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.

Food for Office Work

First for the basics, pasta and sugary drinks will give you some energy for a bit but then you will crash. If you go with something more fatty, it will give you sustained energy but your stomach will be working harder. When you are hungry, it is already too late to decide what you will be eating for lunch. Make sure that you decide well before lunch what you are going to eat in several hours. You should also graze throughout the day and make it easier to have some healthier snacks around. Place some nuts and raisins on the desk while you are working on your software development project instead of the candy bars. These better habits are cultivated over time but in the long run they will definitely pay off.

Technology and Chores

Chores. Sometimes they can be therapeutic but other times, it is just another hassle that is getting in the way. Enter technology. If you really hate cleaning, there are plenty of really cool gadgets that can help in that regard. There is the Roomba that can clean your floors. Dyson has also been making a vacuum that can clean your floors but it is planned for release in 2015. Throw away the Windex, because the ECOVACS Winbot does for windows what the Roomba does for floors. This robot can navigate the windows and leave them spotless and shiny. There are platforms that are useful for pairing people who have the money (but no time) for their daily workload, with errand-runners who have the time to take on miscellaneous chores for a few extra bucks. Finally software development is heading down the right direction.