Let us take a look at some important ways in which you, as a Muslim parent, can help your child:

1. Recognize the Signs

Not every child will take the initiative to come up to you and tell you that he is being bullied. In fact, a lot of children wouldn’t. Be observant of your child, so you will notice when something changes in his behavior or expression.

Signs can include:

• Your child waits with using bathroom until he gets home from school. School bathrooms can be bully-hot spots.
• He often gets home hungry even though you have packed enough lunch or given enough money.
• Belongings get damaged or ‘lost’ more frequently.
• Your child feels more negatively about himself. He may think he’s not good enough, or blames himself a lot.
• Social withdrawal, especially when your child stops socializing with his usual friends.

2. Listen, Don’t Judge

One of the most valuable skills as a parent is to be able to listen to your child. Really listen, that is, without judging. Let your child talk, without giving your opinion, offering solutions or getting upset. As important as it is for kids to stay cool, the same goes for parents. Getting upset, or at the other end, downplaying your child’s feelings do not empower him to deal with the situation effectively, and will keep him from telling you about his issues in the future. It is natural for a parent to feel emotional and to want to react to what your child says, but be patient, listen carefully, and think things over before you rush to judgment.

3. Create a Strong Bond

Having a good relationship with your parents is something that gives child a feeling of security and well-being that can protect against the negative effects of bullying. This means spending time with your child, making your child feel loved and valued. As Muslims, spending time with your child and strengthening your relationship should also be about helping each other get closer to our Creator. Rituals like salah, fasting, reading Qur’an and attending lectures are excellent opportunities to spend time together while growing in the deen at the same time.

4. Support Network

You as a parent will also need a network of supporting people, whom you can talk to and get advice from. Family members and brothers or sisters from the local community should naturally be a part of this, but also try to maintain good relationships with other adults who play a role in your child’s life, such as teachers, school officials, and friends’ parents.

5. Boost Self-Confidence

Try to increase your child’s self-confidence and sense of accomplishment by seeking out hobbies or activities that he is good at. These could include a variety of things, so it is important to do this together with your child and take into account his personality and talents. Every child has natural abilities, whether athletic, artistic, social or otherwise, and being able to do something you are good at will boost self-esteem and give a sense of empowerment which can help him to stand up against bullying and peer pressure.

6. Be an Example

Parents serve as role models for the behavior that they want to see in their children. So, if you would like your child to be able to solve conflicts effectively, confidently and Islamically, you should set the example. Do not retaliate, use insulting language, backbite, or let your emotions get the better of you. Instead speak with truth and justice, show forgiveness and patience, and keep your emotions in check.

“O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak the truth.” [Qur’an: Chapter 33, Verse 70]

Abu Hurairah reported that a man said to the Prophet , “Advise me! “The Prophet said, “Do not become angry and furious.” The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, “Do not become angry and furious.” [Sahih Bukhari]

7. Coach Your Child

Chances are that your child could use some day-to-day coaching to deal with bullying and peer pressure effectively, and you as a parent are in an excellent position to fulfil that role. So, look at the tips for dealing with bullying and peer pressure from the previous posts, talk about them and help your child on a practical level to implement those things that are useful in your situation. Come up with ideas of things to say or to do, help find beneficial activities, and facilitate healthy social contacts. And most importantly, keep motivating your child to do the right things and put their trust in Allah .

“And whosoever fears Allah, He will prepare for him a way out.” [Qur’an: Chapter 65, Verse 2]

This was the third and last article in the series “Let’s Beat Bullying.” I hope you benefited from reading. Please feel free to share your experiences and tips on how to help your child deal with bullying and peer pressure in the ‘Comments’ section!

The post [Productive Teens – Part 3] Seven Tips for Parents to Deal with Bullying appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

This is the second part of a series of three articles about how young Muslims can develop strength, courage and resilience in the face of peer pressure and bullying. Part 1 dealt with 

“One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered.” [Michael J. Fox]

Talking about bullying is not easy. The thought of someone innocent being mocked, ridiculed and belittled, a friend or classmate, a sibling, maybe yourself, fills our hearts with rage and indignation, and makes it hard to distinguish facts from emotions. Above all,
we want bullying to stop, but despite decades of anti-bullying programs and laws, the phenomenon has only increased, up to a point that one in four school children now report being bullied regularly.

The reality is that bullying has always been around, and will continue to do so. The early history of Islam has witnessed some of the toughest and most cruel bullies! Remember Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab and their wives? What the believers had in common is that they stayed calm and patient, didn’t lose their courage and repelled evil deeds with good ones and forgiveness. The dunya will never see perfection and people will continue to hurt one another as long as they’re in this world. At the same time, people who have hurt one another at some point, can end up becoming friends:

“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel evil with which is better, then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, will become as though he was a close friend. But none is granted this, except those who are patient, and none is granted it except the owner of the great portion.”  [Qur’an: Chapter 41, Verses 34-35]

This eternal wisdom should be our first clue in looking for solutions to bullying. Real empowerment comes with patiently doing what’s right. Finding solutions to bullying is not a matter of one-size-fits-all , but In sha Allah, the tips and advice below may help you to deal with bullying wisely:

Power to You!

Even when others try to assault your dignity, you should know that you are the one who owns it and it cannot be surrendered unless you give it away. Know that you have choices. Know that you have the power and courage to deal with bullying wisely and do what’s right.

1. Cool is Not Enough

Stay ice-cold! A bully tries to establish a superior position by putting others down. Boys and girls may bully in different ways, but the goal is the same: making you feel inferior. Now how does a bully know that he or she was even a little bit successful in putting you down? Right: anger, tears, frustration, defensiveness, and many other things, big or small, that show your emotions are triggered. You are upset, and they’re having fun. Stay ice-cold, ignore the bullying and shrug it off  by realizing that people can say what they want and this doesn’t affect the truth one bit. You can’t control their words and actions, but you can refuse to give them an audience. This sounds very straight-forward, but putting it into practice – consistently – requires a lot of patience and self-control. What can help you to keep your cool and stay empowered?

No JADE-ing! Do you remember this one from the previous part? JADE-ing (justify, argue, defend, explain), even when done in a calm way, lets the bully know that he/she has triggered something, which is exactly what they’re looking for. For example, when people mock you, call you gay because you don’t date girls, it sounds much more powerful to say: “You can believe what you want about me”, than: “That’s not true, you know I’m Muslim and so I don’t date”, even when you say it in a calm way.

Throw in some humor.  Learn to look at yourself and life’s circumstances with humor. It’s a big stress-reliever and can work well in tense situations. Seeing the humor in things doesn’t mean that you belittle yourself or your problems, but rather it enables you to diffuse the stress and hurt that come with bullying. Say something funny when others insult you, not in a mocking way, but in a playful, jesting way, it also lets bullies know that they haven’t upset you and will take the wind out of their sails.

Use kindness as a weapon. Maybe the last thing you want to do is be nice to someone who torments and harasses you, but, like in the Qur’anic verse above, kindness may change the bully’s attitude and take the enmity out of your relationship. And it shows them that you are not brought down by their words and actions. Also remember here to stay cool, don’t be enthusiastic in trying to please a bully, but calmly and coolly return their bad words or actions with something good. Tell your classmate that you like her new hair style when she calls you a rag head. Warning: Using kindness as a weapon does not mean that you should give in to the bully’s demands, like giving them money. Never do this!

2. Connect with People and Protect Your Vulnerability

The ones who are most vulnerable to the effects of bullying are the ones who care the most about relationships with their peers. Try to establish meaningful, healthy connections with a variety of people, including adults. The more positive relationships you have, the less you will be affected by bullying.  

3. Snitches and Tattletales: When to Call for Adult Intervention?

As a general rule, don’t tell on a bully when there’s no serious harm or threat. It will get the bully into trouble, and although that may seem just what he or she deserves, it will continue the cycle of bullying because it will feed the bully’s anger and frustrations and make him/her more determined to get back at you.  But, make no mistake about it, when someone seriously wants to harm you, you should get adult authorities involved right away. No one has the right to harm you and this should be reported immediately. When bullies threaten to harm you,  make a safety plan together with an adult you trust.

The Bystander: How Can You Help?

Just like the one being bullied, bystanders shouldn’t give bullies any audience at all. Don’t become angry or upset. Does that mean that you shouldn’t do anything? No, but your focus should be on the victim. You can help by talking to the one being bullied, keep him/her company or help them to calmly walk away from the scene. Don’t be afraid that by doing this you will be the bully’s next victim, it’s exactly this fear that keeps the bully in the dominant position.

No Escape from Cyber Bullying?

An increasing portion of bullying takes place online, perhaps making you feel that there’s no escape from the harassment. But just as with other forms of bullying, you have choices and you have power. The tips for the ice-cold approach will go a long way here too. Other than that, there are a couple of things to keep in mind for your safety:

• Never give out any information that might lead to stealing your online identity
• Never, ever agree to meet a person who contacted you over the internet!

The next and last part of this series will focus on what parents can do to help their kids and teens to stay strong, courageous and resilient. Meanwhile, I’d love to know if you’ve tried the tips I’ve shared so far and how they’ve helped you!

The post [Productive Teens – Part 2] Let’s Beat Bullying! appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

In Part 1 of this series, I focused on information overload in the YouTube Culture, and steps you can take to manage this. In this part, you will read more about how to be selective in what you watch, and what else you can do to get the best out of watching online videos.

So Many Trees in the Forest

In Part 1 of this series, I talked about how easy it is to become overloaded with information these days and the negative impact this has on your productivity. There is no doubt that you must seek knowledge, and the immediate availability of YouTube videos definitely makes that easier. Maybe too easy sometimes. Whatever topic or medium of information you choose, you should always ask yourself whether you’re really benefitting or just passively taking in information.

Making an inventory, prioritizing and disconnecting are essential steps to take when you’re out there in the information jungle, but still, with all that’s available, being selective can be a real tough task. What you’ll want to avoid is picking up bits and pieces of information here and there and find that you can’t see the forest for the trees. Instead, go for information that’s both focused and comprehensive. Here are two more ideas to help you with that:

1. Books

There are video lectures that discuss or explain a particular book or other written materials. Make sure you have the book while watching. This way, the outline and the source of information are clear and straightforward, enabling you to stay focused. And you will also benefit from using more than one skill (listening/watching, reading) to process the information. Well-known basic books include ‘Kitab at Tawheed’, or an explanation of the ‘Forty Hadith of Imam an-Nawawi’.

2. Follow a program

Rather than jumping from video to video about one or more topics, choose the ones that are part of a program, or series. They usually aim to give you a deeper understanding of the topic, plus it will give you the satisfaction and motivation boost of having ‘finished something’. For example, try watching a complete series about the seerah of the Prophet or the different Companions. You could find a program on how to learn to read and recite the Qur’an with tajweed (correct pronounciation), or benefit from a series on the tafsir (commentary) of the Qur’an.

Bridging the Productivity Gap

Islam is a religion of striving to do good deeds, and whenever we feel that we are just consuming knowledge without benefitting much from it in terms of action, we should do the utmost to bridge that productivity gap.

“By the time. Verily, man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and recommend one another to the truth, and recommend one another to patience.” [Qur’an, Chapter 103, Verses 1-3]

With huge quantities of information so easily accessible, the Ummah has really seen a revolution in the ways of seeking knowledge about our religion. And as we’re trying to manage and make productive choices within this new YouTube culture, we should also look at ourselves critically. Could there be something in our attitudes towards watching video lectures that prevents us from reaping all the benefits?

Here are two more points to keep in mind if you want to bridge the productivity gap and maximize the benefits and blessings of seeking knowledge in the YouTube culture:

1. Take video lectures seriously and get active

Many people wouldn’t dream of going to a ‘live’ lecture of a Sheikh without taking notes or jotting down questions as he speaks, yet we have a much more passive attitude when watching a lecture on YouTube. Of course, the first thing you should do is to get your pen and notebook out, but don’t stop there, there’s more you can do.

• Go back to your notes and write a summary of the lecture.
• Make a list of action points based on the information in the video (and hold yourself accountable for sticking to them!).

And just like you would try to keep distractions to a minimum in any other lesson or lecture (by switching off your phone for example), do the same thing while watching a video lecture. Choose a suitabletime to watch video lectures and don’t try multitasking. 

2. Don’t let the Ummah go solo

There is a trend towards individualism in the YouTube culture that we as an Ummah should recognize. A whole world of information is at our fingertips and we don’t have to leave our house, or even talk to someone for that matter. But this Ummah should be one of unity and brotherhood, and the social aspects of seeking knowledge can be such a great source of blessings, we shouldn’t let that pass.

Nu’man ibn Bashir reported: The Messenger of Allah  said:

“The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” [Muslim]

Pursuing knowledge together can be so much more encouraging, motivating and, ultimately, productive than doing it all by yourself. So, try to get others involved and select, watch and discuss video lectures together. Compare your notes. Design a program or schedule together around a certain topic. Encourage one another to put knowledge into action. Help one another to achieve your goals and be successful in this life and the next.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this series about the YouTube culture and your productivity and have picked up some beneficial ideas. I’d love to hear your own ideas about this topic in the comments section below!

The post The YouTube Culture and Your Productivity (Part 2) appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

This is the first part of a series of three articles about how young Muslims can develop strength, courage and resilience in the face of peer pressure and bullying. In this part you will read about the impact of peer pressure and how you can stay firm.

“Everyone’s skipping class tomorrow, you’re such a nerd to go, and you’ll be the only one there anyway!”

Ever had to deal with pressure like that before?

Everywhere in this world people interact, and form groups and communities. Hence, wherever there are groups, small or big, there is pressure to conform to the accepted norm: whether it’s wearing skinny jeans, gossiping about your boss or teacher, asking for a mega dowry or being a silent witness to bullying or injustice. For a lot of our young brothers and sisters, standing up to peer pressure can be a relentless struggle in a period when you’re trying to establish yourself and your values. You can be pressured to conform by negative comments, ignoring, whispering behind your back, rolling eyes or giving you ‘the look’. But at the same time, peer pressure can often be very friendly, with encouraging remarks or well-meant advice to do something….. that you really don’t want to and shouldn’t do!

“And when it is said to them: “Do not cause corruption on the earth”, they say, “We are but reformers”. Unquestionably, it is they who are corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 11-12]

It’s natural for people to want to be liked and accepted by the people that matter to them. Yet in the end, each one of us is individually responsible for the successes and failures in this life, and when your peers pressure you to do or accept something that’s not right and goes against your values, you should stay firm and stand up to the pressure.

Well, that’s maybe easier said than done.

Fortunately there are facts, tips and tricks that you can equip yourself with to win the battle:

Know Your Dragons: the Ins and Outs of Peer Pressure

You’re more likely to fall for peer pressure in new or unclear situations. Think about going to a new school, starting college or a job. In situations like this, when you’re out of your comfort zone, it’s likely that you rely more on others for information and clues on what’s accepted to do. These are times when you should take extra care to guard yourself against negative peer pressure.

Peer pressure increases when being different has important consequences.  What if your decision not to participate in an activity would mean that you will be ridiculed forever? Or if your speaking up about something will cost you your friends?  Remember that you should do what’s right, even when the stakes are high. 

Conquer Your Dragons: Stay Away from the Negative and Value a Good Companion

The Qur’an offers beautiful advice and guidance that you can apply when you are faced with negative influence from the people around you, and by the same token, you are also warned about the ‘follow the herd mentality’.

“And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance.” [Qur’an: Chapter 73, Verse 10]

“When it is said to them: “Follow what Allah has revealed,” they say: “Rather, we will follow that which we found our fathers doing”. Even though their fathers understood nothing, nor were they guided?” [Qur’an: Chapter 2, Verse 170]

“Take what is given freely, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.” [Qur’an: Chapter 7, Verse: 199]

It’s clear and simple. If you want to stay steadfast upon your deen (religion), live up to your values and be successful in this life and the hereafter: you should stay away from those people and situations that invite you to all the wrong things.You will probably know who and what they are when you come to think about it.

At the same time, you aren’t meant to be a hermit, living only for yourself. Islam recognizes the importance of the bonds between the members of the Ummah. And as much as you can experience negative pressure, when you hang out with the right crew, you can encourage and motivate each other to achieve your best. Peer pressure the positive way!

Allah’s Messenger said:

“The example of a good companion (who sits with you) in comparison with a bad one, is I like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith’s bellows (or furnace); from the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell thereof.” [Bukhari]

And remember the story of the people of the cave. They were young men who turned away from their corrupt society, and at the same time, stuck together for support.

“[Mention] when the youths retreated to the cave and said, “Our Lord, grant us from Yourself mercy and prepare for us from our affair right guidance.”” [Qur’an: Chapter 18, Verse 10]

Practical Tips to Overcome Peer Pressure

Tip #1: when you’re facing peer pressure, try to find someone older and more experienced in life to talk to about your problems, a mentor of some sorts. Someone who is willing to provide a listening ear and can advise and help you to stay strong and make the right decisions. A member of the Islamic community where you live, for example, or an older family friend – in any case, someone who you trust and who understands you.  

Tip #2: while it may be a bit impractical to retreat yourself in a cave if the situation becomes dire, you could try to create your own sanctuary. A spot just for you where you can retreat from the pressure and find yourself again.

Your Ultimate Weapons: Confidence, Courage and Steadfastness

How can you increase your confidence, courage and steadfastness when dealing with peer pressure?

1. Check your motivation: Ask yourself what really motivates you to want to do something, or leave something. If you want to be confident and steadfast in your actions, this is where it starts. Why do you want to wear hijab or avoid listening to gangsta rap? If you feel you lack genuine motivation, read up about the issue or talk about it until you feel more confident in your stance about it. It will strengthen your decisions in times when your values are put to the test.
2. Be clear, don’t  JADE (Justify, Argue, Defend, Explain): There are situations in which you can get into a discussion about your values, but when you’re dealing with peer pressure, be short and sweet about what you want and don’t want. For example, when you’re pressured to eat or drink something that you don’t want, you could just say: “No thanks, I decide what goes into my body”. Or, when friends push you to stop reading and go partying with them instead: “It’s up to me how I spend my free time”. JADE-ing will give people a foot in the door when you really need to have that door closed.
3. Have something ready to say: Avoid being swept away by the insecurity of the moment, not knowing what to say or how to react. Write down some useful phrases and practice them too. You’ll probably have to find out along the way which phrases work best in which situation, but make sure you have some ready to use.
4. Lead an active and productive life: Being busy with work, study, volunteering, being active in the community and seeking knowledge will boost your confidence and steadfastness. Stay busy, and as you start to see results and achieve your goals, this will make you confident and courageous enough to continue on the path you carved out for yourself, no matter what others will say.

In the next part of the series, we will take a closer look at bullying, and how we as Muslims can deal with it.

The post [Productive Teens – Part 1] How to Deal Effectively with Peer Pressure and Bullying appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

In the first part of this series, you will read about the YouTube generation, information overload, and what you can do to manage the incessant stream of information and stay focused and productive.

Generation YouTube

In case you still had any doubt about it, YouTube has conquered the Internet, our lives, our likes and our time, in a matter of what seemed to be just a few years. At the same time, it has also given a whole new dimension to sharing information in general, and information about our deen in particular. Getting basic know-how or deeper knowledge about Islam has never been easier or faster. There are literally thousands of videos being uploaded every minute all around the world, from recorded lectures of well-known sheikhs, to enthusiastic individuals vlogging their two cents into cyberspace.

In many ways, the abundance and accessibility of video lectures is positive, but could there be too much of a good thing? What do we actually do with all that information, and how does it affect our deeds and our productivity? We are encouraged, in both Qur’an and Hadith to seek knowledge and understanding, but with the rise of generation YouTube, we should be careful not to become mere mass consumers of information. It’s the benefit you and others derive from it and the deeds that affirm it, that really count.

It’s an Information Jungle. Are You Overloaded?

On top of the enormous amount of not-to-be-missed YouTube videos, the sheer quantity of information that is at our fingertips, is overwhelming. Ideally, with all this knowledge available, we should all be SuperProductive Muslims by now. But in reality, there are some ways in which this information jungle can actually miss its mark and even be counterproductive. It’s very easy to become overloaded with information, and this can affect us negatively in a few areas:

Memory: Maybe you notice that details often slip your mind. What was the hadith again that the sheikh mentioned? What was the point again that the brother or sister was making in the first part of the video? We all forget things, but information overload can make us especially prone to memory difficulties.

Attention span and patience: You may find it difficult to focus or concentrate for longer periods of time. You could find that you switch off when the information is presented slower than you’re used to. It’s quick and easy to watch a couple of videos on YouTube about a topic that interests you, but after some time, you could discover that you can no longer bring up the attention to read a book about the same topic, or be patient enough to keep on looking and asking when information is not instantly available.

Distraction and procrastination: There’s so much interesting stuff out there, and your thoughts flit from one thing to another. But projects and tasks are difficult to finish when you continue getting distracted. Procrastination is distraction’s nasty little brother. You delay working on what you should, and instead keep yourself busy with other things less relevant. Or it could be that you are simply so overloaded with information that you freeze and don’t know where to start to take action.

Do you recognize some things? If you do, then maybe it’s time to take more control of the amount of information you take in, in order to stay focused and productive.

How Can You Manage?

The key to managing the constant stream of information is filtering. That means, however many beneficial videos are competing for your attention, you should be selective about what you watch and the amount of time you spend watching, as this will help you get the most out of them. Here are a few tips to help you in the process:

1. Make an inventory

Often, people don´t even realize how much information they consume, and this goes for YouTube as well. For one week, keep a record of all the Islamic videos you watch, including the topic and the time spent. Look at your list at the end of the week and ask yourself what you remember of the information and which videos you benefited most from, especially in terms of action taken. This should give you a good idea about where to start filtering.

2. Prioritize

Now that you know where you benefit most from, use this knowledge to prioritize. Select the topics and speakers that really help you gain understanding and push you towards action. Prioritizing also includes putting the most essential branches of knowledge first. For example, do you know all the ins and outs of the appearance of the Dajjal, but you barely know enough Qur’an to make it through your five prayers? That should give you a hint about where to start.

3. Disconnect

Sometimes you need to put a halt to the input. Take some time regularly to disconnect from the Internet and ponder and reflect upon the things you’ve heard and learned, and evaluate yourself. If you continue taking in new information, without pausing to digest, you won’t get all the nutrients out of it.

In the second part of this series, you will read more about how to select video lectures and what you can do to bridge the productivity gap and maximize your benefit.

The post The YouTube Culture and Your Productivity (Part 1) appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Roadblocks on the Path to Creative Thinking

Creative thinking can be a positive, productive and rewarding habit. It’s a potential as well as a responsibility that we have been given by our Creator; one that we should use with the well-being and progress of the Ummah in mind:

“It is He Who has made you (His) vicegerents, inheritors of the earth: He has raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He has given you: for your Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an: Chapter 6, Verse165]

But as with building most positive habits, there can be thoughts or attitudes that get in your way. You can experience these blocks individually, but unfortunately some of them have also climbed the ladder up high within our Ummah. Let’s look at some major roadblocks:

Negative attitude towards creativity: Some people feel that creative thinking opposes logic by default. Or that it’s just a waste of time, like daydreaming. Often, even the way education is approached, kills creativity, natural curiosity and innovation. I hope the previous part helped clear some of these misunderstandings about creative thinking and highlighted its benefits.

Imitation: Doing something because others do it: It feels safe to be part of a herd, but if there ever was an antithesis to creative thinking, it would be imitation. Why are you afraid of what others think when you don’t conform? Remember that in the end, all that matters is the satisfaction of Allah , not that of the people.

Not paying attention: Being continually busy can prevent you from noticing what happens around us, or being genuinely involved in your activities. You can’t be innovative and productive when you simply go through the motions of our everyday lives like a robot. Take some time everyday to slow down and reflect.

Fear of failure: What if your ideas turn out to be a total flop? Nothing and nobody is perfect, except your Creator. Failures are to be expected and accepted in life, and as long as your intentions are sincere, they can be taken as an opportunity to learn and be humble, patient and grateful.

Some More Ideas and Techniques to Keep You Going

You’ve already looked at some tips to get started in the first part of this article, and here are

some more ideas and techniques on how to keep up the habit of creative thinking:

1. Recognize your roadblocks. Analyze yourself and be honest. Which of the blocks that I described earlier keep you from thinking creatively? Write it down, or, even better, use the mind mapping technique that I described in the first part to come up with solutions.

2. Make time and space in your life for creative thinking. Make a small ‘creativity corner’ somewhere in your home or office. Stock it with books and resources that inspire you or dedicate a specific time to creative thinking, a time without disturbances or distractions. Use your space and/or time for reading, scribbling, doodling or just playing around with you ideas. Don’t expect too much, the idea is to let your creativity flow and see where it gets you.

3. Have a notebook ready. Ideas, thoughts and observations don’t always come to you at your desk. Make sure you carry a small notebook with you and use it to write them down wherever you are.

4. Play some creative thinking games. There are a lot of fun games or exercises for creative thinking that don’t have to take a lot of time such as 벳엔드 주소. For example this one: Pick a random word and try to come up with at least ten ways of how this word relates to your life. Or play a board game and change the rules. You could try to invent a new secret code and use it to write a message. Optical illusions, word puzzles and brain teasers are also great and there are a lot of them available, online or in newspapers or magazines.

5. Unplug. We’re all guilty of it: spending a lot of time behind a screen, whether it’s a computer screen, TV screen, or your iPad. At its best, this habit distracts you, and, at its worst, it clutters and dulls your mind to such an extent that creative and innovative thoughts are blocked. Pull out the plugs regularly for a couple of hours and see your creativity and productivity flourish.

6. Go outside. Being outside in nature is not only a great Iman-booster and stress-reliever; it is also linked to increased creative thinking and problem solving skills. So, take a walk in the woods or in the park, spend some time at the beach or any other place in nature, and feel relaxed, refreshed and inspired!

As this is the end of the series about creative thinking and how you, as a Productive Muslim can benefit from it, I hope you feel inspired enough to start applying the tips in your life from now on insha Allah. 

Feel free to share your tips for creative productivity with us.

Read Part 1 of the series.

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Your Creative Potential

Many people link creativity to art. It’s true that artistic expression is one form of creativity, but there’s so much more to creativity than painting, sculpture or writing poetry. We, humans have been given the gift of thinking and understanding, something which Allah often mentions in the Qur’an.

And your Lord inspired the bee, saying, ‘take your habitations in the mountains and in the trees, and in what they erect.’. Then eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy, there comes forth from within their bellies a drink of varying color, wherein is healing for men. Verily in this is a sign for people who think” [Quran: Chapter 16, Verse 68-69]

“Thus Allah makes clear His Ayat to you, in order that you may understand” [Quran: Chapter 2, Verse 242]

Using this God-given gift of thinking in a creative way means to use our faculties and skills to come to something original and beneficial, whether it is a solution to a problem, an idea or theory, or a way of doing something. Everyone has the capacity to be creative, in one way or another. When we use our creative potential, we are open to new ideas and information and we try to see things from different perspectives.

Creative thinking benefits you in many ways. It boosts your problem solving skills and can help you to be more productive and build good habits. It gives self-confidence and, as it deepens your understanding of the world around you, it can also deepen your connection to the ultimate Creator.

Our Creative Legacy

The history of Islam is full of beautiful examples of creative thinking. In fact, great things have been achieved by means of people’s willingness to be creative and innovative and carve out new paths. Many of these Muslim pioneers still hold a very special place in our hearts. Think about Imam Malik. Think about Ibn Sina and Ibn al Haitham. And when we look at the seerah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad we will find examples too. At one time, the Prophet came up with a very creative solution when he was called to mediate between the different tribe leaders who were rebuilding the Ka’aba and arguing about who should put the black stone in its place. He settled the matter by letting all four leaders hold a corner of the cloak on which he had placed the black stone. And then his readiness to accept Salman al Farsi’s suggestion to dig trenches when they were besieged by their enemies, a strategy unknown to the Arabs, also shows us our Prophet’s openness to new ideas and solutions.

Where to start: tips to get you on the road

Where can you start when you feel that your creative thinking skills are buried under thick layers of dust? Here are some simple steps to help you reconnect with your creative potential:

1. Be confident that you have the capacity to be creative. This is a very important first step. There are many people who think that creativity is something for geniuses or truly inspired people. Or that creativity isn’t something you can develop; you either have it or you don’t. Be confident in the fact that it’s a potential with which all human beings are blessed, including you.

2. Read about creative thinking and creative people. Knowledge often works; inspiring and reading about creative thinking may get you inspired and increase your confidence at the same time. Some experts who have authored multiple books about creative thinking are, for example, Edward de Bono, Michael Michalko, and Roger Von Oech. These books focus on how creativity works, what types of creativity there are, and how you can cultivate your skills to benefit you:

“Creative thinking is not a talent; it is a skill that can be learned. It empowers people by adding strength to their natural abilities which improves teamwork, productivity and, where appropriate, profits.” (Edward de Bono)

3. Mind mapping. A great technique to start with, because generating ideas and making associations are at the base of creative thinking. Mind mapping is a free-association technique that can be used for ideas, making a plan or solving a problem. You place an image, which represents the subject, in the middle of a piece of paper. Then draw thick branches flowing out from the picture for the main associations, smaller sub-branches for further associations, and so forth. Make it as visual as possible, using vivid colors and pictures. Don’t add more than one or two words per branch, because the more words you use for description, the more you limit your associations

4. Break your routine. Sometimes it can be helpful to change your routine to get a fresh perspective on things. Take a completely different route to work or college, for example. Buy your food at a different supermarket, or why not go to the market instead? Start your meal with the dessert, or browse a different section of the library. There are many opportunities to do some of your routines differently and let a fresh wind blow through your day.

In the second part of this series, we will talk about habits and thought patterns that block us from thinking creatively, and, of course, more practical tips to keep you going.

Do you have any creativity ideas or tips of your own? What helps you think ‘out of the box’?

The post Creative Thinking for Productivity (Part 1) appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

You’ve read about the benefits of journal writing and still haven´t started? Here are some inspiring tips and ideas for the productive Muslim on how to get started and keep going.

Personal journaling: A tool for reflection and improvement

As Muslims we’re encouraged to reflect upon ourselves and our lives, and continuously strive for improvement.

“Verily Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as they do not change what is with themselves”[Qur’an: Chapter 13, Verse 11]

Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah said:

“I have been sent to perfect good character.” [Al Muwatta]

Personal journaling can be a very valuable tool for self-reflection and development, and here’s a quick reminder why:

• It allows you to reconnect with yourself and your life: In our hectic day-to-day lives, many details simply get lost, somewhere between breakfast and bedtime. Taking some time each day to sit down and write about your day makes you more aware of what you’re thinking, feeling and doing. And the first step to improvement is always awareness.
• It helps you see the bigger picture and discover patterns in your life: When you journal for some time, you will find it much easier to connect the dots and recognize the patterns in your life and your relationships. Reading back earlier journal entries can be a real eye-opener and gives you insight about where you’re coming from and where you’re heading to.
• It enables you to diffuse negative feelings and attitudes: Sometimes you just need to let off steam about something that happened to you, or perhaps you struggle with negative feelings and thoughts that hold you back from being productive. Writing about it can be an enormous relief and it can help you to let go of the negativity and focus on being positive and productive.

Inspiration: Do it your way

The key to upholding any good habit is motivation. If you lack motivation, whether it is for journal writing, exercising, or getting up for Fajr, it is very unlikely that you will keep up the habit. You should keep in mind that journal writing can be so much more than ‘keeping a diary’, and that there are no fixed rules for journal writing.

Feel free to experiment and find the style of journal writing that you are comfortable with and that keeps you motivated to get out that pen and notebook regularly. While some people can sit down every night in front of a new, blank page and write dutifully about everything that happened during the day; others may write a few entries and then store the journal somewhere on a shelf.

1. Start a theme-based journal: Focus your journal writing around a theme that you want to reflect on. Your health habits for example, or your children’s development. You could also keep a spiritual journal, where you reflect on your growth in Islam, and the signs and favors of Allah. When you are blessed with the opportunity to travel, or make Hajj or Umrah, keeping a travelogue will help you to reflect on all that you see and encounter.

2. Do it together: Journaling together can be a great communication booster. Write a journal together with your husband or wife, sharing your thoughts, and be surprised at how much insight you both gain from this! If you have children who are old enough, you can also involve them, and keep a family journal in which everyone has the chance to contribute. Such journals help strengthen the family bonds, and they are a priceless source of smiles and memories in the years to come, Inshallah.

3. Get creative: Use colors, doodle, make sketches. Write upside down, or in a spiral. Copy inspirational passages from books you have read. Stick in pictures or artwork of your own. Make it fun!

4. When and where: Who said you need to sit down on your bed or at your desk at the end of the day? Why not take your journal to the park on a beautiful day? Or write early in the morning, after you’ve prayed or read Quran?

5. It’s not about the paper: Use the resources that work for you. Some people like to write the classic way; leather-bound notebook and fountain pen. Others like the space of a generously sized sketchpad. You might want to carry a small notebook in your bag, so you can write wherever you want, or use a loose-leaf journal. For those who prefer writing on a computer rather than in a notebook, you can keep a journal online, use journaling software, or specially designed apps for your smartphone or pad. The possibilities are endless.

So, how about getting started on your journal today?

Jump-start your habit by dedicating time for it. Get your Productive Muslim certified Lifebook now!

Take your journal writing to another level. Read this article to learn about apps for digital journalizing.

The post [Productive Hobbies] Inspiring Tips to Jump-start Your Journal Writing appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.