Audrey Leung

Life balance:

1.   Caproni, Paula J.. "Work/Life Balance - You Can't Get There From Here", SAGE Social Science Collections, March 1997. Accessed December 6, 2015. http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/67268/10.1177_0021886397331003.pdf?sequence=2&isAllowed=y

This article help me understand work-life balance in different perspectives. For example, the part about efficiency tells me that being too efficient, or focus with work, causes us to forget to live our lives and also be happy. This makes me reflect on how striving for efficiency in the modern world creates conflicts with our lives and mental health.

2.    Quesenberry, Jeria L., Eileen M. Trauth. “The Role of Ubiquitous Computing in Maintaining Work-life Balance: Perspectives from Women in the Information Technology Workforce” in “Designing Ubiquitous Information Environments: Socio-Technical Issues and Challenges” ''Edited by Carsten Sorensen, Youngjin Yoo, Kalle Lyytinen, Janice I. DeGross. Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.''. 2005. Accessed November 16, 2015. http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/0-387-28918-6_6

This reflects the importance of technology as a factor of accomplishing work-life balance in the modern society. By applying it also to myself as a student, it shows that I can make use of technology to achieve and maintain balance between my academics study, extracurricular activities, and social life. With more convenient communication and sharing of information, technology helps improve both my productivity while studying and my relationships with family and friends.

Grades:

1. “14 Ways to Improve Your Grades if You’re Underperforming”, Oxford Royale Academy, September 1, 2014. Accessed 7 December 2015. https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/improve-underperforming-grades.html.

I find this article very helpful. As a student, I understand the problems with grades. However because I am also in the same situation, it is harder for me to look from a different perspective and think of solutions other than studying harder. Ways introduced by this article, such as making our rooms brighter, are creative, easy to do, and useful.

2.  “11 Surprising Factors That Determine Your Success in School,” OnlineUniversities.com, January 18, 2015. Assessed December 7, 2015. http://www.onlineuniversities.com/blog/2012/01/11-surprising-factors-that-determine-your-success-in-school/.

This article gives me some new ideas on factors that affect our grades. Some factors mentioned in the article are often forgotten or ignored. For example, getting enough sleep is essential to having good grades. Having a good relationship with family is also one important factor. Many students have the misconception that studying all day and staying up late can improve their grades. However, this article successfully proofed that balancing one’s studies, fitness, family and social life is what helps most to improve grades.

How to Network:

1.     Lenhart, Amanda, Mary Madden. “Social Networking Websites and Teens: An Overview”, the Pew Internet & American Life Project, last edited 2008. Assessed December 7, 2015. http://htlab.psy.unipd.it/uploads/Pdf/lectures/technology_for_young/Social%20Networking%20Websites%20and%20Teens%20text.pdf.

There are some surprising facts that I found in this study. This study found out that among the teenagers in the age of 15-17, more girls than boys uses social networking sites, revealing that at that age, girls tend to make more use of these sites to network with others, mostly friends.

2.     Seidman, Gwendolyn, “How Facebook Affects Our Relationships”, Psychology Today, May 28, 2015. Assessed: December 7, 2015. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/close-encounters/201505/how-facebook-affects-our-relationships.

This article includes both positive and negative effects of Facebook on our relationships. It includes how Facebook facilitates networking and maintaining relationships. It also mentions the harm that Facebook does on our relationships. Overall, I think that the two-sided arguments help me, as a Facebook user, to understand how I should make use of this site to network but not being harmed by it. It also reveals some new ideas that I have never thought about, such as the jealousy and anxiety that Facebook causes.

How to Strategize for Longterm Goals:

1.Tolbert, Kristen, “Learn to Tackle Your Long-Term Goals Today”, Looksharp, September 2, 2014. Assessed December 7, 2015. https://www.looksharp.com/blog/learn-to-tackle-long-term-goals-today.

This article provides a specific example of how to plan to meet long-term goals, which I found very useful. It uses “establishing a career in law” as an example, and lists out quarterly goals like job search and resume. Then there are monthly actions which are details of what to do to achieve the quarterly goals. By using a similar plan, we can clearly know what we should do to achieve our goals in life.

2. The Mind Tools Editorial Team, “Personal Goal Setting: Planning to Live Your Life Your Way”, Mind Tools, April 1, 2011. Assessed December 7, 2015. https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html.

This is a step to step guide to setting personal long-term goals. It not only teaches people how to set their goals, but also mentions how to set “smart” goals. In the article, a “SMART mnemonic” is suggested, which I think is creative and quite useful. It says that SMART stands for “Specific”, “Measurable”, “Attainable”, “Relevant”, and “Time-bound”. This is a simple and complete summary of how we should set our goals.