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3 Ways Deep Listening Will Transform Your Life

 In a world saturated with information, nonstop noise, smartphones and endless workplace productivity tools, the art of listening is truly on the decline. How can we stop and pay attention to one thing at a time when a waterfall of “noise” is cascading into our minds every second? Our phones, notifications, emails and texts in the present moment all seem far more urgent than the person standing in front of us. Here’s a startling statistic for you: After the average person listens to someone speak, he or she remembers only half of what the other person said. Listening is critical to not only understanding other people, but also to having fulfilling lives at work and in our personal lives. Below are 3 ways that deep, intentional listening will transform your life. 1. Change your dynamics with other people When we interact with other people, no matter how much we care about them or how close we are, it’s so easy to “listen” while we think about what we’re going to say next. Some might say
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Astronaut Wang Yaping Becomes First Chinese Woman to Walk in Space

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  On November 8, astronaut Wang Yaping made history as she became China's first woman to conduct a spacewalk. PauseUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI Barcroft Media | Getty Images According to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA), Yaping ventured outside of China's Tiangong space station with astronaut Zhai Zhigang for six hours to install equipment and work on the station's robotic arm. They also tested the safety of supporting equipment. "This marks the first extravehicular activity of the Shenzhou-13 crew, and it is also the first in China's space history involving the participation of a woman astronaut," CMSA said in its statement. "The whole process was smooth and successful." Related: The Boy Who Went Into Space With Jeff Bezos Has Never Shopped at Amazon Yaping, Zhai and fellow astronaut Ye Guangfu are all a part of China's Shenzhou-13 crew, which launched into space on October 16. The crew is on a six-month mission in the Tianhe module, which is th
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Real-Estate Investing Is About to Get a Gen Z Makeover

 As Gen Z comes of age, they’ve made a name for themselves by questioning the legacy systems previous generations have accepted as the norm.  PauseUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI But, Zoomers do more than cast shade at their predecessors. They demand better. If something is broken, they will push to fix it.  Their influence is causing seismic shifts across industries from luxury retail to transportation. And with Gen Z’s purchasing power expected to grow to $33 trillion over the next decade, it’s no wonder marketing, political and entertainment sectors alike are paying attention to them. Now Gen Zers are shifting their focus to industries that have locked them out, like real estate investing. In the United States, commercial real estate is rebounding quickly to pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, commercial real estate in Canada is on track to post a record of nearly $50 billion in investments this year. But while Zoomers want to own a home, like the millennials before them, the cost of entry is
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Fall Back Into Productivity: 100 Quotes to Get More Done

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It may not seem like it. But, a lot is going on in the autumn. Between getting back to a routine after your summer vacay to getting the kids back to school and adjusting to the end of daylight saving time (happens tomorrow, Sunday, November 7th), now you’ll have to finalize business plans for the holiday season. It’s easy for your productivity to get derailed. Calendar - Calendar The good news? If you find that you’re struggling with productivity this fall, use the following quotes to get you back on track. Planning Quotes If there is one secret to being productive — it’s planning. You’re more likely to operate at peak productivity when you plan how you’re going to spend your time in advance. The alternative is taking things as they come and without a plan. In turn, this almost guarantees both low efficiency and productivity. It’s also a chaotic way to live when you have a full plate. 1. “By Failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin 2. “Productivity is never a
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Tiny House in Wealthy Boston Suburb Sells for $315,000

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  NEWTON, Mass. (AP) — A tiny home in a wealthy Boston suburb has sold after about a month on the market, albeit for far less than the original asking price of almost $450,000. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via AP The roughly 250-square-foot (23-square-meter) home in Newton sold on Monday for $315,000, according to Coldwell Banker Realty's Hans Brings Results agency. The home, on a 0.06-acre lot (0.02 hectares), went on the market in late September. The house built in 1970 is described as an “adorable tiny studio home ... featuring completely open living space," with a loft and “ready to finish basement," and recent renovations including a new bathroom and electrical upgrades. Several unusual homes in the Boston area's hot real estate market have sold for high prices in the past several months. Boston's famous 10-foot-wide Skinny House sold in September for $1.25 million, and a home gutted by fire in Melrose sold for nearly $400,000.
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Dogs Make Everything Better, Including Your Business

 One of the greatest business lessons came when I was agility training a Border Collie. They have this tremendous urgency to please, and so to get them to perform with accuracy, you have to calm down their desire to learn and impress. What struck me was when I saw that same urgency in young people who came to me looking for more responsibility in a hurry. Now, when they do, I tell them about my Border Collie to help them understand.  Video Player is loading. VDO.AI A recent survey found that almost one in four people said they learned more valuable lessons from having a childhood pet than in their first job internship. Among C-suite executives who responded, 93% said they grew up with a pet and over three-quarters attributed some portion of their success to it. Dogs provide their owners with a holistic level of care that penetrates everything they do and brings out the best in people. Anyone, especially busy CEOs, can benefit from having a dog.  Here’s what my dogs have taught me to do
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Entrepreneurs Seem to Be Naturally More Productive

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  Being an entrepreneur isn’t for the faint of heart. While it’s true that there’s some luck involved, not only do you need a big idea, you also have to have the courage and tenacity to see it through. As a result, this means putting in long days for little to show for it. PlayUnmute Fullscreen VDO.AI Calendar - Calendar It’s because of the entrepreneur stereotype you can assume that entrepreneurs seem to be naturally more productive. And, because of the following ten traits that they possess, that assessment seems spot on. 1. Autonomy. Running your own business drives happiness and motivation. In turn, this boosts productivity? While not exactly surprising, why is this the case? It boils down to autonomy. “Basically, autonomy is having a job where you at least have some control over your job,” explains Deanna Ritchie in a previous Calendar article. “While more businesses are starting to offer this type of independence, running your own business achieves independence, adds Deanna. “You
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