Going back to school is always an exciting experience for students. It is another opportunity to rise in the ladder of education and become what one dreams to be someday. For most students, schooling is a good riddance from the household chores that they had been engrossed with during the summer break. Others who had to spend the vacation on enterprising gimmicks may have run short of days to earn enough for the school days. But those who went on happy trips and peer gimmicks, the school days may just be a killjoy of their fun adventures. There are varied reasons for every student depending on his socio-economic condition and personal ambition to attain his goals.

But supporters of these students are faced with a different reality that has to do with economics. Education had always been expensive in every way. With rising school fees as against stagnated wages and salaries, supporting students is certainly not easy. More than the school fees are the high cost of daily expenses that students incur in the course of their studies. It is where the undetermined amount is needed for those providing support to students. It is therefore not a joking matter for students to waste the great investment that their parents put for their education. The sacrifices that parents do to meet the demands of their students is enough reason for the student to strive hard in their studies.

It is unfortunately appalling to see students leisurely squandering their precious time and money hardly earned by their parents. Such undesirable situation is so frustrating for parents who are striving hard to provide the necessary support for the education of their children. Students may not realize the value of their time as well as the support they get from their parents for their education. It may take sometime for students to absorb in their system the precious gift of having parents whose unfailing support for their education is readily at hand. Many unfortunate children whose parents cannot afford the cost of education are striving hard with awe as they see those who can afford just waste their time, resources and parental support.

Determination to succeed had always been a better driving force than any other. While parental support is a major factor, success is still for those who strive in their studies. Many times it had been shown that socio-economic status is, although a factor, not a hindrance to success. Poverty therefore is not much an obstacle for one who works hard to attain the goal of earning education. We have seen many poor students overcome the hardships of life and finish schooling despite the odds. Likewise we see many students who have enough financial support from their parents become failures out of their own making.

As students return to another school year of struggles and challenges, it would be apt and timely for them to realize the value of their education. Only when one fully understands how valuable and costly education is will one strive to study hard in order to succeed. Time is so precious and fleeting and parents always will want their children to spend wisely in education. It is for this reason that students must study well as their way of reciprocating the goodness and support of their parents. Wasting time and money on leisure with peers is one sure way to a bleak future that students must be wary of. If one thinks education is a hard struggle and expensive, try ignorance and soon realize the value of education.
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Productivity among millennials has been the subject of extensive research and attention. Contrary to stereotypes, studies have shown that millennials are not lazy or indifferent towards work. They actually prioritize work-life balance and job satisfaction, which has a positive impact on their productivity.

One significant aspect of productivity among millennials is their preference for flexibility. Many millennials thrive when given the freedom to work at their own pace and during hours that suit them best. Research indicates that a considerable number of millennials prefer working late hours when they feel most productive. This flexibility enables them to optimize their output and achieve their goals efficiently.

Another essential factor in enhancing millennial productivity is understanding their motivations and levels of engagement. Millennials actively seek personal and professional growth opportunities. Organizations that offer training and development programs, as well as resources for skill enhancement, are more likely to witness higher productivity levels among their millennial employees. Additionally, creating a supportive and inclusive work environment that values diversity and fosters collaboration can boost millennials’ engagement and overall productivity.

Productivity is the key to achieving more work in less time. It’s about working smarter, not harder. Whether you’re a professional, a student, or someone juggling multiple roles, enhancing productivity can help you reach your goals faster and more efficiently. Here’s a brief guide to understanding and enhancing productivity.

Understanding Productivity

Productivity isn’t merely about getting more tasks done; it’s about accomplishing meaningful work that contributes to your goals. It’s about efficiency and effectiveness, managing your time and resources well, and focusing on tasks that matter the most.
This is often a problem among employees when they are interrupted by so many things around them like chatting with co-employees, playing online games, napping, or plainly not doing their best in their job. It is the responsibility of each individual to accomplish tasks expected from them on time, every time. But, how can one achieve their highest potential?
Productivity Hacks

To enhance productivity, it is crucial to prioritize tasks based on their importance and contribution to your goals. The Eisenhower Matrix can help categorize tasks into urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not urgent and not important. This allows you to focus on tasks that align with your goals.

Effective time management is key. Identify your most productive hours, known as your “prime time,” and schedule important tasks during this period. Break your work into manageable chunks using techniques like the Pomodoro Technique, working for 25 minutes and taking a 5-minute break.

Eliminating distractions is essential. Identify and minimize distractions by turning off notifications, creating a dedicated workspace, or utilizing tools that block distracting websites. Glancing on your mobile phone can be a huge distraction. Learn to teach yourself to use it only during your free time.

Leverage technology by using productivity apps and tools to manage tasks, set reminders, and stay organized. Tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Calendar can be helpful for tracking tasks and deadlines. Thanks to technology, all the help that we need is as easy as just clicking on these apps.

Taking care of your health is vital for productivity. Prioritize sleep, maintain a healthy diet, incorporate physical activity, and take regular breaks to maintain focus and energy. Your body needs rest in order to recharge which allows our brains to process and consolidate information, leading to improved memory and cognitive functioning.

It is also encouraging for employees when business owners do their share of boosting the morale of their employees. Nothing beats being recognized for an exemplary work. Employees feel empowered, thus increases productivity.

Remember, productivity is a continuous journey that requires experimentation and adaptation. What works for one person may not work for another. The ultimate goal of productivity is to achieve more with less stress and effort.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!

THAT rather amusing gospel episode about those who were so amazed at the preaching of Christ in the synagogue that they could not believe that someone just like them, coming from the same place and whose family they knew, could preach the way Christ did (cfr. Mk 6,1-6), tells us that we have the tendency to take Christ for granted.

Yes, we have the tendency to fall into overfamiliarity and complacency with regard to our relation with Christ. Especially these days when we are so highly stimulated by earthly and temporal things that we forget about the spiritual and supernatural dimensions of our life, we need to make some extra effort to rediscover God by revving up our faith and love.

Let’s always remember that being the image and likeness of God whose very essence is love, we need to realize that it is to love the way God loves, as shown to us by Christ, is the fundamental option of our life. It is what constitutes the real dignity of our humanity.
We have to realize then that to be truly human, let alone, Christian, we need to have a real encounter with Christ. That is when we can truly be on the path toward our transformation into the fullness of our humanity, since that’s where we can see how much Christ loves us.
We should find time to have a very personal encounter with Christ, strengthening our friendship with him, since that would constitute as the fundamental experience that would sustain our Christian life.

And if at times due to our weaknesses, tiredness, etc., we lose him, we know that he always waits for us, and even looks for us or facilitates our finding him even if we do not look for him.

We should realize more deeply that loving God through Christ in the Holy Spirit should be the first priority in our life. We can do that if we develop a working life of piety made up of certain practices of piety that would fire up our love for God and for everybody else.

Let’s remember that whatever little effort we do to develop our life of piety will always attract God’s tremendous love for us, as articulated in that passage in the gospel of St. Matthew: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.” (25,21)

We should stay away from anything that would cool down our love for God and for others or that would lead us to spiritual lukewarmness. We have to be wary of our tendency to be driven by egoism or the thought that we are our own God which only shows that we have the strong tendency to fall into pride.

Spiritual lukewarmness is a very common spiritual illness. What’s so dangerous about it is that it often passes as something ordinary and normal. It hardly causes any worry, much less, alarm. It lulls many of us to think there’s no problem.

It’s an attitude, a mindset, and, worse, a culture that is stuck with the minimalist virus, contented with what is practical, convenient, popular, profitable, etc., and goes no further. It justifies itself by saying, “Why do I need to go any further? Things are already ok as they are.”

It is the perfect expression of the adage, “The good is the enemy of the best.” And so, it fails to submit itself to the law of love that requires self-giving without measure, a total self-giving whose language is generosity and heroism all the way to death.