Tips to Increase Your Productivity

Want to get more done in your day? Of course you do. 【小题1】The good news is that everyone can increase the amount of tasks they accomplish in a day. Here are some tips to help you have a more productive day.

Make a plan for your day. Make sure you know how you want your day to go in advance, even before you start. 【小题2】 To work best, create the next day’s plan the night before so that every morning you spend time performing, not planning.

Break large tasks down into bits accomplished easily. Do you have a large project that’s just so big that you keep putting it off? Or maybe you’re just unsure of where to begin, so you put it off. 【小题3】Therefore, you will feel a sense of accomplishment as you check the items of your list.

Always set your priorities (优先事项). 【小题4】 Figure out what must be done, do that first and rank the rest of your work according to importance. If you don’t get to the items at the end of your list, it won’t be a big problem, and you can do them another time.

【小题5】 If you are the most productive in the morning, that’s when you should hit it hard and do as much as you can. If you work better in the afternoon, take care of some things like emails in the morning and then accomplish the important projects in the afternoon. Keep on top of your work habits, and you’ll be more productive.

Flexible Thinking for Your Career

Does work ever leave you feeling stuck in a rut (一成不变) with limited opportunities to be creative? 【小题1】 But is this even possible, and if so, how to improve your flexibility?

Most jobs require the ability to problem-solve and cope with challenges, at least to a certain extent.【小题2】 If that teacher is a flexible thinker, they will be able to adapt their classroom management, even if they haven’t seen this situation before.

According to Leonard Mlodinow, author of Flexibility, flexible thinkers rely on idea generation (创意生成) and imagination. 【小题3】 “Flexible thinking is what you need when the circumstances change, and you are dealing with something new. It’s not about following rules.” Therefore, instead of following the typical procedure for inducting a new student, the teacher might come up with a tailored (特制的) response, based on prediction and previous experience.

【小题4】 According to Dr Lisa Feldman Barrett, it’s all about exercising the brain. One way of doing this, she says, is through exposure to a variety of experiences which make it easier to adjust to new situations. A lot of companies now consider flexible thinking in the workplace, especially when it comes to design. Workspaces may have couches where workers can lie down and relax, giving them the space to come up with and process new ideas.

Mlodinow says it’s very important to take time to daydream, listen to ideas and concepts you disagree with and spend time doing activities outside of your comfort zone.【小题5】 So, if you want to make a change, you can become a flexible thinker too, with a little practice.

Guide to Hiking on the Appalachian Trail

How do I “Leave No Trace on the Appalachian Trail?”

At about 2,189 miles, the Appalachian Trail is the longest single unit of the National Park System. With the number of people visiting this place increasing each year, the chances are great that any of us may damage the natural environment along the Trail and affect the experience for others. So please do your part by following these hiking and camping practices, and encourage others to learn about and adopt these techniques.

1. Plan ahead and prepare.

Evaluate the risks associated with your outing, identify campsites and destinations in advance, and use maps and guides. Prepare for extreme weather, dangers, and emergencies — especially the cold — to avoid impacts from searches, rescues, and campfires. Learn when areas are most crowded and try to avoid those times.

2. Dispose of waste properly.

Pack out all trash and food waste, including that left behind by others. Don’t bury trash or food, and don’t try to burn packaging materials in campfires. Use the privy (茅房) for human waste only. Do not add trash. If there is no privy, dispose of human waste by burying it in a hole, a hole at least 200 feet (80 steps) from campsites, water sources and shelters, and well away from trails.

3. Leave what you find.

Leave plants, cultural artifacts (器物) and other natural objects where you found them for others to enjoy. Do not damage live trees or plants; green wood burns poorly. Collect only firewood that is dead, down, and no larger than your wrist. Leave dead standing trees and dead limbs on standing trees for the wildlife.

4. Minimize campfire impacts.

Use stoves for cooking — if you need a fire, build one only where it’s legal and in an existing fire ring. Keep fires small. Never leave your campfire unattended, and drown it when you leave. Do not try to burn trash, including plastic, glass, cans, tea bags, food, or anything with food on it. These items do not burn thoroughly. They create harmful fumes (烟雾), and attract wildlife like skunks and bears.

5. Respect wildlife.

Don’t feed or disturb wildlife. Store food properly to avoid attracting bears, varmints, and rodents. If you bring a pet, keep it leashed (用皮带系住).