Your Vacation
Resolved to see more of the world this year? Here are three surprisingly great places to visit, according to travel-guide publisher Lonely Planet: 1) For cutting-edge art scenes, emerging nightlife, great skiing and rich wildlife-watching, including bison, wolves, lynx and bears, Transylvania tops the list. 2) Celebrating 50 years of independence in 2016, Botswana features luxury camps, self-guided tours, community projects and award-winning family safaris. 3) For postcard-worthy views of the stunning Sapphire Bay, as well as charming alleyways, tasty food and its still-traditional way of life, Kotor, Montenegro, deserves a top spot on your short list. This year, get off the beaten path for a vacation that can’t be beat!
Today.com
Your Waistline
Make 2016 the year you can wear those favorite old pants again with these three tips… Drink more water: By far the easiest, yet most forgotten way, to lose weight, swap soda and fruit drinks for water and watch belly fat vanish. Get sound sleep: Science confirms that old saying “Early to bed…” Your deepest and most cleansing sleep happens when you get to bed earlier in the evening. Countless studies bear out the link between a good night’s rest and less belly fat. Train harder in less time: In High Intensity Interval Training you go hard for about 30 to 60 seconds, then rest. Just 20 minutes of HIIT training boosts your metabolism all day long.
Bembu.com
Your Career
A mentor can help you achieve big things. But finding and connecting with the right person can be tough. Here’s what helps: First, get clear about what you want in a mentor: do you need a sounding board? A guide? An advocate for a project you’re working on? Once you know what you’re looking for, let the search begin. Look inside or outside your company, run an advanced search on Linkedin and be open to working with someone younger than yourself. When you find a good candidate, simply ask for help on a specific problem. Then make it fun, give back and nurture the relationship. Mentoring can be a highly rewarding experience for you – and for your mentor.
>Forbes.com
Your In-box
Got e-mail overwhelm? Get more done in your day with these three tips used by top pros: 1) Empty your in-box often. Use “Follow Up” and “Hold” labels in Gmail (folders if you’re in Outlook) to quickly sort e-mails you can’t respond to right away. 2) Use the Two-Minute Rule: if it will take more than two minutes to respond to, sort it for later. 3) Respond quickly. This sets you apart in a world where most people are drowning in e-mail. Often, a quick reply such as “Got your note, will get back to you by end of day Tuesday” is all you need. Pair this with time blocks for knocking out batches of replies for massive productivity.
LifeHackerBook.com
Your Time
Being busy doesn’t always mean being productive. To win back big chunks of your time every day, avoid these three “busy-ness” traps: 1) Multitasking cuts your IQ by up to 40% and makes the two tasks you’re working on take 25% longer. 2) Interruptions suck up your time because not only does it take up to 20 minutes to fully refocus on the original task, but we tend to get back to trivial rather than more important tasks at hand. 3) You’re busy because technology wants you to be, not because you need to be. Must you really remain available to your boss, customers, family, friends and social networks 24/7/365? Take control again – it’s your life!
Inc. Magazine