De-cluttering the Cluttered at Home / Office.

When you clutter your mind with unwanted things, chances are that you will lose out on the valuable stuff. Same way, think about your home. Is it cluttered?

Clutter is mess. It bogs you down with its dark vibles all around. The jam-packed surroundings overload your mind, resulting in fatigue and illness. The accumulation of too much superfluous stuff is known to obstruct one's peace of mind, creating unease on one's sense of personal space. For bright and positive quality of being energetic, it is better to get rid of clutter and clear up your spaces. Here are some useful tips to be clutter-free:-

Whenever you go through wardrobes, closets and trunks, always ask yourself, 'Do I really need this?' Is it useful? Should it be there? If the answer is a certain 'no', then set them aside for discarding. Check your garage, office, kitchen, living room or bedroom to minimise / dispose unwanted things.


If the items are in good shape, you can opt for donating them to the needy and deprived. Stuff like clothes, utensils, bags, toys and the like could be beneficial to a lot of people like an orphanage in neighbourhood or an old-age home.


As you clear up the muddle, there are chances that you will discover hidden treasures, which were buried in the untidiness. Segregate the treasures from the trash. Things that you feel drawn to and know what to do with, can be kept. Things that you are not so sure of, can be placed in a different pile. Perhaps, there is a creative use to them, you just need to figure it out. The rest need to be properly disposed off.


Unwanted things occupy your space, draining energy and depleting your enthusiasm. Expired stuff is meant to be trashed in to the dustbin.


Sometimes, as you pile up objects for clearance, it is natural, deeply held feelings of fear and insecurity may crop up. Do not worry too much about it. This is a psychosomatic process of letting go, as you de-attach from objects, loosening up your underlying beliefs on hoarded materials. By releasing these items from your life, you are in fact freeing up your internal and external environment.


The ripple effect phenomenon enables you to create more space for the things that really matter to you - things you enjoy, love and cherish. Clearing your old stuff opens up an energetic field for new things to enter in to your life, be it new furniture, food, travel, finance, apparels or opportunities for advancement.


Re-organise your living space, with the most important and useful items around you. Avoid the temptation to create more clutter and have a well-planned, re-arrangement of furniture, kitchen appliances, utensils and books. Proper spacing re-energizes you emotionally. It keeps your vicinity well-ventilated and properly lit.


The sooner you let go, the better you feel. You will be overwhelmed by the unsullied clamness and lucidity in the air as the spaces clear.


De-clutter to open up a new lease of rejuvenated living!

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What is 'Epilepsy'?

'Epilepsy' is a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

It is a short circuit in the brain's electro-chemical activity is a seizure. A tendency to have unprovoked seizures is epilepsy.


About 10 per cent of all patients have clear genetic causes. In others, brain trauma (in pregnancy or later life), infections (cysticercosis and tuberculosis), inflammations, tumours; brain scarring due to poor blood supply (ischemia) and degeneration contribute.


In over 85% of cases, epilepsy can be treated successfully (either complete absence of seizures or a substantial reduction). A range of drugs, surgical treatments and brain stimulation procedures are available.


As far as leading normal life, people with epilepsy can study, hold responsible jobs, get married, have children, play sport and engage in social, cultural activities. Limitations if any are related to driving a motorised vehicle (law varies across countries), taking part in adventure sports, swimming without supervision etc.


Epilepsy is not contagious. Prevention starts at conception with good maternal health and antenatal care. Good care of the newborn, appropriate nutrition, prevention of infections, head injuries especially road traffic accidents, early diagnosis and treatment of seizures are the cornerstones of prevention.


When a person has a seizure, put them on their side comfortably (the recovery position), remove all dangerous objects which are sharp or emit heat and provide a soft head rest. Seconds to minutes, the person can be held gently until the event. It is not at all advisable to try and insert hands in to their mouth and / or hold them forcefully / interrupt the seizure. Given them keys or metal to hold has no medical impact. Calling an ambulance immediately will be good.

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Steps to Recover Pending Dues

Be it clients or employers who refuse to settle your dues, here is the legal ways available to get back the money:-

Civil Remedy: Order of Civil Procedure Code allows the creditor to file a summary suit. Summary suits are disposed of faster. Once the suit instituted and the summons are issued, the defendant has 10 days to make an appearance, failing which the court assumes the plaintiff's allegations to be true and, accordingly, awards the plaintiff. The summary procedure applies to all suits for recovery of money that arise from written agreements. This could be promissory notes and contracts, bills of exchange or cheques, so long as the plaintiff seeks to recover specific-debt.

Another option is the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, which only deals with the recovery of money arising from instruments such as bills of exchange or cheques. Another option is the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 which only deals with the recovery of money arising from instruments such as bills of exchange or cheques. This act contains several sections, each outlining the procedure for recovering money under a specific instrument.


Criminal Proceedings: There is also an option of initiating criminal proceedings against the defaulter under the Indian Penal Code. A case of criminal breach of trust or cheating or even mischief can be filed. Criminal proceedings usually take to conclude. Plaintiff may end up wasting valuable time and effort in court to recover dues.


Out of Court Settlement: Arbitration or conciliation will be the most economical ways of recovering money. Apart from these options, one can also file a winding up petition against a client if he is not able to pay the debits.


To avoid all the above time-consuming processes, it is best to take some precautions at the outset. Experts recommend a written contract between the parties involved. The contract must contain details of the transaction in clear terms, including the date on which the amount was lent and the exact principal amount and the interest. Though not mandatory, it is ideal to have the documents executed on a stamp paper and get it registered.

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Making 'Maths' Interesting

The subject 'Maths' can turn out to be one of the easiest and fun-filled subjects, if taught (also learnt) in an innovative manner. Mathis is an abstract subject which involves using large numbers, placement of numerals while performing subtraction, long multiplication and long division. The onus is on the education providers to implement an integrated approach towards teaching subjects by incorporating activities like games, music, dance and art. Here are some few strategies:-

Chinese Checkers: This strategic board game can teach the concept of prime and composite numbers.


Role Play: Role Playing can demonstrate the Indian and International number system, profit and loss, equivalent fraction and similar concepts.


Dance & Music: Even dancing and music can teach the young minds basics of multiplication, division, factors and multiples.


Ludo: A classic game, ludo can teach the basics of LCM (Least Common Multiple).


Teachers should follow the above techniques to make their class interesting and they should never fail to applaud the good students.


Peer tutoring will also act as booster for the students.


Art therapy where students use art media to explore their creativity will help them understand their drawbacks.


Teachers should feel convinced that the students have understood the present topic before going to the next topic.


Parents also should follow-up on the daily concepts taught in the classroom.


Parents should not force their children to move ahead of their syllabus. The methods implemented in school may not be the same as the parents'. This would lead to confusion and hinder children's learning power.


By implementing the fun part of learning, mathematics can help them score more in exam without any fear. This strategy will help the children to explore and investigate and thereby sharpen their thinking skills like power of analyzing, power of synthesizing and their evaluation.

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Financial Control for Divorced

Women / Men entering in to the process of marital separation or divorce face the daunting challenge of rebuilding a life that was once shared with their spouse. Besides emotional devastation, splitting up can cause significant financial stress as possessions are divided and each partner is left to piece together his or her own financial plan.

If you find yourself suddenly single, you can can consider these tips to get your journey to independence off on the right foot and as soon as possible:-

Assess Current Financial Situation: Gather investment and bank statements, tax papers, credit card bills, insurance policies and other documents to get a clear picture of assets and liabilities. After finding a net worth, begin tracking daily expenses.

Next step is, writing down the expenses on utility bills, transportation, groceries and other expenditure. Calculating monthly averages will help to create a budget that reflects the new dynamics of household. If spending exceeds the amount money taken each month, identifying areas where expenses can be reduced is ideal.


Updating Financial Accounts: Be sure to close jointly held savings accounts, credit cards and other accounts on which there are co-owners. Also, take the time to re-evaluate policies and confirm that there is adequate coverage for both separately. Nothing can derail financial security faster than an uninsured accident or illness.
Creating a will or revisiting existing one will make sure the divorced's children / dependents are taken care of.


Take emotion out of financial decisions: After separation, sadness, anger and even relief may all be natural and healthy part of moving on, but can also cloud the judgement. It is better not to make choices based on how you are feeling on a particular day if it is not the right move over the long haul.


Plan for Your Future: As you embark on your journey as a newly independent woman, now more than eer it is vital to take control of your financial future. Meeting a qualified professional and creating a written plan based on your unique portfolio, risk tolerance and time horizon can help you stay on track to achieve your goals and retire with confidence.

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Memory Tricks for Students

The best way to remember what a student has studied is to have a real understanding of a topic through constant questioning. Here are some techniques to help you retain the concepts the student has learnt. Here are some simple memory tricks for the students:-

Association: Words, numbers or pictures take meaning in relation to the information around them. Chains of connections both visual and verbal will air one's memory effectively.


Repetition: It is a good idea to write what one has read. This helps with spellings, mathematical tables, definitions, dates and events.


Flash Cards: It is a good idea to make revision cards with key words of all concepts.


In Phases: Some students find it easy to learn an entire concept in a single stretch while others like to break it down in to sub-topics and approach them separately.


Linking: Students can create mental images for every concept learnt. They can even bring in their own personal experiences to remember the concepts better. Students should visualise comparatively easier images for the topics. They can also try linking concepts with real world or imaginary objects.


Mnemonics: I am sure all students are familiar with this technique. Just like we remember colors of the rainbow by the mnemonic 'VIBGYOR', a wide range of topics can be remembered in the same manner.

Every student has his own ideas and methods to learn. The trick is to find what is right for each one. To ace the exams, all students need a cool mind. And they can make their dreams come in to true by hard work.

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Educating Children About Sexual Abuse

Educating children on what sexual violence and abuse is and equipping them with safety measures is the responsibility of parents and guardians. Since every child is susceptible to sexual violence, all children need to be protected. Parental role in teaching children the sanctity of sex and moral living is of utmost importance. Being fore-warned is being fore-armed in today's world, where rape and sexual abuse have become so rampant.

Parents and guardians must believe that sexual assault and rapes are crimes and also that the law requires such cases to be reported to take action against the culprits. Here are some indicators of sexual abuse & how to educate the children about it:-

Indicators of Sexual Abuse: (a) Abrupt changes in personality and performance at school. (b) Unexplained fear about a person or a place. (c) Physical signs like bruises, scratches, soreness around private parts.


Educating the Children: Children should be taught that they have to talk about anything that affects them. If anybody violates their comfort and safety, it should be immediately told.



If someone asks them to keep a secret about anything they did, they must surely share that with parents, close family members or siblings.



Children should be assured that saying "no" to anything they feel uncomfortable about is fine. It is not bad manners. They must be guided to not get enticed or coerced with gifts.



Children must be told not not to hug, kiss or sit on anyone's lap, even if it is a close family friend or relative. Physical boundaries need to be taught.



Parents should teach their children that their bodies belong only to them and that is nobody else's business to touch or fondle them. Children need to be taught the actual words and names for body parts or else it will become a challenge for them to explain in case of abuse or assault.

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Qualities of a Good Textbook?

A lot of thought, effort and dedication goes in to the making of a textbook. While most of the publishers / authors follow a common format, some turn out to be unconventional and unique. What can make a textbook more appealing and interesting to students? Here are some aspects / qualities a good textbook should have:-

Design & Appearance: The look of a textbook is what attracts any student. Textbooks with a striking bookplate can help instill pride in its owner.

When exams get over, many students neglect textbooks. This mistake creates a gap between the previous year's learning and the beginning of the next year and students struggle to catch up with learning pace again.

Always make it a point to revise the learnt materials to strengthen and reinforce what you have learnt earlier and to face challenges of the upcoming year.


Quality: The paper quality of the cover and the pages should be good. The covers must be rugged, long-lasting and laminated. Textbooks should have good quality pages and the content should be easy on the eyes.



Binding: Textbooks must have permanent binding that makes them easy to open. Good quality binding also ensures that the books lasts for a long period of time. Loosely bound textbooks will discourage the students from studying them.



Contents of the Book: It is content that rules. Many scholars are involved in writing textbooks but most of their writing is not suitable to the younger minds. A good textbook should be informative, encouraging and educative. The technical expertise of scholars and subject experts will always be needed.



Extra Features: Footnotes in a book are life butterflies in our reading-garden. They should also have indexes. These little additions will make a book complete.

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Students & Parents! How to Learn Effectively beyond Exams?

Many students and parents are of the opinion that only pure memorisation leads to good results but they fail to understand that exams are not the prefect evaluators of learning, knowledge or skills of students. The road to true success lies in maintaining a proper balance of the learning process and exam preparation. Here are some useful tips for students & parents:-

Students: Before start studying any topic, question what it is all about, how it connected to what you learnt earlier, how learning such topic would be useful in future and what are the challenging issues in that topic. This will help the students to get more involved in preparation.

After completing the topic, revise your learnt concepts, connect it to some real-life incidents or discuss with your friends. You can also apply the learnt concepts in your day-to-day life.

Never stop questioning as 'questioning attitude' satisfies your creative and exploratory mind, and helps develop a good memory.

Divide every topic in to smaller bits and examine them. Understand the first part completely before you move on to the next one.

Have a long-term career goal and try to connect each subject with your ambitions. Neglecting any one subject can hold you back or create limitations later.

When exams get over, many students neglect textbooks. This mistake creates a gap between the previous year's learning and the beginning of the next year and students struggle to catch up with learning pace again.

Always make it a point to revise the learnt materials to strengthen and reinforce what you have learnt earlier and to face challenges of the upcoming year.


For Parents/Teachers: Before pressurising your child / ward due to stiff competition, you have to give a thought to all the above-mentioned factors.

Parents have to ensure that they have to spend more quality time.

And they should know child's capacity and their shortcomings before burdening them with high expectations.


It has been proved many a times, that the topper of a class is not the one who ends up with the best career or the highest salary. It is important to understand the true meaning of learning. Only a true learner can survive and live a better life in the future.

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