Posted June 13th, 2018
By Kris Powers
If you’re anything like me, there are a hundred things vying for your attention online every day. From the moment my eyes open until the moment I log off and head to bed, I’m bombarded with messages, personal emails, work emails, and voice mails. Every day, I try to selectively choose what gets my attention and, particularly when work is crazy, I make sure to build in mini-breaks. During those breaks, I step away from work-think and seek out information that will make me think, laugh, and even cry. These breaks improve my productivity as I go back to the task at hand feeling refreshed.
While Facebook never fails to provide a nice distraction, I’ve just discovered another way to give myself purposeful options. I’ve customized my home page to include a few of the following websites. That way, depending on my type of mood (do I need some music to get me going? A beautiful picture to inspire me? A quote or poem to touch my soul? Or a brain teaser to get me thinking?) I can select a site with material that will deliver what I’m looking for!
Here are a few of my favorites:
Meriam Webster Word of the Day. Build your vocabulary by learning a new word every day from Merriam-Webster dictionary.
Do you love good quotes? BrainyQuote provides a thought provoking Quote of the Day from famous authors, celebrities, and newsmakers.
Are you a Jeopardy fan? See if you've got the brainpower it takes to solve The New York Times Clue of the Day.
For history buffs, the website This Day in History provides information on the day’s date through the years. Wars, sports, music and political events are all captured in this online time capsule.
Is music your motivator? Visit The Current’s Song of the Day. From Minnesota Public Radio 89.3, The Current lists a new, independent, unreleased song every day.
Love music facts? This Day in Music provides information on what happened in the world of music on this day in years past.
Discover something new each day! Today I found Out has videos, articles, podcasts and more! The site promises to “feed your brain” and improve your contribution to workplace watercooler chatter.
Are you more visual? National Geographic’s Photo of the Day serves to inspire individuals with breathtaking shots from around the world.
Daily Trivia Generator “productively kill time while learning new facts.” Need we say more?
NASA’s Image Galleries contain Images of the Day, Astronomy Pics of the Day as well as NASA’s Image Library among other things. Awe-inspiring shots remind us there are worlds left undiscovered and that we are only a small part in the universe.
Many of these sites offer the option of having something delivered right to your inbox if you prefer. These sites make it easier for you to add some fun, knowledge and beauty to your day. Give one or more of them a try!
Looking for other simple ways to incorporate learning into your day? Ed4Career has hundreds of online courses available to you 24/7 – whenever and wherever you want! Our courses range from career training to personal enrichment. You can take one course or sign up for a complete program – we have many options available depending on the subject matter! Visit us today and learn more about the Ed4Career difference.
