What is coworking, and why can it benefit your startup?

Coworking's popularity is on the rise. It is an alternative to working from home or in a private office, with many freelancers, solopreneurs, and startups deciding to choose dedicated coworking office space over other workspace options.

If coworking is a new concept to you, you may be wondering exactly what it is, how it can benefit you, and how much it will cost. In this article, we will attempt to answer all the questions that you may have about it. You can find the answer to any others you may have that we have not covered on the Bond Collective - Coworking And Office Space Blog.

What is coworking?
In a nutshell, coworking happens when a variety of individuals and businesses share the same workspace. In most cases, a dedicated coworking space is made up of a large common area with desks and seating areas, where people can all work on their own projects under the same roof. The spaces also usually provide a range of shared amenities and facilities, such as meeting rooms, kitchen areas, and outdoor spaces. Some even offer private spaces that can be hired out. Business essentials, such as high speed wifi, are usually included within the price. Sometimes, extras such as printing and scanning and beverages are included in the cost as well.

Why is coworking so popular?
Working for yourself has so many benefits, and working wherever you want is one of them. Many people love that they can work from the comfort of their home, in bed if they like, wearing whatever they want. Some people like the hustle and bustle of somewhere like a coffee shop, while some feel the need to be somewhere a little more structured and professional. Of course, there is no right or wrong way to work, but for many people, coworking spaces offer the perfect transition between working for yourself and having colleagues around you. It also provides many benefits that your home or your local coffee shop cannot provide, such as rooms for meeting clients in and superfast internet access. It also provides a barrier between work and home - as many startup business owners know, your professional life can very quickly take over your home life, especially in the early days, and that little bit of physical distance between the two can be helpful. It also allows you to maintain face to face contact with peers and a sense of community with other entrepreneurs, even if they are not in the same industry as you. It can be very lonely sometimes, so having the chance to chat with someone in the same boat as you over a coffee in the communal kitchen can be incredibly important.

You may be wondering what the benefits of hiring a coworking space over leasing your own private space are, and that mostly comes down to cost and flexibility. When you are looking to lease your own office, you are usually tied into a contract of a minimum of a year. As well as paying for the space, you have to pay for all the other bills that come with it - gas, electricity, water, internet, etc., as well as providing the furniture.  If you do want to give up the space, you have to give them a long period of notice and go through the hassle of moving your belongings and canceling everything. With a coworking space, you are not usually tied in for more than a month at a time, and in your monthly payment to them, everything is covered - furniture, utility bills, internet, etc.

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Not to mention that the advancement of modern technology has made coworking super easy. With cloud-based software and portable smart devices, crucial tools such as files, programs, emails, and calls can be accessed just about anywhere with an internet connection.

In practice, this means entrepreneurs no longer need to stay glued to their home computers, and businesses no longer need to run offices kitted out with dedicated equipment. Instead, employees can operate effectively and productively using their own devices in any wifi-connected workspace.

Of course, coworking is not just for new entrepreneurs and startup businesses. Many businesses enjoy coworking so much that they decide to stay in a coworking space, even when they have the means to move to their own office block. In fact, plenty of global firms can be found with their own dedicated rooms – or even entire floors – in coworking spaces. It is a smooth transition when you are expanding. When there are just two or three of you, you may not have the need for an office of your own, but coworking spaces allow you to work together, and to continue to expand until such point you want to get a dedicated office space of your own - or not, as the case may be!

Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

Why do people thrive in coworking spaces?
We have looked at the more practical benefits of coworking, but let us now take a look at why people who work in this sort of space tend to thrive.

They have more job control: Some coworking spaces are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This means that people can decide whether to put in a long day when they have a deadline or can choose to take a long break in the middle of the day to go to the gym or other necessary appointments. They can choose whether they want to work in a quiet space so they can focus, or in a more collaborative area with shared tables where interaction is encouraged. It also allows them to have some form of structure in their professional lives. Too much autonomy and freedom can actually cripple productivity because people lack routines. Coworkers reported that having a community to work in helps them create structures and discipline that motivates them. The flexibility that coworking spaces can offer is one of the main draws of it.

A greater sense of community: Working in a coworking space can make many people feel like they are part of a community. Connections with others are a big reason why people pay to work in a communal space, as opposed to working from home for free or renting a nondescript office. Each coworking space has its own ethos and vibe, and the managers of each space go to great lengths to create a unique experience that meets the needs of their respective members. However, it is important to remember that socializing isn’t compulsory. People who work in the space can choose when and how they interact with others. They are more likely to enjoy discussions over coffee in Starbucks because they went to Starbucks or that purpose – and when they want to be left alone elsewhere in the building to focus on their work, they are.

Many businesses are also trying to enable more connections, helping people to interact and build community beyond work meetings. Coworking spaces are one place to look for guidance, as many regularly offer networking events, training programs, and summer events, as well as the chance to bounce ideas off one another and learn from one another ina more informal way.

Increased levels of productivity: We all know how difficult it is sometimes to get yourself motivated and into work mode when you are at home. The TV can be a distraction, the housework and laundry, children, and people often drop in on you, assuming you are able to give up your time because you are at home.  When you are working in a dedicated office space, with little other in the way of distraction, it can mean for much more productivity.

If you want more discipline and structure, an improved work performance, a better network of people, and the opportunity to gain more qualified leads, a coworking space is definitely an excellent option for you.

Take the time to go out and find a coworking space that fits you. If you locate one that does, join it and reap the benefits it provides.

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Could Your Business Benefit From Flexible Working Practices?

The way that businesses manage their employees is changing and new working practices are being adopted all of the time. In the past, it was thought that the standard 9 to 5 workday was the most productive way for everybody to work but in the last couple of years, attitudes have started to change. Some people do work very effectively doing a 9 to 5 day, but others don’t. Everybody has their own way of working, which is why flexibility is the new trend in business at the moment. Instead of making all employees work the same hours, more companies are experimenting and letting people have more control over the way that they work. New technology is also making it easier than ever for people to work remotely from home or anywhere outside the office, which is often more productive for them.

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If you’re looking for ways to increase productivity in your office and improve employee satisfaction, you should consider moving towards a more flexible work environment. These are some of the best ways to implement flexible working practices in your business.

Quality Over Quantity
Quality over quantity is at the heart of the new trend in flexible working practices. Just because somebody works a 60 hour week, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re productive and they get more work done than somebody that works 30 hours. In fact, when people are overworked, they’re far less productive. People also have other commitments outside of work and if they’re trying to juggle it all, they’re likely to be stressed and that will have a big impact on productivity as well. That’s why it’s best to focus on quality of work rather than quantity of hours.

Some companies are already introducing a 4 day work week and the results look promising. Having an extra day off means that people aren’t as stressed, and they tend to actually be more productive than they were when they were working 5 days a week. This doesn’t work for every business but it just goes to show the value of quality over quantity. You shouldn’t think in terms of paying your employees for the hours they work, think of it as paying them for the work they produce. You can still give guidelines about how many hours people should be working but if they want to come in a bit later or leave a little early, it doesn’t matter as long as they get everything done.

Set Clear Expectations
Giving your employees more flexibility with their hours is fine, but it’s important that you set clear expectations. If you simply tell people that they can work whatever hours they like and they’re not required to be in the office for 40 hours a week, it’s likely that some people will slack off. That’s why you need to set very clear expectations about the output that you expect from people. As long as they recognize that they still need to complete the same amount of work, regardless of their hours, and meet deadlines on projects, you shouldn’t have an issue with productivity.

Bring Your Own Device Policy
It’s becoming a lot more common for businesses to introduce a bring your own device (BYOD) policy and allow employees to use their own phones and laptops in the office. It’s a simple way to introduce flexibility into the office and it has a big positive effect on productivity because people tend to work better on a device that is set up just the way that they like it. The only issue is that you’re giving up some control over the devices and that can be a problem, especially if people are using them to access company documents because it’s a security risk. But you can get around that by using mobile device management software and ensuring that it is installed on any device that an employee brings in from outside of the office. Mobile device management is essential for providing the mobility every small business needs without any of the security risks that are normally associated with a BYOD policy. It’s also important that you set clear guidelines about how people can use their devices so they’re not distracted by things like social media, otherwise, productivity will take a big hit.

Create A Culture Of Trust
This is the most important thing to remember if you’re trying to be more flexible. You’re trusting your employees to work effectively when left to decide how many hours to work and when to come into the office. If that culture of trust isn’t there, employees are more likely to take advantage of the situation, but if they feel that they have your trust, they will work productively.

Introducing flexible working practices in your business could make such a huge difference, so it’s worth a try.

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Top Reasons You Need Identity And Access Protection

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When working online in any capacity, whether it be for yourself or as part of a business, there are some rules and guidelines you need to live by to keep yourself safe.

• Create good passwords - always spend extra effort coming up with a strong password (or smash your keyboard and use the random letters that appear like this: eh]0w3nfdkjlgha904)

• Avoid spam emails - we all know by now of the Nigerian Princes who want to pay us money, but what about more sophisticated scams? Always double check the sender’s email address and if it is something like this: aotgfhju274pds@gmail.com steer clear.

• Protect your data - lock up your data tight and use a security service

• Use identity verification - use the most reliable identity verification service for businesses to ensure customers are legitimate 

Today we want to talk about that last point a little more in depth, and outline the real reasons why you should use these tools in your own business or for yourself this year.

1. Attracting more users
For a business, your main aim is to build a solid database of customers who you can resell to over time and gain loyalty to the brand. You likely use many different methods to attract customers to your business such as analytics testing and trends, and identity services and access can help you with this.

For this point we are not talking about the testing of an identity, we are actually talking about the way you allow access to your business from the outside. If you have a system where people can login to your website and have their own account, there is a big impact which can be created by allowing social login options as well as email. This would allow people to login with their social media accounts which provides you with data for advertising but also allows them to keep their email address secure.

2. Securing your data
One of the main benefits of access and identity checking as a business is the security it will bring to your business. As a brand it is important for you to keep all of your data safe and secure online, and depending on the type of business you have, you could be an easy target for hackers who want to get a hold of your customer data. One of the ways which a hacker might try to infiltrate your business is by signing up with an account and worming their way into your system. This is why it is important for you to run a robot or identity check on all customers when they sign up for your business.

3. More marketing opportunities
When running a small business, you want to build an audience of people who trust you and who will follow you and your brand. To do this you need to build a trusted presence online and one of the effective ways that you can do this is to use social media. When it comes to marketing, social media is a real powerhouse and it is a tool you need to utilise to your advantage. One of the ways you can use your marketing as a result of login details is by collecting social media accounts. When you have access to social media accounts, you can target your online marketing to these people and this will increase your likelihood of finding success as a brand.

4. Stay relevant
As you may have noticed in the past, there are so many things which are ever changing in the world of technology and as a result of this, many businesses and brands need to change constantly to keep up. By changing your login preferences and processes will allow you to stay relevant to your audience and it will prove to them that you are at the forefront of your industry. This is something which you can do to attract more customers and it means that they will be much more likely to work with you than anyone else.

5. Making life easier
As a company, you always want to do anything you can to make things easier for yourself. By changing the process and ensuring the security of anyone who registers for an account with you, you will safeguard your business and this will ensure that it stays safe and secure all the time. This will make a difference to your working lives because you won’t need to tackle any big issues and struggle with problems.

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Keep Your Employees Happy To Keep Your Startup Successful

If you have recently started hiring staff due to your business expanding, the chances are that you are a little wary of ensuring that you get the maximum bang for your buck. If you cast your mind back to when you were an employee, you probably had those days where you coasted along and didn’t really put maximum effort into your work. You don’t want this happening with the team you have hired. Wages aren’t cheap and being a young startup means that money is always a little tighter than you’d like. No matter how successful your business appears at the moment, any sort of expansion comes with an element of risk.

With new employees, there will be a novelty factor. They will initially bounce into the office bright eyed and bushy tailed, but you can’t rely on this to last. You need to be proactive in ensuring that you can facilitate an environment and an atmosphere that will keep your employees happy, enthused and willing to be productive for the good of your business. Take a look at these ways you can keep your employees content to keep your startup successful.

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Hardware
All too often offices are full of old hat pieces of kit that could probably do with a refresh. Ancient desk top computers, photocopiers and printers that constantly break down, are slow, and unreliable and do nothing but frustrate even the most productive of employees. You need to ensure that you provide your team with technology that is fit for purpose.

If you are heading out to pitch to a client, you will want to keep your audience engaged with this presentation software. AI powered slide shows are so much more engaging than Powerpoint. If you are using the software, give your staff access to the same gadgetry. This shows that you value your team and your willing to spread the wealth. Ensure that they have decent laptops, that are speedy and fit for purpose. Your WiFi servers should also be top notch with limited downtime.

Even furniture can make a difference to the productivity of a staff member. If you have an incredible ergonomically designed chair, make sure that your staff has access to the same. You don't want to create a them and us mentality, so ensure that you create a more even playing field. Anything within your control that you can make better, more efficient or require less effort needs to be honed to make your team happier and far more productive for the good of your business.

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Environment
Those beige and stained carpet tiles alongside chipped paint and drafty window seals simply won’t do. In the twenty first century offices need to be slick, modern and fashionable. They need to inspire your team, and help focus your staff on their work. The office needs to be an environment that promotes dynamism and makes your team want to work their hardest. Working for a company that has a swanky white walled office with splashes of greenery and achingly cool collaborative working pods brings kudos. You want your employees to be proud of where they work.

As well as promoting positive well being, your workplace needs to be a productive environment. Ensure that you foster those water cooler moments and promote the gentle hum of ideas bouncing across the office. You need people to offer up their ideas freely. By creating an open plan forum-like space for your office, you are encouraging the sharing and development of business ideas.

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Communicate
As an employer you need to lead by example and master the art of communication. Don’t be one of those bosses that holes themselves inside their office never to emerge. Instead, get out there and talk to your team. Set up a Monday morning briefing where your staff can voice their ideas and share their concerns. Send out a weekly email every Friday detailing the week’s successes and things that could have gone better. Always namecheck individuals who have worked particularly hard that week and give praise where it is due. This shows your staff that you appreciate their efforts and value their hard work. This makes your staff care about your startup and buy into your business vision. They’ll be happier and be more productive.

If you want your business to be successful, you need to ensure that your staff team are happy. These are the cogs of your well oiled machine, so you need to ensure that they are working without drama, efficiently and productively.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Visiting New York

Visiting NYC certainly involves a lot of planning. After all, it’s a huge place and there’s so much to do and see. If you’re concerned about looking like a tourist on your trip, then here are some of the top do’s and don’ts.

Do- Explore Other Parts of NYC
When you travel to NYC, it’s important that you explore the neighbouring areas. This could include lower Manhattan or even the Bronx. A lot of people also choose to browse some of the famous antique markets that are in Chelsea. Remember that you don’t need to stay in one place and that sometimes you can have a much better trip by going beyond the boundary.

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Don’t- Eat in Little Italy
Little Italy used to be bustling with great restaurants. Now, it’s more of a tourist trap, with overpriced food and cheap souvenirs. You’ll probably get more bang for your buck by dining at some of the more luxurious restaurants in NYC.

Do- Visit Bleecker Street
Bleecker Street can be found in Greenwich Village. There, you’ll taste delicious food, rice balls, pizza and even cannelloni too. There are also plenty of Italian shops too, so make room in your schedule to visit this area.

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Don’t- Block the Turnstiles
The NY subway is probably the fastest way for you to get across the city. For this reason, you need to make sure that you keep up with the pace of the crowd and that you also avoid blocking the turnstiles too. The train entrance needs to be kept clear because most people are in a rush, so always stay aware of your position and make sure that you’re not causing any kind of obstruction.

Do- Get a Metro Card
It’s one thing having a Metro card, it’s another to know how to use it. If you’re not sure how to use the card that you have then step back and watch people do it for a little while. This will save you the embarrassment of being confused at the turnstile and it will also help you to appear way more like an experienced New Yorker.

Don’t- Cause a Sidewalk Traffic Jam
If you’re seeing some shows in NYC then there’s a high chance that you’ll end up walking between some of the theatres. This is fine, but make sure that you’re not the cause of a sidewalk traffic jam. Whatever you do, don’t stop suddenly and also make sure that you don’t walk with your entire family in a huge line. This will stop people from being able to pass you and it will also frustrate those who are in a rush. It also helps to follow the crowd when you are walking too.

Do- Relax!
NYC is a fantastic place and even though it can get busy, it’s able to provide a cultural experience which is unlike anything else. So, take your time, relax and go with the flow. You’ll feel better for it and you may even find that you have way more fun too.

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Advance Your Career Like This In 2019

If you want to advance your career this year, there are no shortage of ways that you can do it. Whether you want to land one of the top roles in your company or you’d prefer to be able to start up on your own after a while, the ideas below can help you!

Have A Long Term Plan
The first most important thing is to have a long term plan. Plans don’t always go the way you envisioned, but by creating one, you can stay focused and pinpoint whatever it is you want to achieve. Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years? Think about the answer to this question carefully and come up with a plan.

Take On Additional Responsibilities
See if there are additional responsibilities you can take on within the workplace. This will show your boss that you are more than capable of taking on a higher role. This doesn’t just mean taking responsibility for the positive stuff, either - being a leader means being able to take responsibility when things don’t go exactly to plan.

Stay Up To Date With Industry News
Sign up to letters, papers, emails, and magazines that help you to stay up to date with the news in your industry. Keeping your skills and knowledge fresh is imperative to your growth.

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Figure Out What Training You Need To Get To Where You Want To Be
You might come to the conclusion that you need more training to get to where you want to be. There are online courses, night courses, workshops, and other options to help you develop the skills and qualifications that you need. You might even decide that you need to go back to the University of Southern California to develop the skills that you need. You won’t always need to go and earn further qualifications, as there are often many routes you can take to get to where you want to be. However, working your way up may take longer if you don’t want to go back into education.

Add Value To The Company In Any Way You Can
We already discussed taking responsibility, but you also need to try to add value to the company in any way you can. What is unique about you and your skills in particular? How can you provide value to the company and clients every day? Simply providing a great service every day is a way to do this. Genuinely wanting to help people really does make a big difference.

Network Wherever Possible
Don’t be afraid to give out your business card wherever you are, even in the queue waiting for coffee! Speak to people and ask questions. You never know who you might meet or who your services might be of use to. Attend networking events and conferences and prepared to make some awesome connections. Everyday is an opportunity to expand your network.

Work On Improving Your Focus
Are there ways you can improve your focus? Eliminating procrastination can be tough, but it’s possible if you stay mindful and self aware. Avoiding emails and social media at the start of the day can help, as well as using the pomodoro technique. This is a technique where you set a timer and work for around half an hour before taking a short break of 5-10 minutes. You do this maybe three-five times until you take a longer break. This helps you to get more done and stay focused for longer.

Keep Up Your Health
If you don’t look after your health, your focus, mindset, and wellbeing overall can suffer. Exercise, nutrition, and sleeping well can help you to be a better employee, and a business owner if that’s where you want to be eventually. You’ll avoid burn out and make sure you’re always in the best condition to handle whatever work throws at you.

Develop Conflict Management Skills
Conflict is inevitable. Conflict resolution techniques are something anybody can learn, and having them as one of your special skills can help you to develop an even better reputation at work. Nobody likes confrontation, and it’s important to end up with a solution that suits everybody. Knowing why the conflict started and how to prevent it in the future is key. This is a wonderful skill to have and one you’ll probably use more than you realise.

Advancing your career this year is entirely possible with the above advice. Start now and by the end of the year, you never know where you might be!

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Structuring An Office Move In The Easiest Way

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Office moves happen for all kinds of reasons. Perhaps you’re finally transferring your home business into something more resolute, or perhaps you need to grow in order to add extra departments and labor to your output. Maybe you can justify it, and you want to be situated in a nicer area. There are all kinds of reasons for this, and provided you can justify doing so financially - your reason is usually valid.

Structuring an office move in the easiest way is something that any business owner can appreciate, no matter if they’re making that first humble move out, or if they’re spending plenty of money on the most luxurious environment possible. Of course, just like a house move, this will take planning, care and a tight schedule. However, thankfully, there are methods you can apply to ensure this goes ahead at the pace you might require, allowing you to ignore the difficulties you’re facing and instead better your output.

For that and more, we would love to advise you regarding the following needs:

Consider Your Transitioning Needs
Transitioning from one address to another can signal great things for the future, and as a result, this can be supremely exciting. However, this is of course never as simple as it may seem. When one department is in flux, all others can suffer. This is why it can be important to port over non-critical services first, and then transition crucial departments over when the setup is complete. However, you might also consider the smaller issues that could post a problem. For example, just when you do you update your contact details? Well, the moment you are fully registered as operating out of that premises is likely when you should consider this. But that means that your physical mail might need forwarding through an expert service like Physical Address, https://physicaladdress.com or that you use outsourced support, or simply cut your support queries to only social media for a time.

Clarify To Staff
Staff need to know exactly what is going on, and what is expected of them. When are they to make the transition across? When have you confirmed the location of your move, and what severance packages might you have available to those who can no longer reasonably make that commute? An office move can be a great time of anxiety for some staff, so it’s essential you try and clarify to keep everyone on the same page.

Ensuring Safety
It can be tempting to move into a half-finished office renovation if it’s functional, but remember, you need to absolutely ensure its safety before committing any of your workforce to an office residency. Having the renovation or removal checked through your health and safety department, considering the correct legislation, messaging any changes in behavior that need to take place, and figuring out the new norms is essential. For example, how will you direct and setup your parking utilities, to prevent each morning from becoming a free-for-all between your staff?

With these tips, you’re certain to structure an office move in the easiest manner possible.

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Help Save A Life With CPR

Basic CPR training in the workplace, no matter what the workplace, can save lives. When an employee or a non-staff member – such as a student, a client or a customer – is taken ill, our first instinct is to call for an ambulance. But by providing training in Oakville CPR for your employees, you can help them save lives.

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When people suffer from heart attacks or cardiac arrests outside of a hospital, their chances of survival are significantly improved on receiving CPR from a bystander. It's thought that less than a third of people will get this necessary CPR. People can try to emulate what they think CPR is, or they will be guided through the process over the phone by the emergency operator, but often the 'bystander effect' will take over. They wait for the ambulance because they're scared that they'll do something wrong. Of course, doing something is better than doing nothing in cases of heart attacks and cardiac arrests. CPR doesn't save someone's life in itself, but it buys crucial time for professionals to arrive who can help further. With blood flow and oxygen to the brain and heart so restricted, CPR really can dramatically increase a person's chance of survival at hospital. This is where CPR training can make a difference. It, of course, teaches staff how to perform CPR; and the better the medical training they receive, the better they will be at delivering it when called upon. You can even do full medical degrees online via the likes of Bradley University Online. Either way, it's important to find a skilled CPR trainer.

Keep Updating Your Training
CPR training is something that a lot of healthcare and non-healthcare organisations look for to help train their staff. However, it's easy to think that just one session of training will have your staff set for life. As with any sort of training, it's best learned over and over again.

Perhaps your organisation already ran a CPR training course a few years ago. You may be considering if it's worth your while to run another course. The answer is a resounding yes. Guidelines and techniques change in time. For example, only a few years ago it was decided that bystanders responding to a heart attack or cardiac arrest should only use compressions during CPR on a casualty. There has also been an increasing focus on the need to “push hard and push fast” when it comes to compressions. Staff who had previously received medical training in CPR may not be aware of these changes, which could affect the chances of someone's survival. Not only that, but applying CPR is incredibly stressful. Those who are trained the basics can even question if they are remembering techniques correctly. By regularly training your staff CPR, you are increasing their retention of knowledge. This, in turn, increases the chances of your staff saving someone's life. Also, the quality of training can impact how well staff retain knowledge. Therefore, it's important to find high-quality training at a fair cost.

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How You Can Start Making Money Outside Of Your 9-5 Today

Making money outside of your 9-5 might seem like a bit of a crazy idea for you - after all, you work hard while you’re at work, so why should you keep on working at home? That’s your time to relax and get some all important ‘me time’. However, if you don’t start working on your own goals now, you’ll always be giving up your time to put money in the pockets of somebody else.

Below, you’ll get an idea of how you can start making money outside of your 9-5 job today!

Make YouTube Videos
If making videos fascinates you, making YouTube videos could be right up your street. Perhaps you think you have something valuable to add to the YouTube world, or maybe you can’t find the type of content you want online. It’s your chance to make it yourself. Uploading content to YouTube is free for you, and if you develop a following, you could stand to make a lot of money from your videos. The key is to be consistent, share valuable content that people want to see, and that’s pretty much it. You could also market yourself, depending on what it is you’re sharing.

Of course, making YouTube videos isn't easy. It takes time to film and edit a video, and doing so constantly will take up a lot of your time. However, many people who are now working as full time YouTubers will tell you that it was all worth it for them!

Write Ebooks
Perhaps you have a lot of knowledge surrounding a certain subject. You could write an Ebook designed to tell people all about that subject. Writing an Ebook takes time, but once it’s published, all you have to do is market yourself. Then, you can make money continuously for that one piece of work. If you can write numerous Ebooks, then you might end up making a lot of money even while you sleep.

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Become A Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant can do many things, from answering emails to answering calls. It’s their job to relieve business owners of the burden of running a business. You can do this from home, and it’s great for those who are good at admin type tasks.

Start Your Own Side Hustle At Home
There are all kinds of side hustles you can start at home, both passive and active. Passive is the type of income you make even while you sleep, such as YouTube videos and Ebooks. Active is where you’re swapping time for money (although you stand to make a lot more money when you work for yourself). If you’re going to start a side hustle with the hopes of making it your full time gig, you should probably figure out what you’re passionate about. If you want to be in this for the long run, doing something you genuinely feel passionate about is a must.

There are all kinds of ways you can build a great business reputation right from the start, too. You could give away free samples or run competitions to get some reviews and testimonials. You could also start using a virtual address to make your business look bigger than it is, and keep yourself safe by keeping your real address under wraps.

Create And Sell Art
If you consider yourself a bit of an artist, creating and selling your art could be the way to go. You could cross stitch unique pictures, paint, make clothes, or do anything else that you enjoy. Doing this outside of your 9-5 is still work, but if you enjoy art, it can also be a way of reducing stress and having fun. You could start by creating your own Facebook page, an Etsy page, or even by attending festivals and selling there. Pricing your art and actually marketing yourself can be tough, but it’s something you’ll get the hang of the more you do it.

Making money outside your 9-5 is by no means easy. However, it is doable. If you got up just an hour earlier each day, that’s another hour you could spend on your own business. Some people like working a 9-5. The money is fine and they enjoy the job security. However, if you’re not content with that and you want more for yourself, you’re going to want to start making changes now. Building your own business or at least finding out what path you want to take can take time, so don’t wait.

How will you start making money outside of your 9-5?

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How to Nail the Perfect Gift for Your Girlfriend

The time has come to get your girlfriend a gift. You are freaking out and don’t know where to start. Will she love it? Hate it? Whether for an anniversary, birthday, holiday, or just because, here are some simple steps to help you purchase an amazing gift.

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Be a Good Listener
This step is the most simple. If you pay attention over time, your girlfriend has likely dropped some hints or flat out told you what she wants. You don’t even have to try to pick out the perfect gift when she probably told you weeks or months ago. Be a good listener because if you nail this gift, they’ll be guaranteed to love it AND know that you were listening to them.

Keep Notes
Were you listening to the hints your girlfriend was dropping, but when you think about the gift you forgot what it was she mentioned? Or maybe you remember what the gift was but you forgot the specific but important details such as brand or color? Start writing these ideas down as soon as you hear them. Keep a running list on your phone or notepad on your laptop whenever you get ideas for gifts. Write down the specifics and add to the idea over time. Have fun with your ideas!

Go Nuts
Going a little crazy on your gift will make it stand out. If you have a lot of ideas and one is a little off the wall, don’t immediately toss that idea. It may be the most unique gift your girlfriend has ever received! Unique gifts almost always have a personal touch, making the gift even more special. A unique and personal gift will elevate the gift to the next level.

One friend recently designed a unique piece of jewelry his girlfriend wouldn’t stop talking about using lab-created diamonds because he knew the environment was important to her. The gift is trending as well. Ashley Graham, Ali Larter, Molly Sims and Kate Mara have all been seen wearing similar, sustainable diamond pieces recently. Thinking outside the box of just traditional jewelry made this gift a hit.

Think Smaller
Did you pick out one larger gift? Consider filling the gift or gift box with all of your girlfriend’s other favorite things. Bonus points if the smaller items fit into the theme of your larger gift. Filling gift with smaller gifts makes the gift way more romantic and shows that you care about the little things, too.

Presentation
You’ve worked hard on your gift. Don’t mess it up by forgetting about the presentation. When you take the time to properly gift wrap the present, you help build anticipation when opening the gift. Suck at gift wrapping? Check with the store, often they can gift wrap the present for you for free or for a very small fee.

Don’t hold back on your gifts, often there’s even more you can do to make it even more special. Follow these steps and you’re guaranteed to bring home the perfect gift. Presents help your girlfriend feel appreciated and loved, but it’s also a rewarding process for you. Making your girlfriend feel special is one of the best feelings in the world.

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3 Steps To Getting Any Job

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If you are on the lookout for a new career, you should consider it to be a particularly exciting time in your life. Obviously, in practice it can often be a challenge to get really excited about it, as you might just feel as though you would rather not have to go out and try to find a new job at the present moment. But regardless of what led you to trying to find a new job - whether you lost an old job or you just want a change - you can be sure that it is one of life’s great opportunities being spread out before you. If you are keen to make the most of it and try to land a job you love, there are a few things you might want to consider in order to make that much more likely. Let’s take a look at some of the important steps to getting any job you might have your eye on.

Consider The Profile
If you have spotted a job you’d like to have, think about it from a logical perspective. What kind of profile are they looking for? It might be that you even want to look online for testimonials from people who actually do that very job, and see what kind of people they tend to be. At the same time, you can look at the advertisements for that kind of job and see what qualities it says they are looking for. It’s then a matter of determining whether or not you feel that you are actually likely to fit that profile. If you think there is no way in a million years, then you might want to move on to something else, even if it is something somewhat related. If you feel that you are a good fit, even if it requires some alteration, then you should go for it with everything you have, if it really is the job you want.

What Qualifications?
Take a look and see whether there are any specific qualifications that you might need to get that job. If it is a given that all candidates must have a particular qualification, then make sure that you go out to get it. Knowing where to go for a qualification can be tough, but it is something which you need to make sure that you spend your time researching in order to get it right. You might be able to do it from the comfort of your home with something like Rutgers Online, or you might find that you have to go somewhere local to do it. However you go about it, get the qualifications you need in order to get that dream job.

Interview Practice
Finally, make sure that you don’t go into that interview without practising for it in some way. The more confidently you are able to step into that interview, the more likely it is that you will land the job, so this is something that you really don’t want to overlook if you can help it. You will find that this practice makes all the difference in the world.

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It's The Small Things A Guy Does That Let's You Know He Loves You

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Listen, if you are wondering whether the guy you are with is truly the one for you, know this...

It's the small things he does that will let you know he loves you.
He doesn't have to do anything extravagant to prove his love for you, such as serenading you in the park, shouting his love from the rooftops, or taking out giant billboard ads with declarations of affection.

You don't have to make him prove his love by getting him to search here for the finest diamonds, or by asking him to open his wallet when you're at the shopping mall.

While he might still do those things to show that he loves you, as we said, it is the small things you need to look out for.

It's during the moments when you catch him looking at you
You might be sitting together watching television, and you notice his eyes are fixated on you rather than the screen. You might both be with a group of friends, but you might notice he spends more time looking at you than the people you are with. It's during those moments when no matter how full the room is, and no matter how many distractions there might be, he is entirely focused on you, and nothing else will sway him.

It's when he prefers to spend time with you over his friends
You shouldn't forbid your boyfriend from seeing his friends, but when he actively chooses you over them, no matter how attractive their social suggestions are, you know that he probably loves you. He is making you his priority, and when he's sacrificing his time to be with you, despite missing opportunities to hit the bar, play video games, or watch the big game with his mates, then you know that you are the focus in his life.

It's when he actively listens to you
When you're talking to him about your day, he doesn't just nod his head in an attempt to make you think he cares about what you're saying. When you offload your worries and cares to him, he doesn't have one eye on you and the other on his phone. When you speak to him, he actively listens, genuinely caring about what you are saying with interest and concern. He wants to know more about you. He wants to help where he can. He listens to what you say, and down the line he remembers what you have said; another sign that he is probably in love with you.

It's when he shows you he cares about your life
He encourages you to pursue your ambitions in life, even when you consider sacrificing them for him. He supports you in your decisions and helps you think about other options if he's worried you are going wrong. He cares about your health and helps you give up your worst habits. He wants the best for you, and actively takes steps to help you achieve your goals. It's as if you were an extension of him, as by making you feel complete, he feels complete also.

So, don't worry if he hasn't yet bought you a fancy diamond ring. Sometimes, it is the small things he does that truly proves his love, and if any of the above is true in your relationship, then you know you probably have the right guy for you in your life.

Let us know what you think.

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Future-Proof Your Health And Beauty

While it’s important to embrace your natural beauty, we all know it takes a bit of work to maintain our looks as we age. They say that prevention is better than cure, and that is certainly true when it comes to taking care of your health and beauty.

The lifestyle changes you make now can make a big difference years from now, so take a look at these tips for future-proofing your health and beauty do that you can grow old gracefully.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Be good to your skin
With so many products on the market these days. It’s difficult not to maintain a good skincare routine. But great skin isn’t just achieved through a three-step regime; there are other factors to think about. Do you drink enough water? Dehydrated skin can make those fine lines appear much more severely, as well as take the elasticity out of your skin. Nourish your skin inside and out, and don’t forget to use sun protection - sun damage can be your worst enemy.

Go for your health checks
Many people will only go to the doctor when there’s something seriously wrong. And while that’s great for freeing up waiting rooms, it is important that you keep up regular health checks to make sure everything is as it should be.

Eye tests to hearing check-ups are important for detecting problems early on, and even if there is a problem, there are better solutions available for early detection. A regular dental check-up can pick up unhealthy teeth and gums and help ensure you’re not left toothless by retirement!

You should also consider ways you can protect things like your hearing and sight. While glasses, contacts and Miracle-Ear hearing aids are available - you could avoid the need for them by keeping the volume down on your devices and making sure you’re not glued to a screen constantly. Learn to make more sensible choices; it could help you more than you know.

Stay fit for all the benefits
Exercise is one of the easiest things you can do to protect your health and beauty as you get older. Staying fit keeps you strong, helps you tone up and can keep you looking younger. If you’re looking for the fountain of youth - exercise is it!

The food you eat can also make a big difference to your health. A diet rich in protein is ideal for healthy skin, hair and nails, so make sure you get your fill. It’s also a good idea to cut back on the junk food, take outs and dinners out. Cooking for yourself more can help you embrace more of the good stuff and helps you avoid the additives and nasties that are found in so many ready-made food products.

It’s easy to take your health for granted, but making those active choices will help you to maintain your mental and physical health, with your radiant beauty making for an excellent added bonus. Are you thinking about your future health and beauty? There’s no better time to start than now.

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4 Things A Guy Can Get Wrong When Choosing An Engagement Ring

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Some guys get it right when they propose; they go out of their way to make the event monumental. After all, it should become one of the most treasured memories of your entire life. The proposal should set the tempo for the entire marriage. It should be thoughtful, and fundamentally, it should reflect something about your combined personalities.

One of the biggest areas of the proposal to get right is the ring. But there are many ways that a guy can go completely wrong when it comes to selecting the perfect engagement ring.

Not Doing His Homework
If he’s done his homework, he will know your tastes in jewelry. If you are someone that goes for subtlety, you’ll feel uncomfortable with a large rock and lots of ornate design. He should be paying attention to the rings you own and wear. Thinking about your overall fashion style and trying to match the ring to your tastes.

Not Knowing The Size
It needs to be the right size. He can’t just guess your ring size. Yes, rings can be resized, but that’s not ideal as it means that it will be long before you can show it off.

Obviously, all of your fingers are different sizes, so borrowing a ring that you wear might not cut it, he’d need to know that it fits the right finger.

He could enlist the help of one of your friends. Much easier if they use some sneaky ways to find it out without giving the game away.

The other way would be to use a string around your finger while you sleep, and measure the string.

Not Hiding The Evidence
If he’s going to propose, and allow it to be a surprise, he needs to make sure he hides the ring, the receipts, and any credit card statements away.

If you're the kind of couple that share all of their finances already, he needs to come up with some really good excuses as to where the money has gone, assuming you knew it existed already.

Not Thinking About The Wedding Ring
Your wedding ring will need to sit beside the engagement ring, and the two of them will need to fit together well and look good with each other.

Having an idea of the type of wedding band that you’ll end up getting will be important for him when choosing a ring. He needs to have thought about this major point before buying. If he’s wise, he’ll have a chat with a ring specialist at the jewelers, and get some advice.

Not Paying For Insurance
Engagement rings can be costly, but there are quite a few things that could go wrong with them. They could easily get damaged if they are knocked or caught on something, and you don’t want to lose any stones. The other side to the problem is if you lose the ring ever or it gets stolen. By paying a small amount, he can provide you the peace of mind if something upsetting does happen to your ring.

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What Are The Best Months To Get Married?

Since weddings are typically planned up to a year in advance, it’s often important to pick and choose the right season to get married based on your personal tastes and situation. So in this article, we’re going to break down the benefits of getting married during different seasons.

Autumn

• Not a demanding season which means you can find some excellent bargains

• Great balance of sunlight and evening which makes for a great setting

• Plenty of opportunities in terms of venues

• Sadly, it can get quite wet depending on your location

• Guests may get cold at night

• Autumn weddings tend to be focused indoors

Winter

• Amazing for festive weddings when tied with Christmas or New Year’s

• You get the chance to take photos with a sunset backdrop

• Often much cheaper services 

• Much higher chance of rain

• Can get very chilly at times

• Weddings are usually indoors

Spring

• Warm weather with some minor breezes

• Excellent indoor and outdoor options

• Not as demanding on suppliers and other services

• Fairly high chance of rain

• Temperatures can drop at night

• Cloudy days can be a problem

Summer

• Very long days with a lot of sunshine

• Lowest chance of rain

• Excellent choice of flowers and decorations (we’ve added an infographic below to showcase this!)

• Can be a little too hot and sweaty for some people especially if you’re in a suit or wedding gown all day

• Arguably the most expensive season

• Most popular season meaning it’s difficult to book on short notice

Infographic from Claddagh Rings

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Working From Home? Here's How To Stay Secure

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Whether you’re an employee or operating as a self-employed freelancer, staying secure when you’re working from home. Although the internet has enabled increasing numbers of workers to undertake tasks from home, it’s vital that they have a secure portal from which to do so. This means securing your hardware physically and protecting your data and software online.

With increasing regulation regarding data security, it’s essential to take proactive measures when it comes to online security. If you’re working from home and you want to stay secure, try these top tips…

Use antivirus software
If you're employed, your employer may supply you with a laptop pre-loaded with their preferred anti-virus software. If so, make sure you keep the software updated and functional at all times. It may even be written into your contract that you maintain a secure device, so be sure to adhere to the terms set out by your employer.

Alternatively, if you’re self-employed or given free rein over your choice of antivirus, choose one which suits your needs. Many people worry that anti-virus software will slow their device down or conflict with other programs. However, there are a variety of advanced anti-virus systems which can be configured to work alongside other software. If necessary, try various anti-virus software until you find one that’s right for you.

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Only download from reputable sources
From time-to-time, you may need to download software to carry out certain tasks. If so, you should only download from reputable sources. Hackers may try and imitate big name brands with a view to duping you into downloading malware, so don’t get caught out.

Many users were wary when trying to download Adobe Flash Player for Mac, for example, because hackers were routinely placing false links online. However, instead of following links or pop-ups, visit the Adobe website and download from there. Whilst many sites now operate using HTML5, as opposed to Flash, there are still websites which rely on this software, so it may be necessary for you to install it.

Whilst this is particularly relevant to installing Flash Player for Mac, it applies to any type of software. Whenever you need to install something new, verify the source and ensure you’re getting the real deal.

Keep your workplace secure
Just because you’re working from home, don’t overlook basic physical security measures. Adding a lock to your home office can help to prevent anyone from accessing your hardware, so it’s often advisable. If your home was broken into, for example, a lock on your home office could prevent thieves from getting their hands on your equipment, and accessing sensitive company information.

If you’ve purchased your own equipment for working at home, check whether you’ll need a separate insurance policy or whether your home and contents insurance will cover any losses or accidental damage. However careful you are, it only takes seconds for equipment to be damaged, and having the right insurance in place can minimize replacement costs and ensure you’re able to return to working from home quickly and efficiently.

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5 Simple Steps To Increasing Your Brand Image

Every business owner understands that having a reliable, trusted brand is essential for your company to be successful and stay successful. If your brand isn't known and trusted by your target audience, you have no hope of making it. It will become almost impossible to increase your customer base and sales. You need to ensure that you have a strategy in place for increasing your brand image, have a look here at some of the simple steps you can take to improve your:

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Use Influencers
Influencers are people who have an impact on what people buy or follow on the web. Often they can be celebrities, bloggers, and just ordinary people who have a significant following on platforms such as Instagram. These are your best friends when it comes to having a brand image on social media. And social media is one of the best ways you can market your company nowadays. Have a go at inviting relevant influencers, attesting and review your product and services for free in return for posting about them or showing themselves using them on their social platforms. Depending on how many followers they have, it might be worth offering payment too. Another option is to think about sponsoring influencers, so when they go to significant social events, your brand name is getting heard and seen.

Use Branding Within The Office
It's no good getting your brand name out there and heard of if you're going to neglect the fact that you can use free marketing from your office supplies. Make sure you have software available to your staff where they can access up to date brand logos, banners, and adverts to include in emails, newsletters, business cards, and even letters they send out. Looking at how you manage corporate brand assets with Templafy can put you on the right track with enabling your staff to preach and look after the company brand through their everyday work.

Use Branded Packaging
Think about any orders you may have received lately, were they branded? Places such as Amazon are fantastic at this as they want everyone to know your package has come from them, so they put it on the box! Branding your packages can help to increase your brand image overall and increase the positive feedback you get from your customers. Have a go at creating your unique packaging and see what difference it makes. Not only this branded packaging offers an additional touchpoint to the value that your brand provides and helps you stand out on the market. How many of your competitors offer this?

SEO Research
A massive part of branding includes being familiar with how SEO works for your company. Most people searching online won't go past the first pages of results, and why would they when they are provided with a page full of relevant information, products, and services that meet their requirements. This is where SEO plays the best role, Thie idea behind SEO is to make your pages reach the top of the search results and to do this you may at times need help from a professional, depending on the size of your company you may outsource or recruit someone in-house. You should be researching SEO strategies that are related to your niche only. Something to consider looking into is using a tool that allows you to see what phrases people are looking for most.

Pay Attention To Social Media
Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter hold a lot of power when it comes to a brand image. We've already touched on the use of influencers, but a picture can speak a thousand words, and social media is becoming a more and more powerful tool to use for any business. You can promote via Instagram using a picture and link it to your other accounts too, it's all about engagement and gaining a following so, make sure you are using relevant, exciting and engaging content that your consumers are going to enjoy and find useful. The best bit is that a lot of it is free to use so what better way to increase your brand image than with Something that is going to be cost-effective and modern.

If you're a smaller company or a start-up, you may want to consider outsourcing social media to a social media manager. There is an abundance of freelancers now doing this, so you're bound to find someone relevant to your product and services, the reason you would look to do this is that it can be extremely time-consuming running social media accounts.

These five strategies are fantastic, essential ways to increase your brand image and help your company become successful. Which are you going to try first? Please share your experience in the comments section.

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Protecting Your Teen: A Guide

As a parent or guardian, there’s no doubt that bringing up teens can be tough. The phase between 13-19 years is usually full of difficulties. Children in this age gap are going through many physical, mental and emotional changes. Internet addiction, anxiety, depression, teen suicide, drug, and alcohol abuse are some of the many challenges facing our kids. It’s scary to think of how vulnerable teens are to danger yet they struggle to strive for independence and seek peer acceptance. One of the hardest questions in parenting is ‘How do we protect our teens without being overprotective?’ Here are some ways of protecting your child through their teenage years.

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Effective and Open Communication
Parents need to feel free talking about sensitive topics like dating, bullying, and sex with their teens. A positive connection is built by listening and being emotionally present. Parents who openly communicate with their children are more likely to receive an open response. Initiating discussions creates a comfortable environment for your teen. You need to approach the problems with empathy and love during this difficult phase of their lives. This is also vital in developing their communication styles. Children who learn to express themselves openly early in life depict the same openness in communication as adults.

Talk about Substance Abuse
Your children need to be informed to make appropriate decisions in life. The best indicator for child future behaviour is parent behaviour. Do you abuse drugs yourself? Children observe their caregivers and do as they do, not as they are told. It is important to look around for the apple tree before picking up on the apple. If you abuse drugs consider stopping as this could set a bad example to your child.

Also, do not wait until a problem arises to address it. Be specific by explaining to them how alcohol or drugs affect the human body. Discuss the dos and don’ts of drinking. Set reasonable rules and converse on the consequences. Moreover, give your child advice to get out of a risky situation when caught up in one. Your involvement will assist your child stay safe.

Understand what substance abuse is so that you can teach your children the risks with participating it in.

Monitor their Online Life
Ensuring a teen’s online security can be overwhelming. The threats teens face are real. They include cyber bullying, paedophiles, hackers and more. It’s actually preferable to be the type of parent that watches their child and keeps tabs on their online movements, than be the parent who needs to call a sex crimes lawyer and be there to catch their fallen teenager after an attack. Statistics show that children who have social media conversations with their parents are more aware of the threats, hence avoiding them. Parents should first start by educating themselves by trying out new applications and researching on terms they do not understand. Follow your kids on social media but do not stalk them. Lastly, use parental controls and regularly check their privacy settings.

Seek Professional Help
Today, professional help is easily accessible. It is important to encourage other platforms of seeking help even in the parent's absence. Parents should not hesitate to seek and accept help from experts. There are a variety of resources available such as igniteteentreatment.com. The Ignite Treatment Centres offer treatment programs like depression treatment, gaming addiction treatment among others.

The most productive way of protecting your teen against possible threats is by creating a healthy relationship with them. They crave for support, attention, and acceptance. Teens are prone to reach out for help more when they feel safe.

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4 Dream Travel Destinations

The summer is upon us, so we have been daydreaming about travel and vacations here. There are so many places that we would love to visit, so many wonders for us to see and explore in this world. It’s been hard to narrow them down, but we have come up with our top 4 dream travel destinations, the places that we really want to get to this year.

Florida
This one is on so many people’s wish lists, young and old. How many children would love to go and visit Disney World? Or maybe the Florida Keys and their sandy white beaches are beckoning you? Or perhaps you are yearning to rent a yacht in Miami and set sail around Millionaires’ Row? Florida has so many wonderful possibilities, it is no wonder that this one comes up time and time again.

Image Source: Pixabay

Italy
The food, the art, the music, the culture, the romance, the sights...need we go on? Italy appeals to the romantic in all of us, and it is practically bursting with history that begs to be seen and enjoyed.

Maybe you will head to the canals of Venice for a gondola ride and St Mark’s Square. You can’t fail but to be mesmerized by all of the notes and messages below Shakespeare's famous balcony in Verona. Or perhaps the Uffizi Gallery in Florence is calling to you. Take the time to drink it all in and enjoy some wonderful food whilst you are there.

Egypt
Situated in North Africa, Egypt is bursting with ancient history and culture. The pyramids are not to be missed and then you might want to cruise down the River Nile, marvel at Mount Sinai and visit The Karnak Temple. You will be spoilt for choice when choosing your must-see sights here and this is without throwing in a touch of relaxation.

Egypt has year-round sunshine, so you will want to factor in some pool time here. Book into a hotel on the shores of the Red Sea and enjoy a little luxury in between all of that culture.

England
There is something so appealing about England. We know that it is packed with history, with castles and ruins calling out to us. We could visit Stonehenge for a sense of spirituality and wonder, go for the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street in London and then swing by Windsor Castle for a spot of culture.

We could easily spend all of our break taking in the sights of the capital, yet we would want to see the pretty countryside and we must make it to the coast. Rugged coastlines, pretty beaches and quaint seaside towns all sound so tempting, we could spend a month there!

Are any of these travel destinations on your list? Maybe you are planning to visit one of them this year, or perhaps we have got you adding them to your wish list? As long as you make sure that you are traveling safely, then the world really is your oyster, so where will you go first?

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Why You Should Never Discount Your Ambitions

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You deserve to steward strong ambitions. Of course, don’t artificially force yourself towards them, but if you have a dream, don’t discount it. Too many people believe that they can never achieve their major dreams because they’re not ‘good-looking enough’ or ‘smart enough’ or perhaps not born into the right circumstances. Of course, it might have been easier for Kylie Jenner to release her make-up kit thanks to the family she was born into, but that shouldn’t discourage someone hoping to do the same. Good products should inspire all of us.

You should never discount yourself or your ambitions. This is because most of us only have a few things we would really like to do, and if we tell ourselves we can’t, it can be hard to try and rekindle that fire. This means that in order to actualize yourself, at least considering moving forward in that direction can be amazing. But you might not be sold on those platitudes as of yet. That’s why we hope to go into further detail, and help you begin to soften that hard stance you might take:

You Have The Same Capacity
You have the same hours in the day as everyone else. You are as entitled to confidence in your ideas, the same as everyone else. You can learn skills such as how to manage a team, how to sell your idea and how to talk with designers, the same as everyone else. You have the ability to learn through failure and be humble in your success, the same as everyone else. You can rent commercial property for your business idea and register it in the first place, the same as anyone else. The same business laws that apply to any small business starting out apply to you. When you stop thinking that you are uniquely in a disadvantageous position, you can start looking for opportunities rather than things that can hold you back. A key part of this is realizing that everyone makes mistakes, and while business can be ultra-competitive, being slightly wrong doesn’t necessarily mean the death of your dreams. You’ll likely learn this as you progress, the same as everyone else.

You Never Know How Important You Could Be
It’s important to consider the potential that might reside within you. You might have the talent to keep a team, even under stressful load, together and happy in their work. You might have the best ability to market a product under your name that you really care about. You may have a natural knack for learning business progression and understanding safety policies. You might have an idea that could innovate and revolutionize the industry you hope to be part of. But without trying or stopping early, you’ll never know.

You’ll Always Wonder
It’s much better to try, fail, claw yourself back, try again, succeed, and maybe even fail again than it is to wonder if you could have ever made a go of things. If you don’t, that regret can often last for some time.

With this advice, we hope you’ll be much less inclined to discount your ambitions. Because if you don’t try, how will you ever know?

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