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November 30, 2023

Immortal Tree

Please be started my story by a photo which I took when I had a chance to visit Tokyo last September.
It is a manhole cover photo. Why? The reason is the art in public construction can tell you some stories about the culture of the country you visit.
It is same with this photo. In the center of the manhole cover is the symbol of a sakura flower and the leaves of Ginkgo tree. When talking about Japan, surely no one don't know about the sakura flower. So, what is about Ginkgo tree





Ginkgo tree appeared more than 290 million years ago (1*). This tree family is the oldest tree family in the world. It existed before the appearing of dinosaurs. This plant doesn't have any natural diseases or pests. Therefore, the Ginkgo tree has eternal vitality.

In the summer of 1945, the historic bomb explosion in Hiroshima can kill every thing lives on the ground but the Ginkgo tree. You can visit Myojoin Temple ( Higashi Ward, Hiroshima) and see the only living witness of the atomic bomb. So from that day, Ginkgo tree is considered as the hope bearer tree.

On June 1st, 1989, Tokyo city adopted the symbol which is made of tree arcs resembling of a Ginkgo leaf to form up the T letter in "Tokyo" word(2*). Since then Ginkgo tree has become the Tokyo tree. You can commonly find out the Ginkgo tree with fan-shaped leaves along Tokyo's streets or avenues. The tree symbolizes for strong vitality, steadfastness and everlasting beauty.

Every year, at the end of Autumn, the entire Ginkgo tree forest will turn its leaves from green to yellow, flying with a small wind like the swan feet touch on the sky. Icho Namiki is the best place to see that romantic scenes.



Moreover, Ginkgo tree also brings the benefits to people in term of health. Dried Ginkgo leaves help promote brain health, support treatments of asthma and bronchitis.
Japanese use Ginkgo seeds to prepare many delicious of dishes such as takikomi rice, rice soup, grilled skewered meet, chawanmushi, ...


Reference Links:

  1. Ginkgo biloba
  2. Tokyo's symbol

The post uses the free photo from Freepik site

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ARTICLE

November 27, 2023

15 Tips to Eliminate Anxiety and Find Inner Peace

Anxiety is a common and natural response to stress, but when it becomes overwhelming or chronic, it can have a detrimental impact on our overall well-being. Fortunately, there are various strategies and techniques that can help reduce anxiety and bring a sense of inner peace. In this blog, we will explore 15 tips to eliminate anxiety and regain control over your mental and emotional state.

Practice deep breathing

Deep breathing is a simple yet powerful technique to calm your nervous system. Slowly inhale through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and then slowly exhale through your mouth. This technique helps in the control of your heart rate and the relief of anxiety feelings.

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation requires focusing on the present moment. By doing this, you can reduce rumination and negative thinking patterns that often contribute to anxiety.

Exercise regularly

Engaging in physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, natural substances that elevate mood. Regular exercise can help reduce anxiety and stress, so find an activity you enjoy and make it a part of your routine.

Prioritize sleep

A lack of sleep can exacerbate anxiety. Ensure you get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support your emotional well-being.

Limit caffeine and sugar

Both caffeine and excessive sugar intake can contribute to anxiety and mood swings. Pay attention to what you consume and choose healthier alternatives.

Balanced diet

A well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can positively affect your mood and reduce anxiety.

Establish a routine

Creating a daily routine provides structure and predictability, which can help reduce anxiety. Know what to expect in your day, and you'll feel more in control.

Seek professional help

If your anxiety is severe or persistent, consider speaking with a mental health professional who can provide therapy, medication, or other appropriate treatments.

Express your feelings

Bottling up your emotions can intensify anxiety. Talk to a friend or therapist about what's bothering you, or try journaling to release pent-up feelings.

Limit exposure to news

Constant exposure to distressing news can increase anxiety. Stay informed, but set boundaries on how much news you consume each day.

Practice gratitude

Every day, practice thinking about the things you feel grateful for. Concentrating on the good aspects of your life can help you change your perspective and lessen anxiety.

Progressive muscle relaxation

Relax all muscle groups in your body. This helps release your physical tension and calm your mind.

Visualization

Visualization is a powerful tool to reduce anxiety. Imagine yourself in a calm, peaceful place, and try to immerse yourself in that mental space.

Limit perfectionism

Striving for perfection can create unnecessary stress and anxiety. Accept your imperfections and remind yourself that no one is perfect.

Stay hydrated

Dehydration can affect your mood and increase anxiety. Do not forget to drink enough water during the day.

Anxiety is a common challenge that many people face, but with the right strategies and techniques, you can manage and even eliminate it. The 15 tips mentioned in this blog are effective ways to reduce anxiety and find inner peace. Remember that everyone's journey is unique, and it may take time to discover which strategies work best for you. Stay patient and committed to your well-being, and don't hesitate to seek professional help if needed. With time and effort, you can achieve a calmer and more fulfilling life.

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ARTICLE

November 24, 2023

A small story about relationship and coding

As a married couple, my wife and I are constantly trying each other’s field to be able to better understand each other. Lately, as I am trying to do more housework, my wife is beginning her journey to programming.

To help my wife, I set up her MacBook with Swift Playground. It has a cartoony interface and simple objectives like collecting gems and toggle switches, it makes learning more like playing a game. And it introduces you to the basic concepts of programming, great for starters.

Then came last week, she was introduced to the concept of function.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with programming, a function is “a sequence of program instructions that performs a specific task, packaged as a unit. This unit can then be used in programs wherever that particular task should be performed.” (the definition taken from Wikipedia).

You can turn right by turning left 30015 times (or 3 times)

When she completed the task, I helped review her code as always.

The problem has 4 lines, each has 2 gems and 2 switches, and expects the learner to make use of function and loop.

She has a function named goToCollectGems, which is looped to run 4 times. So far so good.

But that function do: tell the character go to the nearest gem’s position, collect the gem, go the the next gem’s position, collect it (so far so good); then turn around, go back to starting position, then go to the nearest switch, then toggle the switch, then go toggle the next switch, then back to starting position, then go to the beginning of the next line.

I told her that it is not good to make a function do more than what is written in its name. She was confused to hear that, she said: “But I expect you guys to know better than what you are told to do”. That is when something suddenly clicked for both of us.

  • Ah, no wonder you always lack the ability to understand my expectations. - said my wife.
  • Now I know why you always group a lot of tasks to your function. - I told her my realization.

We are both not wrong, we just have different ways of thinking. She, being my wife, expects me to understand and do everything with only a hint from her. I, as a programmer, expect everything to be clearly and exactly defined, so they can be applied and followed correctly.

I explained to her that functions are to be reused, and should do exactly what it is expected to do, no more, no less. “Maybe next week you will call that function again, and because you have forgotten what it does, you will then make the character move unnecessarily”, I said, she agreed.

Her code after fixing my review (it reminds me of my high school time)

I also told her next time when she tells me to “go out for dinner”, I will also budget the time and money for moving, having dinner, strolling around, shopping and watching a movie.

  • Yeah, that’s the way - she said.

A snippet of “my code” after fixing her review

 

Image source: https://www.freepik.com/

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ARTICLE

November 16, 2023

The difference between Japanese and overseas recruitment strategies and the concept of SNS strategy

Differences in awareness regarding job hunting and recruitment between Japan and overseas

There are many things I felt when I came to Vietnam from Japan, but there are many opportunities to feel differences in the way of working. One of them is the concept of changing jobs.

In Japan, there is a concept of lifetime employment, and it is not unusual for a job seeker to continue working for one company until retirement. In contrast, in American culture, changing jobs is common, and the average number of job changes is more than double that of Japan, which is a surprisingly different attitude.

In Vietnam, as in the U.S., changing jobs is a common practice, with the culture of changing jobs taking root as a matter of course.

Recruitment marketing is widespread in Japan due to difficulties in attracting job seekers

In modern Japan, the declining birthrate and aging population have become very serious social issues, so many Japanese companies that have focused on recruiting university graduates in bulk are having a hard time securing workers, and in recent years Recruitment marketing, which involves creating recruitment websites exclusively for job seekers and disseminating various content in order to appeal to a large number of human resources, is becoming more active.

In Vietnam, on the other hand, the average age of the workforce is young and competition among job seekers is fierce, making it a buyer's market.

Recruitment marketing is a similar concept to B2B marketing

I believe that recruitment marketing here can be thought of in the same way as "B2B marketing."

This is because finding a job is an opportunity for job seekers to make important choices in their lives, and even though changing jobs is common, people don't change jobs every day, so they need to think carefully and rationally. This means that when conducting recruitment marketing, you need to provide more information to job seekers. When you think about it that way, it is understandable that there is a need to proactively disseminate information through an independent recruitment site like Japan does.

 

About SNS Recruitment

Independent recruitment websites are already common as a recruitment strategy for Japanese companies today, and it can be said that each company is at the stage of searching for new strategies.

I have recently been paying attention to "SNS recruiting.

"Linkedin" is popular as a business SNS in the United States and Vietnam, and is also used for job hunting and recruitment, but it is not so common in Japan, where X (twitter), Instagram, and Tiktok are widely used. In SNS recruitment, recruitment activities will be carried out through these services.

What is the difference between using SNS and recruiting sites?
I think this is due to the casual nature of information dissemination.

To digress, the objective of conventional marketing has been to deliver "completed services and products" to the target , but in current marketing, many methods are used to create added value by "providing the process and concept of how the product is made.

For example, “NIKE” is a manufacturer that sells shoes, but its advertisements often emphasize the wonders of sports, but do not talk much about the performance of the shoes themselves. In other words, it can be said that the goal is to encourage purchasers to identify with the brand's values, rather than the shoes themselves.

How about applying the above ideas to recruitment?

If a company's salary level is among the highest in the industry, simply posting job advertisements will likely attract many applicants. However, the reality is that it is difficult for all companies to offer top-level salaries. Therefore, companies can differentiate themselves from other companies by disclosing their unique opinions and values, such as “why we exist” and “why we conduct recruitment activities”.

This kind of method is compatible with SNS. The website is published as a completed product, and from the job seeker's point of view, the truth is, “There is no way it says anything bad about it, and I don't think it's true.” However, with SNS, you can see the thoughts and company culture of the human resources department in a more casual way.

It is often expressed as a marketing strategy for websites that "only posting good things will not move the target's heart." What is meant here is to convey "thoughts and values" other than "good things.

I also believe that verbalizing such thoughts and values will lead to the development of a corporate culture.

In the America and Vietnam, SNS recruiting using “Linkedin" is already in place, but it is only used as a contact tool, and I feel that there are still few companies that are using it strategically. At the same time, I believe that in the future, job seekers will be looking not only for "conditions" such as salary and number of holidays, but also for "values" communicated through SNS and other means.

 

※Source image
https://www.pexels.com/photo/adult-blur-business-close-up-267447/
https://www.irasutoya.com/2013/12/blog-post_6895.html
https://www.irasutoya.com/2019/03/blog-post_6.html

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ARTICLE

November 16, 2023

How to balance the current job with hobbies?

Your current job may be very busy and stressful, so balancing your current job with your hobbies will be very difficult. However, it’s essential to give yourself a period to look inside yourself so that you can maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Here are some tips that can help.

<1>Prioritize your hobbies:

It's important to identify which hobbies are most important to you and make time for them accordingly. This could mean dedicating certain days or times of the week to your hobbies or setting aside a specific amount of time each day.

<2>Schedule your time:

Make a schedule that includes both work and hobbies. By planning out your day, you can ensure that you have enough time for both and avoid overloading your schedule.

[Example] (^o^)ノソ

For me, those are the times when I'm immersed in painting and making cards.

<3>Be flexible:

Sometimes unexpected things come up, and you may need to adjust your schedule. Be willing to make changes as needed to accommodate your work and hobbies.

<4>Set boundaries:

It's important to set boundaries between work and hobbies. Avoid working during your designated hobby time and vice versa.

[Example] (*’u’*)

For me, yoga gradually turned from a hobby into a habit, it helps me reduce stress and maintain balance in life.

<5>Incorporate hobbies into your workday:

If possible, try to incorporate your hobbies into your workday. For example, if you enjoy reading, take a break during lunch to read a book.

<6>Practice time management:

Effective time management can help you balance your work and hobbies. Use tools such as calendars, to-do lists, and timers to help you manage your time

[Example] (*^_^*)

For me, a light break with a few pages of love stories is enough.

Remember that achieving a good balance between work and hobbies requires effort and discipline. By following these tips, you can successfully balance your current job with your hobbies and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance.
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ARTICLE

November 16, 2023

Mastering Conflict Resolution in the Workplace

Conflict is an inevitable part of any workplace. Differences in opinions, communication styles, and work habits can lead to disputes between colleagues. However, how these conflicts are handled can make a significant impact on the overall work environment and employee morale. In this blog, we will explore effective conflict resolution strategies that can help foster a harmonious workplace.

Understanding workplace conflicts

Before diving into resolution strategies, it's essential to understand the various types of workplace conflicts:

  • Interpersonal conflicts: These occur between individuals and are often based on personal differences, misunderstandings, or disagreements.
  • Task-related conflicts: Stem from differences in work priorities, responsibilities, or project goals.
  • Structural conflicts: Arise due to organizational issues, such as resource allocation, roles, or policies.
  • Value-based conflicts: Involve differences in core values, beliefs, or ethics.

The impact of unresolved conflict

Unresolved conflicts can harm the workplace, such as decreased productivity, increased stress, and a toxic work environment. Therefore, it's crucial to address conflicts constructively.

Common Conflict resolution strategies

  • Open communication: Encourage people to express their concerns openly and honestly. Actively listen to their perspectives and try to understand their point of view.
  • Listen actively: Allow each party an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings. Ensure they feel heard and understood.
  • Identify the issue: Clearly define the problem, considering the root causes and the individuals involved.
  • Negotiation: Find common ground and work towards a compromise that satisfies both parties. This can involve discussing and adjusting expectations or solutions.
  • Mediation: Consider involving a neutral third party, such as a supervisor or HR representative, to mediate the dispute and facilitate a resolution.
  • Collaboration: Encourage employees to work together to find mutually beneficial solutions to the conflict. This approach can build stronger relationships among team members.
  • Analyze and brainstorm: Encourage the involved parties to analyze the conflict, consider alternative solutions, and brainstorm ideas for resolution.
  • Choose a solution: Collaboratively select the most suitable solution, considering the needs and preferences of both parties.
  • Implement the solution: Put the chosen resolution into action and monitor its effectiveness.
  • Follow-up: After a resolution has been implemented, follow up with the parties involved to ensure that the conflict is truly resolved and that there are no lingering issues.

Conflict is a natural part of any workplace, but it doesn't have to be disruptive or harmful. By understanding the types of conflicts that can arise and using effective conflict resolution strategies, organizations can create a more harmonious work environment. When conflicts are addressed and resolved constructively, employees can focus on their tasks and collaborate more effectively, ultimately leading to a more productive and happier workplace.

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INFO

November 16, 2023

October 20th – A Day To Honor Vietnamese Women

Men make houses, women make homes. Besides their own career, to create a little home, a peaceful place for the whole family, women really have to sacrifice a lot. And Vietnamese Women's Day – 20/10, will be a special occasion for us to send our love and thanks to our important women for their silent sacrifices.

And to celebrate Vietnamese Women's Day - 20/10 this year, a series of events took place at IVC. Following the success of the Blog Contest last year, this year's event has returned with an upgraded version. With the motto "love is not only expressed in writing but also expressed through speaking", the event “IVC Speaking Contest” was held with the Topic: “The woman who influenced you the most”, attracting a large number of contestants. Inherently in each of us, love and respect for our mother, wife or most important woman always exists, but in the mass of life, it is difficult for us to express. This contest is really a good opportunity for everyone to express their feelings, appreciation, and gratitude to our dear woman.

In order to help the loving letters reach their rightful owners, the Company sent them directly to the most influential woman of each contestant participating in this contest, along with a sincere thank-you & greeting message written by our General Director and a bouquet. Even though it’s a small gift, we believe that it contains invaluable energy and spiritual strength.

Continuing the series of events is the program "Give Word of Love", a quieter way to express our love, our thanks to our dear woman. Lovely postcards are prepared by the Company for everyone to write down messages to send to their woman. In addition, the Company also supports the delivery these lovely postcards to their owners. So, don't hesitate to write down your words, don't hesitate to express concerns for your woman!

Moreover, on October 20, the Company also sent the healthy gifts to all the mothers or the most important women of all IVC members. Wishing our mothers or most important women will always be happy, healthy and full of joy to be able to accompany with us on the life journey ahead.

This series of welcoming events has ended with the enthusiastic participation of all IVC members. It can be said that your enthusiasm is an important factor in creating the success of this event. Once again, the Organization Team would like to thank all IVC members and all contestants.

Our company would like to try to maintain this meaningful activity in the coming years, as a part of our corporate culture.

 

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ARTICLE

November 8, 2023

How to Handle Work in High Pressure Situations

   I am here to talk about how to handle work in high-pressure situations. Now, I reckon we've all found ourselves in a tight spot at work from time to time, where the pressure's higher than a cow jumping over the moon. But fear not, because I'm here to share some tips on how to keep your cool and handle those high-pressure situations like a pro.

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November 8, 2023

A Balanced Diet

   Nowadays, every single one of us is being forced to stay in a situation that we’re always being too busy to prioritize our health and fitness as much as we used to do in the past. Because of that, our health conditions are becoming worse and our life is getting shorter and shorter day by day. And I think it isn’t the result we expected. So, what should we do now to prevent it from continuing to occur? I believe that one of the things we need to do is have to change our eating habits immediately. Actually, the one I want to mention here is that we should have a balanced diet.

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November 6, 2023

Some eating rules of Japanese you should know

Understanding the eating rules in Japanese culture will help you integrate more easily, and applying these rules will also help you limit unpleasant looks from Japanese when interacting.

1. Don't forget to say “itadakimasu “ before every meal.

    “itadakimasu” means the person thanked the animals and plants that gave their lives, so we could eat. As well as thanking all the people involved in getting us the food.

2. Also don’t forget to say “gochisōsama-deshita “ after every meal.

    “gochisōsama-deshita “ means “It was a great deal of preparing the meal” or “Thank you for the meal”.

3. Don’t stab food with your chopsticks.

     Use chopsticks to pick up food slowly and gently.

4. Never rest your chopsticks on the bowl.

     In Vietnam this is normal but in Japan it is not.

     Using your bowl as a resting place for your chopsticks rest is a breach of etiquette. If no chopstick rest is available, use the wrapper the chopsticks came in to make your own.

5. Do not use the chopsticks you are using to pick up food for others.

     If you want to pick up food for others, it's best to get a new pair of chopsticks to pick up food for others.

6. Do not point with your chopsticks or wave them in the air.

     Pointing with chopsticks like pointing a finger at someone. Or waving chopsticks in the air while talking is also rude.

     Make sure to rest them before you start telling a story with lots of hand gestures.

7. Eat all the food you put in the bowl whether you like it or not.

     Don't leave it to waste. If you can't eat much, pay attention to taking a moderate amount of food from the beginning.

8. Remember to return bowls, plates, chopsticks, and bowls to how they were at the start of the meal once you’re done.

     This is especially important in Japan.

9. Be conscious of how much soy sauce you need to pour appropriate amount.

     In the small bowl provided, pour only as much soy sauce as your meal requires. Over serving soy sauce is considered bad manners.

     In addition, don't pour soy sauce directly onto rice, sushi or sashimi.

Above are just a few typical notes that I concluded after a period of interacting with Japanese people and their culture.
And of course, there are still other interesting notes you should learn more!

 

(Image source: https://www.pexels.com; https://depositphotos.com)
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