Tuesday 7 September 2010
Take Part in 'Visit Our Schools'
Sunday 1 August 2010
2010 Growing Business Awards
- Green Business of the Year
- Customer Excellence Award
- Global Outlook and Expansion Award
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year
- The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs
Applications are invited from independently-owned companies that have less than 1,000 employees. Entry to more than one category is permitted.
Winners will receive a certificate and television, radio and press coverage. The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs offers a cash prize of £50,000.
Visit the site for more information: http://gba.realbusiness.co.uk/how_to_enter
Monday 5 July 2010
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games Business Portal brings together contractors and suppliers and provides businesses of all sizes with the opportunity to find out about and compete for Games related contracts.
Interested suppliers can register their company details and receive automatic alerts when new contracting opportunities are available.
For more information please visit: http://www2.glasgow2014.com/BusinessPortal
Thursday 17 June 2010
Want a change of career?
Monday 3 May 2010
Six Action Shoes
Slippers - Put on to take caring or helping action in a situation where it is vital to consider and respect human beings
Business Shoes - Put on to take action which requires authority or rules or regulations to be established or adhered to. When action should follow set routines
Comfortable Shoes - Put on to take practical action, that which seems sensible in the situation
Boots - Put on to take 'extraordinary' action that is defined by the wearer of the shoes
Trainers - Put on for investigation and collection of information.
Monday 12 April 2010
8 ways to look after yourself
Sunday 14 February 2010
Chinese New Year
The Chinese calendar predates the Western Gregorian one by centuries and is based on the cycles of the moon, which is why the date can fall anywhere between late January and early February. This year it is on the 14th February, the same day this week as Valentine’s Day – so what better way than to combine the two. I love chinese food, so I’ve booked a table at my favourite chinese restaurant.
The Chinese calendar names each year after twelve animals. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came and as a reward he named a year after each of them in the order in which they arrived. The Chinese believe that the animal ruling the year in which you were born has a great influence on your personality, saying ‘This is the animal that hides in your heart’. 2010 is the Year of the Tiger. Click this link to view the year you were born to find out what animal represents you.
As with Western traditions for Christmas and New Year, preparations for Chinese New Year begin several weeks before. The whole house is to be cleaned thoroughly before New Year, with the folklore that you should sweep away any bad luck from your house. All debts are to be paid before the New Year begins. Gifts, flowers and sweets are also exchanged.
The house is traditionally decorated with vases of blossoms, plates of oranges and tangerines, and trays of dried fruit. Every Chinese household is meant to contain live blooming plants to symbolise rebirth and new growth – the New Year is also called the Spring Festival to rejoice at the earth coming back to life.
Chinese New Year celebrations are marked by generous amounts of food, shared together as a family, in which departed relatives are also remembered with great respect.
Many Chinese restaurants will be holding special celebrations for New Year, as will some other pubs and restaurants. If you fancy celebrating at home, just pick up a takeaway! For those of you with the culinary urge to prepare an authentic Chinese meal yourself, don’t forget the Chinese supermarkets that can be found in some of our larger towns and cities. (If you don’t live near one of these, some now offer online ordering).
And if you have already broken your New Year Resolutions, then Chinese New Year is a good reason to start again!
Wednesday 10 February 2010
Personal Safety Awareness and ideas on how to keep yourself safe
We recently held personal safety awareness training in my organisation and so I thought I’d share some of the key points for everyone visiting this blog.
Firstly if your bag is grabbed – let it go! If you hang on you could get hurt. You are more valuable than your handbag.
The training teaches that safety awareness is not about fighting. It is about the skills you need to be aware. Do you carry a personal alarm? If so, carry it in your hand, not your bag and make sure it carries on sounding if it drops to the ground.
A useful tip is not to carry everything in your bag when you are walking home. Take your phone out and put it in your pocket, the same with keys. Never have your credit cards and money in the same wallet, carry them in a different card holder or purse.
Here are some more tips:
If someone attempts to grab your bag, throw it away from you so that the attacker will follow the bag, and you can make your escape.
Avoid chatting or texting on your mobile as you walk along – you won’t be fully aware of what is going on around you
If you think someone is following you – look at them and then cross the road, look round again and look at them, cross the road again. If you are still worried, get to the nearest place where there are people, anywhere with a lot of lights on – and most importantly, call the police
If you want to listen to music, only wear one earphone so you can hear the outside world with the other ear. This is especially important whencrossing roads, as you need to hear traffic
Make as much noise as possible, shout and scream, anything that will attractattention. Set off your personal alarm
On public transport, especially late at night – make sure you know when your last train or bus leaves
If you are frightened, tell someone. Choose a family group rather than an individual. Ask if you can stay with them until you feel safe.
If you are attacked, the training stresses the importance of calling the police and of gathering and remembering as much information as possible. You do not even have to go to the police station; you can be interviewed in your own home if you wish and there are non-police organisations (such as The Havens) which specialise in helping victims of assault or rape. You have every right to defend yourself with reasonable force with items you have with you, such as an umbrella, hairspray and keys. The law does not allow carrying anything that can be described as an offensive weapon.
Monday 1 February 2010
10 Simple ways to live longer and be healthier
Here’s 10 simple ways…
1. Sleep Well
Do your utmost to get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to high blood pressure, obesity and even early death. If you get enough sleep, you’ll give your body time to repair and restore itself. Improve your sleep quality by keeping your room cool and dark, go to bed and get up at the same time every day and fill your evening meal with rice, oats or wholemeal pasta which contain sleep-stimulating chemicals.
2. Spend time in the great outdoors
Spending more time outdoors and exploring more of your local area is great for your well being. A walk in the park and being close to nature helps reduce stress levels and if it is a sunny day, you’ll be topped up with anit-ageing vitamin D! Even looking out of your window onto a natural scene gives you mood-boosting benefits. Researchers found that hospital patients in rooms with a pleasant outlook recovered faster than those facing a brick wall. There’s lots of ways to be outdoors and have fun and keep fit. Read these top 10 ideas.
3. Give up smoking.
Smoking ups your risk of just about every disease so it goes without saying that quitting is good for your health. If you are exposed to secondhand smoke for more than four hours a day you face similar health risks to a smoker, so minimise contact as much as you can. Get help quitting by calling the free NHS smoking helpline on 0800 022 4332
4. Get a Pet
Pet owners visit their doctors less often and are less likely to suffer from depression than people who don’t have a pet, according to US researchers. Other studies have also found that stroking an animal could help to lower your blood pressure and to ease your stress levels. Walking a dog keeps you fit and if you don’t have the option to have a pet, visit petting farms, which are a fun way to spend time stroking the animals and seeing life on a farm. I used to live close to Amerton Farm, one of my favourites.
5. De-clutter and get organised
Do you need to de-junk? Living in chaos is bad for you and your health say the experts. Time wasted searching for keys, sifting through upaid bills and stumbling over mess affects your stress levels, which could raise your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Your trash can often be someone else’s treasure. De-clutter and de-junk can put years on your life. Last year I dejunked my garden shed. To make a start, try these top 10 ideas for a tidy home. and as spring is on its way, how about a little spring cleaning.
6. Eat a balanced diet
Know when and how to eat. Eat your way to health and maintain a good balanced diet and eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables. Eat some low fat dairy produce, some wholegrians, such as oats, brown rise and some healthy omega-3 fats and some lean protein every day. If you don’t keep a balanced diet, you won’t be giving your body all the nutrients it needs to live healthier for longer. Making some small adjustments to your lifestyle and environment will do you the world of good.
7. Look after your teeth
UK researchers have found that poor dental hygiene leads to bleeding gums and could increase your risk of heart disease. Bacteria in your mouth gets into your bloodstream and sticks to the platelets in your blood, causing blood clots which could lead to a heart attack or stroke. Brushing and flossing your teeth properly every day could help you to protect your heart. See your dentist for advice on looking after your teeth.
8. Stop yo-yo dieting
Experts believe that allowing your weight to fluctuate by at least ten per cent over five years puts strain on your body’s systems and ages you faster. To get the longevity benefits you need to get to a healthy weight and then maintain it. Give your weight loss a kick start by overcoming fitness laziness and just aim to move about more.
9. Call your friends every day
Staying connected to your friends and family is great for your health and mental wellbeing. Good friends encourage you to look after yourself and give emotional support. Catch up with a close friend today for a feel-good boost.
10. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is great for your heart and well being and it helps you to maintain a healthy weight, improves your bone density and helps you to live longer. Try to do at least 30 minutes three times a week and incorporate some yoga and muscle exercises into your workout routine. I absolutely love the nintendo wii. It is so easy to burn away calories without realising and you have so much fun. There are lots of great games for keeping fit and graphs and challenges to keep you on track and motivated. My favourites are wii fit, just dance or dance party pop hits which uses a dance mat; the EA sports active personal trainer has loads of routines and keeps working out interesting.
So give these a try and add a comment to share your thoughts and add further hints and tips.
Monday 25 January 2010
Burns Night - What's it all about?
The central theme of Burns Nights everywhere is food and drink as guests pay homage to Scotland’s best loved poet. Having immortalised the humble haggis in dialect verse, little could this son of an unsuccessful lowland farmer have realised what would follow.
‘Rabbie’ Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire, in 1759 and died aged 37, probably as a result of farm toils in his formative years. Along the way he produced some of the world’s most celebrated and widely-published poetry, escaping from the land to work as an exciseman in Dumfries.
A whisky aficionado and notorious womaniser, Burns eventually married Jean Armour in 1786, who years earlier had borne twins. In all Robert and Jean had nine children, the last of which was born on the day of the poet’s funeral.
By his death, Burns had become well-known and, in 1801, a group of Ayrshire friends decided to honour his memory with the first recorded Burns Supper. The anniversary celebrations quickly spread, with Burns clubs forming throughout Scotland, Great Britain and eventually all over the world.
Every Burns Night follows a trusted and traditional schedule, wherever you might be on the planet.
The evening begins with the Chairman’s welcome and an invitation for a guest to read the Selkirk Grace – which is straight to the point:
Some hae meat and canna eat.Some canna eat that want it:But we hae meat and we can eat,Sae let the Lord be thankit.
Traditional Burns Nights were never vegetarian-friendly, but these days allowances are made with meat-free haggis alternatives. The haggis, of course, is central to proceedings and the Grace is followed by its ceremonial entry. Diners stand and rhythmically clap as a piper accompanies its passage to the top table.
Burns’ much-lauded tribute ‘Address to a Haggis’ is then read whilst a dagger is symbolically plunged into its casing –
‘trenching your gushing entrails bright’
and ends with the raising of the platter and ‘gie her a haggis’!
At which point a whisky toast is raised to rapturous applause.
Ceremonies completed, the traditional supper starts with cock-a-leekie, a piping hot soup made from chicken, leeks and potatoes.
Then the epicurean feast that is Haggis ‘wi’ bashit neeps an’ champit tatties’ is served – haggis, at its simplest a sheep’s stomach stuffed with a mix of beef, lamb and innards, oatmeal, suet, onion and seasonings, is accompanied by mashed potatoes and swedes.
Dessert typically consists of an alcoholic Scottish sherry trifle known as ‘typsy laird.’ Whisky accompanies the food throughout and a ‘tassie o’ coffee’ brings the dining to conclusion.
Proceedings, though, are far from over as entertainment and speeches are key ingredients of every Burns Night.
First up is usually ‘The Immortal Memory’ a serious reflection on Burns, the man, his poetry and his standing today.
A ‘Toast to the Lassies’ follows. Traditionally a way of thanking the ladies for preparing the food, it has become a humorous vehicle targeting women in general. Always witty, it is, however, never offensive. Amidst the laughter, there follows an opportunity for one of the ladies to speak up and ‘hit back’ at the menfolk.
Speakers are encouraged to recite – and toast – some of Burns’ most famous works, such as ‘Tam O’Shanter’ and ‘Ae Fond Kiss.’ Burns Nights also include a loyal ‘Toast to the Queen’ and occasionally a ‘Toast to oor Toon’, presented by a local resident.
Often there will be music to follow, with singing, dancing and further drinking (compulsory) before the evening ends with a vote of thanks and Burns’ celebratory anthem, ‘Auld Lang Syne’.
Burns Night is an integral part of Scottish cultural heritage and has been celebrated for more than 200 years. Many a host has hovered over the haggis, raised his knife
‘an cut you up wi’ ready slight’ and there will be surely many more to meet a similar fate.
Let’s raise a glass to Rabbie Burns and followers everywhere, long may this fine tradition continue!
Sunday 20 December 2009
Affimations
In everyday life, people can use affirmations to reprogramme their minds into a more positive way of thinking. Thinking positively can have a beneficial effect on how you feel about yourself. Used correctly affirmations can help you to let go of self-doubt and embrace confidence.
Once your statement becomes familiar the left side of the brain no longer needs to analyse it and it passes to the right side of the brain. The right side is not concerned with judgement, only emotion and sensation. It will accept the thought, without question and transform it into a positive feeling. Fears of failure will dissipate and a new self-confidence will emerge.
I keep a positive attitude
I encourage myself
I am creative
I am strong and healthy
I know what I want and go for it
I exercise regularly
I take action when something is important to me
I am getting better every day
I accomplish my goals
I am confident
My body is beauitful
I am at peace
I am completely relaxed
I accept total responsibility
I am content
I am moving forward with my life
See this link for lots more ideas on positive affirmations
Affirmations can help you to see yourself in a more positive light. Try writing your affirmations down, then put it in a place where you will see it often. The best time to repeat an affirmation is when you are relaxed. In this way, you will be better able to counteract the chatter of your mind and the suggestion behind the affirmation will move from the realm of thought into the realm of feeling more quickly. The main thing to remember with affirmations is that you should repeat them regularly. Repeat them for as long as feels comfortable, but as a guide, start with repeating them at least three times each session, three times a day. Regular practice can help to get you used to affirmation work. Once you feel comfortable, try experimenting with other simple phrases that are meaningful to you
Thursday 10 December 2009
Time
Now go back through your list and allocate a period of time each week to clearing these tasks. Tick them off as you do them and add any news ones to the list as they arise.
When you have planned your timetable, see what time you have left. If your timetable is packed, then you should look carefully at what is using up all your time. If it is work, then do another timetable for work and prioritise all your tasks within it. If you still can’t fit them all in, then you will have identified a problem; you are overworked!
If this is the case, you should take steps to ease the situation, get help and delegate any tasks you don’t need to do yourself.
If you are spending too much time doing housework or looking after other people when they are capable of doing things themselves, ask for help here too.
Sometimes all that is needed is a simple request to spur people into action. If your requests are ignored, however, you may have to be firm!
Changing a few of your everyday habits can often save a lot of time. Try some of these simple techniques and see how much time you can save:
Open your mail over the paper recycle basket and bin unnecessary items immediately
Answers letters the day they come in
File things away as you deal with them
Control the amount of time you spend on the telephone and online. If someone you know is a chatterbox, try calling at times when you know you can keep the call short, such as just before that person’s favourite TV programme.
Limit your time watching TV; choose the programmes you particularly want to watch and then switch off the TV when you have finished watching.
Be vigilant about people offloading jobs onto you, for example, if someone says to you ‘can you ring so and so’, explain that you haven’t got time and suggest that he or she makes the phone call instead.
These are just some of the ways by which you can make more time in your life. There are many, many more – please add a comment if you have more suggestions. Try some of the ideas straight away, so that you can start enjoying the benefits.
Thursday 15 October 2009
Blog Action Day
Can you car pool and share driving to places with friends, family and work colleagues? Travel by bike, bus, train or walk if you can too, to save energy.
Look at ways to save energy with the energysavingtrust
Turn off anything that uses electricity, when not in use.
Planting trees is good fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases in the air, as trees absorb carbon dioxide. The Woodland Trust often hold tree planting events and host campaigns for tree planting. You can also donate to have a tree planted on your behalf.
Recycle and when you do have to buy new – look for recycleable products, they will show the recycle symbol which has three arrows that make a circle.
Give Home Composting a go
Calculate your carbon footprint and take action to improve
Saturday 10 October 2009
A Whole New Mind
It is a bit like the American Way and the book does cover a bit of politics too; but I thought it was an interesting read.
Pink focuses on people belonging to the New World. I thought the list was interesting and I liked the creative way in which he has given names to the qualities:
1. Design – moving beyond function to engage the sense
2. Story – Narrative added to products and services – not just argument. Best of the six senses.
3. Symphony – Adding invention and big picture thinking (not just detail focus)
4. Empathy – Going beyond logic and engaging emotion and intuition.
5. Play – Bringing humour and light-heartedness to business and products.
6. Meaning – Feelings and values of products.
Pink talks about these six essential aptitudes on which he sees his professional success and personal fulfilment to have been based on. How do you fair against these six qualities that Pink sees as essential for the creative being? Do you need to practice or acquire any skills? Perhaps something to consider and food for thought…
Thursday 1 October 2009
Book Review: Can a Robot be Human?
Friday 18 September 2009
Stress Management
Your body's biochemical, structural and psychological functions are delicately balanced to enable good physical and mental health, and an upset in any one area can lead to problems in others.
Optimum health, requires looking after all parts of the whole. A healthy body and a clear and active mind with a positive attitude will help you maintain this balance.
The increasing demands of modern life can put enormous pressure on the body and mind. Some stress is part of life and is not necessarily a bad things: it is a normal response to dange and positive stress provides the spur to achieve; but when stress is long-term it can affect you physically, emotionally and spiritually, impacting on your well being.
What causes stress?
There are many causes of stress from the routine ring of the telephone to something life-threatening. Major life events, such as moving home, birth, marriage, divorce or death; environmental factors such as noise, heights, flashing lights, pollution and overcrowding; lifestyle - such as poor diet and lack of sleep and exercise. These are just some of the things that can contribute to stress. Your own temperament, constitution and previous experiences moderate the effects of stress but the more causes of stress there are, the less you are able to deal with them effectively.
3 Stages of Adaptation
In the 1950s, an American Doctor, Hans Selye, identified three stages of adaptation in the human response to long-term stress.
1. Alarm
Exposure to a cause of stress prompts an immediate biochemical reaction. Stress hormones are released into the bloodstream, causing the following:
- increase heart rate and blood pressure
- raised blood-sugar and cholesterol levels
- faster breathing and perspiration
- increased muscle tension
- disruption of digestive processes
- supression of the immune system
- emotion tension
2. Resistance
If the cause of stress is removed or dealt with, the body reverts to normal functioning, but if it continues the body copes by adapting. Although you may feel as though everything has returned to normal, your body uses up energy stores and over time this affects your ability to function effectively, resulting in fatigue, irritability and lethargy.
3. Exhaustion
Long term stress changes the balance of hormones in the body and leads to exhaustion. A suppressed immune system, slower metabolism and slower rate of cell repair results in rapid ageing, weight gain and a greater risk of degenerative disease. Your body becomes run down, with recurring minor illnesses and psychological 'burn-out'. Eventually you may become seriously ill or suffer a breakdown.
Although stress may cause a variety of disorders, it is not in itself an illness. Stress is created by habitual responses to difficult situations and by an unhealthy lifestyle. It is a habit that you can break; if you are prepared to look carefully at your life and take control.
If stress is affecting you and your team or you want to prevent executive stress, Skillkick's training course on stress management will be of interest to you.
Thursday 17 September 2009
Book Review: Getting Things Done
I am enjoying reading this book because David Allen offers a functional and complete system for absolutely everything in your life. When he talks about work, he means everything from reading a book, keeping a home to paid employment – so it is relevant to everyone. I found his psychological insight interesting, as he explains why things will or won’t work and helps you get started to get things done. The book provides great tips for multi-tasking.
“Getting Things Done” is about scooping up all your stuff and having a good sort! David Allen encourages you to sort into to-do, to fix, to buy, to talk about, to plan, to develop, to design etc and to to put them all into lists and systems that you check and update weekly. The key is to be clear on what you have and what you want and know what you should do next.
The book asks you to look long term at your life so that you focus on what is important in the now. He also has the nifty idea of calling your regular to-do list, the ‘Next Action list’. It is something different from your long term 5 year achievement list or projects on the go etc. The ‘Next Action list’ is to define and understand your ‘next action’ and is a very important lesson of the book. David Allen explains that you need to understand the difference between your Next Action and the things you want to achieve in your life, for example, rather than saying ‘I’d like to have a tidy desk’, write ‘clear paperwork’. David Allen says that when goals are too big, they will never be done, so write in steps.
This book will make you want to start making lists, get organised and GO! So what are you waiting for….? Here’s the book!
What book(s) are you reading at the moment, add a comment and let us know your recommendations!
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Future Goals
Take coloured pens and coloured squares of card
Jot down on slips of card or paper all your ideas for the future and put them into a hat.
This is a variation on drawing names out of a hat; if you have’t got a hat, then any container will do – buckets, boxes, cereal boxes etc. Then one by one you and your colleagues draw them out and decide quickly which of three piles you will put it in:
the URGENT MUST DO pile – these speak for themselves!
the TO DO SHOULD DO pile – these are pretty important and need returning to. They require more of a detailed analysis and you need to check who is saying your should – you, some one else in your family etc? You can then decide whether shoulds turn into urgent must dos or discarded.
the FILE WOULD LIKE TO DO pile
Once you have your categories, you need to turn your urgent pile into a list of goals that you will actively pursue! Remember you would never eat a chocolate elephant whole… so chunk your goals down into smaller tasks.
Why not plan an afternoon with colleagues to let your mind flow freely and explore the future of your company / sector / unit.
Think of key words, phrases and trigger ideas associated with the images you have in your mind about the future.
Use colours throughout the activity. Colour is attractive to the eye and aids memory. It will reinforce your ideas in your mind.
Tuesday 15 September 2009
Beat Procrastination!
Procrastination, or task avoidance, is common to many people. The word has its origins in latin: pro-(forward) and crastinus (of tomorrow).
Procrastination occurs for many reasons: you may not know where to start on a task, you may not understand a task, you may dislike the task, or you may worry that you cannot complete a task successfully. Often a person’s anxiety about a task leads them to avoid it. Therefore, to accomplish more in a day, it is best to tackle the most difficult or worrisome task first. This is beneficial because it allows you to devote the time and mental energy that is necessary for a difficult or unpleasant task when you are most able to. Furthermore, by reducing the anxiety associated with this task in tackling it early, you will find that work becomes easier.
When the unpleasant task is finished, it no longer creates anxiety and worry, which can save time. So what can we do to avoid this especial and very common pitfall?
• Once you have identified a job as important on your priority list, don’t question it. Get it onto your desk or in your hand and do it! Always start with the unpleasant task first. Get it out of the way early. You can then enjoy the most interesting tasks.
• Resist trivial tasks which might be easy or even fun but which don’t need to be done.
• If you find yourself easily distracted by other people, take your phone off the hook or put a barrier up around your workspace. Restrict downtime to set breaks on your schedule. Turn your internet connection off, if you’re distracted by online surfing!
• Think about why you are finding something difficult to complete. Don’t feel bad about it, but find ways to motivate yourself. List the reasons for delaying and the arguments against the delay. Could you, for example, work in a group instead of alone?
However, depression related procrastination is a significant condition, but can respond to medical or therapeutic intervention. This can include counselling, and this is often the best way out of this situation for sufferers.
• Consider environmental factors. Where is the best place to complete the task? Could you go to a friend’s house or a library or keep everyone out of a room, whilst you focus on completing the task?
• If you are rather impulsive and easily bored by sticking too long at one task, you might benefit from alternating between two or three tasks and spending forty minutes on each at a time or even five minutes if that works better. Make tasks look smaller by breaking them down and doing only a small part of each task
• Set yourself short term rewards for keeping to a set task. The reward system can also be made to work more effectively if others are involved in the pay-off. If you promise, for example, your partner, spouse, or friends a part or share in the reward, then this can build in the element of commitment to others. If you let yourself down, you let others down, too.
• Don’t fill every minute of your schedule with tasks – some say that no more than 50% of your time should be planned. You need to allow plenty of time for interruptions, calls, and most importantly routine breaks such as coffee or lunch, which are vital to allow you to recharge and clear your mind.
Finally, some wise old words:
Do not put your work off till to-morrow and the day after; for a sluggish worker does not fill his barn, nor one who puts off his work: industry makes work go well, but a man who puts off work is always at handgrips with ruin. (Hesiod, circa 800 BC: in Works and Days: l:413 )
Monday 14 September 2009
Your screen needs a clean!
On the computer for more than 2 hours a day ?At the end of the day, your eyes sting, you can't see straight ?It's the fault of the screen.It's dirty, but on the inside.A quick and free visit to free screen wipe will wipe away this unpleasent phenomena.In 30 seconds, your screen will re-become transparent.No downloading of software, hence no viruses.
Friday 11 September 2009
Be a resolute success in 7 easy steps!
Step One: You need a destination, so set yourself a SMART goal.
Specific – what exactly do you want to achieve?
Measurable – how will you know when you have achieved it? What will the evidence be?
Achievable – try chopping a large goal into bite sized chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Realistic – is it possible to achieve within the timeframe you want, using your current or potential skills?
Time bound – set yourself a deadline with appropriate milestones along the way.
Step Two: Write down your goal in a positive way and try to phrase the outcome as if you had already achieved it. E.g. “It’s 1st August and I feel fantastic after submitting the tender.” There are a couple of reasons why you should do this. Firstly it will get you to visualise what success will look, feel, and sound like. This will increase your motivation and hunger to achieve your goal. Then comes the scientific part… Our subconscious is a great ally and will work hard to make happen the things we express in the present tense, as if they were already true. Research shows that our chances of achieving our goal are significantly increased by following this step.
Step Three: Consider what has stopped you from achieving your goal so far. Be tough with yourself. How many of these blocks are self-limiting beliefs or excuses? Most of us have a stash of these somewhere to draw on when we’re in danger of coming out of our comfort zone! If you are to achieve something worth having, it is going to take effort and commitment. Carry on doing the same things and you will get the same results.
Step Four: Make a list of all the things you COULD do to achieve your goal. Be brave! Step out of your current reality and do a bit of day dreaming. What would other people you admire do in this situation? What would be the most out-of-character action you could take to achieve your desired goal? Don’t worry, you’re not committing yourself to a string of crazy actions but simply being open to all possibilities. When you think you have exhausted your list of possible options, ask yourself for two more for luck.
Step Five: Next, consider carefully the pros and cons of each option you came up with in Step 4, including what help and support you would need for each. Now you are ready to identify your chosen course of action. You should feel excited by it and even possibly a little scared! That’s the stretch which will move you forward!
Step Six: Now write down the step by step actions which are going to move you towards achieving your goal. Make sure you can trace them back to your main goal and that each stage has a deadline. You might want to use the SMART guide again from Step One.
Step Seven: You now need to check out your level of commitment and enthusiasm for carrying out these actions! Try scoring them on a scale of 1-10 (1 = very low, 10 = very high). Anything less than a 7 and you need to retrace your steps to see where your block is. If you score 8 or above, ask yourself what would make it a 10 to squeeze out every opportunity to succeed!
Channel your energy into setting goals you really want to, and will, achieve at any time of year!
Thursday 10 September 2009
Brainstorming
You’ll find it so beneficial to spend some ‘think-time’ and you’ll feel energised and refreshed.
Start brainstorming groups in and out of work. We don’t take enough time to take time out but the results are so rewarding.
Have a read of the BRAINEXCHANGE site. On the site it talks about how people brainstorm about relationships, in-laws, children, quality of life, career questions, marketing strategies, entrepreneurial ideas, titles for books they are writing, names for babies!
Use your brainstorm group as a way to meet like-minded people, give and receive support and network.
Share your projects, concerns, hopes and fears.
Email a group of friends today and set up a group. You only need 3 participants to start with and people don’t need to feel guilty if they miss a meeting. You can grow your group organically.
When you meet have a pad and paper and ask each attendee to write a question. You can ask anything and the rest of the group can ask for clarification or for more specific direction on the question being asked. You don’t always have to have a question, you may just want to contribute to sparking ideas.
Spend 10 minutes going around each person who contributes an idea or response. This part is quick. You can then discuss in more details the ideas that create the most sparks!
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Work-Life Balance
On the one hand, this can be viewed as great news for business, demonstrating what a dedicated country we are and dispelling the myth that we are a nation of clock watchers. On the other hand, slipping into a pattern of working long hours is not always simply down to commitment and fulfilment but can be attributed to habit, a lack of knowledge of employment law or just the silent pressure of an employer who is happy to generate a culture of manipulation based on “it’s the way we do things around here”.
There is substantial evidence to support the view that regularly working long hours is bad for our health, impacts negatively on relationships and family life, creates childcare issues and leads to burn out, meaning that individuals are left with no inner resources to draw from. Very few of us can sustain working ‘in the zone’ for the duration of one working day and yet many of us attempt this every extended working day! People who work from home work even longer hours unable to draw the line between work and home.
If this strikes a chord with you, take the opportunity now to step off the treadmill for a moment and really reflect on your own work-life balance with the help of 10 Good Reasons to Work Your Proper Hours list and come up with 10 good reasons of your own to make that change and another 10 on how you’re going to get started this Target Tuesday to achieve the right balance between work and life.
1. You deserve to be rewarded fairly for any work you do.
2. Deep down you know that ‘working smarter not harder’ really does make sense!
3. You want to be a positive role model for your family and colleagues.
4. Because you DO have a choice! By working an extended day everyday, you are silently communicating that this is ok with you.
5. Your children don’t believe you can really cook!
6. You will never be glad you spent more time at work than with your family
7. You’ve got a life or need to get one!
8. You’ll come back to work more refreshed the next day.
9. It’s ages since you caught ‘BluePeter’ on T.V!
10. You value yourself enough.
So, go on, take the opportunity to leave work on time and start developing a habit that is good for your health!
Tuesday 8 September 2009
How to Network
To maximise your current situation you need to consider your network of contacts and what you need to do to maintain and develop them. Do you need to make new contacts? I discovered this helpful resource explaining activities on networking by the Open University
The origin of a network lies in a common interest or an interest people have for each other. The basis of a network is trust and it is important that you maintain remote networks and keep in contact with all your networks for the benefit of managing across boundaries. Don’t be afraid to take the initiative to develop and build networks. The quality of personal relationships is one of the foundations of a network. If relations between members are not good, this will adversely affect cooperation and trust and therefore, the way the network operates.
Share your comments in reply to this post on how you see yourself building networks in the future or how you have gone about building existing networks in the past that support you.
Attending events (e.g. training courses, conferences and work socials)
Keeping in touch with people you meet through the course of your work
Professional associations or unions
Online social networking tools
Sharing experience of networking is beneficial to all because we can learn about others’ approaches and also share some of the trials associated with building and expanding our networks.
One of the key advantages for me from working in collaborative ways is the opportunity to learn from others. Individual people have different skills and know different things, and that it is important to try to tap into that individual knowledge for your own personal development and lifelong learning. Distributed knowledge is an example of the diversity and complexity that are an important part of our lives. The diversity of experience and knowledge among people is a unique strength, but only if it is utilised effectively
Monday 7 September 2009
Improve Your Memory
Memory Exercise
Tips and habits for memory improvement
25 memory improvement tips and habits
How to improve long term memory
Goals, commitment and practice
”Improve Your Memory” is for all those people who believe they have a poor memory. The contents of this book will completely change your perspective on memory.
The book is available in Large Print and Braille. Please contact Skillkick direct for cost & postage.
Saturday 5 September 2009
Time Management Pie Charts
It is a really useful exercise to look at how you spend each hour of your day. It doesn't take long to discover there is little slack and you migth find that you get bogged down from time to time.
Firstly, take some coloured pencils, crayons or felt tips.
Draw a circle and divide into 24 segments, representing 24 hours of the day. You can list the hours if you wish or draw a table.
Monitor how you spend 24 hours of a day and colour in the segements accordingly. Pick a colour to represent an activity.
Don’t forget to draw your key to show what each colour represents ; then repeat the process to design your ideal. How would you ideally like to be spending your work day and the rest of the hours that make up your day?
Compare the two and start to make some small changes to change the way you spend your time to be more like your ideal. You could get up early during the week to gain 1 hour every morning, plus 1-2 hours every evening by cutting down on watching TV. If you have children, perhaps you could take turns to take your children out for a half day at the weekend to get a 4-hour block of time for doing whatever you like. Could you share babysitting with a friend so that alternate weeks gives you a free day?
Review your time chart and think about how you can make changes. I make time charts on a regular basis, to monitor how my time is being spent and make changes accordingly. Sometimes, I find myself drifting into spending too much time on one thing and not on another and it helps me find balance. I find it a really useful exercise.
Friday 4 September 2009
Book Review: Creating You & Co
What are you reading at the moment? I recently finished reading ‘Creating You and Co” William Bridges, the author, talks about how in today’s business environment, workers must begin to think of themselves as independent contractors, not lifetime employees. He talks you through a process that examines the market’s needs and your own resources to find work that both satisfies and supports you. He provides a career development programme in four easy steps:
•How to discover and describe the unique mix of resoures that you bring to the new work place
•How to develop an eye for markets and use it to search for the best places to apply your resources
•How to combine the personal data about your resources with the external information about opportunitites into a viable product
•How to reinvent your career as a one person business, built around the creation and delivery of that product and how to create a practical plan to develop that business.
Part 1: WHY YOU NEED YOU AND CO has two chapters
In Chapter 1 ‘WHY IT’S SO HARD TO FIND A REALLY GOOD JOB’ – he talks about how jobs are changing and where to focus your energies. He advises on how you can look into the futre at what industries are developing. There are a list of questions to ask yourself.
In chapter 2, ‘FINDING YOUR LIFEWORK THROUGH YOUR D.A.T.A’ – the author discusses old qualifications and new qualifications and helps you to focus on your D.A.T.A – DESIRES, ABILITIES, TEMPERAMENT and ASSETS
Part 2: MINING YOUR D.A.T.A has four chapters
In chapter 3, ‘DESIRES:WHY YOU SHOULD DO WHAT YOU WANT’ – the author discusses why desires create effectiveness and how to identify your desires. He talks you through some key steps and there are some activities to do.
In chapter 4:. 'ABILITIES: WHAT ARE YOU GOOD AT?' – the question ‘do you know what your abilities are’ is asked and looks at what you can do! What are your abilities? There’s a chart for you to complete looking at all areas of your life – hobbies, interests, family life, friends, relationships, professional relationships, other ativities etc.
In chapter 5: YOUR TEMPERAMENT AND YOUR VOCATION’ – the author asks you to look at the core of who you are. What is your temperament and what does it tell you?
In chapter 6: IDENTIFYING YOUR ASSETS - the chapter looks at skills, credentials, experiences and there’s a table to complete to work through an exercise.
Part 3: TURNING YOUR D.A.T.A INTO A PRODUCT has 4 chapters
In chapter 7: FINDING YOUR OPPORTUNITY – you examine your market, advice on how to identify potential markets and identify unmet needs. There’s a step by step exercise to follow.
In chapter 8: CREATING YOUR PRODUCT – looks at envisioning your market. The author talks about how you don’t need to be entrepreneur or have a cutting edge product. There’s an exercise to look at designing your product.
In chapter 9: RUNNING YOUR MICROBUSINESS - the author looks at the future of small business and a whole series of steps on how to remodel your career into a business.
In chapter 10: MAKING YOUR PLAN AND GETTING STARTED – the final chapter covers how to create your business plan.
All in all a brilliant book and one I definitely recommend!
Thursday 3 September 2009
What's on your bucket list?
You can read the items on the bucket list featured in the film.
Here are suggestions for creating and managing your Bucket List from Lifehacker
1. Make sure you get satisfaction and joy from your day to day stuff. Don’t suffer the 99% to get to the 1% you enjoy. Make the whole experience an enjoyable one.
2. Don’t buy into your ideas and turn them into goals right away. Mull them over. If you weigh them carefully, you’ll probably find you can improve, replace or cancel them while enhancing your overall life experience.
3. Make a plan and enjoy the process. Planning is not optional. It is a generally accepted as being a requirement by most of the experts in the field of setting and achieving goals.
4. Review list items often to make sure you still want to do it. The bucket list should be open ended. Maintain enough flexibility that you don’t become a slave to your own list. Make sure you keep working on adding new items while completing others.
5. Find ways to make each goal more meaningful. Include dimensions of quality within the items on your list. If you involve like-minded people in group activities, you’ll likely get much more from the experience than if you don’t. For solitary pursuits, take steps to ensure you get the most from the experience
6. Document and share your goals for added enjoyment. If life is worth living, it ought to be worth writing about so commit some of these planning steps to writing. Writing the stuff down is a proven technique for turning goals into reality. Sharing them with others helps to cement your commitment to the goals and to bring others into the process. Don’t involve pessimists or nay-sayers in the process.
7. Don’t get obsessed with big “retail” goals. You are not required to share your secret fetish goals, or any goals for that matter, with others if you don’t want to. One strategy is to identify public and private goals and only share the public ones. Keep quiet about the private ones. Financial goals are often ones that are wise to keep private. But do celebrate your private accomplishments as you would your public ones. Don’t worry about it if they aren’t big or flashy.
8. Ensure your goals are consistent with who you are. Or reshape them to suit your style and preferences. For example, introverts and extroverts alike can enjoy a certain travel destination like say the Eiffel Tower, yet experience it quite differently.
It really got me thinking about the 101 things to do in 1001 Days Project. The mission is to complete 101 preset specific tasks in a period of 1001 days. 1001 days – that’s two and three-quarter years. What do you want to complete in the next two and three-quarter years? This caught my eye because it is quite specific and futher into the future than every day to-do lists but not so far away like thinking about the rest of your life. I’m going to have some fun and start working on mine…
Here are some books that will help you get started:
Start with this – it’s only £3.79! 132 Seize the Days
Richard Horne’s 101 series are good fun!
To-Do List
Dream It. List It. Do It.
Travel books
1001 Books
This is a nifty site for calculating dates that you wish to achieve things by.
For all you list lovers, here’s a couple of great sites for you:-
My 50
TaDa List
If you have your list for sharing, post us a link!
Wednesday 2 September 2009
What Motivates You?
Hi Everyone,
There are some interesting ‘free’ motivation at work, job satisfaction etc questionnaires on the pmsleuropa website:
When you enter the site: follow the instruction to – click here to use the questionnaires,
Register as a new user, then test your registration,
Then follow the instruction to – click here to use the questionnaires,
Then scroll down to the Motivation at Work questionnaire and Job Satisfaction Index.
You may be surprised by the results or you may be perplexed by them. Either way, it may be fun to compare and discuss the results.
This will give you specific pointers to your own motivation triggers. Then you may wish to review and investigate motivational theories in order to go a bit deeper. The link below is a start on motivation theory