Tag: Smart Living

Bio-aesthetic points: A new approach to fight off ageing

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Ageing of skin comprises of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The intrinsic factors are genetic. The extrinsic factors include sun exposure, pollution, unhealthy diet, inadequate sleep, stress, lack of exercise, poor lifestyle, pollution and imbalance of hormones. Skin loses its firmness and elasticity due to these factors.

Cosmetic Dermatologists adopt various techniques to turn back the clock and make one look youthful. While a popular approach employs the technique of relaxing wrinkle-causing muscles, other procedures work to lend more hydration to thinning skin or volume to sunken areas on the face. Effectively, they serve to address the overt signs of ageing. However, researchers and experts have continued to explore ways that can address more than just the symptoms of ageing and boost skin’s regeneration ability at the root.

The Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP) technique, pioneered by dermo-aesthetic major IBSA Derma, is one the latest advancements in this direction, says Celebrity Cosmetic Dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad. Dr Sharad is the only Indian to be Board of Director of the International Society of Dermatologic Surgery and aesthetic dermatology.

However, before coming to this technique we need to understand the key role Hyaluronic acid plays in keeping skin youthful and how delivering it at strategic points into the multiple layers of the dermis achieves remarkable anti-ageing effects.

Hyaluronic acid: the potent anti-ageing weapon

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) is a substance found naturally in the skin. With its ability to retain water and its elasticity, HA plays a crucial role in maintaining hydration and volume of skin tissues and ensure healthy existence of other structural proteins such as collagen and elastin. Age-related depletion or degradation of skin’s natural HA reserves are a major reason for the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on the skin, Dr Sharad, who has been practising in Mumbai for the past 20 years, points out.

“With ageing, the ratio between different collagen types changes. Along with it, the skin’s turnover rate also diminishes, resulting in lacklustre appearance and signs of ageing. The depletion of HA also results in physiological alterations of keratinocytes and fibroblasts — two crucial cell types that play a pivotal role on skin regeneration. A healthy interplay between fibroblasts and keratinocytes enables the process of healing and regeneration of the epidermal barrier layer of the skin.”

Hyaluronic acid, therefore, plays a central role in ensuring a healthy composition of skin components as well as a healthy skin regeneration response. This knowledge has led to HA becoming a key element of skincare and anti-ageing regimes in recent years. From serums to topical skin creams to fillers and injectables, HA is today used in a multitude of skincare products. Its ability to induce lubrication and healthy inflammatory response also makes HA useful for wound healing and maintaining joint health.

BAP technique for skin bio-remodelling

Dr Sharad, who authored the book ‘Bestseller Skin Rules’, says: “The technique called Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP) is specifically designed for Profhilo at the IBSA laboratories by a team of experts. While most HA-based dermal fillers use the Hyaluronic Acid to give hydration, volume to the skin and fill up lines and folds, IBSA Derma has taken its use a step ahead with its brand Profhilo that uses a skin bio-remodelling approach through the BAP technique.”

The Bio Aesthetic Points (BAP) technique identifies 5 strategic points on facial skin to deliver intradermal injections of HA for best anti-ageing results. These 5 injection points are anatomically receptive areas of the face with an absence of large vessels and nerve branches, therefore, minimizing the risks of any adverse effect and maximizing the diffusion of the product in the cheeks, she points out. “Profhilo can also be injected in the neck strategically to tighten the skin in the neck region. The BAP protocol includes two treatments one month apart.”

Traditional biostimulation shows several limitations including the need for many injections, greater patient discomfort, increased possibility of the bruising, protocol requiring many treatment sessions, and greater time commitment for the patient. However, compared to this, the new BAP technique using new-generation hyaluronic acid complexes achieves several advantages: only 5 injection sites per side of the face, reduced pain (slow injection), less chance of bruising and hematoma, fewer treatment sessions and better patient compliance, Dr Sharad says.

The skin bio-remodelling procedure uses a highly pure hyaluronic acid without any cross-linking, making it closest to the substance found in nature. The result is also more natural and effective with anti-ageing action unleashed at the source of ageing, rather than just on the surface, she adds.

Can it be done in people with hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, liver disorders etc? Yes, answers the expert. “It is not harmful and the only side effect may be an occasional bruise in those on blood thinners and the bruise lasts for about a week.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Fitbit Versa 2 Review: The best fitness focused smartwatch

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Fitbit ventured into the smartwatch space in 2014 with the Fitbit Surge and followed it up with the Fitbit Blaze. However, it was with the Fitbit Ionic in 2017 that the brand matched up to the competitors with the Fitbit OS and the ability to load new apps. After the Ionic came the Versa in 2018 and Versa Lite in early 2019, our favourite smartwatches from Fitbit – these were with square dials similar to the Apple Watch and came with a plethora of features.

We highly recommended the smartwatches for users who did not mind paying for a fitness focussed smartwatch. Towards the end of 2019, Fitbit announced the Versa 2 – a successor to the original Versa smartwatch, and it comes with improvements all around.

Design and look

Versa 2 continues with a square dial like the original Versa, but the screen is now AMOLED. The use of AMOLED gives you deep blacks, vibrant colours that pop-out, and also helps improve battery life. The AMOLED panel also solves one of our biggest complaint about the original Versa – an always-on display mode.

Versa 2 offers an always-on display mode that works great, but you will have to sacrifice battery life for it. Keeping it on reduces the battery life of the Versa 2 to under three days, whereas if you switch it off, it lasts 5-6 days – equal to most other premium smartwatches available today.

Moreover, the AMOLED screen makes the overall watch face appear larger by blending with the bezels – this makes the Versa 2 look way better than its predecessor. Also, the watch is protected by Gorilla Glass 3.

In terms of design as well, the Versa 2 comes with a few improvements. The watch is sleeker in design and also lighter in weight, which will help attract more interested consumers. On the rear, it has a new unified sensor and charging pins while on the front, the Versa 2 only has one button to interact and navigate.

All of these would be identifiable to someone who has been using the older Versa; otherwise, these small changes in design are not outright visible to the users. Our review unit came with the standard silicon straps, and they fit comfortably without any issue.

The good thing is that the straps are similar to the existing versa/versa lite, so you can use any existing belt that you already own. Overall, we like the premium design and feel of the Versa 2.

Features

What makes the Versa 2 great is its software feature set. The Fitbit OS is tweaked to deliver the best possible performance and comes loaded with features beneficial for the users. You get all the standard features, including floors climbed, swim tracking, heart rate tracking, exercise tracking as well as sleep tracking.

The significant addition is of Alexa integration – with this, you can use your Fitbit Versa to access the voice assistant for queries, control your connected home as well as set alarms.

Keep in mind that you would need your phone nearby and connected to the Internet to access the Alexa feature. We loved the fact that all the data is also available on your smartwatch now to analyze it quickly without the need to open the app everytime on your phone.

One issue with the watch is that there is no built-in GPS so you have to be dependent on the connected phone’s GPS for accurate reading.

Performance

Performance from Versa 2 lived up to our expectations. It matched the steps accurately as we walked around, plus it gives 15 exercise tracking options too. Fitbit has added an upgraded processor to Versa 2, and it shows – its interface is smoother and apps open faster.

Battery life is another upgrade from the predecessor – Fitbit claims over 6 days of battery, while we got over five days of backup with always-on screen feature, switched off, which is impressive. One thing still needs to be fixed by Fitbit if of the use of a proprietary charger. It would be helpful if the option were of USB Type-C or Apple lightning cable for charging.

In our opinion, the Fitbit Versa 2 is the best option available today for anyone who wants a smartwatch with fitness at its core. At its selling price, Versa 2 might seem steeply-priced, but its feature set, performance, screen, and battery life justify the cost. If you have been thinking of getting a fitness focussed smartwatch, then you should opt for the Fitbit Versa 2 without a second thought.

Price: Rs 20,999

Rating: 4.5/5

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Lab-grown meat? Dutch start-up keeps pork on your plate without wrecking the planet

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A Dutch start-up may have found a workaround for eco-conscious consumers struggling to give up meat: pork grown in a laboratory that doesn’t harm animals or damage the planet.

Meatable will this summer unveil its first pork prototype made entirely from cultured animal cells instead of from slaughtered animals, according to its CEO.

Unlike other companies from America, Europe and Israel racing to develop environmentally-friendly ‘clean meat’, Meatable’s pork does not use animal serum, a fluid derived from animal blood.

“We’re trying to help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges… we do not just want to make one or two hamburgers, we want to change the world,” said Krijn de Nood, whose company raised $10 million in seed-funding in December from investors including the European Commission.

With a single cell sourced from a living animal “in a completely painless way”, Meatable can produce large batches of cells required to make meat “in a matter of days to weeks” instead of months, the company said.

The technology was pioneered by Stanford and Cambridge university scientists and is based on a discovery about the manipulation of living cells that won a Nobel Prize in 2012.

Clean meat is held up by scientists and environmentalists as a potential breakthrough in the fight against climate change.

Rearing livestock accounts for about 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions responsible for a warming planet, according to the United Nations, and land used for agriculture is a major driver of deforestation.

Companies such as Aleph Farms and Memphis Meats are trying to produce beef and poultry by nurturing animal cells in a petri dish and then in large bioreactors that resemble beer-brewing vats.

COMPETITION

Astronomical production costs have fallen from an infamous lab-grown burger in 2013 that cost $280,000 to around $100 per kilogram of cultured meat.

But obstacles remain. America’s cattle ranchers are pushing for legislation that would bar the use of word meat to describe plant-based or lab-grown meat because they are “not derived from animals born, raised and harvested in the traditional manner”.

Cultured meat production with high energy inputs could also spur global warming more in the long-term than some types of beef cattle farming if the world shunned a low-carbon path, said a 2019 study by the UK-based Oxford Martin School.

There is competition, too, from plant-based meat products, which are improving their ability to mimic the taste and texture of meat.

De Nood, a former McKinsey consultant, said Meatable’s products are aimed at consumers who like meat but “are more and more uncomfortable with the way it is produced”.

It is a sentiment de Nood is familiar with. “I’ve been eating less and less meat… but sometimes I just crave for a hamburger,” he said, laughing.

The company is focusing on younger generations that feel strongly about climate change, he said, recalling a recent message he received from an investor.

It read, “My 13-year-old son has just given up beef as he has been reading about the impact of cows on climate change, and we’ve agreed his next steak will therefore have to be lab grown”.

“I think that’s our target consumer right there,” said de Nood.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Insider Q&A: Facebook VP of Messenger Stan Chudnovsky discusses privacy

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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At Facebook, Stan Chudnovsky oversees the Messenger chat app that’s used by well over 1 billion people each month. He’s playing a key role in helping Facebook integrate that app with its other chat tools, WhatsApp and Instagram Direct.

The massive project has already gotten pushback from regulators worried about Facebook’s size and power. Government officials also worry about Facebook’s plans to extend end-to-end encryption to Messenger. Once that happens, Facebook wouldn’t be able to respond to law enforcement subpoenas because it wouldn’t have a way to unscramble messages.

Chudnovsky, who moved to the US from Russia in 1994, joined Facebook in 2015. He spoke with The Associated Press recently about his work and views on privacy. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What are the biggest roadblocks in bringing end-to-end encryption?

A: It’s technologically hard to move from the system that is alive and functioning and has billions of messages being sent every day to where it’s done completely differently architecturally. We also need to figure out how to do as much as we can on safety, while being the leaders on privacy. We are trying to go through that process slowly and very responsibly while talking to everyone.

Most messages in the US, where (Apple’s) iMessage is leading, are already end-to-end encrypted. We want to make sure that we get to the point when we lead very strongly and we do as much on safety as we possibly can given the constraints of end-to-end encryption.

Q: How do you ensure that people are safe when you can’t see bad things people are doing?

A: We are going to continue to work very closely with law enforcement on whatever we can provide. We also have connectivity to social networks. Whoever is a bad player on social networks, we will be able to see if those bad players exist on messaging services.

I don’t want to go into details on how we are thinking about approaching that stuff. But we’re just going to invest heavily in identifying threats earlier,

Q: You can send things in a private message that you can’t post on Facebook, right?

A: Definitely. You should be able to send whatever you want to send in a private message.

Q: What if it’s illegal or hurting someone?

A: Generally we believe that conversation between people should be private. We don’t make a difference between the conversations that are happening in the living room or on the phone and conversations that are happening in a private chat.

Q: What if you try to sell a gun, despite Facebook’s ban?

A: If you’re trying to sell a gun, you are probably trying to sell a gun to many people. When someone reports that and someone provides the messages that from the point of that person are illegal, then definitely we will be able to look at that.

Q: What are the biggest things that you have to figure out before interoperability becomes reality?

A: Generally, just a features compatibility in the sense that, if I “like” some message on one app, how does it manifest itself in another? Or will I be able to also call people, not only send messages?

Q: Do you think scrutiny of Facebook will ease any time soon?

A: We have a lot of responsibility. And the criticism, sometimes it’s accurate. Sometimes it’s not accurate. At the end of the day, what it means if everyone’s talking about you positively or negatively or both, is that you’re important. We just need to continue to deliver value to people. And as long as we are building products that people like. I think it’s going to be fine.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Samsung redefines the future of mobile photography with Galaxy S20 Series

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Mobile photography has seen a drastic change in the past couple of years. You have smartphones flaunting higher megapixel sensors, multiple lenses, hybrid zoom, cinematic video recording, the capability to shoot in pitch dark as well as deliver DSLR-style portrait shots. Amidst all of this, both tech reviewers and consumers continue to have a constant curiosity about what would be the next game-changer in mobile photography. We have witnessed Apple, Google and Samsung deliver some of the best smartphone cameras in the past but it was brands like Xiaomi, OPPO and Huawei that delivered innovative camera tech in 2019. For 2020, it seems Samsung wants to dominate the smartphone camera segment and their latest flagship devices in the Galaxy S20 series is the first move from the company to show off its technology prowess in mobile photography.

At its Galaxy Unpacked 2020 event in San Francisco last night, Samsung announced its Galaxy S20 series. The series includes three smartphones – Galaxy S20, Galaxy S20 Plus and Galaxy S20 Ultra with top-of-the-line hardware specifications and features. However, it’s the camera setup on the three that have been in the news for a while – there were rumors of Samsung launching a phone with a 108MP camera and this was confirmed last night with the flagship, Galaxy S20 Ultra. The S20 Ultra is Samsung’s first device with a 108MP primary camera. Xiaomi has the Mi Note 10 with a 108MP camera, but it’s available only in China at the moment and is expected to launch in India next month. Considering, the S20 Ultra is expected to launch in India on March 8 as per rumors, it would be the first commercially available smartphone in the world with a 108MP camera that would give Samsung a big first-mover advantage. It is not just the large MP number on the sensor that is impressive, Samsung has also employed 9-in-1 pixel binning on the sensor. Along with this are optical image stabilisation and an f1.8 aperture. This means that the photos from the 108MP sensor will be shot at 12MP resolution ensuring fantastic details as well as superior clarity in low light.

Feature-rich device 

Coupled with the 108MP primary camera, the S20 Ultra also has the first-of-its-kind 48MP periscope camera. We have seen a periscope camera from other brands and they have been impressive – OPPO has a 13MP periscope lens on the Reno 10X zoom while Huawei offers an 8MP one on the P30 Pro. However, with a 48MP periscope camera, Samsung has changed the game altogether, not only have they managed to offer an absurd 100X zoom along with 10X hybrid optical zoom, but they will also be able to offer better details thanks to the larger sensor with 4-in-1 pixel binning and optical image stabilisation. Of course, you would need to use it with a tripod or gimble to be able to use the 100X zoom but from a consumer marketing angle, it is something no one else offers to date.

Samsung is also changing the game in smartphone cameras for video recording. All the phones in the S20 series support 8K video recording capability from the rear camera and 4k video recording from the front camera – this opens up a whole new world for content creators. Plus, you get features like HDR10+ support, stereo sound, super-stabilised video recording, video bokeh, and super slow-motion videos. There is no other phone that offers this suite of video capabilities and it seems unlikely that they would be matched on a single device anytime soon.

Along with this capable hardware, Samsung has also done work on the software front for the cameras. The cameras software has been optimised to get the best results and has integrated AI features. One of the new features is called Single Take which captures photos and videos for 10 seconds using all the cameras and then uses the AI to suggest the best shot for you to keep. Similarly, the AI is integrated to optimise features like a night shot, 100X Super Resolution Zoom and stabilised action camera like video recording.

A few features are missing as well compared to its predecessor, the S10+. There is no dual-pixel phase-detect autofocus and Samsung has also done away with the dual aperture feature which allowed for an f1.5 aperture value in low light. We are hoping that the new hardware is capable enough to take care of the advantage that these features gave to the S10+.

From an industry perspective, one can argue that not all of these features are new when you look at the existing smartphone landscape. However, Samsung has managed to offer all of these features on a single device and that is what matters. With the Galaxy S20 series, Samsung has gone all out to redefine what your smartphone cameras are capable of and at the same time setting up new standards for flagship smartphones to try and match for the remaining year.

Karan Bajaj is a senior tech journalist based in New Delhi.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Review: Mixcder E10 wireless headphones are ‘value for money’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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There was a time when active noise cancellation (ANC) was considered to be a feature available in premium headphones only. Times have changed with the feature being available in mid-range price in India from various brands. Mixcder is one such brand that offers value for money headphones and the brand has recently launched its E10 headphones with active noise cancellation in India.

Build quality

Mixcder E10 has an on the ear design and uses pressure-relieving memory foam earpads. What this means is that the headphones were comfortable to wear for long durations without giving the feeling of pressure building on your ear. Its headband also has a good amount of padding and even after using it continuously for 4 hours, we did not feel any discomfort. We were impressed by the build quality of the headphones – it uses metal on the earcups as well as the headband which makes it sturdy. Also, it looks great thanks to the black-silver colour combination and concentric circle design on the earcups.

On the right earcup are the volume buttons, power button, LED indicator and the ANC button along with aux-port while the micro-USB port for charging is on the left earcup. Also, the headphones can be folded in half for storage which is always a welcome feature. Overall, it’s impressive what Mixcder has managed to offer at this price in terms of build quality and style.

Noise cancellation

As mentioned earlier, this is Mixcder’s wireless headphones with ANC and there are not a lot of good options available in the mid-range with this feature. The trouble is that since the design and fit are not around the ear, the noise cancellation is not up to the mark if you compare it to ANC offerings from the likes of Sony or Bose.

The noise cancellation is good enough to use in an office environment but does not block out ambient sounds on a busy road or a metro station as well as we have seen on Sony headphones. Of course, if you push up the volume on the headset and combine it with the active noise cancellation you get an immersive experience.

Audio quality

In terms of audio quality, the Mixcder E10 boast of 40mm neodymium iron boron drivers and comes with support for AAC, AptX and AptX low latency codec to deliver superior sound. We used the headphones for a variety of music genres and it impresses with a balanced sound that is not too heavy on the bass and also handles the high frequencies nicely.

What also impressed us further was that when we changed the equalizer for heavy bass output, the headphones delivered tight bass without the output getting muddy. Thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, there is no audio sync issue as well while watching videos and playing games. What we would have liked is the option to connect to two devices simultaneously.

Battery life

Battery life is also superb. With ANC activated we got over 20 hours of battery life on a single charge. There is also fast charge support – 10 minutes charge gave 3  hours of playback and it takes only an hour to fully charge the headphones.

Value for money

The Mixcder E10 delivers value for money with its package as well. You get a very nice carry case, charging cable, aux cable and an airline adapter in the price. Overall, if you are looking for stylish wireless headphones with great sound output and ANC without spending too much, the Mixcder E10 is a good option. At the time of writing, the headphones were available on e-commerce websites for as low as Rs 8,899 which adds to its overall value for money proposition.

Price: 12,999

Rating: 4/5

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Millennial Money: Be Your Financial Valentine

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate your partner or a day to celebrate yourself. And while it may not sound romantic, this time of year is also an opportunity to show your finances some love.

Whether you’re single or in a relationship, build toward your future by defining your goals, budgeting for splurges and getting started with investing.

KNOW YOUR GOALS

Setting a goal is the first step in any kind of money decision. After all, money is just the means to live the life you want.

IF YOU’RE SINGLE: This is the fun part: Grab a glass of something you like and write down goals, whether it’s going on a dream vacation, buying a new car or maybe pursuing the business idea you’ve been chewing on forever. Don’t second-guess your ideas — having them all in front of you will help you prioritize the goals you truly value.

IF YOU’RE PAIRED UP: Turn this into a date night and work on shared goals together, says Angela Moore, a certified financial planner at Modern Money Advisor in Miami.

Moore suggests asking each other basic money questions over dinner. To prevent a fight, stay open to hearing your partner’s way of doing things, she says.

She recommends open-ended questions like:

— “What do you feel you’re really good at with money?”

— “What do you think you can work on?”

— “What are your dreams for the future?”

Once you have a list of goals, estimate how much it will cost to achieve them and how long each will take. Print out the list and pin it up to track your progress.

MAKE A BUDGET

Prioritizing your goals in the first step allows you to create a budget that matches your spending to your values. “Focus on the things that bring you great joy,” Moore says.

The 50/30/20 budget is a good way to divvy up your money: 50% goes to needs like housing and utilities, 30% goes to wants like your coffee habit or eating out, and 20% goes to savings and debt repayment.

IF YOU’RE SINGLE: Knowing what you value means you can cut spending in other areas. At the same time, the “wants” category lets you stick to a realistic budget so you don’t feel like you have to give up on splurges.

IF YOU’RE PAIRED UP: You’re probably aware of whether you and your partner have different spending and saving styles. Use your strengths and weaknesses to hold each other accountable to the budget, Moore says. Spenders and savers can draw inspiration from each other, for example.

Whether you have separate or combined accounts, you can agree to each have some money to spend as you wish (like on a Valentine’s Day treat for your partner). The key is to have an open dialogue about it, Moore says.

INVEST IN YOUR GOALS

Once you know your goals and what it will take to achieve them, figure out your “investment strategy.” This just means how quickly you want your money to grow for your goals.

A quick heads-up: Investing for goals isn’t the same as saving for retirement. Make sure you have retirement savings in place first; check whether your workplace offers a retirement account and company match. “The most important thing is to just get started. Time is one of the most important factors when it comes to compounding your initial contributions into significant wealth,” says Eric Roberge, a certified financial planner at Beyond Your Hammock in Boston.

IF YOU’RE SINGLE: Investing doesn’t have to be scary or mysterious. Robo-advisers have made it easy to get started even with small amounts of money. You can answer a few questions to set your risk tolerance and invest your money accordingly.

“When you’re just getting started, keep it simple. Stick to things you can understand and are relatively safe and reliable rather than trying to shoot for the moon,” Roberge says.

Low-cost index funds and exchange-traded funds are two good options for millennials in particular, Moore says.

IF YOU’RE PAIRED UP: How you manage investments depends on your equation as a couple and both your incomes. You could invest together equally or in proportion to your income. One of you might also be more inclined to organize money matters.

“Even if one person takes the lead, the other should check in along the way to see how the money’s grown,” says Rebecca Provder, a matrimonial attorney and partner at Moses & Singer in New York City.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

A 4-step maintenance plan to help keep your relationship going strong

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Early on, relationships are easy. Everything is new and exciting. You go on dates, take trips, spend time together and intentionally cultivate experiences that allow your relationship to grow.

Then, somewhere along the way, life happens.

One study on married couples in their 30s and 40s found that their marital quality declined over the course of a year, in terms of love, passion, satisfaction, intimacy and commitment. Too often, people shrug their shoulders and convince themselves this is just how it goes. Switching to relationship autopilot feels justifiable when you’re short on time, low on energy and must focus on other priorities like careers and kids.

This is when doubt can creep in and tempt you to hit the reset button.

But maybe you’re being too hard on a perfectly good relationship. Every couple experiences ups and downs, and even the very best relationships take effort.

Rather than getting out, it’s time to get to work. Whether your relationship is already stuck in a rut, or you’re trying to avoid ending up in one, most people need to focus more on what happens between “I do” and “I don’t want to be with you anymore.” As a relationship scientist, I suggest the following four psychology research-based strategies to kickoff your relationship maintenance plan.

Use boredom as a pivot point

No one raises their hand and says, “Sign me up for a boring relationship.” But boredom serves a purpose. Like your phone indicating your battery is low, boredom is an early warning system that your relationship needs a recharge.

At different times, all relationships experience boredom. Psychology researcher Cheryl Harasymchuk and colleagues have explored how people react. For example, to turn things around when you’re bored, do you fall back on things that are familiar and make you feel self-assured, like taking a walk around the neighbourhood? Or do you choose growth-enhancing activities – like going for a hike on a new trail in an unfamiliar park – to mix things up?

It turns out that study participants preferred growth-enhancing activities when they were bored, and when given a chance to plan a date, they incorporated more novelty into those outings. Rather than resigning yourself to boredom’s inevitability – “This is just how relationships are” – use boredom as a call to action.

Keep dating

Rather than wait for boredom to strike, couples would be wise to be more proactive. It’s simple as continuing to date. Early in relationships, couples prioritize these one-on-one outings but eventually begin to coast, just when the relationship could use an extra boost.

To recapture that early relationship magic, research shows that couples should engage in new, challenging and interesting activities. Rather than sitting at staring at your phones, couples should break their routine and try something different. It could be as simple as trying a new restaurant, or even a new dish at a favourite place.

Not only does branching out counteract boredom, but trying new things helps you grow as a person. All of this spills over into the relationship, increasing levels of passion, satisfaction and commitment.

In one study, researchers asked married couples either to play games like Jenga, Monopoly, Scrabble and UNO, or take an art class together. All couples increased their levels of oxytocin – the so-called “cuddle hormone” which helps partners bond. But the art class couples had larger oxytocin increases and touched each other more, perhaps because the activity was newer and further outside their comfort zone. That novelty may encourage them to rely on each other for assurance.

Movie nights

Not looking to dig out your oil paints? Here’s a lower-key option: Grab a spot on the couch and have a couples movie night. Over the course of a month, researchers asked some couples to watch and discuss a romantic comedy such as “When Harry Met Sally,” while others did an intense relationship workshop. Fast forward three years and the movie watchers were less likely to have broken up.

It probably isn’t just taking in any film, but rather than watching a romantic story gives couples a less threatening way to discuss relationship issues. It may also help them see their relationship differently. That’s important, because research from psychologist Eli Finkel and others shows that viewing your own relationship through completely neutral eyes helps couples hold off declines in marital quality.

Finding the bright spots

Activities are great, but you also need to do daily maintenance.

There’s an old adage in psychology research that “bad is stronger than good.” For relationships, that often means focusing on what’s wrong, while overlooking what’s right. Talk about self-defeating.

Of course, you can just as easily find the ways your relationship is thriving. Be more intentional about noticing your relationship’s bright spots. Not only will you appreciate your partner more, but you can use what’s going well to help improve less bright areas.

Too often, people wait for something to break before trying to fix it. Adopting a maintenance mentality can more proactively help your relationship. 

One new study tested a way to help couples in already healthy relationships. The researchers’ intervention had couples complete research-based positive psychology activities over four weeks such as:

– Write the story of their relationship, focusing on the positives, then share with their partner

– Write a letter of gratitude to their partner

– Identify their partner’s strengths and their strengths as a couple

– Create a list of positive moments or activities partners want to share with each other. Pick one, and plan a time to do it

– Create a desired happiness chart and discuss what small relationship tweaks can help make it a reality.

At the end of the month, compared to couples on the study’s waitlist, participants reported more positive emotions, better relationship functioning and improved communication. Another month later, their average relationship functioning remained better than that of the comparison group.

Few people enjoy cleaning, doing laundry or mowing the lawn. Yet, if you neglect those tasks, life quickly falls into disrepair. Your relationship is just the same. Rather than thinking about replacements when your relationship shows signs of wear, invest the time and energy into a little maintenance. Using any or all of these easy-to-implement strategies should not only help a relationship survive, but hopefully even thrive.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow