Author: Editorial Staff

From One Mom To Another: Balancing Work and Motherhood

Women Empowerment

05/03/21

Editorial Staff

It’s a beautiful thing, but we know that balancing the wonderful gift of motherhood with work can be challenging. So we wanted to come up with a couple pieces of advice that have helped us working mothers. From our working moms here at Ama La Vida, to all you strong, working mamas at home. Tips for Balancing Work and Motherhood Betsy My children are now grown. I spent way too much time when they were young while I was working worried about intangibles… What I wish I had done was asked myself this powerful question:  “What do I want to be sure my boys know for sure about me?”   From that vantage point, I would have had more clarity about how I spent my time and energy working and at home. I would have known what my goal was. For them to know that I loved them unconditionally, had confidence in their capabilities, supported their independence, and was always there for the really tough stuff. Cait As someone who is relatively new to motherhood (and balancing work and motherhood), I’m still learning. One of my favorite mentors once told me that “parenthood was the hardest job you’ll ever love.” It couldn’t be more true. There are good days and there are really challenging days.  Everyone’s situation is different. I recognize that I am privileged to have a partner who is actively engaged in parenting our son and a support system of friends and family. At the end of the day, I am constantly reminding myself to be grateful and also to recognize that I’m doing the best I can. We all are. For my clients who are moms, I encourage them to take time to get to know the person they are now that they are a mom. Call on your support system and let your needs be known, and practice gratitude and self-love. Most importantly, though? Have fun and laugh with your children. Nicole One thing I was surprised to hear so many of my new mom friends say was, “I just didn’t expect x to be so hard.” For some it was the postpartum period, for others it was mom guilt. Perhaps one of the benefits of having babies later than a lot of my friends is that there was little left to be so completely surprised by. I believe that expectations management is one of the most crucial skills in life. Now this may sound cynical, but I went into motherhood with low expectations. Let me clarify. I expected this baby to bring me joy and love that I’ve never before experienced. That turned out to be true. But I also expected her to challenge me in ways I’ve never before experienced and test every aspect of my emotional and physical wellbeing. That also turned out to be true, and I don’t anticipate it will let up as she ages. I think this mentality has helped me tremendously. Going into this experience with eyes wide open has not made it any less demanding. I’m still exhausted. My heart still aches when I miss a milestone while at work. I’m still struggling to figure out how to get it all done in 24 hours. But I knew I would face all of those things, and the knowing makes it so much more manageable. Know that motherhood will bring you indescribable joy. And also know that it will bring you immense challenges. If you can find a way to manage your expectations and lead with love, then you and your little one will be just fine. Foram  There is no such thing as a perfect balance. I tried to chase the balance for so long before I realized that life is a see-saw. It’s constantly moving up or down based on what is required from your personal life, motherhood, or work. Let your see-saw be dictated by what’s pressing and tell yourself that you made a conscious choice to allow one aspect to take priority in that moment. Be sure to keep in mind your unconditionals about work and life and try to honor those no matter what. At the end of the day, you’ll make the right choice for yourself, your family and your work based on the information available to you. Be kind to yourself next time that the mom guilt or co-worker guilt creeps in. You’re doing an incredible job being a role model to your children and everyone else around you.  Shari Everyone will “mom” differently, because everyone’s children are different. This is the hardest and most important lesson I learned as a mom. Whatever you do, if it works for you and your kids, then you are doing a great job! And if it doesn’t work, you are still doing a great job and are learning along the way! As a mom of older children, the next hardest lesson I learned is that I, as my children’s parent, can not care more about their passions and pursuits than they do. This one is a struggle because I want my children to have their dreams come true!  I’ve found that my balance is that I have four goals for my children. I want them to be happy, healthy, support themselves (with health benefits) and be a productive, contributing member of the community at large. How they get there is up to them, and they will have my 100% support in their corner! Brittny I am a brand new mother, in a pandemic. One of the greatest lessons I am learning is to let go of unrealistic expectations. I know I can tackle my entire to-do list, just not all at once. Some things get pushed to the next day, and that is okay, as long as the important stuff gets done. Working from home full-time while also balancing full-time motherhood can be exhausting. Setting boundaries and giving grace are the best gifts to yourself.  One thing that gets me through my day is my

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4 Ways to Empower Women in the Workplace

Leadership Coaching

08/31/20

Editorial Staff

The workplace has long been a hotbed for female inequality. And the sad truth is, there hasn’t been much improvement over the past decade. Here are a few facts about women in the workplace: On average, women earn about $0.81 to every $1 that men earn. Only 22% of C-suite executives are women. 35% of women in full-time corporate jobs report experiencing sexual harassment. It’s clear that it’s as important as ever to work to empower women in the workplace. If you’re looking to incorporate female empowerment into your workplace environment, you’ve come to the right place. We’re here to tell you four ways to empower women in the workplace, so that you can do your part to close the professional gender gap. 1. Reassess Your Leadership & Management Is your workplace yet another that promotes women to leadership and management positions at a lower rate than men? It’s time to reassess to ensure that you’re not a part of the problem. Take a look at both who you’ve considered and who you’ve selected for leadership positions. If you find that it’s mostly men, consider why that is. Does the problem stem from misogynistic practices in your workplace? Are you providing women with professional development at the same rate as men? Do you pay them at the same rate? Do you provide them with the necessary resources to further their skills? If not, it’s time that you make a change. You may even want to consider introducing a Diversity Committee (and putting plenty of women on it!) to make sure that your diversity doesn’t just extend to women, but to all different types of people. 2. Create a Flexible Work Environment Traditionally, women play many different roles in life. They may be the mother, the caregiver to an unwell relative, and the breadwinner of a family, all at the same time. An overly structured work environment can be prohibitive to qualified women who may not be able to work within your strict parameters. Consider flexible working hours or the ability to work from home. This will open your doors to a wealth of qualified females who may be the perfect fit for your company, but need a bit of flexibility to make it happen. 3. Be Considerate with Parental Leave Speaking of mothers, motherhood is a significant and life changing experience for any woman who chooses to take it on. United States standards for parental leave are extremely poor among the landscape of developed countries. The requirement in the US for parental leave is six weeks of paid parental leave. That’s only a month and a half for working women to bond with their newborn child, as well as learn to navigate all of the new and challenging parts of motherhood, including the countless sleepless nights, without the additional stress of work. If you want to empower women in the workplace, it’s imperative that you offer a considerate and competitive parental leave policy. Give new mothers the opportunity to bond with their new child and adapt to this new way of life. Additionally, make the office inviting for them when they do return to work. Consider adding a mothers’ lounge to your space for nursing mothers. Be flexible and understanding when a mother may need to leave early to take care of their child. Doing so shows women that your workplace is a safe space. 4. Make Health and Wellbeing a Part of Your Culture The modern workplace encompasses so much more than just an office. The most competitive workplaces offer their employees benefits to improve their lives, from free lunches to happy hours, and so much more. One of the best ways to empower women in the workplace is to make their health and wellbeing a part of your culture. A healthy workplace is a happy workplace. You can do that in a number of different ways, including: Ensure your healthcare package covers mental health care as well as physical. Provide your employees with a gym membership so they can stay physically fit and lower stress levels. Stock your office with supplements and wellness products that promote wellbeing, including things like chamomile tea, healthy snacks, and organic CBD gummies. Lead by example and use these tips to position yourself as an equal opportunity employer who cares about your team’s success, no matter their gender!

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laptop and journal, reflecting on amazing life coaching questions to ask yourself

15 Amazing Life Coaching Questions To Ask Your Clients

Career Enrichment

07/22/20

Editorial Staff

Life coaching can be beneficial for you and for your clients, but before you can become an effective and successful coach, you need to know how to properly handle your sessions and engage with your clients. Your clients are looking to you to uncover internal blocks, action steps, and accountability, so it’s important to know what life coaching questions to ask and how to ask them.  Being a life coach is a rewarding career because it can give you the opportunity to help clients in a long-lasting way through leading their lives the direction they truly want. Not only can you help others, but working as a life coach can also allow you to experience abundance in life, improve your creativity, and encourage you to become a better individual.  15 Life Coaching Questions 1. What’s Standing In Your Way?  It’ll be challenging to help your clients if you don’t know what they’re problems and blocks are. How can you be your best life coach if you don’t know what’s holding your client back?   Asking your client this question will make it easier to navigate sessions if you can determine their roadblocks and hurdles. With this question, you’ll know whether their problems are about their careers, relationships, or personal matters. The answers you get from this question will help you work with your clients towards solutions that are geared specifically for them.   2. Can You Tell Me More?  For you to better understand your clients’ struggles, you should follow up the first question with “tell me more”. This is a versatile follow-up question that allows you to dig deeper into your clients’ concerns and help you know more about them.   When asked at the right time, this question can also show your genuine interest while providing a sense of safety and comfort, which encourages them to open up throughout your sessions.   3. What Are Your Biggest Fears?  The fears that your clients have can become the reason why they’d feel stuck in life. Instead of climbing up the professional ladder, their fear of rejection will likely prevent them from even trying. As a life coach, it’s your responsibility to help clients identify their fears, navigate them, and move forward. Doing this will surely help your clients keep stress at bay and build a solid foundation for long-term success. 4. Are You Happy Right Now?  Despite the unpredictability of life, a happy life is something most people strive for. Regardless of their situation, learning how to be happy and having a positive mindset are so important! When working with a client, ask them if they’re happy with their lives. The answer you can get from this question will provide an initial assessment of your clients’ general mindset. It can also help you determine the necessary strategies to implement, ensuring that your clients remain open, candid, and honest during your session.   5. What Does Success Look Like?  This question is important because it helps clients put their goals into perspective. With this question, you can encourage your clients to get out of their head and verbalize their definition of success. This question will also motivate them to articulate what they want to explore in life and start taking action to reach their specific goals. 6. How Would You Describe Your Previous Year?  For you to better understand your clients and their frustrations in life, it’s important to not only know their present state, but also the information relevant to what they’re dealing with.  This particular question actually has two purposes – it can allow you to better understand the occurrences in your clients’ lives, and will allow you to dig deeper into their mindset.   7. What Do You Want To Accomplish In The Next Year?  It’s important to ask your clients what they want to accomplish in the next year so you can determine what their life goals are. From there, you can create short-term goals so they can achieve what they want for the next year and grow.   8. What Things From Your Daily Life Make You Happy?  Life is generally challenging, but there are always things that can help improve your clients happiness and stress levels. When working with clients, ask them about the things that make them happy. Their answers to this question can help them realize how fortunate they are, what their priorities are, and if they need more of this thing in their life.  9. What Are You Most Of Proud Of?  At times, clients seek the help of a life coach because they struggle with their sense of value and worth. This can be especially true if the client is currently experiencing a dead-end in their career or personal life. To encourage your clients to think more positively, ask what their achievements are and what they like about themselves (sometimes having to ask what their friends like about them). Doing this during your session is a great affirmation that can help clients realize that they are worthy and loved. 10. What Do You Want?  Even after hearing some of your clients’ problems or concerns, it can be tough to create solutions if you don’t know what they really want. Regardless of how common you think their problem is, your clients might want something totally different than expected. Asking clients what they want can help them focus better, as well as achieve balance and peace of mind. 11. What Have You Done To Solve The Problem?  Humans often will look for solutions on their own the moment they see themselves struggling. However, there will be instances when their solutions don’t provide their expected results, regardless of how many times they’ve tried.   To help them, make sure to ask the solutions they have used in the past, and if these worked or not. Asking this question is usually enough for you to determine why it wasn’t successful and allow you to work with your client to create better solutions. 12. If Your Main Problem Didn’t Exist, How Would

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the importance of an effective HR department

The Importance of an Effective HR Department

Leadership Coaching

07/16/20

Editorial Staff

HR, or Human Resources, is an essential component of most businesses. Human Resources departments have various different roles and impact many different aspects of a workplace. HR can often be overlooked. However, the importance of an effective HR department is vital to the success of a business. Whether they are a small start-up or a multinational corporation. What Does an HR Department Do? HR departments are responsible for the wellbeing and roles of the people who work for a company. Issues such as employee recruitment, training, payroll, and benefits are managed by a HR department. They can also handle sick pay, annual leave, and other technicalities of employment. However, a HR department is not just about admin issues. The HR department is typically the “go-between” between managers and employees. It’s important in not only making employees feel welcome, secure, and satisfied at a workplace, but the HR department oversees any potential personal issues or conflicts that may arise.  How Big is an HR Department? The size of a HR department will be dependent on the size and complexity of the individual company. Along with a dependency on how many workers the company employs. Small businesses may only need one manager in charge of HR. Whereas much larger companies will likely require a sizeable department. However, devising and following correct procedures and company policies with regards to training, payroll, employee reviews, and workplace culture will reduce the strain on any HR department by preventing most issues before they occur.  Thanks to advances in technology, HR systems can be increasingly automated by software. However, there still needs to be at least one human involved. What Skills Does a Member of the HR Department Need? An employee in charge of HR generally needs to be well-versed and qualified in the specifics of employment law. This will be used to prevent managers and/or employees from (intentionally or unintentionally) violating these laws. Even if no laws are being broken, HR teams need to be able to ensure that employees are happy and satisfied in their work. It’s for this reason, any member of a HR team should be approachable and socially competent and understanding.  HR departments may sometimes be called upon to mediate and resolve disputes between employees and/or management. This can be anything from pay disputes to harassment claims. Having a HR department which is effective at conflict resolution can prevent a lot of unideal situation. Including anything from employees leaving due to dissatisfaction, to employees even filing lawsuits against a company. As HR departments are often responsible for maintaining payroll and annual leave. So they will also need a degree of financial knowledge and financial skills. Being a member of a HR team requires various different soft skills and hard skills. The Bottom Line The importance of an effective HR department and sufficient HR policies in a company cannot be overstated. After all, a company cannot run without employees who are trained, satisfied, and motivated to work towards a common goal. The costs, both financial and personal, of ineffective HR can vastly outweigh the costs needed to run a successful HR department!

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How Automation Can Help Your Small Business

How Automation Can Make Your Small Business More Efficient

07/02/20

Editorial Staff

The coronavirus pandemic has put a lot of pressure on small businesses. With the economy slowing and consumer spending starting to dip, business owners are looking for ways to cut costs and bring in more revenue. At a time like this, many small business owners are asking, “how automation can help their small business?” Automation can be great for increasing efficiency, generating more sales and improving the customer experience. Beyond that, there are several automation solutions that are affordable and accessible to small businesses. If your small business is feeling the pinch in these tough economic times, the following automation solutions could provide some relief. Customer Service With so much uncertainty, customer service during coronavirus should be a priority. Many consumers are feeling less confident. Some of these people will be more likely to change their minds about a purchase. They may also be more likely to change their mind about shopping with you. That is why small businesses need to do what they can to stay in touch with consumers and reassure them. One thing you can do is to automate some of the responses to customer service requests. When a customer puts in a request, there should be an automated email that lets them know you received the request and that there will be a response soon. Furthermore, you can also automate the process of directing the request to a customer service representative to make sure it gets a timely response. You could also automate surveys to gain valuable information about the customer experience. Any time a person buys, receives customer support or has any type of contact with your business, you can automate a process to send a relevant feedback survey. The information from these surveys can then be used to improve the products and services your business provides. Ecommerce  Automation can be very effective at increasing sales for ecommerce businesses. As one of the more obvious examples, you could use automation to email personalized offers to customers. This could be something like a discount voucher sent to customers on their birthday or emails to let customers know about sales that align with their purchasing history. One of the more effective options is to send cart abandonment emails. The online cart abandonment rate was close to 70% in 2019. You could just accept that these items did not get purchases. Or, with a little follow up, you could convert many of these sales. All you need to do is automate emails. These emails will remind the customer of the items in the cart at strategic intervals.  You can also use automation to keep customers coming back. If you run a subscription service or sell a product that will need to be ordered again, you can automate reminders. This will make it easy for the customer to continue shopping with you. When you know the subscription is almost up or their supply of the product is almost depleted, you can automate emails that remind them to buy again. You can include a link that makes it easy for them to get back to the product page. Lead Nurturing You are putting time and money into collecting leads, so you should try to make the most of them. With the right automation solutions, you can get more effective at lead nurturing and increase your conversion rate.  If you are collecting email addresses, you can use automation to verify email addresses and to send an introductory email. When a lead fills out a contact form, you might think that responding within 48 hours is a good response time. However, research has shown that the rate of contact drops by 10x after the first five minutes. The hard part is that it will continue to decrease with every minute that passes.  To increase your chance of making contact and qualifying leads, you could automate some of the process. An example of this would be automating an introductory email that could be triggered by a person filling out a form. Another example could be automating notifications that will prompt someone on your team to call the person as soon as possible. At a time like this, automation won’t solve all of your problems. With that said, it could help you save money and increase sales. Along with that, it will save time and allow you to focus more of your time on running your business.

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how to start a small business from home

How to Start a Small Business from Home

06/30/20

Editorial Staff

Starting a small business from home can offer countless benefits. This includes greater flexibility over your working hours and the freedom to create your ideal working environment and choose your work schedule. You will also have the opportunity to scale your business, build a reputable brand, and achieve your long-term financial goals. Setting up a home-based business may be easier than you think, and anyone has the potential to run a successful company from home. With this in mind, here are some useful tips on starting a small business from home:  Consider your skills and talents  When you start a home-based business, you have the freedom to choose a role that you will enjoy and feel passionate about. Make sure that you consider your skills and talents carefully when brainstorming business ideas. For instance, if you love spending time outdoors and have strong gardening skills, then you could consider setting up a professional gardening business. Whereas, if you have a background in financing and enjoy working with numbers, a freelance accounting business may be more suited to you. Combine your skills, talents, and qualifications to help you come up with possible business ideas. This will help ensure that you are motivated and get long-term satisfaction from your business venture.  Create a separate workspace  One of the challenges of working from home is creating a separation between your work and personal life. It can be easy to let your home business consume your daily life and spread into your leisure and family time. For that reason, you must create a distinct workspace where you can go to complete your work tasks. Ideally, this should be in a quiet area of your home that is free from potential distractions. Make sure that your home office has all of the tools and equipment you will need to complete your business tasks efficiently. This should include a comfortable desk and chair, a quality laptop or desktop, and a reliable internet connection. You can find plenty of useful guides on how to design a productive home office. Start promoting your home business You must start promoting your home business as soon as possible. Advertising and marketing campaigns will help you build brand awareness and secure new customers and sales. This will help you generate leads, improve your profit margins, and grow your home business. Investing in professional marketing services can be an excellent way to promote your startup. For instance, a specialist SEO agency can help you develop a strong digital marketing strategy that will improve your position on search engines and increase online sales.  Stick with a work schedule  As mentioned, one advantage of working from home is that you have more flexibility over when and how you work. That being said, you should still be organized with your time and follow a work schedule. Getting up and starting work at the same time each day will get you into a healthy routine and help you stay motivated and focused on your work tasks. Remember also to take regular breaks throughout the day to give yourself time to relax and unwind.  There is no time like the present to take control of your free time and start a business that allows you to maximize your work environment and schedule through working at home. You’ve got this. Now go make your dreams a reality! 

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exercising daily to improve health

How Exercising Everyday Brings Out The Best In You

05/29/20

Editorial Staff

Exercise is said to be the remedy to almost every health problem you might have from memory loss, Alzheimer’s illness, depression, and many others. However, due to the hectic and very stressful work schedules, you most likely have found yourself cutting down on exercise. This mostly happens as exercise is often regarded as the least important activity, so you start by scaling it down and eventually stopping altogether. In this article, our fitness.life provides a useful list of some of the reasons you must incorporate exercise in your daily routine. Consequently, you will get to understand why exercising daily has outstanding benefits for your body and brain.  Exercising Daily Helps Lose Weight  Do you wish to lose that excess weight? If you are, then ourfitness.life recommends exercising every day as one of the best ways of achieving your goal. However, for your physical workouts to be effective, you also need to stick to a healthy diet.  It would be best if you started small instead of trying to rush yourself into trying to lose weight all at once. Some of the ways of doing this include taking the stairs, walking around the office, parking farther from your office or grocery store, or taking a walk during lunch break. As time passes, you can gradually advance to more intense workout routines that burn many more calories.  Exercise Helps Reduce Anxiety Levels  Regular exercise boosts your mental and physical energy, relieves stress and tension, and improves your overall well-being by producing endorphins. Therefore, this makes it an effective and natural treatment for anxiety. Exercise does this by getting you up and moving, thereby allowing you to pay close attention to your surroundings rather than zooming out.  For example, as you exercise, you get to notice the feeling of wind rushing through your skin, your breathing rhythm, or your feet’ sensation as they hit the ground. As a result, this adds a mindfulness element into your life that allows you to concentrate on how your body feels while exercising. This then assists you in freeing yourself from continually worrying as well as quickly improve your physical form.  Exercise Helps You Sleep Better  Poor sleeping patterns are usually associated with a broad range of health issues such as depression, diabetes, and cardiovascular illness. It is thus evident that having enough sleep is vital to boost your overall health. One of the most effective and cheap ways of improving your sleep is by exercising regularly.  One research published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in December 2014 showed that working out resulted in better sleep. This research is further backed by another study published in the Journal of Sleep Research in October 2015. Therefore, if you are looking for an effective solution for your sleep disorder, exercise is, without a doubt, the go-to solution. You not only benefit from better sleep but also other health benefits without having to deal with any adverse side effects.  Exercise Helps Alleviate Certain Health Conditions  Regular exercise is known to be effective in improving your overall health, and this helps deal with particular health ailments. One of the most acclaimed is how exercise helps improve your heart health. It does this by producing high-density lipoproteins, which is the good cholesterol type, whereas lowering the harmful triglycerides. This helps in not only maintaining your cardiovascular health but also averting risks of getting a cardiovascular illness.  Workouts also help prevent specific ailments, including type 2 diabetes, arthritis, stroke, depression, plus types of cancer, for instance, skin, breast, and cervical cancer.  Exercise Sharpens Your Memory  Are you looking to boost your memory? If so, you need to incorporate regular exercise into your daily routine as it sharpens your memory, and this then helps in learning new concepts a lot faster. This usually happens because sweating according to research increases the production of cells in the hippocampus, responsible for learning and memory. It is in line with this that studies connect the brain development of kids to their physical fitness.  This does not, however, mean that exercise for improved brainpower is only beneficial to children. As an adult, training often also sharpens your memory, which is essential in improving your workplace productivity. According to one research, running sprints help improve the retention of vocabulary in healthy grown-ups.  Exercise Helps Prevent And Treat Depression  Whereas depression is currently the main cause of disability worldwide, only a handful of treatments are effective in treating it. Moreover, these effective treatments are either trial and error, hard to find, and need time to take effect. This however, cannot be said of physical activity which research shows to be more effective compared to these other kinds of treatment for certain types of depression.  Research shows that working out each day helps in the treatment of depression. This happens thanks to the antidepressant effect of training that is partly moderated through serotonin, a brain chemical that does this partly through a bone-derived neurotrophic factor and also contains certain antidepressants. In contrast, not being physically active makes you more vulnerable to getting depression.    If you are suffering from depression, exercise is not an appealing activity, which then hampers the treatment of this condition. Exercising helps reduces the risk of getting depression in the first place.  Exercise Ensures The Gradual Aging of Muscles  When you reach your forties and fifties, muscle mass usually begins to reduce due to reduced physical activity and aging. As a result, this causes muscular atrophy, which then leads to several health conditions, for example, joint pain. Therefore, as you get older, it becomes vital to maintain or increase your muscle mass by strength training. By doing this, you will build muscle mass to increase balance and strength as well as burn more calories.  Exercise Helps Tone Your Muscles Exercising daily will not only help in burning excess calories that help you slim but also tones your muscles and removes body fat. This does not necessarily mean achieving the body physique of bodybuilders, which is as a result of targeted and intense workouts. It instead means freeing your body from the

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how to gain confidence in your future - a sign saying "you got this"

How To Gain Confidence In Your Future

04/21/20

Editorial Staff

The fear of the unknown is something that many of us plead guilty to. But when you take a moment to stop and think about this fear, it doesn’t make much sense after all. The future is always going to be something that is beyond your will to completely know or foresee. For that reason, living in fear of something you will never fully have the ability to control can trap you into a continual habit of worry. This can make it hard to know how to gain confidence in your future. A cycle like this can also act as a serious roadblock in reaching your goals. Luckily, there are ways that you can mentally combat stress about the future, and instead proceed with confidence in multiple aspects of your life. You may have already experienced some of this nervousness as you are entering into a new stage in life or are simply looking to gain clarity on your next best steps to take. Rest assured that there are proactive measures that can help grant you invaluable peace of mind.  Here are our tips to on how to gain confidence in your future. Take control of your financial health Financial stress can sometimes leave you feeling hopeless. While it might seem easier to just push the matter off, by doing so, you are only creating a harder path for yourself down the road. By taking a firm approach in regaining control of your financial situation now, it can breathe confidence back into your spending as well as motivate you to make smarter decisions about the future.  Re-evaluating your current spending habits acts as a great place to start in improving your money management. Learn how to create and manage a budget to gain structure and ease tension from your future larger purchases. Setting realistic budgets within your means and firmly sticking to them creates an environment of healthy boundaries. By reducing the strain and uncertainty that comes along with excessive spending or debt, it brings the opportunity to perform better in other areas of your life as well.   Another area that can help provide you with a sense of comfort going forward is properly securing financial plans to protect yourself as well as your loved ones in the future. Worrying about what could happen to our partners or families is understandable as there is no way for us to know what will happen in the future. Therefore, invest time in searching for the best options available for your specific circumstances that can offer long-lasting financial stability. For many, this will include locking down a reliable life insurance plan that will work to cover any unexpected losses of income. Although a hard subject to think about, life insurance companies offer plans tailored to your specific needs, helping you feel more confident now in your everyday spendings knowing that you have a strong policy set in place for your family. Term life insurance can offer a more affordable option and coverage for those seeking protection but want a shorter-term commitment. Know that you have everything you need to be successful One of the most comforting points to remember about yourself is that regardless of how you feel or where you are at the moment, you have the ability to reach whatever goals you can imagine. The reluctance you have about taking the next big step or risk does not come from lack of skill or capacity, but rather from self-inflicted doubt. Whether your goals are related to your career, personal life, health, or general overall well-being, it is crucial to keep in mind that our dreams are achievable—no matter how big they may seem. While this is certainly a reassuring thought, sometimes you might need a little extra encouragement to embrace this realization and believe it’s entirely true. When it comes to developing confidence, don’t feel as if you must make the journey by yourself. Surrounding yourself with supportive individuals can help you feel more optimistic about the future. Certified coaches can offer sage advice on creating an action plan, how to stick to it, and provide motivation when needed.       Similarly, to have a more positive outlook on the future, it is imperative to spend time prioritizing your mental health. When you have a clearer headspace to work with, this gives you a sharper focus in navigating what’s next and handling situations more productively.  Rid yourself of toxins While you work to see a brighter path ahead of you, reflect on any relationships or activities that are casting shadows and having a negative impact on reaching your goals. Re-evaluate the value that is brought to your life when engaging in certain activities or surrounding yourself with different people.  Although it may seem harmless, negative people can have a drastic impact on you in ways you might not have imagined, such as weakening your immune system. Toxic individuals can sometimes be hard to say goodbye to, especially if you have developed a close relationship with them, or they have been a part of your life for a long time. Regardless of past experiences, if you genuinely want to commit to gaining confidence going forward, you must take a serious look at what kind of feelings are brought upon by these people. Similarly, the activities you choose to engage in can have just as much of an effect on your attitude looking forward. Relying on unhealthy substances to cope with the problems you face or avoiding recommended nutrition, fitness, or cleaning habits can also discourage you from putting your best foot forward. If you need some encouragement, there are specific apps, like Productive, that help organize your daily routine with planned habits and sends you motivating statistics to keep your hard work going.   Another critical factor to remember when you are trying to rid yourself of harmful energy is to understand that sometimes, you won’t even realize that certain things are having a negative impact on your well-being. Having a deep

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work-life balance small business

Achieving Work-Life Balance as a Small Business Owner

Achieving Goals

02/03/20

Editorial Staff

As a small business owner, you are probably ready to dedicate your life to making your business a success. You’re prepared to work the long hours, make sacrifices, take on any task and make tough decisions. While being a small business owner does ask a lot of the individual, you can’t lose sight of the fact that you do need a personal life as well. If you pour every ounce of yourself into the company without establishing a work-life balance, you run the risk of burning yourself out. When you finally do hit that wall, your performance at work will start to suffer. If you are struggling with work-life balance at your small business, the following tips can help you get things back on track. Get Help Small business owners are used to taking on responsibilities that would normally go to several different people at most companies. With that being said, you might not be able to do it all yourself. If you are going to balance work and life, you need to be able to share some of the responsibilities with other people. Consider hiring additional employees or using small business resources like Funding Circle to take some of the workload off your shoulders. Set a Schedule You have to be able to manage your time effectively if you want to be able to get everything done while still having time for yourself. Since setting a schedule is the foundation of time management, this should be one of the first steps for small business owners who are trying to maintain a balance between their work life and their personal life. When your days are structured and you have a plan, it will be much easier to find time for the things you want to do. Prioritize You need to be able to set priorities if you are going to balance work and life. When you are setting your schedule, put your most important tasks at the top of your to-do list. These are the tasks that have the most urgency or the ones that will do the most to help you reach your goals. Additionally, set priorities in your personal life. You might not be able to get to everything in your personal life, but you will feel better about your work-life balance as a small business owner when you get to the things that matter most. Take Breaks When you are at work, you want to stay focused on your goals. However, this doesn’t mean you should stay at your desk from the time you come in to the time you leave. Carving out a few breaks can be a good way to keep yourself fresh through the workday. When you set your schedule, make sure to add a little time to allow for breaks. Get a Hobby No matter what you do, work will occasionally find a way to creep into your personal life. It is just the nature of being an entrepreneur. To combat this a little, find an outside interest that is totally separate from what you do at work. Once you have this outside interest, make sure to schedule time for it every week. Take Time Off You need more than the end of each day as time for yourself. If you are working seven days a week, it won’t be long before it eventually takes a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing. You should try to take at least one day off a week, and if you have employees you can trust to run things, consider taking more time off when you can. Set Boundaries You might not be able to separate your work life and your personal life entirely, but you should try to create a boundary between the two. When you are at work, try to avoid distractions from your personal life. If it is your day off or the end of a day, try to put your work to rest. If something important comes up, you can still do work in your personal time, but you should try to keep your personal time just for things that involve your personal life. Find Your Productivity  Getting the most from your workday isn’t always about how many hours you work. It’s often about giving your most productive hours to work. Maybe you do your best work in the evening. If that is the case, try to schedule more of your work for later in the day and keep some of the morning for yourself. Stay Connected Part of having a personal life is maintaining connections with other people. It is good to have a healthy relationship with the people at your company, but they aren’t personal connections. Stay involved with your friends, make time to do things with your family and try to be an active member of your community. Track Your Time Much of maintaining work-life balance for small business owners is about managing your time. The problem is that it can be difficult to see where all your time goes. If you start tracking your time, you will be able to identify areas where your schedule may be inefficient or find things you are doing that waste time. Once you have enough time-tracking data, you should be able to analyze your schedule to find ways to free up more time. Hire the Right People Having employees can be a great way to open up more of your time. However, it will only take you so far if you are not hiring well. If you hire talented people who can run the business when you are away, you will feel more comfortable taking time off. Don’t just hire people to do some of the busy work; look for smart, responsible employees that can really take on some of the responsibilities that come with running your business. Work-life balance is something any small business owner can achieve. With these tips, you can get started on creating a good balance in your

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sports medicine degree

Unique And Interesting Career Options With A Sports Medicine Degree 

01/27/20

Editorial Staff

Playing sports is a great way to remain physically active. Sports, regardless if it’s played for leisure or competition purposes, can help individuals manage weight, control blood sugar and insulin levels, improve mental health, and reduce risks of heart diseases. Playing sports can provide a wealth of benefits, but suffering from injuries can prevent someone from engaging in this activity. While some injuries are minor and can be treated with medications and therapies, others are severe to the point where the person can no longer play sports for the rest of their lives. If you want to help athletes and physically active individuals to improve their performance, a sports medicine degree can be a good fit for you. This degree covers topics and training that will allow you to help individuals recover from injuries. Along with preventing future injuries. With this degree, expect to work with amateur athletes, individuals who want to experience optimal results from their exercise programs, and those who want to regain full function after suffering from injuries. When you decide to learn with online courses and earn a sports medicine degree, you’ll have better chances of getting into these careers in the future: Athletic Trainer Athletes aren’t born; they are individuals who are willing to be trained and to continually improve their performance. Athletic trainers help aspiring athletes achieve this goal. In fact, an athletic trainer plays a significant role in any college, high school, or professional sports team. A sports medicine degree qualifies you to work as an athletic trainer. With this kind of profession, you will be responsible for an athlete’s performance, making sure that they avoid suffering from any injuries when playing. An athlete’s condition on and off the field depends on your efficiency as an athletic trainer. Aside from having the necessary educational background, working as an athletic trainer will also require you to learn the nature and rules of a specific sport. Having this background is vital as you’ll have to recommend strategies to athletes on how they can perform better in every game without compromising their safety. Athletic trainers should also be committed to their jobs as they continually work with athletes even during the off-season. Athletic trainers create training exercises apt for the skills of the athlete to ensure that they are in peak condition all year long. Nutritionist A person’s physical abilities don’t solely depend on the frequency and intensity of their workouts. Everything a person eats also contributes to their physical abilities because food works as fuel for their bodies. After successfully earning a sports medicine degree, you can also work as a nutritionist. With this role, you will assess the current diet of your clients. Then come up with better and healthier meal plans. Nutritionists work with different clients – from athletes to gym buffs to individuals who just want to eat clean. All of the meal plans you provide are tailored-fit to meet the demands and lifestyle of your clients. For example, as a nutritionist for athletes, you have to make sure that your client consumes the right amount of calories every day. Athletes are physically active individuals, which means that their bodies burn a lot of calories during games and training. Nutritionists can work in different settings, such as in hospitals, nursing homes, cafeterias, and schools. They can also choose to work as freelancers and conduct consultations with their clients during their preferred schedule and location. Team Doctor The performance of a single athlete can affect an entire team. The inability of goalkeepers to block or intercept shots made by the adversary due to injury can prevent the whole team from winning. The efforts of the other team members will be put to waste if one member doesn’t play well. A team doctor can prevent this from happening by ensuring that each member performs at their best. When you work as a team doctor, you will be responsible for helping players recover from common illnesses. These can include colds and viruses along with treating their injuries in the fastest way possible. Team doctors go over an athlete’s x-ray and recommend tests to determine the severity of the injury. Through these tests, a team doctor will then create a recovery plan for the athlete so they can get back on track fast. Team doctors also collaborate with other players of the team to monitor the injured member and assess if they are well enough to play again. Aside from treating injuries, team doctors also promote healthy living among teams by monitoring members for signs of alcoholism, substance abuse, and even depression. Team doctors pay extra attention to every member’s overall health and wellness to ensure that the team wins in every game. Team doctors can work with colleges, high schools, and amateur sports teams. Though, they usually provide services to professional sports teams. Orthopedic Surgeon Injuries can affect different parts of the body and can have varying levels of severity, as well. While some first-time gym-goers might only suffer from a muscle tear and can recover after weeks of rest. Others can suffer from severe shoulder injuries, such as a dislocated shoulder and rotator cuff injury. The more severe shoulder injuries will require professional help. Major injuries require the services of an orthopedic surgeon. These physicians work by diagnosing, treating, and preventing injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system of the body. Orthopedic surgeons utilize non-surgical and surgical treatments to treat spine disorders, sports injuries, infections, and tumors. Orthopedic surgeons can advise clients to undergo non-surgical treatments for their injuries, which can include exercise and rehabilitation. However, if the client doesn’t respond to this kind of treatment, the orthopedic surgeon will recommend surgical treatments. Working as an orthopedic surgeon is one of the most high-paying jobs in the sports medicine industry. However, before you can work as one, you have to complete another four years of medical school. Then it’s another five years of orthopedic surgery residency in a hospital after earning a sports medicine

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online clothing store

5 Tips for Running a Successful Online Clothing Store

Achieving Goals

01/23/20

Editorial Staff

So you have made the decision to start a clothing store online. When you consider that online clothing retailers make up one of e-commerce’s most popular niches — which is worth over $500 billion — it’s no surprise you want a piece of the pie.  While the financial rewards are abundant, it’s not simply a case of setting up a website, sending out a few ads, and generating a profit. The online clothing sector is a bustling and highly competitive environment.  To get off on the right foot, here are five important tips for running a successful online clothing store:  Decide on a Niche  As much as you might want to run a clothing business that covers all bases, it simply isn’t feasible. Due to this, you need to settle on a niche for your store. The more specific you are when choosing this niche, the easier it is to identify and single out specific customers. In addition, there will be less competition when appealing to your target market.  When doing this, remember:  Have passion for the niche you select Research to see if the niche is profitable  Ask whether you can add value to what is currently on the market Stand out by being as unique as possible Decide on a memorable name  You need to decide on a name that is going to not only be memorable but is actually available. While to some, this might seem like one of the least important steps in running your business, it can make the difference between your business being a success and it not. You need to make sure that this isn’t too complicated, so carefully spend time thinking about a name that considers the clothing industry you are, the niche you have chosen and what people are likely to Google when looking for clothes.  Top Tip: Have a list of around 10 different names, as sometimes it is not possible to trademark your name because it is already taken. Therefore, it is best to have options.  Decide on Products  Once you have chosen a niche, it’s a case of determining which products to stock on your online store. When you consider there’s a near endless selection of clothing and apparel picks available, you will find various options that fall under your niche. T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, joggers — there’s something for every fashion-based business.  With that said, you should treat the amount of choices with caution. It can be easy to go a little crazy, decide to cover too many products, and dilute your business brand. Start off small and gradually branch into other relevant product lines as your company grows.  Select a Business Model When it’s time to set up your website, one of the main aspects to focus on is the business model. What does this mean? Well there are four main models when it comes to setting up an online clothing store:  Private label Custom cut-and-sew Print on demand Dropshipping Custom cut-and-sew generally offer the greater freedom when it comes to crafting your own clothing. Yet print on demand also features many different possibilities, and the same can be said for dropshipping — in its own way. In fact, if you go with Ali Express for dropshipping, you could select from thousands upon thousands of relevant, readymade clothing products.   As for which is best, this is down to your company’s needs. When software specialist Oberlo compared print on demand vs Ali Express dropshipping, they decided the latter was the best bet in most cases. Promote, Promote, Promote  Last, but certainly not least, it’s imperative you have a strong marketing strategy in place for your online clothing outlet. You could have the best products and the slickest website, but this means nothing if nobody actually sees what you’re offering.  As clothing is such a visual product, utilizing the likes of Instagram and Twitter is a given. However, social media is only the start. SEO, email marketing, guerilla marketing, collaborations, leaflets — this is only a small example of how you can get the word out about your online clothing store.  If you want to be able to see success with your online clothing store, start by following the above five points. Not only will this ensure that your business is appealing to the right market, but it will make your business memorable and, above all, visible online, so you can start to make a profit.  Additional resources to help you succeed: Good online marketing is indispensable for business success – visit Neon Ambition to help your business thrive Starting a small business from scratch may seem impossible – check out these tips and tricks on how to succeed Doing what you love is more important than you’d think – read on to find out why you should what you love

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become a life coach

5 Great Reasons To Become A Life Coach

01/20/20

Editorial Staff

The unpredictability of life is what makes it beautiful. Not knowing what will happen next will make you look forward to the coming days.  However, for some people who don’t know how to manage change effectively, this unpredictability can cause stress to the point where they can no longer function in life. This is one example of when the services of a life coach can come in handy. A life coach is someone who provides a professional service which empowers their clients to become better versions of themselves and live their best lives.. This is done by helping them create, achieve, and even exceed their goals in their professional and personal lives. Life coaches have credibility since they should have to complete a training program and get credentials from professional associations, such as iNLP Center, before they can work as one.   Although you need to undergo several processes first, working to become a life coach is a great investment because of the following reasons: Help Others With The Issues You’ve Experienced Yourself Every human being goes through several transformative experiences in life and learns different things from those experiences. All of these experiences, regardless if these are negative or positive, can become your foundation to help clients who are currently going through situations you experienced in the past. Before you decided to become a life coach and spent the time to discover NLP, you might be a small business owner who struggled in the first years of operations and eventually made the business strive and succeed. All of the experiences you earned through these years can significantly help clients who are also thinking about opening their businesses. Thus, life coaching actually has several niches. If you’re experienced in the business arena and would like to make money from those experiences, you can focus on working as a small business coach. As a small business coach, you’ll work with your clients to help them identify the issues preventing their business from growing and then come up with an effective strategy to fix these issues. Sure, you might need to tackle some technical aspects of the business, but as a life coach, you need to make sure that your client doesn’t experience burn out in the process. Contribute To Other Person’s Self Development People should gradually develop in order to cope with life’s endless changes. Having the same set of skills ten years after you graduated from college will prevent you from seeking more career opportunities and making the most out of life. When you work as a life coach, you can prevent stagnancy and positively contribute to your own and other people’s journey towards self-development. Your expertise as a life coach can help your clients transform in a positive way, so they can maximize their potentials to achieve more in their personal and professional lives. As a life coach, your clients can better understand themselves and create realistic goals with realistic timelines. You’ll function as a third party to your clients to provide unbiased and new insights, giving them another perspective in looking and solving a problem. Thus, your insights will help your clients determine what and how to change. Improve Your Ability And Desire To Listen Being a good listener is crucial when you work as a life coach. During your sessions, your clients will vent out their problems. As their life coach, you’re expected to help them craft solutions based on the information they shared. The training and experience you’ll earn as a life coach allows you to improve your listening skills. Working as a life coach can become your ticket to experience a newfound sense of listening. Over time, your ability and efficiency in listening can significantly improve. Working as a life coach can expose you to several clients and will eventually teach you to listen in a new and innovative way. Instead of merely listening to the information shared by your clients, you’ll learn to listen better and take note of the following: You’ll learn how to listen “to”: You’ll learn how to pay attention to your client’s body language and exterior movements the moment they start talking to you. How they move during your sessions can help you verify certain information and check if their words actually match their actions or if they’re trying to conceal information that’s evident in their body language. You’ll learn how to listen “for”: As your clients speak, you’ll know how to determine their passions and dissect their wants and desires from the way they talk. Having this ability allows you to better understand why your clients act or talk in a certain way. You’ll learn how to listen “with”: This skill means listening with your heart and connecting with your clients based on the energy they give off. When you know how to listen to your client, you can easily respond to your client’s energy. Which makes it easier to make a connection with them. Over time, this connection will make it easy for your clients to open up and share more information about their problems. Allows You To Become An Expert Of Your Own Life You’ll need to learn a lot of things before you can become a successful life coach. The training and certification are just part of it. As your client increases, so does your experience as a life coach. Collectively, all of the things you experience in this profession can help you become a better life coach in the long run. But, these experiences don’t only benefit your clients. These can also help you become an expert in your own life. Since you can apply everything you learned in your profession.  Working with different clients in their unique journeys can help you realize your own victories and transform challenges. This can also help you gain different perspectives in life, allowing you to manage problems easily.  Thus, your sense of appreciation and gratitude will increase when you work as a life coach. Become Your Own Boss

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