The Wilderness Downtown

This interactive film by Chris Milk featuring the track "We used To Wait" by Arcade Fire is a look into the future and some of the capabilities of HTML 5. By entering your address at the start of the video it becomes customised around the viewer. You also get some opportunities to interact with the content. All this adds together to create a very immersive environment.

Sure it takes a lot of processor speed and is therefore quite glitchy and the video is only able to work on certain browsers but I think this is a good example of how this format could evolve to follow the current trend of user interactivity in new technology.

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

The Power of Downtime

We all know that stress at work can be worsened by the constant interaction we have with smart phones once we leave the office. But did you know that our downtime periods could also be in jeopardy by our time filling habits.

What used to be a 5 minute coffee break has turned into a “Do I have time to check my bank account” or “Can I complete the next level in 5 minutes?”

“At the University of Michigan, a study found that people learned significantly better after a walk in nature than after a walk in a dense urban environment, suggesting that a barrage of information leaves people fatigued” (Matt Richtel, The New York Times, Sep 2010)

The problem is that due to advances in technology, this walk in nature now entails a text to a friend, checking the train times and sending an email whilst listening to an MP3.

“People think they are refreshing themselves, but they are fatiguing themselves” says Marc Berman, a neuroscientist at the University of Michigan (New York Times Sep 2010)

This multitasking can be taxing for the brain. What we class as relaxation time has turned into an invasion of our much needed downtime. This overload of information prevents our brains from processing and maintaining it.

Click here to read the full article

This fab image was taken by http://www.urban75.org/blog/tag/brockwell-park/

Young Me Now Me

Such a great way to bring people together again - this is a fab link for its simple nostalgic value, you may have to skip quickly through the try hards but there are some gems amongst the hundreds that have taken part!

http://www.zefrank.com/youngmenowme/

SMART goals

Setting goals acts as a great self-motivator, whether professionally or personally. We all run the risk of getting stuck in the same mundane rut but with a little help from the SMART guide to setting goals you’ll be ready to achieve as much or as little as your heart desires.

If you regularly set yourself goals, write lists or lose post-its, and never seem to move forward it may be time to adapt your goals to fit around your natural work/life pattern using the SMART approach. Working with your personality and acknowledging your natural approach to life will help you achieve more.

“Are you happy to leap into the unknown and brave what may come? If not, take small steps beyond your comfort zone. Leap too far and a failure may knock your confidence too much to try again. Plan too much and you may avoid taking any steps at all” www.careers-creative-living.co.uk

Taking a SMART approach ensures your goals are tailored to your personality and work patterns making the tasks less daunting and more realistic.

Your original goal may be “to find a job”. Using the SMART guide, this large and daunting task can be divided into smaller, more manageable steps and achieved more successfully. Using the SMART guide helps turn a daunting task into a more manageable and enjoyable process that leads to professional or personal satisfaction.

To read the full article including the SMART guide click here.