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Stress is a normal part of life and usually comes from everyday occurrences. Here are some ways you can deal with everyday sources of stress.
1. Eliminate as many sources of stress as you can.
For example, if crowds bother you, go to the supermarket when you know the lines won't be too long. Try renting videotapes rather than going to crowded movie theaters. Clear up the clutter in your life by giving away or throwing away the things that get in your way. A garage sale is one effective way to do this. 2. Make a Time-Table.
If you are always running late, sit down with a pencil and paper and see how you are actually allotting your time. Say it takes you 40 minutes to get to work. Are you leaving your house on time? You may be able to solve your problem (and de-stress your life a bit) just by being realistic. If you can't find the time for all the activities that are important to you, maybe you are trying to do too much. Again, make a list of what you do during the day and how much each activity takes. Then cut back.
3. Avoid predictably stressful situations.
If a certain sport or game makes you tense (whether it's tennis or bridge), decline the invitation to play. After all, the point of these activities is to have a good time. If you know you won't, there's no reason to play.
4. If you can't remove the stress, remove yourself.
Slip away once in a while for some private time. These quiet moments may give you a fresh perspective on your problems. Avoid stressful people. For example, if you don't get along with your father-in-law but you don't want to make an issue of it, invite other in-laws at the same time you invite him. Having other people around will absorb some of the pressure you would normally feel.
5.Avoid Competing with Others.
Competing with others, whether in accomplishments, appearance, or possessions, is an avoidable source of stress. You might know people who do all they can to provoke envy in others. While it may seem easy to say you should be satisfied with what you have, it's the truth. Stress from this kind of jealousy is self-inflicted.
6. Keep Your Distance from Gadgets.
Laborsaving devices, such as cellular phones or computer hookups, often encourage us to cram too many activities into each day. Before you buy new equipment, be sure that it will really improve your life. Be aware that taking care of equipment and getting it repaired can be stressful.
7. Try doing only one thing at a time.
For example, when you're riding your exercise bike, you don't have to listen to the radio or watch television.
8. Learn to do Nothing.
Remember, sometimes it's okay to do nothing.
9. Try to remain Calm.
If you suffer from insomnia, headaches, recurring colds, or stomach upsets, consider whether stress is part of the problem. Being chronically angry, frustrated, or apprehensive can deplete your physical resources.
10. Seek professional Help.
If you feel stress (or anything else) is getting the better of you, seek professional help -- a doctor or therapist. Early signs of excess stress are loss of a sense of well-being and reluctance to get up in the morning to face another day.
Laziness = lack of desire = no productivity. Laziness is a perfectly natural thing. For some reason if we weren’t had to do offices, meet deadlines, we could have dozed the whole day, watch TV or just do nothing.
Laziness is the lack of desire to perform work or expend effort. What behavior is considered laziness varies according to personal and societal standards.
1. Have a good rest.
If we don’t get enough rest we could easily feel lazy. Don’t waste your time with those late night shows, hurry up to bed and have a good rest. During daytime you can take a nap for say half an hour or 20 minutes, enough to get back some lost energy.
2. Exercise.
Exercise is a great way to boost your energy levels and put you in a better mood. Its very easy for people to fall into the laziness trap if they feel low of energy. Make sure you have a workout in the morning every day, it will keep you fresh and active for most part of the day.
3. Motivation.
type="text/javascript">Its is very easy to forget the purpose of your work. Remind yourself why is your work so important, think for your satisfaction, family, money and so so. What if something happens to me , family if I don’t start with my work? Think about the consequences.
4. Remove the distractions.
Laziness attracts distractions. Kids like watching TV while talking, yep we bloggers tend to browse others blogs when we are supposed to write on our own. If you remove those distractions, for example unplugging the Internet, lockup the TV, you’ll notice in couple of days how laziness is gradually leaving your life.
5. Reward yourself!
Reward yourself! You need to reward yourself for completing each task, in order to feel good about having stressed yourself in order to get the job done. Reward yourself to eat your favorite meal or watch movie if you complete the tasks.
6. Healthy diet.
type="text/javascript"> Make sure you’re on a healthy diet ; junk or fast food doesn’t give your body the nutrients it needs to be active. You’ll only become fat and lazier if you don’t stop those chips, frys, pizzas etc. Fruit juices are great way to supplement your body with nutrients while working.
7. Divide the task into smaller chunks.
If the task at hand is big it can easily overwhelm anyone. In such cases, divide the task into smaller chunks, and go through them one by one. Remember, you can’t gobble an apple at one go, its much easier to eat if you take it bit by bit.
8. Set goals for yourself.
If you have goals set up for yourself, you have something to look forward to, it maybe your paycheck, a car etc. Create list of large and small things and prioritize. Its lot easier to overcome laziness if you have purpose in life.
9. Don’t stop.
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Its easy enough to get lazy after completing task. Don’ t let your brain talk you into lazying. Once you have completed a task move over to the next one but make sure you reward yourself with something for accomplishing the latter task. If you really don’t have any work, head over to the gym, start jogging, help your kids with the homework, do anything to keep your hands and feet’s moving but say no to TV, internet, etc.
Self confidence is the difference between feeling unstoppable and feeling scared out of your wits. Your perception of yourself has an enormous impact on how others perceive you. Perception is reality — the more self confidence you have, the more likely it is you’ll succeed.
Although many of the factors affecting self confidence are beyond your control, there are a number of things you can consciously do to build self confidence. By using these 10 strategies you can get the mental edge you need to reach your potential. Build Self Confidence
1. Dress Sharp
Although clothes don’t make the man, they certainly affect the way he feels about himself. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don’t look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. Use this to your advantage by taking care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and shaving frequently, wearing clean clothes, and being cognizant of the latest styles.
This doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot on clothes. One great rule to follow is “spend twice as much, buy half as much”. Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, high quality items. In long run this decreases spending because expensive clothes wear out less easily and stay in style longer than cheap clothes. Buying less also helps reduce the clutter in your closet.
2. Walk Faster
One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about herself is to examine her walk. Is it slow? tired? painful? Or is it energetic and purposeful? People with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go, people to see, and important work to do. Even if you aren’t in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by putting some pep in your step. Walking 25% faster will make to you look and feel more important.
3. Good Posture
Similarly, the way a person carries herself tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they’re doing and they don’t consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you’ll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You’ll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.
4. Personal Commercial
One of the best ways to build confidence is listening to a motivational speech. Unfortunately, opportunities to listen to a great speaker are few and far between. You can fill this need by creating a personal commercial. Write a 30-60 second speech that highlights your strengths and goals. Then recite it in front of the mirror aloud (or inside your head if you prefer) whenever you need a confidence boost.
5. Gratitude
When you focus too much on what you want, the mind creates reasons why you can’t have it. This leads you to dwell on your weaknesses. The best way to avoid this is consciously focusing on gratitude. Set aside time each day to mentally list everything you have to be grateful for. Recall your past successes, unique skills, loving relationships, and positive momentum. You’ll be amazed how much you have going for you and motivated to take that next step towards success.
6. Compliment other people
When we think negatively about ourselves, we often project that feeling on to others in the form of insults and gossip. To break this cycle of negativity, get in the habit of praising other people. Refuse to engage in backstabbing gossip and make an effort to compliment those around you. In the process, you’ll become well liked and build self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself.
7. Sit in the front row
In schools, offices, and public assemblies around the world, people constantly strive to sit at the back of the room. Most people prefer the back because they’re afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You’ll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room.
8. Speak up
During group discussions many people never speak up because they’re afraid that people will judge them for saying something stupid. This fear isn’t really justified. Generally, people are much more accepting than we imagine. In fact most people are dealing with the exact same fears. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you’ll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts, and recognized as a leader by your peers.
9. Work out
Along the same lines as personal appearance, physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you’re out of shape, you’ll feel insecure, unattractive, and less energetic. By working out, you improve your physcial appearance, energize yourself, and accomplish something positive. Having the discipline to work out not only makes you feel better, it creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.
10. Focus on contribution
Too often we get caught up in our own desires. We focus too much on ourselves and not enough on the needs of other people. If you stop thinking about yourself and concentrate on the contribution you’re making to the rest of the world, you won’t worry as much about you own flaws. This will increase self confidence and allow you to contribute with maximum efficiency. The more you contribute to the world the more you’ll be rewarded with personal success and recognition.
A Marvelous Sense They are two of your most precious possessions, but chances are, you take your eyes for granted. Most of us do. But think for a second what life would be like without being able to gaze on your grandchild or your flower garden or even navigate the kitchen without incident
Prevent Blindness America, a nonprofit organization dedicated to vision issues, estimates that 50,000 people lose their sight needlessly every year and that 80 million Americans are at risk of eye diseases that can lead to low vision and even blindness.
The good news: The most common diseases -- age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), cataracts, glaucoma, and dry eye disease -- are all preventable to some extent. Read on to see (pun intended) how you can get Stealth Healthy protection for your peepers. Before we go any further, we have to tell you that the first step, if you smoke, is to stop. Smoking increases your risk of cataracts, glaucoma, dry eyes, and age-related macular degeneration.
1. Mix a cup of blueberries with a cup of yogurt for breakfast this morning. Blueberries are one of the richest fruit forms of antioxidants, and a study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology found that women and men who ate the greatest amount of fruit were the least likely to develop age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the leading cause of blindness in older people.
2. Spread bilberry jam on your morning toast. Or take a bilberry supplement every morning. The berries contain compounds called anthocyanosides, which may protect the retina against macular degeneration.
4. Cook with red onions, not yellow. Red onions contain far more quercetin, an antioxidant that is thought to protect against cataracts.
5. Aim your car vents at your feet -- not your eyes.
Dry, air-conditioned air will suck the moisture out of eyes like a sponge. Aim the vents in your car away from your eyes, or wear sunglasses as a shield. Dry eyes can be more than an inconvenience; serious dryness can lead to corneal abrasions and even blindness if left untreated.
6. Move your computer screen to just below eye level. Your eyes will close slightly when you're staring at the computer, minimizing fluid evaporation and the risk of dry eye syndrome, says John Sheppard, M.D., who directs the ophthalmology residency program at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Virginia.
7. Take a multivitamin every day. Make it a habit, like brushing your teeth. A major study suggested that if every American at risk for age-related macular degeneration took daily supplements of antioxidant vitamins and zinc, more than 300,000 people could avoid ARMD-associated vision loss over the next five years. Other studies find that women who took vitamin C supplements for at least 10 years were 77 percent less likely to show initial signs of cataracts than those who took no supplemental C. So take a multi with at least 150 mg vitamin C, or take a separate C supplement.
8. Walk at least four times a week. Some evidence suggests that regular exercise can reduce the intraocular pressure, or IOP, in people with glaucoma. In one study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly four times per week for 40 minutes lowered their IOP enough so they could stop taking medication for their condition. It's also possible -- although there's no proof yet -- that walking could also reduce your overall risk of developing glaucoma.
9. Eat fish twice a week. A study from Harvard researchers presented at the 2003 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology's annual meeting evaluated the diets of 32,470 women and found those who ate the least amount of fish (thus getting the least amount of omega-3 fatty acids) had the highest risk of dry eye syndrome. Even tuna fish (yes, the kind that comes in a can) protected against the syndrome. If you can't stand fish, or are worried about mercury consumption, try fish-oil supplements to get your omega-3s.
10. Twice a week, walk away from greasy or sweet snacks.
A 2001 study found that people whose diets were high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6 fatty acids (found in many fat-filled snack foods like commercially prepared pie, cake, cookies, and potato chips) were significantly less likely to develop ARMD than those whose diets were high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, if your diet was high in omega-6 at all -- even if you still ate plenty of fish -- the protective effects of the omega-3 fatty acids disappeared.
11. Have sweet potatoes for dinner tonight. Since they are rich in vitamin A, these sweet spuds can help improve your night vision.
12. Turn down the heat in your house. Heat dries out the air, which, in turn, dries out your eyes. In the winter, you might also try adding some humidity with a humidifier or even bunching a lot of plants together in the room in which you spend the most time.
13. Wear sunglasses whenever you leave the house. When researchers examined the relationship between exposure to sunlight and cataracts or ARMD in Chesapeake Bay fishermen, they found that fishermen who protected their eyes from the harsh glare of the sun and its damaging UV rays were significantly less likely to develop these conditions than those who went bare-eyed. Wear the sunglasses even when it's not sunny out, says Dr. Sheppard. They protect your eyes from the drying effects of wind.
14. Wear a broad-brimmed hat along with your sunglasses. A wide-brimmed hat or cap will block roughly 50 percent of the UV radiation and reduce the UV radiation that may enter your eyes from above or around glasses.
15. Pick some Southern greens for dinner tonight.
Because they are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, greens like collards and kale (delicious when lightly steamed with a splash of hot pepper vinegar) may reduce your risk of developing both cataracts and ARMD, and may even slow progression of these diseases once they've begun. Both have strong antioxidant properties, which may help repair some of the damage that contributes to both conditions.
16. Roast some fresh beets for an eye-saving side dish. Beets get their deep red color from phytochemicals called anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that protect the smaller blood vessels in your body, including those in your eyes.
17. Switch to "lite" salt or use spices and herbs instead of salt. Studies find that high-salt diets increase your risk of certain types of cataracts, so stay away from the salty stuff. And while you're de-salting your diet, don't forget the salt in processed foods. Check labels for "no-salt" or "no-sodium," or "low-salt" or "low-sodium" tags when buying canned and other prepared foods.
18. Dab an essential oil of jasmine, peppermint, or vanilla on your arm and sniff. Jasmine, says scent researcher Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., of the Chicago-based Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation, increases the beta waves in the frontal lobes of your brain, promoting wakefulness and enabling you to focus better and see things more acutely. All three scents stimulate the limbic system in your brain, which, in turn, stimulates the rods in your eyes, which help you see in dim light.
19. When you're working or reading, set your alarm to beep every 30 minutes. Use this as a reminder to look up and away from your computer or book to some distant point for 30 seconds. This helps prevent eye fatigue and eyestrain.
20. Check your blood pressure every month.
You can do this yourself with a home blood pressure kit, at the doctor's office, or at the pharmacy. The two leading causes of blindness in the United States are high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which damage blood vessels.
21. Replace your mascara every three months and other eye makeup once a year. Eye makeup is a great repository for bacteria, which can easily be transferred to your eyes and cause infections.
22. Use eye makeup remover every night before going to bed. This prevents small pieces of mascara from winding up in your eye and possibly scratching your cornea.
23. Wear goggles when you're doing carpentry or even yard work. Debris in the eye can lead to corneal abrasions, which can ultimately damage your vision. Also use protective goggles when you're swimming to protect your eyes from the chlorine.
24. Use a fresh towel every time you wipe your face. Sharing face towels is a great way to get conjunctivitis, the infection also known as pinkeye.
Are you looking to simplify your life? Do you have financial issues? Are you still paying off debts with no end in sight? Hey, me too! Part of my methodology includes plugging expense holes, and shunting that money towards my debts. Here are eight expenses to cut and how: * Make Your Own Morning Coffee- I have a tiny little one-cup machine with a steel filter. Why? Because it’s silly easy to operate and clean. I buy really good coffee by the pound, and so a pound of coffee costs $6.50 or so US. Buying coffee at the coffee shop is $2.50 or so for a large. That means, I save after only 3 uses, and it doesn’t really slow down my getting out the door, especially if you think about how much time it takes to wait in a drive-up line.
* Sum up all Your Entertainment Expenses-- When you look at each one separately, it probably doesn’t seem weird to pay $15 a month for Netflix, $10 a month for XBOX Live, $60 or so a month for Cable TV, $100 or more a year on various magazines, not to mention all the ways you spend money when you go out, including clubs, pubs, bars, concerts, shows, events, and dinners. These are all entertainment. If you’re working on your debt, tally up all those expenses and look at them in a big sum per month. How much does your entertainment budget really cost, and does that relate to how much money you’re putting towards your debts and other expenses? Maybe it’s time to reconsider.
* Get Netflix- Going to the movies isn’t a great plan if you’re trying to save money, but renting movies is a hassle too, right? At least in the States, this is a much better option to going to brick and mortar stores for movies. They deliver the movies to your mailbox. You can’t get a late fee. Oh, and you can choose from getting just one disc at a time, two, three, or even larger numbers, for those of you who get to watch tons of flicks at once. BONUS: using one of your Netflix slots for a kids movie lets you save money, too. Kids will watch a movie 200 times, and then never need to see it again. Right?
* Bring Meals From Home or Find a Cheap, Repeatable Meal- We tend to bleed cash on feeding ourselves, and rarely do we really savor or notice the food anyhow. It’s just a meal that we consume in between doing other things. If you can bring meals from home, that’s the least expensive, and it’s also the bet way to ensure that you know what you’re getting. I’m currently taking frozen dinners that cost only $2.00 a meal, and that’s cheaper than any sandwich I can buy. If you have to eat out, trying finding the healthiest, best value meal you can find, and stick to it or slight variations. The more adventurous your meal seeking gets, the more it will likely cost you.
* Drink at a Friend’s House, Not a Pub- The cost of a dozen bottles of beer shared between a few friends will always be less expensive than a single drink out at a pub. Surely, one of you has a place to go for the casual entertainment experience, right? Okay, you might not be able to meet attractive members of the opposite sex there, but even if you spent a few days at one of your homes, that’d save some cash, true?
Libraries have changed. Most libraries are now connected into a big sharing consortium, expanding the collection of what you can take out and what they’ll have that you might want. Further, most now have an online catalog that you can use to browse and request from home. Libraries now frequently stock DVDs (mine favors Hollywood movies, and the one in the next town features mostly highbrow independent stuff). Heck, my library just launched a big commercial digital audiobook download deal, so I can get books on my computer from my desk.
How often do you reference a book after reading it once? Make that your point. Are you going to open it many times over the years, or is this a read once, use often kind of information dump?
* Reconsider Your Driving Habits- Are you a leadfoot? Are you the kind who goes on an hour or more jaunt just for something to do? With gas/petrol costs being so high thanks to some interesting world stage situations, considering how often and how fast you travel will help you cut a few bucks in the short term. BONUS: Get out your bike and kill two birds with one stone. Work that spare tire back off the ole belly.
* Go on a Clothing Fast- There are a hundred reasons why you need that new shirt, or that clever belt. You might need those shoes because they’re quite a bargain. But take a good long look at your closet, at what you already have. Do you need more right now? How often are you buying clothes for fashion’s sake versus need? Are there ways you can stretch your budget by coordinating differently? We buy clothes on impulse more often than just about anything. Pay close attention to this, and consider a clothing fast. Promise not to buy clothes for one month at a time. Say, “I’ll go all of August without buying a single article of clothing.” At the end of August, assess. Do you really need anything? See if you can go September, too.
As much as we hear a spiritual evolution is at hand, in many ways we still live in a very physical, down and dirty world. It can feel like you are competing in a 10K with a bum leg.
Whether you are kissing up to your boss or negotiating with your creditors, this is simply not the life you imagined for yourself. The truth is when people tell you how good life is, sometimes you just want to slap them.
You understand the concept of having a positive attitude — you are not a moron. But the reality is you have another mortgage payment due, and not enough money in the bank. Okay, let’s all agree
