If You Want To Power Up Your Study Habits Then Here Are Some Great Study Tips For You

There are many useful study tips and techniques on how to study and most of them have a use. Study involves reading books, watching videos, listening to audio recordings, researching facts in libraries or on the Web and attending lessons/lectures. The result of these activities can be enhanced if you know how to study.

The Best Way to Study

What you study will be determined by the subject but how you study is up to you. You attend your classroom lessons and lectures but if you want to do well in the exam you will study on your own in addition. Knowing how to study consists of taking notes, timing and timetable planning. You should also select the best area to study where you are surrounded by all you will need for you studies such as books, computers, pens, pencils and paper and most important it is quiet with no disturbances such as cell phones - you are not available during study time.

The Best Timing Strategy for Study Sessions

Because of the way memory works it is better to time your studying in short sharp bursts. I recommend that a study session be broken down into one hour chunks. Each chunk is carried out as follows:

• First 5 minutes revising the material studied in the last session (First hour study the last session of the last study period). This satisfies the need for Frequency.

• Main 40 Minutes intensely studying the new material. This satisfies the need for Intensity.

• Next 5 minutes revise what you have just studied. This satisfies the need for Frequency.

• Finally relax for 10 minutes. Do something different, leave the study area, make a cup of hot drink or go for a walk. This period is when the mind sorts out the material from short term memory to long term memory (Empties the glass into the tank). It is vital not to skimp on this or you will lose a lot of your studies.

Designing a Study Timetable

Designing a study timetable is as important as knowing how to study. So as to get the most out of the time available it is best to make a plan in the form of a Study Timetable. A wise man said that if you fail to plan then you plan to fail so you should plan your time according to what is available. Start by laying out a grid (You can use a spreadsheet such as Excel to do this if it helps) allowing for a week with three periods a day: Morning, Afternoon and Evening. Start by blocking of the times fully committed and therefore not available such as School/College/Lecture time. Block off time for Meals and enough social time for example if you like to go out with your friends on a Saturday night then block this off - do not fool yourself, if you want to go out then plan it and that way you will not fail in that section of your study. What is left is your available study time. Planning is one of the best study tips.

Remember to divide the time into one hour chunks and allocate you subjects so as to take up the time available. It is best to study the subject in the evening of the day you covered it in college so as to simulate the study hour above (study what you did last time, do this sessions study then revise this sessions study). If you should miss a session don't worry, just continue as planned at the next session, you should only go back if you have some spare time.

On a regular basis (weekly or monthly as suits your lifestyle) do a revision day and again go over what you have studied since the last revision day. Make this as relaxing an event as possible and if you can involve friends and fellow students and a tutor/teacher all the better.

How do I get the most out of Revision?

Exam revision starts with taking notes whilst studying. These notes will come into much use during the revision process as a representation of distillation of the knowledge needed to pass the exam. To just re-read all the books studied is counterproductive because it does not take into consideration the effort taken to study in the first place.

Exam Revision Timetable

Revision timetable is very similar to the study timetable but more detailed and even more vital to success.

Setting Priorities

The best among revision study tips is to start setting priorities for your revision. Don't lose sight of the fact that the goal is to get good exam results and that revision is just a means to an end not the end in itself. You might, for example, have a subject which you consider more important than the rest or in need of extra work to get a result. You might have some personal priorities such as a concert that you have been waiting for a year to go to and you want this to be of a very high priority.

All You Need to Know About PMP Exams

If you're an IT manager and are part of all the initiating and planning of projects that IT managers usually do then you need to take the Project Management Professional or PMP exams. The PMP certification is issued by the Project Management Institute. This is especially well suited for managers who are in the software and the network design sector. Having a PMP certificate denotes that as a manager you have proper knowledge of the fundamentals of managing projects and you can use them appropriately.

Find out about the eligibility requirement of the PMP exams first. The next thing that you need to find out is the syllabus of the exam. Find out the name of the book that is best for preparing for such an exam. You will have to become the member of PMI first. You will also get access to the various seminars. You will also know about various training courses conducted by them. You might also get discounts on course fees. In short, you will get all kinds of information required to sit for the exam.

The study plan must be carefully etched before sitting for the exams. The preparation should be planned. The lack of effective planning is the only reason why so many students fail to pass the test every year. Most people who have cracked the exam have referred to the PMBOK guide. This book mostly tries to teach to logically analyse the input and output methods including the Tools and Technique. You can also find sample questions before sitting for the exams. It is always advisable to solve them.

You will get 200 questions in the test and you need to do that in four hours. It is good to reach the examination centre at least half an hour in advance. So, what are the other things that you need to remember if you wish to sit for PMP exams. The test will try to analyse all those skills that a project manager must possess. You should be quick with your decision-making abilities. Your must be able to solve all the problems with speed and accuracy. The test also tries to evaluate your leadership qualities. The options are usually tricky and all of them seem correct. Take a moment to consider all of those carefully. Your accuracy will improve with practice.

Good communication skills are an absolute must for project managers. Your communication skills will be put to test. You should improve that area before sitting for the test. Managers should also be extremely efficient in planning. The planning should be done fast and it should be accurate as well. The project manager should be well aware of the expectations and requirements of the stake holders. The manager is in charge and should make sure all those are met. Quality control is another factor that comes under the managers duties. All these things must be considered before sitting for the PMP exams. Once you have completed the test you survey will follow it. Once that is complete the results will be displayed.

Major Pointers On After-School Lessons

Through the ages, education has been a major priority to the society. No matter which medium we use, we all have a unique way of understanding and implementing the skills achieved. Some students have a common tendency to perform well even after spending a whole day in school. We are not supposed to rush and start blame games because at the end of the day you have done nothing to solve the problem.

It might be an issue with the teachers or even the student. As you venture into finding the right solution, you have to think of a guardian that will act on your behalf and help your child learn and understand each of the subjects. A helper in tutoring can be of good help. When hiring one, look out for one that can perform the following practices.

Availability: The tutor must not only rely on material at hand, but also try to engage the student in discussions. Students always like to be associated with someone who is social. This is achieved by setting programs that involve interactions like forums.

Timekeeper: A delay in any topic can cause chaos and the students will soon become unsettled. Being punctual will send a message to the students and they will emulate you.

Have an open mind: As you teach, try to use examples they can rely on and engage them through writing and answering questionnaires.

Well organized: He/she must be able to set schedules and can explain clearly what he intends to teach.

What are the benefits of a tutor?

There is constant one-on-one attention when you deal with a tutor. Here, you can learn the weak and strong points in an easier way. It is also an environment where a student can learn how to express his or her needs. There is also a progressive aid, whereby the tutor can help the student learn about the subject they perform poorly and maximize on it.

The environment is relaxing. For those students that have a fear and cannot express themselves among a large crowd, this area creates an ideal point where they can exercise self-esteem.

However, some homes cannot accommodate a tutor. This makes you as a guardian look for a tutoring center. It is an enclosure where learning is to subsidize the schoolwork mistakes. They have qualified tutors who offer extra coaching sessions. It is also an environment where a parent and the tutor can easily share matters about the progress of the student. You can also have the opportunity to hire a specific tutor who can help solve the problem your child is facing.

Reading, Writing and Arithmetic Are Not Enough: Schoolchildren Deserve a Broader Education

I believe in the capacity of man to conquer his world, and to find out what it is made of and how it is run. I believe in the reality of progress. But the whole thing, after all, may be put very simply. I believe that it is better to tell the truth than to lie. I believe that it is better to be free than to be a slave. And I believe that it is better to know than be ignorant.

H. L. Mencken, Mencken's Creed (Excerpt cited by George Seldes in Great Thoughts.)

INTRODUCTION: WELLNESS VERSUS REAL WELLNESS

REAL wellness is a phrase I devised to describe a lifestyle designed for a high quality existence. I added REAL to the word wellness in response to the manner in which worksite health education programs have interpreted and promoted wellness for at least 30 years. Unfortunately, what companies offer in efforts to moderate employee medical costs (i.e., health insurance rates) are wellness in name only; the educational classes and activities invariably concern strategies to reduce risks, prevent disease and manage medical concerns and problems.

In the wider culture, semantics concerning wellness are even more distorted. Since the earliest books appeared describing the nature of wellness in the late seventies, the term has been twisted and gnarled, distorted and contorted, mangled and misconstrued, perverted and... well, you get the idea. The original, classic meaning of wellness introduced by Dunn and popularized by Travis, Hettler, Allen, myself and many others as a positive approach to advanced states of physical and psychological well-being has not been implemented. Instead, wellness has advanced as an empty buzzword employed for whatever product or service the (mis) user seeks to advance. I've even observed the term used to promote dog food. (Not that I object to healthy dog food.)

Fair enough, I suppose. America is said to be a free country. I can call Republicans rational and fair-minded if I choose - who can forbid such liberties with reality or proper usage? Nobody.

Still, it's not a bad idea, I think, to have words that mean more or less the same thing in a given language. I think the original meaning of the term wellness was much more useful than the way its been advanced. Wellness, I think, is and should remain an idea with specific qualities not otherwise promoted within or beyond the medical system. It's not a food, not a medical treatment, not a weigh-loss regimen and not a bazillion other things. It's a concept - a bit of a philosophy for the pursuit of positive states of being. At least in my opinion. What do you think?

The definitional confusion about wellness is the reason I started adding the modifier REAL to the word wellness. REAL serves as an acronym. In my usage, the letters R-E-A-L stand for reason, exuberance, athleticism and liberty. These are the four foundation dimensions that I like to emphasize when promoting this particular lifestyle philosophy or mindset. The acronym embraces critical thinking and respect for science (R - reason), a desire to enjoy life as much as possible (E - exuberance), a vigorous exercise regimen combined with well informed, evidence-based nutritional practices (A - athleticism) and a commitment to personal freedoms (L - liberty). They add up to a REAL wellness lifestyle - and conscious commitment to thinking about choices and ideas in disciplined ways.

EDUCATION OF THE YOUNG

Which leads me to the topic of educating our young. Sure, all children need the basics (three or more Rs) but why stop there? Why not encourage and prepare teachers at all levels to stimulate their little charges to ponder, wonder and reflect on largely unanswerable leading questions about large matters? All students, however young, are curious and open to the mysterious, to those things that transcend day-to-day demands. There are questions, existential and otherwise, that all students will have to confront in years and decades to come. Why wait? Get them started early. Raise questions that touch on or lead to wonder about such topics as noted in Mencken's Creed. Just refrain from providing scripted, correct answers. Also, please don't require that teacher reflections on such things be taken as the final word, or accepted on faith because adults know best.

Consider what fun and adventure it might be for little children to brainstorm, in their own fashion, about the extent to which humans can conquer the world - and what could possibly be meant by such a phrase. Or to share ideas about what the world is made of, how it's run and what is progress. (Maybe a few examples of good and not-so-good progress would be fun, too.). How about, Is it better to tell the truth than to lie? Why? Don't overlook, Do you believe it's better to be free than to be a slave? Think of the possibilities. Imagine the places a class might go, with a little facilitating help from a teacher, with that last question. Again, best to go where the kids take themselves without the benefit of correct adult answers or absolute truths. The children will be confronted with plenty of those, soon enough. For now (i.e., during the Wonder Years), a range of free association possibilities, both imaginative and silly, should be quite enough.

The one exception to this suggestion, to the advice to stay with unanswered, open questions rather than preferred answers, concerns the last element in Mencken's Creed. Go ahead and tell the kids that it is better to know than to be ignorant. It's also better to ask questions, to explore wild and childish hypotheses or to just wonder about something huge (or small) than to ignore it or put it out of mind because grownups don't know the answer.

Young children exposed to such an educational environment in their formative, elementary school years will have many advantages over those who only gain exposure to a quality education learning the skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. One prediction I'd venture to offer if ever children were so educated is this: they would surely be vastly more likely to find and to embrace a REAL wellness philosophy than they would the ersatz variety.

Be well, look on the bright side and have fun.

The Origin of Lanyards

In our modern world of work, the lanyard has become a way to easily carry identification. These lanyards are simple cords in a circle that lie around one's neck and have a holder for identification that ends about mid-chest. In some work places everyone has a standard issue lanyard, while in other places there are a variety of styles to choose from. Sometimes a lanyard is created to commemorate a special company event, or there may be special lanyards based on a business or geographical unit. Here are some categories of people, in addition to corporate employees, who find a lanyard for identification useful: public speakers, coaches, trade show attendees, trade show vendors, fundraiser attendees, retail clerks, school personnel, hospital personnel, police and law enforcement, church attendees, campers, airline employees, TSA employees, political meeting participants, patients in hospitals, film crews, security workers of all kinds, taxi drivers, bank employees, residential tradesman such as plumbers or electricians, skiers and snowboarders and anyone who has a need to be hands free for tasks and identification.

Modern lanyards come in many materials including cords, beads, embossed fabrics and just about anything you want. There are retractable models making it easy to scan an identification card while wearing the lanyard. There are also lanyards for our wide variety of electronic gear such as cell phones, cameras and even water bottles that attach to either your wrist or around your neck. As we routinely carry around very expensive items to enhance our lives the lanyard is a great way to make sure you don't lose valuable accessories.

Those of us who have been to summer camp or after-school programs may have made a lanyard out of plastic string or tubing. The string comes in a wide rainbow of colors and there are many patterns used to create the basic cord design. Popular plastic tape lanyard patterns include the square stitch and double knot. Key chains are a common product of the plastic lanyard craft. You may have heard to the craft of weaving lanyards as "scoubido". It is thought the first crafting of lanyards was in France in the 1950's at the time when a French recording artist had a hit entitled "Scoubido". The decorative weaving technique has also been done with leather or paracord to create a strong strap for heavier gear such as keys or knives. It is possible to purchase lanyard-making supplies and create the custom lanyard you want for the task at hand. Your custom lanyard can be of plastic tubing, fabric or leather and include the sturdy clip of your choice including breakaway clips or carabineers. You can also choose a badge holder if that is part of your plan.

Lanyards also have an important role in workplace and recreational safety. A vital type of lanyard is called a safety strap lanyard. This lanyard is used in industrial settings and attaches the worker to a switch that would stop a piece of machinery should the worker become incapacitated and fall. There are also lineman lanyards that anchor a worker in place and if they slip or fall they do not go into free fall but are stopped by the lanyard. These lanyards are made of strong material and may include a heavy-duty carbineer to help anchor the lanyard to the attachment point. Mountain climbing aficionados use similar equipment. Lanyards are also an important piece of safety gear for personal watercraft such as Jet Skis. These lanyards are usually attached to the wrist. If a rider falls off the Jet Ski the lanyard detaches and the machine slowly stops so it does not injure the rider who fell off or anyone else.

Like night vision goggles, surveillance cameras and many kinds of survival gear, the lanyard's first use was for military purposes. It may have first been used on ships to secure gear to the deck, but was generally referred to as a length of rope or cord used to anchor something important in place. In times past lanyards have been used to secure swords to soldier's wrists, keep a variety of items anchored in a soldier's shirt pocket such as a pocket knife or a whistle with the lanyard draped over the shoulder for easy access while riding a horse or running. And over time, the lanyard has been used as a colorful display of military achievement draping over the shoulder of a military uniform. Ornamental lanyards denote regimental assignment or military honor. Some dress uniforms of many military units, both International and US do include a lanyard at certain ranks and in certain circumstances.

However, in our modern day, even in the military, the lanyard is often thought of as the neck cord to secure an identification badge or keys, but the fabric is printed with the details of the military unit.

Lanyards will continue to be an important piece of personal equipment to protect our belongings and our personal safety.