Ways That Businesses Are Choosing To Help The Planet

Let’s face it we all want to make sure we are looking after the planet, and making sure that we are doing our best is something that many people wish to achieve through their businesses as well. There are many incentives in a few countries that can help you get the right software, and processes in place that will help you reduce the damage that your business does to the environment. Keep into incentives, and legislation's that are in place can actually benefit your business and the planet at the same time. We are all still learning, but making sure that we have enough energy in the right places, Without damaging the environment is great work.

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash

Energy Consumption
The energy that we use comes from various sources, and unrenewable sources can cause damage to the environment. It is important that we look at alternatives, and reduce our energy consumption as much as possible. LED lights led shop lights can reduce the amount of energy that a business uses, as can take in shorter journeys, doing video calling rather than driving to a different office, and deciding whether something is necessary to start with. There are energy companies that can help you choose a renewable source, and these are also worth looking into as a business. Being resourceful, and caring about the environment is an admirable thing to do for any business.

Recycling
Recycling anything that we use that can be recycled within a business is essential. If your deliveries come in carpal boxes then finding a way to recycle these sooner rather than later is important for the environment. Making sure that we do our part and are responsible as possible it’s something that all businesses should undertake. If items or products that you use aren’t recyclable, then finding an alternative is something that could be considered easily. It’s all takes time and energy, but to help reduce the effects on the planet it is important.

Reducing
Would you saying everything right down as much as possible, by turning off lights when we leave a room, printing only what is absolutely necessary, and making sure that we don’t order too much in at one time, helps reduce with the amount of waste that we send out to landfill. Even having items that are recyclable if they aren’t needed in the first place is a waste of time. Reducing down the amount of electricity will use and the amount of wood, paper and cardboard will use, is a huge step in the right direction. There are many resources that you can find it will help point you in the right direction and no doubt you could even ask your children who are learning all about it in school to help you with the research. Many business owners don’t know where to start, but this isn’t a problem and there are plenty of people there to help.

Ultimately small steps in the right direction will always end up being positive. So doing what you can and doing your best is to be admired.

Travel Extras We Can Consider

When we are considering booking our next trip to add to our travel plans, we tend to think about the overall trip and sometimes we need to think about how this trip we book can enhance our lives, and what we can do to add to that experience that we love called travelling. It doesn’t have to be the over the top and expensive excursions, and it doesn’t even have to be anything expensive. But as the saying goes when in Rome…

Photo by Capturing the human heart. on Unsplash

Hobbies
Many of us have a hobby of some kind or other, or something that we have tried in the past whether when travelling or not. And each of us has a preference for activities that we would like to do. If we like golfing whilst we’re at home, then finding somewhere local to try out your golfing techniques, is a wonderful idea for when you are travelling. For example, you may love walking, and finding the local hills or mountains that are able to provide you with an activity to walk for miles, is a worthwhile activity. Many people who choose to travel, also enjoy fishing. And fishing for Walleye as a beginner whilst travelling is something that many people absolutely enjoy. Adding to your experience of travelling through these sorts of activities is a great idea all round.

History
Discovering the history of your intended destination is an activity that can really immature experience. History is all around us at all times. Of course, they’re going to be sunny areas that you travel to that have a deeper and richer history than others. And some history may not be as presents to experience and find out about than others. But this is especially important and something to discover and experience where are you travelling with or without children. Of course, we mustn’t forget the mistakes humans have made in the past, and different countries have different ideas on what we have done until now. History can provide you with some amazing destinations such as castles and moats that are still standing even many years later. Taking a camera to these areas of interest, and to these historical events, will help you document and record the day. You could even start a blog like many other people do and record everything that happens during your travels. No doubt the children would love to read about these adventures as they get older.

Art
That is and always has been a subjective matter, there are many of us that belief going around in that gallery and checking out the artwork on display is a wonderful way to experience art. The great thing about art is that it’s universal, whatever you enjoy somebody else could enjoy or disagree with as well. Enabling yourself and your family to enjoy all the hard work art had on offer.

Whatever you decide to add on to your experience of travel as an extra, make sure you do it with confidence and with professional guides. It’s tempting to try and save money in this area, but it really can make or break a trip, and it’s something that you should consider carefully.

10 Easy Ways To Prepare For Going Back To College

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

One of the hardest things about going back to college is knowing how to prepare. With so many different things to consider before stepping back through those doors, you need to ensure you're as prepared as you can be. Luckily, there are lots of ways you can organize yourself before you get started. From doing as much research as you can to stocking up on stationery essentials, the more you're doing in advance the better. With that in mind, here are 10 easy ways to prepare for going back to college:

Do As Much Research As You Possibly Can
One of the first things you need to ensure you’re doing is research, as this will allow you to get a feel for the classes you’re about to take. Whether you’re researching the layout of your campus or reading reviews on professors, you need to ensure you’re as prepared as you can possibly be. If you have the opportunity to go different open days to get a feel for the college, make sure you’re spending as much time as you can there. This will give you a chance to find your way around and meet your professors. For a guide to open days at college, you can visit this site here.

Choose Classes That Are Going To Benefit You
When you’re given the opportunity to choose your classes, you need to ensure you’re picking classes that are going to benefit you in your future career. Although you may want to try something new and exciting, having the best qualifications is your best way to get ahead in a competitive environment. If you want to try something fun, you may want to consider joining a team or starting your own college club.

Memorize Your New Schedule
Once you’ve chosen your classes and you’ve been given your schedule, you need to take the time to memorize what classes you have and when. Although it will soon become second-nature to you, those first few weeks are important and you wouldn’t want to miss a class. If it helps, write your schedule in your planner or store it on your phone. When you first arrive at college during orientation, walk around to find out where each of your classes will be held.

Stock Up On Stationery Essentials
Another great way to prepare for going back to college is to stock up on stationery essentials. From notebooks and pens to calculators and other mathematical equipment, you need to ensure you have absolutely everything you need to get through your time at college. If you’re unsure about what you’re going to need, your college should be able to provide you with a list. In most cases, you’ll find it’s better to over-purchase than to be under-prepared. For a list of essentials you may need during your time at college, you can visit this site here.

Take A Look At The Recommended Reading
When you have picked up all of the essentials for college, you can start to look at the recommended reading you have been given for your classes. You will find that some reading is compulsory and some are considered to be optional, but if you want to get ahead you will definitely benefit from reading as much as you possibly can. Whether you’re studying nursing or marketing, chances are you’re going to have a huge pile of books in your Amazon basket. If you are thinking of studying nursing and you need a great college to go to, you can visit the Regis College website here.

Consider Signing Up For Extra-Curricular Activities
If you want to make your college experience as fulfilling as you possibly can, why not sign up for some extra-curricular activities? Whether you join the student band or you join one of the many societies that are available to you, extra-curricular activities are a great way to make friends during your time at college. Not only that, but they give you something to look forward to when your day is filled with lectures and classes. If you can’t find a society or club for something that is a passion of yours, you may want to consider starting your own.

Join College Facebook Groups
If you’re worried about not knowing anyone before you start college, joining Facebook groups is a great way to meet people beforehand. From meeting people in your classes to finding people who have common interests, the best place to connect before school starts is online.

Make Connections As Soon As You Can
When you arrive at college and you’re just getting started, you need to start making connections with people as soon as you possibly can. Although it may be overwhelming and you won’t know anyone, the more people you start talking to the better. Luckily, there will lots of different ice-breaker activities for you to take part in. From orientation days to welcome parties, you need to ensure you’re getting involved in absolutely everything during your first few months at college.

Start Getting Your Finances In Order
Another important thing to bear in mind when it comes to college is that you need to have finances that are in order. College can be incredibly expensive and if you’re not looking after your finances properly, chances are you’re going to struggle. If it helps, why not consider starting a part-time job outside of college hours? From waitressing to bartending, there are lots of options available to you.

Have A Positive Attitude
Finally, you need to ensure you have a positive attitude. College can be incredibly stressful and if you’re not looking at things with a positive point of view, you may find that you’re going to have a tough time. When things go wrong, take a step back and calmly think about how you’re going to fix things.

Are you heading back to college soon? What do you need to do to ensure you're as prepared as you can be? Have we missed anything? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.

Why Companies Are Investing in Sustainable Product Design

There’s been a huge rise in interest in environmental matters in recent years, from both consumers and corporations. This is due to increased knowledge about the damage that humans are doing to the planet, and the fact that we’re already beginning to see the effects of climate change. If we’re going to prevent things from getting even worse, then we all need to work together to find a more sustainable way to live.

However, while we’ll all need to play our parts, the responsibility is shared equally. Much of the damage inflicted on the natural world comes from large corporations, rather than from members of the public. While some companies continue to shirk their responsibilities, others are helping to lead the charge, and are actively making investments that’ll lead to more sustainable practices, especially when it comes to the design of the product. The design is especially targeted because it can lead to much improved sustainability practices without reducing the quality.

And there are reasons why companies are investing in sustainable design that extend beyond it simply being the right thing to do. It can help improve their relationship with their customers, who are increasingly likely to shun companies that reject their wider social responsibilities.

As such, CEOs are increasingly concerned with the LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) side of their operations. While this isn’t always easy, it is worthwhile, as it can lead to a significantly improved carbon footprint for their products. To learn more, check out the infographic from the University of California Riverside below.


Infographic by University of California Riverside University of California Riverside

4 Ways To Get Rid Of Your Clutter

Image Source: Pixabay CCO License

Got lots of unwanted possessions in your home that you’d like to get rid of? There are more ways to dispose of these items than simply taking them to the dump. Here are just four different ways of getting rid of clutter and how you can get the best out of each.

Sell it
Some of your unwanted possessions may still be valuable and in good condition. Selling such items could allow you to make some money.

There are many different ways to sell clutter. A few popular options include:

• Auctions (for valuable and rare items)

• Flea markets

• Yard sales

• Second-hand stores

• Online marketplaces such as eBay, Amazon and Gumtree

• Online auctions

Each form of selling has its pros and cons. While a yard sale can be cheap and convenient, you may not be able to attract buyers for certain niche items as you would online or at a second hand store.

It’s worth trying different methods of selling items to maximize your chances of reaching a sale. Consider getting certain items professionally valued so that you know exactly what price to set them at – you don’t want to accidentally sell a precious antique for a couple dollars.

Donate it
Certain items may not be as valuable or in as great condition, but may still be of use to someone. Donating these items could be an option in such cases.

Items could simply be gifted to friends or family. Alternatively, you may know a local school or business that may benefit from them.

There’s also the option of donating to charities. Charity shops will accept any items that you want to donate and will then choose whether or not to sell them (the proceeds will then go to whatever charity is running the store). You could also donate items directly to places of charity such as food banks or orphanages.

Recycle it
Recycling items is ideal for items that are broken but may still have valuable parts. It allows these parts to be reused and repurposed in order to be turned into other products. It’s more eco-friendly than dumping items and in some cases you can even get money for recycling goods.

Recycling companies tend to specialize in a specific good or material such as e-waste or glass. Some companies may be able to collect your items, while others may prefer you to post your item.

If you’re a craftsman, you may be able to find creative ways of repurposing items yourself and then selling them. For instance, you can turn old wine bottle into candle holders and old vinyl records into ashtrays.

Chuck it
Most items can be sold, donated or recycled. However, for those items that are pure trash, hiring a skip may be your best option.

Chucking out items takes a lot less work than selling, donating or recycling, but is the least friendly option for the planet. Always consider other options first so that you can reduce your waste.

How To Prevent And Treat Muscle Pain After A Workout

If you want to stay fit and healthy, you need to exercise regularly. But starting a new exercise routine is tough and a lot of people give up after a few weeks. There are all sorts of reasons why some people struggle to stick to a workout routine, but muscle pain is a common one.

Image From Pixabay CCO License

When you exercise, your muscles are put under a lot of stress and it’s normal for them to feel a little sore afterwards. In most cases, this isn’t a problem, but some people find that they get severe muscle pain and it stops them from working out anymore. The good news is, there are some simple things that you can do to get around the issue. These are the best ways to prevent and treat muscle pain after exercise.

Do Exercises Properly
A lot of the time, you get muscle pain because you aren’t doing exercise in the right way. This is very common when people work out in a home gym because they don’t have any professional advice. But if you are doing exercises incorrectly, especially weight lifting of any kind, you could be doing yourself a lot of damage and that might be why your muscles are so sore. It’s important that you seek expert advice from a personal trainer or at least look up the correct way to do exercises online. Make sure that you always take notice of your form and do exercises correctly, and you should find that you see an improvement in your muscle pain.

Don’t Ignore Rest Days
Rest days are an important part of your exercise routine, but a lot of people ignore them. They think that the best way to see results is to keep pushing themselves and exercising every single day. But you need to give your body time to heal if you are going to exercise effectively and avoid any injuries. There are no hard and fast rules about how many rest days you need and it all depends on your body, but you should take at least one or two a week. Most importantly, listen to your body and if you feel a lot of muscle pain after a workout, take a day off.

Eat Properly
Another common reason that people get muscle pain is that they are not eating properly after a workout. When you exercise, your muscles are damaged and they need to rebuild themselves. Protein is a very important part of that process and you need to make sure that you eat a meal that is very high in protein after you finish exercising. It’s also important that you consume enough calories so your body has the energy that it needs to repair itself. If you find that your muscles are always sore after a workout, you should increase your protein intake and see if that makes a difference. There are lots of foods, like eggs, fish, meat, and dairy that all have high levels of protein. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you should eat plenty of beans and nuts because they are also high in protein.

Try CBD Oil
Swelling and inflammation is the main cause of muscle pain after exercise, so anything to reduce that will make a big difference. CBD oil is such a popular trend right now because it has a lot of health benefits, and reducing inflammation and swelling is one of them. A lot of people worry about CBD because it is linked to marijuana and they wonder, what does CBD oil feel like and will it have the same effect as smoking marijuana. The simple answer is, no it won’t. CBD has no psychoactive effects so you don’t need to worry. But it will help with your muscle pain so it’s worth giving it a try.

Ice Baths
Ice baths might sound like your worst nightmare, but they are great if you have sore muscles. Just like CBD oil, they will help you to reduce inflammation and swelling in the muscles. They can cause your muscles to contract and tighten so do not take one immediately after a workout, it’s best to do it the following day or at least a few hours afterwards. Ice baths have a lot of other health benefits as well, so it’s a good thing to add to your workout routine.

Don’t let sore muscles put you off exercising and getting fit. Just follow these simple steps and you should notice a big improvement in no time.

How To Create A Calm Work Environment

When you run your own business, you are always juggling one hundred and one things. You are constantly on the go and you never seem to get to the end of that to-do list. It is good to be busy, at least that’s what you always tell yourself! When you have so many plates spinning, it can make a real difference to be able to center yourself from time to time in an oasis of calm. That is why today we want to share with you a few suggestions around how to create a calm work environment.

Image Pixabay - Pixabay License 

Think about the decor
The first place to start is by thinking about the decor of your office or premises.

If you work alone from home, are you able to create your own space dedicated to your work? It can help to do so as you will have everything that you need to hand in that place and you can then set about styling and decorating your home office. Try to position your workstation somewhere bright and airy with plenty of natural light, and then operate a clear desk policy to keep things organized.

If you work with a team, then get them to help you create the perfect office by taking on board their ideas and feedback. By changing colors, flooring and lighting, you can have a completely new look office.

Focus on the atmosphere
With the decor setting you up for a calm day at the office, you can now focus on the atmosphere. Can you add little touches to lighten and relax the mood? Perhaps a few potted plants, some background music and a positive buzz around the room will make all the difference?

If you are working with others, aim to give everyone their own dedicated workspace, but try to keep everyone close and connected. This helps to give everyone a safe and comfortable area to work from whilst building a friendly team atmosphere.

Remove any obstacles
There are often obstacles to working calmly in any business. They are usually those frustrations that seem to rear their heads from time to time and upset the status quo and throw out your entire day.

For example, you might want to employ an IT Services company to take the stress and hassle out of IT complications for you, or perhaps you know that you should hire a bookkeeper to take care of that side of your business as it always raises stress levels.

Role model calm
If you work with a team of people, then you are going to need to be a role model here and you need to role model calm. If your team constantly see you in an emotional or energetic state, they are likely to follow your lead and react in the same way.

It is always essential that you start with your own inner peace and that should then send ripple effects out to the rest of your team. You can take a look at https://www.tprf.org/prem-rawat/ for more around the message of peace and how to achieve it as it can make a significant impact at work.

Is a Destination Wedding Right for You?

A destination wedding could be the perfect choice for your special day. But before you decide whether it's right for you, there are some pros and cons to consider. Having a destination wedding isn't the best option for every couple, so it's important to think about whether it's something that you really want. If you're not sure yet if it's the right choice, here are some top criteria.

You're Willing to Accept a Smaller Guest List
A destination wedding might not always mean a smaller guest list. If most of your guests would have been traveling from out of town anyway, a destination wedding might not make any difference. However, if you're making everyone travel when they might not have, you will need to accept that some people might not be able to make it.

You've Considered the Cost
It is possible to have a destination wedding without it costing a lot. But it's also very easy for the costs to run away from you when you want a wedding away from home. In addition, it's worth thinking about the costs to your guests, and whether you're willing to help any of them out.

You're Prepared to Put in the Work
Planning a wedding is always stressful, but it can sometimes be more difficult if you're planning a destination wedding. You have to handle all of the same things, but you might not even be in the same country as the venue. You need to be organized and prepared to take on the work involved.


Infographic Design By Carolina Designs' Wedding Checklist

A Quick Guide To Strengthening Your Personal Brand

If you have a product or message to promote, one of the best ways you can do this is by creating a personal brand. Your personal brand can say a lot about you, what you stand for, and your business. If you don’t have a brand then you run the risk of falling into obscurity. Below, you’ll find some advice that will help you to strengthen your brand:

1. Think About Your Image
Although we’ve all been brought up to believe looks aren't everything, they do matter when it comes to your personal brand. The type of car you drive can say a lot about you when you’re out and about or meeting clients. This doesn’t mean you have to drive the fanciest car you can afford, either. If you want to become known as a champion for climate change, then you’d make sure you were driving an environmentally friendly car.

2. Provide Value
Creating a personal brand means you have to provide people with value. What can you teach them? How can you entertain them? What sort of content can you create? Providing value to others could be in the form of instagram quotes, youtube videos, or even blog posts. Whatever you feel comfortable. Just make sure you’re offering your own unique spin on a subject.

3. Take Great Pictures
Great visuals are one of the keys to creating a strong personal brand. The info-graphic below will tell you that, and much more.


credit to University of Maryland

I Thought Home Renovations Were A Nightmare Until I Found Block Renovation

I’m sure I’m not the only person in the world who absolutely hates the thought of home renovations. Over the years, I’ve done my fair share of them, but I’m no expert. So when my best friend in New York called me fretting over re-doing her bathroom, I vowed to help her find a solution. She and her partner haven’t touched their bathroom since they moved into their place ten years ago.

In an effort to keep her from getting overwhelmed by the lengthy process, I began researching everything from contractors, to what kind of permits she’d need (I’ve always been the organized one in our friendship!) After reading through one of my favorite interior design blogs, I stumbled across Block Renovation.

After a little more digging, I saw that Block is a service that helps with the entire process of renovating your bathroom or kitchen. I told my friend about it, and she agreed that having someone else help with all of the madness sounded great, but was sure it would be super expensive, and worried most of the organizing would still fall on her.

Since Block offers a free online quote, I encouraged her to check it out. She called me a couple of days later telling me she was pretty surprised to learn a couple things-

Clear estimate, fast! After they quickly inputted their details online (what type of room, kind of building, square footage, etc), she spoke to a Block project planner and received an estimate shortly after.

A dedicated project planner. After sending images of her space, she worked with a hands-on project planner that conducted a site survey to get a better idea of what needed to be done, including permits and co-op board approval.

Seeing the design. She has been working closely with a designer that created a 3D rendering of their new bathroom, so that she would know exactly what it would look like before making a decision.

Project Speed. The break ground date is much quicker than expected. They're relieved that the Block team will handle everything, from coordinating deliveries of materials, to setting them up with a vetted, certified general contractor.

Peace of mind and wallet. The project is shaping up to be more affordable than they expected, even more valuable has been not having to coordinate the whole redesign saved them tons of time and headache. A lot of this would have landed on me anyways so I’m thankful.

I'm so happy I could help my friend with this by finding Block Renovation. She is super excited and having so much fun picking the tiles and fixtures! I can't wait to pay them a visit and see the end result. All of her excitement is making me want to redo my bathroom…... When will Block come to New Orleans?

Background Money Drainers Entrepreneurs Ignore

Background money drainers are the sneaky ones that seem to add up, yet not to a business’s knowledge. Because these background money drainers are so slow in comparison to other expenditures, it’s easy to mistake them as irrelevant. Which is also easy to understand. It’s like with the bills in our personal lives. We’re so aware of the price to keep the house heated, or the price of our phone bill each month. But we don’t account for all of the random subscriptions we pay, parking for work, donations to charities. We ignore them because they’re so small in comparison to other things in our life. It’s the same with your business. It’s so easy to think that the smaller payments you’re making are nothing at all because you’ve got big budgets for things like marketing and sales. So, we are going to make you aware of some of the background money drainers that you might have been ignoring, and how much you might be able to save if you check them out!

 Image Source

Downtime
Downtime is one that many small businesses suffer from. Even big business websites sometimes have to deal with downtime due to the maintenance of their website. But, it’s important to remember that there is a difference between maintenance and downtime. Downtime happens when you use servers that are overloaded, or are hosting your website on a poor network. Downtime can be reduced by working with companies such as Solution Partner to make sure that you’re always online. They can handle the IT tasks that you would usually try and do yourself, such as spending hours on the phone to your hosting company to try and find out what’s going on. Downtime can have a terrible impact on your sales, and your reputation as a business.

Staff Not Needed
It's hard to judge when you're going to need staff. It's easy to think that you're in need of staff when you're actually not going to be in need of them all year long. This can lead to an overspending during slower times of the year, such as the month of January. Other than making someone redundant or cutting down someone's hours, you can only reduce other costs of your business to balance it back out again. It's also important to factor this in for any other employees that you hire. Be sure to make sure that you can afford to have them on your payroll all year round.

Purchasing Likes On Social Media
This is a bit of a random one to finish up on as we know it's not going to be a problem that everyone is having. But some small businesses go down this route, and it's easy to see why. It just seems like a business is more reliable if they have tons of followers and a lot of likes on their social media. But spending too much on it is a trap that many small businesses fall into. It can then turn into spam if people notice that you're paying for your likes.

Four Areas To Improve In Your Business

Improving your business is one thing that you want to be actively doing to make sure your company is continuing to grow and be successful. Here are four areas to improve in your business.

Image Source: Pexels

The IT Support
IT support is critical in business because there will be times where things go wrong with technology, and you need someone on-site to be able to fix it so everything can continue as normal. The same can be said for when you need really complex work doing, where you might not have that type of experience readily available in-house. That’s where https://www.xbase.com/ comes in as they are able to offer managed services to help enable you to get on with other things that should take more priority. Having a stable and efficient IT department and support network is essential, and so if that’s not the case as of yet, it might be time to put some focus on this department to help improve it.

Work Productivity
Keeping the workplace productive is harder than it looks, but once you’ve figured out how to make the work environment a better place, you’ll find that the productivity levels will go up as a result. Find out why they’re low and whether there’s any regularity between those low and high periods. It might be due to it being a specific time of year, or maybe it’s due to the workplace itself being a bit of a dive, and it needs a bit of a pick me up. There are plenty of reasons why, so work out the problems and go about fixing them as best you can.

Staff Happiness
Keeping your staff happy should be your number one priority. They are, after all, the glue that’s holding the business together, and they reflect a lot of your company’s success so far. Work on making their working day more enjoyable and be sure to reward great work and success to those who deserve it. As a company, it’s important to show praise and give rewards, for those who are making a difference. It’s unfair as a company to just keep all the glory and success at the very top of the chain. Be sure to spread the wealth to all areas of the company so that everyone is happy.

Customer Service
Keeping your customers on your side is one thing that you should always look to spend time on as a business. A lot of businesses tend to forget about the relationship between themselves and those who provide profit for the business. As a company, you want to be turning one-time customers into regular shoppers, and you’re not going to get that if you treat them poorly. So try to invest more effort into your customer service department.

The list will be never-ending, no matter where your company goes and how much success it has. So keep contributing and never be complacent with what you’ve got because there’s so much more that you could have.

The Importance of IT Services for Your Business

If the idea of IT often has you scratching your head, that’s okay. You don’t necessarily need to understand everything the pros do in order to understand the importance of IT services, and how they can impact your business.

Whether you’ve got a home-based business or work for a bigger corporation, it’s imperative to have IT services in place, not only for security purposes but to keep operations running smoothly on a daily basis. Companies like www.umbrella-ms.com help businesses to stay secure and avoid major IT issues, like crashes.

So, what are the real important factors surrounding IT services? Why should you make them a priority for your business?

Image Source: Pixabay 

Data Management and Storage
Your data is important. Keeping it organized, safe, and easily-manageable? That’s even more important. IT professionals can help you to keep your data stored securely, whether that includes payroll numbers, HR details, or confidential records. When your data isn’t stored properly, it makes it easy for hackers and cyber criminals to get a hold of it, and that could put your business (or you, personally) at risk.

IT Professionals Know What You Need
Let’s be honest, you probably didn’t get into a business because you’re a whiz with IT. You had a great idea, and you wanted to pursue that dream. The reality is, technology is continuously accelerating and it can be hard to keep up if you don’t know what you’re doing.

So, letting someone who actually is an IT whiz keep you up to date with things like memory storage, processing servers, and smart applications can keep your business running smoothly and make sure the technology you’re using is relevant.

Staying Secure and Well-Monitored
When most people think of IT services, security is what comes to mind. The main goal of an IT department is to keep your computer systems and networks safe. They’re able to put different antiviral programs in place to secure your systems from hardware malfunctions and online threats that could cause huge problems within your networks.

Most IT professionals will also do a great job of monitoring your security and daily operations. It’s not as though they’re just installing some software and running away. It’s their job to keep you protected on every level. Of course, if you do run into any technical issues, IT professionals are often easily-accessible and can fix a problem before it becomes too big to handle.

IT Builds Better Business
In addition to keeping your business safe and organized, an IT group can help you to grow and become more successful. Developers can create apps and programs specific to your business, which can encourage a higher customer engagement rate.

The bottom line? Don’t be so quick to ignore the importance of IT when it comes to your business, and don’t wait for a technical emergency before you bring an IT specialist on board. By having someone monitor and work with your networks on a regular basis, you’ll stay secure and up to date with all aspects of technology in your business.

New Year And A Weight Loss Goal? Here’s Some Tips To Try

Losing weight can be difficult for some of us. We can often find that we just have a stubborn part of our body that seems to hold excess fats. At this time of year especially, it can be a real focus for some people. There are a few ways you can get your body back to your desired shape and weight. It doesn’t mean any extreme diets, and you don’t have to head to the gym each day. Interested? Then here are five tips to help you lose that extra weight for good.

Image Source - Pixabay - CC0 License

Avoid liquid calories
As much as some of us can enjoy a nice glass of wine or two we are drinking more calories than we should be. So if you are interested in losing that extra weight try and avoid over drinking. There are 128 calories in a glass of red wine. 98 calories in a glass of sparkling wine. So if you do want to be sociable on a night out then try and go for some less calorific choices. Cutting down on alcoholic drinks, in general, can have more health benefits than just allowing you to lose weight. You skin tone and condition can improve and you can get a better night's sleep. It is worth considering.

Try non surgical procedures
There are many things you can try that don’t require you to go under the knife. Coolsculpting is one of them. This is where you can let a dermatologist know what your problem areas are so they can work on them. A session can last between one and three hours. This is when websites like Bodenvy.com can come in handy. You may want to do some research to see if some of these options are right for you.

Weight Loss Supplements
There are many weight loss supplements you can take that can help you lose weight and burn excess fat. They can help with the problem areas that you may struggle with the most. The difference is that some may not be as good for you as others. You could consider things like Raspberry ketone which has been very popular with celebrities such as Kim Kardashian.

Walking
While this article may have promised no daily visits to the gym exercise is still important for a healthy weight loss. However, walking is one of the best and most powerful ways to do it. You could actively walk more by making a conscious choice to walk somewhere instead of driving. Or walking a dog each day. A great way to encourage you to walk more and be more active would be to buy a tracker you can wear on your wrist. Brands like FitBit and Apple offer watches that can track the number of steps you take each day.

Adding foods to your diet
The main thought process would be you would have to take food away to lose weight. But sometimes adding a different variety can help. By this, we mean vegetables and fruit. Some qualities of nutrients and vitamins found in vegetables you may not include or eat less of in your diet can have a big impact on weight loss. Of course reducing some of the bad things like white carbohydrates can also help.

Let’s hope these tips help you lose that extra weight.

How to Introduce a New Dog to the Family

Regardless of whether you have owned dogs in the past or present, introducing a new animal to your ‘pack’ is an exciting time for everyone. However, it’s also important that it’s done properly to ensure that everyone concerned is safe and your new addition is made to feel as comfortable as possible. Remember, a new dog will simply know you as a room full of strangers, and patience is required while they come to terms with being in a new ‘pack’.

 Image Source: Pixabay

Introducing to Children
This is often the first place where families go wrong and accidents happen. The most important thing to remember is that children must never approach the new dog. Any interaction must be done on the dog’s terms in order to avoid the dog feeling overwhelmed or threatened — as it can lead to self-defensive behavior.

Humans are a lot less threatening to dogs if they are sitting, so it is wise to be seated before encouraging the dogs to come to them using treats. Remember, when the dog first gets to your home they will be overwhelmed with scents and will most likely spend the first few moments having a sniff and getting to know the room they are in. Make sure the children understand this and discourage them from constantly calling the dog in different directions. Remember to keep this meeting as calm as possible as you don’t want to provoke a fear response in the dog.

It is also vital that children understand that dogs generally dislike being hugged as this can make them feel trapped. It is best to ask children to refrain from hugging the dog until you have established if this is acceptable to them.

Children can get excited by the arrival of a new pet, but after the initial introduction try and encourage a calm environment. The dog will automatically start to feel more relaxed if they can see that other members of the family are also relaxing. Hiring a dog trainer can help you get over the hump if your dog is having problems acclimating to the new setting.

Get the children involved in your dog’s first visit to the vet at heartandpaw.com so they can start to feel like they are a part of caring for their new family member. Once you have established polite feeding habits with the dog, it is also a good idea to get children involved in this process as it can help establish the trust between both of them.

Introducing to Resident Dogs
The best way to introduce new dogs to existing pack members is to do so on neutral territory. A long walk together can often be the least stressful way for animals to get to know one another. Once back in the house, remove any items that the animals might fight over like toys, bones and treats, and if you notice any unwanted behaviors from either side, try to distract them before it turns into a fight. Have a place where you can isolate the dogs from each other to give them an opportunity to calm down should things get heated.

3 Tips For Booking A Family Vacation

It feels like everyone is thinking about those warmer, sunnier months at the moment, and it is no surprise that this is one of the most popular months for booking vacations. If you are starting to think about yours, then here are our 3 tips for booking a family vacation.

There should be one leader
Let’s get this one out up front. You should get everyone involved with your trip, of course, but then there should only be one leader. One of you (and given that you are reading this, it is probably going to be you!) will be responsible for doing the legwork on this one.

The reason for this is simple, it is more efficient to do it this way. There is no point in both of you working on this as the chances are that you will both end up covering the same ground. You will also both approach it differently, and it makes more sense to just have one of you working through it in your own methodical way.

You will want to check in with everyone else, but take the lead and get the research and organization completed alone.

Image Pixabay - Pixabay License

Ensure that the vacation is suited to everyone
You need to ensure that the vacation is suited to everyone, so this is all about research now.

Start by making a shortlist of the destinations that you are most interested in visiting, then make additional notes about what you want from your holiday, such as the type of accommodation or activities that are available to you. Think about what each member of your family likes to do on vacation, and check that those boxes are ticked.

You might settle on a family trip to El Nido or it might be a cruise around South America, just check in with everyone else that you are making the right choice here.

Along with looking at destinations, resorts and activities available, you will want to get some real life feedback on it all. Take some time to look at trip reviews, customer feedback and drop into some forums if they are available to you. You will find that there are often Facebook groups for the more well-known vacation destinations, or you could put a tweet out on Twitter inviting some feedback.

Give yourself time to shop around
Now that you have completed your research and everyone in your family is happy with the vacation that you want to book, it is time to shop around.

Whether you are looking into Borneo Eco Tours or a package trip to Europe, there will be a range of options available to you and you will find that offers run at certain times throughout the year. You might want to price up the flights, accommodation, food, transport and activities separately, or you might prefer to use a tour operator that can arrange all of that for you.

Weigh up costs versus service and convenience and then you can book with confidence that you have explored all options and found the best deal for your family.

Four Ways You Can Damage Your Ears

We take our senses for granted and it’s not until they’re gone, that we realize just how much we relied on them. When it comes to our ears, we want to do all we can to make sure our ear health is good and our hearing is perfect. So are four ways you can damage your ears so that you can avoid doing it yourself.

Image Source: Pexels

Spending Too Much Time In Loud Environments
It’s very easy to lose our hearing or part of it just by doing the usual things in life like attending a concert or having your television too loudly. This prolonged use of loud environments can really impact your ear health and you’ll soon see the problems that come with it. So try to avoid the amount of time you spend in these situations where possible and when you can, remove yourself from the space. For example, if someone in your family is watching television too loudly then simply take yourself into another room or ask them to turn it down. A lot of environments you can have some control but it’s not the case for every situation you find yourself in.

Using Cotton Swabs
Cotton swabs have been widely known for using in a variety of different ways. The most common one is to use them to remove ear wax. However, as common as it is, it’s really not healthy to be using cotton swabs because they actually push the wax down further towards the eardrum and then you could potentially do damage to your hearing in that way. Bin those cotton swabs and if you’re still needing to remove ear wax, then you should be looking at what other options are available and the ones that are going to be more appropriate and more importantly, don’t do further damage to your hearing.

Ignoring Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be something you pick up on and may already be aware of. It’s important not to lose your attention to your hearing and you can learn more about the process of how to diagnose and treat hearing loss. But the best thing to do when it comes to hearing loss is to not ignore it when you know you’re suffering from it. Signs like asking someone to speak up or to repeat themselves or that muffled sound you get constantly when it comes to any general environment.

Not Taking Precautions
When you don’t take precautions, usually the worst can end up happening. You want to make sure that what you do is protect your ears from harm. Start by making sure you’re protecting your ears in noisy environments, especially if you work in one. Avoid getting anything in them and doing anything that could perforate your eardrums.

Damaging your ears can be easily done so do what you can to put precautions in place to avoid it. Don’t ignore any current hearing loss and do some digging to find out what you can do it to fix it.

How To Recover Quickly From The Common Cold

The common cold is something we all experience at some point in our lives and on multiple occasions. It can end up slowing us down disrupting our current schedule. So here are a few ways to recover quickly from the common cold and get back to full health.

Image Source: Pexels

Get Plenty Of Rest
It’s often too late to stop a common cold once you’ve started getting the symptoms because the infection was likely to have happened a few days before these started to show. However, as soon as you start to feel ill, have a sore throat, headache or drowsy, get to sleep. Try to book the following day off and spend the day asleep or resting on the sofa. Take a hot bath when you can and only get up to feed yourself fluids in the form of soups or broth. Rest is very important because it immediately makes you feel better. And the more sleep you get, the quicker the body will be able to fight off the illness. It’s never nice to be ill and so sleep is your body’s way of helping attack those foreign bodies in your body that is making you ill, to begin with.

Go To The Doctor
Getting medical help for most common colds are probably not advised because a lot can be treated with your usual paracetamol or pain killers and plenty of rest. The point at which you want to go and see a doctor is when you’re really not getting better from the rest and the cold doesn’t seem to be shifting. You can learn more about spotting these signs but if it’s not gone after a few days, some antibiotics or other medication might be needed in order to make yourself feel better.

Stay Hydrated
Keep yourself hydrated because there’s really nothing better than drinking water in significant amounts. Our bodies need water in order to survive and thrive and although our bodies can go with food for a few days, our bodies can't live without water. So try to keep yourself hydrated whilst resting because a lack of water won’t give you that energy and flush out toxins that are currently residing in your body. Try to monitor how much you’re drinking or get a family member or partner to do it. The more you can drink, the better you’re going to feel eventually.

Experiment With Typical Remedies
There are also a lot of old wives tales and remedies that might be worth trying out to see if any of them actually work for you. A few of these would be to have a mixture of honey, ginger and lemon with hot water for sore throats or eating raw garlic is meant to be good too. Do some research and see what helps you get better and recover more quickly.

Recovering from a common cold is something we’ve all done in the past and will continue to do so. Avoid it by washing your hands regularly and staying away from those with the bug.

Kate Jenkins | The Art Of Love Bakery At Harbour City

Not Sponsored: If you like knitting, crocheting, food, art or ANY combination of them, you will LOVE this post! I follow Harbour City on Instagram (it's a premier shopping mall in Hong Kong) and saw this amazing exhibit called The Art Of Love Bakery. Displayed were loaves of bread, hot cross buns, gingerbread men, croissants, bagels, pretzels, pies, cakes and tarts ... ok, I'll stop there! HaHaHa Delicious Huh? Just looking at everything made me hungry! Well these marvelous creations are FOOD INSPIRED textile art! The artist is Kate Jenkins. She is from the UK. She learned to knit and crochet when she was eight years old. She has a BA in Fashion & Textiles from the University of Brighton. She has worked with fashion labels from Missoni, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren etc. She creates these 3D pieces using wool rather than painting or drawing. Her creations are absolutely amazing. Below are some pictures from the Harbour City Exhibition. I've also included two videos of her work as well. Her artwork is available for purchase on her website.

"Sweet Blessings" Candy Box Chinese New Year Installation at Harbour City

Not Sponsored: How sweet is this "Sweet Blessings" Flower-Shaped Candy Box Installation at Harbour City for Chinese New Year 2020!?! It was constructed on the staircase of Ocean Terminal's main entrance. It is to "bring everyone good fortune, including egg rolls (good grades), Japanese taiyaki (abundance), macaroon (sweet love), assorted candies (joy), cookies (health and beauty) and cheese (ease), as well as gold bars and peach blossoms to wish everyone affluence and good life." It will be there until February 9, 2020.

Signs You Might Need A Hearing Check Up

Improving your hearing is only going to benefit your quality of health and life in general, yet some people don’t get hearing check-ups as regularly as they should be doing. Here are a few signs that you might need to go for a hearing check-up right now.

Image Source: Pexels

You Have Your TV On Too Loud
The television or your music device is a good indicator of whether you might need a hearing check-up. If you’re finding that you turn up your television too often, then it might be because your ears are struggling to hear quieter sounds. That is certainly an indication of some sort of hearing loss, however minor that might be. It’s worth getting this checked out sooner rather than later so that you’re not doing too much permanent damage to your eardrum by having music or your television on too loud. This is especially so when you have younger ears in your household too. You don’t want to be doing any damage to their ears.

Struggle To Understand When People Are Talking
Are you finding yourself asking others to speak up or repair what they’re saying? You may have those individuals telling you that you may want to get your hearing checked out, and if that’s the case, then you certainly want to follow up with that. You can learn more about what options are out there if you find out that you need a hearing aid in order to help with your hearing. Not being able to hear conversations can be tough because you never want to feel like you’re not paying attention to the conversation when, in fact, you’re probably putting in more effort to listen.

Sounds Like You’re In A Tunnel
A lot of people who suffer from hearing loss will often describe the hearing loss as sounding like you’re underwater or in a tunnel. If it sounds like that to you and sounds are sounding muffled or echoing, then you definitely want to approach an ear health professional to get it checked out. It can be annoying as well as distracting to not hear properly, and so it’s much more beneficial to everyone to get a look at what’s going on with your ears.

You’re Not Hearing Important Sounds
Important sounds can be anything from a fire alarm going off, the postman ringing on your doorbell, or even the sound of someone breaking into your home! Important sounds are really critical because if you don’t hear them, they could affect the quality of your day and even put you in danger. If you’ve missed these sounds before, then this is something you no longer want to ignore because you could be putting more than just yourself at risk.

Spotting these signs is good to do when it comes to your ear health. Getting a check-up is good for ease of mind but also to help improve the quality of your hearing so that you don’t miss out on the good things in life.

Looking After Your Hearing

Image Credit: Pixabay CC0 License

The ability to hear is important to us on so many levels. On a basic survival level, we learn about the world around us through sounds, and we can hear dangers as they approach. The sound of a train coming down the line will make you stand further away from the edge of the platform edge in the train station for example. On an emotional level, there will be sounds that bring us joy and comfort such as our favourite band or the voice of your child. Losing your hearing may mean losing all of these vital things from your life.

But when it comes to our hearing we don’t really stop and worry about it all that much. Very often we just write it off as being something that will affect older people, and if you are not in that age bracket yet, then it doesn’t apply to you. Unfortunately, that is not true and hearing loss is something that can affect anybody at any age of their life.

For that reason, it is important that you should take care of your hearing and get it tested every once in a while to make sure you are not experiencing the start of hearing loss.

Getting Your Hearing Tested
Getting your hearing tested is quite straight forward. Make an appointment with your local audiologist. In your appointment, you will be asked a series of questions about your life and health. If you have had any periods of illness or accidents, then the audiologist may want to know more about these especially if they could have impacted your hearing health.

You will then complete a short exercise where you will be asked to indicate when you hear any sounds. This will let the audiologist know if you are experiencing any form of hearing loss at all.

Following this, if any treatment or the use of a hearing aid is needed, the audiologist will talk you through this. If you need a hearing aid, they will let you know all about the options that are available and you can learn more about the types of hearing aid that is available to suit your needs.

Taking Care Of Your Hearing
There are many preventative steps that you can take to ensure you do not develop any hearing problems. While sometimes it is impossible to avoid some things, it is possible to eliminate the worries around other causes.

For example, when listening to music through headphones, do not turn the volume up all the way. On modern devices, there is often a warning that will trigger to let you know that you are passing the safe limit. Keep it below this volume.

If you work in a noisy environment, wear ear protectors. Your employer should provide you this equipment.

If you get an ear infection, visit your doctor and take antibiotics to clear it up quickly. If you are experiencing a wax build-up ever,  ask your doctor about ways to remove this.