Thursday, April 26, 2018

The Facts that Could Boost your Brain Productivity

As much as we like to use our brain to its maximum, this organ can easily be overloaded. In many cases, taking the time off and relaxing our brains is impossible due to tight deadlines and everyday obligations. And considering that we are speaking of the most complex organ in our body, you surely want to learn how to boost its productivity, don’t you?
Our brains need a little refreshing from time to time and believe it or not, even brains can be trained to be more productive. It is a theory called neuroplasticity, which points out to facts that actually work in boosting the brain functioning.
So, what can you do to achieve this? Read our 10 tips and tricks on how to optimize your brain’s productivity even when you feel too overwhelmed to think.

 An Afternoon Tea


This must look like a strange choice for a first trick for boosting the brain’s productivity, but you would be surprised to hear that it works very well! A single cup of tea helps me stem more than just healthy ingredients. By taking those ten minutes away from writing and working, I get the much needed pause and of course, caffeine

Something New

New things can stimulate the brain and create new neutral pathways. By changing your old habits and learning or experiencing some new education essay samples, you are actually increasing the intelligence level! And this does not have to be a big change at all. It is sufficient to make a minor change like taking a new route to your workplace or trying out a new hobby.

Exercise

Regular exercise is considered the ‘cure’ for the brain. By exercising regularly, you are enhancing neurogenesis and therefore, increasing the brain functions. Every time you get to exercising, you are creating brain cells.
So, what are you waiting for? Stop being a couch potato and get your brain and body in shape!

Memory Training

Pieces of the puzzle
Did you know that you could train your memory? Many people get anxious because they forget things or cannot learn something fast, but this can easily be changed. For example, students who dedicate their time to learning find it easier to remember things after some time, while those who do not have the habit need more time to study for the same exam.
If you discipline yourself and try memorizing things on a regular basis, your memory can improve greatly.

Positive Thinking

Stress is bad for your health in general, including your brain’s health. When people are stressed, this is known to kill brain neurons and prevent new neurons from being created. So naturally, if you start thinking positively and reduce the constant stress, your brain will be in a better condition.

Healthy Nutrition

Nutrition is a very important factor in the brain’s function and condition. The brain consumes over 20 percent of the oxygen and nutrients our body consumes, which is why you must always feed your brain with a healthy diet.
Try adding fresh fruit, vegetables and OMEGA 3 oils to your daily nutrition to boost your brain’s productivity.

A Good Book

Reading can relieve the stress and make you feel better, which is a good way to help your brain relax and promote its functioning. Additionally, people often use their imagination when reading a good book, which is a great workout for the brain!

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep


Imagine that your brain is intoxicated by all the information it consumes during the day, which is why you need to detoxify at night. And guess what – sleep is the best detox for your brain.
You must have noticed how you cannot function properly when not well rested. Well, this is a reason to get to bed at proper hours and get enough sleep to keep your brain in optimal condition!

Change of Venue

Many people go to work in the morning and get back home to rest for the remaining of the day. They may visit the market or jog around the neighborhood, but rarely change venue except for these regular locations. Why not try rearranging your home, workplace or changing the spot for your daily jogging? Perhaps you could walk your pet to a different park once in a while? New places work wonders for your brain, same as new experiences.

Get Some Munchies

Yes, too much chocolate is bad for your diet, but it is actually a brain booster. Also, you can always munch nuts and fruits and eat a healthy diet, while boosting your brain’s productivity when it needs it the most.
Now that you know how much can be done to boost your brain’s productivity, what are you going to do? Get to action and try out these tips to use your brain to its maximum!

Monday, April 23, 2018

Social Media Writing

What is social media?

If you are one of the many people who wonder what exactly social media is, you're in luck because we have an answer for you. Simply put, the definition of social media is this: Social media is a way to connect with other people who are passionate about the same things you are. One of the great qualities about the types of technology available to us today is that they allow you to choose how you use them. For example, you could use social media for consuming and sharing information, or for developing relationships and building a sense of community. It's completely up to you. However, in order to reap the benefits of social media, it's important to put forth the extra effort.

What are the benefits of social media for writers?

There are many types of writers. Regardless of the type of work you create—fiction, nonfiction, memoir, freelance articles, or other types of writing—social media can have a positive impact on your writing career. Whatever type of writer you are, here are the top six benefits you can get from using social media:
  • You can learn about the publishing industry. Social media allows you to learn about literary agents, editors, authors, publishing, and writing. It's an important tool for beginning writers especially because it lets you see in real time how people within the publishing industry interact. This can help give you a sense of how things work.
  • Social media can help you market yourself and your work. Part of marketing is developing a platform and having a strong presence online. This entails building an audience and readership, which becomes an important part of your marketing strategy. After all, in order to build a platform, you have to reach your readers first. If you're already a published author, social media can be a helpful tool for promoting your upcoming book and/or previous works.
  • You can build a network of connections through social media. Networking is important for writers. Social media can help you make and build connections with like-minded people. For example, you might interact with other writers, editors, literary agents, or those who inspire you. You never know where your connections can lead you!
  • You can strengthen and maintain your connections. Similar to the previous point, but equally important, is maintaining your connections with others. For example, if you met someone at a recent writing event, such as a conference, you can keep in touch and strengthen your connection with that person by following and interacting with each other online through social media. You could also stay in touch with an agent who you have queried before or met at a pitch slam.
  • You can share your expertise. Instead of describing your recent accomplishments or your work to others, show them what you do through social media and share your expertise. Join online conversations about a particular topic or subject you have extensive knowledge of, or post pieces of your writing to let others know what type of work you've written and what you're currently working on.
  • You can learn about your readers and/or fans. As mentioned above, social media can help you develop your essay topics about research. Social media can be an essential tool in getting to know your audience. Social media gives you a prime opportunity to learn about them and build your audience over time. Who are your readers? What are their interests? What do they want? Observe what types of subjects or topics they are talking or posting about. Then ask yourself how your work fits into their wants/needs. After all, every writer's goal is to engage readers. You can gain tremendous insight into what your readers are looking for by using social media.

What are some of the top social media sites I should join?

It would take forever to compile an exhaustive list of every social media site there is. Therefore, we've chosen a few of the most popular (and most useful) social media sites for writers.

Twitter

twitter 101
This platform is great for connecting with other writers, agents, publishers, and readers. Writers use Twitter to interact with other writers and authors online, gather new ideas and inspiration, gain exposure through tweeting, keep abreast industry news, and find relevant links about writing through other user's tweets. Before you join Twitter, you should know how to use it and some of the key terms associated with it.

  • A tweet is a status update limited to 140 characters.
  • Followers are those people who have chosen to follow you. This helps you quantify the number of people who are interested in your work/what you are tweeting about.
  • Similarly, you have the option to follow other users. This number appears under "following" and their tweets show up in your newsfeed.
  • When you want to tweet another person you simply type the @ sign and the person's Twitter name followed by your message. Here's an example: https://twitter.com/Special_Essays. Thanks for being a great resource for writers!
  • When you forward someone else's updates to your followers, it's called ReTweeting. To acknowledge where the information you are about to share came from, you include the letters RT before their Twitter username followed by the message.
  • You can direct message, or privately message another person on Twitter. To do this, be sure you follow that person and vice versa. Compose a new tweet with the letter D followed by a space, then the @sign and the person's Twitter username.
  • One way of organizing the users whom you follow is to segment them by list. You can create lists for anything, but most writers have lists of agents, writers, authors, and publishers. This not only helps you to become organized, but lets you see specific Twitter user's updates and allows other users to view your lists.
  • Hashtags are used to organize discussions on Twitter. To start or join in on a discussion, add the # sign and the designated hashtag phrase. For example, if you were at the Writer's Digest Conference this year, you would have used #WDC12. You and others can follow hashtags, seeing everyone's tweets who included the hashtag.

Facebook

facebook
Facebook is one of the largest social networking sites today. You can use Facebook to keep in touch with personal connections by updating your status and sharing images and videos. Many companies and brands are on Facebook where you can interact with other fans and receive exclusive information on new products and upcoming events.

Google+

google plus
This is one of the newest social media sites. While it has features from Facebook and Twitter, it is still growing and being discovered by users.

LinkedIn

linked in
LinkedIn is a social network for your professional career. When you create a profile, you can list your credentials, work experience, and skills. You can connect with past and current coworkers and others you have interacted with professionally. In return, your connections can recommend you/your work to others. Having an account on LinkedIn is a valuable resource because it can connect you to agents, editors, publishers, authors, and writers. You can gain valuable insight into the industry and find unique opportunities in writing through the connections you make on LinkedIn.

YouTube

youtube
YouTube is a popular site where people can share video updates, reviews, and more. Writers can use YouTube to promote upcoming writing events and share professional news. For example, you could post a video online to share exciting news, such as finding an agent or getting your work published.

GoodReads

good reads
GoodReads is a social network based on books, where you create and manage your virtual bookshelf. You can connect with others you know as well as those who like the same types of books you do. Not only can you connect with avid readers and writers, but you can also get insight into the types of books people are reading and emerging trends.