“The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.” Benjamin E. Mays When we talk about goals in life, two scenarios may come to the stage: Some people are super goal-oriented and drive themselves harshly goal after goal. Others live in static and dullness with no goals to reach. In this article, I tend not to address the adverse effects behind both but emphasize a healthier and more scientific approach for goal setting and reaching in life. That is the SMART Goals. The Definition of SMART Goals You may have heard of it multiple times but are still confused with the interchangeably used definitions. Despite those slightly different interpretations of this acronym, the most well-recognized version of the SMART Goals criteria is the one popularized by Professor Robert S. Rubin in Saint Louis University: S - specific M - measurable A - achievable R - relevant T - time-bound Each step is essential for overall success. I’ll explain them specifically in the following with some tips and examples of SMART Goals to help you understand them better. S - specific This simply means that a goal has to be

The Meaning of PDCA Cycle PDCA Cycle (also known as PDSA Cycle or Deming Cycle), is a problem-solving method used for the continuous learning and improvement of a process or product.  There are 4 basic steps in PDCA Cycle: Plan: identify a problem and possible solutions Do: execute the plan and test the solution(s) Check: evaluate the results and lessons learned Act: improve the plan/process for better solutions These four steps incorporate inductive-deductive interplay and have been a simple and scientific approach for problem-solving (process-improving). It follows the curve of how we acquire knowledge through constant reflection, standardization, and modification. The PDCA framework begins with a planning phase where a problem or a process to be improved is identified. This involves not only the goal setting and finding possible solutions, but also hypothesizing methods that can be used to reach the ultimate goal. Another thing that needs special attention is defining the success metrics. This simply means a clear evaluation matrix is ideally to be set beforehand. Then, the solution(s) will be tested in the Do process. To detach the Do, there could be two steps: making the Do multiple To-Dos by splitting the task and defining them with a

What is the Pomodoro Technique? The Pomodoro Technique is one of the simplest and most feasible methods of time management, proposed by Francesco Cirillo in 1992. He named it “Pomodoro” (tomato in Italian) just because of the tomato-shaped kitchen timer he used to track time. Struggling with constantly refilling to-do lists and never-ceasing deadlines like all of us today, Francesco found a way to enhance his concentration and productively get things done as a university student. That is Pomodoro Technique. Every 25-minute is considered as a Pomo, dedicating to a task during the Pomo and taking a 5-minute break when it ends. After 4 Pomos, take a longer break (usually 15-30 minutes). The whole process goes like that. With time, this can train our brain to focus in short and timed intervals, while also ensuring relaxation for quick recharging during work. Therefore, Pomodoro Technique outweighs other productivity methods mainly because it’s distraction-fighting and brain-training. How to do it? Pomo Timer was introduced to TickTick a long time ago, and we’ve mentioned this technique several times before, but we’ve never dived into it to see how it can be applied practically into work and life. Let’s do that now. First of

As 2020 has officially come to the end, some may have already engaged themselves in re-evaluation on things completed and changes made throughout the year. Looking back to last year’s resolution and seeing what has been ticked off is always a good way to do that, so is listing what you did well and what you didn’t. To help you do that, 2020 TickTick Memory is ready! You’re not only able to quickly generate your TickTick 2020 year-in-review but can also write down your 2021 new year's resolutions at the same time in the list we create for you!  Your 2020 TickTick Memory Generally, there are 3 parts in the review, regarding Task completion, Focus, and Habit tracking data respectively. Some of the most curious questions will be covered, such as: How many tasks have I completed this year? How long have I been focused on my tasks? What time in a day is my most productive hour? What is the habit that I insisted on for the longest time? More surprisingly, apart from the review itself, another handy feature we’ve added in the review is a 2021 resolution list! You can write down your 2021 new year's resolutions immediately

Many of us enjoy making plans, such as spending hours creating a never-ending to-do list. Similar to registering for a gym membership but never visit since then, the common reaction to a redundant list or a big commitment is usually: Procrastinate on it till the last minute; Start from small and low-value tasks to feel they are still progressing. Maybe everyone procrastinates, and for the most of time, procrastination indeed damages our productivity and success. However, not every procrastination is deadly harmful. High performers differ from low performers by choosing the right tasks to procrastinate on. They intentionally put off those not-so-important tasks and devote themselves first to dealing with the task with the highest priority. This refers to a productivity approach called "Eat That Frog". What does “Eat That Frog” mean? Don’t be scared away if you first heard of this strange term, because it’s not asking you to eat a real frog. Metaphorically, “Frog” here stands for the hardest and most important task that you’re most likely to leave to the last minute. “Eat That Frog” symbolizes doing that task first thing in the morning, right on the top of your schedule. Beginning the workday from it and

What is white noise? Some may have found themselves working more productively sitting in a crowded café instead of at home or in an open-plan office, and others may have had the experience that they fell asleep more easily especially when it is a rainy night.  I believe you can somehow feel the relatability. Why would there be such situations, if it’s not just out of randomness?  This is because “White Noise” like these, raindrops and people chatting in the café, can help us in terms of focus, productivity, and relaxation. Researchers at the University of Illinois found that participants who listened to 70 dB of noise performed better at work than the other two groups (exposed to 50 and 85 dB noise levels respectively). Just for your information, noise at 70 dB level is similar to the sound of a moving car 10 meters away. Noise at this level was reported to be just soothing enough to calm our minds and keep ambient sounds away, with itself not being too overwhelming to distract us from our tasks. This is called “White Noise”. Similar to the definition of “White Light”, a mixture of all spectrums. “White Noise” is a mixture of

An often heard theory of habit-building is the “21/90” rule. 21 days for a habit to form (0-1), and another 90 days for that habit to stick (1-100). Apart from these two key stages, the initial decision to commit to a new habit is also important.  Deciding to commit to a positive change A ritual of starting Before jumping into a new habit, a good way to get yourself mentally ready is a ritual of starting. Telling yourself and maybe also people around you that you’d like to make a certain change, is establishing an invisible “flag”. It’ll not only psychologically remind yourself, but others can also play the role of a supervisor if needed.  A reason behind the change It is essential while always neglectful to identify what drives you to make the change and where your initial motivation comes from. It seems determined that your habit won’t last for long if the reason behind it is self-punishment. This means that an intrinsic motivation of establishing a habit should develop from what you love, instead of hate. A clear goal and steps to reach it  Once you’ve committed, it’s important to set a clear goal and detailed plans. The

Have you ever experienced a moment when you’re fully immersed in an activity, without noticing the flow of time, people around you, or even your  basic bodily needs, i.e. hunger? You might immediately recall a time when you enjoyed listening to your favorite music with your newly bought headphones on the subway, feeling seamless closer and closer to every bar of the beat, word of lyrics, and the note of chords. People’s talking started to fade away and you even missed the stop station unconsciously. This is the very moment of “being in the zone”, and is actually what Csikszentmihályi initially described as a “flow state”. What is the Flow State? Happening a lot to athletes and creative workers when they are racing, painting, or practicing ballet dancing, the state of flow defines the situation when someone is completely absorbed in what he/she does, accompanied by a feeling of great enjoyment in the process. However, flow can not just happen in physical activity or creative pursuit, but also in a simple day-to-day activity/task, like reading or cooking. How Is It Truly Like to Stay in a Flow State? According to Csikszentmihályi’s research, people who he interviewed experienced the following feelings

Understanding the meaning of Slash Slash When we think about slash, what may first come up with might be the punctuation -- “/”. But if we use the word “slash” to describe a person, the meaning of it extends to people with multiple occupational identities -- a UI designer/ blogger, consultant/ career coach, or editor/ teacher.  Slash Career This also brings up a popular phrase -- "slash career", which means people make multiple income streams simultaneously. Having a slash career was initially popular among those creative workers, such as illustrators, but this became more mainstream especially with millennials in other traditional fields as well.  Benefits of slash career Many people might be skeptical about having a slash career. On the one hand, performing different jobs is considered as a way to bring greater diversity and satisfaction in career life. On the other hand, it may also mean the lack of depth in one specific field and thus less chance to climb to the top. I think the benefits of having multiple careers outweigh its demerits because it helps achieve stronger fulfillment in both personal and professional life. Having multiple occupations can reduce the tediousness Having multiple occupations can reduce tediousness