# Student Sector
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

Things Every 23-Year-Old Has To Hear And Must Know!

by
David Blog

Oct 7, 2019

at 7:16 PM

I woke up on the morning of my twenty-third birthday to a dead-end job, a failing relationship, an empty wallet and a complete lack of direction. And I’m sure I’m not alone in that fate.

The years following college aren’t kind to us. We are thrust into the real world with a large amount of student debt, jobs that barely pay enough to make rent, relationships that are rapidly changing and a profound feeling of being lost on how to handle it all. Nobody likes you when you’re twenty-three, including your own life.

And yet, we pull through.

Most of us make it to our twenty-fourth year. Most of us make it out of the woods. Most of us are lucky enough to say that by the end of our twenty-third year we’re no longer feeling completely and utterly lost. But in case you’re not there yet, here are a few things you may need to be reminded of right now.

1. You’re not going to be lonely for the rest of your life.

Twenty-three is a lonely and uncomfortable age. College is (probably) over. Your professional life is (hopefully) just beginning. And your social life is doing an awkward, uncomfortable shuffle in response to all the changes. You’re far away from the people who know you well and not yet emotionally close with the people who physically surround you.

Give it time. Give your relationships the chance to evolve. Give yourself the chance to adjust to no longer living with a group of your closest friends (yes, you will adjust). Loneliness doesn’t last forever, even when it feels like it will.

2. You don’t need to be working your dream job right now.

It’s okay to take a shitty office job because you need to pay the bills. It’s okay to spend your spare time volunteering to get the experience you need. There are a thousand different routes you can take to get to where you want to go. Don’t beat yourself up in the process – just keep moving, steadily and slowly, toward wherever you would rather be.

3. Everyone feels lost at some point.

No, seriously. Every single person you meet, interact with or think about in the course of a day has almost definitely had a period of their lives where they had NO clue what they were doing. So this is yours. You’re just getting it out of the way early.

4. You still have so much time to fail.

You have time to fail at love. At your career. At your creative aspirations. At your personal goals.

You are still young enough to fall and pick yourself back up, so many more times. So don’t be afraid to take those big, scary risks now – while you still have the time and the strength and the determination to start over.

5. Someone is going to love you again.

You’re going to feel that insane over-the-moon feeling again. You’re going to want to tell someone ‘I love you’ again. You’re going to have something real with another human being again, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now. The ability to love other people doesn’t leave you, even if it’s a muscle you haven’t flexed in a long while.

6. You are going to love you again.

Your self-perception is going to adjust to encompass the new, adult you: the one that you are still growing into. Don’t beat yourself up about who you are or are not yet at twenty-three – you have so much time left to grow into the person you’ll become, and to be damn proud of whoever that will be.

7. You are allowed to set and keep boundaries.

Being a young adult means saying ‘Yes’ to a lot of things – long work hours, demands from our partners – because you aren’t yet sure what you’re allowed to say no to. But here’s the deal – you are allowed to set whatever personal or professional boundaries you need to set in order to stay healthy and stable.

You don’t have to earn the right to take care of yourself. You deserve it, as a basic product of your existence.

8. You are never entirely without support.

You may not be lucky enough to have parents who are able to give you financial support or even friends who are immediately available to give you emotional support, but rest assured, if things ever went really wrong, you’d have people there to help you out in ways you may not expect. If at least a few names come to mind, you’re doing better than a lot of people.

9. Being disappointed in yourself just means that you know you can do better.

If you were never falling short of your own goals, you’d be living your life all wrong. Disappointment – in moderation – means that you believe in bigger things for yourself. And holding that belief in life will take you further than you could possibly imagine.

10. It’s not your job to live someone else’s dream.

You don’t have to go overseas and work in IT if it’s not going to make you happy. You don’t have to move to a big city and get a mind-numbing office job because it’s going to impress your parents. The choices you make now set the tone for the choices you’re going to make the rest of your life. So you’re allowed to make the choices you want to make – and only worry about impressing your future self.

11. ‘No’ is a very important word.

You’re allowed to use it. Say no to jobs that don’t entice you. Say no to people who bring out the worst in you. Say no to all the opportunities that prevent you from pursuing the bigger, braver, bolder life course that you’d rather be on. Say no confidently, strategically and as regularly as you need to. It is your right and in some cases, your greatest asset.

12. Nobody can read your mind – you’re going to have to ask for what you want.

Nobody is going to come and hand you your dream job or your perfect relationship or your ideal lifestyle because you’ve been obeying the rules so diligently. You have to ask – directly and sometimes incessantly – for those things. It’s unfortunate that the adult world works this way, but it does. The sooner you get comfortable asking for things, the sooner you start getting big results. Results other people don’t get because they’re too afraid to ask for them.

13. You don’t have to be embarrassed.

Not by the job you’re working or the person you’re dating or where you are in life, in relation to the people you graduated college with. Embarrassment is a choice. And the prouder you choose to be of yourself – no matter where you are in life – the further you’re going to go. Confidence is a major predictor of success.

14. Your body is not seventeen anymore.

You can’t exist on a steady diet of beer, burritos and power-naps forever. Your body is starting to change and you have to change to accommodate it if you don’t want to feel just a little bit worn-out for the rest of eternity. Treating your body properly is going to have more of a positive impact on your life in the coming years than you could possibly imagine right now.

15. You’re probably hotter than you think you are.

Something I hear over and over again from middle-aged people is that they can’t believe they ever thought they were unattractive in their early twenties.

We are our own harshest critics at this point in our lives and it’s more likely than not that your most unattractive quality is the lack of confidence you have in your own appearance. Start believing in yourself a little more right now, so you have to kick yourself a little less aggressively later.

16. You aren’t done changing yet, and you probably won’t be for a while.

There are those rare, beautiful moments in our early twenties where it feels like we’ve got it all figured out and we’re entirely out of the woods. But those moments never last for too long. Life is constantly changing – but that’s far from being a bad thing. Your brain is still developing. You are still developing. And the worst thing you can be right now is stagnant.

17. You have to give yourself a break.

At 23, it’s easy to get so caught up in the working and progressing and forming relationships and finding ourselves that we forget to ever take a moment to just breath. To relax. And to take a brief break from frantically dashing toward the future. You still deserve to live and enjoy your life. Your future will come soon enough.

18. Losing friends is a natural consequence of this stage of your life.

Losing touch with your old college roommates or your hometown friends or the loved ones who settled down earlier or later than you did is a natural consequence of growing older. It isn’t solely up to you to keep every friendship you’ve ever had alive – some things fade out naturally, because they should. Because some of the friendships you shared were meant to last a season, not a lifetime, and that’s okay.

19. There will be people you have to leave behind as you grow, and that doesn’t make you a bad person.

Everyone grows up and grows into themselves at different paces. And the older you get, the more you will notice that some people almost deliberately choose to stay stuck or hold themselves back. And it is not your job to rescue these people from themselves. You can love them, you can support them and you can encourage them but at the end of the day you just can’t hold yourself back on their behalf. They have responsibility over their lives and you have responsibility over yours. You are not selfish or horrible to keep moving forward without them.

20. Comparisons are completely senseless, unless you use them as a motivator.

Comparisons are a great thing if you’re using them to motivate yourself to rise up to someone else’s level of greatness. If, however, you’re only using them to beat yourself down, they are the single greatest waste of your time and energy. You are not your friend or your college classmate or your co-worker who just got a raise. You are you. And if you want to rise above the rest, you have to use the skills that are unique to you, rather than pining after what comes naturally to everyone else.

21. Everyone messes up.

No, seriously. Everyone has made at least one big, huge mistake that they wish they could take back. It’s just that we tend to not talk about our f**k-ups, which creates a culture where everyone believes that they’re the only ones who ever encounters them. Trust me: you’re not alone. We’ve all done some royally screwed-up stuff. And we’ve all survived it. Which means that you’re probably going to as well.

22. Everyone’s terrified.

Nobody really knows what’s coming next. Nobody actually has a foolproof plan. Nobody is 100% sure of how to get where they want in life and nobody has it all figured out.

Even the most confident people are a little bit unsure and a little bit terrified sometimes. Life’s just like that. Uncertainty is a key ingredient to the whole shebang.

23. If you had it all figured out right now, the rest of your life would be boring.

If you had the rest of your life locked and loaded at twenty-three years old, the rest of your life would be a let-down. The ups and downs are just a natural part of what keeps things interesting. And the truth is, now is the best time imaginable to ride out those fluctuations. A period of struggle prepares you for a future of resilience. So struggle away at twenty-three. The future has plenty of time to fall into place


# Student Sector
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

5 Things We Do Everyday That Kills Our Success (And How To Overcome Them!)

by
David Blog

Oct 7, 2019

at 3:32 PM

Would you kill your own success?

Not purposely, of course. You definitely wouldn’t do something like show up late or FFK, being rude to clients or just not doing your work at all.

But if you observe yourself, you might discover that you have picked up a few negative daily habits that kill your chances at success and moving forward. If you want to be the boss of your own life and make your own success, you must first take 100% responsibility for yourself RIGHT NOW, in the present! Don’t kill your own success. Here are five things to stop doing now -- and what you should be doing instead.

You Listen To Your Inner Demons

You're not the only one with voices in your head, telling you you're not good enough or smart enough, these are your inner demons.

Demons lock you in your comfort zone to keep you safe from the risk of failure. This means they also hold you back from discovering your full potential.

What You Should Do Instead

 Demons aren’t bad or evil, they're scared. Thank them for looking out for you, but tell them their fears are not welcome. Then shut them out.

Instead, focus on a different internal voice -- the one that says, "Go for it! You can do it! This will be amazing!”

You Focus On Your Failures And Setbacks

Things won't always work out the way you'd hoped or planned. That’s disappointing.

 But focusing on the things that don’t work blinds you to seeing things that might be worth pursuing. Much like those demons, fear of failure will keep you stuck in a negative frame of mind.

What You Should Do Instead

Confront your feelings so you can move past them. It could be as simple as talking it through with a trusted friend or mentor.

If you're still struggling internally, consider writing your feelings by hand and then burning them. Release these negative emotions as you watch them literally go up in smoke.

 The symbolic gesture actually can be a powerful practice that frees up energy to welcome positive thoughts and feelings. Once you do so, you'll gain the perspective to see the failure or setback as a gift.

Take what you can -- a hidden lesson, an experience to be shared -- and then move on.

You Don’t Celebrate Success

How can you be excited about your path if you don't acknowledge the steps you've taken along the way?

Motivation can be the most difficult part of any journey. Recognizing your successes, however small, helps keep you fired up about what's ahead.

What You Should Do Instead

  Celebrate and record your achievements. Did you finish that huge project a day before deadline? Celebrate!

Did you assemble that Ikea desk for your new home office on your own with no leftover bits? Celebrate!

After celebrating, record that success. At the very least, use a distinct color to mark the accomplishment in your planner or calendar so you can look back and see at a glance how incredible you are.

You See Difficulty Instead Of Opportunity

No matter what you're trying to achieve, challenges are inevitable.

If you choose to see only the struggle, you're in for a tough road.

What You Should Do Instead

Accept that certainty as being out of your control and work to better yourself by changing how you perceive these challenges.

What you view first as an obstacle could reveal a chance to increase your knowledge base, develop a technical skill or make new contacts.

You might even boost your resume in the process: The next time an interviewer asks you for an example of a time you overcame adversity, you'll be ready.

You Focus On Small Matters Instead Of The Big Picture

Life gets busy. You'll never run out of tasks that need doing. But are those duties helping you advance toward attaining what you truly want?

If you aren’t consciously taking daily steps toward your big-picture vision, you’ll end up lost in a sea of to-do lists.

What You Should Do Instead

Make decisions from where you want to be, not where you are.

 Visualize yourself in the moment after you've achieved your goal by aligning with your core values.

What do you need to do today to become ideal-future you?

Make a list of the responsibilities that demand a "yes" and also define which tasks should be a "no."

Maybe it’s “yes” to that weekend workshop or working on your side business but "no" to social media or an extra shift at the job you don't want to be doing five years from now.


# Lifestyle
# Job Tips

5 Things That Are More Important Than Money!

by
David Blog

Oct 9, 2019

at 2:19 PM

As a young businessperson, you put too much time and energy into your venture not to make huge amounts of cash. Bringing in money is vital for you and your team members, who depend on you for their livelihoods.

But some things are more important than money and ignoring them will make your money worthless. Here are the top five things that should take priority over the dollar in your day-to-day.

Your Faith

This isn’t religious faith, although that can be part of it. The faith I’m talking about is the faith you have in yourself, your dreams and your business. Without this faith, it doesn’t matter how good your product or service is.

I’ve seen self-doubt destroy businesses that could have changed the world. It almost got me. When it feels like everyone you trust is out to get you, it’s hard to keep the faith.

But the moment you lose faith in your business, think your dream is a bit much or believe someone else would do things better, you’re done. You might as well quit and go work for someone else — someone who has a lot of faith.

Prefer to do things your way? You have to believe in yourself and every aspect of your business. Sure, you’ll make tweaks to how you do things, but you’ll do it because you believe in what you’re doing and want to do it better.

Your Health

As a businessperson, you spend more waking hours thinking about your business than anyone else. If something goes wrong, it’s your fault. This can be dangerous. It can lead you to think that if you’re not working on your business all day, every day, the business will fail.

Trust your people. Let them do their jobs and then go do yours. Make sure the business is strong. Research new ways to make it stronger. Get feedback from your team and put a game plan in place.

All the while, watch what you eat. Keep an eye on your waistline. Get to the gym or keep playing your favorite sport. A strong, sharp mind demands a strong, sharp body, so push it hard. You don’t have to be a bodybuilder. Just set goals, reach them, then set new ones. It’ll train you to do the same with your business.

Not feeling well? Be proactive and go to the doctor. Your business needs the best possible you. That means taking care of yourself so you can think clearly and lead your team into a future full of success.

Your Family

You want to give your kids a better life than you had growing up. But hunting for another dollar when you should be at home could cost you your family. Most people wish they could spoil their spouse and kids, but what your family really wants is you.

Being there for them might mean you're up so early that half of your workday is done before anyone else wakes up. That way by the time five o’clock strikes, you’re already back home.

If you’re spending all night at the office when your family is waiting for you, it’s not because you’re a hard worker. It’s because you suck at time management, efficient productivity and setting boundaries. When you dial in your habits and become a true high performer, you make more money and have more time for your family.

Your Experiences

You live once, then you die. There’s no way around it. Sitting in an office all day, every day makes no sense. You became the boss so you could live life to the fullest, so live it.

Be spontaneous. Take opportunities to travel. Meet a celebrity who happens to be passing through town. You can impress some people with your bank account, but memories and stories of life experiences enrich your life and engage people in ways money can’t.

As an added bonus, life experiences do more than give you good stories. They give you good ideas. They shape the way you see the world. They can shake you up enough to have breakthroughs and solve a problem at work that’s plagued you for months.

Your Legacy

After you’re dead and gone, your legacy is the only thing that’s going to stick with people. You can leave a pile of money to your loved ones, but it’s who you were while you lived that will impact them.

Put as much time and energy into your legacy as your business. If you want to be remembered for bringing value and joy to the world, you have to do more than stare at your bank account.

Make people your priority. Treat them with kindness and compassion. Give generously to the charities close to your heart. Listen when someone needs to talk.

You won’t wish you’d done things differently. You won’t fear what people will say about you when you’re gone. You’ll be content knowing you put the interest of others first, both in your daily life and in your business ventures. That is a legacy anyone would want.

Money makes it easier to take care of your health, legacy and family. It opens the door to experiences and helps you keep your faith alive. However, money can’t replace any of these things, so don’t look at money for your satisfaction. Work hard to earn enormous amounts of cash, then use it to live a great life!


# Student Sector
# Lifestyle
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

12 Things Mentally Strong People Do (And You Should Too!)

by
David Blog

Oct 9, 2019

at 2:19 PM

You’ve probably thought about exercising more for years -- or at least every January. But how often have you considered becoming more mentally fit?

I don’t mean doing puzzles to keep your brain strong. I’m talking about becoming mentally strong. When you do, you’ll likely be better equipped to regulate your thoughts, manage your emotions and boost your productivity.

Here are 12 things mentally strong people do, and you should follow.

They practice gratitude

Instead of focusing on their burdens or what they don’t have, mentally strong people take stock of all the great things they do have.

There are a whole host of ways to practice gratitude, but a simple way to start is to think of three things you’re grateful for each day.

You can also start a gratitude journal to jot down all the good things you experienced throughout the day or adopt gratitude rituals like giving thanks before a meal.

They aren’t afraid of saying “no”

Difficulty in saying no can lead to stress and burnout, and many mentally strong people know that and think critically before accepting every social invitation or helping colleagues out on projects.

This way, they can make sure to complete their own work first and not overextend themselves.

They overcome their inner demons

If you think you’re a failure, you may be more likely to fail. It can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Use that idea to your advantage by believing you’re going to succeed. This can be a challenge, but it’s possible if you pay attention to your thoughts.

Don’t ignore those negative thoughts -- acknowledge them, then do something positive to distract yourself.

Take a look at the evidence on both sides. By jotting down the good and the bad, you’ll notice that some of those negative thoughts are irrational. Find balance -- rather than beat yourself up, look at your flaws as ways to improve.

They expose themselves to pain

Muhammad Ali once reportedly said that he didn't count all of his sit-ups; he only started counting them when it hurt because those were the ones that counted.

Mentally strong people are often willing to endure pain as long as there's a purpose. They don’t go through a challenging workout, for example, just to prove how tough they are -- they do it to build strength.

They create their own definition of success

When people start their own business, things are tough -- especially when they failed. It is especially difficult to see people around them purchasing new cars and high school friends posting pictures of their travels. For them, maybe that was the definition of success.

But even though your business will fail, tell yourself you are still successful. You have an amazing mind and know that you can pick yourself up. Soon, you will be a successful entrepreneur.

They delay gratification

Delaying gratification could be paramount to success. That’s why people with mental strength have the strength to think long-term and do just that. They know that results only take place after they’ve put in the time and effort.

They don’t blame others

Mentally strong people avoid blaming others for their mistakes or shortcomings.

They take full responsibility for their actions. Doing so means they don’t give power to others, remain stuck or become negative people.

They practice realistic optimism

Mentally strong people tend to be optimistic, but they also understand that they can’t be overly optimistic.

It’s unproductive to believe that challenges will magically disappear or goals will be manifested without taking any action in the real world.

Mentally strong people practice realistic optimism instead. This means they take into account the challenges facing them and focus on what they can do to accept or overcome those realities.

Many start with planning ahead of when they need to be done so that they have wiggle room.

They know their limits

Although the mentally strong push themselves, they also know when it’s time to throw in the proverbial towel. They’re aware of their weaknesses, and they don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.

While some leaders are hesitant to show vulnerability, doing so enables them to learn more and become better than they were yesterday. Enhancing their skill set is more important than protecting their ego.

They don’t compare themselves to others

Mentally strong people are intentional about how they spend their time and energy, and they know it's futile to use it worrying about what others are doing. Feelings like jealousy and resentment aren’t just exhausting -- they’re essentially pointless.

The mentally strong appreciate others and celebrate their accomplishments with them, and that optimism is often a win-win for everyone. According to a Harvard University study, a sense of optimism may be correlated with a reduced risk from dying of major causes, such as cardiovascular disease.

 They don’t run from fear

Most people run away from their fears, but not the mentally strong. They not only seek them out but also, in a way, enjoy the fear as a method of getting out of their comfort zone. As a result, they often experience new things, meet new people and learn more about themselves.

There are also health benefits to facing your fears, including keeping your brain vigilant and alert, balancing bodily functions like your immune system and motivating you to accomplish goals.

They respect, and even like, their competitors

Mentally strong people aren’t afraid, intimidated by or jealous of their competitors. In fact, many respect and even like them, realizing that their competitors can be their greatest teachers.

Mentally strong people know to pay attention to what the competition did right or wrong and use it to see what differentiates them -- as well as use it as inspiration for their own next move.

Steve Jobs and Bill Gates had a bad relationship. However, both men ultimately supported and respected each other, with Gates once saying, "I’d give a lot to have Steve’s taste." Jobs admitted, "I admire him for the company he built -- it’s impressive -- and I enjoyed working with him. He’s bright and actually has a good sense of humor."

Becoming mentally strong doesn't happen overnight, but it's worth the journey. It can make you -- and your business -- resilient enough to withstand anything life throws at you.


# Student Sector
# Lifestyle
# Job Tips
# Trending

Malaysian Govt To Focus On Mental Health Next Year (And 5 Things You Should Know About Mental Illness)

by
David Blog

Oct 9, 2019

at 2:20 PM

With the current limelight on mental health in society, as highlighted by Joker (2019), Billie Eilish and many other pop culture references today, it is no surprise that more and more Malaysians are talking about the importance of mental health, which is GREAT!

Recently, thestar posted about the fact that the labor department will focus on mental health issues at their annual conference in KL next year. This is a huge achievement for Malaysian culture where we used to overlook mental health and sufferers are most likely to receive negative comments as backlash.

In reality, mental health is one of the most important things to focus on today, as many of us millennials in the workforce these days are suffering from either depression, anxiety or one of the many other illnesses. According to another article in thestar, more than 40% of Malaysians are affected by mental illness.This shocking number is what compels me to raise awareness on mental illness the next few weeks, so stay tuned for tips on how to deal with mental illness, and how to help those with mental illness out, starting with 5 basics you should know about mental illness.

It is a real illness

When someone is bleeding or loses an arm, you know they are injured.

Mental illness is the same but people tend to brush it off because it is not visible.

However, mental illness is as real as any other illness out there, and requires attention unless it gets worse.

It is one of the biggest silent killers today

Malaysia is seeing an increase of suicides as the years go by, due to the increasing number of people suffering from depression (up to 3x in the last 10 years)

It is the 2nd leading reason of deaths in young people, according to an article in NST.

A huge majority of malaysians suffer from it

More than 40% of malaysians suffer a form of mental illness, as reported by thestar and NST.

This number is rapidly increasing, due to societal stress and cultural problems, such as…

 Asian culture looking at mental illness as a sign of weakness

Children not being able to talk to their parents about this due to negative stigma in our culture

Higher stressors in our generation compared to previously in terms of environment, finances and expectations

The rate of it is increasing every generation

Because of the increasing stress and expectations per generation, depression rises in conjunction to the increased difficulty to be happy and content within our society.

Uni fees 450% higher compared to 20 years ago, inflation, pollution, low wages, misconception of depression, illusions of perfect lifestyle on social media… everything contributes to this constantly increasing rate.

It is treatable

Mental illness is treatable with the right company and mindset, however, it is a group mindset.

Everyone needs to be understanding of each other, and our own demons, in order to combat mental illness together.

This is difficult to achieve in our society of “kiasu-ness” but it is not impossible.


# Job Tips
# Trending

Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo! shut down TODAY?! More than 800 employees out of a job!

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 10:54 AM

It is spec
ulated that Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo! are shutting down their operations today and all of their workers are going to be laid off this evening.

According to a worker at Utusan, their headquarters at Jalan Chan Sow Lin was closed yesterday with workers cleaning out their belongings, following an unofficial announcement by their management.

They [the workers] were notified to come to the office in the afternoon to be briefed on the company’s latest development.

“Employees are required to vacate the office in 48 hours. There will be an official announcement tomorrow (Wednesday).”

“They[the company] will send us letters but so far, it is unclear if they will pay us back or what the compensation will be.” as told by the worker to Malaysiakini yesterday.

The development came after Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd announced that they will transfer 70% of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Dilof Sdn Bhd to Aurora Mulia Sdn Bhd - owned by businessman Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary.

Over the course of the year, Aurora Mulia has been expanding its holdings in Media Prima Bhd. and currently holds 31.22% of the shares in Media Prima.

Another worker (who declined to be named), said there was still hope for workers as there was speculation that the company would make a fresh start and take them back.

Recently, there has been a message circulating on Whatsapp titled “Recent Speculation” that states Utusan Malaysia would settle the debt of RM230 million, and most workers would be terminated, with only 60 staffs to be reinstated.

According to the order, it is still unclear whether the newspaper will continue publishing during the transitional period.

Currently, Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) has about 800 employees.


# Student Sector
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

How To Help People With Depression (What To Say And What Not To Say)

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 4:38 PM

Recently, K-Pop Sulli passed away due to depression. A lot of people don't understand how it is, so here is an article to shed some light on it.

As a build off from
this article
, let’s focus on our surroundings. Most of us have someone with depression or any other form of mental illness in our lives. Sometimes we may not mean it or know it, but the way we say things could make the situation worse. So, here’s 5 things NOT to say to depressed people, and how to properly reply to them.

Stop Acting Crazy

The phrase might be said without thought, not intended to cause pain. But the result is acid on a scar to someone who already feels ‘less than’ due to an illness that is rarely viewed with the respect or understanding given to a person with a physical ailment.

Saying things like “stop acting crazy” trivializes the very real torment faced by a person with mental illness.

Eliminating ableist words such as “crazy” or “insane” is a small but vital way to reduce the stigmatizing impact of such language.

What To Do Instead

Instead of scoffing, “Ah Hock, you are so crazy!” be specific about the behavior you find objectionable like…

 “Ah Hock when you don’t clean up your room, the place gets messy and smelly and you will get sick easier.”

Just Don’t Worry About It

Since a majority of Malaysians suffer from some form of mental illness, it is helpful to know the best ways to help someone who is suffering rather than to act like they’re making a mountain out of a molehill.

You wouldn’t dream of saying to someone with a leg injury, “Small matter only. Just keep walking!”  So why do so many find it acceptable to say a person with an anxiety disorder, “Just don’t worry about it?”

The put-down results in trivialization of what someone feels. This type of language can make the person feel as if he or she is making a choice about these difficult emotions. People with anxiety disorders know they worry a lot.

It is better to walk away from an anxious person than it is to tell them they need to calm down—they know they need to calm down, and hearing you say it only adds guilt and failure to the pile of emotions that was already overwhelming them.

What To Do Instead

The key is not to seem judgmental.

Use a supportive phrase such as “This must be so hard for you,” or “I’m here if you want to talk about how you feel.”

Just showing you have empathy and want to lend an ear and not lecture or taunt is the calming influence that can help the person versus alienate or cause further anxiety.

When your loved one is feeling calmer, perhaps he or she will be open to discussing options for seeking help.

It’s All In Your Head

Saying something like this gives off the feeling that you are belittling the matter.

It is like telling someone who just broke up that the pain they feel is also just in their head.

Just because a pain is not seen does not mean it isn’t there, emotional trauma is very real, especially for people who suffer from mental illness.

What To Do Instead

Instead of trying to convince them that it is fake and in their heads, try to empathize with what they are going through.

If you don’t really understand what it is they’re feeling, you can say something like “I may not know exactly what you are going through, but I am here for you.”

Sometimes, even a little re-affirmation goes a long way, as it makes people feel like they are not alone.

Therapy Is For Weak People

In asian culture, we think that mental illness and therapy is a sign of weakness.

The reason why our generation suffers so much from these illnesses is due to the fact our parents, friends and family may turn around and say that we are weak when we open up about it.

Calling someone weak in their darkest times is one of the worst things you can do to them. Such a statement is a horrific reinforcement of the negative stigma and reduces the chances of people seeking help while increasing their overall illness.

If you insist on saying this harmful phrase to someone clearly suffering, you need to look at your own issues and prejudices.

What To Do Instead

A few choices: Say nothing. Bite your tongue.

If pressed on the issue, say something like, “I’m not sure how I would handle what you’re going through but if therapy seems a viable option that can help you, I’m all for it.”

Things Will Get Better Tomorrow / Just Be Happy Lah

This sentiment is often issued in a heartfelt manner intended to be helpful. However, to someone with a major depressive or anxiety disorder to whom every moment of every day is an excruciating ordeal, it feels like a slap in the face.

It also makes the person saying it appear to have no desire to really relate to nor understand what mental illness feels like.

What To Do Instead

Again, rather than offer unwanted and unhelpful advice, validate the person’s feelings, no matter how elevated or exaggerated they seem: “That must really be rough to feel you messed up so badly. I’m here to listen.”

It can be really difficult to speak to someone dealing with a mental illness—not because of what they are experiencing, but because it’s hard to find the right words and it’s easy to feel like you are not saying or doing enough to help.

 The above statements are rarely made out of malice, but rather because it can be easy to fall back on clichés when you are struggling to find the right words. Try to use the substitute language listed and work hard to be present and let your peers, coworkers, and loved ones know that you are listening to them.


# Life Hack
# Job Tips
# Trending

What To Do If Your Company Is Not Paying You On Time (Or Going Bankrupt) According To Malaysian Law!

by
David Blog

Oct 9, 2019

at 3:02 PM

In conjunction to one of the biggest Malay newspaper company shutting down and over 800 employees being laid off, what would you do if something similar happened to you?

Not sure, well here are some steps you can take if the company you’re working for is going down under using the Malaysian Employment Law!

But before we dive deeper into this, here are some of the terminology that will  be used in this article.

Labour Court
:
 It deals mainly with the recovery of wages and other monies and employment benefits provided to employees under the Employment Act 1955 such as overtime pay, maternity allowance, salary in lieu of notice of termination and termination benefits.

Industrial Court
:
It’s a statutory tribunal established under the S.21 of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. It was set up to hear disputes between employees and their employers over rights and obligations that arise from the employment relationship and from the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act 1967. Most of the cases heard by the Industrial Court are claims by individual employees that the employee had been unjustly dismissed by his or her employer.

Manual Labour:
A physical work that was done by people like a chef, radio operator, construction worker and etc.

Non-manual Labour:
A person whose job involves the use of their mind like programmer, writer, senior technician and etc

My pay keeps getting delayed. What do I do?

Based on Section 19(1) of the Employment Act 1955, you’re to be paid within 7 days after the last day of any wage period (usually a month).
For example, if you receive your salary on the last day of the month, then your next salary should be in before the 7th of next month.

So, if this has been going on for a while now, it means that your employer has extremely violated the said section. You can have a talk with your management to come to a mutual understanding, OR if that doesn’t work, it’s time to take legal action. How?

Here are the steps:

You can
file a complaint
by sending an official letter to the nearest Labour Department, email to
[email protected]
, visit the nearest local Labour Department office or call 03-8000 8000. We would suggest you prepare the letter and visit the office because you know - the government office and efficiency doesn’t get along well.

Don’t forget to
 bring a copy of the supporting documents
 i.e. contract or appointment letter.

After that, you will be advised to wait for further notice from the Labour Department (while they do their own investigation).

The Labour Officer may contact the employer concerning your claim.
 If the employer accepts your claims and pays up, the matter is settled and you will withdraw the claim against him.
 If the employer disputes your claim, the Labour Officer will fix a date to hear your case in the Labour Court.

Both parties are required to attend the hearing.
 The complainant would be informed by letter (may be registered letter) and a summons would be issued to the defendant i.e. the employer.

You may choose to represent yourself, or by be represented by your trade union, by a lawyer or an official from the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC)
 - if you seek their help.

At the end of the hearing,
 the Presiding Officer makes an order either orally or in writing
. Any party not satisfied with the decision of the Presiding Officer can appeal to the High Court within 14 days from the date of the decision.

If the defendant does not appeal to the High Court and does not want to obey the order of the Labour Court, the Labour Office will assist to enforce its Order in the Sessions Court in order to recover the money.

Yup, the process can be very long. Many of us get turned off by this, let it slip and move on with our lives but hey, if you think it’s worth the fight then go ahead.

I recently quit my job but my ex-employer owes me money. How long should I wait?

If you resign in good terms by following the company procedure i.e serving the notice period, then YES, they should pay you according to below act:

20. Payment on normal termination of contract

The wages, less lawful deductions, earned by but not yet paid to an employee whose contract of service terminates in accordance with section 11 (1) or of section 12 shall be paid to such employee not later than the day on which such contract of service so terminates.

Another way to put this into perspective is that
when your contract with your company ended, and you’re leaving, your wages must be paid on the day you’re officially terminated.
 By rights, you shouldn’t be waiting for months for your salary to be paid.

To resolve this matter, you can go to the Labour Department Office and file your claim under Section 69 of the Employment Act 1955. Refer to Situation 1 to know what are the steps to take.

If I quit without notice, can I still get my salary?

If you quit without serving the notice for whatever reasons, you need to pay your employer, for example, 2 months salary as compensation to the company as indemnity in lieu of notice in case you’re unable to work out the 2 months notice period. This can be referred to below act:

21.Payment on termination of contract in special circumstances and on breach of contract

1. Where an employer terminates the contract of service of an employee without notice in accordance with subsection 13(1) or (2) and paragraph 14(1)(a)

a) the wages, less any deductions which the employer is entitled to make under section 24, earned by such employee up to and including the day immediately preceding the day on which the termination of the contract of service takes effect; and

b) in addition, where the employer terminates the contract of service under subsection 13(1), the indemnity payable to the employee under that subsection, shall be paid by the employer to the employee not later than the day on which such contract of service is so terminated.

2. Where an employee terminates his contract of service with an employer without notice in accordance with subsection 13(1) or (2) or subsection 14(3), the wages, less any deductions which the employer is entitled to make under section 24, earned by such employee up to and including the day immediately preceding the day on which the termination of the contract of service takes effect shall be paid by the employer to the employee not later than the third day after the day on which the contract of service is so terminated.

Similar to the previous situations, as an employee, you can file your claim under Section 69 of the Employment Act 1955 at the Department of Labour if you’re not getting your payment.

“What about the employers? What're our rights?”
  Yes, boss -  you guys can do something about it too. You can
make a claim for indemnity for Termination of Contract Without Notice
to get back the amount in lieu of the notice from the absconded (fled) employee under Section 69C of the Employment Act at the Department of Labour office.

They will send the letter to the employee and your ex-employee. Both will be required to meet at the Labour Office to settle your claims. If you’re lucky, the ex-employee will turn up, but if they don't, you don't have much choice.

The company I work for went bankrupt. Do I still get paid? What are my rights?

Usually,
when a company goes bankrupt or insolvent, it will result in business closure, which will then lead to the termination of the entire workforce
. This is different from “retrenchment”, where only some of the employees are terminated.

Supposedly,
the employers need to inform the Labour Department if they are going to close down their business or retrench their staffs.
They need submit an employment notification retrenchment form (PK Form) to any Labour Office. Failing to do so will cost them a fine of RM10,000.00.

If you’re currently facing this issue, here’s what you should know:
 Employees who fall under the Act
 (mainly employees whose monthly wages do not exceed RM2,000 and/or are involved in manual labour)
 are covered under the Employment
 (Termination and Lay-Off Benefits)
Regulations 1980
(Regulations).

Take note that these Regulations provide certain termination benefits (refer below table) are payable to employees who are terminated or laid off.

Length of Employment

Termination Benefits

Less than 2 years

More than 2 years but less than 5 years

More than 5 years

10 days wages for every year of employment

15 days wages for every year of employment

20 days wages for every year of employment

Side note:
To qualify, the employee must also have been under a continuous contract of service for a period of not less than 12 months.

The payment should be paid by the employer to the employee not later than 7 days after the relevant date.
If your employer fails to comply with this Regulations shall be guilty of an offence and you should file a report at the Labour Department.

My salary is more than RM2,000. Can I still file a complaint for not getting my salary?

Good news is YOU’RE STILL COVERED!
 This is because you’re still an employee or a “workman” as defined under Section 2 of the
Industrial Relations Act 1967
.

“…any person, including an apprentice, employed by an employer under a contract of employment to work for hire or reward and for the purposes of any proceedings in relation to a trade dispute includes any such person who has been dismissed, discharged or retrenched in connection with or as a consequence of that dispute or whose dismissal, discharge or retrenchment has led to that dispute.”

What makes it different from the Employment Act is that it defines "employee" based on the amount of wages and on the type of occupation of the employee. Industrial Relations Act, on the other hand, used the word
 "workman", which simply means any person employed under a contract of employment without being restricted to the digits of your salary or the type of occupation.

The process is for you to make a claim is still the same until you and your employer can’t come into an agreement. This is when the Industrial Relations Department will get involved.

It’s Time to Learn To Detect Bullsh*t!

If you don’t feel good about something, don’t wait until the company closes down. Be proactive about it - lodge a complaint to the Labour Department if you have to. The problem can be as simple as not paying your medical claims. The more you wait, the difficult it is to find the solution.

Also, maybe it’s time for you to brush up your resume (we at Ricebowl provide a lot of help on that). Even if you decided to stay a bit longer because you have this hopes that things will get better - hedge your bets. You should behave like you’re about to be laid-off.

That aside, we hope you learn a thing or two about your rights as an employer in Malaysia and what can you do if the said situations happen to you (touch wood!). Don’t forget to share it with your family and friends too!


You Can Get Married In Mekdi Now?!?!

# Lifestyle
# Life Hack
# Trending

You Can Get Married In Mekdi Now?!?!

by
David Blog

Oct 10, 2019

at 11:39 AM

Brides and grooms can now celebrate their 'happily ever after' for less than RM 1698 by hosting their wedding party at McDonald's.

Capitalising on the growing trend for unconventional 'I do's', the unique offering is available at 15 Hong Kong restaurants where couples can choose from four custom packages ranging in price from RM1604 to RM5346.

Depending on price, packages include everything from McDonald's branded balloon wedding rings to tiered apple pie cake displays and customised invitations.

Recently engaged social media sensation Safiya Nygaard, 26, travelled to Asia's 'World City' with her fiance Tyler Williams to experience fast food nuptials first hand, documenting the event in
a YouTube video
.

American Youtuber Safiya Nygaard and her fiance Tyler Williams (pictured) travelled to Hong Kong to experience a McDonald's wedding first hand

Launched in 2011, McDonald's wedding parties were initially available from just three locations in central Hong Kong, but skyrocketing demand prompted an expansion to 15 outlets.

Hong Kong remains the only city in the world where couples can host an official McDonald's wedding reception.

A McDonald's reception comes in dramatically below the average cost of an Australian wedding, which stands at an outstanding RM185,500 according to
Bride to Be Magazine
.

The deluxe Love Forever wedding package includes two McDonald's balloon wedding rings, seen here on Safiya and Tyler

The Love Forever Party also includes 50 invitations (pictured) and McDonald's characters for guest favours

The Happiness Party, which costs just RM1604, includes a two-hour venue rental between 6pm and 10pm, basic audio equipment and a party MC.

For RM5,346, the deluxe Love Forever Party offers a two-hour venue rental, two McDonald's balloon wedding rings, a balloon bridal bouquet and a party MC.

Decorations include a romantic roses balloon arch, a heart-shaped balloon set and a 'love' balloon table runner.

McDONALD'S WEDDING PARTY PACKAGES

McDonald's Wedding Party Packages include unique venue decoration, customised games, gifts for the bride and groom and guest favours.

The Happiness Party

At RM1604, the Happiness Party is the cheapest wedding package available.

It includes a two-hour venue rental between 6pm and 10pm, basic audio equipment and a party MC.

The Love Forever Party

Coming in at RM 5,346, the deluxe Love Forever party includes two hours venue rental, a pair of McDonald's balloon wedding rings and a bridal bouquet, also made from balloons.

The package also includes 50 invites, McDonald's character gifts for 50 guests, guest favours, balloon decorations and a party MC.

The piece de resistance of the most expensive option is a tiered apple pie cake display.

Decorations for the deluxe party package include a heart shaped balloon set and a balloon bridal bouquet

McDonald's spokesperson Jessica Lee said the idea for the packages started because the fast food retailer occupies a special place in the hearts of many young couples.

'We started the the program because many customers tell us that McDonald's is where they first started dating,' Ms Lee told
CNBC
 in 2014.

'McDonald's is where their love stories grew.'

The fast food giant also caters for engagement, anniversary and bridal shower parties.


# Lifestyle
# Job Tips

How To Build Your Business Success (Through Personal Branding)

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 1:10 PM

One of the most important things in building a business is personal branding. Without it, there is no prestige to the business and it would be difficult to get it out on the market to contend. Likewise with a good level of personal branding, clients would come to find you and it would make your business exponentially easier to grow. Lucky for you, personal branding has been becoming progressively easier to grow thanks to social media. If you want to flourish in your company through personal branding via social media, here are some tips to help you.

Know that you're
only limited by your imagination.

Compared to the promotional methods of the past few decades, social media is truly transformative.

Imagine building a name for yourself before Instagram. You could take out magazine ads, write a personal blog or run TV commercials. For TV opportunities, you were constrained by a producer; there were limits to what you could say and limits on the content you put out.

With social, there are essentially no limits. You can showcase photos of your hike one week to give people a way to connect with you personally, then share posts about the fruit smoothie stand in your neighborhood the next week so your followers feel they're along for the ride as far as your day-to-day routine.

Remember that your personal brand can transcend your industry.

Building your personal brand allows you to freely explore different avenues and open more doors.

This is especially important for entrepreneurs, since they often must be willing to embrace failure and try new things.

As an entrepreneur, you may eventually decide to change the direction of your company and career.

As the face of your company, it's a good idea to be a spokesperson for your product or service while also presenting yourself as an innovator, an authority and a unique personality.

As your career progresses, you might be under consideration for board seats or other advisory roles, and a strong personal brand can give you a leg up on the competition. Since the future of any sector is uncertain, it's important to build a personal brand that transcends your industry — that way, you can go from, say, running a software firm to managing a restaurant chain.

It’s your brand that inspires confidence, competence and trust, which are all crucial for success in business and with people.

Communicate with followers one-on-one to drive meaningful engagement.

Talking directly to followers is one of the best ways to form relationships.

You of course need interesting content and great pictures, but the one-on-one communication is vital, especially when you’re starting out on social.

Engagement with followers shows you’re an authentic person and care about establishing a rapport with people, not just building your follower count.


# Lifestyle
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

5 Podcasts That Will Help Boost Your Career Success

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 1:09 PM

Like the old saying, you are what you eat. You are, what you listen to also. The more you listen to successful people speak and learn their ideas, the more you start thinking like them. So why not listen to some podcasts? More specifically, career podcats that can help you improve your career and reach your job goals, whether it is getting a promotion, switching jobs or getting inspired to start ou own business. Here is a list of the best career podcasts to get started!

THE SCHOOL OF GREATNESS

When an injury prevented Lewis Howes from continuing to play professional football, he decided to channel his energy instead to become a New York Times bestselling author and lifestyle entrepreneur. On top of that, he also started this podcast aimed at sharing inspiring stories on what makes great people great by interviewing brilliant business minds, world-class athletes and celebrities. So if you’ve always wanted to know the tips and tricks, tune in to this one.

CAREER CLOUD RADIO

This podcast is downloaded more than 2,500 times a day, which means it’s definitely got something on it! Guests include resume writers, career coaches and recruiters who share their experience and tips on resume writing, interviewing, job resources and other career topics.

THIS IS YOUR LIFE

Michael Hyatt, a former publishing house CEO, shares practical tips in his podcast on how to boost your energy, delegate effectively, saying no with ease ... the things you wanted to know and do for a more productive and successful work week! What’s also great about this podcast is its library (the podcast started a while back) so you can easily scroll through for an episode that addresses your current career woe.

BEING BOSS

Always wanted to be your own boss? Let Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon, creators of this podcast, tell you how! The Being Boss podcast talks about practical advice on how to create your dream job, whatever that may be. Interviews with entrepreneurs give you ideas while witty banter amongst the creators keeps you entertained and inspired.

48 DAYS TO THE WORK YOU LOVE

Author and motivational speaker Dan Miller’s podcast is all about making you love your job – in under 48 days! It’s especially useful if you’re thinking of switching jobs or someone who just started the job hunt. Topics like tips for university graduates and how to leverage what you love will give you a different viewpoint on what it takes to love and be good at your job.


# Lifestyle
# Job Tips

5 Problems People In The Creative Profession Face Everyday (#4 IS THE WORST!)

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 1:32 PM

Being in the creative line is unique in its own everyday challenges. Many of us love what we do, but that doesn’t mean we don’t face problems that make us want to tear our hair out and scream. Many non-creative professionals assume that we have it easier because our jobs are “fun” and it isn’t something tedious and mundane. However, this is far from the truth as here are 5 problems we face everyday.

Creative Burnout

Burnout is something that can happen after any period of time, but it is more common among seasoned professionals.

Where a blank canvas once stood before you as a call to adventure and an opportunity to explore your creativity, it now is a problem standing between you and whatever else you could be doing.

Sometimes creative burnout is a direct result of doing something repetitive and not having other creative outlets.

To avoid creative burnout, many creatives take up a different creative hobby outside of their work, such as photography, writing, music or painting. This allows them to do something creative and enjoyable that is outside of their comfort zone and keeps creativity alive for them throughout their day to day work.

Defending Y
our Work

More often than not you will be working for non-creatives. This can feel frustrating if you end up in a situation where you are always defending your work and design decisions. The input and feedback you get, more often than not will make you cringe. Eg…

“Make the Logo Bigger.”

“Let’s go with this color; it’s my favorite.”

“Why can’t we just use [insert trademark infringing thing here]”

Title not good enough, make it more eye-catching

*random backseat designer/writer comments from people who don’t know beter*

We’ve all had to deal with this, and the temptation could be to just do what you’re told, keep your head down and let the client or employer deal with the consequences. Orders are orders after-all, and what do you know, you’re just the designer, the person who actually has a background in executing on these things. There is also the other side of the coin, ranting and railing and insisting you know best.

The best thing you can do is this situation is pick what is behind door number three, go with empathy. Calmly and concisely explain why you made a certain decision, or what the consequences of their request are, offer reasonable alternatives and/or compromises that you think are in the best of interest of the project. Ask them legitimate questions as to why they want to go in a certain direction, you’ll likely find that they aren’t 100% committed to an execution so much as an envisioned outcome.

Being Disrespected

This one is a bit more difficult to address. Nobody likes to be taken for granted or have it implied that their job is easy. Often statements like that are made out of naiveté rather than malice, but it still stings and can be infuriating. Maybe you’ve heard the following before as a designer or a writer, eg…

“It must be nice to just make pretty pictures for a living.”

“I can get someone to do that on Fiverr, design shouldn’t cost that much.”

“Doesn’t Photoshop do most of the work?”

All you do is look at pictures all day

Writing is not that difficult, I used to do it all the time in (level of education)

"Your job can earn money one meh?" - all asian relatives, ever.

You’ve likely heard this or similar comments before. Instead of replying back with a snarky comment (like I normally do) you should probably take the high ground, and let them know, that while you love what you do it, it isn’t easy and remind them that from the outside their job looks easy too.

In the case of clients or bosses, you can gently remind them that everyone wants to be in charge and that nobody really appreciates the stress and the hard choices they have to make. Again, this is an exercise in empathy.

Sometimes it is difficult to put aside our hurt of frustration at not being appreciated or acknowledged for our hard work. Ultimately what we want is to be understood, and getting there means understanding where other people are coming from and educating them so they can get to the place we need them to be.

Clients Expect F
reebies

This is one of the most peeving problems in my opinion, and most freelancers feel the same. Our work is hours of blood, sweat and tears yet when it comes down to payments, the client will expect to either have a discount or have it completely free, I’m pretty sure everyone in creative has heard this before….

“Do it for exposure.”

“Can you give me a discount, your prices are too high.”

Usually when I face this problem, I’ll explain to them the tedious process that goes on behind the scenes, and sometimes they may understand, and other times, I get fired back, but that’s life you win some you lose some.

We shouldn’t compromise our worth and our Ricebowl for someone, and that’s the way it should be.

Lack of Creative Control

Feeling a lack of control and ownership over your work can be the most difficult thing for a designer or any creative professional. Unfortunately, it is a reality of doing work for hire. The client or employer gets to dictate the art direction more often than not, and very early in your career you’ll likely be little more than an executor for someone’s creative vision. Instead of letting this cripple you, view this as an opportunity to hoard your true creativity for yourself.

Use your free time to do personalized projects or even take on (non-competing) client work, not for exposure, but for the experience of doing work where you can negotiate full creative control and really explore your creativity.

This can help you develop your design sense, build your own style, and create a body of work you are truly proud of. It can be very rewarding to feel a sense of true ownership over your work and have a body of work that truly represents you.

Later in your career you will likely find that this work is what you become known for.


# Student Sector
# Lifestyle
# Trending

Thailand To Hold Weed Festival Early Next Year!

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 1:59 PM

After legalising Marijuana for medical use back in December 2018, Thailand is now looking to fully drive its new direction towards utilising the plant for the benefit of the country’s economy. It was announced recently that the Association of Researchers of Thailand with the members of the public and private sector would jointly organise the World Ganja Festival 2020.

Source:
Al Jazeera

The proposed location of the festival is at Mukdahan, which is located in the north-eastern part of Thailand. As reported by The Thaiger, in the agreement that was signed by the three parties, the date of the festival will be between 29th January and 2nd February 2020.

Source:
Youtube

The objective of the festival is to be a platform for people to discuss the benefits of cannabis as well as help to promote Thailand as the leading developer of quality marijuana strains.

The World Ganja Festival 2020 will be covering everything from academic seminars, innovations, business negotiations, product design competitions and even a music festival.

Marijuana plants via Maejo University

Thailand effectively became the first nation in Southeast Asia to cultivate industrial-grade cannabis.

Two more metric tonnes of weed are expected to be ready by February 2020.

With increased availability, those with less critical needs, such as insomnia, depression, or stress, will be able to access medical-grade cannabis treatments, possibly by next year.

The festival next year will be divided into three zones.

These areas will cater to academic seminars, technological innovation, and business negotiations.

Thailand has since been tinkering with the medical and economic potential of this cash crop.

Time to book your tickets to Thailand....for educational purposes.


# Job Tips

How To Make Prices Seem Lower To Buyers So They're Encouraged To Buy The Product (According To Psychologists)

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 3:15 PM

Most marketers focus on surface aspects to sell a product, aspects such as headlines, copying and imagery. One thing a lot of them overlook however, is the product pricing page. That is actually a mistake. A common reason people don’t buy things is the price. So what if you could use psychology to change how people perceive it?

I’ve recently read a book published by
Nick Kolenda
, a psychology and marketing expert called
The Tangled Mind
, which explores how humans learn and think, and how marketers can use that knowledge for persuasion.

According to him, humans learn by association, every concept that people understand, is built on top of an earlier concept and understanding. Humans learn concepts about how to interact with physical objects when we’re children, but then apply them, falsely, to buying things online. By understanding what this means, marketers can affect a buyer’s perception of price. Here are some of his key points and concepts.

Size

One of the first concepts an infant learns is that large objects are more important than small ones. Adults are bigger than us, and they set the rules. Cars are dangerous, and they are huge. Firetrucks are the biggest, coolest vehicle ever, and they are gigantic. Then we grow up.

Even if we stop loving firetrucks (I haven’t), we still carry with us that early association: Bigger is more important. That idea is so ingrained that we apply it to abstract concepts like prices.

“Most prices we see daily are pixels on a screen, but we still apply the same association,” says Kolenda. “Researchers have shown in studies that a physically smaller price, in font size, is perceived as cheaper than if the font size was large.”

Weight

When we are small, adults lift us. When we grow to be too heavy, they stop. When we’re packing a shopping cart or car trunk, we put the heavier stuff at the bottom. Our brain forms a simplistic association. Light things rise, heavy stuff falls. Although simple, the association is strong. It warps our perception in other areas -- even photos of food.

Kolenda
points to a study
 from Ohio State University and the University of Miami, which showed that when a product image is placed at the bottom of food packaging, we assume the food itself is heavier. When the image is placed at the top, we believe the food is actually lighter.We do the same with pricing, too. On a price tag, the closer the numbers are to the bottom, the heavier and more expensive we perceive the price to be.

Proximity Association

As humans, we learn that items grouped are similar. Maybe they are from the same tribe. It also means when images are close together online, we fuse the ideas; we associate them. It’s like how fast-food chains dress the beef burgers in ads. Crispy lettuce and ripe tomatoes cascade from the patty in the hope we associate the whole thing as fresh.

Kolenda explains how researchers took an image of an inline skate and tested different text next to it to judge if the effect worked with pricing. “Some descriptions emphasized a 'low friction' benefit," he recounts. "Other descriptions emphasized a 'high performance' benefit. What they found was the price of an inline skate seemed lower when it appeared next to the benefit ‘low friction’ because people merged the concept of ‘low’ with the price.”

Motion

Which college would you prefer to go to? One whose ranking rose from sixth to fourth or another that dropped from second to fourth? Most people would go with the college whose ranking improved, regardless of the fact both colleges are now fourth. The reason is that we apply a concept we learned in the real world, i.e. momentum, to the abstract world. We like a college that is on the rise because our brains were trained in the physical world, and we expect that college to keep rising, despite no evidence as to why we should think that.

It works with pricing, too. As Kolenda puts it, when “a high price transforms into a lower price” -- like when stores cross out the original price and write in a discounted one -- “then people conceptualize this change as a motion of reduction.” Then our physical training kicks in. Our brains perceive the pricing on the screen to have momentum, and even if we forget the actual price, we’ll remember that it was great value. "Like the college study," Kolenda observes, "the final price -- because of the inherent momentum -- will seem even lower.”

As we learn, our brains create chains of mental associations -- vivid mental pictures. The world’s best marketers are the ones who master the ability to triggering those associations from the past and the positive emotions that go with them. Not all these concepts will work to increase sales in every circumstance, but not experimenting with visual associations is a car crash waiting to happen.


# Life Hack
# Job Tips
# Trending

Online Career Carnival - Find Your Dream Career Now

by
David Blog

Oct 14, 2019

at 7:13 PM

Finding your dream career is hard, especially as a millennial (20-30+ year olds). Most of us jump jobs and careers to find something that really "ngams" us, and fulfills our happiness. Furthermore, the difficulty increases in our generation when nowadays, not many of us can just walk into a company and say "I want a job." So with these problems in mind, we at ricebowl.my have come up with a solution for you all. We are holding an online career carnival to match you up with your most desired positions and help you grow in life.

From October 15th to November 16th, we will be posting specialized jobs almost EVERY DAY, so make sure to mark your calendars and keep a look out for your dream career's specialized day, as shown below :

October

15th - Sales

16th - Admin

17th - Accounting

18th - Human Resources

23rd - Customer Service

24th - Marketing

November

5th - Education

6th - Design

So how does it work?

Essentially, it is basically like any other career carnival, where we give you offers from companies all over Malaysia, and allow you to pick the jobs that you want, and everyday, there is a different theme or topic for your ease and preference. Except since it's online, you don't have to "mafan" go out, it will all be at the comfort of your own home.

Even if you aren't looking for a job now, it may pique your interest, as we also offer job tips, jokes, memes, lessons they don't teach you in school and MUCH MUCH MORE!

Where do we post it?

Keep your eyes out on our facebook groups, just type in "ricebowl" in the search bar and join one of our many groups. We cater to both mainly English and Mandarin speakers, so you don't have to feel left out!

LinkedIn >>
http://bit.ly/2pfvJUn

FB >>
http://bit.ly/2IOHJTu


# Job Tips

How To Increase Team Productivity (By Getting To Know Strengths And Weaknesses)

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 3:23 PM

When you take the time to learn about your employees, they’ll trust you as a leader and you’ll work together more effectively. But that can be difficult to accomplish through shorter conversations or pantry talk. Plus, you might also need to get to know your team quickly in order to make necessary improvements to your company. So, let’s explore three ways to productively and efficiently learn more about your team and how they work.

1. Have your team take personality tests.

Personality tests might seem redundant, but they can actually provide powerful insights. Here are three examples that could help you learn about your team members’s personalities and working styles:

The
5-Minute Personality Test
 is a free resource that will tell you a lot your employees's strengths and weaknesses, communication styles, greatest needs and more.

The
Myers-Briggs
 Type Indicator separates your team members into 16 different types of personality categories, offering insights on how they perceive the world, make decisions, communicate and more.

DiSC
 is a personal-assessment tool used by more than a million people every year to improve work productivity, communication and teamwork. The DiSC assessment is broken down into 4 DiSC factors: dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness.

2. Get feedback from your employees.

As a leader, you should be constantly striving for improvement, and one of the best ways to do that is by asking your employees what’s working for them and what isn’t.

For example, many of your employees might prefer to work under stricter deadlines.

After receiving this valuable feedback, you can make changes that will increase productivity and even boost the quality of their work.

Consider creating an employee-satisfaction survey for your team so that they can share their thoughts and suggestions. Plus, according to LinkedIn, managers who received feedback on their strengths showed 8.9 percent greater profitability.

3. Spend more time with them.

Aside from just chatting with your team members in the office, you need to spend more real time getting to know them as well.

This can be difficult to achieve, since you can’t necessarily all go out on the town after work, but you can take your team to work-related workshops and conferences or offer team-building activities.

A trip to an escape room, for example, could be a great way to learn how your employees solve problems and work together.

At our company, everyone works remotely, so we don’t have the opportunity to spend time together in person on a regular basis. Because of this, we hold a yearly company retreat that helps us get to know each other and build a strong company culture.

A connected team is a better team. Use these tips to learn more about your team and how they work so that you can build a rock-solid business.


3 Tips On Making That Career Change!

# Lifestyle
# Job Tips

3 Tips On Making That Career Change!

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 10:55 AM

As an entrepreneur we all too often hear the term "pivot." It is basically like a change. A pivot can come in many different forms, from changing your company’s strategy to updating your product’s scope. Pivots can also come into play when considering your career path.

One such entrepreneur, Benjamin Hoffman, recently made a complete career swap, going from a marketer to a software engineer. As a marketer, Hoffman was always fascinated with code and how he could integrate technology with marketing techniques to see better results. This interest turned into a passion, and fast forward to today, he just launched his first product.

If you’re like Hoffman and find yourself yearning for a career change, here are three rock solid tips to take the leap:

1. Start today

Hoffman didn’t wait to start. As soon as he realized his interests were more aligned with a software engineer, he began focusing less of marketing and more on technology. Taking that first step towards your goals is usually the hardest.  Each step gets easier as you gain momentum, especially if you are serious about that change.

Don’t be overwhelmed -- even if that first step is as small as researching the new field you’d like to enter, every bit counts.

2. Seek help

Having a support network around you is one of the best ways to ensure success. There will be times in your journey where you feel discouraged or unmotivated. It’s times like these that you can reach out to your friends and family to help pick you up.

Getting others to invest in your success is key to achieving your goals. You won’t want to let yourself down and you especially don’t want to let them down. You’ll find that your friends and family will check up on you and support you along your journey. Having that network is invaluable and an essential part of changing career paths.

3. Create something

This might sound like a big task, but it doesn’t have to be. It can be as small as creating resumes and cover letters for new job opportunities or submitting that application for school that’s been sitting on your desk.

In Hoffman’s case, it was building a simple web app with his roommate. It is important to show yourself that you actually create something rather than merely talk about creating something. Further, creating something of value and presenting it to others for feedback is the best way to improve and grow.

Entrepreneurs need to always be learning and whether you are thinking of changing careers or have already started, keep the above three tips in mind to ensure your success. Changing careers is hard and taking these steps will help make the transition much easier.

To look for your dream career, check out our website
HERE


# Student Sector
# Lifestyle
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

6 Tips To Making Your Trip To Work More Fun And Productive!

by
David Blog

Oct 22, 2020

at 5:57 PM

The average one-way commute in Malaysia is roughly more than 30 minutes, especially when there is a jam. Over five days that adds up to 5 hours on the road. And if you live far away, sometimes it is over 1 hour per trip, so in a week you might even be on the road (or LRT/MRT) for up to 15 hours! It’s super mafan but... the upside: That’s valuable time to use to your advantage, whether it’s to catch up on work, grow professionally, or allow yourself some me time. Try one of these creative tips for a productive, happy commute.

1. Learn Something New

Need to keep your eyes on the road? Seek out audiobooks or podcasts relevant to your profession.

When you are on the road, listening to audiobooks and podcasts may help you develop different soft skills when you listen to topics like leadership and “out-of-the-box methodology”.

Ask co-workers or mentors for recommendations, and embrace absorbing knowledge on varied platforms.

Audio is a great way to diversify how you consume information, try it and see the huge benefits!

2. Get a Jump Start on Your Day

When you commute in the LRT, MRT or bus, take your laptop out and work during the travel.

With that time when you are not bothered by anything, you might be able to finish up a lot of the daily task you have before your day even starts, and thus you’ll finish your work very early that day.

3. Flex Your Travel Hours

Instead of attempting to go through the KL jam in the morning, try to either go earlier or later when the jam hasn’t started or just ended.

Even if you go late, you will arrive at a normal time. If you go early, you have ample time to finish up your work for the day and get a head start.

At the end of the day, you can do the same, if you finish your work early, just leave before the jam especially if you came early. Likewise, you can also finish up work for tomorrow and leave a bit later to beat the jam.

4. Connect With Friends and Family

Commuting is a great time to touch base with the people who matter to you most, with a real, live hands-free conversation.

You can make a phone call or WhatsApp your friends and family on the ride and keep in contact with them, especially when you are the kind that are super busy 90% of the day.

Maintaining those connections pays off in a big way: Studies suggest that having strong relationships can translate to
better health
, less stress, and better performance at work.

5. Mix It Up

Sometimes drive, sometimes take the LRT, sometimes take a Grab. The change of scenery keeps your daily commute more interesting.

Alternatively, you can find different routes with your navigation app and discover new sceneries and roads, maybe you will discover something interesting along the way as well!

6. Change Your Mindset

Instead of thinking negatively about the jam, find a positive way to think about your commute, for example…

This is the only time of day you can zone out and listen to music while reflecting on yourself and your day.

This is the time where it is so calm and serene it is almost like meditation and relaxation.

With a change in mindset, you can make a boring and anger inducing trip into a very chill vibey trip.


# Lifestyle

6 Things You Need To Know When You Love Someone!

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 3:24 PM

UNDERSTAND.

They will never be perfect, at some point they will be inconsistent.

Sometimes they will be impatient and sometimes it will be hard for them to handle your mood swings.

They get angry too, your partner’s mood changes as well.

FREEDOM.

Give them the freedom to do the things that they like. Do not limit them. Do not choke them in the neck.

The truth is, if they really love you, they will never do the things that will hurt you.

They have a life to live, so do not take that away from them. You are not their world. You are a part of it.

RECIPROCATE.

Make efforts for them too, ask them how their day went, ask them what went wrong.

Love them hard as well, be patient with them.

RESPECT.

You have to respect their choices and decisions.

Give them respect that they deserve.

AFFECTION.

Show them that you care.

Wrap them with warm hugs, show them that you are always there for them.

ATTENTION.

 Like you, they need your attention too.

 They need reassurance as well that they are the only one for you.

Do not give them reasons to doubt you.

There will never be a perfect spouse. At some point, you will get disappointed and upset because they did not become the person you expect him to be. But because you love them you accept every bit of them. If they are worth the risk, keep them.

Sometimes we want to be understood so much, that we forget to understand our spouse as well.


# Life Hack
# Job Tips

The Benefits And Perks Of Being In Sales

by
David Blog

Oct 15, 2019

at 3:34 PM

Sales career offers the opportunity of financial success and provides a sense of accomplishment and pride with each new sale. A number of people may see a sales career as a default career choice but there are many benefits and rewards to a career in sales that far outweigh the often misrepresented view of this profession.

What are the benefits of a career in sales?

Transferable skills, creating a challenging career

The skills developed in a sales career are abundant and provide a desirable career path for many professionals.

 Unlike many other careers you will not feel stuck in one industry; once you have the skills to sell successfully you can transfer your skills and move between industries providing new challenges and the opportunity to move your career in the direction you desire.

Great earning potential

The financial rewards can be significant and if you are willing to create new opportunities and have the drive to succeed the earning potential can seem limitless

The pay structure will vary at each company but will generally involve a base salary plus commission, bonus and additional benefits.

Sales is also one of the only jobs available that allows you to be able to
 earn up to 6 figures a month!

Freedom

A day in sales is what you make of it and there is little time for clock-watching and a nine-to-five mentality.

A job in sales provides a freedom where you can generally structure your own day and manage your own time, whether you are in the office or out on the road meeting clients.

Meet a wide variety of people

A career in sales provides the opportunity to meet a variety of people from internal stakeholders to product developers/suppliers to clients.

It is almost a guarantee that each day you will talk to someone new, from a different walk of life, that will teach you something interesting you didn’t already know.

As a salesperson, you create for yourself a great career network that will provide vast career opportunities.

Continual learning

The earning potential may be unlimited but so is the learning potential. From the vast networks of people you will meet the continual changes in areas that impact your job, like the economy and technology, you’ll never get time to feel uninspired in the career you’ve chosen.

One of the best parts of a career in sales is that it is undefined, it’s hard for any sales person to describe their typical day because there is no typical day.

A day can involve researching new clients, meeting with clients, nurturing relationships with existing clients or strategizing sales growth with internal stakeholders. Everyday is fresh and something new, so it’s never boring.

There is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from successfully closing a sale or ‘sealing the deal’. Satisfaction can come in a variety of ways from professional satisfaction, usually generated from tangible rewards and the acknowledgement of a job well done, or personal satisfaction that provides self-confidence and pride. So if you are considering a career in sales you can see there are many benefits which make it a successful and rewarding career.

For inquiries on sales jobs, click
HERE


# Student Sector
# Life Hack
# Job Tips

6 Ways To Keep Your Productivity In Tiptop Condition

by
David Blog

Oct 16, 2019

at 11:47 AM

1. Take a break.

We try to focus on the biggest task that needs to be accomplished, but if it’s not going as planned, you’re best off not spending too much time on it. Stop that process, take a step back, regain momentum, then start again.

2. Dive in.

When it boils down to it, you just have to jump right in and do it. The earlier you start the earlier you can finish your task and jump on to something else.

3. Think small.

Focus on small arrangements. Do tasks that have a clear beginning and end and is easy to check off on a to-do list. Finishing even the smallest of jobs helps you clear your head and your day.

4. Breathe deep.

Focus on your breathing and bring yourself back to a head space where you are able to accomplish the task at hand. Listening to music may also get you into the zone.

5. Go with the flow.

Unproductive days have historically been frustrating -- until you realized that these are the times when your brain is unconsciously cooking up my next idea! Instead of being annoyed at your lack of concentration, let your thoughts wander and try to feed your brain with new and exciting inputs. Trust your brain, it knows what it needs to do.

6. Look to the past.

When you’re feeling unproductive, go back to old notes and brainstorm moments that you have kept throughout the years. Some are inspirational today, others are a laugh or a success point. They will motivate you to keep going forward.


How Companies Kill Innovation

# Job Tips

How Companies Kill Innovation

by
David Blog

Oct 22, 2020

at 5:58 PM

A lot of companies claim they are innovative, but sometimes when they try to create a culture based around it, they fall short. A lot of the time, the only way to really be unique in a crowded market is by going against the normality of it. So to elaborate, here are the 3 common mistakes that companies do that discourage innovation and need to be corrected.

1. Focusing too much on productivity.

Traditionally, companies with busy employees means that there is a high rate of work completion, which hopefully will generate greater revenue. However, for a company to be innovative, its employees need time to be able to generate and brainstorm new ideas. Simply put, they need the time to think, and it is proven to be beneficial. Time for innovation often means time away from an employee's day-to-day activities. Can you imagine a high-performer at your company having a week away from their revenue-generating work to spend coming up with new ideas? What if this time resulted in a more efficient process, a business problem solved, or a new sales-generating product. Would it be worth it then?

Companies cannot say they value innovation on one hand and then stress that productivity matters above all else. Try giving employees the time and space to innovate, and you may be surprised with the result.

2. Instilling a top-down hierarchical culture.

In companies that have a strong top-down culture (leader says, workers do), it can be hard to squeeze innovation out of employees. They will not be used to being heard, so they won't try to speak up, and that's dangerous. In this setting, it will take extra effort for leaders to say, "We want your new ideas" and to show they mean it. At the end of the day, it is the people doing the gritty work that have the greatest knowledge and ideas on new and improved ways of doing things. The highest potential for innovation comes from the many minds that fuel and support the company, rather than the few at the top.

Companies need to create an inviting and easy mechanism for employees to share their ideas with higher-ups. This could be anything from an online submission form to focus groups or listening sessions. Make sure employees are recognized for sharing their ideas, even if all of the ideas aren't selected to move forward to implementation.

3. Lacking a way to put ideas into action.

Innovation isn't all about ideas; there also must be a way to turn them into new practices or products. If employees are encouraged to innovate, but they never observe changes actually taking place, they will eventually stop trying. Have a complete system in place for innovation rather than just an idea-gathering component. Be transparent about how ideas will be selected to move forward, and then share updates on progress along the way. Even if you evaluated the feasibility of a new approach and determined it didn't make good business sense to implement, this is an important decision to share, as it shows thoughtful consideration.

The last thing you want is for employees to feel their ideas are going nowhere except the dustbin, and that their supposedly innovative company is stagnating despite their efforts. The most innovative employees will either disengage or go work for a more forward-thinking company.

Do these practices sound like your company? If so, you should now have a better idea of how to transform your culture to get the most out of your best and brightest employees. Encouraging innovation can pay great dividends in morale, employee engagement and potential company profits, so set your company up for success by avoiding these common pitfalls. Start evaluating where your organization can improve to foster and cultivate innovative outcomes.


# Student Sector
# Lifestyle
# Trending

Barack and Michelle Obama Coming To Malaysia In December!

by
David Blog

Oct 16, 2019

at 1:39 PM

Numerous young leaders from all around the globe would have probably shared a similar dream at some point in their lives, to meet the 2 most popular leaders of our time, Barack and Michelle Obama. Now, that dream may become a reality for 200 lucky young leaders from around Asia.

The former US president and his wife will speak at the Obama Foundation’s inauguration titled “Leaders : Asia-Pacific” , happening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from December 10th to December 14th this year. According to the foundation’s media statement on Tuesday (Oct 15), the Malaysian event will bring together 200 emerging leaders in public and private sectors from more than 30 different nations and territories across the Asia Pacific region.

The four-day gathering will include plenary sessions, skill-building workshops and leadership development training. According to the Obama Foundation, the meetings will have an Asia Pacific perspective that is focused on values-based ethical leadership. This is the first event in the foundation’s year-long programme, which will also see a speaker series, technical training sessions, educational workshops, action plan guidance, and support from the foundation.

Bernadette Meehan, the Obama Foundation’s chief international officer, said in a statement that the Apac region is of “great importance to President Obama given his strong roots in Indonesia and Hawaii”. She added that the programme will have “a focus on shared values and ethical leadership”, and that it will “empower these leaders to tackle the unique challenges they face in their communities”.

The programme builds on the foundation’s work with young leaders over the past two years in Chicago and Johannesburg, and is co-designed by 21 APAC leaders at the
Hawaii workshop in January
 with Barack Obama. The 58-year old former US president had said at the Hawaii workshop that the foundation was trying to “promote a value-based approach to leadership development, because we believe that real leadership involves dialogue and inclusion and tolerance and a commitment to human dignity”. Michelle Obama also announced last Friday (Oct 11) that she would also be travelling to
Vietnam in December
 as part of the foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance’s efforts to drive awareness and action on the importance of adolescent girls education. As such, the Kuala Lumpur gathering will also include several leaders from across the region who focus on girls’ education and empowerment.