Latest news with #Post-itNotes
Times
01-05-2025
- General
- Times
How to talk to your children about exams
Exams were invented in China more than 2,000 years ago as a method of creaming off the cleverest people for the civil service. In the UK public exams for schools were introduced in 1858. Those first exams required children to learn by rote facts and figures including lists of kings and queens, the drawing of rivers and answering questions such as, 'In what three ways was our Lord tested in the wilderness?' Exams are still a test of memory, but also of stamina — for parents and children. Over the next six weeks 600,000 children will be taking their GCSEs, many sitting more than 20 exams. So, deep breath everyone. That preparation is the key to a successful exam season will be a surprise to no one. I have taken exams under most conditions. I have taken exams hungover, having done no revision, having had no sleep, anxious and depressed. I have even taken exams while on drugs (speed — this did not go well). I have also taken exams that I have worked steadily and consistently towards, making sure to rest, exercise and eat relatively well. In those exams I didn't just do better but actually quite enjoyed them. What helps is a period of structured revision. (If your child has not made a plan, help them to make one and put it on the fridge.) Things stick in the memory if we keep circling back to them. So, advise children to make notes — fancy pens, plentiful Post-it Notes and index cards can all help here. The aim is to look at topics at least twice, four times if your child finds them confusing. There is an argument that the more a child tries to recreate quiet exam conditions during revision the better (although try telling that to my daughter who has music on, alongside Breaking Bad, while she is revising). • GCSEs? A-levels? The online revision guide for families During the exam period, it's important to have some relief from the stress. So suggest that they take a bit of time every day to read their favourite book or watch a relaxing and familiar show (Gilmore Girls, perhaps, rather than Breaking Bad). Talk to them about anxiety-management strategies like controlled breathing (in for four counts, out for six). Rituals can be useful: wearing a lucky piece of jewellery or clothing. Do not try to minimise their anxiety but rather help them to manage it. Dark chocolate and rosemary are meant to aid memory, so they could have an exam-day practice of eating a slab of chocolate and sniffing a sprig before they set off. One of the best pieces of exam advice I got was to read a paper the whole way through before starting (particularly useful for language exams). That way the subconscious has more time to work on problems. For other tips I spoke to an English-teacher friend who has marked countless papers. She agreed with the idea of reading a paper through first, and suggested answering questions in the order that suits the child best. They should spend three minutes making an essay plan before starting and if they can't think of an introduction, leave a gap and come back to it. 'Don't stare into space for 15 minutes,' she says. • Read more from Gavanndra Hodge on The Times Likewise, if the child gets to a question and can't think of an answer, they should keep going and come back to it later. The memory is a beautiful tool; if the answer is in there, it will pop up soon enough. They should also bear in mind that the system is there to reward and not to punish — teachers are actively looking to give marks rather than to take them away if things are incorrect. Of course, exams favour individuals who are able to engage in the classroom, like to plan, have good memory retention and who can concentrate for long periods of time. We are not all that person. It is important to tell children that exams are only testing one part of them, that this is not a judgment of them as an entire person. And ultimately, all they really need is a good pass (a five) in English and maths to progress. There is something to be said for knowing that everyone else is going through this as well. It's a time of communal stress, which does mean that the communal relief at the other end is even more fun. And that is something we can all look forward to. Share your own parenting experiences or send a question for one our experts by emailing parenting@
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3M Stock Soars as Profit, Sales Top Estimates
3M's first-quarter earnings and revenue exceeded forecasts as all three of its divisions posted sales gains. The giant manufacturer gave an update on how Trump administration tariffs could impact full-year profit. 3M shares surged 7.5% to move into positive territory for the year.3M (MMM) shares jumped 7.5% Tuesday as the multinational manufacturing conglomerate posted better-than-expected results and explained how the Trump administration tariffs may impact future performance. The maker of Post-it Notes and personal protective equipment reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.88 on revenue that slipped 1% year-over-year to $5.95 billion but also topped Visible Alpha consensus estimates. The gains were driven by a 2.5% increase in sales to $2.75 billion at the Safety & Industrial segment. Sales were up 1.1% to $1.82 billion at the Transportation & Electronics group, and 0.3% higher to $1.12 billion at the Consumer division. CEO William Brown explained that the company faced a "dynamic environment," and that 3M remained focused "on improving the fundamentals in the business, building a new performance culture and advancing our strategic priorities while leveraging our extensive global network and significant U.S. footprint." 3M reiterated its full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $7.60 to $7.90, but added a note about what it called "additional tariff sensitivity," which it said could cut that by $0.20 to $0.40 per share. The news sent shares of 3M into positive territory for 2025. Read the original article on Investopedia
Washington Post
03-04-2025
- General
- Washington Post
There's a million ways to declutter. My approach? Go tiny.
Today's target is the Ikea Billy bookcase in my home office. On tiptoes, I reach a high shelf and lift a lined wicker basket. Tucked among boxes of paper clips and pads of pastel Post-it Notes, I find a black wooden egg with the glowing face of an extraterrestrial printed on one side. I shake it and the maraca beads rattle, prompting a faint memory of the music class I took my daughter to when she was 3. In the same basket is a photography loupe I used for magnifying contact sheets in my ad agency days, before everything went digital. I carry both objects into the storage area of my basement and add them to the cardboard box designated for Goodwill. And with that, I mentally cross another day off my list.
Forbes
26-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Future-Proof Your Business: Adaptability, Creativity and Innovation
Michael Brian Lee, Creative Breakthrough Catalyst and Founder, Innotivity Institute. getty In today's fast-moving world, companies either shoot ahead or fall behind. How do you not just keep your head above water but swim faster than everyone else? The answer is the three-step cycle of adaptability, creativity and innovation, which I like to emphasize is a single process by calling it ACI. Business adaptability isn't a luxury. Nearly 80% of businesses need to adapt their operations every two to five years to remain competitive. Companies that fail to pivot, fail period. This isn't new. For decades, Firestone dominated the U.S. tire market—until Michelin introduced radial tires and shifted the reality. Firestone stayed the course. The result? Quality tanked, recalls mounted and sales collapsed. By the late 1980s, Bridgestone bought them out. What is adaptability anyway? I define it as shifting how a company perceives itself. It requires a shift in culture and systems, not just blind hope. Spotify started by streaming music. Later it reshaped how we consume it, layering in podcasts, exclusive content and AI-driven playlists. Apple, originally a computer company, reinvented itself by integrating design, software and ecosystem thinking. This came from a deliberate willingness to change how the company's leaders saw Apple's identity. Adaptable companies don't react—they set the pace. How can you cultivate adaptability in your own situation? • Give mixed teams the power to make quick calls. • Run "what-if" drills before market shifts force your hand. • Watch the data, because real time beats hindsight every time. After adapting, the next step is to get creative. Once you've embraced change, it's time to start thinking in new ways. While adaptability keeps you afloat, creativity sets you apart. Creativity in business isn't art—it's strategy in disguise. Gmail, Google Maps and Post-it Notes all began as passion projects. When teams are empowered to play and take risks, creative solutions follow. Pixar's 'Braintrust' thrives on radical candor—turning rough ideas into blockbusters through honest, no-ego critique. This process has led to Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, The Incredibles and Up. Pixar's culture doesn't just tolerate criticism—it actively seeks it out. Building a creative culture demands an environment where employees feel safe to take risks and experiment. To cultivate such an environment, leaders should: • Establish 'safe-to-fail' spaces where experimentation is encouraged, allowing teams to test ideas quickly and learn from outcomes without reputational risk. • Foster cross-functional collaboration to spark diverse perspectives and unlock innovative solutions that wouldn't surface in siloed teams. • Recognize and reward innovative ideas—even when they don't succeed—because celebrating the process motivates continual creative efforts. A creative culture empowers every employee to contribute, challenge assumptions and collaborate. This leads to a dynamic organization that stays ahead of industry shifts and even sets the standard for them. When your company is not finding creative solutions on its own, looking outside can help. Creative ideas for creating creativity itself can also help. For example, Lego was near bankruptcy in the early 2000s. To save the company, it launched Lego Ideas, a crowdsourcing platform that invited customers to submit and vote on new product concepts. Revenue soon more than doubled. Innovation is creativity with skin in the game. It's not just dreaming big; it's about action, betting on ideas and making them pay off. Companies that prioritize innovation don't just innovate once. Netflix wasn't satisfied to pivot from DVDs to streaming. It eventually moved to original content, creating a new industry long before its rivals caught up. Google, Apple, Meta and Amazon just keep adding industries to their portfolios. Innovation scales when it's systematic, not sporadic. Clothing retailer Zara has built innovation into its business model. New designs come out in weeks because that is in the strategy. Meanwhile, its competitors are still holding focus groups to figure out whether or not to launch new styles. Innovation isn't always disruption—sometimes it's just a tweak. Starbucks didn't even need a new product—just a smarter process. Mobile ordering cut wait times and sped up service. Adaptability, creativity and innovation: Alone, they're strong. Together? They're unstoppable, creating a whirlwind of one following the other and spiraling up. ACI helps build organizations that anticipate shifts, lead industries and create new market spaces altogether. The companies that leverage ACI don't just adapt to the future—they shape it. They don't just survive storms—they create them. Here are some tips on how to integrate all three aspects of ACI simultaneously: • Start R&D labs and run Agile teams. Innovate long-term while staying nimble—like Google, X and Spotify. • Listen, then anticipate. Airbnb won trust by hearing hosts' needs. • Tap external talent. Partner with startups, universities and accelerators—Microsoft's secret weapon. • Break down silos. Use hackathons and workshops to keep ideas flowing company-wide. • Run lean ACI audits. Skip the complexity—spot gaps with short surveys and staff interviews. • Reward curiosity over perfection. Microsoft's growth mindset turned failures into billion-dollar lessons. • Track what matters. Measure ideas proposed, prototypes launched, customer satisfaction and new product revenue. • Commit to long-term vision. ACI isn't a short-term fix; it's a long-haul strategy that requires patience, investment and buy-in. • Empower people, not just processes. The most innovative ideas come from unexpected places. Cultivate a culture where every employee feels empowered to contribute. • Stay uncomfortable. True innovation comes from challenging what's working today to ensure relevance tomorrow. In a chaotic world, ACI is your best defense—and your best mode of attack. The next big shift isn't waiting for you to get around to noticing it. Companies are either riding the wave or wiping out. Most don't even see the white water coming until it's too late. Will you? Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
Al Bawaba
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Bawaba
Francesco Rivella: Nutella creator dies on Valentine's Day at 97
ALBAWABA - Renowned Italian chemist Francesco Rivella, best known for working hand in hand with Ferrero to create the world's most famous chocolate spread, Nutella has died at 97 on Valentine's Day, according to his family. Crowned the "Father of Nutella," Rivella was a widowed father of four who worked with Ferrero for more than 40 years in Italy's Alba. The famous chocolate hazelnut spread originated in a small pastry shop. The chemist joined Ferrero back in 1993 but witnessed the company grow to the franchise it is today including the creation of TicTac, Kinder, and Ferrero Rocher. Additionally, Franceso was considered Giovanni Ferrero's "right-hand man" who traveled across the globe to sample ingredients and improve the company's chocolate brands. According to The Daily Mail, Francesco Rivella named the chocolate spread "Nutella." Its name echoed across the world and became the staple of chocolate spreads, similar to how people describe sticky notes as Post-it Notes and food containers as Tupperware. His funeral was held on Feb. 17, 2025, surrounded by his loved ones in his hometown Piedmont. His passing comes days after Alba witnessed the tenth anniversary of Michele Ferrero's death. TikToker Karissa recently visited Alba to check if the famous chocolate spread tastes different from where it originated, and added that "All the bakeries have like Nutella cookies and Nutella cakes." She shared further "I was curious if Nutella actually tastes different here, and I think it does. It's a lot nuttier and thicker and definitely less sweet" Karissa added, "They also have a plant-based Nutella, which is definitely a bit thinner and not quite as rich as the original, but hey, it's still delicious. Like, my dad can't have dairy so he was so excited."
