Take It Easy

Vacation vs. Training

Vacation vs. Training. What are the similarities and differences? Breaking them down into stages, they operate similarly but with different perceptions.

Effort and Reward. Dopamine pathway.

People do not see the "effort" part of the vacation. It is the accumulation of

  • Working hard to save money for it, preparing for the job before leaving
  • Planning for the trip
  • Headache, unpleasant experiences with the traffic, services, delay
  • Kids, packaging
  • A few other hundred things

The reward is the perception of a pleasant and relaxed destination. Whether that is a resort, a beach, a mountain, or whatever that is. After all the hustle to get there, you feel relaxed and rewarded.

Training. Well, the same thing. The reward is after training sessions. You get stronger and faster. Always have a better feeling and a better mood.

And what are the differences? The perception and the recognition of people are different. Vacations, people see the reward yet ignore the effort. Trainings, the opposite; people know the effort yet ignore the reward.

How about the aftermath? Vacations usually come with a dopamine crash. I have seen many people feeling tired on the way home. They are struggling to accept that vacation is over and tomorrow is work. Training? No, there is no dopamine crash. The effect is there within you, lasting for days.

Vacation and training are excellent activities. If we depend on vacation to balance our life, the ratio is too small (think how many vacations you can take in a year?). However, if we depend on training, we can do it daily, 100% ratio guaranteed.

Irony

At work, want to go on vacation
On vacation, work, answering emails, social media
While working, checking the phone, social media
While driving, listening to music
When not having a gym, wish to have a gym to start exercise
When having a gym (in hourse or shared in condo), wish to have a part to run around
While having breakfast, lunch, dinner, checking phone, social media
Gathering in a coffeeshop, everyone checks their own phone
Working from home, wish to be in the office to improve communication, team building
When in the office, nobody talks, everything is done via chat, digital tools
Sleepy, tire, want to sleep, be on bed, and then checking phone with social media
While drinking beer/wine/alcohol, talking about being healthy
.
.
.

We simply cannot focus on the ONE thing we are doing/having.

Well, that is how it works I guess. What if I practice to pay attention to the one thing I am doing, whatever it is. The irony is that I was thinking about the irony list while I was walking down the street to buy a bottle of coconut water. Irony!

Empower Your Reading with Kindle (Amazon Books)

I have been reading with my Kindle; with books bought from Amazon for 2 years. The original reasons were to improve my knowledge and English skill. However, there was a problem back then. As a reader, I highlighted and took notes while I read directly on Kindle books. The problem was that I could not find anywhere to look at them again. A bigger problem was that I had not dug deep enough into the problem.

There are always solutions to any problem. I have found out at least 2 ways to solve that problem. I hope that if anyone has the same problem. This post will save you a bit of time. If you have not started reading yet, I hope this will give you a small motivation to start.

Note: You have to have a Kindle, and buy books from Amazon.

Amazon Kindle Site

Amazon has a wonderful built-in site for your Kindle Amazon Kindle Highlights Let’s take a look at mine

Amazon Kindle Highlights
Amazon Kindle Highlights

Those are highlights and notes from the book “Grammar Girl’s Punctuation 911: Your Guide to Writing it Right (Quick & Dirty Tips)“. I just read it and I can review my notes anytime.

However, there is a small issue. It is a one-page for all highlights and notes. Which makes it very hard to look at an individual one. Of course, there is a way to find it.

You can use the search feature on the top right corner. After locating to the book you want to view, click on it. Here it is

Your Book Detail
Your Book Detail

Click on “View Your Notes & Highlights” button. Enjoy your notes and highlights

You Notes & Highlights
You Notes & Highlights

Goodreads

Many readers have been using Goodreads to manage their reading. Goodreads was acquired by Amazon. Therefore, it is another good option. Once you have an Amazon account, use it to log into Goodreads. The kindle also has Goodreads built-in. Make sure you activate Goodreads in your kindle as well. Once setup, let’s take a look at Goodreads.

Goodreads Notes & Highlights
Goodreads Notes & Highlights

In term of functionality and usage, they are identical. They offer

  • Review your notes and highlights
  • Allow you to add more notes, or add notes for your highlights, notes.
  • Encourage your reading. Empower your knowledge

 

Personally, I prefer to use Goodreads. Because it is also a reading social network site. However, the Amazon Kindle has a huge benefit with a “Popular Highlights” section for each book. That section gives you access to other readers’ mind. They read the book and thought those were important to them. You, as a reader, do the same; and enjoy the benefit they offer.

Have a good day and Enjoy your reading!

Oh New Year, Again! Let’s Make Wishes

New year alway comes. I guarantee you. Welcome to another Lunar New Year. Everyone makes wishes. They wish for themselves, for their family, for their relatives. Everyone has good intention.

Yes! I do. I make wishes every new year. Actually, some years ago, I had made vows. Kind of

  1. I vowed I will quite smoking
  2. I vowed I will drink less
  3. I vowed I will save money
  4. I vowed
  5. …….

I just forgot one important vow:

I vow I will make the same vows again, next new year

I am not saying that process is good or bad. I just wonder why I did that again and again. I know some people do the same thing.

So, let’s explore some theories behind this question

Why do people make vows every new year?

No Cost

You do not have to pay anything for your wishes/vows. And if you do not say it out loud, you are safe. No one knows.

Feel Better

Oh God, It is TET (our Vietnamese name for Lunar New Year). TET is the time for parties with beer, food, hanging around with friends. I might feel better if I make some promises to myself. Kind of, Well, it is ok to relax. I will be a better person after TET.

Make up for a Bad Year

Sometimes, I screw up with the current year. And there is a feeling of “nothing can be done this year”. I just let it go and make a promise for the next.

Screw up and Wish for a better one without taking any action. That’s kind of thing!

High Emotion

People are happy when TET (except some special circumstances). Happy people make promises. They believe in a bright future.

Think about your childhood, if you want to ask parents for money, you know when to ask. Of course, when they are happy 🙂

What happens after TET?

—————–>

Nothing happens! Period.

People come back to their real life. Fight for a living. Have some more parties. … And then finally they realize:

Oh Shit! TET is coming. There is no time for me in this year.

The cycle begins.

Ok. Enough talking! What should we do instead?

This year (2017), I decided to do

  1. Have a list of small things to do.
  2. Make a small plan for them
  3. Start them immediately (Write this post is a part of the actions). Take action!
  4. Have a good time in TET with beer, food, visit parents, relatives, friends, …
  5. Back to work immediately after TET.

My friends, maybe it is the time for you to reconsider what you have been doing for years. No matter what actions you take, they are yours. And you are always right with your decisions.

Everything has its cost.

The cost of a wish is the time.

Happy Lunar New Year! Beer Up.