February 2020 - Mugendi

Internet Addiction

February 13, 2020 2 min read

The internet is an important platform for today’s communication; that is why you are able to read this article. However, just like any other good thing, the internet is prone to abuse through such things as fueling disinformation, cyber-attacks, online bullying, health issues and even internet addiction.

One common problem among those is the problem of internet addiction. This is where one has an online-related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends, loved ones, and one’s work environment.

The internet addiction problem is very similar to gambling addiction or drug addiction that occurs in real life. Drugs have active components that make one addicted to them, be it alcohol, nicotine or cocaine. However, no one starts using drugs to get addicted, but to feel normal.

This is the same case with the internet. No one sets out to get addicted, but the continued use leads to dependency and one has to keep using the internet to sustain the feeling. This could be for entertainment, creating a sense of belonging in online community, or even killing time. One reason for addiction is the psychology behind the design of the internet tools that we use today that are meant to capture attention for the longest time possible. There are other predisposing factors such as anxiety and depression, environmental factors such as unchecked access to the internet, or even genetics.

Signs of Internet Addiction

Is your internet use a habit or an addiction? A habit is not a problem, but an addiction is. Here are signs that you could be a problem with addiction.

Increasing or too much time spent online
Time management problems due to unhealthy use of the internet
Difficulty in doing day to day activities such as work or studying.
Health problems such as lack of sleep
Dependence on online relationships more than the physical ones
Presence of withdrawal symptoms when not using the internet

Most people who are addicted to the internet usually think they are not, and even become defensive when one suggests that they need to reduce on their online activities. Perhaps, the best thing one can do is to seek help if you think you are addicted. Here are a few steps you can take of you want to take charge of your time online.

Make deliberate effort to engage with people offline.
Monitor the amount of time you spend online. Modern smartphones and computers have tools to do that.
Get rid of triggers that lead you to the internet. This could be something like the presence of Apps or notification in your phone.
Learn to deal with boredom in a different way. Get creative ways to deal with boredom away from the internet.

Why I will be Running for the Bibleless in 2020

February 11, 2020 3 min read

As Kenyans, we have a propensity of solving many things by running. We run to school, run from hunger, run for money and run from responsibilities. We run for offices, run campaigns, run programs and activities at work, and even have national season of running noses. This could explain why running is such an economic activity in Kenya.

But there is a section of Kenya that never runs. There are Kenyans who simply refuse to run for anything. They will leisurely jaywalk across a highway as an 18-wheeler approaches. They confidently walk in the rain without an umbrella because they do not want to break the do-not-run code.

I suspect these are the people who have hidden only one verse in their hearts. Actually, half a verse, Proverbs 28: 1a which says that the wicked run when no one is chasing them. They refuse to run because there is no one chasing them and they are not wicked people.

But I am here not to talk about the running Kenyans and the runless Kenyans, but about running for the Bibleless. On 14^th March 2020, Bible Translation and Literacy has organized the 2020 Run for the Bibleless to support BTL’s work and creating awareness about BTL’s mission of facilitating Bible translation and sustainable literacy among small language groups in Kenya and beyond.

Why it Matters

Why do we need the Bible translated into all the different languages that exist in Kenya? Why can’t all the people just learn some Swahili and the problem will be solved?

The truth is that people need literature in their heart language. It is the language that speaks to their heart, not jut to their mind. This is the reason why people think in one language and speak in another, because their thoughts process better in a certain language.

The language we use also informs other factors. In my home village, speaking Swahili would mark you as a stranger or an outsider, even if you belong. It does not matter that everyone understands Swahili. English would make it worse. People have a language for each context.

This is why we need to ensure that people get the Bible in a language that they are comfortable with. BTL is working to achieve this, and Run for the Bibleless 2020 is aimed at raising money for this course.

Why the Bibleful Should Run

I am urging the Bibleful to run for the Bibleless because it is important, but also because it is good for the Bibleful to run.

As I sit in the office this morning, I am reminded of the million dangers of a sedentary lifestyle that I have been forced to adopt by economic forces. I have daily watched my weight go to undesirable levels as some fats accumulate and the 6 pack disappear into one glorious pack. My weekly walk of 2.15 km carrying a 10 kg kid is becoming unsustainable. My 1.5 km run every day has slowed down to a walk.

But I know that I am not alone. I walk around in Nairobi and see that men lost interest in keeping fit as soon as we stopped relying on hunting and gathering. Even the threat of lifestyle diseases does not move many to action, maybe because there is no set date when the disease will strike.

Perhaps, you can start by planning to participate in the Run for the Bibleless and you will have a reason to run not because someone is chasing after you, but because you are running for your life, and for the eternal life of other people. Let the Bibleful run; for self and for the Bibleless.

How to participate

If you can run, register and run.
If you can walk, register and walk.
If you do not run, register and watch.
If you do not want to run, support the course.

We are all on the run.

17 Business Lessons I’ve Learnt Building a Tech Company

February 5, 2020 3 min read

I have spent most of my working years thinking about Cloud services and offering them at Truehost Cloud. I have experienced great success and also failures. Now that it is the time of the year that I audit my life because I am turning one year older, I decided to share some lessons learnt through the journey.

Nothing special about 17; it is just that they came to that number. If I had some good time I would collapse them to fewer, or add more which would take more time to put in words. I hope you will relate with some of them in your business, or even in life.

Note: Not in the order of importance.

Cash is king. You need to have cash when you need it, otherwise you will stall. You can find innovative ways of minimizing your need for cash by having lean operations, but the moment the cash needed exceeds cash at hand, your growth will be impacted.
However, sometimes the need for cash may not be as critical as it appears, for many times cash shortage has forced people to innovate in ways they would not have thought possible.
A sale is very important. It doesn’t matter how great your product is if you are not selling. There are many great products out there which no one is buying, while some not very good products continue to dominate the market.
Execution is more important than the idea. It only matters a little how creative, smart, connected or even experienced you are. Only those who can execute what they envisage are successful. History is full of smart geniuses who died empty for they did nothing. So are entrepreneurs. Take the first step and get it working.
It might take a lifetime to get it right, but you have to keep doing it. The world also changes, and what worked yesterday might not work today, thus a need for one to be on the move, and to keep trying.
The customer is number one. Work for the customer and the mission will make sense for everybody else.
Dream big, but also wake up and work hard. There is so much one can achieve if only they can dream it possible.
Working smart is overrated, even for those born with a silver spoon in their mouth. You have to do a lot of work and get your hands dirty of you are to stay on top of the game.
There is a (big) place for luck in business, but it falls on those who try more. If you keep doing things, and learning, and trying again, and refining your strategy, you will get lucky.
You need a team. A team is hard to build, and a team is as strong as the weakest member. Build a strong team and you can take any challenge.
There is no substitute for knowledge and experience. Businesses collapse due to lack of knowledge. Get knowledge at all costs, and learn as much as you can.
The longer you do business, the better you become. Start early and rise up fast when you fail.
Your networks matter a lot. Build great networks and use them where possible. Your friends might be your first clients and your main marketing channels.
Entrepreneurship is hard for people who do not have a social safety net. This is because at some point you will fail and you will need a support system. However, if it is necessary, burn the ships and get in there headlong. I don’t promise that you won’t regret that move.
Some things excelled because they were launched at the right time. But even with timing being right, the other factors must also be right to survive.
Do not underestimate yourself. More important, do not overrate yourself. If you succeed, do not think you are good, while if you fail, do not think you cannot do it.
Learn from other people in business. You can learn a lot by asking other people who have been there and avoid repeating their mistakes while acquiring their best practices. Reinventing the wheel might good for experience and exposure, but stupid for your cash book.

Thanks to the team at Truehost Cloud for the support.

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Monthly Archives February 2020