FIVE Tips for Managing Success

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I am sure most of us would have heard, at least once in our life, from people older and wiser people not to let success go to the head. While there is truth to this, success is something that most people aspire to and work hard for. Whether in your personal or professional life, achieving your goals and reaching your desired outcomes can bring you a lot of satisfaction, happiness, and fulfilment.

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However, success can also come with challenges and difficulties. How do you handle the pressure, expectations, and changes that come with success? How do you maintain your motivation, performance, and well-being after success? How do you balance your success with other aspects of your life, such as your relationships, health, and hobbies?

In this blog, I will share some tips and strategies for managing success effectively and enjoying the fruits of your labour without compromising your values, integrity, or happiness.

1. Celebrate your success

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Celebrating success is one of the most important things to do after success. Celebrating your success can help you acknowledge your efforts, appreciate your achievements, and reinforce your confidence. It can also help you relax, recharge, and reward yourself for your hard work. Celebrating your success can take many forms, such as:

  • Sharing your success with others who supported you or contributed to it
  • Expressing gratitude to yourself and others who helped you along the way
  • Treating yourself to something that makes you happy or brings you joy
  • Taking a break from work or other responsibilities and enjoying some leisure time
  • Reflecting on your journey and learning from your experience

2. Share your success

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Sharing your success can help you spread the benefits of your achievements to others who may need or appreciate them. It can also help you contribute to a more significant cause or make a positive difference. Sharing your success can include:

  • Mentoring or coaching others who want to follow in your footsteps or learn from you
  • Volunteering or donating to a charity that is close to your heart and values
  • Collaborating or partnering with others who share your vision or values
  • Inspiring or motivating others who are struggling or facing challenges
  • Giving back or expressing gratitude to the community or society that supported you

3. Manage your expectations

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Managing your expectations can help you cope with the reality of success and its consequences. It can also help you avoid disappointment, frustration, or resentment. Managing your expectations can require the following:

  • Being realistic about what success means and what it can or cannot do for you
  • Accepting that success is not permanent or guaranteed and that it may change over time
  • Recognizing that success comes with sacrifices
  • Adapting to the changes that success may bring to your life or environment
  • Dealing with the criticism, envy, or hostility that success may attract from others

4. Enjoy the journey

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Enjoying the journey can help you savour the moments of joy, satisfaction, and fulfilment that come with success. It can also help you appreciate the process of achieving success and not just the outcome. Enjoying the journey can involve:

  • Being present and mindful of what is happening in the here and now
  • Finding meaning and purpose in what you do and why you do it
  • Celebrating the small wins and milestones along the way
  • Learning from the failures and setbacks that are inevitable in any journey
  • Having fun and finding humour in the ups and downs of life

5. Set new goals

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Setting new goals can help you keep growing, learning, and improving. It can also help you avoid complacency, boredom, or stagnation. Setting new goals can challenge you to stretch beyond your comfort zone and explore new possibilities. Setting new goals can involve:

  • Reviewing your vision and mission and aligning them with your values and purpose
  • Identifying new areas of interest or passion that you want to pursue or develop
  • Seeking feedback from others who can offer you constructive criticism or advice
  • Evaluating your strengths and weaknesses and finding ways to enhance or overcome them
  • Break down your goals into smaller and more manageable steps

Success is a beautiful thing that can bring many benefits and rewards; however, it can also pose challenges and difficulties. By following these tips and strategies, you can enjoy and sustain your success without losing sight of who you are, what matters to you, and how you want to live your life. Success is not a destination but a journey.

If you have been thinking about getting your master’s degree, and proving to yourself and others that you CAN do it, now would be a good time to take the plunge. Have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything that could help.

I hope this blog has answered some of your questions, and please watch this place for more similar blogs. You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, the application process, and the discounts we might offer.

FIVE Study Break Tips that can help you Learn Better

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Taking a break during an intense study session can be as important as effective time management. While most of us might have planned out what to study, when to study and how to study, we tend to overlook taking breaks and giving the mind time to rest, absorb and recuperate.

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Then there are people like me whose breaks and excuses to procrastinate can be never-ending. I recall when studying, I used to “take breaks,” and when it came time to restart, I would look at the time and think – “It is 10:20. That is such an odd time to start; I will start at 10:30.” And then I would realise I missed the planned start time again and it was 10:40 now. It was nonsensical reasoning, but it was what it was.

However, suppose you take breaks the right way. In that case, there are many benefits to be had, such as boosting energy levels, increasing focus and memory to help you become more productive, lowering stress and renewing motivational levels, and just taking a step back to see the bigger picture and where you currently stand.

But to truly benefit from a break, the first step is to stop taking unproductive breaks. Avoid enhancers and relaxers such as caffeine and nicotine (I know, it is easier said than done), and don’t go online to shop and social media – it can get stressful and depressing.

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A few other things should be avoided, but let us focus on breaks that can positively impact your frame of mind and help you to learn better.

The following FIVE tips should hopefully help you plan breaks to help you learn better.

(1) Power Nap/Meditate: I understand that not all of us can clear our minds and meditate for a few minutes, nor can we fall asleep at the drop of a hat. But taking time to nap/meditate can be a great way to clear your mind, recharge and refocus. But ensure that you have your alarm close at hand and do not lose track of time.

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(2) Schedule: Plan your breaks into your study schedule. Schedule a fifteen to twenty-minute break for every ninety minutes of study. Remember, your brain can focus for a maximum of ninety minutes before needing a break, so schedule your study plan accordingly. Make sure you stick to your schedule, especially when it comes to your breaks, as, like me, it can be very tempting to keep extending your break time with frivolous excuses.

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(3) Exercise: It cannot be disputed; exercising is undoubtedly beneficial. Whether it is your cardiovascular health, bone health, or even decreasing the risk of diabetes, the benefits of exercising are many, the most effective way to restore mind and body. A quick exercise session will oxygenate your brain and get your blood flowing. For the long-term benefits of exercising for a student, please read our blog on – Can exercise make you a better student?

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(4) Have something to eat: Please do not eat while you are studying. The time to eat is during your scheduled breaks. But be mindful of what you eat, eat healthy – fruits, nuts, lean proteins, etc. Avoid junk foods and sugary drinks. The food you eat affects your brain, and it can make you a better student.

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(5) Unproductive breaks: Avoid them at all costs. Social media, video games, online shopping, and watching TV, to name a few, can be very distracting, time-consuming and stressful to the mind. You only have fifteen minutes and need to use this time to relax and refresh your mind.

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Hopefully, these break tips will help you learn productively and become a better student. We would like to hear from you – Please comment below on how you plan your study breaks and how the breaks benefit you learning productively.

If you haven’t started a study programme but are considering getting your master’s degree, now would be an excellent time to take the plunge. Look at our programme list and see if we have anything that could help.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, the application process, and the discounts we might offer.

How to reverse and overcome the obsession with busyness

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In the last blog, we learnt about the culture of busyness. Busyness refers to the pressure society places on individuals to constantly be active and productive, frequently at the price of their relationships and personal well-being. Because of the various adverse effects of busyness, organisations are looking for ways to combat the scourge.

According to psychologists’ findings, people tend to value something more when they work harder to achieve it. This tendency is popularly known as ‘effort justification’, and people feel more committed to a task when more effort is involved, even when the task is meaningless. While the employees go into an ‘automatic mode’, managers tend to make decisions based on institutional knowledge and culture, which are just bad habits.

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the constant stream of responsibilities and tasks that we have to manage

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the constant stream of responsibilities and tasks we must manage. With the rise of technology and the increasing demands of work and personal life, it can feel like we are always busy and never have enough time to get everything done. However, there are ways to overcome this feeling of busyness and regain control of our lives.

Here are some tips to help you manage your time more effectively and achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life:

Prioritise your tasks and eliminate low-value work

One of the most effective ways to overcome busyness is prioritising tasks. Many organisations dump shallow work on the employees, such as reporting, unnecessary meetings, data work etc. This does not allow them to do deep work reducing productivity. Organisations should focus on employee-engaging activities rather than just keeping them on the clock. Make lists of everything you need to do and rank them in order of importance. This will help you focus on the most critical tasks and ensure you are not wasting time on less important activities.

A lot of organisations dump shallow work on the employees, such as unnecessary meetings

Learn to say no and delegate tasks

Often, busyness is a result of taking on too many commitments. Learn to say no to requests that are not essential or do not align with your priorities. This will help you free up time to focus on the tasks that are most important to you. If you have too many tasks to manage, consider delegating some of them to others. This can help you free up time and focus on the tasks that are most important to you. Delegating can also help you develop your team members’ skills and build trust in your relationships.

If you have too many tasks to manage, consider delegating some of them to others.

Set the right behaviour and take breaks

Companies can overcome busyness by setting the correct examples. Leaders should neither themselves nor let the employees burn the midnight oil. Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help you recharge and refocus.

Schedule short breaks throughout your day to stretch, take a walk, or simply relax

Schedule short breaks throughout your day to stretch, walk, or relax. This can help reduce stress and increase productivity.

Set boundaries by rewarding output, not just activity.

It is essential to set boundaries to manage your time effectively. This means saying no to distractions and interruptions that can derail your work.

Communicate your boundaries clearly

Communicate your boundaries clearly to others and set expectations about when and how you will be available. Employees are at risk of overwork and burnout by not setting boundaries and encouraging performance-based pay. Instead, output quality should be the measure for assessing compensation and rewards.

Practice self-care

Finally, taking care of yourself is critical to overcoming busyness. This means getting enough rest, eating well, and engaging in activities that help you relax and recharge. Prioritising self-care amongst employees can help you reduce stress, improve your focus, and increase your overall well-being. Organisations should follow a generous vacation allowance. Research shows that employees who are offered unlimited vacation end up taking less time off. And most of employees work during their vacation. Such incentives should not only be responsibility of the government but on the companies.

Taking care of yourself is critical to overcoming busyness

In conclusion, busyness is a common issue that many of us face in today’s fast-paced world. However, by prioritising your tasks, learning to say no, taking breaks, using technology to your advantage, delegating tasks, setting boundaries, and practising self-care, you can overcome this feeling and achieve a more balanced and fulfilling life.

What are your views? Let us know in the comments below.

5 ways to develop Self-Discipline!

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Over the years, I have developed a lot of bad habits. It is not difficult to develop bad habits, and I have collected them since my university days.

I have worked hard to get rid of some of these habits and have failed more often than not, and it has been my experience that the single biggest reason for my failures has been the lack of self-discipline.

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So, I figured the first thing I had to do was work on my self-discipline. Of course, developing self-discipline will benefit all aspects of your life, not just helping in kicking your bad habits. I imagined my self-discipline to be that aspect of my willpower that blocked temptation from removing logic from my mind.

My thinking was simple. Why am I tempted to do something that is not beneficial to me? The answer – is because I enjoyed doing it. I had experienced that thing that tempted me many times before, and I wanted to experience it again. I needed a shield that blocked the temptation with logic and reason.

The following are five tips that I followed to help me develop my self-discipline. Hopefully, it will help you get started as well. 

1. Give yourself a purpose

Figure out why you are doing what you are doing! Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash.

The worst habit I developed during my university days was smoking cigarettes. Over the years, I tried several times to kick this habit, and I succeeded many times. Try as I might, I just could not kick the habit.

When my wife and I decided to have our first child, I decided to quit smoking, not for my health but the health of my child. And that was the purpose I needed to quit smoking finally. Every time I felt the need to smoke, I thought about my purpose and stopped myself.

Find your purpose, and it will give you the reason and strength to persevere.

2. Information to drive the purpose

Following up on the previous point, once you have your purpose, it might not be enough. For the mind to accept the purpose, there have to be reasons. So do your research on what you intend to achieve and back up your purpose with facts. For example, when I decided to quit smoking cigarettes, the purpose or reason for me to quit smoking was my child, but I also backed it up with facts on the benefits of quitting smoking cigarettes. On how smoking had a detrimental effect on not only my health but also the health of my family.

3. Make it a habit

Once you have achieved the self-discipline required to achieve your goal, you must constantly work on maintaining this self-discipline. It is very easy to lose focus once you have achieved your goals, and then you will lose all the hard work and effort you put into developing the self-discipline required to achieve your goals. And then you will have to start all over again to achieve the same goal. So, once you have reached your goal, maintain the self-discipline required. Develop it into a habit.

4. Teamwork

Teamwork works. Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash.

My wife and a group of her friends wake up very early in the morning and go for a long fast walk. They all do this six days a week (weather and health permitting). She can do this because of the strength, motivation, and competition she can get from her friends. They wear smartwatches that track the group activity and can push each other to achieve their goals. When she started, she was alone and did not have the drive to get up every day in the wee hours of the morning to go for a walk, and she used to give up constantly. But now, because of this group, it is possible.

So, don’t live on an island with a population of one, and take the support from friends, colleagues and mentors when possible.

5. Reward yourself

It is essential to acknowledge your victories, even if no one else does. So, celebrate it, pat yourself on the back and maybe even reward yourself when you achieve a milestone in developing your self-discipline.

Hopefully, these five tips will help you develop your self-discipline and achieve your goals. If you have any other tips that might help our readers improve their self-discipline, please share them here.   

If you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree, and are ready to challenge yourself, look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in doing.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and details on discounts we might be offering at this time.