[Repost] A Scientific Guide to Saying “No”: How to Avoid Temptation and Distraction (by James Clear)

A Scientific Guide to Saying “No”: How to Avoid Temptation and Distraction

Posted on Thursday, March 28th, 2013

Written by James Clear

Learning how to say no is one of the most useful skills you can develop I found, especially when it comes to living a more productive and healthy life.

Saying no to unnecessary commitments can give you the time you need to recover and rejuvenate. Saying no to daily distractions can give you the space you need to focus on what is important to you. And saying no to temptation can help you stay on track and achieve your health goals. In fact not being able to say no, is one of the most biggest downfalls that successful entrepreneurs claim as their own key mistakes.

But how do we actually get past the urgencies of everyday life and avoid distraction, so that we can focus the things that are really important to us?

It seems like a big task, I wholeheartedly agree. And yet, research is starting to show that even small changes can make a significant impact for a better way of saying no. In fact, here’s one change you can make right now that will make it easier for you to say no, resist temptation and improve your productivity and your health:

How to Say No: Research Reveals the Best Way

In a research study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, 120 students were split into two different groups.

The difference between these two groups was saying “I can’t” compared to “I don’t.”

One group was told that each time they were faced with a temptation, they would tell themselves “I can’t do X.” For example, when tempted with ice cream, they would say, “I can’t eat ice cream.”

When the second group was faced with a temptation, they were told to say “I don’t do X.” For example, when tempted with ice cream, they would say, “I don’t eat ice cream.”

After repeating these phrases, each student answered a set of questions unrelated to the study. Once they finished answering their questions, the students went to hand in their answer sheet, thinking that the study was over. In reality, it was just beginning.

As each student walked out of the room and handed in their answer sheet, they were offered a complimentary treat. The student could choose between a chocolate candy bar or a granola health bar. As the student walked away, the researcher would mark their snack choice on the answer sheet.

Here’s what happened:

The students who told themselves “I can’t eat X” chose to eat the chocolate candy bar 61% of the time. Meanwhile, the students who told themselves “I don’t eat X” chose to eat the chocolate candy bars only 36% of the time. This simple change in terminology significantly improved the odds that each person would make a more healthy food choice.

Makes sense right? Now the findings didn’t stop there, here is what happened next:

How the “Right Words” Make It Easier to Say No

The same researchers were also interested in how the words “can’t” and “don’t” affect our willingness to say no when faced with repeated temptations and distractions. After all, most of us can turn down a candy bar once, but eventually we slip up. Similarly, you might be able to focus on your work when you’re pressed for time, but what about avoiding unproductive behaviors on a daily basis?

In other words, is there a way to say no that makes it more likely that we’ll stick to good habits and avoid bad ones? You bet!

The researchers designed a new study by asking 30 working women to sign up for a “health and wellness seminar.” All of the women were told to think of a long–term health and wellness goal that was important to them. Then, the researchers split the women into three groups of 10.

Group 1 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals they should “just say no.”This group was the control group because they were given no specific strategy.

Group 2 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals, they should implement the “can’t” strategy. For example, “I can’t miss my workout today.”

Group 3 was told that anytime they felt tempted to lapse on their goals, they should implement the “don’t” strategy. For example, “I don’t miss workouts.”

For the next 10 days, each woman received an email asking to report her progress. They were specifically told, “During the 10–day window you will receive emails to remind you to use the strategy and to report instances in which it worked or did not work. If the strategy is not working for you, just drop us a line and say so and you can stop responding to the emails.”

Here’s what the results looked like 10 days later…

• Group 1 (the “just say no” group) had 3 out of 10 members who persisted with their goals for the entire 10 days.
• Group 2 (the “can’t” group) had 1 out of 10 members who persisted with her goal for the entire 10 days.
• Group 3 (the “don’t” group) had an incredible 8 out of 10 members who persisted with their goals for the entire 10 days.

The words that you use not only help you to make better choices on an individual basis, but also make it easier to stay on track with your long–term goals.

Why “I Don’t” Works Better Than “I Can’t”

Your words help to frame your sense of empowerment and control. Furthermore, the words that you use create a feedback loop in your brain that impacts your future behaviors.

For example, every time you tell yourself “I can’t”, you’re creating a feedback loop that is a reminder of your limitations. This terminology indicates that you’re forcing yourself to do something you don’t want to do.

In comparison, when you tell yourself “I don’t”, you’re creating a feedback loop that reminds you of your control and power over the situation. It’s a phrase that can propel you towards breaking your bad habits and following your good ones.

Heidi Grant Halvorson is the director of the Motivation Science Center at Columbia University. Here’s how she explains the difference between saying “I don’t” compared to “I can’t”:

“I don’t” is experienced as a choice, so it feels empowering. It’s an affirmation of your determination and willpower. “I can’t” isn’t a choice. It’s a restriction, it’s being imposed upon you. So thinking “I can’t” undermines your sense of power and personal agency.

In other words, the phrase “I don’t” is a psychologically empowering way to say no, while the phrase “I can’t” is a psychologically draining way to say no.

How You Can Apply This To Your Life

One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.
—Leonardo Da Vinci

There are situations everyday when you need to say no to something. For example, the waiter who offers you a dessert menu… or the urge to skip a workout and stay home… or the distracting call of texts, tweets, and updates when you should be focusing on something important.

Individually, our responses to these little choices seem insignificant, which is why we don’t make a big deal about telling ourselves that we “can’t” do something. But imagine the cumulative effect ofchoosing more empowering words on a consistent basis.

“I can’t” and “I don’t” are words that seem similar and we often interchange them for one another, but psychologically they can provide very different feedback and, ultimately, result in very different actions. They aren’t just words and phrases. They are affirmations of what you believe, reasons for why you do what you do, and reminders of where you want to go.

The ability to overcome temptation and effectively say no is critical not only to your physical health, but also for your daily productivity and mental health.

To put it simply: you can either be the victim of your words or the architect of them. Which one would you prefer?

–

About the Author: James Clear is an entrepreneur, weightlifter, and travel photographer in 18 countries. He writes at JamesClear.com, where he uses proven research and real-world experiences to share practical ideas for living a healthy life. You can get new strategies for sticking to healthy habits, losing weight, gaining muscle, and more by joining his free newsletter.

About the Author

James Clear

James Clear writes at JamesClear.com, where he uses behavior science to help you master your habits and improve your health. For useful ideas on improving your mental and physical performance, join his free newsletter. Or, download his free guide: Transform Your Habits.

• James’s Website →

[Repost] 10 Ways to become a better proofreader (by Daphne Gray-Grant)

10 ways to become a better proofreader

by Daphne Gray-Grant

Cf. original: http://www.publicationcoach.com/become-a-better-proofreader/

If you can afford to outsource your proofreading, do it. If you can’t here are some tips that will help…

Do you clean your own gutters?Change the oil in your own car? Bake every birthday cake from scratch? I’m guessing you don’t do many — if any — of these things. And you shouldn’t proofread, either.

Proofreading is a specialized job requiring someone with talent and training. I’m not a natural proofreader myself, but I know how to hire excellent ones. They should cost about $40/hour.

But if I must proofread, I can do it using the following tricks. You can use them, too:

(1) Allow some time to pass after you finish writing/editing and before you start proofreading. We all make unconscious mistakes and they are hard to spot because our brains “fill in” the correct word. You may have meant to write trickier but somehow it came out as tricker. The trouble is, if you’re familiar with the story, you eye will glide right by the error. If you take a break, however, you’re far more likely to catch the problem.

(2) Print out your text and proofread on paper. In part, because using a computer shines a light in our eyes, we all read material onscreen much more quickly and less carefully than we do in print. Try to print out your work before proofing it.

(3) If there is some reason that prevents you from printing, use a distinctive typeface and dramatically increase the point size before proofing. When I am forced to proof onscreen, I like to use Papyrus or Candara18 point – this makes it easier to spot errors.

(4) Pay particular attention to names (people, books, movies, songs), addresses, titles and dates. Be aware the single most common mistake is to mismatch days with dates. (For example: saying Monday, Feb 12, when in fact it is Tuesday, Feb 12.)

(5) Check what I call the “ big, obvious yet somehow invisible” stuff.By this I mean logos, company names, and extra-large headlines. Ironically, the bigger the type, the more likely you are to miss a typo.

(6) Start at the end. Professional proofreaders often read at least once backwards. No, I don’t mean they read the words backwards. I mean, they read the last sentence first. Then the second last sentence, then the third last sentence…until they work their way back to the beginning. This forces them to read each sentence in isolation – breaking the familiarity with the piece that might cause them to miss errors.

(7) Put a ruler under each line as you read the text. This forces you to work much more slowly and stops your eye from jumping ahead to the next line.

(8) Consider what you might have left out. For instance, if the piece requires an RSVP, it needs a phone number or e-mail address to which someone can respond. It should also have the date of the event and an address.

(9) Make a list of your own common spelling or grammar errors and check for those specifically (do you mix “affect” and “effect” for example?)

(10) Read your work aloud at least once. You’ll catch a lot more errors this way.

Machine Translation(s)

The only MACHINE TRANSLATION I accept. ;D

Go Indie!

amnesia

additional musicians:
guy freer – keyboards
katheryn brownhill – violins, backing vocals
jonathan nix – backing vocals
ania freer – backing vocals
marianthe loucataris – drum samples

choose your taker, lips and purse
oh jees you picked one worse
amnesia, here’s your curse

for every new thing that you find
you’re gonna leave something behind

at ease you’re a skipping stone
knock knees you till you’ve grown
amnesia, pick up the phone

for every new thing that you find
you’re gonna leave something behind

and you can dance me round again
till it feels like everything
is getting smaller
and closer up

the same again tomorrow…

amnesia, the wild bore
that’s the cheese you ate before
amnesia, please get out more

for every new thing that you find
you’re gonna leave something behind

and you can dance me round again
till it feels like everything
is getting smaller
and closer up

the same again tomorrow…

goodnight

#perlediunatraduttrice
#translatorsgonnatranslate
#getinspired

Idiots happen.

Story of my life.

I’m ready for you to hire me.

#perlediunatraduttrice

P.S.: diffidate dalle imitazioni!

BEWARE OF IMITATIONS!!!

in #translators we trust. ♔

Repost: Cómo trabajar desde casa sin volverse loco (by Isabel Garzo)

 La guida perfetta per chi lavora da casa (come me!).

Riposto l’articolo segnalato da “Las 1001 traducciones“.

Cómo trabajar desde casa sin volverse loco

La euforia inicial ante las ventajas de tener la oficina en casa (libertad de horarios, comodidad…) deja paso, a menudo, a la decepción tras el descubrimiento de las desventajas: soledad, falta de concentración, monotonía… Te enseñamos cómo manejarlas.

• by ISABEL GARZO
• (@isabelgarzo)
• February 18, 2014

Fotos de Marc Samsom

Licencia CC by 2.0.

Tags:AutónomosCoachingFreelancefreelancesProductividadTrabajartrabajar desde casa

Trabajar desde casa es, para algunos, la solución perfecta (por ejemplo, para conciliar la vida laboral y familiar o para llevar a cabo varios proyectos de forma simultánea) y, para otros, un resultado involuntario de su búsqueda de empleo o una situación temporal.

Es innegable que ser productivo en casa tiene algunas dificultades añadidas con respecto a serlo en una oficina. Ese es el motivo de que muchos estudiantes llenen las bibliotecas antes de las pruebas de Selectividad y durante sus cursos académicos: en casa no se concentran igual.

En casi todos los casos, la euforia inicial ante las ventajas de esa situación (libertad de horarios, comodidad, ahorro del tiempo empleado en desplazamientos, etc) se ve rebajada por el descubrimiento de las desventajas: falta de concentración, interrupciones, monotonía, carencia de contacto con otras personas, necesidad de un cambio de aires…

Hay algunos trucos para que trabajar desde casa sea más llevadero, tanto si eres de los que tienen intención de mantener esa situación en el tiempo como si eres una víctima pasajera de las circunstancias. Estos consejos sirven para ser más productivo pero, sobre todo, más feliz mientras se trabaja en casa; y pueden valer también, por ejemplo, para quien esté buscando empleo, escribiendo un libro o gestando un proyecto empresarial.

1. Distingue los espacios en casa

Si tienes una mesa alta para el ordenador, intenta no trabajar desde la cama o el sofá. De lo contrario, tu casa al completo se convertirá en tu oficina y no tendrás dentro de la misma ningún rincón para desconectar. Distinguir el espacio de trabajo es crucial para ser más productivo y aprovechar más tu tiempo de descanso. Si no, el trabajo se convierte en un compañero de piso detestable que no respeta tu privacidad. Y recuerda que, en el rincón que conviertas en tu «oficina», debes estar cómodo, pero no demasiado, si no quieres «apalancarte».

CC by 2.0 (Author: gibsonsgolfer)

2. Procura salir de casa y ver personas ajenas al trabajo también entre semana

Es una de las desventajas en la que coinciden casi todas las personas que trabajan desde casa: el desgaste que supone seguir en pijama a las 16:00 h, no oír otra voz humana en las primeras ocho horas del día, no acicalarse para una reunión… Si eres de los que se sienten mal por pasar tantas horas solitarias en casa, trata de cerrar citas con amigos o familiares también entre semana. Aprovecha para ello la hora de la comida, las últimas horas de la tarde… Tu mente te agradecerá un cambio de aires. También es útil comprometerte con alguna actividad que te obligue a salir de casa con regularidad (un curso, un deporte…).

3. Levanta una muralla contra las interrupciones de otros…

Desactiva los avisos de correos electrónicos y mensajes de WhatsApp: que seas tú quien decida cuándo consultarlos. Más de lo mismo con los chats de Facebook o Gmail: si quieres aprovechar el tiempo, mantén todo cerradito y apagado. Si recibes una llamada personal que no es urgente, explica que estás trabajando y que podrás hablar más tarde: lo mismo que harías si estuvieras en una oficina.

4. ¡…y también contra las interrupciones voluntarias!

Y es que estas son las peores. De repente se te ocurre que podrías consultar el WhatsApp, ya que tienes desactivados los avisos, por si te han escrito algo importante. O que vas a darte una vuelta rápida por Facebook y Twitter, solo por si tienes algún mensaje directo. O que te apetece un poco de chocolate. O que hace diez minutos que no consultas tu correo electrónico. Y en cuanto se te ocurre cualquiera de esas cosas, ya no puedes evitar detener el trabajo para llevarlas a cabo. Al final, una jornada de cuatro horas se convierte en una serie de pequeños momentos si eliminamos el tiempo dedicado a todas estas tareas. Por eso hay que ponerse serio: por ejemplo, puedes poner el móvil en un sitio cercano, pero al que no alcances sin levantarte (así no perderás ninguna llamada importante, pero no cederás a la tentación de consultarlo con frecuencia).

5. Evita posponer en exceso

Ya lo decía Larra en su conocido artículo «Vuelva usted mañana». A veces tendemos demasiado a posponer. Y muchas veces no es por ningún motivo de peso, sino simplemente por pereza. Es más cómodo pensar «lo haré luego» que hacerlo. Pero, a menudo, hacerlo más tarde quita más minutos que hacerlo ahora. Pensemos, por ejemplo, en la respuesta a un correo electrónico. Si acabas de leerlo, tardarías X en responderlo. Pero si lo dejas para más tarde, además de tener que anotarlo para que no se te olvide, tendrás que emplear un tiempo en releerlo antes de responder. Siempre es mejor solucionar las cosas cuando las tienes frescas en la cabeza.

6. Motívate con «premios» y momentos de descanso

Es más fácil ir alcanzando pequeñas metas que mantenerse activo y concentrado durante seis u ocho horas seguidas. Por eso, es positivo que establezcas tus propias normas y construyas tu «juego» de esfuerzos y recompensas. Por ejemplo, si te apetece un café, fuérzate a no levantarte a prepararlo hasta que termines la página en la que estás trabajando. O tómate un descanso de cinco minutos cada hora en punto para jugar un poco al Candy Crush. Una fragmentación disciplinada del tiempo es positiva y te ayudará a rendir más en tus momentos activos.

CC by 2.0 (author: Britt Selvitelle)

7. No seas un «7- Eleven»

No trabajes las veinticuatro horas del día ni los siete días de la semana. Es crucial que te olvides del trabajo durante un par de días al igual que hacen las personas que trabajan en una oficina. Si estás siempre disponible para tus clientes o aprovechas cualquier momento libre para avanzar, serás más susceptible de verte superado por el trabajo. Ponte una hora límite por las tardes y respeta los fines de semana: verás como, cuando llegue el lunes o la mañana siguiente, lo agradecerás.

8. Haz listas y planifica tus jornadas

Aunque suene a consejo de «técnicas de estudio» del cole, apuntar las tareas pendientes es la única forma de no olvidar nada y es una de las principales reglas de coaching personal y profesional. Y, para que las tareas pendientes no se arrastren eternamente de unas listas a otras, es útil hacer, al menos, dos: una lista con las tareas inmediatasque se podrán solucionar en las próximas jornadas de trabajo y otra con las tareas atemporales o a medio plazo, las que no se van a solventar inmediatamente.

Al empezar cada jornada, dedica unos minutos a repasar tus listas y ponerte objetivos realistas sobre las tareas que completarás ese día. Así no te frustrarás cuando queden cosas por hacer al final de la jornada.

9. Apunta las horas que dedicas a cada proyecto

Si tienes varios clientes o proyectos, no está de más que lleves un registro del tiempo que has empleado en ellos. Sí, sería como «fichar» en tu propia casa. Te vendrá bien a la hora de ajustar mejor los futuros presupuestos, ya que te servirá para valorar el coste real de un trabajo o para replantear el proceso de los que te quiten demasiado tiempo.

10. Consulta a colegas de trabajo

Es otra de las carencias que señalan los freelances: echan de menos poder pedir opinión a un compañero para reafirmar una decisión o simplemente charlar unos minutos para comentar algo que les ha ocurrido con un cliente. Solvéntalo, si es posible, contactando con personas de tu ámbito (antiguos compañeros de trabajo o de clase, autónomos que se dedican a los mismo que tú…) Es un alivio sentirse comprendido y escuchado. El contacto humano te da energía para seguir.

CC by 2.0 (author: Tom Baugis)

Repost: Work Smarter, Not Harder: 21 Time Management Tips to Hack Productivity (by Jordan Bates)

Work Smarter, Not Harder: 21 Time Management Tips to Hack Productivity

By Jordan Bates | Jan 27, 2014

Synopsis

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” ― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

A lot of folks in our society try to be hyper-productive.

You know — the people who scurry from task to task, always checking e-mail, organizing something, making a call, running an errand, etc.

The people who do this often subscribe to the idea that “staying busy” means you’re working hard and are going to be more successful.

While this belief may be true to an extent, it often leads to mindless “productivity” — a constant need to do something and a tendency to waste time on menial tasks.

Instead of behaving in this way, I choose to do things differently.

Working Smarter, Not Harder

The old adage, “work smarter, not harder” has become a staple in the way I go about work of any kind.

Instead of being robotic in how I approach tasks, I try to be thoughtful and always ask myself if something can be done more efficiently or eliminated altogether.

Managing my time isn’t about squeezing as many tasks into my day as possible. It’s about simplifying how I work, doing things faster, and relieving stress.

It’s about clearing away space in my life to make time for people, play, and rest.

I promise you — there really are enough hours in a day for everything you’d like to do, but it may take a bit of rearranging and re-imagining to find them.

21 Time Management Tips

I compiled this list of 21 tips to hopefully nudge you in the right direction.

Remember: There are innumerable hacks and tricks to manage your time effectively. These are some tips that I find helpful, but everyone is different.

Let this list be a catalyst to get you thinking regularly about how to refine your own practices.

1. Complete most important tasks first.

This is the golden rule of time management. Each day, identify the two or three tasks that are the most crucial to complete, and do those first.

Once you’re done, the day has already been a success. You can move on to other things, or you can let them wait until tomorrow. You’ve finished the essential.

2. Learn to say “no”.

Making a lot of time commitments can teach us how to juggle various engagements and manage our time. This can be a great thing.

However, you can easily take it too far. At some point, you need to learn to decline opportunities. Your objective should be to take on only those commitments that you know you have time for and that you truly care about.

3. Sleep at least 7-8 hours.

Some people think sacrificing sleep is a good way to hack productivity and wring a couple extra hours out of the day. This is not the case.

Most people need 7-8 hours of sleep for their bodies and minds to function optimally. You know if you’re getting enough. Listen to your body, and don’t underestimate the value of sleep.

4. Devote your entire focus to the task at hand.

Close out all other browser windows. Put your phone away, out of sight and on silent. Find a quiet place to work, or listen to some music if that helps you (I enjoy listening to classical or ambient music while writing sometimes).

Concentrate on this one task. Nothing else should exist. Immerse yourself in it.

5. Get an early start.

Nearly all of us are plagued by the impulse to procrastinate. It seems so easy, and you always manage to get it done eventually, so why not?

Take it from a recovering chronic procrastinator — it’s so much nicer and less stressful to get an earlier start on something. It isn’t that difficult either, if you just decide firmly to do it.

6. Don’t allow unimportant details to drag you down.

We often allow projects to take much, much longer than they could by getting too hung up on small details. I’m guilty of this. I’ve always been a perfectionist.

What I’ve found, though, is that it is possible to push past the desire to constantly examine what I’ve done so far. I’m much better off pressing onward, getting the bulk completed, and revising things afterward.

7. Turn key tasks into habits.

Writing is a regular task for me. I have to write all the time — for school, work, my student organization, my blog, etc. I probably write 5,000 – 7,000 words per week.

The amount of writing I do may seem like a lot to most people, but it’s very manageable for me, because it’s habitual. I’ve made it a point to write something every day for a long time.

I rarely break this routine. Because of this, my mind is in the habit of doing the work of writing. It has become quite natural and enjoyable. Could you do something similar? (Read “The Simple, Powerful Guide to Forming Any New Habit“)

8. Be conscientious of amount of TV/Internet/gaming time.

Time spent browsing Twitter or gaming or watching TV and movies can be one of the biggest drains on productivity.

I suggest becoming more aware of how much time you spend on these activities. Simply by noticing how they’re sucking up your time you’ll begin to do them less.

9. Delineate a time limit in which to complete task.

Instead of just sitting down to work on a project and thinking, “I’m going to be here until this is done,” try thinking, “I’m going to work on this for three hours”.

The time constraint will push you to focus and be more efficient, even if you end up having to go back and add a bit more later.

10. Leave a buffer-time between tasks.

When we rush from task to task, it’s difficult to appreciate what we’re doing and to stay focused and motivated.

Allowing ourselves down-time between tasks can be a breath of fresh air for our brains. While taking a break, go for a short walk, meditate, or perform some other mind-clearing exercise.

11. Don’t think of the totality of your to-do list.

One of the fastest ways to overwhelm yourself is to think about your massive to-do list. Realize that no amount of thought will make it any shorter.

At this point in time, all you can do is focus on the one task before you. This one, single, solitary task. One step at a time. Breathe.

12. Exercise and eat healthily.

Numerous studies have linked a healthy lifestyle with work productivity. Similar to getting enough sleep, exercising and eating healthily boost energy levels, clear your mind, and allow you to focus more easily.

13. Do less.

This is a tactic recommended by one of my favorite bloggers, Leo Babauta. Basically, do less is another way of saying do the things that really matter.

Slow down, notice what needs to be done, and concentrate on those things. Do less things that create more value, rather than more things that are mostly empty.

14. Utilize weekends, just a little bit.

One of my favorite memes depicts a gentleman casting his work aside, declaring, “It’s Friday! F#%$88u this shit.” The following image reads “Monday”, and the man is stooping to pick up the papers he’d tossed to the ground.

This is comical, but I’ve found that it’s amazing how doing just a little bit on weekends can really lessen the workload during the week. Aim for 2-4 hours per day. You’ll still leave yourself plenty of free time for activities.

15. Create organizing systems.

Being organized saves tons of time, and you don’t have to be the most ultra-organized person in the world either. Systems aren’t complicated to implement.

Create a filing system for documents. Make sure all items have a place to be stored in your dwelling. Unsubscribe from e-mail lists if you don’t want to receive their content. Streamline, streamline, streamline.

16. Do something during waiting time.

We tend to have a lot of down-time where we don’t try to do much. Waiting rooms, lines at the store, time on the subway, on the elliptical at the gym, etc.

Find things to do during this time. I tend to have a lot of reading for classes, so I bring some of it almost everywhere I go and read during waiting time.

17. Lock yourself in.

No distractions, no excuses. Sometimes, the only way I’m going to get something done is if I’m under lock and key, alone in a room. If you’re like me, realize it, and act accordingly.

18. Commit to your plan to do something.

I kind of mentioned this already, but it’s worth repeating. Don’t flake on your own plan to do something!

Be resolute. Be committed. Be professional about it, and follow through. A firm will to accomplish what you decide to accomplish will take you anywhere.

19. Batch related tasks together.

Let’s say that over a given weekend you need to do two programming assignments, write three essays, and make two videos. Rather than approaching this work in whatever order you feel, group the like tasks and do them consecutively.

Different tasks demand different types of thinking, so it makes sense to allow your mind to continue to flow with its current zone rather than switching unnecessarily to something that’s going to require you to re-orient.

20. Find time for stillness.

In our go, go, go world, too many people don’t find time to just be still. Yet, it’s extraordinary what a stillness practice can do. Action and inaction should both play key roles in our lives.

Discovering time in your life for silence and non-motion reduces anxiety and shows you that there is no need to constantly rush. It also makes it easier to find your work pleasurable.

21. Eliminate the non-essential.

I know this one has been mentioned in one capacity or another already, but it’s one of the most useful tips you can take away from this post.

Our lives are full of excess. When we can identify that excess and remove it, we become more and more in touch with what is significant and what deserves our time.

One Last Tip (The Best One)

There’s one final tip I want to mention. If you remember one thing from this post, remember this:

Enjoyment should always be the goal. Work can be play.

We get so caught up in busyness that we forget to enjoy what we’re doing. Even when we focus on working smarter, we’re still often too focused on getting things done.

This should never be the point. Always ask yourself: What can I do to spend more time enjoying what I’m doing?

The goal should be to arrange your commitments in a way that you’re happy living out the details of your daily life, even while you’re working.

This may sound like a pipe dream, but it’s more possible than ever in today’s world. Be curious. Be open to opportunity. Know yourself. Embrace your passions.

Wonderful things will happen. Best of luck implementing these tips, and let me know if I can do anything else to help you.

Your Friend,
Jordan Bates

P.S. ‘Like’ Refine The Mind on Facebook here to stay in the know.

“Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

This article originally appeared at Refine The Mind. 

Tags: focus, habits, jordan bates, refine the mind, time management tips, time management tools

– See more at: http://www.creativitypost.com/create/work_smarter_not_harder_21_time_management_tips_to_hack_productivity#sthash.vXSShO2y.2pptQN1L.dpuf

Karma.

 

The only assignment that has NO DEADLINE

is KARMA.

 

#perlediunatraduttrice

The bitterness of poor quality remains…

Gentile Cliente, se per i Suoi progetti sta cercando traduttori con “migliore tariffa/tariffa più bassa” , si ricordi sempre che: “Il retrogusto amaro di una scarsa qualità rimarrà a lungo, anche dopo che il dolce sapor di un prezzo ridotto sarà stato dimenticato”. [Ditto!]

Translator Fun

Here’s an useful quote to use with your clients:

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

 Purchase code C6

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Frozen: Sing-along (multilingual session)

Watch “Let It Go” From Disney’s ‘Frozen’

Performed In 25 Different Languages

JAN. 22, 2014

By SOPHIE MARTIN 

How they managed to get the tones so similar and so lovely is pretty impressive (it almost sounds like they’re all performed by the same girl) — which one is your favorite singer? 

Cf. http://thoughtcatalog.com/sophie-martin/2014/01/watch-let-it-go-from-disneys-frozen-performed-in-25-different-languages/

Errori di adattamento, traduzione e doppiaggio (I)

Il post di oggi è un po’ più leggero rispetto a quelli dei giorni scorsi. [ ndr: ma estremamente più lungo AHAHAHAHAH -.- ]
Nel titolo ho addirittura messo tra parentesi un “I” per darmi un tono. (O tirarmi un po’ su di morale…! Onestamente non ne ho idea!) 😀 😀 😀
Non so se farò altri interventi del genere, ma mi piace pensare che avrò tempo e modo di scrivere anche post divertenti e inserire altre chicche del mondo del cinema, dei telefilm o della letteratura straniera.

[NB: uno l’ho già pronto, forse lo lascerò nelle bozze ancora per un po’…]

Non tutti sanno che sono particolarmente fissata con la saga “Pirati dei Caraibi“. Infatti, ai tempi dell’Università (*sigh* come passa il tempo…) volevo inserire la trilogia (nel frattempo mutata in tetralogia) nel comparto scientifico che avrei utilizzato per l’analisi della mia tesi di laurea triennale sugli errori di traduzione ed adattamento degli script originali nel cinema e nelle serie tv. Purtroppo, l’argomento era troppo vasto e riguardava una materia non curriculare (ndt: “traduzione audiovisiva” era una materia della specialistica e quindi non era attinente al mio piano di studi della triennale), perciò la Professoressa dirottò il mio diabolico piano su altro.

Comprendi?

Infatti, qualche anno dopo, ho “ripiegato” su una tematica diversa. {però questo ve lo racconto un’altra volta…}

Nonostante ciò, non mi sono arresa e ho continuato imperterrita a seguire le mirabolanti peripezie di Captain Jack Sparrow e di quei poveri adattatori che non hanno saputo proprio rendere giustizia alla saga.

La cosa che maggiormente mi ha perplessa e sconcertata – presumibilmente prima sconcertata e poi perplessa – è stata la scelta dei titoli dei vari film che, fin dal primo (datato 2003), ha puntualmente lasciato intendere che NESSUNO si fosse preso il gusto di visionare la pellicola prima di fare l’adattamento.
Ma andiamo con ordine.
Ora, capisco che il genere possa non piacere a tutti e che magari Johnny Depp o Orlando Bloom non siano il prototipo del vostro uomo ideale, così come Keira (biondina e segaligna) non lo sia della vostra “immortale amatissima”; posso anche passare sopra al fatto che, non sapendo dell’avvento del “2” e del “3” (e poi anche del “4” a cui, si vocifera, dovrebbe fare seguito un “5”), per il primo film sia stato omesso il riferimento alla serie “Pirati dei Caraibi”, MA (c’è sempre un ‘ma’) non si può tradurre “[Pirates of the Caribbean:] The Curse of the Black Pearl” (chiarissimo!) con un raffazzonato “La maledizione della prima luna“. Cosa c’era di difficile nel tradurre con un semplice “La maledizione della Perla Nera“? Perla Nera sapeva troppo di soap opera? Lo so, non era abbastanza EPICO. Just for the record: è il nome della nave.
Qui, si potrebbe aprire una parentesi di una 20ina d’anni in cui riprendere concetti trattati e stratrattati sul perché e per come si debba scegliere di tradurre letteralmente un testo oppure cercare di mantenere il senso di ciò che si intendeva nella lingua di partenza, portando il messaggio sullo stesso livello cognitivo dell’audience della lingua di arrivo con scelte linguistiche parzialmente o completamente differenti da quelle di partenza.
Io, personalmente, il film l’ho visto almeno 200 volte e di quella “prima luna” non c’è traccia. Barbossa dice “La luce della luna ci rivela per ciò che siamo in realtà. Siamo uomini maledetti: non possiamo morire, per cui non siamo morti, ma non siamo nemmeno vivi“. Eh. La ‘luna’ c’è (e non ci piove). E la ‘prima’? Mistero!

Kazzenger!

Nel 2006, la storia si ripete. Qui un po’ mi ha pianto il cuore, lo ammetto. Il titolo originale è struggente e al tempo stesso epico nella sua semplicità (once again). Il secondo capitolo della saga, infatti, si intitola “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead man’s chest“. L’adattamento italiano non è riuscito nuovamente a rendere giustizia all’originale. Il film da noi è uscito con il titolo “Pirati dei Caraibi: la maledizione del forziere fantasma“.
Ovvio.
Perché cercare di riprendersi un minimo dal precedente scivolone? Giammai! Meglio continuare con ‘sta storia della ‘maledizione’ che ci piace assai! 😀 E va bene… Dietro a quel “chest” c’è un bellissimo gioco di parole volutamente scelto in inglese per collegare il fantomatico “uomo morto” al “forziere” (e/o al suo “petto”). Nonostante l’adattamento non mi piaccia tantissimo, devo ammettere che il senso della storyline è mantenuto. Il forziere c’è, non è proprio ‘fantasma’, ma Jack Sparrow è alla sua ricerca, perciò lui non sa dove sia e questo è grosso modo il plot del secondo film.

Una chicca estratta da questo capitolo è un errore di adattamento (e doppiaggio). Da quando l’ho individuato, lo posto ovunque.

Errori di (traduzione e) doppiaggio:

[eng/orig. version] Hammer-head shark Pirate: Five men still alive, the rest have moved on.

[trad/doppiaggio] Pirata Squalo Martello: 15 rimasti vivi, il resto è trapassato.

La domanda sorge spontanea: se sullo schermo ci sono 5 attori pronti per essere giustiziati, un dubbio non ti viene?

No, evidentemente no. 😀

Devo dire che della [vera] trilogia questo è il capitolo che mi è piaciuto meno, forse perché lascia lo spettatore con moltissimi buchi temporali nella storia, molti interrogativi, qualche intuizione abbozzata a causa dei nuovi personaggi introdotti e, in più, non ha una vera e propria conclusione. [ndr: doveva essere un film “ponte”; un collegamento tra il primo film, di cui non ci si aspettava un così grande successo, e il successivo, la conclusione della saga, su cui c’erano altissime aspettative. Effettivamente è così ‘ponte’ che quando appaiono i titoli di coda non riesci ad alzarti in piedi perché pensi ci sia ancora altro da vedere.]
Veniam perciò al III capitolo uscito nel 2007. L’unico che EFFETTIVAMENTE non ha subito grossi sconvolgimenti a livello di adattamento. Voci che erano trapelate prima della sua uscita avevano dato, come probabili, due titoli differenti, cioè “At World’s End” e “At Worlds End“. Non proprio lievissima la differenza tra le due opzioni. La prima si presta ad un più sottile gioco di parole, mentre la seconda lascia solamente intendere che il capitolo finale vede la fine dei “mondi” [ndr: quali mondi?]. La scelta è poi ricaduta sul primo titolo, che gioca sulla fine del mondo intesa come atto finale di un’Opera, quindi una sorta di resa dei conti, ma anche come luogo ben preciso dove REALMENTE i protagonisti si recano durante il film. [WARNING: major spoiler!!!]

Non mi pare il momento migliore! (Elizabeth Swan)

La traduzione in italiano è abbastanza fedele ed infatti il film esce in Italia con il titolo “Pirati dei Caraibi: Ai confini del mondo” che riesce a mantenere parzialmente intatto il messaggio voluto con il titolo inglese. Potrei stare a parlare per dieci ore solo di questo film. E’ in assoluto il mio preferito. 🙂

[*FANGIRLING TIME*]

Tieni gli occhi piantati sull’orizzonte… (Will Turner)

A distanza di 4 anni (è il 2011), esce nelle sale italiane, poi in quelle americane, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides“. Il film è liberamente tratto dall’omonimo romanzo di Tim Powers noto in Italia con il titolo “Mari stregati“. Un lettore/Uno spettatore attento a questo punto ha già fatto 2+2, vero? Il titolo italiano è quindi “Pirati dei Caraibi: Mari stregati“.

Questa volta il titolo è stato tradotto con “Pirati dei Caraibi: Oltre i confini del mare“. Evidentemente, un più letterale “[PdC:] Verso acque straniere” o “Su maree sconosciute” avrebbe interrotto la continuità delle scelte linguistiche già applicate alla traduzione ed utilizzare lo stesso titolo del libro avrebbe implicato l’infrazione di qualche diritto d’autore (?). Dunque, la mossa più appropriata è stata – di nuovo – seguire la scia del capitolo precedente. Nasce perciò un collegamento con gli ex “confini del mondo”, con l'”Aqua de vida” segnata sulla mappa,  che porterà Jack Sparrow a navigare su acque straniere, più lontane. Ok. La domanda resta: PERCHé?

Per la mia gioia – e per quella di chi come me si è appassionato alla saga non solo per gli attori e i personaggi, ma anche per le vicende linguistiche che le gravitano attorno – è in preparazione il V capitolo della serie, il cui titolo sarà “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales“. Letteralmente possiamo tradurlo con “[PdC:] Gli uomini morti non raccontano storie” oppure, parafrasando un po’, con “[PdC:] I morti non mentono“. In verità “dead men tell no tales” è un modo di dire anglosassone che significa “dead people will not betray any secrets” e che in italiano suona più o meno come “I morti non tradiscono alcun segreto“.
Sono veramente curiosa di vedere che cosa tireranno fuori dal loro cappello gli adattatori . 😉 L’uscita è prevista per luglio 2015, manca solamente un annetto.

Vi lascio con un video STUPENDO in chiave ironica in cui vengono evidenziati, scena per scena, tutti gli errori in “POTC: The Curse of the Black Pearl“. Io sto ancora ridendo…

P.S.: grazie Wendy per avermi fatto capire che le .gif possono essere estremamente utili! 🙂