Here are productivity tips that you can implement to
get your life together
and organize your life.
The widely adopted, now-classic book on influence and persuasion-a major national and international bestseller with more than four million copies sold!
In this highly acclaimed New York Times bestseller, Dr. Robert B. Cialdini-the seminal expert in the field of influence and persuasion-explains the psychology of why people say yes and how to apply these principles ethically in business and everyday situations.
You'll learn the six universal principles of influence and how to use them to become a skilled persuader-and, just as importantly, how to defend yourself against dishonest influence attempts:
- Reciprocation: The internal pull to repay what another person has provided us.
- Commitment and Consistency: Once we make a choice or take a stand, we work to behave consistently with that commitment in order to justify our decisions.
- Social Proof: When we are unsure, we look to similar others to provide us with the correct actions to take. And the more, people undertaking that action, the more we consider that action correct.
- Liking: The propensity to agree with people we like and, just as important, the propensity for others to agree with us, if we like them.
- Authority: We are more likely to say “yes” to others who are authorities, who carry greater knowledge, experience or expertise.
- Scarcity: We want more of what is less available or dwindling in availability.
Understanding and applying the six principles ethically is cost-free and deceptively easy. Backed by Dr. Cialdini's 35 years of evidence-based, peer-reviewed scientific research as well as by a three-year field study on what moves people to change behavior-Influence is a comprehensive guide to using these principles effectively to amplify your ability to change the behaviour of others.
Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of "Influence" will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.
Consider this: now is not the time for dinner parties of any kind. Instead, people are staying home, enjoying meals with their own nuclear families and looking forward to the recovery period on the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which the world finds itself presently engulfed. As billions of people around the world face shelter in place orders mandated because of what this writer calls The COVID-19 Effect, family-oriented dinners - and breakfasts and lunches - are increasing. This is a positive effect of a bad set of circumstances, as we shall discuss later. My mother used to say, "When you've been given lemons to live with, make lemonade!" This axiom can be utilized literally and figuratively in this respect thanks to circumstances that necessitate home meal preparation.
I wrote a book some time ago titled Kids in the Kitchen, which extolls the virtue of families finding common ground in the kitchen, of all places, to help cement the bonds of "unity within and among family units," Saying invite as many people over as possible and we can always welcome the stranger into our home are vestiges, it seems, of a bygone era, and let's face it, that's just not something that we can do right now. But I suggest that my squabble holds true for those of us who are stuck at home and want to keep the home fires burning and the family unit intact. Whatever happened to the good ol' days? You know, the days of having home cooked meals with loved ones and good conversation. The fast paced world of today has almost made cooking as a family event a relic of the past. You may be asking: Who has time to cook when everyone is worried about what will happen next in the pandemic crisis? This writer says, "Take it to the kitchen!" The silver lining in the cloud just may reveal the following 6 benefits, which may yield to you, the reader, a change of heart.
Brings the Classroom Home
Learning is something that should be promoted at all times even when not in school. Cooking as a family is perhaps one of the easiest (and tastiest) ways to do this. Turn every cake or pie into a math problem with a delicious prize by working on division and fractions. All subjects can be taught in the kitchen. Improving English or learning foreign languages can be taught through common phrases and ingredients. Social studies is a practical subject that is very easy and fun to integrate: have a cultural dinner once per week to teach about different countries, ethnic groups or traditions (Also the premise of my previously released book Kids in the Kitchen; Amazon.com.)
Promotes Healthy Living
In a country plagued by obesity, parents must remain on the frontline of caring for their children's health. Also, promoting healthy eating for children can be just the jumpstart parents need to eat healthier themselves. Preparing food at home takes longer than fast food and microwave options, and this lack of instant gratification curbs junk food eating. When a family cooks together, a support system is automatically put in place for those who have trouble with snacking and poor food choices. An added benefit of family cooking is that children with food allergies can be catered to and the child can gain back some control over their situation.
Carry on Tradition
Passing things on from one generation to the next has become something of the past. Families that cook together can carry on old recipes and promote family pride while building better relationships with grandparents or extended family. Don't have any family recipes? No worries! You can create new ones with children. Having something to pass on builds a sense of pride and anticipation for a productive future. A tradition of telling stories that surround those recipes is great to pass on as well.
Self-Building
Sometimes young people just need an opportunity to see how great they really are. Cooking as a family can help to build up a person from the inside out. Children can gain self-confidence and pride when achieving cooking goals, such as meeting deadlines and receiving praise for new recipes. Creativity, working well with others and organization are also skills that can be gained through family cooking.
Builds Bridges
Family cooking is one of the best ways to build relationships. Conversing with children, teenagers especially, can be difficult. Performing activities in a casual environment such as the kitchen while conversing can help to lessen the awkwardness and stress caused by some conversations. Everyone loves and needs to eat, so the neutral territory can ease any tensions. Also, parents may be able to more quickly notice when things are wrong. It can prove difficult to notice when something is wrong with a child who is allowed to spend dinner and all their free time in a private space. When family cooking is established, out in the open interactions are normal and red flags will be raised faster when that suddenly stops. Hint to children: always put dad's TV remote control device back in the same place where you found it!
Healthier Marriage/Relationships
Yes, really. A marriage, especially one with vestiges of a blended family, has so many factors and sometimes complex issues that, to some degree, an activity as simple as family cooking may not seem like a solution. However, it makes perfect sense when you think about it. Family cooking saves money, time and sanity. The money saved can be spent on tuition, an extra car or home repairs that were causing tensions. Spent over a period of time, money saved can be used on bonding with a spouse instead of cleaning dishes all by yourself. The more sanity you have will help to de-stress your life, and who doesn't need less stress specific to the issues presented by The COVID-19 Effect? No one knows for sure what will happen with the apex of the coronavirus, but this writer is confident that making family meals as a unit, including children, whenever possible, is important because you are attending to the needs of others, even if the kids you are helping are starting to seem very irritating because you've been putting up with them for the last six weeks. If it makes you feel any better; just know that this writer's family is not the exception that proves the rule! By the way son; where is my remote control?
Don't pull your hair out parents! Everything you need to promote family relationships and avoid that cabin fever syndrome during the COVID-19 effect; can be found in the kitchen. Put another way: The family that cooks together stays at peace!
Stanley G. Buford has worked as teacher, coach, and facilitator and has coordinated a variety of school related programs during his more than 20 year tenure in the educational field. He believes in the power of parental involvement in the process of changing urban education to meet the needs of its residents. While his Amazon.com bestseller, Not All Teachers Are Parents, But All Parents Are Teachers! Is not a cure, it is his ongoing contribution to improving education for the 21st century.
The compelling new novel from Jane Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry.
Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal town he once called home...Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on a single day when a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences. The guilt that haunts him still resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal town he once called home.
Kieran's parents are struggling in a community which is bound, for better or worse, to the sea that is both a lifeline and a threat. Between them all is his absent brother Finn.
When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge in the murder investigation that follows. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...
Praise for Jane Harper:
'Queen of outback noir' Sunday Times
'Harper has a fine gift for making her readers comfortable in inhospitable territory - psychological as well as physical' Daily Telegraph
'Powerful, intriguing and recommended . . . Harper is wonderful at evoking fear and unease' The Times
Was it really a surprise to learn that over 80 couples filed for divorce immediately upon leaving lockdown in China? Being together 24/7 is something we rarely experience for any significant period of time, perhaps only at Christmas or on holiday, and then there are usually external distractions.
So, in these extraordinary times, let's consider ways to help your relationship survive COVID-19
- Accept that there will be both up and down days. Everyone has been affected by this pandemic. From losing people you know, work, your business, your health, it's also the uncertainty of how long this time will last and the long-term implications which can cause our minds to run 'what if' scenarios and cause mood swings. Accept that if your partner has a 'meltdown' it's not automatically about you, so don't take it personally.
- Talk to each other. Communication is crucial at a time like this. Don't silently dwell on your situation but don't bottle up how you're feeling either. Keep talking. Everything's different from normal. Our eating habits, alcohol and coffee consumption, exercise, social lives and sleeping patterns have probably changed. Each impacts on our mental and physical health and wellbeing.
- Allow yourself to be 'nudged along' sometimes. If your partner is in a good place, doesn't want to hear negativity, says, 'leave it for now', or, 'stop with the misery', be prepared at times to take that on board. Try to let their good humour filter through to you.
- Keep connected and talk to others, to your family and friends. It's helpful to discover that many people share your fears and concerns and are experiencing similar irritations within their relationships. Maybe join online sites and chat rooms where you can share tips for coping or be receptive to the many activities and interests that are available. Maybe arrange group chats, virtual dinner dates, coffee mornings or book clubs where you can socialise and enjoy the company of a variety of people and activities.
- Agree to give each other space and not do everything together. There are times when one could do the food shop, walk the dog, do some work, go and read, or relax in a leisurely bath and enjoy some time out on their own. Again, it's not personal but allows each space from being 'hot-housed' together for a while.
- Enjoy separate hobbies or interests. One may want to study or is interested in pursuing a hobby that they normally don't have time for. Give them the opportunity to dedicate time to this whilst they can.
- Find new activities you can do together, something that you've both expressed an interest in. Maybe plan a special post-COVID-19 holiday, or revisit your back-catalogue of music, your old photographs, the games you used to play; you can find hours of fun, laughter and nostalgia so helping your relationship survive COVID-19.
- When we're confined to our homes and away from everything that's routine and familiar it's understandable if someone erupts from time to time! Many of us feel we've little or no control. Our familiar structure, work, exercise routine, social structure have all disappeared, almost overnight. Forgive the occasional outburst. But if it happens with increasing frequency try to discuss what happened afterwards, when things are calmer.
- Be patient with each other. Accept that it's often the small things that cause the biggest irritations. A large grievance would most likely be discussed at the time, whereas smaller things, like not emptying the waste bins, leaving a dirty cup on the table, not offering to make a drink could trigger underlying frustrations and annoyances. If this occurs try to step back and agree to discuss it at a less tense time.
- Maybe agree on a 'timeout' word, phrase or action that can be used to create a pause if things appear to be getting too heated. Then detach for a while. Maybe one goes for a walk, cools off, spends time in the garden. Yes, sometimes, particularly in these unprecedented days, we need to ignore some things and not comment or nit-pick over everything that offends or that we dislike. But if rudeness or temper outbursts occur with increasing frequency, you need to consider what your options are. It may help to discuss matters with family, friends or use helpline support.
- Could alcohol be a factor? Sales of alcohol have definitely increased, as has the consumption of sugar and treats and time spent on gambling and pornography sites. Again, mental and physical health, daily exercise, maybe a walk outside, regularly getting up at the same time, showering and keeping a healthy routine all support good health, sleep and a better approach to your relationship.
- If money's an issue maybe negotiate a weekly or monthly allowance to each spend on your own whimsies, with the agreement that no comments are made or questions asked.
- Decide not to let children dominate every waking moment. Some families insist that their home-schooled children wear school uniforms so that they're clear that this isn't an unplanned extra holiday. Plan their lessons but also schedule online exercise classes, craftwork, reading, chores so that you have some quiet time in the day and aren't exhausted by evening.
This period of lockdown could be time for you to pull together, reinforce your love, closeness and connection, able to create many fond memories along the way. A little thought, consideration and sensitivity can help your relationship survive COVID-19.
Susan Leigh, counsellor, hypnotherapist, relationship counsellor, writer & media contributor offers help with relationship issues, stress management, assertiveness and confidence. She works with individual clients, couples and provides corporate workshops and support.
She's author of 3 books, 'Dealing with Stress, Managing its Impact', '101 Days of Inspiration #tipoftheday' and 'Dealing with Death, Coping with the Pain', all on Amazon & with easy to read sections, tips and ideas to help you feel more positive about your life.
To order a copy or for more information, help and free articles visit http://www.lifestyletherapy.net
Parents of kids living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have battled a tide of terrifying reports about this growing problem, which affects up to 11 per cent of boys aged four to 14 and a lesser number of girls.
The question is what to do about it, and natural treatments such as yoga are getting a big tick.
Make no mistake – ADHD isn’t an issue to be taken lightly, and while stimulant drugs such as Ritalin have been prescribed as treatment, they’re part of a complicated equation of care. Their ability to help young people focus more clearly on an issue helps them learn ways to adapt to a constantly changing environment.
But all drugs have side effects, and one study reported by the US National Institute of Mental Health found the drugs only worked in the short term and could stunt kids’ growth. The dilemma for parents is clear.
‘Of course, I don’t want my child to be on drugs, but you have to weigh it up,’ laments Sydney single mum Adrienne Riddell, whose son Curtis, 11, has successfully used Ritalin on and off for several years along with other natural therapies.
‘The bottom line is that he’s much more easily distracted and can’t concentrate in class every time he comes off them.’
Adrienne says parents of ADHD kids are wrongly blamed for their child’s boisterous behaviour and hyperactivity.
‘So many times I have heard from other people: “Why don’t you just be a bit stricter with him?” Or: “Perhaps it’s because you’re a single mum,”‘ she says.
Adrienne adds that she’s firm with her son, and such comments are ‘unhelpful’. ‘Like depression, ADHD is a chemical brain imbalance that needs treatment in severe cases,’ she explains.
‘But many people see kids with ADHD and put it down to bad parenting or naughty kids. That doesn’t explain parents with several children, where one or two have ADHD and the rest of the kids all behave within normal parameters.
How do you spot it?
The symptoms of ADHD include hyperactivity, inattentiveness, social disruptiveness, impulsivity and interrupting others, as well as playing quietly or showing difficulty following instructions.
Most ADHD kids aren’t actually ‘violent’ – in fact, many are loving and caring. Less commonly, some ADHD sufferers may have coexisting emotional or mood issues, and this complicates their management.
What causes it?
A genetic imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain is the culprit, but other factors may contribute, including TV. A US study in the Pediatrics journal found that toddlers who watch three hours of TV a day were 30 per cent more likely to have ADHD when they were seven. The TV isn’t the cause of the condition but study author Dr Dimitri Christakis says kids exposed to unrealistic levels of stimulation at a young age ‘continued to expect this in later life’, leading to difficulty dealing with the slower pace of school.
Some parents adhere to the drug-free Dore program, which teaches brain-training exercises (such as bouncing up and down on an air-filled balloon while passing a small beanbag from one hand to another). It uses up to 300 types of exercises and costs for the program start at $5270. But at this stage there’s no evidence that the program works for all children.
Natural Therapies and ADHD:
Either alone or utilised in combination with medication, these techniques may help children who suffer from ADHD.
- Try yoga
Yoga helps improve focus and coordination skills, and even toddlers can take part in it.
Visit www.findyoga.com.au to locate a yoga class for your children in your state.
- Limit TV
For kids under the age of two, watching no television (or very little) is recommended. For older kids, have set times for all TV watching, internet, mobile phones and video games, and limit it to an hour a day. Avoid having them in your child’s bedroom too, as disrupted sleep makes. ADHD worse, and don’t give in to pressure to buy violent or overly stimulating video games.
- Act, don’t yack
Cut back on nagging your children. Instead, directly follow their unruly behaviour with consequences, such as curbing pocket money.
‘Planning ahead and telling children what’s expected of them in certain situations is also an ideal way to approach things,’ Dr John D’Arcy says. ‘But always keep your sense of humour and reward positive behaviour.’
- Establish a set routine
‘Try to keep bedtime, waking time and mealtimes consistent,’ Dr John says. ‘And remember that a carefully structured routine from the moment they wake is important – so get a whiteboard.’
- Keep them busy
The upside of ADHD kids is they’re often creative and clever. Cher, Robin Williams and former US president John F. Kennedy all had ADHD. ‘So fuel their creative juices with games, art, sport, acting and music,’ Dr John says.
- Watch their diet
‘A diet free of artificial colouring may be helpful, but it only works in a very small proportion of children with ADHD,’ Professor Joseph Rey from the University of Sydney says.
studies claim fish oil helps, while other studies claim that junk food promotes negative biochemical changes in the brain and should be restricted where possible.
- Mums-to-be, beware
All expectant mothers should take an iodine supplement. Why? Babies born iodine-deficient are at risk of developing ADHD.
- Other options
‘Occupational therapy to develop a child’s gross motor skills (such as catching a ball) and fine motor skills (such as cutting paper with scissors) is effective and a vital part of the treatment equation,’ Dr John explains.
‘Psychological therapy and teachers skilled at learning difficulties may also help them. It’s important to see your school counsellor, GP or pediatrician to help you find these services.
Finally, don’t try and do too much too soon. Be patient and don’t attempt more than one thing at a time. Overwhelming a child with all these treatment options at once may only make their condition worse.
The case for drugs:
‘Medications are still the best and safest treatment for moderate to severe cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and are the most effective in the short to medium term (under three years),’ says Professor Joseph Rey from the University of Sydney.
New Idea’s resident medical expert, Dr John D’Arcy, adds: ‘A recent audit of pediatricians who prescribe ADHD medications found they were under-used, not overused, and also found that important additional techniques such as occupational, psychological and physical therapies were simply not available.’
Article source: New Idea
What if Elizabeth Macarthur-wife of the notorious John Macarthur, wool baron in the earliest days of Sydney-had written a shockingly frank secret memoir? And what if novelist Kate Grenville had miraculously found and published it? That's the starting point for A Room Made of Leaves, a playful dance of possibilities between the real and the invented.
Marriage to a ruthless bully, the impulses of her heart, the search for power in a society that gave women none- this Elizabeth Macarthur manages her complicated life with spirit and passion, cunning and sly wit. Her memoir lets us hear-at last!-what one of those seemingly demure women from history might really have thought.
At the centre of A Room Made of Leaves is one of the most toxic issues of our own age- the seductive appeal of false stories. This book may be set in the past, but it's just as much about the present, where secrets and lies have the dangerous power to shape reality.
Kate Grenville's return to the territory of The Secret River is historical fiction turned inside out, a stunning sleight of hand by one of our most original writers.
Your Coronavirus Essentials Checklist
Just like that we woke up in a different world! The coronavirus epidemic has completely changed our lives and transformed the way we do business.
For many, this can be an incredibly frightening time to be a business owner.
You worry about the health of your employees and the business, the bills that keep coming, your income and family obligations.
But rather than let worries overwhelm them, smart small business owners can use this opportunity to plan and prepare for future growth and success.
That's why we've created a COVID-19 checklist to help you make the most of this uncertain time:
1) Announce changes in business hours.
Are you an essential business that is staying open? You may have shorter business hours to allow more time for cleaning, or senior hours where high-risk and elderly customers can come and safely shop with fewer customers.
Post any new business hours on the front of your physical location and share them on the home page of your website.
Don't forget to update your hours on your social media profiles too as well as your Google Business listing so everyone can stay up to date.
2) Pivot to meet the current needs of your customers
Find creative ways to do business with customers who are at home on quarantine. Are you offering pick up or delivery? Let customers know what you are doing to accommodate them during this new, and hopefully temporary, normal.
For example, amid shutdowns and shelter-in-place orders, most car dealerships will deliver your new car to you. Similarly, service-based businesses can pivot their offerings to meet the demands of customers who are staying home.
One example is the landing page we designed for Barbara Katnich, an interior designer with Fresh Approach Designs.
She acknowledges that with all this time on your hands you are probably ready for a design change. Then she walks you through the process of how she can work with you virtually while you are at home.
The advantage of a landing page is that it's quick, easy, and allows you to speak to the specific needs of customers at this time without having to redesign your whole website.
3) Provide ways customers can still support you
If you operate a service-based business like a restaurant or a salon and have been forced to close your doors, you may want to consider offering online sales of gift certificates.
Encourage your customers to buy a certificate now so they can treat themselves and redeem it when the virus outbreak has slowed, and their self-quarantine period is over.
This can help maintain sales for you, while giving your customers something fun and exciting to look forward to.
4) Communicate with your customers.
People want to know if and how your business has changed in light of the pandemic. Assure them their health and safety are your #1 concern and tell them what you're doing to ensure a safe shopping experience.
Explain any extra precautions you're taking to disinfect and clean and let them know how you're promoting social distancing as a small business owner.
5) Announce any new services you're offering.
Whether you sell food or fashion, are you offering pickup or delivery? The more ways you can accommodate your customers during this new normal, the better for them and fewer financial losses you'll experience.
Share the news on your website and on your social media accounts like what Lorie Brown did. She saw a huge need to support nurses and healthcare practitioners during this crisis and created the COVID-19 Survival Guide.
She asked us to help her create a multi-guest interview series that delivers daily videos to subscribers, all for free.
6) Ditch out-of-date information and broken links.
It's the perfect time to step back and take a long hard look at your website.
Are there any typos? Did a team member featured on the About Us page quit? Are certain articles no longer relevant?
Maybe your site is too far outdated and needs a complete overhaul. Don't try to go it alone, it's best to hire a professional web development firm who can assist in ensuring your site is professionally done to give your business the best exposure once this crisis is over.
7) Lighten the (remote) workload.
Give your staff easy ways to track their hours like the free time-tracking tool Toggl that we use. Encourage team communication with tools like Zoom, Slack or Discord. Look into team collaboration tools like Monday and Asana to manage project workflows.
You can see more team tools in our article: Tips on Managing Your Workforce Remotely.
8) Get lean and mean.
You're going to have to accept that things may be tight for a while. Are there some non-essentials you could cut from your small business budget?
Reevaluate the services you use to make sure you have the best value for your money, but don't tighten your belt so much that you miss out on marketing or business opportunities.
9) Plan your editorial calendar.
You want to provide your customers with informative, valuable content that inspires them and builds your expertise and credibility in their eyes.
If you have some downtime now, invest it in your future content. Look at what products and services you'll want to promote down the road and plan some engaging content and marketing materials to support your efforts.
10) Learn a new skill.
Do you want to learn to use Instagram more effectively? Maybe you want to master your video marketing skills or learn a new language to better communicate with your customers.
If you can slow down a bit, grab the chance to read, learn and grow! This might be a good time to check out our AMPLiFY! Business Academy where members get instant access to a large library of training videos from social media marketing to lead generation and content marketing.
11) Make your employees feel safe.
Always communicate your COVID-19 plans to workers around sick days and compensation. If your employees have to come into work, assure them how you're keeping their area clean and safe.
They are looking to you to feel taken care of during this scary time. That said, don't lie or withhold negative information; if you can't give bonuses or have to lay off staff, let them know as soon as possible and support them as best you can.
12) Attract more traffic to your site.
It's always a great idea to add fresh, useful content to your website. Your visitors will appreciate solution-focused content that honestly speaks to why they need your product or service.
Focus on writing some keyword-rich articles to boost your search engine rankings.
13) Grow your social media following.
You may be self-isolating, but you can connect online! Message people who liked or commented on your social media posts to start a conversation.
Be active in the Facebook Groups where your ideal clients hang out. Be visible and helpful (not salesy and annoying) while you are making new connections and offering people a human connection.
14) Segment your email list.
Over time, email lists can get messy. Small business owners may lack the resources to write targeted messages for each group of potential clients (e.g., hot prospects, warm leads, new prospects, business colleagues).
Focus on segmenting your email list to make people feel like you're speaking directly to them and offering them unique content.
15) Develop a new product or service.
Maybe you have a business idea that's been on the back burner these past few years. Or, maybe you've identified a product or service that would really help people during or after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Check out what Heather Wilson has done to meet today's demand of using Facebook Groups to a businesses advantage. She quickly created an online course called Create, Fill, and Engage Your Facebook Group.
16) Perform competitive research.
Staying on top of what your competitors are doing gives you an incredible advantage, whether you run an established small business or are developing a new product or service.
Invest some time now in better understanding your competitors. How is their messaging different from yours? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How do they engage with their social media followers?
17) Share the love.
Don't miss the chance to strengthen your most important relationships. Think about the people who are important to you (family, friends, customers, vendors, mentors, partners) and tell them what you most appreciate about them!
Stay Engaged with Customers and Keep Sales Alive During COVID-19.
While the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented and uncertain, let's try to see these slow times for small businesses as an opportunity to think, review and plan for future growth and success.
If you need assistance, we can help you design a landing page to help you transition through and support your customers effectively at this time. Together we'll find ways to boost dwindling sales due to this unforeseen economic crisis.
We wish everyone health and safety during this unusual time.
To your success,
Susan
Susan Friesen, founder of the award-winning web development and digital marketing firm eVision Media, is a Web Specialist, Business & Marketing Consultant, and Social Media Advisor. She works with entrepreneurs who struggle with having the lack of knowledge, skill and support needed to create their online business presence.
As a result of working with Susan and her team, clients feel confident and relieved knowing their online marketing is in trustworthy and caring hands so they can focus on building their business with peace of mind at having a perfect support system in place to guide them every step of the way.
Visit http://www.ultimatewebsiteguide.ca and download your FREE "Ultimate Guide to Improving Your Website's Profitability - 10 Critical Questions You Must Ask to Get Maximum Results".
The bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton returns with All Our Shimmering Skies - a glorious novel destined to become another Australian classic.
Darwin, 1942, and as Japanese bombs rain down, motherless Molly Hook, the gravedigger's daughter, is looking to the skies and running for her life. Inside a duffel bag, she carries a stone heart, alongside a map to lead her to Longcoat Bob, the deep-country sorcerer who she believes put a curse on her family. By her side are the most unlikely travelling companions: Greta, a razor-tongued actress and Yukio, a fallen Japanese fighter pilot. The treasure lies before them, but close behind them trails the dark. And above them, always, are the shimmering skies.
'Run, Molly, run,' says the daytime sky. Run to the vine forests. Run to northern Australia's wild and magical monsoon lands. Run to friendship. Run to love. Run. Because the graverobber's coming, Molly, and the night-time sky is coming with him. So run, Molly, run.
A story about gifts that fall from the sky, curses we dig from the earth and the secrets we bury inside ourselves, All Our Shimmering Skies is an odyssey of true love and grave danger, of darkness and light, of bones and blue skies. It is a love letter to Australia and an ode to the art of looking up - a buoyant, beautiful and magical novel, abrim with warmth, wit and wonder.
'All Our Shimmering Skies is the follow-up to Boy Swallows Universe we could have never imagined, but the one Dalton was destined to gift us. It's a story of heroes and villains, foxes and water buffalo, fighter planes and birds of prey, real magic and real love, epitaphs and aphorisms, lost treasure and lost life. It's a love letter to the nation. It's your favourite childhood adventure story dictated by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare, with a score by Franz Liszt. It's dead serious. It's completely ridiculous. It's all of these things and more.' Booktopia
The ability to manage stress is vital to your personal and professional success in life. Right now, with all that's happening in the world, the ability to manage stress is vital to your survival during COVID-19.
Psychologists say that if you live a more balanced life, you will experience greater success in the long run.
Now, more than ever calls for living a balanced life. The various stresses which have come along with this unexpected pandemic have caused many professionals to feel unbalanced.
In an effort to help you regain your balance, here are a few recommended techniques you can use to manage your stress during this time of COVID-19:
BREATHE: make time throughout the day to do deep breathing exercises. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth several times in a day. This process will help you to increase the oxygen in your blood. When oxygenated blood flows to your brain, it helps to make you feel more peaceful and less stressed.
EXERCISE: get regular exercise to boost your energy and overall sense of well-being. Whether you work out with a Pilates video in your living room; lift weights in your basement; join an aerobics class via Zoom, or take a walk around your neighbourhood, a regular exercise routine will help to make your mind and body feel better. Another good benefit of a regular exercise routine is that it will also help to improve your self-esteem. A high level of self-esteem makes you feel good about yourself. When you feel good about yourself, you feel as if you can handle whatever comes your way. Make it a habit during COVID-19 to engage in regular exercise.
ENJOY SANCTUARY TIME: carve out time in your day and designate a special place in your home for sanctuary time. This will be time for you and you alone. Sanctuary time lets you take moments for yourself. Spend your sanctuary time in a spot that gives you a renewed sense of peace. Your sanctuary time can be first thing in the morning as you wash up in the bathroom; during the middle of the day as you meditate in your office; or later in the evening as you unwind in your living room. As long as you have private time to meditate, plan, and find peace, your sanctuary time can be whenever and wherever you decide. Commit to enjoying sanctuary time on several occasions within your week.
VISIT WITH LOVED ONES: maintain your personal and professional relationships during this time. Even though social distancing has become the norm, you can still connect with your family, friends, and colleagues. Sure, you will be using technology a lot more to connect with them now. The goal is to spend time engaged in conversation, laugher and connections to keep your spirits lifted. Phone calls, text messages, face-time sessions, Zoom meetings, and virtual parties are all ways you can visit with loved ones right now. Make a commitment to yourself to visit with a loved one each week until this pandemic is over.
COVID-19 has brought many unexpected issues with it which has knocked the balance out of the life of many professionals. The unbalance is causing professionals to be stressed out.
The four (4) stress management techniques described in this article are intended to help you regain levels of balance and eliminate sources of stress in your life.
Test them out and let them work for you.
In the world of inspiration and motivation, there is no other like Cassandra "D.I.V.A. of Dialog™" Lee. She is a leadership speaker who uses "Divine Inspiration Vocally Applied™" to help her audiences achieve workplace satisfaction and career success. To get a FREE copy of her special report, "101 Ways to Have a Rewarding Career," sign-up on her website at https://www.divaofdialog.com.
