Boredom Builds Better Brains
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Volksrust Recorder - Column / Rubrieke 10 Recorder 24 April 2015 Change Your Story With Jacques de Villiers Volksrust Seme Business Column I’m starting to say ‘in the day’ so that’s giving away my age (51). But in the day when we were young our parents were more like Sparta than the helicopter parents of today (of which I’m one of them). In the day our parents weren’t as hands on as we were today. We were sent out like Spartan children to play for the day and were left up to our own devices - if we survived, cool ... if not, “hey we have other kids and one less mouth to feed”. Ok, they weren’t that cynical. But, I’m not sure I’m that far off the mark. I’m sure 99% of us survived the trials and tribulations of childhood without our parents watching over us all the time. As boys we used to explore the veld looking for all sorts of mischief. Like upturning old discarded cement packet to see if we could find snakes, building of forts, shooting of catapults, getting into fights because of turf wars, pulling girls’ pigtails, fishing at the local stream, riding (and crashing) our bikes and teasing the neighbourhood dogs (I’ve got 15 stitches on my right hand as a result). This and more was the staple diet of a boy child in the day. If we we were bored our parents used to say “go play outside”. As long as we were back for dinner, they were pretty unfazed at what went on in our lives. And, we pretty much came up with creative solutions to keep ourselves busy. Yes, and sometimes we were naughty and mischievious, but we at least got our brain into gear and used it. In today’s world we don’t allow our children to get bored it appears. As soon as they say, “I’m bored ...” we plonk them in front of the television, take them to the mall, get them a video game and so on. We just don’t allow our children to get bored and as a result I believe that were dumbing them down and not allowing them to use the creative muscles in the brain. I believe that kids need to have times when they get mind-numbingly bored. If we leave them long enough, they’ll use their brain and figure something out without us having to come up with a solution for them. If my logic isn’t too faulty, the more they use their brains as children the better their brains will be as adults. And, that’s got to be a good thing, right? “Daddy, I’m bored.” “Daddy wants to nap. Go play outside and figure something out.” Boredom Builds Better Brains For further information: Jacques de Villiers [email protected] 082 906 3693 Joh. 8:32 “En julle sal die waarheid ken, en die waarheid sal julle vrymaak.” Is jou lewe of die dinge wat jy glo van omstandighede of mense gebaseer op waarheid of opinies? Dit is ‘n baie belangrike vraag. Want, as die dinge wat jy glo om waar te wees gebou is op die opinies van mense, beteken dit dat jou lewe of jou waarheid eintlik vals is. Ek en jy volg maklik die opinies van ander en hanteer dit as die waarheid. Daar is egter ‘n baie groot gevaar daarin. Dit weerhou ons om in goeie verhoudings met mense te staan. Ons oordeel mense sonder dat ons hulle regtig ken. Ek en jy mag nie op spekulasie of hoorsê keuses maak nie. Die Israeliete het dieselfde fout begaan. Ons lees Waarheid of Opinie? The value of reflection to improve business results To advertise in the Recorder please contact us 017 735 1532 Business Tips of reflection to improve business results Willem Hüsselmann - 082 415 7725 Freddie Kapp - 017 735 4444 Johan Botha - 082 335 7274 Ashraf Moola - 082 588 5515 Ahmed Chotia - 082 554 4886 “Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.” (Margaret J. Wheatley – American writer and management consultant who studies organisational behaviour) These are very sobering words and make us realise that we might be chasing the next deal without giving sufficient thought to the ability of our business and infrastructure to meet and exceed client expectations. We continuously need to sharpen the proverbial saw. Here is a value chain perspective to consider when reflecting about your business endeavours: Target market performance Is there a match between our defined target market, their needs and our product/service as a solution to their needs and requirements? Suitability of value proposition Do we know how well our product/service is addressing the target market needs and requirements? Marketing Mix Do we have the most optimal marketing mix available to market and promote our product/ service to the selected target market? Sales and distribution Is our sales and distribution team fully equipped to sell our products/services? Service delivery How do clients experience our service delivery and after sales service? Cash flow management Do we have an up to date cash flow forecast to plan for to ensure that we can fund operations? Human resources Do I have a skills development plan per employee? Information Technology Are there technological advances which can support me to operate more effectively and efficient? Procurement Am I getting the best possible deals when procuring products and services to operate my business? Another building block in our endeavours to plan for the future of our businesses is to remember the successes and disappointments in our business over a specific period of time (say the last 12 months). What are your learning experiences from these lists and how can you apply what you have learnt? To support business owners with the important task of business planning, Sanlam gives you free access to the book Your Annual Business Game Plan for Success, which provides an easy and straightforward framework needed to draft a well-crafted game plan that will create the positive change and growth necessary for business success. Go to www .sanlam.co.za/gameplan to download your free copy. Article written by Jannie Rossouw, Head: Sanlam Business Market We would like to remind everyone who would like to participate in the Entrepreneurship programme to contact any of the members for more information. We all know the saying “If you give someone a fish you give him food, but if you teach him how to fish, you give him a life”. This is your opportunity to learn to become business owners, and not merely business participants. For more information, please contact any of the following members: in Numeri 13 die verhaal van die twaalf verspieders wat deur Moses uitgestuur is om die land Kanaän te verken. Hulle almal het die waarheid met hulle eie oë gesien tog glo net Josua en Kaleb dat God die land in hulle hande gegee het. Al twaalf doen verslag aan Moses en die volk. Josua en Kaleb, positief beïnvloed deur die waarheid van God se belofte. Die tien ander sien dinge egter anders. Hulle was negatief en ongelowig. Die ergste van alles was dat die volk eerder na die negatiewe opinie van die tien as die positiewe waarheid van die twee geluister het. Hier is ‘n baie belangrike les om te leer. Moenie altyd die meerdere of die mees populêre opinie as die waarheid aanneem nie. Ek en jy moet die waarheid in elke omstandigheid soek. Die Volk was so beïnvloed deur die opinie van die negatiewe verspieders dat hulle die belofte van God vergeet het. Hulle het selfs besluit om Josua en Kaleb te vermoor. Num 14:10 “Toe sê die hele vergadering dat hulle gestenig moet word.” God beloof seën ‘n land wat oorloop van melk en heuning. Die groot persentasie van die volk kies egter teen die Waarheid en hardloop agter die opinie van mense aan. Opinies weerhou ons van ‘n nuwe seisoen in ons lewens. Dit weerhou ons van God se seën. Is jou waarheid miskien ‘n opinie of is jou opinie ‘n Goddelike waarheid? Maak seker, want ek en jy kan nie bekostig om op sand te bou nie. Ondersoek dan jou eie lewe, ondersoek alle opinies en kom by die waarheid uit. Want die Waarheid sal jou vry maak. Vrede Pastoor Johan Venter.
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Transcript of Boredom Builds Better Brains
Volksrust Recorder - Column / Rubrieke10 Recorder 24 April 2015
ChangeYourStory
With Jacques de Villiers
Volksrust SemeBusiness Column
I’m starting to say ‘in the day’ so that’s givingaway my age (51). But in the day when wewere young our parents were more like Spartathan the helicopter parents of today (of whichI’m one of them).In the day our parents weren’t as hands onas we were today. We were sent out likeSpartan children to play for the day and wereleft up to our own devices - if we survived,cool ... if not, “hey we have other kids andone less mouth to feed”.Ok, they weren’t that cynical. But, I’m notsure I’m that far off the mark.I’m sure 99% of us survived the trials andtribulations of childhood without our parentswatching over us all the time.As boys we used to explore the veld lookingfor all sorts of mischief. Like upturning olddiscarded cement packet to see if we couldfind snakes, building of forts, shooting ofcatapults, getting into fights because of turfwars, pulling girls’ pigtails, fishing at the localstream, riding (and crashing) our bikes andteasing the neighbourhood dogs (I’ve got 15stitches on my right hand as a result). Thisand more was the staple diet of a boy child inthe day.If we we were bored our parents used to say“go play outside”. As long as we were backfor dinner, they were pretty unfazed at whatwent on in our lives.
And, we pretty much came up with creativesolutions to keep ourselves busy. Yes, andsometimes we were naughty andmischievious, but we at least got our braininto gear and used it.In today’s world we don’t allow our childrento get bored it appears. As soon as they say,“I’m bored ...” we plonk them in front of thetelevision, take them to the mall, get them avideo game and so on.We just don’t allow our children to get boredand as a result I believe that were dumbingthem down and not allowing them to use thecreative muscles in the brain.I believe that kids need to have times whenthey get mind-numbingly bored. If we leavethem long enough, they’ll use their brain andfigure something out without us having tocome up with a solution for them.If my logic isn’t too faulty, the more they usetheir brains as children the better their brainswill be as adults. And, that’s got to be a goodthing, right?“Daddy, I’m bored.”“Daddy wants to nap. Go play outside andfigure something out.”
Boredom BuildsBetter Brains
For further information: Jacques deVilliers [email protected] 906 3693
Joh. 8:32 “En julle sal die waarheid ken, endie waarheid sal julle vrymaak.” Is jou leweof die dinge wat jy glo van omstandighedeof mense gebaseer op waarheid of opinies?Dit is ‘n baie belangrike vraag. Want, as diedinge wat jy glo om waar te wees gebou isop die opinies van mense, beteken dit datjou lewe of jou waarheid eintlik vals is. Ek enjy volg maklik die opinies van ander enhanteer dit as die waarheid. Daar is egter ‘nbaie groot gevaar daarin. Dit weerhou onsom in goeie verhoudings met mense testaan. Ons oordeel mense sonder dat onshulle regtig ken. Ek en jy mag nie opspekulasie of hoorsê keuses maak nie. DieIsraeliete het dieselfde fout begaan. Ons lees
Waarheid of Opinie?
The value of reflection toimprove business results
To advertisein the
Recorderplease
contact us017 735 1532
Business Tips of reflectionto improve business results
Willem Hüsselmann - 082 415 7725Freddie Kapp - 017 735 4444Johan Botha - 082 335 7274Ashraf Moola - 082 588 5515Ahmed Chotia - 082 554 4886
“Without reflection, we go blindly on ourway, creating more unintendedconsequences, and failing to achieveanything useful.” (Margaret J. Wheatley –American writer and management consultantwho studies organisational behaviour)These are very sobering words and make usrealise that we might be chasing the next dealwithout giving sufficient thought to theability of our business and infrastructure tomeet and exceed client expectations.We continuously need to sharpen theproverbial saw. Here is a value chainperspective to consider when reflectingabout your business endeavours:Target market performanceIs there a match between our defined targetmarket, their needs and our product/serviceas a solution to their needs andrequirements?Suitability of value propositionDo we know how well our product/service isaddressing the target market needs andrequirements?Marketing MixDo we have the most optimal marketing mixavailable to market and promote our product/service to the selected target market?Sales and distributionIs our sales and distribution team fullyequipped to sell our products/services?Service deliveryHow do clients experience our servicedelivery and after sales service?Cash flow managementDo we have an up to date cash flow forecastto plan for to ensure that we can fundoperations?Human resourcesDo I have a skills development plan peremployee?Information TechnologyAre there technological advances which can
support me to operate more effectively andefficient?ProcurementAm I getting the best possible deals whenprocuring products and services to operatemy business?Another building block in our endeavours toplan for the future of our businesses is toremember the successes anddisappointments in our business over aspecific period of time (say the last 12months). What are your learning experiencesfrom these lists and how can you apply whatyou have learnt?To support business owners with theimportant task of business planning, Sanlamgives you free access to the book YourAnnual Business Game Plan for Success,which provides an easy and straightforwardframework needed to draft a well-crafted gameplan that will create the positive change andgrowth necessary for business success. Goto www.sanlam.co.za/gameplan to downloadyour free copy.Article written by Jannie Rossouw, Head:Sanlam Business MarketWe would like to remind everyone who wouldlike to participate in the Entrepreneurshipprogramme to contact any of the membersfor more information. We all know the saying“If you give someone a fish you give himfood, but if you teach him how to fish, yougive him a life”. This is your opportunity tolearn to become business owners, and notmerely business participants. For moreinformation, please contact any of thefollowing members:
in Numeri 13 die verhaal van die twaalfverspieders wat deur Moses uitgestuur is omdie land Kanaän te verken. Hulle almal het diewaarheid met hulle eie oë gesien tog glo netJosua en Kaleb dat God die land in hulle handegegee het. Al twaalf doen verslag aan Mosesen die volk. Josua en Kaleb, positief beïnvloeddeur die waarheid van God se belofte. Die tienander sien dinge egter anders. Hulle wasnegatief en ongelowig. Die ergste van alleswas dat die volk eerder na die negatieweopinie van die tien as die positiewe waarheidvan die twee geluister het. Hier is ‘n baiebelangrike les om te leer. Moenie altyd diemeerdere of die mees populêre opinie as diewaarheid aanneem nie. Ek en jy moet die
waarheid in elke omstandigheid soek. DieVolk was so beïnvloed deur die opinie vandie negatiewe verspieders dat hulle diebelofte van God vergeet het. Hulle het selfsbesluit om Josua en Kaleb te vermoor. Num14:10 “Toe sê die hele vergadering dat hullegestenig moet word.” God beloof seën ‘nland wat oorloop van melk en heuning. Diegroot persentasie van die volk kies egter teendie Waarheid en hardloop agter die opinievan mense aan. Opinies weerhou ons van ‘nnuwe seisoen in ons lewens. Dit weerhou onsvan God se seën. Is jou waarheid miskien ‘nopinie of is jou opinie ‘n Goddelike waarheid?Maak seker, want ek en jy kan nie bekostigom op sand te bou nie. Ondersoek dan jou
eie lewe, ondersoek alle opinies en kom bydie waarheid uit. Want die Waarheid sal jouvry maak.Vrede Pastoor Johan Venter.
