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EnMAP a game-changer for our environment

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EnMAP a game-changer for our environment

Our planet is warming up in a fast way and to prevent further damage to the ecosystem, scientists around the world are looking for solutions against the clock.

This is how, on April 1, the EnMap satellite was launched, which seeks to monitor the Earth’s environment on a global scale.

 

As CNN portal stated: “Space technology has long been used to help forecast weather, spot wildfiresand aide scientists’ understanding of the climate crisis. But this next-generation German satellite is being called a game changer for its ability to use more than 250 colors to produce the most precise data on water, soil, and vegetation in satellite history, scientists say.

The Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program, or EnMAP, is capable of measuring things that would otherwise be invisible, from the degree of pollution in a river flowing through a forest to the nutrient supply within a plant”. 

In the words of the official EnMAP site: “The EnMAP (Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program) hyperspectral satellite is to provide new types of data on the state of and changes to the ecosystem on the Earth’s surface.

Engineered at the OHB “Optics and Science” space center in Oberpfaffenhofen, the EnMAP instrument will be analyzing from space the solar radiation reflected off the Earth’s surface. It will record this data in a range from visible light to the short-wave infrared segment, as well as in continuous spectra.

If you feel curious, you can learn more about this satellite on its official site.

And you can enjoy how it was launched, and how the EnMap took shape.

These great changes and advances in history are being executed by people like you, who have the impetus to change the world. AIU’s doctoral and postdoctoral programs are designed to provide you with all the tools that will allow you to find that topic that you are passionate about, and together with your professional experience, get the most out of your research.

Find information about our majors/areas of study related to this topic; there are many ways to get involved and help the earth: Agricultural Engineering, Sustainable Development, Environmental Science, Aerospace, Engineering, Climate Studies, just to name a few of our majors/areas of study. 

As testimony to personal stories that have changed the world, we share with you the inspiring experience of AIU alumnus Kundan Kumar from Rwanda, a country in East Africa characterized by its verdant mountainous landscape. 

Although this country is only a few degrees south of the equator, the elevation provides a subtropical climate to the area, made up of two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. The mountain landscape gives this country the nickname “land of a thousand hills”.

Kundan Kumar is a Doctor of Philosophy and Ph.D. in Information Technology from the 2020 Atlantic International University class. For Doctor Kumar, information technology is a tool to be used for advancement and progress.

Approximately 60% of Rwanda’s soil is fertile, making agriculture a pillar of the nation’s development. 30% of their GDP comes from agriculture, a significant economic sector that employs 70% of the population. 

However, climate change is threatening. Three-quarters of Rwanda’s crops belong to smallholder farmers, and natural disasters and drought menace the sustenance of the already vulnerable population.

All these reasons caused Doctor Kumar to take a big step and join KUBERU, a multinational team (formed by nationals of India, Kenya, and Rwanda) that won the 2018 Design-a-thon Climate App Hackathon of Rwanda Meteorology Agency sponsored by UNDP.

The project’s main goal was to develop an interlinked communication technology that would provide accessible climate-related information to farmers and agronomists, allowing them to make timely decisions for the plantations in the region.

Doctor Kumar’s efforts are an initiative towards fighting big menaces for Rwanda, like poverty and climate change, contributing directly to achieving some of the goals listed by the United Nations in their 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

An informed and better future

The information technology system developed by Kumar and his team offers better chances for the farmers in Rwanda. The system tracks information and generates predictions on weather conditions and distributes this information with minimal effort to agronomists and farmers alongside the region. This way, the crop owners can make decisions to prevent unexpected disasters.

The alliance formed by the UNDP and institutions in Rwanda for the 2018 Design-a-thon Climate App organization -and Kumar’s multinational team- are a great example of what Partnership for the goals means. Also, by helping this strategic sector in Rwanda, Kumar’s efforts point to achieving the Reduced poverty and Zero Hunger goals while also generating data for Climate Action. Using I.T., Kundan Kumar is making a change in the world.

These great changes and advances in history are being executed by people like you, who have the impetus to change the world. AIU’s doctoral and postdoctoral programs are designed to provide you with all the tools that will allow you to find that topic that you are passionate about, and together with your professional experience, get the most out of your research.

As testimony to personal stories that have changed the world, we share with you the inspiring experience of AIU alumnus Kundan Kumar from Rwanda, a country in East Africa characterized by its verdant mountainous landscape.

Although this country is only a few degrees south of the equator, the elevation provides a subtropical climate to the area, made up of two rainy seasons and two dry seasons. The mountain landscape gives this country the nickname “land of a thousand hills”.

If you’re looking to learn more about this topic, visit AIU’s library, where you can find many interesting books about this topic. We would love to recommend:

ClimateChange: The Science of Global Warming and Our Energy Future

 

 

FINANCIAL FREEDOM

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FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Because of the insatiability of human desires, the topic of financial freedom appears to be controversial.

I like how one writer defines Financial Freedom as “the ability to separate your physical presence from your income in such a way that your presence is no longer a disadvantage, whether you are present or not and regardless of where you are located.”

If you can confidently state that your investments, cash on hand, and savings have grown to the point where you can provide for yourself and your family’s lifestyle while still having enough left over to see you through your retirement phase without having to worry about working to earn a monthly or yearly salary, you have achieved the status of the financially free.

Financial freedom is a state attained when you no longer work for money, but rather your money works for you while you pursue your dream career.

Unfortunately, only a few can boast of achieving financial freedom, which is not unrelated to issues ranging from an increase in debt, a change in lifestyle, emergencies, some relating to finance and other health-related issues, to other natural circumstances such as the current pandemic, earthquakes, tsunamis, and so on.

There are some indicators that indicate whether or not you will achieve financial independence, and these indicators should not be overlooked.

 

One factor is your upbringing, which refers to the experiences you had as a child. Do you come from a wealthy or a poor family? Some people believe that people from poor families make better financial decisions because of their childhood experiences, while others believe that people from wealthy families make the best financial decisions because wealth is not new to them. Anyone, regardless of background, can achieve financial independence; the determining factor is each individual’s mindset. Someone from a low-income family may decide to give his children the childhood he never had, spending more than is necessary at the expense of saving and investing. Another person from a wealthy family may decide that his children should have the same kind of childhood he had, even if he cannot afford it. Both scenarios depict a negative mindset, because such decisions will almost certainly result in financial disaster, and the blame is then placed on their childhood experiences.

 

Aside from lessons from your past, the simplest way to achieve financial independence is to have a role model, someone you can study to learn about their knowledge, wisdom, and actions. Someone who has achieved financial independence should serve as a role model. There are role models everywhere, from your home to your workplace, and even online; you just need to be willing and patient to learn.

 

Nothing good comes easily; it takes serious willpower to delay gratification and refuse to follow the crowd. Learning from a role model is not enough; the real test is the determination to carry out your action. You must be disciplined enough to go through the process regardless of how difficult it may be. It is impossible to achieve financial freedom without determination and discipline.

 

Everyone would like to be financially free at some point in their lives, especially in the evenings when they are unable to do as much work as they once did, hence the need to plan for financial independence. Some people achieve this feat sooner than others, while others do not. The key is to get started as soon as possible.

To be among the few who eventually achieve the status of financially free, the following factors must be considered:

 

–      Adjust your lifestyle to live below what you earn if you are a salary earner, or live below your income if you are an entrepreneur. Spend only on things that are extremely important.

–      Health is wealth; you must have a healthy body in order to work properly and avoid spending money on sickness; therefore, you must take good care of your health, eat properly, and exercise in order to stay fit and healthy.

–      Form a savings habit and make it automatic. You can do this by giving your bank a standing instruction to hold a portion of your salary once paid, or by having your employer assist you by depositing a portion of your salary into a different account on your behalf. You can also put money aside in a retirement account.

–      Create a monthly budget for your spending and do everything you can to stick to it.

–      Do everything possible to avoid debt, and if debt must be paid back, make sure it is paid on time. Begin by repaying debts that have accumulated interest.

–      Look for viable investments, no matter how small; it is always better to start small and build up gradually.

–      Make as many investments as possible; this generates a variety of income streams.

–      Invests in business stock, government benefits, and other income streams that allow you to exchange your time for money and earn monthly income, and/or qualify you for social security in old age.

–      Reinvest and grow your investments with the proceeds from your investments.

–      Carry a regular review of your income and expenses.

–      Research the financial market by listening to financial news and events, as this information will keep you up to date and protect you from fraudulent investments.

–      Seek the advice of financial experts.

 

According to Wikipedia, some sources of income to achieve financial freedom include:

 

–      Bank fixed deposits and monthly income schemes

–      Business ownership (if the business does not require active operation)

–      Dividends from stocks, bonds, and income trusts

–      Interest earned from deposit accounts, money market accounts, or loans

–      Life annuity

–      Notes, including stocks and bonds

–      Oil leases

–      Patent licensing

–      Pensions

–      Rental property

–      Royalty from creative works, e.g. photographs, books, patents, music, etc.

–      Trust deed (real estate)

 

Financial freedom is all about planning for a better tomorrow for yourself and your family so that you can work in the morning and rest in the evenings of your life, so the earlier you start planning, the sooner you will be able to achieve your set goal.

 

“Financial Freedom has a cost and If you want to achieve this, are you willing to pay the price?”? David Angway

 

 

 

 

Sources 

https://moneyfit.org/blog/financial-freedom-means

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_independence

6 Ways To Be A More Environmentally Friendly Programmer (Yes, That’s A Thing)

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6 Ways To Be A More Environmentally Friendly Programmer (Yes, That’s A Thing)
6 Ways To Be A More Environmentally Friendly Programmer (Yes, That's A Thing)

While it’s most certainly not on individuals to single-handedly reverse climate change, it can feel good to take actions that make a positive impact on the environment. And for programmers and software developers, specifically, there are a few easy changes we can make to our day-to-day that’ll help us be more sustainable in our consumption and development of tech.

From browsing the internet with a tree-planting search engine to lending your skills to environmental open-source projects, here’s a list of ways you can reduce your carbon footprint and become a more sustainable programmer.

1. Browse the internet with Ecosia

Programmers quickly learn to turn to Google when they’re stuck on a coding problem, whether they’re trying to resolve an error or find a helpful snippet to plug into their codebase. But our Googling comes at a cost, because every single internet search produces carbon dioxide.

Instead of using Google, try switching to Ecosia, a search engine that relies entirely on renewable energy and dedicates 80% of its profits to fighting deforestation.

Deforestation is the destruction of our forests, and it’s a major contributor to climate change. Switching your go-to search engine is a small action that can make a substantial difference: Ecosia has planted over 148 million trees to help save our forests, approximately one for every 45 searches performed on the site.

Ecosia offers mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, along with extensions for Chrome and Firefox. If you use Safari, you can set Ecosia as your default search engine in your preferences.

2. Contribute to environmental open-source projects

Open-source projects are always looking for contributors. With projects focused on the environment, you get to work with like-minded programmers, and write code that helps support all kinds of climate initiatives. (Not to mention, you’ll also gain valuable experience that could help you build out your portfolio and land a job.)

You can find hundreds of environmental open-source projects under climate change on GitHub, whether you’re interested in creating scalable climate models, analyzing weather data, or working in any other aspect of climate tech. The online index Open Sustainable Technology keeps a running list of open-source projects specific to climate tech and recruiting participants. You can also find open-source opportunities on social media, especially on Twitter.

3. Repair devices instead of replacing them

If you’re someone who instinctively replaces your devices when they break or become slow, consider sending it in for repairs instead. Tech production comes at great cost to our planet, from the collection of raw materials to the carbon emissions produced by manufacturing and transportation. By repairing your broken tech, you’re helping reduce the demand for new devices and the amount of e-waste that’s damaging our planet. And in many cases, repairing your device is a more affordable and eco-friendly option than buying new ones.

Some handy folks or hobbyists might want to take it a step further and try fixing the problem on their own. The platform iFixit offers free repair guides for a wide range of devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and gaming consoles. Each guide explains which tools you’ll need (and where to find them) and how long it’ll take to perform your task. They even provide a difficulty rating to help you gauge whether or not the problem is worth tackling yourself.

4. Be responsible with your e-waste

E-waste — that is, discarded electronic devices — is a growing problem. Studies show that only 17% of all the e-waste produced worldwide in 2019 was properly recycled, leaving the rest to end up in landfills, where harmful materials like lead, mercury, and arsenic seep into our environment.

Manufacturers can reuse recycled materials and components (like metal, plastic, and batteries) to create new devices, which helps conserve our raw natural resources and reduce our carbon footprint. So before you throw away your old iPhone, try to find an e-waste recycling facility in your area. Some retailers (like BestBuy and Staples) and manufacturers (like Samsung and Apple) allow you to drop off or mail in your old devices. If you live in the U.S., the EPA offers a list of organizations that can help you recycle your e-waste.

5. Buy refurbished tech

When the time comes to replace your old tech, consider buying a refurbished device instead of a brand new one. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google offer refurbished products at discounted rates, along with warranties that’ll help protect you if anything goes awry.

You might hesitate, worrying that a refurbished product might come with some critical flaw or not function as well as a new one. But there’s a difference between “refurbished” and “used.” Refurbished products are typically returned soon after purchase, and they’re tested and repaired by their manufacturer to ensure proper functionality. That means you can get a like-new device while avoiding the environmental costs of production and saving older devices from becoming e-waste in landfills.

6. Follow sustainable software design principles

Regardless of your specific company or role, you can help build greener, more eco-friendly software. Asim Hussain, green cloud advocacy lead at Microsoft, created a framework of sustainable software design principles to help developers make their applications more efficient and minimize their carbon emissions.

These principles range from energy consumption to hardware utility and data transmission. At its core, sustainable software design means coding with the environment in mind.

Looking for more ways to help protect our planet? Check out our Learn to Fight Climate Change course.

Code Foundations Courses & Tutorials | Codecademy

Interested in learning how to code, but unsure where to start? Our Code Foundations domain provides an overview of the main applications of programming and teaches important concepts that you’ll find in every programming language. This content will prepare you to chart a course to a more technical c…

6 Desk Setups On Instagram That Will Give You Workspace Envy

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6 Desk Setups On Instagram That Will Give You Workspace Envy
Desk setups on Instagram

Working from home during the pandemic made lots of people pay attention to their home office situation for the first time. Maybe you invested in an ergonomic chair and second monitor, for example, or got sucked into desk setup accounts, like @isetups or @minimalsetups.

On Instagram and YouTube, tech enthusiasts often share stylized photos and detailed video tours of their curated desk setups. There are Twitch streamers with over-the-top gaming “battlestations,” extremely minimalist setups that programmers swear by, and LED lighting that basically turns desks into art installations.

While it’s certainly a social media flex to have an organized and attractive desk, creating a workspace that’s tailored to your needs as a developer can also set you up for peak productivity, creativity, and comfort while you spend all day at your desk.

As Codecademy Staff Engineer Doug de Jesus put it: Computers and keyboards are programmers’ tools of the trade.“A carpenter would have the best saw. A painter would have the best brushes,” he said. “Why wouldn’t we give ourselves the best tools too?”

Whether you’re taking your programming setup to the next level or just want to zhuzh up your Zoom background for work or school, here are some desks to inspire your own Insta-worthy setup.

Placing computer monitor lamps or “light bars” above your screens like this will brighten up your desk so you don’t have to increase your screen brightness. Good to know if you prefer to work late at night and don’t want to strain your eyes.

Modular peg board

Peg boards aren’t just for garages — they can also be used to create custom desk organization. UI designer Ferik Tantomi attached a tablet to his peg board so it sits at eye-level and can serve as his primary device, and he used another hook to display a mechanical keyboard in his collection.

Decked-out standing desk

This is the setup that front-end engineer Aral Tasher typically uses for gaming purposes, but sometimes he’ll switch things up for work by positioning a 32-inch monitor vertically alongside the ultra-wide monitor. Some ergonomic tips that might help other devs: Aral recommends a sturdy standing desk that you can lean on without it wobbling, and a keyboard rest to accommodate mechanical keyboards that tend to be built higher.

Corner office goals

The natural light and view that software engineer Linda Vivah gets in her New York City corner (home) office is what cubicle-dwellers dream of. There’s a legit benefit to having access to natural light in your office: Research out of Cornell found that when workers have daylight in their office environments, it reduces eye strain, headaches, and drowsiness. And if you’re wondering what Linda is working on in the photo, it’s Sonic Pi, an open-source live coding synth that teaches you how to code by composing music.

DIY PC gaming tower

The most jaw-dropping part of web developer and UI/UX designer Sasha Tran’s desk setup is the gaming PC tower that she built from scratch (which, BTW, is a DIY project hobbyists will want to check out). But her hexagonal lighting tiles and LED strips that are color-coordinated with her computer wallpaper aren’t too shabby, either.

Small space solution

Özge Karaoğlu is an associate solutions architect at Amazon Web Services who’s made the most of her WFH space. Peep her gallery wall, which features a dissected and framed Nintendo Gameboy and iPhone — perfect touches for someone who loves tech nostalgia. And if you’re curious to see inside a FAANG office in Amsterdam, Özge recently posted a video tour.

Want to show off your own desk setup? Share your space on Instagram and be sure to tag Codecademy!

Catalog Home | Codecademy

If you’re not sure where to begin or what to learn next, this is a great place to start. Check out our top coding courses, Skill Paths, and Career Paths.

The Benefits of Reducing Smartphone Use

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The Benefits of Reducing Smartphone Use

Given the harmful effects of excessive smartphone use, researchers have investigated the effects of reducing smartphone use. A recent study by Brailovskaia and colleagues (2022) examined the effects of smartphone use reduction and abstinence on well-being (3). A total of 619 participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: Abstinence, Reduction, or Control. The Abstinence group (N = 277) was instructed to not use their phone for 7 days. The Reduction group (N = 242) was instructed to reduce their overall phone use by an hour each day for 7 days. The Control group (N = 232) were not given limitations on their phone use. Several measures of smartphone use and well-being were assessed at baseline (prior to the week-long intervention), post-intervention, one month post-intervention, and four months post-intervention.

Both the Abstinence and Reduction group showed decreases in smartphone use intensity, problematic use tendency, depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms after their one-week with reduced or no smartphone use. These effects persisted even after 4 months. These groups also showed an increase in physical activity and life satisfaction at post-intervention, which also persisted after 4 months (3). Cutting back on smartphone use for one week had an overall positive effect on people’s lives that persisted for several months. The magnitude of the effect was similar for both smartphone reduction and for smartphone abstinence for most measures. However, notably, these benefits seemed to be more stable for those who were in the reduction group compared to the abstinence group. The authors suggest that reducing smartphone use, rather than abstaining from smartphones completely, is easier to maintain and fosters a healthier relationship with phone use that would allow people to “gain the advantages of smartphone use without experiencing its negative effect” (3).

If you are concerned about your smartphone use and want to cut back, I would suggest specifically reducing smartphone use before you go to bed. A study by He et al. (2020) found that avoiding phone use 30 minutes before bed resulted in overall improved sleep quality, mood, and working memory (4). This preliminary study randomly assigned 38 college students to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants in the intervention group (N = 19) had their phone use restricted prior to bed time for 4 weeks (Most of them used smartphones that had a “bedtime” function that made the screen go grey, would not allow apps to be opened, and phone service would go offline. Those that did not have this function were simply instructed to turn their phones off 30 minutes prior to bedtime). Participants in the control group were not given any restrictions on their sleep or phone use.

Word of the Day: vernal

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Word of the Day: vernal

The word vernal has appeared in 12 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on April 30 in “Gnocchi, Leeks, Soupy Greens: What Else Do You Need?” by Melissa Clark:

Devouring mounds of spring greens, whether braised, boiled, stewed, sautéed or made into a tonic, is an age-old vernal tradition meant to fortify a body deprived of fresh vegetables after a winter without them.

But even in modern times, there’s still something primal about the bracing sharpness and mineral bite of those first local shoots of chard, watercress and dandelion greens. They’re a welcome change from the workaday supermarket kale and spinach I rely on in winter.

Can you correctly use the word vernal in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how vernal can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

If you enjoy this daily challenge, try one of our monthly vocabulary challenges.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

What’s Going On in This Graph? | April 27, 2022

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What’s Going On in This Graph? | April 27, 2022

4. After you have posted, read what others have said, then respond to someone else by posting a comment. Use the “Reply” button to address that student directly.

On Wednesday, April 27, teachers from our collaborator, the American Statistical Association, will facilitate this discussion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time.

5. By Friday morning, April 29, we will reveal more information about the graph, including a free link to the article that includes this graph, at the bottom of this post. We encourage you to post additional comments based on the article, possibly using statistical terms defined in the Stat Nuggets.

We’ll post more information here on Thursday afternoon. Stay tuned!

More?

• See all graphs in this series or collections of 60 of our favorite graphs, 28 graphs that teach about inequality and 24 graphs about climate change.

• View our archives that link to all past releases, organized by topic, graph type and Stat Nugget.

• Learn more about the notice and wonder teaching strategy from this 5-minute video and how and why other teachers are using this strategy from our on-demand webinar.

• Sign up for our free weekly Learning Network newsletter so you never miss a graph. Graphs are always released by the Friday before the Wednesday live-moderation to give teachers time to plan ahead.

• Go to the American Statistical Association K-12 website, which includes teacher statistics resources, Census in the Schools student-generated data, professional development opportunities, and more.

Students 13 and older in the United States and the Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Inside Vs. Outside

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Inside Vs. Outside

What do you think this image is saying? How does it relate to or comment on society or current events? Can you relate to it personally? What is your opinion of its message?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related essay to learn more.

Want more Picture Prompts? Find them all in this column.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX

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SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX

Can you imagine a world without social media, particularly in this time of pandemic? Since the Pandemic situation, there has been an increase in digital platforms; all meetings, celebrations, mourning, lectures, training, and even work have all migrated to social media platforms. New platforms are being developed on a daily basis to meet the growing demand in this area. My little daughter once asked me a question, and while I was considering what answer to give her, she said, “Don’t worry, mummy, I’ll just ask Google.”

 

There is no need to go to the market because both buyers and sellers now meet on the social media platform. Whatever you need, you can always get it online and have it delivered to your location, from industrial goods to food.

All schools are now going online; there is no need for physical meetings between lecturers and students, no matter how far apart they are; a digital platform allows lectures to take place regardless of distance.

 

Do you want to know what’s going on in the world? You don’t need to travel; you can learn everything you need to know from the comfort of your own home.

Social media has impacted every aspect of our lives, and it is nearly impossible to imagine modern life without it.

As important as social media is in modern life, there is no denying that it has its negative aspects and adds stress to one’s life. The most dangerous scam is carried out on social media; some social media content can cause emotional distress and/or lead to other psychological issues such as depression.

Have you ever wondered why a patient admitted to the hospital is not allowed to use his phone, and why there are control measures in place regarding social media use, particularly in the case of children and the vulnerable?

 

“There is a trend today that would put a new robe on the prodigal son while he is still feeding hogs. Some would put the ring on his finger while he still in the pigsty. Others would paint the pigsty and advocate bigger and better hog pens.”- Vance Havner

 

The old saying above portrays the negative impact of social media. Bad news sells better and faster than good news, and social media is a prime example of this! I once saw a video about a woman who lost her life as a result of her addiction to social media. The woman in the video was walking down the street while staring at her phone with a wild grin on her face, possibly responding to a tweet. A few minutes away, a truck reversed and hit her because she didn’t see the truck because her attention was on the phone.

 

Some of the potential negative effects of social media on our lives are as follows:

 

–      Increased use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and others can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

–      Due to what is seen on social media, there is an increase in comparison, particularly among young people; this comparison leads to low self-esteem, and this has led many people to turn to crime in order to meet the trending standard.

–      Constant use of social media can disrupt family time, work-life, and overall quality of life by creating an imbalance in one’s life.

–      Social media can be addictive if not used responsibly.

 

Although different countries have put measures in place to control and manage the negative effects of social media, if you want to keep your sanity, you will do yourself a lot of good to do a social media detox from time to time.

 

Here are some pointers on how to conduct a social media detox:

 

–      You might want to start by deleting all of the social media apps on your phone for a few hours to prove to yourself that you can live without them for a while. With each detoxification, you may progress to days.

–      Take a partner on this trip and make it a competition between the two of you to see who can actually stay off social media for some time and who can stay off longer.

–      Reward yourself for each effort while setting the standard for the next detox.

–      Take note of the apps you use the most and begin by uninstalling them. Consider what will happen if you stay away from such platforms for an extended period of time.

–      Inquire with a friend or family member about their observations of your attachment to your phone; this will allow you to learn how they are affected by your constant use of social media.

–      You might want to make sure you don’t have a charging point near your bed or in the bedroom, and then decide what time you want to go to bed while leaving your phone in a separate room.

–      You can also decide when to turn off your phone and stick to it, or set a timer for this activity.

–      Most of the time, especially when working from home, the alerts are a source of distraction, so delete all alerts from your phone. This provides you with some measure of control.

–      Get involved in some outdoor activities that will prevent you from accessing your phone.

 

 

The whole point of social media detoxification is to give you control over your use of social media rather than the other way around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources 

https://www.news18.com/news/lifestyle/unplug-and-detox-heres-why-you-should-do-a-social-media-cleanse-during-this-pandemic-3969863.html

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/g30681374/social-media-detox-tips/

PROCRASTINATION, A COIN WITH TWO SIDES

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PROCRASTINATION, A COIN WITH TWO SIDES

“Never leave till tomorrow that which you can do today.” ?Benjamin Franklin

 

When I hear the word “procrastination,” the sayings above come to mind.

I used to think of procrastination as a negative word with only negative connotations. I will always advise my children to seize the moment and not procrastinate, but then I realized that there are two sides to every coin; what are the positive aspects of procrastination, and is there such a thing as positive procrastination?

 

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination has been labelled “the thief of time,” as well as “laziness,” “delays,” “idleness,” “poor time management,” “postponement,” and other derogatory terms.

 

“Procrastination is the action of unnecessarily and voluntarily delaying or postponing something despite knowing that there will be negative consequences for doing so. The word has originated from the Latin word procrastinatus, which itself evolved from the prefix pro-, meaning “forward,” and crastinus, meaning “of tomorrow” ? Wikipedia

 

A look at the definition above brings to mind some instances where I purposefully delayed very important tasks and was later grateful I did; in other words, not all procrastination is bad. Although I had no idea that the outcome would be positive at the time of procrastination, I simply followed my hunches. Could this be considered positive procrastination? I decided to investigate what Positive procrastination entailed, and I came across a plethora of articles on the subject.

 

According to one of the articles, people who procrastinate are more likely to be productive than those who do not.

A researcher will classify procrastination as either Passive (maladaptive) or Active (adaptive). Active procrastination is known as Positive procrastination, whereas passive procrastination is known as Negative procrastination.

 

The Passive procrastinator is the person who becomes distracted while starting a task and abandons the task due to the distraction. In this case, the distraction is usually an interesting activity. This procrastinator may later return to the actual tasks and complete them, albeit in a hurry, but the failure to complete the task on time may have harmed the procrastinator’s self-esteem.

The Active Procrastinator, on the other hand, enjoys working under pressure, is able to always meet deadlines, and has a high level of self-confidence. As a result, the active procrastinator can put off tasks until the ninetieth hour while still delivering on time and accurately. Bill Watterson’s words below perfectly capture how an active procrastinator thinks.

 

“You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood.

What mood is that? Last-minute panic.” ? Bill Watterson

 

Perhaps evaluating the negative and positive aspects of procrastination will help us see it for what it is: a coin with two sides.

 

Because of the various definitions given to it, the negative aspects of procrastination are very popular. The disadvantages are as follows:

 

–      Some procrastination reveals the true image behind the act; for example, the procrastinator may be acting out of fear of making mistakes while handling the task, thereby postponing, more like shifting the evil day; this demonstrates a lack of self-confidence.

–      Procrastination may result in failure depending on the task at hand. As an example, suppose a student is aware that an exam is coming up in two weeks and decides to watch movies instead of studying, postponing the study to only two days before the exam. Such a student may be doomed to failure.

–      When there is a procrastinator on a team, the other team members will undoubtedly be affected by that procrastinator’s actions. This is due to the fact that each team member has a specific role to play, and if one aspect of the job is not completed by one procrastinating team member, the others will either bear the burden by taking over or risk team failure.

–      When you postpone a task that needs to be completed today for another day, work piles up and can lead to work overload.

–      Procrastination may be beneficial in the short term, but it is almost always detrimental in the long run.

–      There are numerous other drawbacks that are not mentioned here.

 

 

 

According to various authors, the benefits of procrastination include the following:

–      Procrastination may turn out to be the best option in a given situation. For example, if you have a number of tasks to complete at the same time, rather than solving them all at once, it is preferable to postpone some of them until a later date or simply go for a walk to clear your mind and set new deadlines.

–      Procrastination may aid in task prioritization, as in the preceding example, rearranging the tasks also means prioritizing the most important tasks.

–      Procrastination may reduce stress by giving you time to breathe and think.

–      Procrastination can lead to creative ideas. Because the first ideas may not provide the best solution to a problem, those who procrastinate take the time to evaluate previous ideas and come up with a better solution.

–      Another school of thought holds that those who procrastinate occasionally feel guilty, and as a result of their guilt, they tend to get more done in order to make up for the lost time.

–      Instead of rushing through a task to avoid procrastination, it is preferable to sleep on it; this is a justification for procrastination.

 

 

 

Finally, it is safe to say that procrastination is analogous to a knife. The knife can be a very useful and important tool, but it can also be a lethal tool. The result or outcome of using the knife is dependent on both who finds the tool and what use it is put to.

 

 

 

 

 

Sources 

https://www.onlinetivity.com/what-is-positive-procrastination/

https://psychcentral.com/lib/10-good-and-10-bad-things-about-procrastination#4

https://medium.com/the-ascent/positive-procrastination-is-the-secret-sauce-to-make-you-more-productive-39655bcfdd31

 

Author : Amiakhor Ejaeta
Degree :
Major : Accounting
Country : Nigeria
Language : English

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