Great Everyday “Perk-Me-Up” Tips To Hype Your Workday July 14, 2009

Having trouble staying awake? Do some energy-boosting activities! (Image from blog.expresspersonnel.com)

Too tired to work and it’s not yet even the middle of the day? Don’t worry, you’re not an isolated case. Most of us are stuck inside the office working our butts off for five days a week. The days are long, the hours are filled with stressful little things, and we barely couldn’t find time to check out what’s new with our friends over at Twitter and Facebook. Then again, maybe we just feel too burdened and all we need are some energy boosters to perk us up for the workload. So go ahead and push that refresh button! There’s nothing like a simple activity to prep you back to fighting form.

Take a breather. Take deep breaths and let them out slowly. Lean back in your chair, stretch your legs and rotate your ankles for a few seconds. Stand up and do a little stretching with your neck, back and arms, as well as your legs. This will help ensure good circulation through your body especially on your lower extremities.

Have a light healthy snack. If you feel you want to grab a bite to alleviate the stress, think twice before reaching for that doughnut. Sure it would give you a sugar rush, but the energy boost it gives is always short-lived. This means you’re back to square one after the fuel’s run out. Instead of treats with empty calories, try munching on peanut butter on whole-grain crackers, a granola bar, or pieces of fruit or veggies. A small bowl of nonfat yogurt and assorted berries and nuts or even just a frozen berry smoothie would be great, too. Still looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth? Opt for a few squares of dark chocolate. It has more caffeine than the regular milk chocolate and would give you a slight energy and mental boost.

Hit the water cooler! No, don’t wreck the thing. Take a break from your work and travel the short distance to the water cooler. But take your time in doing so. Go ahead and chat with some of your colleagues on your way there (just don’t take too long). You would be doing your sore muscles a favor and practising your socializing skills as well!

Drink up. If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, go easy on them. Caffeine’s energy and mental boosts are temporary so it would be better to regulate the amount you take the whole day. Opt for frequent small servings over a single dose; it would keep you more alert and focused for most of the day. Also, avoid energy drinks as much as possible. Most of them are just high in sugar and empty calories. But since you’ve made it as far as the water cooler, have a drink: specifically a glassful of water. Nothing could beat the energy out of you without you knowing it like dehydration does. It’s something that many employees suffer from and you need not be one of them. Set a goal to drink at least eight (8) glasses of water a day. It would help regulate your metabolism and keep your fatigue levels at bay, too. (Note: It does make you frequent the rest rooms more, but consider it as just another light body workout to stimulate your energy levels!)

Clear the clutter. There’s nothing more annoying to the eyes than a cluttered workspace. Take a few minutes off and clean up your desk and rearrange the things on it. The “distraction” from cleaning out your drawers is worth it when you settle back into a cleaner and organized desk that is relaxing to the eyes.

Tune up! Detach yourself from your load for five minutes, plug in your earphones, lean back and relax. Listen to one or two of your favorite tracks and savor the music. Bob your head and tap your feet — even sing along to the music! If your office allows some low-volume music, kick it up a notch by sharing a song most of your mates know, too. The relaxing beat of good music is contagious and would give you all a terrific perk!

Now a good read’s nothing if not applied in real life. Try them on for size and tell me what you think!

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Got any “Perk-Me-Up” tips that worked for you? Share them with us by leaving a comment!

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For more personal “Perk-Me-Up” guides, go ahead and ask Yvonne!

Be Confident, Be Productive July 8, 2009

Have the confidence to rise above the rest! (Image from www.robinchung.com)

We all want to be successful. However, though this “want” is all too common, it is still just an unreachable dream for most people. Admit it, we all have personal monsters and weaknesses that make us shrink back from rising above the pack, and this can generally be connected to our lack of self-confidence.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, confidence is the feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances. It is also the faith or belief that one will act in a right, proper, or effective way and it stresses faith in oneself and one’s powers without any suggestion of conceit or arrogance. Thus, confidence is an emotion that can define how we tackle the road to success.

It could be the catalyst or the hindrance to your career’s progress, depending on how much rightly displaced confidence you have. For starters, knowing your limitations and strengths may help you gauge your abilities better. This, in turn, would help you be more confident in areas where you know you excel in, and also help you try to improve on your weaker capabilities. Learning to view yourself more realistically by not discounting your achievements against your failures would boost your self-worth.

Make long-term goals to map out your route to success. Break these down to small attainable goals which would help you take the small steps that make up your bigger plans. Achieving each priority every day would give you a sense of accomplishment and increase your confidence level even more. Remember how much you’ve attained at the end of the day, however small, and do not consider them as inconsequential. Any achievement you gain is still a feat in itself. Remember that.

Last but not the least, stay optimistic! Your level of optimism not only helps you stay motivated; it also helps you focus on your goals and not any temporary setbacks that you may experience. Moreove, optimism also lends a feeling of contentment to your life and thus makes you more confident that you can meet the hazards of life without feeling deprived.

So strive to be more confident: of yourself, your life, your decisions, and your career. There is no one like you nor would there come someone who is. You are unique, but you are not singular in your strife. Remember the points above and you’re on your way to being more productive with your career and life. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, success is not measured by what you have achieved, but how much confidence you have with what you’ve achieved.

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To learn more how to boost your confidence and redirect your life, ask career and life coach Yvonne Skudder.

http://www.livewealthydreams.com

Living the Dream July 6, 2009

Don't let burnout flip you over and prevent you from living your dreams! (Image from www.conscious-career-choice.com)

Everything today is done as if on fast-forward: ready-to-go meals, mobile banking and internet, even education is stuffed with all sorts of subjects aiming to make you learn everything all at once. Yet with everything going fast and needing to be in express mode, it doesn’t prevent one from being skeptical of where all of it is actually leading to. It’s not a bad thing that we are in this fast-track era that strives to progress and make everything as available and convenient as possible for everyone. But the fact that we lose the essence of why we are actually striving to reach that goal is slowly blurring because of the burnout.

We trudge along without seeing the actual hilarity of what we are doing: running in a rat race we can’t win. We aren’t even rats in the first place. Kidding aside, we see the futility of what we are doing when we’ve reached our limit, especially when we see ourselves failing others, or even failing our own selves. We try to push ourselves further by doubling our efforts, but since the drive is no longer there, we realize we’ve hit a plateau: nowhere to go but that same path you’ve been traveling or the easy way down.

It’s a sad reality that many people face in their careers. Not many become CEOs or become well-off with their incomes. Much of the working population of the world are left earning meager salaries as the fortunate few lounge behind in their executive chairs, easily the luckier man [or woman].

However, that doesn’t mean he or she is better than whatever you can be. Yes, whatever you can be. This means everyone has skills and strengths that they can utilize to elevate them to the status they had wanting to badly to attain. Though not everyone could be the CEO of a big multi-national company, all of us has a potential we could tap into and use to the fullest for us to be more productive and proactive members of the society while making our careers flourish.

That’s rather a sketchy way of saying it, but it’s apt enough to describe why anyone can do it. There is really no point in running a race you can’t win,much less place in. To really be able to jumpstart your life, you have to recognize your skills and strengths and drive these against your weaknesses. Use these strengths to find a niche you know you could grow and be contented in. This is important because anything that prevents growth also limits your capabilities and yes, the development of your skills, too.

To achieve this, a growing number of people seek the help of life and career coaches online to help them set realistic and reachable goals. These coaches, in turn, guide them in being more confident of themselves, their decisions, and their sense of purpose in their chosen careers. The increasing number of positive feedback from most of their clients show that life coaches are really effective in helping other people work out their career-related issues and boost their personality and incomes, too.

So in this era where we’re choked to the brim by the fast-paced way of life, take a moment to breathe and smell the roses. There are greener pastures, even for a career that you thought is hopeless. Be ready to overhaul your life and career and live your dream life when the burnout kicks in. Battle it by starting with a coach of your own.

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Suggested coaching site: http://livewealthydreams.com/

Where’s The Money?! July 2, 2009

Never let your cash run out on you. (Photo from www.inmagine.com)

Do you often find yourself wondering where your money has gone to? This usually happens when we find ourselves running low on cash and yet it’s still days [or even weeks] before the next paycheck arrives. When this occurs, it can certainly give a person a definite low. Who likes being out of cash anyway?

So to give ourselves a fair overview and analysis of where the bulk of our salaries usually go to, take the poll below and see if you could bail out with that “I don’t know how it happened” hedge of yours or you’re just ridiculously underpaid.

(NOTE: Please answer honestly. We’re not taking an excuse for an answer.)

Ahead of the Pack: Maverick Money Makers June 30, 2009

Maverick Money Makers Club

The internet is currently crawling with all sorts of scams, offers, deals, and all sorts of business ventures that all lead to one significant thing: money. The web is so saturated with these, in fact, that it’s no wonder why some of us become wary of entertaining any one of them. Since there is always the fear of a rip-off, people shrink away from the prospect of earning money online. However, what many people aren’t aware of is that you could also make it good through this kind of business, if only you have the right tools and know-how.

That’s where Maverick Money Makers step into the picture. Created by Mach Michaels, Maverick Money Makers has become a very popular site that gears toward people empowerment through online marketing. At first, Mach Michaels and his site seems like the usual [and even worn-out] promotional story about leaving the rat race of underpaid employees and switching into [what perhaps is] the greatest opportunity you could ever stumble upon.

Now the problem with this is that this kind of sales talk has already rubbed off of most people and many aren’t willing to believe them off the bat because these are also found in sites of questionable background. Then again, the reason why Maverick Money Makers became popular and trusted by its members is because the course that the site offers really helps and even works.

From social networking, article writing, finding and buying domain names, to setting up your site and driving traffic to it, Maverick Money Makers has it all, most of which are in the form of videos. It’s like an Affiliate 101 crash course for beginners. It has everything you need to know (and more) to help you set up your online business and how to strategically make it grow. I’m telling you, as you would be able to see for yourself, too, they offer the best instructional videos about online marketing in a structured, step-by-step manner.

The verdict? Maverick Money Makers Club is a must-join for every individual who wants the real deal of affiliate marketing. Trust me, it’s no scam and there’s no way (as far as I’m concerned) that it couldn’t help you in any way. To prove it for yourself, check them out. Soak up the knowledge you’ll get and put it into action. It could definitely take you someplace better.

NOTE: If you want to check them out, visit their site! http://www.maverickmoneymakersoption.com/

How to Shield Yourself From Fraud June 29, 2009

(image from info4security.com)

Charles Caleb Colton was once quoted with the words, “There are some frauds so well conducted, that it would be stupidity not to be deceived by them”.

That was more than a hundred years ago, but those words are still true today. With the advent of the internet, social networks, and online marketing, it is therefore a challenge to sift through the bulk and pick apart the truth from the scams.

We’ve heard all the news, the word-of-mouth, but after all the precautions and advice that we had been heeding, many still fall for even the most obvious of frauds. Some say you “can’t cheat an honest man”, but in this day and age, honesty alone won’t be able to protect you. Why does this still happen? What do we do to lessen the risk and prevent ourselves from being included in the percentage of victims? Here are a few pointers:

1. Safeguard your personal information!  – There is much danger in freely giving to others your account information. If you have a credit card, NEVER give out its number unless you are about to purchase something and you know it is secure to do so. Don’t hand out to others your personal information, especially those containing your bank accounts or pin codes, because they can easily use this to charge you with their personal expenditures. You could even get accused and arrested for a crime you didn’t do because of this. Keep your personal effects – bank statements, checkbooks, driver’s license, social security card, or even national I.D. – under strict protection. Moreover, if you’re going to dispose of your card, IDs, passports, or paperworks that have personal information,  consider burning or shredding them instead of just throwing them. There are swindlers who use the information they get from other people’s trash for fraudulent activities.

2. Use your common sense -  Some people say that common sense is not so common. Why so? Because there are people who fail to use their common sense even if they are perfectly capable of it. Consider the pyramid schemes out there – they have so many variations but the blueprint stays the same. They all promise unbelievably high returns for just a very low investment. However, these schemes are deceptively weak because – let’s be realistic here – it’s not possible to keep on recruiting new members. All pyramid schemes have a saturation point (wherein there is just too many recruiters and low turnout) and when promoters suspect this, they take the money and run.

Chain letters are in the same league. They are popular since most of us receive them in our emails and some of us are even deceived into believing them. Don’t get too excited when you receive an email telling you that you won a contest or a prize when you know that you haven’t entered or done anything of the sort. When you respond to these fraudulent emails, some ask for your personal information like credit card numbers (which they steal) or ask that you send an amount of money to process your winnings.

Now be sensible! If it seems to good to be true, it usually is.

3. Doing business? Do it only with reputable or trustworthy people -  The reason why swindlers are also called “con artists” is because they are good at winning other people’s confidence. Since you have to sell yourself before you could be able to sell your product to others, it is thus important to make your buyers to trust you. No, it doesn’t mean you should be cynical and skeptical of everything, but a healthy dose of suspicion won’t hurt – it can even help you. Give them the benefit of the doubt and don’t rush into buying into an offer that is just too good to be true. If possible, check if for yourself the information about the salesperson or the company that is trying to make you buy into them. So don’t just click away; READ and decide wisely.

4. Report it! -  If you came across a fraud or even became a victim, don’t feel overwhelmed and think that you can’t stop these things anyway. If you’re certain that something is a scam and/or is operating under fraudulent covers, don’t hesitate to report it to the right authorities. You’re not just helping yourself gain back the confidence you lost because of being victimized, you also help prevent others from falling into the same trap.

Now that we have all these pointers on how to prevent ourselves from falling for frauds, let’s remember and heed them. Otherwise, it’s just another good advice down the drain.

The Best 3 Reasons Why You Need A Personal Coach Now June 24, 2009

If you really want to revamp your current life and finally have the financial freedom you’ve been looking for, then you’ll want to read this article. We will specifically focus on the three best major reasons why you should get yourself a personal coach now. After reading this article, you should be able to be able to take control of your life and boost your income along the way, too!

The first reason is because, as human beings, we are always thinking and in the process, we are always making decisions as well. It could be for various bases and whatever it may be, the truth is that decision-making can be a challenge for most people, especially if it involves long-term effects. Thus, a personal coach can be of very valuable help to you. Since indecisiveness can sometimes stem from low self-esteem, a personal coach would readily be available to lend a hand in that arena and help you perceive yourself in a more positive and realistic way.

This aforementioned will pave the way for you to develop key success habits, which leads us to the second reason why you need a personal coach: we all have that burning desire to attract more money into our lives. So why not turn that desire into efforts that are profitable. However, most of you may think that the path to increased income is vague and rocky. Scratch that idea! The path to financial freedom is actually smooth and straight, if only you have the knowledge about the matter and a personal coach could certainly give you a boost on that area. No more long and tiring nine-to-five hours on the office! Work with a coach and start raking in the income that you deserve.

Not only that, but a personal coach could also help you release the stress that has been bludgeoning you for years. Loosen that tie and follow the program a coach has to offer and see that you could break free from the crutches of your old life. A personal coach would help you design and live the life you want without stressing you out of your socks. No more work issues when you start working with a personal coach!

So if you are ready to overhaul your life, the three great reasons mentioned above should be enough to push you to get yourself a personal coach. Not only will you have confidence in your decision-making abilities, you will also have financial freedom and a stress-free life ahead of you. So what are you waiting for? Be the master of your income, tap into your potentials and take the reins in your life: get a personal life coach now!

Tip: There’s no better choice than to sign up for Yvonne Skudder’s coaching program. See what she’s got to offer in: Live Wealthy Dreams!

Twitter Tips for Professionals June 9, 2009

I found this 10 Twitter tips for professionals from SweetMantra and I just tought of sharing this as this might be helpful.  The author, Bill Sweetman, shared on the blog these 10 useful tips for Twitter.  I’ll just copy and paste some those tips, I hope Bill won’t mind.  But if you want to read more about these tips, just visit SweetMantra.

1.  Use your real full name as TwitterID and Display name.  Avoid using underscores and use capital letters on the first letters of your name.

2.  Upload a photo of yourself right away.  If not, you may limit the number of your followers.

3.  Include a compelling and accurate description of yourself.

4.  Choose professional-looking design for your profile, or create your own.

5.  Understand the important difference of a public reply and a Direct Message.

6.  Be judicious about Re-Tweeting.

7.  Watch your P’s and Q’s.  Avoid starting or making Twitter fights.

8.  Be careful about mixing business with pleasure.

9.  Follow, don’t expect to be followed.

10. Try to “share” instead of “market”.

I found his post very helpful so I’m sharing it back.  I’m also starting to change my tweets, in accord to these tips.

Business Rules June 9, 2009

A business rule is a statement that defines or constraints some aspects in a business (Wiki).  A business rule is set in order to control the behavior in a business, just like how classroom rules control the students in a classroom.  The business rules basically describe the operation and constraints that apply to an organization.

Some business rules are unique depending on what establishment is imposing them.  This is because some rules in a food chain establishment may not be suitable for a hardware business establishment.  They have different business rules that apply.  But of course, some business rules are general.

There are four categories of business rules.

1. Definition of business terms;

2. Facts relating terms to each other;

3. Contraints; and

4. Derivations

But either what classification a business rules belong, these rules are there to set the business world in order.

10 Benefits of Being An Entrepreneur June 5, 2009

I found this good thread from Sulit.com telling about the benefits of being an entrepreneur.  Being one before, I thought I’d like to share these benefits that I was indeed enjoying.

Being in control. Being an entrepreneur means being his own boss.  He doesn’t have to report to anyone, and no one will ever fire him.

Work becomes fun. He is not obliged to do anything other than what he loves to do.  Fun, isn’t it?

Free from boredom. Because his doing what he loves best, he is more motivated to work.  No bum hours or trivial times.

Better relationship with other people. Being busy with his work, an entrepreneur will have little time with other people.  Why is this a better relationship?  Because he gets to avoid destructive gossips.

Self confidence. An entrepreneur trusts no one more than himself.  It’s his business so he can’t just leave it to other people.  He will have an increased self confidence because he needs his business to keep on going.

Giving back to the Society. The word the author used here is “privilege”.  It’s an honor to give back to the society.  Not only will you be labeled as a good entrepreneur, but also you will have a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Free from wants. An entrepreneur won’t have the time and desire for material things.  He is already contented with the physical comforts that he gains in his entrepreneur.

Being original and true to oneself. Entrepreneurs do exactly what the want.  If not, they can be easily swayed away, and it may not result to good entrepreneur.

Enjoying time-out. Because of being so busy with his work, an entrepreneur enjoys every moment away from it.

The Exhilaration of Success. Not everyone experiences success.  An entrepreneur, on the other hand, accepts the challenge, works hard to overcome it, then finally enjoys the fruits of his success. Self-fulfillment as I call it!

If you want to read the full content of this thread, you can visit the Sulit.com site.