The purpose of such a deferment is to allow the member time to establish a special medical treatment program or educational program for the exceptional family member. When granted, the initial period of deferment is usually 12 months, after which a member may be reconsidered for PCS if otherwise eligible. Military Couples Assignments Each member of a military couple serves in his or her own right. This means military couples must fulfill the obligations inherent to all Air Force membersthey are considered for assignments to fill valid manning requirements and must perform duties that require the skills in which they are trained. Provided these criteria are met, military couples may be considered for assignment where they can maintain a joint residence. In very limited circumstances a member may ask for a voluntary PCS and agree to pay all expenses involved. Also, travel time is charged as ordinary leave. Members must meet all PCS eligibility criteria for the font of move requested. Permissive PCS may not be granted based solely on the willingness of a member to move at his or her own expense. The voluntary stabilized base assignment program provides airmen a stabilized tour in exchange for volunteering for an assignment to a historically hard-to-fill location. CONUS-Isolated St ation Assignments Normal personnel support facilities (military or civilian) arent available at certain continental U.S. (CONUS) stations or within a reasonable distance. This creates a degree of hardship for personnel assigned to these stations. To prevent involuntary assignment at these locations for long periods, the Air Force established a minimum 15-month tour for single and unaccompanied personnel and a minimum 24-month tour for accompanied personnel. Individuals assigned to a CONUS-isolated station may request reassignment upon completion of the tour. Extended Long On Station Tour Length The Extended Long On Station Tour Length (ELT) volunteer program applies to airmen who volunteer for PCS OS to a long-tour location (one where the accompanied tour length is 24 months or more and the unaccompanied tour length is more than 15 months). Airmen who volunteer for an ELT agree to serve the voreingestellt tour length plus an additional 12 months. Educational Deferment Airme n who have not yet been selected for a PCS may request a deferment from assignment selection when they have nearly completed high school, vocational program, or college degree requirements. Requests for deferment are processed through the education office (which will confirm eligibility). Airmen may be deferred up to 9 months to complete high school or up to 12 months to complete a college degree. Dependent Care and Adoption All military members ensure arrangements are made for the care of their dependents when they must be separated due to TDY or PCS. Military couples with dependents and single-member sponsors are expected to fulfill their military obligations on the same basis as other members. They are eligible for worldwide duty and all assignments for which they qualify. To ensure all members remain available for worldwide duty, they must have workable plans to provide parent-like care for their dependents as outlined in AFI 36-2908. Members who cannot or will not meet mili tary commitments due to family needs will be considered for discharge. Members adopting children are given a limited time to complete the official adoption process. Individuals may be authorized deferment during the four-month period following the date a child is officially placed in the members home. Family members (parents, spouse, brothers, sisters, and children) will not be assigned to the same unit or function where one member may hold a command or supervisory position over the other. PCS Cancellation Once a member is selected for PCS and orders are published, cancellation of the assignment could impose a hardship on the member. A PCS should not normally be canceled within 60 days of the projected departure date unless the member cannot be effectively used at the projected location. Cancellation may be authorized by the assignment OPR (Office of Primary Responsibility). If the member indicates a hardship will exist as a result of the cancellation, then the MPF will direct t he member to prepare a written statement containing the details of the hardship. The statement should be coordinated through the unit commander to the MPF. Cancellation Requested by Member Airmen who are selected for PCS, TDY, or training and who do not want to participate in an event may elect to request retirement under the 7seven-day option provision (assuming they have more than 20 years of service and are retirement eligible). Airmen who elect to retire are ineligible for promotion consideration and are ineligible for an extension of enlistment or reenlistment, except as authorized in conjunction with a request for retirement. Aside from the seven-day option provision, airmen who do not have the minimum required retainability for the event may be eligible to decline the assignment. Declining an overseas assignment by refusing to obtain the required retainability usually results in immediate re-enlistment ineligibility, which usually results in becoming ineligible for promot ion.

How to Tell If Youre Burnt Out at Work - The Muse

How to Tell If Youre Burnt Out at Work - The MuseHow to Tell If Youre Burnt Out at Work Id been sitting at my desk staring slack-jawed at that menacing blinking text cursor for the past 15 minutes. I was trying to muster up the motivation to actually get some real, productive work done- and, my attempts had so far been unsuccessful.I just cant seem to focus, I lamented to my husband, who was seated at his own desk across the room likely wondering if I was trying to type my next article by sheer mind power alone. Well, maybe you just need a break, he responded, always one to be supportive and give me the benefit of the doubt, Youve been working really hard. Youre probably just burnt out.Burnt out. I cringed at just the mention of the phrase. Those two little words are scary, arent they? They immediately inspire mental images of a flame quite literally being extinguished- like you werent quite productive, successful, or tough enough to accomplish the work that was required of you. You simply just ran out of steam.Me? Well, unfortunately, Im never one to admit defeat- even when I desperately need to. I just continue to pile things on my plate like Im at an all-you-can-eat buffet and figure Ill worry about how Ill make the necessary space for it all later. Ive probably been burnt out more times than I can count. But, rather than ever owning that, waving the white flag, and giving in to the fact that I need to press pause, I often pass it off as something else entirely- just like I did with my response to my husband that evening.No, Im not burnt out, I told him, while rolling my eyes for dramatic effect, Its just been a pretty chaotic week. What Does It Mean to Be Burnt Out?Theres no denying that having an off week and being quite literally burnt out have some definite similarities. Both will inspire an exhausted, unmotivated, unfocused, negative, and just general blegh feeling- to use a super technical term.However, you dont want to rest on the assumption that thes e two emotions are the exact same thing. You can typically bounce back from the emotional funk a few bad days inspire relatively quickly. But, recovering from exhaustion? That often requires measures a little more drastic than a pint of ice cream, a bottle of wine, and a good old-fashioned vent session.So, when the two are so closely related, how can you tell which one youre going through? Are you actually burnt out, or just having a few unfortunate days?Ask yourself the following three questions to gain some clarity, and then determine how to move forward from there. But, in any case, the ice cream and wine cant really hurt, can they? 1. How Long Have You Felt This Way?Everybody has a few bad days at work here and there- thats completely normal. But, burnout is more persistent than that. While the warning signs can be remarkably similar, a true burnout will nag at you much longer than a rough day in the office will.Think about the last time you had a less-than-awesome week. Sure, m aybe you screwed up during your presentation or had a disagreement with a co-worker. It was undoubtedly discouraging, but it likely wasnt anything that a good nights sleep or even a relaxing weekend couldnt fix. You were able to bounce back into the office on Monday morning feeling ready to tackle your work.But, things arent that simple if youre feeling burnt out. The mere thought of sitting at your desk will inspire an immense feeling of dread. So, if youve been feeling completely miserable and drained for quite some time, thats a pretty strong indicator that you might be dealing with a true breakdown- rather than a couple of tough days. When thinking about this, youll also want to take some time to reflect on the last time you felt truly excited and inspired by what you do. Does a recent project or task instantly spring to mind that made you feel fulfilleuchtdiode and enthusiastic? Or, has trudging into the office been an exercise in frustration and exhaustion for as long as you c an seem to remember? If its been ages since your work actually inspired some passion and excitement, thats yet another flashing sign that you should probably take a serious step back.2. What Inspired This Feeling?Heres the thing about a bad day or week You can typically pinpoint a very particular instance that led to you feeling so irritated. Maybe your boss completely tore apart a report you had poured your blood, sweat, and tears into. Perhaps you got lost on your way to an important meeting, which forced you to be late, park illegally, and then get a pricey parking ticket. Or, maybe that obnoxious co-worker stole your leftover enchiladas out of the fridge. Whatever it is- you can usually identify a specific thing thats causing you to feel upset.But, if youre having a tougher time zoning in on why you feel so disheartened and discouraged? Well, that might mean youre just plain ol burnt out.Burnout is normally caused by larger, more ambiguous issues- think an overwhelming workload, unrealistic expectations from your superiors, long hours, or just a general dislike of what youve been working on. And, while these things might seem obvious in writing, when youre in the thick of it all, they arent quite as easy to recognize.So, if youre having a tough time diagnosing a precise cause for your current state, it usually means theres a much bigger issue in play. 3. Have You Felt This Way Before?Finally, its helpful to look back and determine whether or not youve ever felt like this previously. If you cant recall ever feeling this tired or unmotivated, you could very likely be experiencing more than just the bad day blues. After all, Im willing to bet that youve already had your fair share of horrible days in the office- and, if those didnt inspire this sort of emotional funk, there might be something more serious going on.If you have felt this way before, take some time to consider how you ended up pulling yourself out of this state previously. Were you able to move through it with a little bit of determination (and, ahem, the ice cream mentioned earlier)? Or, did you need to do something more drastic- like take a week off to relax and recharge or have a serious conversation with your boss about your responsibilities?The past can be a great indicator of your future. So, dont forget to reflect back on your previous experiences- they can reveal a lot about whether or not youre truly burnt out or just having a few rocky workdays. Its not always easy to tell the difference between a true burnout and just an off week. Believe me, I get it. But, determining which youre dealing with is essential for figuring out what to do next. So, use these three questions to gain some clarity and make forward steps from there. And, when in doubt, never hesitate to cut yourself some slack, step away from the computer, and take a little (and likely well-deserved) break. After all, a candle thats constantly lit at both ends will only burn out sooner- as a matter of fa ct, its inevitable.

Un-Answered Questions Into Us Army Address for Resume Disclosed

Un-Answered Questions Into Us Army Address for Resume Disclosed Us Army Address for Resume Resumes are written dependent on the physical fitness evaluations. Even though a Resume tends to go together with the selection of strict standards on information display along with designs, it does not follow that you are able to organize your resume in only a single format. Infographic resumes become increasingly more popular. For each past job, give the conventional information found in the majority of resumes. It is vital that you create the perfect resume as it is similar to your very first communication with your potential employers. Moreover, needs may evolve during the development procedure, you dont wish to wind up with a product which doesnt fit well your requirements. No specific experience is needed and we provide all required training. Driving Skills As a taxi driver your top skill ought to be steering a car, normally a vehicle or van about town in a sense thats safe, fa st and comfortable for passengers. The customers role is quite important both during the plan and preliminary discussions along with during the validation phase. To begin with, youve got to discover the punkt thatas suitable for you. Whenever you do, you will prove that indeed youre an exceptional communicator. Be mindful to listen objectively and prevent hearing what you would like to hear rather than what it is actually being said. Your address correction is currently complete. The response includes the access token. Joining the military is a huge honor and includes a whole lot of responsibility. When creating your military resume youll be concentrating on the ways your military experience can be readily transferred to a civilian job and possible employers will quickly find the value that youre ready to provide their company. The job of an army recruiter is a lot more than simply bringing out the papers to find the upcoming soldier to become signed up, its to inform the ge neral public about the advantages of becoming part of Americas fighting force. It is one that can be very demanding. A lot of people dont like their existing job or career. Bear in mind that with a skills-based resume, it isnt enough to just state that youve a particular skill. Maybe youve employed your listening skills to comprehend how you are able to employ your understanding and experience to enhance the operation of others on your team still attempting to learn the ropes. Simply take a look at some of the greatest skills to add to a resume. You ought not begin all over again once applying for a different type of job or within a different sector. Your work is to just get your experience onto one part of paper in a simple to scan format which makes it simple for a recruiter to observe the reason why they should advance you to the next round. ur jobs are a significant part of our lives and its important that we find the ideal fit. If you are just about to submit an applicat ion for a civilian job following your military career, your job objective should perfectly align with the particular civilian job and designation youre applying for. Our resume builder is the quickest approach to create a resume that can help you get your fantasy job. Your target here is to supply a short but compelling overview of what it is that you are aiming for and what you can Abring to the tableA. If you would like to learn more about the way to identify and prepare for your fantasy job, go to getmarlow.com. If you truly want to settle down at specific career field path After working for some time, youve come to a realization which you really desire to spend the majority of your 8-hour days for one specific career path.

17 Facts, Figures Forecasts for the Global IT Industry

17 Facts, Figures Forecasts for the Global IT Industry 17 Facts, Figures Forecasts for the Global IT IndustryPosted May 8, 2019, by JennySince the term information technology was coined in 1978, the sector has continued to witness exponential growth regarding revenue and implementations across different industries worldwide. The IT industry has improved many sectors of our lives including healthcare (virtual healthcare applications and telemedicine), education (computers and modern learning tools), communication (social media), and entertainment (laptops and other internet-connected devices).Here are 17 new figures and trends for the IT industry.Global IT spending is projected to rise to about $3.8 trillion in 2019, a 3.2% increase from an estimated expenditure of $3.7 trillion in 2018 Communications services are expected to take the chunk of global IT spending in 2019 with an estimate of about $1.4 trillion In 2017, North America accounted for 33% of the global IT industry revenue , followed by Asia (33%), Europe (22%), Latin America (7%), and Africa (5%) In 2016, the US exported tech products and services believed to be worth around $309 billion In the USA, 25% of the IT workforce are women Information security technology market was worth about $92.1 billion in 2018 The global cybersecurity market is estimated to grow from $152.7 billion in 2018 to $248.3 billion in 2023 Worldwide spending on data storage is expected to exceed $51 billion by 2019 70% of all the webs traffic passes through a Loudoun County data center in Northern Virginia AI services are estimated to generate revenues of more than $19 billion worldwide by 2020 With the rate of adoption of AI in various sectors of menschlich endeavour, it is projected that it will take over 16% of jobs within the next decade AI has defeated all human records in the puzzle game 2048, achieving a high score of 839,732 and beating the game in just 973 moves without using undo Augmented and virtual reality market is expected to grow to about $209 billion in 2022 The number of shipments of 5G-enabled smartphones will reach 2 million units worldwide in 2019 By 2025, the 5G market will be worth about $251 billion There will be more than 20 billion Internet-of-Things connected devices by 2020 There are over 90 million smart speaker users in the US alone as of 2018See what exciting path a career in IT can lead you Start with a recognised course in IT - enquire todayThis article was produced for Career FAQs by TechJury ResourcesMy first resumeCover letter for my first jobCareer Insider StoriesBrett Raven - RedBalloon Chief Technology OfficerInterested in becoming a?Management ConsultantMarketing OfficerProject ManagerSystems AdministratorHelp Desk OfficerPopular Career Searchescareers in the construction industryjob advertisement about itadvertisement for itcareers in the electrical industryadvertisements for teachers in news employementInformation Technology CoursesBachelor of Cyber SecurityEnqui re Online Enquire OnlineBachelor of Applied Information TechnologyEnquire Online Enquire OnlineGraduate Diploma of Data ScienceEnquire Online Enquire OnlineAssociate Degree of Applied Information TechnologyEnquire Online Enquire OnlineJennyRelated ArticlesBrowse moreHow being the underdog will get you over the lineTheres a lot to be learnt from the competitors of the Winter Olympic Games. We look at why being the underdog shouldnt be underrated.HabitsWellbeingThe 30-Minute Rule How To Overcome Sedentary Behaviour at WorkSitting is the new smoking Yep, thats right, research has shown that sitting for more than 30 minutes at a time can put us on the fast track to death. Adopt the 30-minute rule and see how you can sit less and move more.AgricultureA different kind of hay feverWe chat to Rohan Brill, a Research and Development Agronomist for the NSW Department of Primary Industries, about why he chose a career in Agriculture.

Neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you an awesome parent

Neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you an awesome parentNeuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you an awesome parentEvery parent asks it at some pointWhat is going on in my kids brain?And if you dont understand kidsit can be hard togive them what they need to thrive. Lately the trend has been helicopter parenting and trying to get them ready as soon as possible for an increasingly competitive world.But is that what 3 year-olds need? Or what 10 year-olds need? What about 15 year-olds? Turns out those three all requirevery different things.Alison Gopnik, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and one of the leading experts on raising kids right, is the author ofThe Gardener and the Carpenter What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children.As a mother and grandmother, shes well aware that just because weve all been kids doesnt mean we always know what they need from us. In fact, much of whats required can be downright contradictory.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterHuman caregivers must both fiercely protect each individual child and give that child up when they become an adult they must allow play and enable work they must pass on traditions and encurage innovations. The parent paradoxes are the consequence of fundamental biological facts.So what does the science say about whats going on in kids brains and what they need from you as they grow up?Be A Gardener, Not A CarpenterThe current trend of micro-managingevery bit of a childs existence and being a helicopter parent isnt the answer. Strict, well-managed plans dont work with kids and theyre not the best thing for them. Why?Because most of thefussy detail-oriented stuff that parents engage in has no effect whatsoever.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterIt is very difficult to find any reliable, empirical relation between the small variations in what parents do- the variations that are the focus of parenting- an d the resulting adult traits of their children. There is very little evidence that conscious decisions about co-sleeping or not, letting yur children cry it out or holding them till they problematik asleep, or forcing them to do extra homework or letting them play have reliable and predictable long-term effects on who those children become. From an empirical perspective, parenting is a mugs game.So if Patton-like plans of attack dont work, whats the perspective to take?Turns out active parenting is a dirty word. Raising kidsisnt a measured, perfectionist activity like carpentry. Its mora of a loose, sculpting process like gardening.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterCaring for children is like tending a garden, and being a parent is like being a gardener. In the parenting model, being a parent is like being a carpenter. You should pay some attention to the kind of material you are working with, and it may have some influence on what you try to do. But essentially yur job is to shape that material into a final product that will fit the scheme you had in mind to begin with Messiness and variability are a carpenters enemies precision and control are her allies. Measure twice, cut once. When we garden, on the other hand, we create a protected and nurturing space for plants to flourish. It takes hard labor and the sweat of our brows, with a lot of exhausted digging and wallowing in manure.Turns out that nature has built a pretty good ordnungsprinzip in the developing brain. It slowly moves from exploring the world to something that is ready to exploit that knowledge.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterComputer scientists and neuroscientists call it the tension between exploration and exploitation Young brains are designed to explore old brains are designed to exploit. One way to solve this problem is to alternate between periods of exploration and exploitation. A particularly effective strategy is to abflug out exploring, and then proceed to exploit. You begin by rand omly generating lots of variation and then zero in on what works A protected period of childhood is one solution to the explore/ exploit dilemma. We are allowed to explore when we are children so that we can exploit when we are adults.(To learn the 4 parenting tips that will make your kids amazing, clickhere.)So youre not scheduling every minute of your kids time and trying to turn them into a doctor or a lawyer from the moment their eyes open. Good.But as their brains slowly transition from explore mode to exploit mode, what do you need to do to help them?Kids Under 6?Let Them Play.Little kids dont need to be taking SAT prep courses yet. They need to build forts, have tea parties, roughhouse and pretend.Lets talk about rat brains for a second. Just like in humans, parts of their prefrontal cortex are devoted to social coordination. If those areas of the brain are physically damaged, how do the rats act?The same way ratsdeprived of play do.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterIn rats, and in people, too, particular parts of the frontal cortex play an especially important role in social coordination. If those areas are damaged, the affected rats look a lot like the play-deprived ones. They can master the actions of courting or fighting, but they cant respond to other rats in a flexible and fluid way.Yeah, play isnt just fun and games. Its vital for learning adult skills.FromThe Gardener and the Carpenterrough-and-tumble play seems to help animals and children to interact with others. Exploratory play helps animals and children learn how things work. And pretend play helps children think about possibilities and understand other peoples minds.Even play that seems downright weird at first glance serves a purpose. Research shows kids who haveimaginary friends dont end up crazy- they end up far better at understanding other people.Young kidsare actually littlescientists and play is how they do their experiments.Children dont focus on established rules. They pay attent ion to what violates their little toddler hypotheses about how the world works. And thats how they improve their ideas about life.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterWhen they saw evidence that contradicted their theories they were driven to experiment- only they did it by playing. A very recent study showed that this was true even for very young babies. Aimee Stahl and Lisa Feigenson showed ordnungsprinzipatically that eleven-month-old babies, like scientists, pay special attention when their predictions are violated, learn especially well as a result, and even do experiments to figure out just what happened.You, on the other hand, are probably a bad scientist. We adults are far mora likely to engage in confirmation bias - looking for things that support our beliefs, as opposed to ideasthat challenge them. And thats one of the reasons why kids learn so much faster than we do.So how do you use this info to make junior an even better scientist? Your mission, should you decide to acce pt it Give them a panzerschrank environment to play. Give them interesting things to play with. And play with them.But when you play with young children, the tykehas to lead and you have tofollow.When a little kid isexplicitly taught, the play part of their brain shuts down. And they only learnexactlywhat you teach them. But when its a game, when you stop instructing, they explore and absorb much mora.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterThe children played with the toy longer, tried more different actions, and discovered more of the hidden features when the experimenter squeaked the beeper accidentally than they did when she deliberately tried to teach them. So teaching is a double-edged sword. The children were remarkably sensitive to the fact that they were being taught But teaching seemed to discourage the children from discovering all the possibilities the toy had to offer.Making suggestions or elaborating after they abflug playing is fine. Thats called Guided Play.You cantmakeyou ng childrenlearn. You can only provide a protected space filled with love andletthem learn.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterOur job as parents is not to make a particular kind of child. Instead, our job is to provide a protected space of love, panzerschrankty, and stability in which children of many unpredictable kinds can flourish. Our job is not to shape our childrens minds its to let those minds explore all the possibilities that the world allows. Our job is not to tell children how to play its to give them the toys and pick the toys up again after the kids are done. We cant make children learn, but we can let them learn.(To learn how to raise happy kids, clickhere.)Okay, so youre not teaching a 4 year-old, youre engaging in guided play. But what do you do with a 6 year-old?Older than 6? Teachem.Once kids are ready for school, they need to start balancing their natural exploration with practice in skills that will allow them to function in the world.FromThe Gardener and the Carp enterThe job for school-age children is to start actually becoming competent adults themselves. Their evolutionary agenda is to practice and master the particular skills of their own culture, especially social skills, while theyre still within the safe cocoon of adult caregivingNows the time to start showing them how to do stuff. You teachthem something, they imitate, you correct them.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterSchool-age children observe and imitate like younger children. But they learn especially well when they interact with particularly skilled adults in a distinctive cycle of trial and error. The apprentice watches the master attentively, and then tries out a simplified part of the skill. It might be stirring thestockpot, cutting out a pattern, or roughing a carpentry frame. The master, in turn, comments (often quite critically) on what the apprentice has done and gets her to do it again. With each round of imitation, practice, and critique, the learner becomes more and m ore skilled, and tackles more and more demanding parts of the process.Kids under 6 cant focus. Theyre not supposed to. Theyre exploring this new world.But after 6 their brain starts to develop some control. Helping them master simple skills increases this ability that will be vital as they get older.FromThe Gardener and the Carpenteras children grow older, the prefrontal area of the brain- the brains executive office- exercises increasingly greater control over the rest of the brain. Babies and young children pay attention to anything thats interesting and informative, and they learn as a result. But as we get older more and more of our learning is directed toward particular goals. Mastery learning requires a kind of controlled focus that is just not possible for younger children. Other changes also contribute to the rise of mastery learning. Neural connections are extensively pruned many connections disappear. The nerven betreffend connections that remain, especially the connecti ons that are used often, become increasingly covered with a substance called myelin, which makes them more efficient conductors. At the same time the brain becomes more specialized. Younger children typically use more brain areas to solve a task than older children or adults do. All these changes contribute to transform the young brain. The preschool brain is enormously flexible and changes easily, but it is also noisy. The school-age brain is much more efficient and effective, but it isalso more rigid.(To learn how to be a better parent, clickhere.)And now in the gameshow of parenthood, we move to the challenge roundthe teen years.What the heck is going on with the teenage brain?And what do youneed to be focused on to get them ready for adulthood?Teenagers Need ApprenticeshipNeuroscientists believe there are two separate systemsin the teenage brain 1) motivation, and 2) control.The motivation part kicks inrealfast when those hormones start transforming them into adults. Adolescentb rains are actuallyvery similar to those of junkies.Their grey matter ishighlysensitive to rewards. Good things feel much much good-er to teenagers.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterThis is the system that turns generally placid ten-year-olds into restless, exuberant, emotionally intense teenagers desperate to attain every goal, fulfill every desire, and experience every sensation Studies by the neuroscientist B. J. Casey suggest that adolescents are reckless not because they underestimate risks but because they overestimate rewards- or, rather, find rewards more rewardingthan adults do.The second system, control, allows them to direct that energy toward good uses. Sadly, this system takes a lot longer to develop. And thats why teenagers have the reputations they do.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterBut the second system involves control it channels and harnesses all that seething energy. In particular, the prefrontal cortex reaches out to guide other parts of the brain, including t he parts that govern motivation and emotion. This is the system that inhibits impulses and guides decision-making, that encourages long-term planning and delays gratification. And this is the system, as we saw, that enables mastery. This control system depends much more on learning. It becomes increasingly effective throughout middle childhood and continues to develop during adolescence and adulthood, as you gain more experience.But teenagers werent always such terrors. Part of it has to do with their place in society. Adolescence, as a time of life, was only created in 20th century. Before that you were either a child or an adult. No transition.And they werent just surrounded by other teenagers. They had adults to guide and train them and they worked.Being a teen meantlearning how to accomplish goals without your parents.Plain, and simple, they had something todowith all that motivation instead of justcrash the car, get pregnant and burn the house down.FromThe Gardener and the Carp enterIn the distant (and even the not-so-distant) past, these systems of motivation and control were largely in sync. In foraging and farming societies, children have lots of chances to practice the skills that they need to accomplish their goals as adults, and so to become expert planners and actors. In the past, to become a good gatherer or hunter, cook or caregiver, you would actually practice gathering, hunting, cooking, and taking care of children, all through middle childhood and into early adolescence, tuning up just the prefrontal wiring youd need as an adult. But youd do all that under expert adult supervision, where the impact of your inevitable failures would be blunted. When the motivational juice of puberty arrived, youd be ready to go after the real rewards with new intensity and exuberance, but youd also have the skill and control to do it safely and effectively. The relationship between the systems of motivation and control has changed dramatically.So now that the wo rld has changed, whats the best way to help teens? More homework and extracurriculars arent the answer. They need the modern day equivalent ofapprenticeships internships.Something resembling real work where they can build skills, achieve goals and put that energy to productive use so the control systemof their brain can get a handle on their relentless motivation to achieve rewards.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterWhat does make a difference is having a graduated system in which teenagers slowly acquire both more skill and more freedom Instead of giving adolescents more and more school experiences- those extra hours of after-school classes and homework- we could try to arrange more opportunities for apprenticeship. AmeriCorps, the federal community-service program for youth, is an excellent example, since it provides both challenging real-life experiences and a degree of protection and supervision. Take your child to work could become a routine practice rather than a single-day a nnual event, and college students could spend more time watching and helping scientists and scholars at work rather than just listening to their lectures. Summer enrichment activities like camp and travel, so common for children whose parents have the means, might be usefully alternated with summer jobs.(To learn 7 research-backed ways to raise kids right, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot about how kids learn. Lets round it all upSum UpHeres what you need to focus on to be an awesome parentGardener not carpenter Your job is to provide a safe space to grow, not to systematically buildFrankenstein.Under 6, they need play Having an imaginary friend who happens to be a dragon named Larry is a good thing.School-age kids needteachingHelp them build skills. Cooking, good. Bartending, not so good.Teenagers need apprenticeships They need to learn how to learn without you. And that means real world experience.These phases are critical for kids. But its a mistake for us to ignore them fo r ourselves as adults.We all could use some playtime. We all benefit from learning new skills. And we all should embrace new challenges in the world. As Dr. Seuss saidAdults are obsolete children.Join more than 315,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsNew Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You HappyNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulHow To Get People To Like You 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertThis article first appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.Neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you an awesome parentEvery parent asks it at some pointWhat is going on in my kids brain?And if you dont understand kidsit can be hard togive them what they need to thrive. Lately the trend has been helicopter parenting and trying to get them ready as soon as possible for an increasingly competitive world.But is that what 3 year-olds need? Or what 10 year-olds need? What about 15 year-olds? Turns out those three all requirevery different things.Alison Gopnik, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley and one of the leading experts on raising kids right, is the author ofThe Gardener and the Carpenter What the New Science of Child Development Tells Us About the Relationship Between Parents and Children.As a mother and grandmother, shes well aware that just because weve all been kids doesnt mean we always know what they need from us. In fact, much of whats required can be downright contradictory.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterHuman caregivers must both fiercely protect each individual child and give that child up when they become an adult they must allow play and enable work they must pass on traditions and encourage innovations. The parent paradoxes are the consequence of fundamental biological facts.So what does the science say about whats going on in kids brains and what they need from you as they grow up?Be A Gardener, Not A CarpenterThe current trend of micro-managingevery bi t of a childs existence and being a helicopter parent isnt the answer. Strict, well-managed plans dont work with kids and theyre not the best thing for them. Why?Because most of thefussy detail-oriented stuff that parents engage in has no effect whatsoever.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterIt is very difficult to find any reliable, empirical relation between the small variations in what parents do- the variations that are the focus of parenting- and the resulting adult traits of their children. There is very little evidence that conscious decisions about co-sleeping or not, letting your children cry it out or holding them till they fall asleep, or forcing them to do extra homework or letting them play have reliable and predictable long-term effects on who those children become. From an empirical perspective, parenting is a mugs game.So if Patton-like plans of attack dont work, whats the perspective to take?Turns out active parenting is a dirty word. Raising kidsisnt a measured, pe rfectionist activity like carpentry. Its more of a loose, sculpting process like gardening.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterCaring for children is like tending a garden, and being a parent is like being a gardener. In the parenting model, being a parent is like being a carpenter. You should pay some attention to the kind of material you are working with, and it may have some influence on what you try to do. But essentially your job is to shape that material into a final product that will fit the scheme you had in mind to begin with Messiness and variability are a carpenters enemies precision and control are her allies. Measure twice, cut once. When we garden, on the other hand, we create a protected and nurturing space for plants to flourish. It takes hard labor and the sweat of our brows, with a lot of exhausted digging and wallowing in manure.Turns out that nature has built a pretty good system in the developing brain. It slowly moves from exploring the world to something that is ready to exploit that knowledge.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterComputer scientists and neuroscientists call it the tension between exploration and exploitation Young brains are designed to explore old brains are designed to exploit. One way to solve this problem is to alternate between periods of exploration and exploitation. A particularly effective strategy is to start out exploring, and then proceed to exploit. You begin by randomly generating lots of variation and then zero in on what works A protected period of childhood is one solution to the explore/ exploit dilemma. We are allowed to explore when we are children so that we can exploit when we are adults.(To learn the 4 parenting tips that will make your kids amazing, clickhere.)So youre not scheduling every minute of your kids time and trying to turn them into a doctor or a lawyer from the moment their eyes open. Good.But as their brains slowly transition from explore mode to exploit mode, what do you need to do to help them?Kids Under 6?Let Them Play.Little kids dont need to be taking SAT prep courses yet. They need to build forts, have tea parties, roughhouse and pretend.Lets talk about rat brains for a second. Just like in humans, parts of their prefrontal cortex are devoted to social coordination. If those areas of the brain are physically damaged, how do the rats act?The same way ratsdeprived of play do.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterIn rats, and in people, too, particular parts of the frontal cortex play an especially important role in social coordination. If those areas are damaged, the affected rats look a lot like the play-deprived ones. They can master the actions of courting or fighting, but they cant respond to other rats in a flexible and fluid way.Yeah, play isnt just fun and games. Its vital for learning adult skills.FromThe Gardener and the Carpenterrough-and-tumble play seems to help animals and children to interact with others. Exploratory play helps animals and children learn how things work. And pretend play helps children think about possibilities and understand other peoples minds.Even play that seems downright weird at first glance serves a purpose. Research shows kids who haveimaginary friends dont end up crazy- they end up far better at understanding other people.Young kidsare actually littlescientists and play is how they do their experiments.Children dont focus on established rules. They pay attention to what violates their little toddler hypotheses about how the world works. And thats how they improve their ideas about life.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterWhen they saw evidence that contradicted their theories they were driven to experiment- only they did it by playing. A very recent study showed that this was true even for very young babies. Aimee Stahl and Lisa Feigenson showed systematically that eleven-month-old babies, like scientists, pay special attention when their predictions are violated, learn especially well as a result, and even do experiments to figure out just what happened.You, on the other hand, are probably a bad scientist. We adults are far more likely to engage in confirmation bias - looking for things that support our beliefs, as opposed to ideasthat challenge them. And thats one of the reasons why kids learn so much faster than we do.So how do you use this info to make junior an even better scientist? Your mission, should you decide to accept it Give them a safe environment to play. Give them interesting things to play with. And play with them.But when you play with young children, the tykehas to lead and you have tofollow.When a little kid isexplicitly taught, the play part of their brain shuts down. And they only learnexactlywhat you teach them. But when its a game, when you stop instructing, they explore and absorb much more.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterThe children played with the toy longer, tried more different actions, and discovered more of the hidden features when the experimenter s queaked the beeper accidentally than they did when she deliberately tried to teach them. So teaching is a double-edged sword. The children were remarkably sensitive to the fact that they were being taught But teaching seemed to discourage the children from discovering all the possibilities the toy had to offer.Making suggestions or elaborating after they start playing is fine. Thats called Guided Play.You cantmakeyoung childrenlearn. You can only provide a protected space filled with love andletthem learn.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterOur job as parents is not to make a particular kind of child. Instead, our job is to provide a protected space of love, safety, and stability in which children of many unpredictable kinds can flourish. Our job is not to shape our childrens minds its to let those minds explore all the possibilities that the world allows. Our job is not to tell children how to play its to give them the toys and pick the toys up again after the kids are done. We cant make children learn, but we can let them learn.(To learn how to raise happy kids, clickhere.)Okay, so youre not teaching a 4 year-old, youre engaging in guided play. But what do you do with a 6 year-old?Older than 6? Teachem.Once kids are ready for school, they need to start balancing their natural exploration with practice in skills that will allow them to function in the world.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterThe job for school-age children is to start actually becoming competent adults themselves. Their evolutionary agenda is to practice and master the particular skills of their own culture, especially social skills, while theyre still within the safe cocoon of adult caregivingNows the time to start showing them how to do stuff. You teachthem something, they imitate, you correct them.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterSchool-age children observe and imitate like younger children. But they learn especially well when they interact with particularly skilled adults in a distinctive c ycle of trial and error. The apprentice watches the master attentively, and then tries out a simplified part of the skill. It might be stirring thestockpot, cutting out a pattern, or roughing a carpentry frame. The master, in turn, comments (often quite critically) on what the apprentice has done and gets her to do it again. With each round of imitation, practice, and critique, the learner becomes more and more skilled, and tackles more and more demanding parts of the process.Kids under 6 cant focus. Theyre not supposed to. Theyre exploring this new world.But after 6 their brain starts to develop some control. Helping them master simple skills increases this ability that will be vital as they get older.FromThe Gardener and the Carpenteras children grow older, the prefrontal area of the brain- the brains executive office- exercises increasingly greater control over the rest of the brain. Babies and young children pay attention to anything thats interesting and informative, and they learn as a result. But as we get older more and more of our learning is directed toward particular goals. Mastery learning requires a kind of controlled focus that is just not possible for younger children. Other changes also contribute to the rise of mastery learning. Neural connections are extensively pruned many connections disappear. The neural connections that remain, especially the connections that are used often, become increasingly covered with a substance called myelin, which makes them more efficient conductors. At the same time the brain becomes more specialized. Younger children typically use more brain areas to solve a task than older children or adults do. All these changes contribute to transform the young brain. The preschool brain is enormously flexible and changes easily, but it is also noisy. The school-age brain is much more efficient and effective, but it isalso more rigid.(To learn how to be a better parent, clickhere.)And now in the gameshow of parenthood, we move to the challenge roundthe teen years.What the heck is going on with the teenage brain?And what do youneed to be focused on to get them ready for adulthood?Teenagers Need ApprenticeshipNeuroscientists believe there are two separate systemsin the teenage brain 1) motivation, and 2) control.The motivation part kicks inrealfast when those hormones start transforming them into adults. Adolescentbrains are actuallyvery similar to those of junkies.Their grey matter ishighlysensitive to rewards. Good things feel much much good-er to teenagers.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterThis is the system that turns generally placid ten-year-olds into restless, exuberant, emotionally intense teenagers desperate to attain every goal, fulfill every desire, and experience every sensation Studies by the neuroscientist B. J. Casey suggest that adolescents are reckless not because they underestimate risks but because they overestimate rewards- or, rather, find rewards more rewardingthan adults do.The second system, control, allows them to direct that energy toward good uses. Sadly, this system takes a lot longer to develop. And thats why teenagers have the reputations they do.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterBut the second system involves control it channels and harnesses all that seething energy. In particular, the prefrontal cortex reaches out to guide other parts of the brain, including the parts that govern motivation and emotion. This is the system that inhibits impulses and guides decision-making, that encourages long-term planning and delays gratification. And this is the system, as we saw, that enables mastery. This control system depends much more on learning. It becomes increasingly effective throughout middle childhood and continues to develop during adolescence and adulthood, as you gain more experience.But teenagers werent always such terrors. Part of it has to do with their place in society. Adolescence, as a time of life, was only created in 20th century. Before that you were either a child or an adult. No transition.And they werent just surrounded by other teenagers. They had adults to guide and train them and they worked.Being a teen meantlearning how to accomplish goals without your parents.Plain, and simple, they had something todowith all that motivation instead of justcrash the car, get pregnant and burn the house down.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterIn the distant (and even the not-so-distant) past, these systems of motivation and control were largely in sync. In foraging and farming societies, children have lots of chances to practice the skills that they need to accomplish their goals as adults, and so to become expert planners and actors. In the past, to become a good gatherer or hunter, cook or caregiver, you would actually practice gathering, hunting, cooking, and taking care of children, all through middle childhood and into early adolescence, tuning up just the prefrontal wiring youd need as an adult. But youd do all that u nder expert adult supervision, where the impact of your inevitable failures would be blunted. When the motivational juice of puberty arrived, youd be ready to go after the real rewards with new intensity and exuberance, but youd also have the skill and control to do it safely and effectively. The relationship between the systems of motivation and control has changed dramatically.So now that the world has changed, whats the best way to help teens? More homework and extracurriculars arent the answer. They need the modern day equivalent ofapprenticeships internships.Something resembling real work where they can build skills, achieve goals and put that energy to productive use so the control systemof their brain can get a handle on their relentless motivation to achieve rewards.FromThe Gardener and the CarpenterWhat does make a difference is having a graduated system in which teenagers slowly acquire both more skill and more freedom Instead of giving adolescents more and more school exp eriences- those extra hours of after-school classes and homework- we could try to arrange more opportunities for apprenticeship. AmeriCorps, the federal community-service program for youth, is an excellent example, since it provides both challenging real-life experiences and a degree of protection and supervision. Take your child to work could become a routine practice rather than a single-day annual event, and college students could spend more time watching and helping scientists and scholars at work rather than just listening to their lectures. Summer enrichment activities like camp and travel, so common for children whose parents have the means, might be usefully alternated with summer jobs.(To learn 7 research-backed ways to raise kids right, clickhere.)Alright, weve learned a lot about how kids learn. Lets round it all upSum UpHeres what you need to focus on to be an awesome parentGardener not carpenter Your job is to provide a safe space to grow, not to systematically buildF rankenstein.Under 6, they need play Having an imaginary friend who happens to be a dragon named Larry is a good thing.School-age kids needteachingHelp them build skills. Cooking, good. Bartending, not so good.Teenagers need apprenticeships They need to learn how to learn without you. And that means real world experience.These phases are critical for kids. But its a mistake for us to ignore them for ourselves as adults.We all could use some playtime. We all benefit from learning new skills. And we all should embrace new challenges in the world. As Dr. Seuss saidAdults are obsolete children.Join more than 315,000 readers.Get a free weekly update via emailhere.Related postsNew Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You HappyNew Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More SuccessfulHow To Get People To Like You 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior ExpertThis article first appeared at Barking Up the Wrong Tree.

In-Flight Wi-Fi Costs for Passengers

In-Flight Wi-Fi Costs for PassengersIn-Flight Wi-Fi Costs for PassengersOnboard Wi-Fi is available for airline passengers on many flights through many airlines. As of 2018, most national carriers have equipped their aircraft with Wi-Fi capabilities, and the service now is available on regional and international airlines. A status update of airline Wi-Fi services shows that many airlines have made the decision to update their entire fleet of aircraft with Wi-Fi equipment. Others leise are not fully onboard but have chosen to test Wi-Fi on certain aircraft or routes. The price of airborne Wi-Fi varies depending on the package the customer purchases, but it can range from $5 to $15 per day to around $50 per month on appropriately equipped aircraft. Gogo-Partnered Airlines Gogo debuted its in-flight service on American Airlines in 2008 and now partners with most major carriers in the U.S., includingVirgin America, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, andAir Canada. Wi-Fi packages are available on domestic flights for direct purchase through Gogos website $7.00- 1 hour of in-flight internet access$19.00- 24 hours of in-flight internet access$49.95- Monthly access on any Gogo-partner airline$599.00- Yearly access on any Gogo-partner airline Delta offers internet access through Gogo on international flights at slightly higher rates $28.00- 24 hours of in-flight internet access$69.95- Monthlyaccess Domestic Airlines Not all major airlines partner with Gogo, but some totenstill offer limited or full internet access Southwest AirlinesInternet access is available on board some Southwestflights for $8 per day. Passengers can check on Southwests website up to 24 hours in advance to see if their flights have Wi-Fi. Some flights also allow access to free live TV and movies for $5 per movie per device.Hawaiian Airlines Some free services and on-demand movies and TV shows are available when connecting through the airlines mobile app. Pri ces for on-demand titles range from $5.99 to $7.99. International Airlines Most major international carriers offer some form of Wi-Fi access, each with their own pricing plans and features EmiratesPassengers receive up to 20 megabytes and two hours of Wi-Fi access for free. Non-Skywards members pay $9.99 per flight for up to 150 MB or $15.99 per flight for up to 500 MB. First-class and business-class Skywards members receive free unlimited access, as do Gold and Platinum Skywards members in economy class. Silver Skywards members in economy class pay $4.99 for up to 150 MB or $7.99 for up to 500 MB. Blue Skywards members pay $6.99 for up to 150 MB or $10.99 for up to 500 MB.LufthansaFlyNet onboard Wi-Fi service is billed by Deutsche Telecom, and Lufthansa Miles mora passengers can exchange miles for internet service. One hour of access costs $10 or 3,000 miles. Four hours costs $15.50 or 4,500 miles, and full-flight access costs $19 or 5,500 miles. Norwegian Air ShuttleNorwegian Air Shuttle offers free Wi-Fi service on most of its flights in Europe and between the U.S. and the Caribbean. No Wi-Fi access is available on long-haul international flights.QantasThe Australian airline offers free Wi-Fi service on select domestic flights with plans to expand the number of Wi-Fi-enabled airplanes by the end of 2018.Qatar AirwaysQatar offers access through Oryx One Communications, and rates vary depending on aircraft and flight.

How to practice gratitude without saying one word

How to practice gratitude without saying one wordHow to practice gratitude without saying one wordOver the past 2,00 years, the Nguni tribe have lived on the soil of Southern Africa. For the Nguni tribe, non-verbal communication is an integral part of their daily interactions and way of life.