PART -3 : THINGS TO DO WHEN QUARANTINED

Continue reading the next 5 things to do while quarantined:

11. CREATE YOUR OWN MUSIC PLAYLIST:

You may have some go-to songs but they're never organised or maybe are all over the place. Download all of your top choices and create a playlist. Discover some new song apps and find out what kind of music you enjoy the most- Calm and relaxing or rap music?

12. TAKE ONLINE COURSES:

Take this opportunity to pick up new sills, learn that new programming language you kept postponing for different reasons or simply expand your knowledge from the comfort of your home. Whether for a career switch or simply to boost your job prospects or grow your current business, learning new skills online to achieve your professional goals is without a doubt a constructive way to cope with current self-isolation. You could check out platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, SkillShare, upGrad, edX, Alison.

13. LISTEN TO PODCASTS:

You are probably relying on some of your favourite podcasts to either help you escape the pandemic talk or learn more about the outbreak affecting all our lives. If you've never listened to one before, now is the perfect time to start! A good podcast can provide some virtual companionship, and perhaps even a chance to learn something new. Fortunately, there's an abundance of pods for you to choose from. There are different genres you can choose from- comedy, science, social and many more. In the past few years or so, podcasts have gone from a niche interest to the mainstream.

14. BINGE-WATCH A NEW SERIES:

Bet this is the most exciting and easiest of all options! Netflix and other entertainment platforms are the ones that are expected make a lot of profit during this time of social-distancing. You could binge watch a new series or watch some of your favourite TV shows. There are also a number of must-watch movies which you may haven't seen or heard before. Top 10 Netflix series to binge-watch: https://curlytales.com/coronavirus-quarantine-top-10-new-netflix-movies-series-to-binge-watch-right-away/

15. LEARN ABOUT SOME CRAZY MYTHS:

There are several myths about all subjects of life. Myths could be on math, science, medical, political, mental health, etc. Reading them could be pretty interesting or funny for timepass. You can also talk about this with your friends and find their opinions. Here are some of the science myths I found quite thought-provoking. Give it a read.
 https://thebestschools.org/magazine/25-popular-science-myths-debunked/

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PART - 2 : 15 THINGS TO DO WHEN QUARANTINED

Continue reading the next 5 things to do while quarantined:

6. WRITE A JOURNAL:

Consider writing a regular journal or a personal diary. You could call it "Quarantine diaries". Write about what you are doing each day and how you are keeping yourself busy by entertaining yourself. You could choose to write them at the end of every day or as and when some exciting events come up. Imagine, how interesting it would be to look back at those records, say 20 years from now, recounting what surely would be a historic period in our lives.

7. TAKE TIME TO REFLECT:

Taking time to reflect means slowing down enough to stop, enjoy the adventure and figure out what is really important to YOU. Learn what you like and dislike. Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted- it is an intimate date with yourself. All of this reflection may actually help you plan for the future. I learned something this weekend, in my reflections. You can have ideas about what you want, but cannot plan your life to perfection. Some of the most important decisions and opportunities will come to you in ways that you never predicted.

8. SPEND TIME WITH GOD:

Now that we have a lot of time, we could utilise it as our "quiet time", "devotional time", or whatever you want to call it. Deep down, we all desperately desire to connect with our Creator. And He wants to connect with us. Figuring out how to connect seems difficult, though. After all, he's huge and mysterious and greater than us. So how do we, in the words of Philip Yancey, "reach for the invisible God?". The answer is simple enough: We make it a habit. The truth is we can find a few minutes to be alone with our Creator everyday, sounds cool right? But, we have to be intentional and consistent just like we schedule an appointment on our calendar.

9. LEARN ABOUT YOUR CULTURE:

"A nation's culture resides in the hearts and in the souls of its people"- Mahatma Gandhi
Try to understand and analyze your own culture. Cultural intelligence is a new concept and builds upon the idea of emotional intelligence. Learning your culture, also helps you understanding others'. The world is becoming increasingly diverse and includes people of many religions, languages, economic groups, and other cultural groups. It is becoming clear that in order to build communities that are successful at improving conditions and resolving problems, we need to understand and appreciate many cultures, establish relationships with people from cultures other than our own, and build strong alliances with different cultural groups.

10. GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR INNER ARTIST:

When is the last you've painted or sketched something? If it was years ago, it either means you lost interest or didn't find time. If it is the latter case, well congratulations you have time now! Get a white sheet, brush, some paints and get started. It's time to let go of self-doubt and allow your personal creative expression to shine through. Not sure what to paint? Follow a Bob Ross painting tutorial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s58rW0_LN4

Thanks for reading till the very end!

The next 5 things to do when quarantined, will be posted tomorrow. Hang around my page until then and read the rest other articles I have posted on various other topics. 

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15 THINGS TO DO WHEN QUARANTINED

This is going to be a 3-part series. Each of the three posts will contain 5 things to-do when quarantined.

Staying inside your home for longer periods of time due to the recent pandemic could be a little boring and less fun with no activities to do. While the World Health Organization (WHO) says, "Don't drink, smoke or watch too much news", let's know that we have plenty of other adventures to seek.
Some choose to go on procrastinating about the current life situation, but why not make use of this time frame to the fullest of your potential and work on something you've always wanted to explore?
Here, I have 15 things to do if you are feeling bored or going crazy. Either ways, keep yourself occupied and be positive!

1. CLEAN YOUR SPACE:

Everyone has that desk where there is a pile of books not used for a long while or the clothes in your laundry bag waiting to be washed. Get cleaned up with your living environement first. Make sure your ambience smells good, fresh and clean. If you don't really feel like cleaning at a stretch, start small. Start cleaning for 15 minutes everyday, and it gets easier! You will want to continue the cleaning process once you get started and eventually you'll get it done much quicker. Still not convinced? Listen to your favourite music and get started, dance and clean.

2. MEDITATE & PRACTICE YOGA:

Meditation is a vital way to purify and quiet the mind, thus rejuvenating the body. Give your body what it wants - internal peace and external excercise. This is the time you have to spend on your health and take good care of yourself. Next few months, it will all go back to square one to the busy lives and no one will have time for all this. Take time to calm down and get healthy!
Here you can check out some 10 minute-daily yoga stretches for beginners https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pKly2JojMw&t=69s and ways to meditate : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0PSUDvLi8E

3. READ A BOOK:

Miss reading novels? Remember those times where we all used to finish reading Enid Blyton books in one day? Recreate those times and read books like crazy. Pick up some old books from your shelves and read them again. There are some books you would want to read again because you like how happy it just makes you feel in doing so. Explore new literary pieces and analyse how each story is devised differently and has got a definitive structure. Then, maybe you could also write a novel someday?

4. LEARN A NEW FOREIGN LANGUAGE:

Not the right time to explore the world definitely, but yes you can explore different languages. It's quite interesting to learn new things and especially to speak in a language your folks at the house don't know!
Try Duolingo - The app can help you get started atleast on vocabulary and sentence structures, if not perfect. Try it, you would love it. http://duolingo.com

5. LEARN TO COOK:

Challenge yourself to learn to cook one item a day. You could be starting with anything simple like - a smoothie, salad, sandwich, or even a perfect cup of coffee! Don't hesitate to get into the kitchen and ask your mom some help to begin with. Cooking with the entire family is also fun and thrilling. Once you start enjoying it, you will be on your way to perfecting the meal you prepare. The more love you put into the food you make, it's going to be more palatable. And am sure by doing this, there will be atleast one item that you will be an expert at making. That's because of the uniqueness you add into the flavour of the food or it's just something about your magical hands that make it great. Start by learning the basic skills: 

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/25-skills-every-cook-should-know

Thanks for reading till the very end!

The next 5 things to do when quarantined, will be posted tomorrow. Hang around my page until then and read the rest other articles I have posted on various other topics. 

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WHY IS INTERNAL MOTIVATION SO POWERFUL?

                                 

It may sound very familiar amongst the teens nowadays that "internal motivation is the key to success". But they also know that the reality is a tad different from what we actually expect. Everyone cannot find their passion or true vocation and similarly all can't work towards their goal with compassion.

Motivation is one of the main reasons why we do things- exercise our willpower, carry on some day-to-day activities, get motivated looking at our role models etc.

There are 2 main types of motivation:

(i)Intrinsic(internal)Motivation (ii)Extrinsic(external)Motivation

Internal motivation is by inference- When you do something because it’s internally fulfilling, interesting or enjoyable—without an expectation of a reward or recognition from others. Extrinsic motivation is driven by exactly the opposite—externalities, such as the promise of more money, a promotion, or any other material advantage.

WHY INTERNAL MOTIVATION TOPS EXTERNAL MOTIVATION?

An avalanche of research, though, shows that when it comes to finding the lasting drive to “do something,” internal incentives are much more powerful that external.

There is a great difference when you engage in something because “I want to”, as opposed to “I must.” The thing with external motivation is that it doesn’t last. It’s a fancy way of saying that external rewards are not a sustainable source of happiness and satisfaction.Therefore, you are stuck on a never-ending loop i.e. you can progressively only become motivated by bigger and reflecting things, just to find out that they don’t bring you the satisfaction you hoped for, when you finally get them.

BENEFITS OF INTERNAL MOTIVATION:

• Studies tell us that intrinsic motivation is a generally stronger predictor of job performance over the long run than extrinsic motivation. One reason is that when we are internally driven to do something, we also enjoy it and we want to do it. So, we keep going, day in and out, because we feel inspired, driven, happy and satisfied with ourselves.
• Another reason has to do with the fact that intrinsic motivation is intertwined with things as higher purpose, contributing to a cause, or doing things for the sake of something bigger than ourselves or something for our own benefit. 
• Internal motivation has been found to be very helpful when it comes to academics too. Research conducted in University of Rochester confirms that the use of external motivators, such as praise, undermine students’ internal motivation and in the long-run, it results in “slower acquisition of skills and more errors in the learning process.” In contrast, when children are internally driven, they are more involved in the task at hand, enjoy it more, and intentionally seek out challenges.

Therefore, all the research seems to allude to one major revelation: Intrinsic motivation is a must-have, if you want to save yourself  from the drudgery(toil) that we all sometimes feel when contemplating the things we should-do or must-do.

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ARE YOU MENTALLY TOUGH?

There is a term for being mentally tough, it is called GRIT. It means having a strong perseverance and a passion to achieve long term goals. "Grit is a strong predictor of success and a method to measure the ability to reach one's goals" says Angela Duckworth of University of Pennsylvania at a TED talk.

Let's look into some of the techniques to be mentally tough:

1)DEFINE WHAT MENTAL TOUGHNESS OR GRIT MEANS TO YOU:-
 You can focus your mind into anything of your choice.    Say-

• Going 1 week without your phone
• Waking up everyday at 5am
• Doing yoga and keeping your body fit
• Completing all your school assignments at least 3 days before deadline

It can be anything. But choose wise and make sure you put your mind and soul into it. Keep a check on yourself every minute!Are you getting distracted from your goals? Are you being productive at the moment? Can you be doing something better than what you are now?- Keep asking yourself questions and try being a better version of yourself every single day.

2)BUILD STRONG HABITS & STOP DEPENDING ON MOTIVATION :-

So grit is not about getting an incredible dose of inspiration or self-confidence. It's about the way you deal with certain circumstances powerfully. It's about you building habits that are going to become regular and the challenges you face to overcome the distractions.
Think,think and think of ideas and strategies to improvise your life. Do not feel lazy. Only lazy people keep searching for motivation as they do not have that fire within them. Seeking motivation from others is not the best idea. You are your motivation. Only you can create that inspirational bond with yourself.
And most importantly, be DEDICATED to yourself!

3)BUILD GRIT WITH SMALL PHYSICAL WINS:-
 Grit or mental toughness is like a plant. Just like how we need to nourish it and provide enough water for it's growth and development, we humans also need to work towards our goals and provide the necessary time and effort.

• Choose to study till 1am when it would be easy to study till 11pm
• Choose to create when it would be easy to consume
• Choose to ask the extra question when it would be easier to accept
• Choose to do the job when it would be easier to get it done by someone
• Choose to learn new things while you're free when it could be easy to watch YouTube

Prove to yourself in a thousand tiny ways- that you have the confidence and enough guts to get in the ring and do battle with life.

Hope you enjoyed reading this article and I would be really glad if it could help you in any way to build your mental toughness or the way we call- GRIT. Keep proving to yourself that you're the best.

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5 HABITS THAT CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

To have a well balanced life, we need to get into the habit of creating habits. Create your new goals and life-changing habits right now. It's NOW or NEVER. So decide wisely and start living your life by following certain steps. Forming habits can take a long time, sometimes even 2 months. It's fine to take that much time, but don't give up mid-way. You will definitely cultivate that habit if you keep PRACTISING it everyday. The most effective way of creating a balanced and happy life is to CONTINUALLY focus on building better everyday at a sustainable pace.  

Here are 5 simple life habits that noticeably made my life better :

1) Create a morning ritual- This means creating your own morning routine. Having a certain routinely practice or order of doing things in a particular way, will be highly beneficial. Start your day with a positive note and be proactive. Maybe doing some yoga, meditating or going for a jog could help. Force  yourself up continuously for a week, and automatically you might get a hang around it. Have a structured plan for the day, so that you can avoid stress, tiredness and other problems. HAVE A VISION FOR THE DAY! Still confused and don't know how to create a routine? Check out mine here-https://mindbrainity.blogspot.com/2019/04/my-morning-routine.html 

                   

2)Learn something new everyday- Life is all about learning new and different things. If you feel like you aren't good at a particular subject, then try to focus more on that subject and become a master at it.That is called real learning-The learning where you become more confident in a subject which you never liked before.Don't be afraid or spend too much time thinking to learn something entirely different, just dive in and have a taste of it! For example, I never like Chemistry but I am trying to make it a habit to learn at least one page everyday. I've also heard a few say that with their constant efforts on a subject that they dislike, it has turned out to be their favourite now. Go and Keep Experiencing & Learning!

3)Master the Art of Listening- Some people love to talk a lot about what they know and never are open to listen to others. I would say- That is one of the worst habits ever! Always listen to what others are trying to convey. Maybe it could be very useful for you at one point of time. You never know how life works and what might click for you. So keep your ears open to take input from others too. Pay attention to what they are saying. It will not only make them feel valued but you might also get a fresh perspective on a situation.

4)Social Media Detox- This may sound really easy, but it ain't. FACT: Adults spend more than 2 hours on an average per day on their social media feed. The digital world, has taken away every aspect of our lives. Is your precious 2 hours worth for the social medias?!Research shows that the more you tend to spend time on social media, the more chances are for you to get into depression. So, just switch off your phones, laptops or any other gadgets for a few hours and observe the change.Get rid of your stress and mental clutter and try reconnecting with the real world and I guarantee that it will improve you day's mood.

5)Surround yourself with positive people-
"You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with", said American author and entrepreneur Jim Rohn. Be careful while choosing whom your are going to spend time with. Exit the relationships with those who try bringing you down instead of lifting you up. If you feel your friend is talking negative, always distracting you or killing your motto, then just let go of that friendship. Be around those who always spread happiness, positivity and motivate you to reach your goals.
    

All of these habits may take some time to develop at the beginning, but eventually you will inculcate them. Comment down below if you liked my article and I encourage you all to follow these 5 life changing habits.
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