25/7/05

First day of school. Bravo. I was suppose to be in a very happy mood before today. I just don't know my whole personality changed when I am in school. The hostile feeling in class could be felt on every inch of my body. I was trembling slightly during the class, writing any thing that comes out from the teacher's mouth.

One funny thing happened when I was printing my notes before going home. We had a strange printing system where we have to set our printing jobs to the printing site and then we put in our cash card into a machine to get our print jobs done. There is this guy who prints before me and so I waited. The printer is configured in such a way that it just "vomits" paper out and doesn't stop between different print jobs or for different people. I saw the guy in front of me fumbling with the notes and just took the whole stack and walked away, leaving a piece there for me, which was mine. But I thought I had printed more, as in 10 more pieces. I was so pissed but smiled and laughed at the situation that the guy might have just took everything.

I went back to the comp and resent my document to the printed. "there goes my 50 cents" I thought. When I went to the printing area, I actually found out that I didn't choose to print that whole stack of notes just now. I maligned that guy! ha luckily i didn't run out of the room to confront him. Phew.

Saw my platonic friend today. I was surprised. Beautiful smile I thought. Long time no see.....

Slice of Life

Inspiring Workplaces (Part 1)

Just the other day, I visited my friend at his office. The moment I laid my eyes on the front door, I was impressed. His company's ivory white logo stood out from a wall of the same hue, the edges made visible by the play of shadow and light. This gave it a wonderfully "live" effect, since the shadows shifted as I passed. Inside the office, I was greeted by more design elements - strategically-placed plants, bare spaces, candle-light, small water installations - that created a very tranquil yet inspiring atmosphere. A gentle piano faintly tinkled out zen notes.

Does your workplace inspire you? Since we spend so much time at the office, doesn't it make sense to create a work space that's energising, soothing or conducive for creativity?

Design permeates our living spaces. These days, almost everything can be a design aspect, from your computer screensaver to the way the light streams into your office. How can you revitalise your environments and foster an ongoing sense of innovation?

You might start by finding out what makes you "tick" with the DISC assessment.

The DISC is a fantastic tool that can provide you with amazing insight into understanding your behaviour. It can also help you create motivational environments and interact more effectively with others.

D is for Dominance. Are you a high-D person? Then you will thrive in an environment that is fast-paced, buzzing with energy, and somewhat chaotic. A week-end in a bustling city like Manhattan or Hong Kong may provide you with the motivation you need to get your juices flowing.

I is for Inspirational. High-I people love having people around them. Try joining a convention, a mastermind group, or a cutting-edge community organization that can send you to amazing new levels of success.

S is for Steadiness. If you're high-S, you'll love calm and consistent environments. A peaceful evening at Xiao Guilin at Bukit Gombak by the water might be just what you need to restore the balance in your spirit.

And C is for Conscientiousness. High-C people need order, structure, facts and tradition. But wait? doesn't tradition suppress creativity? Well, not necessarily. Try spending a day at the library or at a museum. Very often, an environment that comforts you can motivate you to new levels of inspiration.

Join me in the next programme as we continue to talk about creating a workplace that inspires you.