My Daily Career News: July 2020

AIIMS PhD PROGRAMME – JULY 2020 SESSION

ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES

ANSARI NAGAR, NEW DELHI – 110 608

EXAMINATION SECTION

Admission Notice No.93/2020

AIIMS PhD PROGRAMME – JULY 2020 SESSION

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi invites Online applications for AIIMS PhD Entrance Examination through online (CBT) mode for admission in Ph.D. Programme July 2020 session. The details are given below:

Important Notice

1) Please fill the Online Application carefully. It may not be possible to make changes after Registration as indicated.

2) Any Amendment/Rectification/Change/Editing is NOT allowed in Name, Date of Birth and Community Department and PWBD status after payment of application fee through Debit/Credit Card/Net Banking and images once uploaded cannot be changed later.

3) Other changes in the online Registration/Application i.e. Nationality, Sponsored to General, General to Sponsored etc. will NOT be permitted after 09.08.2020.

4) Applicants may note that further correspondence will NOT be entertained in this regard.

Examination Pattern Summary

Mode of Examination - Computer Based Test (CBT) [Online]
Duration of Examination - 90 Minutes Stage I & II
Date of Examination - Friday, 21st August 2020
Number of Shifts - 01 (One)
Timing of Examination - 10.00 AM to 11.30 AM (90 Minutes)
Language of Paper - English
Type of Examination -Objective Type
Number of Questions - Stage I & II (30+40=70)
Type of Objective Questions - Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Distribution of Questions: Non-Medical Candidates

Aptitude related covering English: 30; Subject related: 40

Marking Scheme

Correct Answer: One mark (+)1; Incorrect Answer: Minus one-third (−)1/3; Unanswered / Marked for Review: 0; Not Answered: 0

Method of Cut-Of: At least 35 marks in Stage I and II (Combined) to be eligible for Stage III. The special weightage (described in the prospectus) to be added after determining eligibility.

Candidates 3 times the number of seats advertised will be called for Stage III (Department clinical/ practical / lab based assessment carrying 20 marks)

Method of resolving ties: The tie case will be resolved according to age (Date of birth), the older candidate shall get preference over the younger one.

Number of PhD seats

Admission of the candidate will be done by counseling strictly in order of merit depending on:

Availability of seats in respective broad subject/specialty (e.g. Anatomy, Biochemistry, Neurology, etc.) chosen by the candidate at the time of application.
Whether the seat is available under Fellowship Available / Own Fellowship categories.
Eligibility based on his/her qualification required in the respective project of the Ph.D. seat for which the candidate may fulfill (i) & (ii) as above on merit.

General Eligibility

Eligibility for Ph. D course (Open candidates): A candidate seeking admission to the course of study leading to the award of a Degree of Doctor of Philosophy must possess at least one of the following qualifications:

Non-Medical – For non-medical candidates eligibility shall be Master’s Degree (two years course) awarded by Indian Universities or equivalent in the subject as per the requirement of the project.

Candidates holding M.Sc. (Other than M.Sc. Nursing) M.Tech. degree & BAMS will be eligible for the Non-Medical Qualification Category. Candidate having eligibility under the non-medical category should have at least 60% marks in the last eligibility examination qualified.

Candidate possessing a Masters Degree through distant learning course shall not be eligible

Desired Qualifications

The non-medical candidates should have preferably qualified in any one of the following National Entrance tests in the last 2 years from the last date of submission of the online application form (i.e.10th August 2018 to 9th August 2020), leading to the award of a fellowship tenable at AIIMS, New Delhi.

Joint CSIR-UGC NET for JRF
ICMR – JRF
ICMR- SRF
DBT – JRF
NBHM screening test
Graduate aptitude test (GATE)
INSPIRE fellowship

NOTE: Candidates who have qualified in the above-said examinations leading to the award of fellowships tenable at AIIMS, New Delhi will be given special weightage in the entrance examination as detailed in the method of selection part of guidelines.

Candidates working under Central Govt./Semi Govt./Autonomous organization should submit their applications through proper channel i.e. employer. They will be required to submit a ‘No Objection Certificate” from their employer before they are allowed to join the Ph.D. Course.

The candidates who are likely to complete requisite qualification and degree by 31.08.2020 may also apply. However, the candidates who are completing their requisite qualification after 31.08.2020 are not eligible to take up this examination.

Applicants from AIIMS Faculty/Scientific Staff for Ph. D. registration will be considered as in-service candidates as per guidelines laid down by AIIMS in this regard.

A candidate is allowed to submit an application for one specialty/department only.

Centre for Examination

The examination will be conducted through online (CBT) modes.

AIIMS PhD Course Fee

Each candidate selected for admission will have to pay the following Course Duration Fees and dues:

How to Apply

All applicants are advised to read the Prospectus and Help Manual carefully before starting Online Registration and ensure that no column is left blank. In the event of rejection of the application form, no correspondence/request for reconsideration will be entertained.

Applicants are also advised to download and take a print of the Registration Form. They should retain a copy of the Registration Form till the completion of the Admission Process.

Please visit www.aiimsexams.org regularly for the latest notification/announcement as well any Addendum/ Dedendum/ Corrigendum/Latest updates etc. regarding this Examination.

Important Instruction

Important instruction applicable to AIIMS PhD Program examination:

1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR FILLING THE ONLINE APPLICATION FORM

Candidate should fill in the Online Application Form taking utmost care and follow the instructions and help manual as given in the APPENDIX – II of the Prospectus, step by step. Candidate should fill in the Online Application form correctly. The incorrectly filled form may lead to rejection.

2. ONLINE REGISTRATION & SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FORM

A candidate seeking admission to the Entrance Examination is required to submit his/her application in the prescribed format available online with the Prospectus on www.aiimsexams.org. The cost of Application Form includes the fee for entrance examination which is non-refundable and no correspondence in this regard will be entertained. The candidate is required to go through the Prospectus carefully and acquaint himself/herself with all requirements with regard to filling of the online application form.

Online Registration: After selecting the online registration, fill the mandatory details asked for and deposit the prescribed fee through debit/credit card/Net Banking. After submitting fees filled required information step by step. Follow the instructions scrupulously.

It will be the responsibility of the candidates to ensure that correct details are filled in the Registration Form. The Institute will not be responsible for any incorrect information/cancellation of candidature/loss or lack of communication etc. due to wrong filled online Application form.

No candidate should register more than one application.

All applicants are required to ensure that Photo/Signature/Left Thumb Impression is uploaded according to the instructions provided in the Prospectus. Failure to do so may result in the rejection of applications.

Duplicate applications from any applicant will result in the cancellation of all such applications. No intimation regarding such summary rejections will be provided.

Application Fee

General/OBC Category: Rs.1500/- + Transaction Charges as applicable
SC/ST/EWS Category: Rs.1200/- + Transaction Charges as applicable
PWBD Candidates is exempted from any Fee

Mode of payment: Through Debit/Credit Card/Net Banking

Declaration of Results

Results for Ph.D. Program will be available on the website at www.aiimsexams.org Result of individual candidate will NOT be informed on telephone and candidates are advised NOT to call the Examination Section for such information. However, the individual results can be checked after the closing of the admission process.

Important Dates

Registration of Online Application through the web portal starts from 27.07.2020

Last date for Registration of Online application 09.08.2020

Apply Online

UPSC is hiring! Apply for 121 Assistant Professor and other posts on upsc.gov.in

The Union Public Service Commission, UPSC has invited applications from candidates to apply for Assistant Professor and for various other posts. Interested and eligible candidates can apply for the post through the official site of UPSC at upsc.gov.in.

UPSC Recruitment 2020: Important dates

Opening date of application: July 24, 2020
Closing date of application: August 13, 2020

UPSC Assistant Professor Recruitment: Vacancy details

Medical Officer/Research Officer - 36 Posts
Assistant Engineer - 3 Posts
Specialist Grade III Assistant Professor - 60 Posts
Senior Scientific Officer - 21 Posts
Architect (Group-A) - 1 Post

UPSC Assistant Professor & other posts: Eligibility criteria

Those candidates who feel interested to apply for this job profile and wants to know the eligibility criteria and age limit, they must check the official website and notification for the same.

Here's the link to official notification of the UPSC recruitment.

How the candidate would get selected?

The category-wise minimum level of suitability in interviews, irrespective of whether the selection is made only by interview or by Recruitment Test followed by an interview, will be UR/EWS-50 marks, OBC-45 marks, SC/ST/PH-40 marks, out of the total marks of an interview being 100.

Application fees

All the candidates who want to apply for the post will have to pay a fee of Rs 25/- as application fees by using net banking facility of the SBI or by using visa/master credit/debit card.

There is no fees for SC/ST/PH/Women candidates.

KAU Jobs 2020 – Biotech/ Food Tech/ Biochem Research Assistant Post

Kerala Agricultural University Jobs 2020 – Biotech/ Food Tech/ Biochem Research Assistant Post. KAU has announced vacancies for research assistant posts. If you are from the Biotech/ Biochem/ Food Tech/ Microbiology background, then this is your chance to join Kerala Agricultural University. Check below for further details on KAU Jobs:

KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

PINEAPPLE RESEARCH STATION

Vazhakulam, Muvattupuzha, Kerala – 686 670, India

Applications in the prescribed format are invited for filling up the temporary post of Research Assistant (2 Nos) under the project ‘Promotion of Passion Fruit Value Chain for Conservation Based and Sustainable Livelihood Practices in Project Landscape’ at PRS, Vazhakulam for a period of 18 months.

Position Name: Research Assistant

Position Name: 02 (Two)

Emoluments: INR 22,000/- per month.

Essential Qualifications: B.Sc. Agri/ Hort OR First class M.Sc. in Botany/ Biochemistry/ Biotechnology/ Food Technology / Microbiology.

Desirable: Two years of experience in KAU or ICAR institutes, Computer proficiency.

Job Description: Survey of land holdings in Chinnakanal, Munnar, Devikulam, Vattavada, Marayur, Idamalakudy, Mankulam, Adimali, Kuttampuzha, Farmer motivation, Market survey, Analysis of fresh fruits and products.

How to apply

Candidates have to use the Xerox copy of the application form given below along with Self-attested copies of the following certificates/documents should be enclosed

Certificate to prove date of birth
Caste/ non-creamy layer certificate in case of SC/ST and OBC
SSLC mark list
VHSE/ Plus Two/ Equivalent
B.Sc. degree certificate
B.Sc. mark list
M. Sc. degree certificate
M. Sc. Mark list
Certificate of computer proficiency
Certificate of previous experiences in related works, if any
The originals should be produced for verification at the time of interview

Filled in applications in an envelope superscribed ‘Application for Project Fellow’ complete in all respects should be sent to the Assistant Professor & Head, Pineapple Research Station, Vazhakulam, Muvattupuzha, Ernakulam District, Kerala, PIN-686 670.

Important Dates:

Last date and time for receipt of application is 05/08/2020, 4. 00 pm

Date and time of interview will be intimated through E-mail.

Terms and conditions

Applications received late or those incomplete in any respect will be summarily rejected without notice and the decision of the undersigned on such matters will be final.
Copy of certificates/documents attached to the application and verified at the time of the interview alone will be considered.
The positions are temporary and the incumbents stand terminated on termination of the scheme.
The incumbents will not have any claim for future appointment to any other post in the University.

PGIMER Recruitment 2020 – MSc Biotech & Biochem Research Jobs

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research

Sector-12-A, Chandigarh – 160012

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research is hiring for JRF and SRF positions. Interested candidates having Biotech or Biochem background may check out the details given below:

Vacancy is available for the post of SRF and JRF in the ICMR project under Dr. Shalmoli Bhattacharyya, Dept of Biophysics, PGIMER, Chandigarh. The post is extendable up to three years as per the project sanction.

Name of Job: Senior Research Fellow (SRF) & Junior Research Fellow (JRF)

Eligibility:

JRF: M.Sc/M. Tech or equivalent in Biophysics/ Biochemistry / Biotechnology and any biological sciences Candidates with an independent Research fellowship (JRF) will be preferred.
SRF: M.Sc/M.Tech. or equivalent in Biophysics/ Biochemistry / Biotechnology and any biological sciences with at least 2 years of research experience and one publication.

Procedure: Candidates interested in applying can send their complete bio-data via email to biophysicspgimer514@gmail.com on or before 05th August 2020. The candidates will be screened on the basis of their bio-data and the shortlisted candidates will be intimated and called for either physical or online interview.

All applicants should provide their email ID and working contact number.

View Notification

MBA v/s MIM v/s MA in Management: Know the Difference

For years, the MBA was a synonym to management, however, with time businesses felt the need for a specialized field of knowledge rather than general management. For those who want to give their career a boost, but wondering which management course would be ideal for them. A new degree MIM has emerged. In this article, we will inform you what is the difference between MBA, MIM, and MSc in Management. At first, both MIM and MBA looks quite similar, however, there is a huge difference between the two. Here, we want to clarify that MIM, MSc in Management are two sides of the same coin, these two are similar courses. MIM is popular in Europe as MSc in Management. MIM or MSc in Management is designed for those who are starting their career or those with little work experience. Whereas an MBA is preferred by professionals with good work experience, say 4 or more years and looking for career development.

There are 3 types of management programs:

MBA: 2-year programs, need work experience.
MIM (Masters in Management): 2-year programs, do not need work experience.
MSc in Management or MA in Management: 1-year programs, does not need work experience.

During the last semester of MBA programs, students get to choose a specialized area of business.

Those who are planning to study in Europe:

MBA is a 2 or 1-year program for people with 3 and above years of experience.
Requirement: GRE/GMAT with above-average academics as a standard requirement and minimum 60% in graduation.
MIM is a 2 years program, mainly government-supported. In Europe, this degree is highly recognized by the industry. This course is open for both fresher's and for those having up to 5 years of experience.
Requirement: GRE/GMAT and high academics with minimum 70% and above in graduation.
MSc in MGMT (Management): In this degree, candidates pursue a specialized course work. Further, it can be pursued by both fresher’s and experienced professionals. No GRE/GMAT required for pursuing MSc in Management.
Requirement: Standard academic requirement i.e. 60% in graduate studies.

Note: MIM is a more valued industry-accepted course in France for freshers than MSc in MGMT (management). Those who are ready to take a 2-year program and has an average of 2-3 years of work experience are suggested to pursue MIM over MBA.

Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2020 for Early Career Researchers [Fully Funded to UK]: Apply by Sept 17

About
Applications are invited by Science and Technology Facilities Council from Early Career Researchers for the Ernest Rutherford Fellowship 2020. The Ernest Rutherford Fellowships will enable early career researchers with clear leadership potential to establish a strong, independent research program.

They will encourage talented researchers in UK universities to remain in the country and at the same time attract outstanding overseas researchers to the UK. Ernest Rutherford Fellowships are intended for early-career researchers who do not have an academic position.

Research Areas
Applications must fall within the remit of the STFC core Science Programme (astronomy, solar and planetary science, particle physics, particle astrophysics, cosmology, nuclear physics, accelerator science) and afford scope for original work.

Funding
The following areas will be funded:

Directly Incurred Costs
Salary
Travel
Other Costs
Relocation and Visas
Publication Costs
Directly Allocated Costs
Indirect Costs

Eligibility Criteria

Ernest Rutherford Fellowships are intended for early-career researchers who do not have a permanent academic position. You are not eligible if you currently hold a permanent academic position or the equivalent in institutions other than universities.
Applicants should hold a Ph.D. at the time of applying for an Ernest Rutherford Fellowship.
If you secure a permanent position prior to the offer of a Fellowship you will be ineligible to hold the Fellowship.
Fellowships are open to applicants of any nationality.
Applications are welcome from candidates who intend to use the Fellowship as a means of re‐establishing themselves in the United Kingdom following a period overseas.

Assessment Criteria
In considering your Fellowship application, the Fellowship Panel will use the following criteria:

The excellence of the research achievements of the applicant;
The potential of the individual to lead their research discipline;
The capability of the applicant to fulfill the wider responsibilities of an academic career;
The quality, timeliness, feasibility, novelty, and vision of the research proposal;
The potential impact on STFC strategic priorities with a clearly achievable and project-specific proposal to realize both the immediate scientific and wider impact goals.

How to Apply?
Interested candidates can apply online by clicking here. The last date to apply is September 17, 2020.

Contact
Phone Number: +(44)(0)1793 413195

Email ID: fellowships@stfc.ukri.org

Dr Reddy’s MTech/MSc Bioprocess Technology & Biotechnology R&D Job

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. is looking for MTech/MSc in Bioprocess Technology/ Biotechnology candidates for MSAT Specialist Upstream with Biologics Unit, Hyderabad. Interested candidates may check out the details on Dr. Reddy’s job mentioned below:

Position Details: MSAT Specialist Upstream with Biologics Unit

Employment Type: Full Time, Permanent

Salary: INR 8,00,000 – 14,00,000 PA.

Job Location: Hyderabad

Education: MTech/MSc in Bioprocess Technology/ Biotechnology / with Masters/Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering

Experience: 3+ years of post-qualification experience in API or Pharma industry in new technologies and PAT tools area. Any experience in operational excellence and Six Sigma methodology will be an added advantage.

Job Description

• Participate in Scale-up of the process from Pilot Plant/ R & D to the manufacturing facility in close coordination with Pilot plant/R & D and Manufacturing team
• Identify and highlight scale-up issues/Post-scale-up issues and suggest remedial measures before tech transfer
• Responsible for review of development report and acceptance of process from Pilot plant
• Responsible for successful scale-up of processes and its troubleshooting where ever needed
• Responsible for ensuring manufacturability of the process from point of view of process robustness, material availability and costing
• Lead investigation for deviations using various available tools like RCA, Fishbone analysis, etc.
• Provide strategic directions in investigating deviations, out of trend and Out of specification to suggests a robust CAPA
• Use tools to identify CPPs and CQAs to improve the process robustness and yield
• Participate in Process Characterization and preparation/review of Process Validation protocol/report
•Participate in continuous process verification of the commercial process on a regular basis using available tools and prepare the required documents for the same.
•Provide technical inputs for Facility and Layout design, equipment selection
• Co-ordinate effectively across teams to resolve a complex issue and drive new initiatives with a concerted effort
• Participate in investigating any customer complaint from a technical point of view
• Implement the use of new technologies depending on the latest industry updates and best practices

Roles and Responsibilities
1. Process scale-up From R& D / Pilot to manufacturing facility

Monitoring lab batches,
scale-up studies,
safety & effluent data generation etc. Process scale-up studies in R&D lab through necessary protocols/reports.
Making material balance and quality mapping at lab scale

2. Manufacturing process support

Participate actively in major and critical deviations investigation.
Support for the right CAPA identification and involvement in the implementation
Troubleshoot at manufacturing unit operation and perform additional studies if required.

3. Preparation of safety & Quality documentations Implement Documentation Practices as per the company’s quality policy; ensure that compliance (regulatory, statutory and legal) are understood,
Ensuring the team for preparation all PSM documentation, supporting documents for trail & validation, technical closure reports etc. Ensuring the preparation of Technical justifications, closure reports, Investigation report etc.

4. Continuous Process Verification
1. Conduct CPV for the products in the manufacturing facility on a regular basis.
2. Investigation of OOS/ OOT
3. Ensure the process is within control limits

New Technology Implementation

Assess new technology for the available products which is more efficient operationally and cost-effective

RGCB Life Sciences Jobs – Research Fellow Position Vacant

Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram is hiring candidates of Life Sciences background. Research Fellow Job Openings. Interested candidates can check out the detaile mentioned below:

Applications are requested from eligible applicants for a Junior Research Fellow position in a research project sponsored by SERB (DST) for project entitled “Investigation on the role of the biochemical bistable switch in learning and memory in vivo” in the Laboratory of Dr. R V Omkumar at Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram.

Job Details

Adv. No. # 04/2020
Position Name: Junior Research Fellow
No. of Position(s): One
Salary: Rs. 31,000 + 16% HRA

Essential Qualification

1) Candidates should have a Master’s Degree with a minimum of 60% marks in any branch of Life Science.
2) Candidates fulfilling the above eligibility but in the result awaited category are also encouraged to apply provided they pass Master’s Degree at the time of interview.

Desirable Qualification

• Qualification in National Eligibility Test such as CSIR-UGC NET/GATE etc.
• Experience in working with molecular biology, cell culture and animal models.

Age Limit
Below 28 years as on July 27, 2020. Age relaxation will be given as per Govt. of India norms.

Emoluments

Rs. 31,000 + 16% HRA per month for M.Sc. Degree holders who have qualified at NET/GATE (with valid certificate).
Candidates who do not have NET/GATE certification will be eligible for Rs. 12,000/- + 16% HRA per month.

Duration

The project will be active for 21 months, but the initial appointment will be given for 6 months and further extension will be based on the performance.

Selection Process

Suitably qualified candidates may send applications in the prescribed format with a photograph, a copy of full resume indicating the percentage of Marks obtained and attested photocopies of credentials and experience to reach the undersigned through Email on or before July 27, 2020.
Applications in PDF format should be submitted to pmdjobs@rgcb.res.in (a copy of the application should also be sent to omkumar@rgcb.res.in). The Advertisement number along with the position for which the candidate is applying should be mentioned in the “Subject” part of the Email.
Selection to the position will not entitle the candidate to any future positions at RGCB (permanent or otherwise). As with all project positions at RGCB, the position will be co terminus with end of the project.
Only those fulfilling the above criteria need apply. Applicants will be shortlisted for the selection interview based on eligibility criteria. Selection of suitable candidates will be made based on qualifications and performance in the selection interview.
No TA/DA/Other emoluments will be given for appearing in the interview.

Russian varsity claims successful trials of world’s first Covid-19 vaccine.

The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University began clinical trials of the vaccine produced by Russia's Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology on June 18.

Moscow: The clinical trials of the world's first coronavirus vaccine on volunteers has been successfully completed at Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Sputnik news agency reported quoting an official.

The Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University began clinical trials of the vaccine produced by Russia's Gamalei Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology on June 18.

"Sechenov University has successfully completed tests on volunteers of the world''s first vaccine against coronavirus," Vadim Tarasov, the director of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Biotechnology, said. The first group of volunteers would be discharged on Wednesday and the second on July 20, he added.

According to Alexander Lukashev, the director of the Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector-Borne Diseases at Sechenov University, the objective of this stage of the study was to show the vaccine''s safety for human health, which was successfully done.

"The safety of the vaccine is confirmed. It corresponds to the safety of those vaccines that are currently on the market," Lukashev told Sputnik.

The further vaccine development plan is already being determined by the developer''s strategy, including the complexity of the epidemiological situation with the virus and the possibility of scaling up production, Lukashev added.

Here’s how the clinical trials took place:

* The first group of 18 healthy volunteers got vaccinated on June 18.
* The second group of 20 volunteers received the vaccine on June 23 at the Practical Research Centre for Interventional Cardiovasology.
* The volunteers were males and females within the age group of 18 to 65.
* They receive a lyophilised vaccine or a powder from which a solution is prepared for intramuscular injection.
* Some participants reported headaches and elevated body temperature, however, the university said these symptoms resolved completely within 24 hours after vaccine administration.
* The participants have been kept in single or double wards on campus at Sechenov University.
* They will have to spend 28 days in isolation after the vaccine injection to protect them from exposure to other infections and after discharging they will be monitored for 6 more months.
* During isolation, the volunteers were offered psychological support.
* The Covid-19 vaccine developed by Gamaleya Institute is also being tested at Burdenko Military Hospital in Moscow.
* The military hospital is using the liquid form of the medication during the clinical trial.

Gratitude is the best attitude

“The purpose of life is to watch and experience living; to enjoy every minute of it. The ideal purpose of your life is that you are grateful—great and full; that you are alive, and you enjoy it.”

The frequency of gratitude is really a celebration of life. For instance, a bird shows its gratitude by chirping, a dog by wagging its tail, and a bee by buzzing. If you notice, all of life on this planet Earth is forever celebrating life. We humans express our celebration of life through the frequency of our hearts.

PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS

One of the greatest minds in Western history, the Greek philosopher Aristotle, argued that we become what we habitually do. By changing our habits, we can become more thankful human beings. If we spend our days ruminating on all that has gone poorly and how dark the prospects for the future appear, we can think ourselves into misery and resentment. But we can also mold ourselves into the kind of people who seek out, recognize, and celebrate all that we have to be grateful for.

Now more than ever, you are either “living your life” or “dying your life.” Trying to hang on to things, situations, and people that are disappearing is “dying your life.” Yes, we are immortal beings living in a mortal body but the one thing that most of us take for granted is time. Truly, our tiny little mortal lives on planet Earth add up to only a tiny drop of water in the ocean of human existence.

GRATITUDE’S BENEFITS

Research shows that grateful people tend to be healthy and happy. They exhibit lower levels of stress and depression, cope better with adversity, and sleep better. They tend to be happier and more satisfied with life. Perhaps when we are more focused on the good things we enjoy in life, we have more to live for and tend to take better care of ourselves and each other. It is no surprise that receiving thanks makes people happier, but so does expressing gratitude.

It is easy to lose touch with this deep sense of gratitude since many of us have experienced so much loss these last few years. Many have lost friends, spouses, family members, jobs, money, home or health.

Dreams didn't work out as we expected and left us with a profound sense of emptiness. When the mind fixates only on the losses, it makes it impossible to reach this frequency of gratitude that lives deep within our own hearts. It is more important now than ever to send out gratitude—even to your losses, for they are now the story of your beautiful unfoldment in Spirit. This is about trusting that the Universe has removed everything that has been burying your greatness so that you can truly shine

PRACTICING GRATITUDE

Celebrate your life by living with an open heart in all your interactions with others. Show your gratitude through your smiles and your laughter. Show your gratitude by appreciating those who are in your life right now. Look around at everything you do have in your life—I bet if you start taking an inventory, it is a treasure chest overflowing with blessings.

Much in our culture seems aimed to cultivate an attitude of deficiency—for example, most ads aim to make us think that to find happiness we must buy something. Yet most of the best things in life—the beauty of nature, conversation, and love—are free.

There are marvelous respects in which we are equally blessed—the same sun shines down upon each of us, we all begin each day with the same 24 hours, and each of us enjoys the free use of one of the most complex and powerful resources in the universe, the human brain.

Make gratitude your daily prayer. Embrace gratitude as the new language you speak and you will experience the Universe responding through the infinite blessings showering down upon you. To take your place in the Unity of Life is to live in a perpetual state of gratitude.

Life is full of opportunities !

It is extremely important to be aware of the opportunities presented to us on a frequent basis. Each and every choice we are presented with is an opportunity to make our lives better or worse; to do the right thing or the wrong thing. We are constantly bombarded with small opportunities that will help us achieve great things. Unfortunately we often talk about the big opportunities and we forget that, the little opportunities really add up.

It is important to train ourselves to be able to recognize opportunity, to get used to making the most out of the little opportunities presented to us on a daily basis. It is only once we are adept at making the most out of even the smallest of opportunities that we become able to make the most of larger opportunities. I live in an ocean of opportunity and I want you to live here with me. Each and every day you swim in an ocean of opportunities!

Let us take for example the opportunity to make healthy choices. It starts at the supermarket where we buy our food, we walk through the aisles and with each item comes an opportunity to make a choice. We have the opportunity to choose a healthy option or an unhealthy option. The fact that we can make a choice makes this very moment an opportunity to make our life better or worse. Seizing the opportunity to make a healthy choice will lead to you feeling better, living a healthier life, having more energy and it will build your will power.

At work we are constantly presented with opportunities; small but significant opportunities. We have the opportunity to focus and excel at any given task, we also have the opportunity to slack, accept distractions and procrastinate. A friend of mine that has done very well for himself once gave me a piece of advice that he had received from his father; it really resonated with me.

"No matter what you are doing in life; even if it is beneath your ability, no matter how much you are paid for it; do it to the very best of your ability always. Not because you are paid for it, not because of your boss. Do it to the best of your ability because when you teach yourself to do everything to the best of your ability – you always will. If you teach yourself to be lazy; you will. If you teach yourself to excel; you will."

Life is full of opportunities; in an argument with a loved one or a colleague you have the opportunity to take control of the situation. You have the opportunity to calm down and resolve the problem amicably. You have an opportunity to learn. You have an opportunity to train yourself, to control your emotions. You also have the opportunity to escalate the situation, to make things worse. You can look for the solution opportunity or the problem opportunity.

Every moment of your day is full of opportunities; when you meet a stranger you have the opportunity to make a positive impression. You have an opportunity to smile. You have an opportunity to ignore. You never know which stranger can one day be a friend that presents you with one of those big opportunities. Take the small opportunity, reach out, wish them a great day!
Even when you apply for a job and don’t get selected, you have an opportunity. You can write a short letter thanking them for their time, wishing them the best in finding the right fit for the current vacancy. You even have the opportunity to send them a letter asking for a better understanding of what they are looking for.

In life you are constantly presented with opportunities. Become aware of the little opportunities! Learn to train yourself and build your ability to make the most out of each and every opportunity you are presented. Life is full of opportunities make the most of it!

Question Mark? Simple yet powerful punctuation

"It was all going good. She was happy with her life. Her life which wasn’t really eventful. It was guided by a routine — wake up in the morning, household work, office work, back to home, have dinner and sleep. Pretty much a life which everyone of us experiences. She has been into this routine from last 4 years. Nothing changed much except couple of holidays and a job change. New job too became a routine for her in a month. Now its been two years, she was stable in her job and family front too was at peace. Life was absolutely stable. Never did she complain about anything or ask for anything more or anything less.

Then the time changed. One day, she was asked to leave from the office. The management decided to cut down on human resources for some reason which employees never came to know. She cold just speculate but there wasn’t any stated reason. May be she could have figured it out discussing with the management but it would not have benefited as the management’s decision was final. With a confused mind she drove back to home. From tomorrow morning there was going to be a 10 hour long void in her life every single day."

Her ‘no questions about life’ policy didn’t seem to be working this time. She kept mum for few days. She tried to enjoy with her family and friends after long. But her enjoyment lasted only for few days. Again the void appeared and this time with the boredom. Her entire day was freezing after 11 am as if a flowing stream abruptly collapsed against a giant rock. She tried to adjust to her new avatar for few days but soon her blank mind was unable to be in the blackness. How much ever she resisted, mind wasn’t giving up. It started playing games with her and then she ‘questioned about life’ for the first time.

She knew it’s of no worth raising questions on the past but now, she wanted to question about her present and future. “What am I doing? Why on earth I am feeling bored? Is there anything that I can do? Is there anyone to talk to? Is there someone who needs my time? Is there anyone who values me? Is there a purpose to my life? Can I do something meaningful? What is meaningful for me? Was there a divine purpose in whatever happened? Should I be thinking about this at all?”

She felt frustrated with her questions. This was the first time in her life when a driving force lied inside her. Otherwise there was a mechanical force which drove her day for last so many years. She felt weird every moment when her mind bugged her with questions. But how to handle this state of mind? Is there a solution or it will just drive her crazy? She, still being in a complete denial for moving on in life, ignored this very inner force. But for how much time can she be able to ignore the driving force?

Till the time questions didn’t ignite her desire to take charge of her life. Yes. She has to answer the fire burning within her. Her boredom soon took a shape of existential questions. She started finding a purpose of her life. Was she able to find a purpose or was she confused about what to do in life? Did she find an answer to the burning fire? Did she come to know meaning of her life?

Infinite questions and finite answers!

Important was the ignition. Once the fire ignites, no human can be idle. They are bound to answer the fire. We all are slaves of our habits or routines and we find no gap to do something new. We don’t really push our limits and try to be comfortable in our shoes. When the life starts throwing questions at us, we then realize that “we are not our habit or the routine”. We are humans — creatures who have active brain, emotions and most importantly, the intelligence.

Life appears smooth when there’s continuity but a question mark appears when the continuity breaks. We then start to realize “this is our life, this is the story we are writing on our page”. And then the mind starts such a fundamental process which is obvious for the mind but not for you… Thinking!
A question mark in our story makes that gap which allows air to flow, which allows time to stop and the mind to think. Is there a purpose? Is there something more to my life?

What is truly important is whether you understand that you need to be open when you are experiencing life. You should keep an open mind to all of the possibilities that life offers us because many people do not have that same luxury.

Sometimes the most exciting things that happen to us are the things we don't see coming. And other times the saddest things that happen to us are the things we don't see coming either. We have a 50/50 chance every day. It's how we prepare ourselves for them, and deal with them when they happen that really matters.

Frustration appears obvious but notice, notice that you are allowing something new, something fresh to breathe. And when you seek for the answer, you are allowing your mind to bathe; to be fresh, to be free from the old and rusty outfits. To feel new; to be born again!
Just believe that,

You are enough
You have influence
You are a genius
You have a contribution to make
You have a gift to give, that others need
You are the change
Your actions define your impact
You matter.

"A question mark is the most important punctuation of the life." Because that’s when we revive ourselves. This is mind’s time to rejuvenate! Life is welcoming you with a new hello… If only,you are ready to say one goodbye… If only you respond to your inner self.. the question mark.
It’s a symbol of possibilities. It’s a symbol of seeking something truly. It’s a symbol of progressing in life. It tells us, “Listen, you are moving forward. You can explore the world. You can experience something new. Instead of routine, you can choose a life too!”

Tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance

Maintaining your career/academic and personal life can get pretty hectic sometimes. Most adults can probably admit to having their school or work life intrude on their relationships or families and vice versa. Being able to strike a balance between your professional and personal lives can help you become more productive and less likely to burnout. This balancing act takes careful planning and preparation, but it is possible.

Prioritise your time

You may have a to-do list with 50 tasks on it, so you need to prioritize those tasks into four categories.

They are:

Urgent and important
Important but not urgent
Urgent but not important
Neither urgent nor important.

Know your peaks and troughs

Are you a morning person?

If you are, assign tough, high-concentration tasks to the mornings. Don’t leave the tough tasks until its night time and vice versa.

Play to your strengths

Don’t try and be all things to all people. Focus on your strengths and outsource the others. If you’re not a whiz at accounts or graphic design, outsource them instead of wasting time.

Plot some personal time

When personal issues arise, it can be tempting to bury yourself in your work. Don’t do it If you don’t make time for your personal life – your “me” time, including your family and your health – you won’t have a business to go back to

Find time for your finances

Whether you work for yourself or not, it’s important to feel confident about your finances. In order to do this, you need to get some accounting software in place and use it from day one.

Cash flow is one of the biggest challenges facing small businesses. You should start using accounting tools early on so you know what’s going on, financially, from day dot.

Manage your time, long term

Create a timeline of your activities. Specific computer programs can help with this, or you can customize your own Excel spreadsheet or Word table.

Put dates across the top and activities down the side. Break each task into components.

Include family commitments – such as holidays, birthday parties, etc. – so you don’t forget that you are unavailable for work on those days.

Do what you love

Make time for something you love – other than work – and give it the time it deserves. It will energise and refresh you, and enable you to nurture the creative thought that is essential to every business owner.

Make your workspace work for you

Working for yourself does tend to require long hours and not much downtime, so invest in equipment that will support you.

That includes getting a comfortable chair, an ergonomic keyboard, a support stand for your laptop, etc.

An ergonomic assessment of your workspace is worth every cent.

Have set work hours – and stick to them

Set work hours for yourself and do everything in your power to stick to them. Otherwise, before you know it, you’ll be working until midnight every night.

Tap into technology

Instead of driving to a meeting, use Skype or conferencing technologies like GoToMeeting etc. But remember to switch them off.

Make exercise a must-do, not a should-do

It’s easy to cancel the gym, the evening run or the yoga class because a client wants something done yesterday.

Instead, ensure exercise is given as much priority as your clients and making money. A healthy body means a fresh mind, which means you will function better and complete tasks in less time.

Be realistic

At the end of each working day, perform a little self-analysis. Ask yourself what worked today, what didn’t, what went wrong and how the issue can be fixed.

Remember there are thousands of businesses just like yours learning the same lessons every day. Don’t forget to tap into the valuable resources around you – your peers – for help.

Step out

Working for yourself can get lonely, so schedule some phone calls or coffee time with like-minded business owners to discuss ideas and offer each other support.

Take time to make time

Invest in time-tracking tools. There are plenty of tools you can use to track everything from the frequency and duration of meetings, to chasing and converting leads.

Time-tracking software allows you to quickly build an understanding of how long a particular task takes.

That way, you can effectively estimate how long your next work task will take.

Manage your mind

When fear or self-doubt or anxiety creeps in, do some work on your mental health such as meditation or reading a business book.

Alternatively, spend time with someone who will lift you up and support you.

Take a break

Remember to take time out throughout your day.

Some tasks are easier than others, so if you find yourself with an hour up your sleeve, be realistic about whether you can “afford” to rest or not.

You might not have time every day to simply sit and “be”, but do your best to give yourself a lunch break.

Also, make a point of getting up and stretching every 15 minutes. It will help you become clearer, more focused and more productive.