Getting Better WiFi Signal

So here you are at home, having a very important VoIP service call with a client when the WiFi signal just will not quit coming in and out. This makes the conversation that much hard and be the deal breaker in some cases. Before you run out and get the best top of the line routers, you should try several of these tricks first. I am willing to be that your router is sitting in a corner somewhere on a desk. Make sure that it is up high and in a room where you use it the most. Make sure that there are not too many metal object around or near a microwave as both of them can disrupt the signal. Also, place it in a spot where is does not have to travel through brick or concrete as they will absorb the signal. Lastly, water inhibits the WiFi signal so make sure it is not where there are a lot of people since humans are mostly water. Do you have any other tips?

The Minimum Effective Dose

I think we can all agree on the fact that we might need a couple more hours in a day to really get things done. Unfortunately there is no way to make that happen so the solution needs to come from somewhere else in our constantly on the move culture. First of all, some people view being still for some time as unproductive while in fact it is completely different than not doing anything. Taking the time to meditate is one of the best ways to recharge and actually increase productivity. It might help the feeling of being frazzled by the lack of time as well. This is also where the minimum effective dose comes in. It is a term used in the medical world but it applies to many other parts of life as well. The first step to dialing back on the hectic-ness of life and to make it seem like there are more hours in the day is to figure out the minimum effective dose for the things that you do because if left unchecked in this crazy run all the time life, it can lead to maximum tolerated dose which is never a great place to be. Delegating is also a great way to go about getting more done. Cloud services are great for syncing everything and being like a personal assistant.

Doing Everything With Your Smartphone

Are you one of those that dove right in your smartphone and all the wonderful mobile applications and accepted that it will be doing many things for you while you become utterly dependent on it? Or did it creep up on you and only when you do not feel the weight of the phone in your pocket do you sense your anxiety mounting and the feeling of impending doom if you do not know where the phone is in the next five minutes? After a couple days of the CES, it is evident that we will be able to do almost everything using our phones. One of the parts of life that are connected to our phones, or is going to be very soon, is our home. Pretty much everything will be controlled save for the rowdy kids running around. Our cars are already very much connected but it is expected that the number and the technology will definitely increase. Another way that we will be connected is by our health records and big data. And lets not forget the wearable technology and industry.

More Space

One of the best things about our phones is that you can store all you music and pictures. Then we also like all those mobile applications that hog up all of the storage, not to mention making your phone run a bit slower. An alternative here is to use cloud services but that requires a reliable internet connection. Are you one of those people that needs more space on your phone? Enter RRAM. At Rice University, a team led by chemist James Tour has developed a breakthrough in RRAM (resistive random-access memory) technology. Their RRAM uses silicon oxide, one of the most studied and abundant substances on Earth, the stuff of sand and glass. This means that phones will be able to have up to a terabyte of memory which is enough to hold several hundred movies. Another great aspect of this technology is that it can be placed on glass which means that it could be a part of the screen on the phone, saving even more space.

Have More Confidence

You confidence and perceived authority are not something to be taken lightly. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to increase your perceived feelings of power and confidence. The way you arrange your body can have an effect on your mood and confidence. Before a meeting or a video conference, find a private place and stand with arms and legs stretched out so that you take up as much room as possible. It will decrease your stress hormones. You might also want to listen to music with bass because studies have found that it can be empowering. When you are in front of someone, make sure that you sit up straight. Lastly, you need to dress the part. This means that it matters what you associate the clothes with. If you associate a suit and tie with power, wearing them will have an impact on how you feel. But if you think "suits" are phonies, then wearing one is exactly the wrong thing to do.

Work and Life Balance

Dorothy has never said that there is no place like work. I know we all want to succeed in work and in life but most people think that they can just work their lives away and somehow the other part will just fall into place. News flash, you cannot just work in web development and never go home and expect everything to be alright in your personal life. Your personal life and family are the foundation so there are a couple ideas that you can look into to improve it. One of the best things that you can do is to turn off your phone and mobile applications when you get home. It will help focus your attention on being at home and your family. After you turn off the phone, make sure all other gadgets are also off including the TV. It is important to be really engaged and listen to your family. Every night you come home, make sure you have a family dinner. This family ritual is a time for each of you to regroup and catch up.

Chilling Out at the Office

I get it, work can be really stressful. There could be a lot on your plate in the way of projects whether it be web development or doing tons of experiments on the same protein that is rather elusive. There are ways to make life a bit better, aside from changing careers, of course. In that case though, you might need to reconsider a lot of things. A great way to learn to relax at the office is to be able to set the tone for the day. Instead of reading all the news on your way to work, read a great book that is hard to put down or listen to some music that will leave you jamming. While at work, use your breaks to get some fresh air and not to check on your social media sites. Even if the weather is bad, take a walk inside the building, you will be much happier for it. Lastly, be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day, week or month and work towards those goals. It is fine to be ambitious but keep those feet on the ground.