Tips to Avoid Post-holiday Burnouts

With holiday season around the corner, we are all looking forward to time off to relax and rejuvenate. However, coming back to the office post break could be a toll for both our physical and mental health. It is not uncommon to feel exhausted and unmotivated after a break from work.  To dissipate these feelings, check out some of these tips below to avoid the post-holiday burnout this season!      

1. Eliminate burdens:

While the holidays are a time to wind down and relax, spare some time to take care of personal business at home. Prior to the start of the holiday, avoid over scheduling upon your return. Do not inflate other’s expectation of what you can deliver. Overestimating your capabilities would only lead to a let-down for all parties involved. 

2. Reset internal clock:

For most, it is incredibly difficult to snap back into work mode immediately. In order to avoid missing your dreaded morning alarm on the first day of work post-holiday, consider going easy on your schedule on the last few days of your holiday break. Adjust your bedtime hours to your usual work week schedule to ease your internal clock for an easier transition; this is especially important if you have traveled abroad during your holiday!

3. Ease back into things:

Upon returning to the office, it is important to prioritize your tasks and schedule accordingly. It is also helpful to take regular breaks throughout the day. Continuous working could in fact result in less productivity as exhaustion can hinder our judgment and perspective.  

Japan's Lesson of Responsibility

More than two decades ago, schools in Japan began carrying unicycles under the request of the Ministry. While one might confuse an elementary school playground with an amateur circus, it is in fact the country’s effort in instilling a sense of independence and responsibility in children. 

In an educations system where there are virtually no janitors, students are taught to be self-sufficient from a young age. Similarly with unicycles, students are responsible for tire maintenance and stowing away unicycles after use. Children receive almost no formal instructions and are left to learn on their own. A blend of fun and grit, kids are encouraged to take on challenges despite rocky paths to success.  It is said that the government hopes to replicate realities of modern life through training, promoting confidence and independence in their young citizens.

Consistently ranked as one of the best education system in the world, it seems like this unique method of teaching is sure paying off. 

Astounding Growth of Snapchat

When the photo and video messaging app first debuted, it was shrouded in controversy. Three years later, it has created a brand new way of communication and has become one of the most popular social media platforms.

Although the app received a less than enthusiastic response among Spiegel's college peers at Stanford, it began spreading like wildfire when the newcomer successfully targeted three major growth motivators. In the age of hyper connectivity, many new users learned about the app through word of mouth before even downloading the app. Whether they took part in a group selfie or saw friends using the app, many
prospective users have experienced it in some way or another. Another integral part of the company's growth is attributed to our ever decreasing attention span. Knowing that the message will disappear quickly, the app fuels curiosity and demands undivided attention from users. Lastly, the company has successfully targeted the teenage market by creating a sense of privacy through the self-destructing nature of the content. Leaving no evidence for the rest of the world, they can comfortably communicate with peers without the worries of parental control and intervention.

While it is unclear whether Snapchat's growth is sustainable in the long run, there is no doubt that it will retain its huge fan base in the near future. Although security breach is not completely avoidable, the app offers an exclusive experience that none of its social media predecessors can provide.

Yet Another Milestone for Google Translate

Notorious for its embarrassingly inaccurate translation, Google Translate has taken a huge leap in its recent upgrade. Utilizing the neural system, the software now translates based on a sentences’ context, as opposed to phrase-based algorithms translations in the past. This technology, which made its debut a few days ago has been made available to languages such as English, Chinese, Spanish, French and German.

Take for example, a German quote from Albert Einstein was previously translated as “No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that they have arisen.” With neural machine translation, the improved version becomes “Problems can never be solved with the same way of thinking that caused them.” As seen, it produces a much more fluent result with proper grammar usage.

Since its release, the improvement has received an overwhelmingly positive response from users all over the world. As of now, the translation app only offers eight language pairs. In the future, Google hopes to eventually roll Neural Machine Translation out to all 103 languages. 

5 Ways to Improve Your Performance at Work

Maintaining and enhancing productivity in the workplace is not an easy task. Check out some of the concepts below to mitigate factors that dampen efficiency.

1. Employee recognition:

• Employees are more motivated when they feel valued. Lack of appreciation could hinder participation and lead to sub par performance. However, be sure to not give overly vague recognition to prevent from coming across as insincere.

2. Set clear measurable goals:

• This goes hand in hand with transparency at a workplace. Communicating openly will prevent misunderstandings and promote cohesive team work.

3. Use technology responsibly:

• Technology no doubt increases productivity in a workplace. However, there is a thin line between increasing efficiency and over consumption. 

4. Provide training/ skills development:

• Aside from having a great understanding of their own role within the organization, every employee should be familiar with the company culture and expectations. Employees should be encouraged to seek challenge and not stay stagnant in order to keep abreast with the latest trends and innovations.

5. Communicate effectively:

• Communication is one of the most important aspects of operating a business. Be conscientious about email usage and take advantage of platforms and applications available to enhance internal communication. 

Vietnam Facts

1. The country's name was originally spelled as two words, Viet Nam.

2. The star on the flag represent farmers, workers, intellectuals, youth and soldiers and the red background pays tribute to the bloodshed during wars.

3. The famed Bin Chau Hotsprings are hot enough to boil eggs.

4. Vietnam is home to the world's largest cave, Son Doong.

5. Vietnam is also home to the Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

6. The country is one of the biggest producers of cashew nuts in the world.

7. Vietnam is also the world's second largest coffee-producing nation after Brazil.

8. Motorbikers are the most common form of transportation.

9. Pho is the most popular food in Vietnam after rice.

10. Despite being a developing country, it has a literacy rate of 94%

Doing the Unconventional

At age 11, he taught himself how to code. At age 15, he dropped out of high school with the support of his parents. Now at 30, David Karp is the Founder and CEO of the billion dollar empire, Tumblr.

Launched in February 2007, Tumblr is a short-form blogging platform, somewhere in between Twitter, Facebook and Wordpress. Aimed to create a space to publish content for those who don’t enjoy or have the leisure for conventional forms of blogging, Tumblr allows users to curate pictures, videos and texts in one single place. Offering users endless ways to personalize their online home, it soon attracted a huge fan base of those who wanted to express their creativity. However, Tumblr has not always been smooth sailing. Set on escaping the traditional investor-funded model, the start-up experienced user growth rapidly yet struggled to scale up due to a lack of investors. Immediately after selling 25% of his company during the first round of funding, Karp went from being able to see everyone’s computer screen in its New York office to now having a two floor workspace with over 393 employees.

Despite being one of the most successful technology firms, Karp is relaxed about the company’s growth. Tumblr held off from being acquired by media firms until 2013, when it reached an agreement with Yahoo for $1.1 billion in cash. Determined to not follow the predictable path of a start-up company, , Karp has remained CEO and the company is unlikely to relocate to the West Coast in the interest of retaining their start-up spirit. From a technology firm that lacked a traditional business model to now a network with big name users such as President Obama, Tumblr is truly a story of doing the unconventional.  

"Free" Beverage?

The convenience store staff intervened, when he saw a shopper openly drinking from a beverage from which he had taken from the shelf. Bewildered at the situation, the non-Japanese shopper demanded an explanation. After a heated argument between the two parties, it became evident that the confusion was due to a lost in translation. The foreign man explained that the bottle had a "Free Tea" label, prompting him to take a sip of what he thought was a complimentary drink. However, the confusingly named Free Tea was in fact a brand by the Japanese beverage giant Pokka Sapporo. 

This account was taken to twitter by a passerby, who witnessed the encounter. Almost immediately, it garnered over 34,000 retweets and 18,500 likes. Many twitter users took the opportunity to share their own experiences of linguistic confusion. One particular tweet explained that in Japan, the word "free" is more commonly interpreted as a lack of rather an item that is available without charge. While some locals empathize that travelers could indeed be misguided as Japan does distribute an abundance of freebies, such as pocket tissues and drinks on the streets, others were not as forgiving, pointing out that there was clearly a price tag on the beverage shelf.  

According to the official website of the beverage company, the drink is marketed to "encourage people to be free from a stress-filled society". Ironically, it has caused quite a stressful confrontation for the traveler.

Soaring Air Pollution in Delhi

One of the most polluted cities, wintertime pollution in Delhi has always posed a threat to the inhabitants of the metropolis. However, the government is largely unprepared for the unprecedented levels of soot in the air that began choking New Delhi residents for the past few weeks.

Last week, levels of particulate matter, known as PM 2.5 have reached 700 micro-grams per cubic meter with some areas of the city recording an all-time high at 1,000. Usually shrugged off as fog, the alarming levels of pollution is more than 16 times the limit of India’s government and 30 times the guideline set by the World Health Organization. To understand the health consequences, health experts said that exposure to such eye-stinging and throat-burning smog is equivalent to smoking more than two packs of cigarettes a day. To mitigate, schools have been cancelled and the workforce has been advised to work from home. The toxic air has left many cowering by air purifiers at home and thousands waiting in line for hours to purchase face masks in in hopes to protect themselves.

While the state has taken emergency steps, the persistent problem is largely attributed to the high volumes of traffic and industrial activities. In order to ease emissions, environmentalists advise that strong political will is required in order to impose lifestyle changes and solve long term consequences. 

Revolutionizing the Radio Business

A cash-strapped start-up during the end of the dot-com boom, Pandora’s path to success is largely a story of commitment and perseverance. Founded in 1999 by Tim Westergren, Pandora Radio, or simply known as Pandora is a music streaming program that utilizes algorithms and technology to personalize online radio stations. Originally a B2B company, the start-up pursued technology licensing and sold their services to businesses like Best Buy, AOL and Tower Records. Struggling to bring investors on board, the company soon exhausted their initial funds by the end of 2000. For two years, Westergren struggled to keep the lights on and begged employees to work unpaid.

After 348 pitch attempts, the company successfully secured a $9 million investment in March, 2004. The team was able to return to its initial vision of producing customized radio stations to consumers and subsequently launched an iOS application in 2008. The new mobile interface mimicked the convenience of traditional radio stations, allowing consumers to stream music from their cellphones on the go. Within a day, the service generated 35,000 new users, doubling the number of daily subscriptions. Over the past decade, Pandora has established itself as one of the world’s most popular online streaming service. With 80 million users tuning in an average of 15 hours monthly, it has truly revolutionized the radio business and the way the public consume music.    

Mistranslated Voting Pamphlet Draws Criticism

To be eligible for presidential voting in the state of Washington, residents must be 18 years of age, a United States citizen and state resident, and not under Department of Corrections supervision for a Washington felony. However, those convicted of a misdemeanor are still eligible to vote.

While the original brochure in English language made the requirements clear by distinguishing the differences between felony and misdemeanor, the Spanish version misinterpreted felony as “delito”, which translates to “crime”.  As a result, it has been brought to the attention of the Washington State Democratic Central Committee that many potential voters have been led to think that they are disqualified to vote due to the inexact translation in the voter pamphlet.

Since then, Secretary of State, Kim Wynman has announced the reissue of the Spanish pamphlets in order to clear up the confusion on voting eligibility requirements.  

Maintaining a Work-Life Balance

In this digital driven world, it is becoming harder to maintain a work-life balance. Follow the tips below to see how to juggle your career and personal life simultaneously! 

Unplug

While technology is useful at times to enhance work performance, device addiction can seriously impact your productivity. Unless absolutely necessary, try to refrain from reaching your devices. Doing so allows you to shift your focus to other aspects of your life, be it spending time with your family and friends or simply relaxing on your own. Moreover, research shows that the blue light emitted from device screens creates a mental stimulus that prevents us from winding down at the end of the night.

Allocate

Whether it is a 30 minute break during the workday or a week long vacation at an exotic resort, schedule regular vacations to spice up the usual mundane work routine. A break will allow you to recover from the accumulated stress and you will be able to return to work refreshed, both mentally and physically. If a break is not permitted, try taking on a new hobby in your downtime!

Say NO!

Although you feel obligated to lend a hand to those who need assistance, it is important to assess your capabilities and tasks on hand before taking on additional responsibilities. It might be tempting to take on more duties to impress but failure to complete them or sub par work would only backfire on your reputation. 

Hong Kong Women Surpassed Japanese Women in Life Expectancy

Those in Hong Kong live longer than any other people in the world, says a recent study considered by Japan's Welfare Ministry.

Since 1985, Japanese women have enjoyed the title of the world's longest average life expectancy. However, in the wake of the massive earthquake in March 2015 and increasing youth suicide rates in Japan, Hong Kong women have overtaken. In the year 2015, it was announced that the average Hong Kong woman's lifespan is 87.32 years, while also ranked first in the study are Hong Kong men, who reach an average of 81.24 years of age.

Officials at the Japanese Ministry of Healthy, Labor and Welfare have attributed Hong Kong's extended life expectancy to the advancements in medical procedures and treatments. With breakthroughs in medical technology, the major cause of death-illness has significantly diminished. Meanwhile, local health experts asserted the main reason as Hong Kong's immense reduction in tobacco consumption compared to 30 years ago. Nevertheless, experts have also cautioned that these statistics should be taken with a grain of salt. While Japan is a whole country, Hong Kong is merely a city state. Since inhabitants in
cities generally have better access to education, nutrition and any necessity needs, the rural population in Japan is at a disadvantage.

Although it should be celebrated that life expectancy has gradually increased over the deacdes, scholars have expressed concerns that Hong Kong is facing a trend of high life expectancy yet low fertility rate. As a result, government policies should be implemented to lessen the negative impacts on the labor force in the long run.