Midland Penetanguishene July 24, 2024
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July 31, 2024
BG’s Positively Speaking
Distractions
Distractions can significantly impact productivity at work, school, or home. The stronger my commitment to completing a task, the more distractions I face. Distractions happen to all of us. They test our resolve, stop us from doing what we should do, sidetrack us, and misdirect us away from where we want to go. I took a few actions that minimized the distractions I faced, and I still do. I hope they can help you.
- Keep Electronics Away: If your smartphone or tablet tends to distract you. Keep them out of sight or power them down. Platforms like Facebook or Twitter can be productivity killers. Constant email alerts, instant messages, and app notifications divert attention.
- Turn Off Notifications: Those phone alerts can consume your time. Disable desktop notifications and use your smartphone’s ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature. Turn your phone over. Resist constantly checking your phone for messages.
- Reward Yourself: Create rewards for completing tasks by your deadline.
- Clear Your Desk: Keep your workspace clutter-free. Remove items that distract you, like books or games.
- Meetings: Frequent meetings interrupt workflow. Block specific meeting times, create meeting-free zones in your calendar, and avoid constant distractions.
- Artificial Deadlines: Set artificial deadlines for tasks. Knowing you have a limited time to complete a task will likely increase your efficiency.
Over time, your productivity will soar. You will complete tasks faster, feel less stressed, and have time for creative projects. The distraction-free ritual becomes your secret weapon against workplace chaos. You will realize that reclaiming focus requires intentional choices. By creating a ritual, you will transform distraction into productivity. Minimizing distractions leads to a more focused and fulfilling environment.
Don’t Be Distracted by Distractions
The Racehorse
A man has a racehorse that has never won a race. The man says disgustingly, “Horse, you win today or pull a milk wagon tomorrow morning.” The starting gate opens, and all the horses run except the man’s horse, asleep on the track.
He prods the horse and asks, “Why are you sleeping?” The sleepy horse raises his head and says, “I have to get up at 3 o’clock in the morning.”
You Had One Job To Do!!
Editors Quote Book
“The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”
—Oscar Wilde
Delivery
In the back woods, Mr. Stewart’s wife went into labour in the middle of the night, and the doctor was called out to assist in the delivery. The doctor handed him a lantern to keep the nervous father-to-be busy and said, “Here, you hold this high so I can see what I’m doing.” Soon, a wee baby boy was brought into the world. “Whoa there, Scotty!” said the doctor. “Don’t be in a rush to put the lantern down… I think there’s yet another wee one to come.” Sure enough, within minutes, he had delivered another little baby. “No, don’t be in a great hurry to put down that lantern, young man… It seems there’s yet another one besides!” cried the doctor. The new father scratched his head in bewilderment and asked the doctor. “Do ye think it’s the light that’s attractin’ them?”
Trivia Quiz
(Click Question For Answer)
Making Them Laugh
As we were putting this edition together, we heard about the passing of comedian Bob Newhart. He had an impact on audiences around the world. This weeks video is a clip from one of his numerous appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. I first heard him in 1960 with the release of his comedy recording of “The Button-down mind of Bob Newhart”. From stand up comedy to his famous telephone “conversations”, he made thousands of people laugh. Over the years he had two hit TV sitcoms that people still watch, along with guest appearances as Proffesor Proton on The Big Bang Theory. Add to that his appearances in movies, among them the popular Christmas movie “Elf”. May these videos keep us laughing for many years.
Your Horoscope
For Amusement Only
ARIES (March 21- April 19): You feel passed over at work. Get yourself in front of new employers. Your skills are sought after.
TAURUS (April 20- May 20): A job offer is not what you expected. Tweek it and make a counteroffer. The response will likely surprise you.
GEMINI (May 21- June 20): When one door closes, another opens. Stay positive and knock on doors. If you persevere, all things are possible.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Use your imagination to help take you where you want to go. You have the skills. Now, get creative.
LEO (July 23- August 22): A presentation needs additional work. Spend your time completing it this week. You are losing valuable time.
VIRGO (August 23- September 22): A journey of a thousand miles begins with a tiny step. Your trip is starting. Step out in confidence.
LIBRA (September 23- October 22): Put your best foot forward, step confidently into the future and show the world what you are made of.
SCORPIO (October 23- November 21): Your ability to persuade others will help you progress. You will take a back seat to no one.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22- December 21): Let go of outside commitments. Focus inward on your home and family. They need to see more of you.
CAPRICORN (December 22- January 19): One who asks little of you needs your support. Show them they can rely on you in the tough times.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Stay on top of things. Cutting corners will only lead to more trouble. A little additional effort will be required.
PISCES (February 19- March 20): Prioritizing your skill and talent is urgently required. Your goals need to be on track. Get yourself back in line.
Best Kind of People
The best kind of people are the ones who come into your life and make you see the sun where you once saw clouds. The people who believe in you so much that you start to believe in yourself, too. The people who love you simply for being you. These are the once-in-a-lifetime kind of people.
Confession
Just before I die, I will swallow a packet of popcorn.
That should make the cremation a bit more interesting!
All About Leap Year
It takes the Earth one day to complete one spin on its axis. It takes one year for the Earth to complete a trip around the sun. These units of time don’t divide evenly, resulting in our year being 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and a little over 45 seconds long. Every 4 years, we take those extra hours and minutes and fit them in an additional day, on February 29, Leap Day. Every fourth year is Leap Year. If we did not have that extra day in 100 years, our calendar would be off by 24 days.
2024 is a Leap Year. The next leap year is 2028. A year that can be evenly divided by 100 is not a Leap Year, but if it is divisible by 400, it is. Thus, 2000 was a leap year, but 1000 was not, and neither would the year 3000. The Chinese calendar has a leap month about every 3 years, and the name of the leap month is the same as the previous lunar month. The Jewish calendar has a leap year 7 times in a 19-year cycle.
The chance of being born on Leap Day in the Gregorian calendar is about 680 out of a million (1 in 1470). This means that little more than 4 million people have their birthdays on Leap Day, whereas, on average, approximately 19 million people share a birthday every day other than Leap Day. Because Superman always appears so young and nobody knows how old he is, tradition has it that he is a Leap Year Baby.
Ladies, if he did not pop the big question on Valentine’s Day, then February 29 is your day because tradition has it that a woman can propose to a man on Leap Day.
Harry and Esther
Harry and Esther are out shopping one morning when Esther says, “Darling, it’s my mother’s birthday tomorrow. What shall we buy for her? She said she would like something electric.”
Harry replies, “How about a chair?”
Father and Son
A man in a hurry, taking his 8-year-old son to school, turned at a red light where it was prohibited. “Uh-oh, I just made an illegal turn!” the man said. “Aw, Dad, it’s probably okay,” the son said. “The police car right behind us just did the same thing.”
Terrible Pain….
Patient: “I get a terrible pain in my eye when I drink a cup of coffee.”
Doctor: “Try taking the spoon out of the cup.”
The Last Word
Blessed is the person who is too busy to worry in the daytime,
and too sleepy to worry at night.