People tend to think that productivity involves doing several things at once, but according to Cal Newport, the secret to success is the opposite of multitasking. Newport is the author of Deep Work, a book that describes the benefits of focusing on one thing and doing it with     1    .

Newport defines deep work as “the ability to focus without     2     on a cognitively (认知地) demanding task.” It’s the opposite of shallow work, which is made up of simple tasks that are usually     3     while distracted.

According to Newport, deep work is a(n)     4     skill in today’s economy. It allows you to learn difficult things quickly and produce at a high level. Most people are distracted when they work, so you learn to work without distraction, that gives you     5    . Deep work enables you to produce to the best of your ability and acquire new skills quickly. Developing excellence in one’s craft can be a deeply     6     try. But deep work itself is also a skill, which means the more time you spend at it, the easier it gets. Moreover, if you only work at a shallow level, your ability to do deep work decreases.

So how do you conduct deep work into your work life or your studies? It’s essentially important to     7     deep work into your day. Otherwise, it’s easy to let your time fill up with shallow work. Newport recommends doing deep work as your first task of the day. That way you get it done before distractions build up. Shallow work does need to get done, but if you save it for later in the day, you can get your deep work done, too.

Scheduling deep work sessions for the same time every day can turn them into a habit. This makes it easier to spend time on them.

Because deep work is by definition cognitively demanding, you won’t be able to do it all day. Beginners can usually only focus on deep work for     8     an hour, and even experts have trouble going more than four hours. So set     9     goals for yourself. If you really focus, you’ll be surprised at how much you accomplish in a few hours.

By focusing on     10     sessions of deep work, you can get more done in less time and feel more satisfied.

How an Individual Can Make a Difference

In the face of a multitude of global problems, it can be difficult to feel like an individual or small groups can make a difference. Our minds and hearts are in the right place but what can one person really do? It turns out quite a lot.

With Martin Luther King Day just around the comer in the United States, it’s the perfect time for all of us to     1     and remember just how much of an impact one person can make on the world. In his iconic speech at the Lincoln Memorial for the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, King told America, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

The social impact King had in the United States is tangible,     2     and real. All of us here at Up with People are     3     of the power of individuals to make a difference. In fact, it’s our mission.

Through music and action, we empower young people to be a positive     4     of change for a more hopeful, trusting, and peaceful world.

You might think the difference you can make is     5     . No matter what corner of the world you call home, what you do everyday matters and even small acts can make giant ripples of good in this world we all share.

It’s a myth that what we do has to be     6     to make a difference. You don’t have to be Martin Luther King Jr. to have a positive social impact on your community. Margaret Mead put it best, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and     7     citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

So, start small. Do daily, small acts of kindness. Pay for someone’s coffee, open a door, let someone cut in front of you in line or smile. Spread kindness because the world needs it.

    8     money or your time. Pick an organization close to home or volunteer around the world with Up with People!

Be a(n)     9     or join a meaningful campaign. Googling “join a campaign” will result in millions of responses from supporting children to the elderly. Whatever you get     10     in will advance the campaign greatly because of your actions. Pick one thing to start so you don’t get overwhelmed.

As a high school student, you’re definitely struggling for writing a great argumentative essay now. Here are some tips for help.

First, be sure of your argument. What are you trying to demonstrate,     1     or disagreement about the topic? Select the one you are able to     2     and support later in the essay. Second, provide enough     3     of your argument, which can be facts,     4    , research findings or even personal experiences, and should be reliable, sufficient and closely     5     to what you’re arguing. It is also essential to consider and analyze the reasons from the     6     side in order to better     7     you points.     8    , your essay should be written with a clear and appropriate     9     including an introduction, a body, and a conclusion, and accurate and persuasive language.

In     10    , writing argumentative essays requires skills and practices. By following above tips, hope you can write a convincing argumentative essay.

The best bosses know how to subtract work

Companies are used to celebrating addition. Profits, customers and share prices should go up rather than fall. Innovation is the adding of new products. Larger numbers are a measure of career success.

Firms are not always opposed to subtraction. There are good kinds of cuts. Reducing costs is a necessary part of management, though not a welcome one. But the value of doing less is     1    . The best bosses are those who take things away as well as add them on.

That means     2     time for employees to get work done. Meetings are almost always called by bosses. Some are useful; many of them are not.

Shopify, an e-commerce firm, began the year by deleting 12,000 meeting s from corporate calendars, and asking everyone to think carefully before     3     them. The company reports a rise in productivity as a result of the     4    .

The only thing worse than having too many meetings is not being invited to them at all. So whenever meetings take place,     5     large numbers of people can turn up. Minus-minded managers will give employees permission not to attend if they are not needed.

Good bosses,     6    , will send messages when necessary, not every time a bright idea pops into their head. They will reduce the tempo of work, by leaving employees time to concentrate. They will be clear if something is urgent or not.

Subtraction is not just about removing day-to-day distractions. It’s also about taking decisions to kill off projects and products that are going nowhere, and to focus efforts on the most important bits of the business.

In “The Case for Good Jobs”, a new book, Zeynep Ton of MIT Sloan School of Management argues that doing less can often make     7     sense. Costco, a well-regarded American retailer has a deliberately limited product     8    . That means it can focus its buying power more effectively, forecast demand more accurately and use its employees’ time more productively.

Less may not sound like a great outcome for customers, but at some point choice is deeply     9    . When you have spent more time trying to decide what to watch on a streaming service than it takes to go to the cinema and watch “Oppenheimer” twice,     10     seems pretty attractive.

Things I’ve Learned From My First Year Of High School

I just finished my first year of high school, and it has been     1     different from middle school. High school has brought me so many different experiences. Some I am grateful for, yet some have not been beneficial. However, all of them have taught me so many different things, and I would not have been able to     2     my first year of high school without them. The things I have learned have been so helpful to me and can also     3     to things outside of school.

1. You’re expected to demonstrate maturity and responsibility

High school teachers won’t     4     “hold your hand” as much as middle school teachers did. Your teachers may move faster through lessons. When you have questions or meet with     5     challenges, it’s important to speak up. If speaking up makes you nervous at first, you can start by using email to build your     6     level and confidence.

High school teachers enforce higher standards, and most don’t tolerate some of the behaviors that were acceptable in middle school. Again, the goal is to prepare you for college and real life. Even if the     7     seems tough at first, remember that you’re learning helpful and important life skills.

2. Find out who your true friends are

Genuine friends are friends that you can tell everything to and they will not tell anyone else without your permission. They are also there whenever you need them, whether that is to rant or you just need a shoulder to cry on. When you find your true friends, stick with them. The thing about friends is: quality over     8    .

To be honest, high school is not easy at first, but with time, you will get to appreciate and     9     everything around your experiences. The memory will never     10    , because it is the most memorable journey. I have learned so much during my first year of high school, and I am sure that I am going to learn a lot more.

Make a Wish List

Most of us know of New Year’s Resolutions, where one sets intentions for the year ahead. But too often, people make their resolutions     1     — “I will no longer eat biscuits left at my desk”— and then feel unhappy. In the cold month of January, the last thing you need is to     2     your energy further by setting up a series of battles with yourself. And if you break a resolution, you feel     3    , which is a rubbish way to start the year. What you need instead are things to look forward to.

So instead, try a wish list. This involves writing down 100 things you would like to do in the year ahead. The items can be enormous or tiny, ranging from “Climb Everest” to “buy a new pencil sharper”. The main thing is that at some point it has     4     to you as something that you would like to do.

The key here is — write it down.

Do you feel any resistance to the ideas? If so, ask yourself why. What is wrong with     5     what you would like to do? Try not to say to yourself: “I can’t I don’t have the money/time/energy/skills.” Just write it down.

It helps to be     6    , so rather than “Get outdoors”,     7     a place you would like to visit. And take your time when creating it — a wish list is not built in a day. Think about it, polish it and     8     it.

Finally, you have your list. And what a work of beauty it is. Here are all the things that you would like to do. Remember to     9     them up where you can see them; let yourself consider how they can be accomplished. You’ll be amazed that so many of your dreams can be realized though the simple trick of writing them down and     10     to them.

What can you do to avoid Telecoms fraud (诈骗)?

Telecoms fraud and other security breaches (安全漏洞) can be prevented and minimized by implementing a full end-to-end procedure. In addition, it’s important for you to secure your devices and services to strengthen your security and avoid any fraudulent activity or threats.

Due to the    1    nature of the internet, it’s not always possible to guarantee protection against fraud. However, there are a variety of methods that you can put in    2    within your phone system’s security that can prevent this further:

The most important action to take when protecting your phone system or PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is investing in good security and password/account management software. You should be using password    3    and saving systems, as well as choosing passwords with complex combinations. It’s also important that you don’t use the same password for    4     accounts or systems. If a hacker finds this password, they can use it to get into and take control of all your systems, so remember to    5     update your passwords and make sure no two passwords are the same.

Another way to protect your systems with passwords is to password protect your mobile phone. If you leave your mobile phone    6    , it’s very easy for a hacker or scammer to get in and setup call features, like    7    and voicemails on the handsets.

Call pattern analysis helps    8    patterns in call traffic and monitors and prevents calls which go over specific limits. This can be based around costs, call duration, volume, time of day and call destinations. Call traffic can’t be monitored all the time; however, a vast majority of fraudulent traffic can occur during holidays and weekends, when customers and suppliers arc away from the office and their devices. Any spikes (高峰) in traffic should generate    9    alerts to relevant parties and this activity can then be restricted, and additional measures can be put into place to protect you and your systems.

Call baring lets you bar or block certain types of call, IP addresses and destinations from being made to or from your phone. You can    10    our call barring settings for both UK and international numbers. It’s also a good idea to bar calls from certain IP addresses and only authorize business or employee IP addresses to make calls.