Thursday, June 12, 2008

Another Tip For Success in Your Business

Some say that the secret to success is being in the right place at the right time. Some say that success comes to those who work smart. You can say that success comes with having drive or passion for a certain field. All of this is true, but I also believe that another way to be successful in the real estate business is to have the right mentor, the right business coach, knowledge, and action.

Some of the world's most successful business men and women all were, and still are being mentored by someone else. Their business coaches helped them strategically bring their business to the next level. Without the support of these mentors and coaches where would their business be today? Who knows?

I believe that one way to increase your income is to hire someone else to coach you on a particular subject. Of course, you're going to work hard and work smart along with the knowledge you gain, but at the end of the day you need that extra information and you can get it from someone else.

I am in the house flipping business. If I wanted to find more leads so that I can make more deals, I could hire someone to help me in the process. Sometimes other people know more than you do. Therefore it would be wise to be open minded to other people's ideas. A mentor and a business coach can give you the knowledge that you are lacking to buy more properties and step your business game up.

No one can become successful on their own. You will need a support team. There isn't one millionaire or billionaire for that matter that has ever gained their position single handedly. The support from their mentors, business coaches and staff has given them the success that many desire.

The moral of the story is if you want to take your business to new heights you can spend the time and money on education. Find someone to help you if you have reached a plateau. Go out there and get a business coach. Pick someone who has been successful in your business and milk them for their information. It will be well worth the investment. Work hard and work smart as well and your business will grow substantially.

Tips for success in business 2

# Never walk down the hall without a document in your hands. People with documents in their hands look like hardworking employees heading for important meetings. People with nothing in their hands look like they're heading for the cafeteria. People with the newspaper in their hands look like they're heading for the bathroom. Above all, make sure you carry loads of stuff home with you at night, thus generating the false impression that you work longer hours than you do.

# Use computers to look busy. Any time you use a computer, it looks like work to the casual observer. You can send and receive personal e-mail, calculate your finances and generally have a blast without doing anything remotely related to work. These aren't exactly the societal benefits that everybody from the computer revolution expected but they're not bad either. When you get caught by your boss--and you will get caught--your best defense is to claim you're teaching yourself to use the new software, thus saving valuable training dollars. You're not a loafer, you're a self-starter. Offer to show your boss what you learned. That will make your boss scurry away like a frightened salamander.

# Messy desk. Top management can get away with a clean desk. For the rest of us, it looks like you're not working hard enough. Build huge piles of documents around your workspace. To the observer, last year's work looks the same as today's work; it's volume that counts. Pile them high and wide. If you know somebody is coming to your cubicle, bury the document you'll need halfway down in an existing stack and rummage for it when he/she arrives.

# Voice mail. Never answer your phone if you have voice mail. People don't call you just because they want to give you something for nothing-- they call because they want YOU to do work for THEM. That's the way to live. Screen all your calls through voice mail. If somebody leaves a voice mail message for you and it sounds like impending work, respond during lunch hour. That way, you're hardworking and conscientious even though you're being a devious weasel. If you diligently employ the method of screening incoming calls and then returning calls when nobody is there, this will greatly increase the odds that they will give up or look for a solution that doesn't involve you. The sweetest voice mail message you can ever hear is "Ignore my last message. I took care of it." If your voice mailbox has a limit on the number of messages it can hold, make sure you reach that limit frequently. One way to do that is to never erase any incoming messages. If that takes too long, send yourself a few messages. Your callers will hear a recorded message that says, "Sorry, this mailbox is full"--a sure sign that you are a hardworking employee in high demand.

Tips for Success in Business

1. Don't let others decide "your" attitude.

2. Always be early to work and always be willing to stay late. Moving up is often measured in �sweat equity�.

3. The best ethics are those that can stand being illuminated in the morning newspaper.

4. A positive attitude will take you further than your technical knowledge.

5. Decision making should always involve identifying the risks and assigning probabilities to possible outcomes.

6. Make an effort to improve your written and oral communication skills. Whatever the sacrifice - make it! -- Very few professionals move up without being good communicators.

7. If you are in a college major and you do not like the topics, homework, tests, teachers, etc., you should change majors. If you do not like this material in college, why do you think you will suddenly fall in love with the subject when you are working? (Note about accounting: The purpose of doing business is to make a profit, and accounting measures profits. All career paths need to understand accounting, and those who don't will remain at the bottom of the corporate ladder.)

8. College is the �real world.� There are obligations, responsibilities, and consequences.

9. Your college grades are a measure of your willingness to sacrifice. Employers want employees willing to sacrifice to improve the company.

10. If you don't like group and team work in class, forget the business world--change majors! You must be able to work as part of a team to survive in the business world.

11. Learn everything you can about the computer and the internet. The 21st century will be defined by "technocrats." Join them or fall behind.

12. Join professional business organizations. Career maintenance and the networking related to it will pay off.

13. Be a volunteer for community service, starting now. Recruiters believe if you give that extra two cents while you are a student, then you will likely give that extra two cents to the company.

14. Continually update your address, telephone, and e-mail information. Networking is an important key to success.

15. Join student clubs and take a leadership role. Leadership is the key to moving up in the business world.

16. Cultivate friendships among all the students in your major. You may need this network later on.

17. Develop a good rapport with at least one of your major professors. Make sure they know you and your career objectives.

18. Be attentive to details. It is not long in life before you will discover it is the little things that make the big difference.

19. Excuses for submitting reports and other paperwork late don't get it in business----nor do they in classes. If you can't handle the load, lighten up your course load by dropping a class, or reducing work hours. Time management skills are strong indicators of your ability to manage the tasks involved in your intended career.

80 Tips for Business Success

1. Before leaving work each day, identify those things you need to do the next day.
2. When you think you may have to compromise on your agenda, classify your issues into "can drop," "nice to have" and "must have" categories. This will prepare you for negotiation.
3. Before presenting a new idea or an action plan, list the people whose support you will need…learn where each one stands regarding your proposal (pro, con or neutral)…and formulate a plan to handle each person accordingly.
4. Publicly recognize and reward people who develop themselves and others.
5. Identify the behaviors that you feel are critical to success in your department, and then lead by example.
6. Despite your workload, don't bring extra work to meetings. Focus on the issues and the other people at the meeting.
7. Limit your use of closed questions—those that can be answered with a "yes" or a "no."
8. Don't overreact to events at work. Problems are to be expected and are rarely catastrophic.
9. Set aside a little time every day in which you will practice a behavior or skill that you're trying to learn or fine-tune.
10. Limit your personal goals. Genuine progress on your two or three most important goals is more meaningful and rewarding than negligible progress on a dozen less critical fronts.
11. When faced with possible resistance, consider pre-selling your agenda to a couple of key players.
12. Avoid collecting and filing information if it is not actually of use to you personally.
13. Understand that emotional intelligence can transform your performance and career.
14. Get to know your staff members so that you are aware of how best to help them.
15. Remember that people of dissimilar ability can find each other difficult.
16. Set aside a little time every couple of months to review job descriptions and spot any needs for change.
17. Take the word "try" out of from your vocabulary. Turn intentions into actions.
18. Remember that, when implementing improvements, things sometimes get worse before they get better.
19. Measure results achieved, not hours worked or number of activities.
20. Write down your most important goals and keep them in front of you at all times-for instance, on a mirror at home, in your middle desk drawer or on the wall in your office.
21. Refrain from saying, "It can't be done," and focus on how you can make it happen.
22. Be persistent but not foolish—if what you are trying is not working, get feedback and ideas from others.
23. Focus on people's strengths rather than their shortcomings.
24. Make sure your network is reciprocal: share information, ideas, resources or influence with others—don't just take from those within your network.
25. Be alert to details, especially when working in an international context. For example, colors, numbers and symbols often have different meanings in different cultures.
26. Set a good example for others by consistently engaging in solid ethical behavior and confronting any unethical practices.
27. Live in the present. Don't stress about mistakes in the past or worry about problems in the future.
28. As a manager, you are now personally responsible for operating within the law. Here's an important way to ensure you're safe: Know the law. Practice the law. Protect yourself and your organization.
29. Remember that good ethics lead to good business.
30. Do not confuse assumptions with facts, or you may make a major mistake.
31. When the minutes of a meeting you attended are distributed, read them through and query anything about which you are dissatisfied—from conclusions reached to assignments given you.
32. Resist using buzzwords—they weaken communication.
33. Express your opinion with conviction, but don't neglect the position of the other person—be prepared to listen and to be influenced.
34. Compare the amount of time you spend talking and listening during a typical conversation. If you are talking more than 50 percent of the time, you're talking too much!
35. Remember that public criticism only works when group dynamics are the issue.
36. Be realistic in budgeting a new project—avoid the temptation to keep costs unrealistically low in order to get the project approved.
37. Build mental flexibility by doing brainteasers, so you are in the habit of challenging your assumptions.
38. Recognize that people learn just as much from mistakes as they do from getting it right the first time.
39. When recruiting, ask what-if questions to determine how the applicant would respond to tricky situations.
40. Let candidates for a job know how much time the interview will take. This will reassure them that they will have the opportunity to give their information and to ask key questions.
41. Monitor trends in your industry to determine which competencies will become increasingly important. Then, ensure that your organization has employees with these abilities either by hiring from outside or training current staff.
42. Conduct an informal survey of your top performing new hires to find out how they heard about their positions. Focus your recruiting efforts on those sources that have produced your best employees.
43. Encourage people to focus their training and development on areas where they can achieve the greatest impact on organizational performance.
44. When searching for the right candidate for a position…remember to target the market that matches your candidate requirements. Don't waste time and effort looking at the wrong people. Instead create a job-specific profile so you have a clear vision of the job and responsibilities it entails.
45. Make department and corporate goals come alive for staff members by identifying the enablers—resources, skills or abilities critical to mission and goal achievement—that will allow the group to contribute to the corporate mission and goals.
46. When you encounter recurring issues or opportunities, seek the help of those unfamiliar with the situations to get a fresh perspective.
47. Regularly assess the strengths and weaknesses of your strategy, your processes and your customer approach. In today's fast-changing world, ongoing review of these areas-and implementing change as needed-is critical.
48. Consider how your organizational structure will need to change in the near- and long- term. Give your employees the chance to adjust beforehand.
49. Incorporate communication strategies into your business plans. Ask yourself what information and feedback you need to achieve your objectives.
50. Complete a thorough and objective evaluation of your product or service annually; also determine the health of your organization and its ability to grow.
51. Draw how you see the solution to a problem—visual images may be a greater stimulus to creativity than your words.
52. Make your decision, but prepare a fallback position. If you've made the wrong decision, you'll know what to do next to rectify the situation.
53. Monitor employee progress on a task—but not every hour of the day. If things go wrong, give your employee the chance to put them right by him- or herself.
54. Remember that teleworkers are entitled to a life outside of work. So don't telephone them at home in the evening or on the weekend unless it's a major emergency.
55. Ensure that people who work with you and your employees know that you have delegated a task to your employee and that you have given the employee the authority to do the job.
56. Monitor the performance of anyone you ask to assist new hires before you make the assignment.
57. Share solutions to problems found by your department with other groups within your organization, thereby saving other groups from having to reinvent the wheel.
58. Treat resistance to change as a problem to solve, not as a character flaw.
59. Test the practicality of your decisions to increase their probability for success. Get into the habit of asking yourself at each stage of the decision-making process whether the decision is workable.
60. Ask your employees how their objectives contribute to the unit's success. If they don't know, help them understand how their goals align with the unit's strategic objectives.
61. Do an annual review of efforts to achieve your unit's goals to determine any training needs or other shortcomings holding you back. Then, act to address the issues identified.
62. If work due dates are missed, discuss the consequences and options with the person to whom you assigned the task. Don't take the incomplete delegated work back.
63. Remember that management is not a popularity contest-you should work and behave not to be liked but to win the respect of others.
64. If you're new to management remember these words of caution: hold your authority in check. Don't overreact to your new position. And don't play favorites.
65. Isolate the reason for poor performance. Maybe the staff member does not know what you want him or her to achieve.
66. Communicate constantly with project team members: hold daily team briefings and weekly team meetings and encourage people to share information and ideas.
67. If you want your team to reach a consensus, let them know the place and time for the meeting in advance. With a few days, notice, they will have time to consider alternative ideas and arrive at the meeting with an informed choice.
68. Meet regularly with those responsible for project implementation, not only to determine the project's status, but also to communicate its importance to the support of the group-and consequently, the corporate-goal.
69. Consider the variety of time zones or office locations for those you are contacting and rotate locations and/or start times for meetings.
70. Challenge the analyses and findings of groups that have worked in the same area for a long time. Encourage the members to rethink their conclusions to ensure they are timely and accurate.
71. Inform customers and suppliers of significant change initiatives, and ask how these could impact the support they receive from, or provide to, the organization.
72. During face-to-face meetings, reinforce the corporation's commitment to customers as often as possible if you truly want to build a customer-centric organization.
73. If a customer requirement changes, be prepared to change your process or system, too.
74. Think globally. Study how your competition sells its products internationally to see if you can do the same.
75. Write the business proposal first, then think about how you want it to look.
76. Identify the key people you need for your strategy to work. Focus on attracting, deploying, developing and retaining these people.
77. Put yourself in your competitor's shoes. If you were to compete against your firm, what would you do? Based on your thinking, plan a counterstrategy.
78. Identify and plan to avoid the constraints to implementing a plan before you begin implementation.
79. Be open to the idea that others’ behavior, no matter how unreasonable, may be due to personal or work-related problems about which you know nothing.
80. And don’t forget: maintain your sense of humor. Humor is the best antidote to stress. We do our teams and ourselves a favor when we remember to stop and laugh. It will lower the emotional temperature.

Vocal Tips

Voice Tips

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Never sing without first warming up. Your vocal cords require the needed "warm up" before you perform. Undue strain on "cold" vocal cords can lead to permanent damage. A good rule to remember is "To be a perfect 10 - 10 be a perfect too". This means that starting slow and warming up, for at least 10 minutes before a performance, will not only stretch your vocal cords, but calm you down too (increased oxygen supply helps your body to relax).
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Sing like you speak. Your vocal cords get used to a specific style and range of volume. Increasing the volume by straining or pushing your voice to react louder, only causes undo stress upon your vocal cords and could possibly make them weaker. Practice slowly to increase the volume of your voice by controlling the release of air from your diaphragm. Soon, you'll be bellowing like the best of them!
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Turn lemons into Lemon-Aid. The acidic qualities of lemons will not only give you a purse to your pucker, but clean your throat of unwanted mucus residue. Yummy! Plus, think of the lemony-fresh breathe you'll have when singing close to your favorite harmony partner. Lemonade will not work here; just a fresh-cut wedge of lemon. A glass of water will assist in washing the tartness away.
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Eating dairy or chocolate before you sing will diminish your range. Milk substances, dairy, chocolate and even sugar can produce a film that coats your throat and possibly your vocal cords. This film doesn't allow for the full range of movement and vibration of your vocal cords, plus, a feeling of needing to clear your throat may become more frequent. Therefore, when you have to eat something before you perform, grab something free of milk, cheese, or anything from the dairy family. Garlic wouldn't be good either!





Enjoyment Tips

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Never sing when you're mad. People have this innate ability to tell when another person is angry, therefore, singing when you are upset will be readily apparent to the other group members and the audience. Plus, scientific evidence suggests that muscles constrict and facial features contract, thus, contributing to lack of mouth movement and tonal quality. So, if at all possible, try not to let the negative emotional feelings get the better of you on stage.
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Stressed out? Breathe more! Every performer experiences anxiety at one time or another. The problem arises, when the body's natural reaction to stress is to start quick, short intakes of breath. This, in turn, increases blood pressure and gives a person dry mouth. To combat this feeling, start by slowly taking a few very deep breaths. This will drop the body's natural fear factor and decrease blood pressure. After a few more slow deep breaths, the body's muscles will loosen from the increase in oxygen. Soon, your anxiety level will begin to diminish and you'll feel better!
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Keep singing!

10 Tips for Learning to Sing Well

The human voice is one of the most fragile instruments, and is incredibly difficult to master. If you want to learn how to sing well, it's going to be a long battle, but here are some great tips to help you avoid some common pitfalls.

1. Breath from the diaphragm, not the lungs. You need to really control the air that you're expelling when you sing, and breathing from the diaphragm gives you more air to work with. To do this, breath so that your stomach goes out rather than your chest when you inhale. When you practice, try to focus on using the same amount of air for low notes and high notes. This will help erase the break between your registers and give you more steady tone.

2. Run through scales-a lot. If this was guitar, it wouldn't be different, and the human voice is a lot less accurate than a guitar. You need to get your sense of pitch down, and you need to train your voice to reach higher and higher if you want to really hit all the notes in your range.

3. Don't strain your voice. Practice is a good thing, but don't try to sing too high or you might damage your vocal cords. Go slow and steady and you'll sing well in no time. Keep your practice time to an hour or so a day, then move up if you feel like it. If you ever feel like your voice is straining, or if you feel soreness or pain, stop right away.

4. Listen to criticism. Singing well takes a long time, and in the meantime you're going to hear people say a lot of bad things about you. If you notice a trend, recognize that people are probably making a good judgment and try to work on the problem aspect of your voice. Don't let anyone get you down who really has nothing to say other than, "you suck," though. You don't see them trying to do this, and they have no idea what they're talking about.

5. Make recordings of yourself. This is the only way to hear your problems, because you can separate yourself from your voice and listen to what other people hear. You may not like this at first, but keep at it; you'll improve vastly, and you'll start to notice stuff you like about your voice and really expand on those things.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

Better Sleep Tips I: Improving your daytime habits

How can what you do during the day affect your sleep at night? Better sleep starts with good daytime habits, from when (and how often) you exercise to what you eat and drink.
Regular day exercise can help sleep

Regular exercise, aside from many other wonderful health benefits, usually makes it easier to fall asleep and sleep better. You don’t have to be a star athlete to reap the benefits-- as little as twenty to thirty minutes of activity helps. And you don’t need to do all 30 minutes in one session: break it up into five minutes here, ten minutes there. A brisk walk, a bicycle ride or a run is time well spent. However, be sure to schedule your exercise in the morning or early afternoon. Exercising too late in the day actually stimulates the body, raising its temperature. That’s the opposite of what you want near bedtime, because a cooler body temperature is associated with sleep. Don’t feel glued to the couch in the evening, though. Exercise such as relaxation yoga or simple stretching shouldn’t hurt.

Get some light to set your body clock

We all have an internal body clock that helps regulate sleep. This clock is sensitive to light and dark. Light tells your body clock to move to the active daytime phase. When you get up, open the shades or go outside to get some sunlight. If that’s not possible, turn on the lights to make your environment bright.
Napping can interfere with sleep

Perhaps the English had the right idea in having teatime in the late afternoon when you naturally get sleepy. Some people can take a short afternoon nap and still sleep well at night. However, if you are having trouble sleeping at night, try to eliminate napping. If you must nap, do it in the early afternoon, and sleep no longer than about thirty minutes.
Alcohol, caffeine, smoking

* Alcohol reduces overall quality of sleep. Many people think that a nightcap before bed will help them sleep. While it may make you fall asleep faster, alcohol reduces your sleep quality, waking you up later in the night. To avoid this effect, stay away from alcohol in the last few hours before bed.
* Caffeine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! If you rely on coffee, tea or caffeinated soda to keep you going during the day, consider eliminating caffeine after lunch or cutting back your overall intake.
* Smoking. Smoking causes sleep troubles in numerous ways. Nicotine is a stimulant, which disrupts sleep. Additionally, smokers actually experience nicotine withdrawal as the night progresses, making it hard to sleep.


Better Sleep Tips II: Creating a better sleep environment

The key to better sleep might be as simple as making some minor changes to your bedroom. Take a careful look around your sleep environment to see what might be disrupting your sleep.
Your Bed

* Is your bed large enough? Do you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably in bed, or are you cramped? Having a bedmate makes this even more important- both of you should have plenty of room to stretch out. Consider getting a larger bed if you don’t have enough space.
* Your mattress, pillows and bedding. Waking up with a cramp in your back or a sore neck? You may want to experiment with different levels of mattress firmness and pillows that provide more support. If your mattress is too hard, you can add a foam topper for additional softness. Experiment with different types of pillows – feather, synthetic, and special pillows for side, back or stomach sleepers. Consider your bedding—scratchy sheets might be making you uncomfortable in the middle of the night, or your comforter might not be keeping you warm enough. Consider soft, breathable cotton sheets. Flannel sheets may be cozy for the winter months.

Your Room

Ideally, to maximize sleep, your room should be quiet, dark and at a comfortable temperature and ventilation.

* Keep the noise level down. Too much noise- loud outside conversations, televisions blaring, traffic noise - can make it difficult to sleep well. When the source of outside noise can’t be eliminated, sometimes it can be masked. A fan or white noise machine can help block outside noise. Some people enjoy recordings of soothing sounds such as waves, waterfalls or rain. Earplugs may also help, although you want to make sure they don’t block out important noises like an alarm clock if you use one.
* Sleeping maskKeep your room dark during sleep hours. Early morning light can send your body clock the wrong signal that it is time to wake up. Or perhaps there is a streetlamp shining right in your window at night. Heavy shades can help block light from windows, or you can try an eye mask to cover your eyes.
* Room temperature and ventilation. Who can sleep in a hot stuffy room? Or for that matter, a cold drafty one? If you can, experiment with the room temperature. Most people sleep best in a slightly cooler room. Make sure that you have adequate ventilation as well - a fan can help keep the air moving. You also might want to check your windows and doors to make sure that drafts are not interfering with sleep.
* Reserve your bed for sleeping. Do you sometimes balance your checkbook propped up on your pillows? Or jot down some notes for tomorrow’s meeting? It might feel relaxing to do tasks like these on a comfortable bed. However, if you associate your bed with events like work or errands, it will only make it harder to wind down at night. Use your bed only for sleep and sex.

Better Sleep Tips III: Preparing for Sleep
Keep a regular bedtime schedule, including weekends

Time of day serves as a powerful cue to your body clock that it is time to sleep and awaken. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, and it will be easier and easier to fall asleep. However tempting it may be, try not to break this routine on weekends when you may want to stay up much later or sleep in. Your overall sleep will be better if you don’t.

In setting your bedtime, pay attention to the cues your body is giving you. When do you feel sleepy? Set your bedtime for when you normally feel tired, within reason – you may not want to make your bedtime 2am if you have to work at 8am! If you regularly go to bed when you don’t feel sleepy, not only is it harder to fall asleep, but you may start worrying about not sleeping, which can end up keeping you up longer! If you want to change your bedtime, try doing it in small daily increments, such as 15 minutes earlier or later each day.
Foods that help you sleep

Foods that help you sleepMaybe a rich, hearty dinner, topped off with a big slice of chocolate cake might seem like the perfect way to end the day, but it’s wise not to eat a large meal within two hours of bed. Try to make dinnertime earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods as bedtime snacks.

However, a light snack before bed, especially one which contains the amino acid tryptophan, can help promote sleep. When you pair tryptophan-containing foods with carbohydrates, it helps calm the brain and allow you to sleep better. For even better sleep, add some calcium to your dinner or nighttime snack. Calcium helps the brain use and process tryptophan. On the other hand, you might want to avoid eating too much protein before bedtime - protein-rich foods contain tyrosine, an amino acid that stimulates brain activity. Experiment with your food habits to determine your optimum evening meals and snacks.

Foods that can interfere with sleep

Some food and drinks that can interfere with your sleep, including:

* Too much food, especially fatty, rich food. These take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up. Spicy or acidic foods in the evening can cause stomach trouble and heartburn, which worsens as you are laying down
* Too much liquid. Drinking lots of fluid may result in frequent bathroom trips throughout the night.
* Alcohol. Although it may initially make you feel sleepy, alcohol can interfere with sleep and cause frequent awakenings. Also some people are also sensitive to tyrosine, found in certain red wines
* Caffeine. Avoid food and drinks that contain caffeine, and that doesn’t just mean coffee. Hidden sources of caffeine include chocolate, caffeinated sodas, and teas.

If you suspect a food or drink is keeping you up, try eliminating it for a few days to see if sleep improves.
Develop a relaxing bedtime routine

Ideas to help prepare for sleepA consistent, relaxing routine before bed sends a signal to your brain that it is time to wind down, making it easier to fall asleep.

Start by keeping a consistent bedtime as much as possible. Then, think about what relaxes you. It might be a warm bath, soft music or some quiet reading. Relaxation techniques, such as yoga, visualization or muscle relaxation not only tell your body it is time for sleep but also help relieve anxiety.

Avoid bright light or activities which cause stress and anxiety.

Worry, Anxiety and Sleep

With busy schedules and family lives, it’s hard to leave the worries of daily life behind when it is time to sleep. Worrying and anxiety trigger the “fight or flight” mechanism in the body, releasing chemicals that prepare us to be alert and ready for action. That not only makes it difficult to fall asleep, but can wake you up frequently in the night as well. Stop stress and worry from disrupting your rest by:

* Making the time before sleep a time of peace and quiet. As much as possible, avoid things that may trigger worry or anxiety before bed, like upsetting news or gory television shows.
* Quiet your mind. There are many things you can do to help your brain wind down and prepare for sleep. Relaxation techniques set the stage for quieting the mind. Make some simple preparations for the next day, like a to-do list or laying out the next day’s clothes and shoes. Some people find jotting down a list of worries makes them more manageable.

For help on breaking the worry habit, visit How to Stop Worrying
Better Sleep Tips IV: Getting back to sleep, television and sleep medications
Getting back to sleep

It’s normal to wake briefly during the night- a good sleeper won’t even remember it. However, there are times when you may wake during the night and not be able to fall back asleep. You may get more and more frustrated about not being able to sleep, which raises your anxiety level, ironically making it even harder to achieve the sleep you crave!

* Stay relaxed: The key to getting back to bed is continuing to cue your body for sleep. Some relaxation techniques, such as visualization and meditation, can be done without even getting out of bed. The time honored technique of “counting sheep” works by engaging the brain in a repetitive, non-stimulating activity, helping you wind down.
* Do a quiet, non-stimulating activity if you can’t sleep: If you’ve been awake for more than 15 minutes, try getting out of bed and doing a quiet activity. Keep the lights dim so as not to cue your body clock that it’s time to wake up. A light snack or herbal tea might help relax you, but be careful not to eat so much that your body begins to expect a meal at that time of the day.

Television

Many people use the television to fall asleep or relax at the end of the day. You may even have a television in your bedroom. However, it’s best to get rid of the television, or related activities like video games, for several reasons.

First, television programming is frequently stimulating rather than calming. Late night news or prime time shows frequently have disturbing, violent material. Even non-violent programming can have commercials which are jarring and louder than the actual program. Remember, commercials want to get your attention! Processing this type of material is a stimulating activity, the opposite of what you want to help you sleep.

In addition, the light coming from the TV (or a computer screen) can interfere with the body’s clock, which is sensitive to any light. Television is also noisy, which can disturb sleep if the set is accidentally left on.

* Take the TV out of the bedroom - The optimum setup for better sleep is to have your bedroom reserved for sleeping. So if you watch TV in bed, even if you don’t fall asleep watching it, you are unconsciously associating another activity with the area you use to sleep. It’s best to remove the TV from the bedroom entirely, saving your viewing for the living room or den.
* Trouble falling asleep without the TV - You may be so used to falling asleep with the TV that you have trouble without it. Be patient. It takes time to develop new habits. If you miss the noise, try turning on soft music or a fan. If your favorite show is on late at night, record it for viewing earlier in the day. Although the first few days might be difficult, better sleep pays off in the long run.

Medications and sleep

If only sleeplessness could be completely cured by a simple pill! There are certainly plenty of over-the-counter sleep aids. However, these medications are not meant for long term use. They can cause side effects and even rebound insomnia, where your sleep ends up worse than before. Prescription medications are no magic pill, either. If you must take sleep prescription medications, work carefully with your healthcare professional.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Eight Tips for Healthy Meetings

Do you stagger out of meetings moaning how you hate, hate, hate meetings? Do you yearn for anything — earthquake, hurricane, building collapse — to get out of the meeting you’re in? Do meetings have to be so awful?

The bad meetings always stand out in my memory, but actually, I’ve attended many good meetings, as well. They had a few things in common.

1. Agendas. A good meeting has an agenda. It might be a very informal agenda, such as “Today we are all going to share for two minutes each on everything we’ve done this past week.” Or it might be an elaborate, three-level-outline agenda. But a meeting without an agenda is not a meeting, it’s an encounter group.

2. Openness. Unless the meeting needs to be closed (personnel issues, for example), the meeting is not only open to those who are required to be there, but to people who have an interest in the topic and want to sit in. That also means that meetings are held at times that facilitate this openness (for a major violator of this principle, see ALA Council, which does the bulk of its work a day after the conference has ended). This openness not only contributes to cross-pollination; it also makes meetings more broadly accountable.

3. The meeting is the meeting. That sounds either Zen-like or Seuss-like (or a little of each), but let me clarify. I have worked in a number of settings where the announced meeting was really just a showcase, and key decisions took place before or after the meeting among the informal leaders in the organization. A variation on this is the person who hangs around after the meeting and has a special one-on-one meeting with a key decision-maker which alters decisions made at the meeting or makes new decisions on topics that weren’t addressed. Obviously, the cure for this is fairly complex — these problems are symptomatic of a toxic organizational culture — but if you can affect real change at that level, then meetings have a chance of becoming meetings again, and not charades resented for the time they suck from activities that people have some control over.

4. Time management. The push is to get the meeting done so people can leave the meeting and Do Something. Meetings not only have start times, but end times. Meetings do not wander on and on; agenda items have time limits. It is true that good meetings contribute to outcomes, but meetings rarely are the bulk of the outcome, and a meeting should leave people jazzed about the issue at hand, not exhausted and burned-out. (Oh, and don’t you love the admin-type whose power trip includes breathlessly showing up late for every single meeting — often with a dramatic explanation of the Very Important Thing that made her late? Yeah, me neither: if you can, start the meeting on time and don’t let this person get it off course when she arrives. Otherwise, practice your patient half-smile.)

5. Democratic but not anarchic. On the one hand, the meeting is not a lecture; you do not sit there, wishing you were dead, while for an hour someone on high reads notes that should have been sent out by email, or asks “questions” that have predetermined “answers.” People have discussions, and discussions resolve problems or lead to problem resolution strategies. the convener makes a special effort to acknowledge all meeting participants and draw the best out of them. On the other hand, the meeting is not dominated by trolls who filibuster on every topic (often with extreme negativism and pronounced opinions) and drown out meeker voices as they hammer home Their Way of Doing Things. To keep a meeting democratic without becoming anarchic requires some adroit, situation-specific meeting management — some of it thought through in advance, with a strategic awareness of the participants’ behavior styles — but it’s key.

6. Not every issue needs a meeting. (Tangentially, see also my observation earlier that for every action there is an equal and opposite committee.) Sometimes a problem can be at least partially resolved by two folks standing around a cubicle tossing a nerf ball; sometimes it’s too early to meet because you don’t know what the issue is. Sometimes the issue needs slow, protracted online conversation (easier among people who work this way naturally) rather than the artifice of ten people, a room, and an agenda.

7. Not every issue can be resolved in a meeting. I’ve seen meetings where the participants were determined to come to a conclusion right then and there. But a meeting is not always the right venue. Sometimes you need more information. Sometimes it’s too early to make a decision. (Yes, this does have to be balanced with not having a separate meeting-outside-of-the-meeting structure.) Sometimes you need to send out the email that you think you need to read aloud at the meeting because no one’s reading it, and if people aren’t reading it, find out why. Sometimes the issue requires an innovator, or serial conversations — someone interviewing people sequentially. Sometimes the issue is too volatile to discuss in the meeting format; you don’t want people being agreeniks because they feel put on the spot.

8. Food, fun, and familiarity. I tend to like work for work’s sake, so it took me a while to learn that offering a nibbly or two can greatly improve someone’s opinion of a meeting, as can a little fun (sharing something humorous) and recognizing human, non-work-related events, such as birthdays, new babies, household moves, and other events that make us who we are.

But the yummiest nibbly in the world can’t compare to a meeting that engages the right people for the right reasons, starts and ends on time, and leaves you better-equipped to handle the issue the meeting addressed.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Tips for a Healthy Life for Men

Eat Healthy
"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." There's more truth to this saying than we once thought. What you eat and drink and what you don't eat and drink can definitely make a difference to your health. Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day and less saturated fat can help improve your health and may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. Have a balanced diet, and watch how much you eat.



Illustration of man weighting herselfMaintain a Healthy Weight
Obesity is at an all time high in the United States, and the epidemic may be getting worse. Those who are overweight or obese have increased risks for diseases and conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Eat better, get regular exercise, and see your health care provider about any health concerns to make sure you are on the right track to staying healthy.



Illustration of people exercisingGet Moving
More than 50 percent of American men and women do not get enough physical activity to provide health benefits. For adults, thirty minutes of moderate physical activity on most, preferably all, days of the week is recommended. It doesn't take a lot of time or money, but it does take commitment. Start slowly, work up to a satisfactory level, and don't overdo it. You can develop one routine, or you can do something different every day. Find fun ways to stay in shape and feel good, such as dancing, gardening, cutting the grass, swimming, walking, or jogging.



Illustration of man smokingBe Smoke-Free
Health concerns associated with smoking include cancer and lung disease. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among those who are middle-aged. Second-hand smoke - smoke that you inhale when others smoke - also affects your health. If you smoke, quit today! Helplines, counseling, medications, and other forms of support are available to help you quit.



Illustration of man having a checkupGet Routine Exams and Screenings
Sometimes they're once a year. Other times they're more or less often. Based on your age, health history, lifestyle, and other important issues, you and your health care provider can determine how often you need to be examined and screened for certain diseases and conditions. These include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, and cancers of the skin, prostate, and colon. When problems are found early, your chances for treatment and cure are better. Routine exams and screenings can help save lives.



Illustration of man getting vaccinationGet Appropriate Vaccinations
They're not just for kids. Adults need them too. Some vaccinations are for everyone. Others are recommended if you work in certain jobs, have certain lifestyles, travel to certain places, or have certain health conditions. Protect yourself from illness and disease by keeping up with your vaccinations.



Man receiving a massageManage Stress
Perhaps now more than ever before, job stress poses a threat to the health of workers and, in turn, to the health of organizations. Balancing obligations to your employer and your family can be challenging. What's your stress level today? Protect your mental and physical health by engaging in activities that help you manage your stress at work and at home.



Illustration of couple embracingKnow Yourself and Your Risks
Your parents and ancestors help determine some of who you are. Your habits, work and home environments, and lifestyle also help to define your health and your risks. You may be at an increased risk for certain diseases or conditions because of what you do, where you work, and how you play. Being healthy means doing some homework, knowing yourself, and knowing what's best for you... because you are one of a kind.


Illustration of man applying suntan lotionBe Safe- Protect Yourself
What comes to mind when you think about safety and protecting yourself? Is it fastening seat belts, applying sunscreen, wearing helmets, or having smoke detectors? It's all of these and more. It's everything from washing your hands to watching your relationships. Did you know that men at work die most frequently from motor vehicle incidents, machine-related injuries, homicides, and falls? Take steps to protect yourself and others wherever you are.



Illustration of a couple relaxing in restaurant settingBe Good to Yourself
Health is not merely the absence of disease; it's a lifestyle. Whether it's getting enough sleep, relaxing after a stressful day, or enjoying a hobby, it's important to take time to be good to yourself. Take steps to balance work, home, and play. Pay attention to your health, and make healthy living a part of your life.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

10 Tips To Healthy Eating

Experts agree the key to healthy eating is the time-tested advice of balance, variety and moderation. In short, that means eating a wide variety of foods without getting too many calories or too much of any one nutrient. These 10 tips can help you follow that advice while still enjoying the foods you eat.

1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

4. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.

5. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.

6. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.

Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.

Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.

If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.

7. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.

8. Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.

9. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.

10. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.