Tag: fatigue

How a morning grooming ritual can improve your productivity

Most people think of productivity in terms of calendars, task lists and time management. Yet the tone of a working day is often set much earlier, in the small habits that happen before the first email is opened. A steady morning routine can create a sense of structure, reduce decision fatigue and help the brain shift more smoothly into work mode.

That is one reason simple personal care habits can have a bigger impact than they first appear to. When the first part of the day feels rushed, neglected or chaotic, it is often harder to feel focused later on. By contrast, a routine that feels calm and manageable can create a stronger sense of readiness, even before work has properly begun.

Creating a clearer mental transition

One of the most useful things about a morning ritual is that it marks a transition between waking up and getting on with the day. This matters even more for people who work from home, juggle multiple responsibilities or struggle to separate personal time from professional time. Repeating the same few steps each morning helps signal that the day has begun.

This is where men’s grooming fits naturally into a wider conversation about performance and routine. It is not just about appearance. It can also be about consistency, self-respect and feeling prepared. Washing the face, shaving or trimming, applying skincare, and getting ready in a deliberate way can provide a mental reset that makes it easier to approach work with more clarity.

Small actions that support confidence

Confidence also plays a role. People often work better when they feel comfortable in themselves, more awake and more put together. That does not mean perfection or a lengthy routine. In fact, the most effective habits are often the ones that are simple enough to repeat without effort. A well-chosen morning ritual can therefore support both mindset and efficiency. When products are practical and easy to use, the process feels less like another task and more like a helpful anchor at the start of the day. That is part of the appeal of building a routine around men’s cosmetics at Notino, where the emphasis can be placed on straightforward products that fit easily into real mornings rather than idealised ones.

Why consistency matters more than complexity

Many people abandon routines because they try to do too much. A productive start does not require a complicated sequence or a shelf full of products. It works better when it is realistic. A few reliable steps, repeated regularly, usually have more impact than an ambitious routine followed only once or twice a week.

A better start, not a perfect one

There is no single formula for a productive morning, and not every day begins smoothly. Still, habits that create a sense of readiness can make a real difference over time. By turning a few simple actions into a ritual, mornings often become less reactive and more grounded. And when the day begins with a little more intention, it tends to unfold with more focus too.

Empty Seats, Broken Dreams: Why the 2025 Club World Cup is Failing to Excite Fans

FIFA billed the 2025 Club World Cup as football’s most extraordinary club event: 32 teams, a $2.5 billion prize pool, and global giants clashing in a US summer spectacle. It promised blockbuster action, but reality disappoints like a hyped film flopping on opening weekend. Reports show that 40% of opening match tickets are unsold, starkly contrasting with FIFA’s sold-out vision. Even Inter Miami’s star power fails to draw, with their key match against Al Ahly plagued by empty seats. The anticipated excitement hasn’t materialized, fans wanted an event to cheer about and maybe put a little fun money for casual bets using things like shangri la bonuses, but they were left shrugging.

Five Reasons Fans Are Saying “No”

Why aren’t fans attending? Five hurdles for the 2025 Club World Cup:

  • Schedule Overload. Sandwiched between Euro 2024, 2026 WC qualifiers, Nations League, and Gold Cup, it’s simply too much football too fast.
  • Absurd Pricing. $140+ tickets for group games ($50 for MLS) feel like a wallet punch, especially with rising costs.
  • Meaningless Format. Mismatches feel like pre-season friendlies, not high-stakes games.
  • Star Fatigue. There’s a rumor that some stars may limit their participation due to fatigue, dimming the tournament’s appeal.
  • No Stakes. Even Champions League winners seem indifferent. If top clubs don’t care, why should fans?

These issues stack up like a losing streak. Fans want value and meaning, not a forced, bloated event.

The American Misfire

Hosting in the U.S. seemed a slam dunk, but FIFA fumbled badly. Choosing tourist hubs like New York and Los Angeles over soccer-passionate cities like Portland or Kansas City ignored the true fanbase, making it feel like hosting the Super Bowl without a local team: all flash and no soul.

Further alienating local fans were awkward kickoff times, like 12 p.m. ET for games featuring Asian or African teams, rather than prime-time slots. This corporate focus and scheduling misstep created a Grand Canyon-wide disconnect between FIFA’s plan and what U.S. fans actually want.

FIFA’s Tone-Deaf Response

FIFA’s response to poor ticket sales has baffled. Instead of addressing issues, they’ve said that fans don’t yet understand the vision. Their solution? Desperate discount codes, cutting prices by up to 84%, resemble a clearance sale for unwanted goods.

The core problem is the lack of an emotional hook. Unlike the history-rich Champions League or the pride-filled World Cup, this event feels like an unasked-for “Super League Lite” corporate experiment. FIFA is banking on prestige, but without a resonant story, they’re shouting into the void.

How to Fix It

Can this ship be turned around? Maybe, but it’ll take more than quick fixes. Here’s what could spark some life into the 2025 Club World Cup:

  • Cut Prices. Cap group-stage tickets at $50. Affordable seats worked for baseball’s resurgence in the ‘90s, pulling fans back to struggling teams. Football could use the same playbook.
  • Engage Locals. Partner with grassroots clubs, not just hotel chains or big sponsors. Think small league tailgates or watch parties with local teams. Build a community, not a tourist trap.
  • Simplify the Calendar. Shift the tournament to odd years, away from the Euros and World Cup cycles. Give it breathing room, like a classic TV rerun that finds new fans in a quiet season.

These ideas aren’t rocket science, but they demand that FIFA listen, not dictate. Think of a struggling sports franchise rebuilding its fan base, block by block, through outreach and heart. That’s the vibe this tournament needs.

Wrapping Up

The 2025 Club World Cup, intended as a global football celebration, falters with empty seats signaling broken promises. Fans reject the hype, alienated by excessive games, steep prices, and a soulless event. Hosting in the U.S. was a missed opportunity, undermined by poor city choices and corporate focus. FIFA’s response has been ineffective.

While time remains for bold changes, current signs are worrying: lagging ticket sales and frustrated fan chatter online show little buzz exists. The tournament isn’t doomed but faces a steep climb to win back supporters.

Momentum on Sustainable Energy Transition at Risk as Consumer Fatigue Sets In

As the sustainable energy transition enters a crucial new phase, momentum is at risk of slipping amongst Irish and global consumers. While households say they are more interested than ever in sustainability and the potential of a clean energy future, only three in ten (30%) feel they can do more at this time to be more sustainable. With 70% of the expected benefits of the energy transition to be driven by changes in consumer consumption, and at a time when energy prices are beginning to decline, reengaging households is key.

That’s according to the latest EY ‘Energy transition consumer insights’ report, which surveyed 23,000 residential energy consumers across 21 countries, including 1,042 in Ireland, and which also highlights the key role the energy providers can play in helping to close the gap between interest and action amongst consumers on energy sustainability.

In Ireland, 78% of consumers say they are doing as much as they can to be sustainable at this time. When it comes to shifting to cleaner sources of energy, the majority of Irish households say energy providers (57%) and Government (57%) should take the leading role, with just over one in five (21%) believing individual consumers should be leading. The global energy crisis and cost of living challenges continue to impact Irish households, with 69% of Irish consumers saying they can’t absorb a bill increase of 10%.

The research also identifies a generation gap when it comes to the sustainability premium of energy amongst Irish consumers – with Gen Z (32%) and Millennials (20%) willing to pay a premium for sustainable energy solutions, significantly ahead of Gen X (14%) and Boomers (15%).

Sean Casey, EY Energy & Infrastructure Consulting Leader says:

“After a number of years of spiking energy prices due to the conflict in Ukraine, combined with cost-of-living challenges facing many, it’s not surprising that Irish households feel that they are not in a position to do more on energy sustainability. Our research finds that the majority of Irish consumers say that they’ve already done everything they can, with only three in ten feeling they can do more to be more sustainable.

“This presents a significant challenge as we move into the next critical phase of meeting our ambitious but essential climate change commitments. While efforts on the supply side from producers are gaining momentum, with record renewable energy generation on the grid, we need an even more fundamental shift in how we engage and encourage sustainable energy consumption behaviours, as 70% of the outcome of the energy transition depends on people changing their behaviour, most notably how we power our homes and how we get around.

“With energy prices beginning to decline from the spikes of late 2022 and early 2023, there is now a window of opportunity in terms of promoting and incentivising sustainable energy behaviours at a household level. Energy consumers need a broad range of supports to make personal energy choices easier and more affordable. These supports are in such areas as renewable energy solutions for the home, electric vehicles and simply how consumers use energy every day. Closing the gap between their interest and action will depend on energy providers, government, and the broader energy ecosystem working together to pull every lever available.”

The Action-Reaction Paradox

The EY research also delved into consumer behaviours when it came to energy usage, finding that households are often undermining their own positive sustainability actions – in many cases without being aware of it. This behaviour is not uncommon and referred to by researchers as the ‘action-reaction paradox’.

More than seven in ten (72%) Irish consumers report they offset their positive energy actions with negative actions and behaviours. These can include replacing an appliance/device with a new one and continuing to also use the old one (21%), the increased use of a new appliance/device because it costs less to operate than the one it replaced (28%) or taking an action or making a purchase that helped reduce energy bills and using the savings to buy something else (31%).

Sean Casey says, “Our research finds that even when Irish households take action to increase their energy sustainability, they can sometimes offset the gains – frequently unknowingly – by undertaking another energy intensive action. This challenge is compounded by the fact that the consumption of a good or service often increases as prices fall – meaning that the rapid gains in terms of sustainable energy entering the grid in the past decade will be outweighed by increased energy demand overall. It’s imperative therefore that we redouble efforts to educate and support households to reduce energy use where possible. This can include switching to renewable energy – which is increasingly available without a premium – or to switch to dynamic plans that incentivise usage outside of peak periods of demand.”

Opportunity for Energy Providers

While 81% say that it’s the energy provider’s responsibility to be sustainable and offer sustainability options to consumers, usefully providers are Irish consumers’ most trusted source of guidance on energy sustainability and purchasing energy products and services (44%). This gives these companies a significant opportunity to play an increasing role in powering the next stage of the energy transition.

Kyle Kirkpatrick, EY Ireland Customer Strategy and Transformation Lead says: “Our research tells us there is a real opportunity for energy providers to act as trusted advisors to householders – making change easier, faster, broader and deeper. Consumers are becoming more comfortable with new technologies being part of their energy experience – including the use of AI and Generative AI to help provide personalised advice and information about new energy solutions, and these technologies can play an increasingly important role in enabling consumers. One thing is clear: a collaborative, holistic approach to the energy transition, with consumers at the core, is how we will accelerate progress toward a fairer, greener, and better energy system that delivers more value for everyone.”

Find out more here.

Tech Review – ZAGG Pro keyboard 15

Keyboards are a vital accessory for content creators journalists and more and especially those in office environments and ZAGG have announced a slew of new keyboards recently for you to check out and they are very robust and simple to use, keyboard type though is subjective to each user though as you have travel and tactility to think about, for me I typically use square keys and I use chromebooks most of the time and again keys are square and near flat on my laptops.

I have not used a standalone keyboard in years however I am changing my set-up at home to a monitor and this keyboard will fit right in after using it for a few weeks and have come to like it, This even works on a mobile phone which is great and has multipoint connection so you can use up to three devices at once which suits me perfectly right now, On one test I used my Galaxy Z flip5 and two chromebooks so moving between either is simple with the three standout blue keys up top of the keyboard, there is also and extra numeric keypad on the right which is something I have not used in years and last used on an old dell laptop which is handy for some people.

A few keys have a backlight for ease of use and the keys are perfectly sized although it did take me some time to get use to the travel and tactility but you can adjust fairly fast however I have big fingers and typing is always an issue when speed typing but that is just me but there is others out there like me.

One thing I have noticed is less fatigue on the fingers and hand after using this for some time which is valuable for someone like me who is constantly on my laptop writing tech reviews,even if not on the laptop I can use my phone which sometimes I do to get the ball moving on some things which have some urgency so if in a hotel room or travelling this keyboard works much better than the tiny keys on my phone and being a Flip phone this pair well with it.

Like I said a keyboard is subjective and or me this is the first one I have used in years and it is perfect for my needs,looks good and is robust with a super batter life and comes with wireless charging and you should check it out, check the video below for more.

 

ZAGG Pro Keyboard 15 makes typing easier with less fatigue – techbuzzireland

 

Features

·       Qi-Compatible Wireless Charging – Charge the ZAGG Pro Keyboards on a Qi-compatible wireless charging pad to ensure uninterrupted typing when you need it most. Qi charging eliminates the risk of a dead battery and keeps your workspace tidy and free from unnecessary cables. Users can also charge with the included Type-C cable. 

·       Pair with up to Three Devices – You can pair the ZAGG Pro Keyboards with up to three devices to seamlessly toggle between a phone, tablet, or computer from one keyboard. 

·       Long-lasting Battery – The keyboards have a Li-polymer battery that allows for three months of use before it needs recharging.

The ZAGG Pro Keyboard 17 (€89.99/£79.99/$89.99), Pro Keyboard 15 (€79.99/£74.99/$79.99), Pro Keyboard 12 (€69.99/£64.99/$69.99), ZAGG Connect Keyboard 12C (€59.99/£54.99/$59.99), and ZAGG Connect Keyboard 12L (€69.99/£64.99/$69.99) are now available on ZAGG.com and at ZAGG franchise locations nationwide. Each keyboard includes a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.  

Video Review

What is MFA Fatigue? Stay Safe and Protect Accounts

Multi-factor authentication or two-factor authentication can be the cure to data breaches. Even if passwords leak, accounts remain unharmed if perpetrators do not know the secret codes unlocking them. However, hackers hope to jump through any security technique thrown at them. And MFA fatigue represents a way for them to try and beat MFA. 

MFA fatigue attack is one of the current methods used to spam the system with many authentication prompts until access is granted. Companies and individuals with multi-factor authentication need to take the necessary steps to combat this approach. 

Today we’ll introduce MFA fatigue attacks and advise you on protecting yourself from them. 

MFA fatigue attacks explained 

MFA fatigue, MFA bombing, or MFA push spam is a hacking attempt to go through the MFA system and enter user accounts of online services like websites, apps, etc. Most attacks focused on MFA usually revolve around social engineering, man-in-the-middle, or hijacking attacks, but this is a brute force attack. 

Attackers use guessed, leaked, or stolen login credentials to perform credential stuffing. It is a way to bombard the account owner and the MFA system when it provides random passwords or identity verification. The system is flooded with thousands of prompts until it lets up. 

How it works 

Even though this attack might seem like a poor attempt, it can be very effective as more and more services use multi-factor authentication. Most MFA techniques have become routine and contain generic information. 

Many users get annoyed and drained by having to verify their identity daily. MFA fatigue attacks exploit this fact hoping account owners will make costly mistakes. However, even if the user recognizes the fraudulent login prompt, they could provide access to make endless notifications stop. So, the threat has been reported and seems to be as realistic as other well-known attacks. 

This kind of pressure is psychological, and most mobile users will likely give up as they can’t take the endless push notifications. It is especially effective because users have their smartphones available 24/7, so hackers have constant access to the victim. 

How attacks manifest

Hackers first acquire basic login credentials to an account. For example, they could be credentials to an email address or an online account. Cybercriminals use various methods to steal credentials and use leaked passwords from previous attacks on all accounts of a single user. 

They often use phishing attacks to trick people into giving them information voluntarily. Sometimes, they employ thousands of random password combinations until they find the winning combination. Once they’ve gone through the first step, they launch an MFA fatigue attack to spam authentication prompts in hopes of someone making a mistake or succumbing to pressure. 

However, success is only guaranteed if they can force account owners to confirm their identity. Still, these attacks are automated and can be scaled quickly, which means attacks target dozens of people simultaneously and play the numbers game. 

Protecting data and accounts against MFA fatigue attacks

Even though MFA attacks can be tricky, you can reinforce your security against them in several ways. Here’s what you and your employees need to do. 

Reduce the number of required logins 

The more multi-factor authentication requests users must go through, the more likely they will permit an attack without even noticing it. To ensure your employees are on their toes, reduce the number of required logins or consider switching to a solution requiring a single sign-in. On the other hand, you can also use a federated identity system or passwordless authentication. 

Provide cybersecurity training 

One of the most effective ways to stop MFA fatigue attacks is to educate employees on recognizing and responding to them. Most people recognize when things are wrong, especially when there are so many authentication attempts. 

However, people are often tired or unfocused and do something they usually wouldn’t. Educate employees to recognize these attacks and teach them how to mute requests, so they don’t get hundreds of push notifications. 

Include resilient authentication 

MFA fatigue attacks focus on key weaknesses multi-factor security systems have. To combat these attacks effectively, you can add a time limit between two prompts, which means the attacker can’t spam dozens of prompts in minutes.

On the other hand, it’s also a good idea to limit the number of login attempts. For example, if you limit it to three attempts, all prompts after the third attempt will be blocked. 

It’s also possible to replace the universal confirmation signals with notifications specific to that login attempt. Some providers already use matching numbers where users get a number on their screens and must enter it in the authenticator. 

Use other appropriate security tools 

Data breaches or smaller data leaks can happen due to various dangers. For instance, you might stumble upon a fake website imitating a legitimate service. Unknowingly, you browse its content and might even provide your login credentials to its phony login page. Therefore, it is best to double-check whether the website you visit is legitimate. 

Unsafe HTTP websites could make it easy for hackers to capture specific user details. Thus, one option is to download VPN apps that encrypt your traffic. Then, your data will remain more secure even if you visit an HTTP website. A Virtual Private Network does so by scrambling data with practically unbreakable protocols. Furthermore, traffic will get rerouted through remote servers to avoid exposing your approximate location. 

Conclusion 

Hope this post has helped you understand MFA fatigue attacks and how they work. Implement the proper security protocols as soon as possible and avoid potential disasters. Cybersecurity is more critical than ever, especially for companies.