Be Different or be dead

July 26, 2019

6 incredible exercise tips for teens

Staying fit is very important to live a healthy life. You don’t have to spend hours in the gym or starving yourself to remain fit. Simple and regular exercises or any other physical activity can help you become fit and healthy. Regularity is essential. It’s advisable to add exercise in your daily routine.

You can opt for running, join some sports team, swimming or doing a regular workout in the gym. Regular physical activities not only keep you fit and healthy but would also help you in feeling good about yourself and live a happier life.

As per Dr. James Kojan MD, Physical activities doesn’t mean that you have to be harsh with your body. You can always opt for some fun activities, like playing football, basketball, etc.

When we enter teenage, our body undergoes various physical and hormonal changes. It’s the stage in the life cycle which bridges the gap between childhood and adulthood. Most of the kids start deciding as per their own preference. It becomes more important for them to add regular exercise in their regime and follow a healthy lifestyle.

To get that perfect body shape, many teens start taking rigorous work out sessions or follow the exercise routines available online. Many times, these routines are not teenage friendly.

Being health cautious is very good. No matter whatever is your motto behind doing regular exercise, you should not ignore the safety factor. Below we have shared some exercise tips that would help you achieve your fitness goals.

Start with Fitness Goals

Setting a goal is very important. A goal would give teens an idea of what they want to achieve with exercise. Different teens have different fitness goals as far as exercise is concerned. Some want to add bulkiness to their body; some may want to reduce fat; others might want to increase their speed and flexibility, etc.

Once you have set your final goal, you may go for setting small sub-goals which would finally lead you to your main goal. It’s advisable to start with smaller and achievable goals. For example, running 2 km in a day or doing 10 push-ups, etc. This would not only increase your motivation level but would also help you in achieving your fitness goal without harming your body.

Always Think Positive While Exercising

It’s important to have a positive attitude while exercising. Positivity helps in keeping away the negative thoughts. One of the best and easy way to remain positive while exercising is to involve yourself in the physical activity that you like.
This may be swimming, playing any kind of sport, dancing, etc. Many people prefer company while exercising.

You can always invite your friends to play outdoor games with you, or you can also have your gym group. This would not only keep you active but would also help in doing exercise regularly. Another way to add positivity is by showing your friends and relatives how fit you are becoming day by day.

You can easily do this by updating your profile or posting your recent pics on social media. Likes and positive comments on your post would not only make you feel good about yourself but would act as a motivating factor to work harder and achieve your fitness goal.

Before Exercising Workout (Help Protect Against Injury)

Before you start to exercise, always go for a warmup. Stretching is advisable before going for a run, running on a treadmill for a few minutes before starting a workout in a gym are a few examples of easy warm-ups. These mild exercises warm up the body muscles and help in preventing injury during exercise sessions.

Stretching helps in increasing the flexibility of joints and muscles. Good trainers always recommend stretching after the completion of workout sessions, as it helps in relaxing muscles.

Stay Focused on Your Breathing

Breathing plays a very important role in exercise. It holds power to make or break your entire fitness regime. Whether be it any yoga posture or any other physical exercise, it’s important to know when you should breathe in or breathe out. Exertion part of any exercise is always accompanied by breathing out.

Revering breath may result in nausea and in extreme cases, fainting. Hence, having complete knowledge about the forms, postures, do’s and dont’s of the exercise is very important. If you are a beginner, it’s advisable to start your physical training under professional guidance. 

Don’t Overdo It

Many a times teens stretch their body to extreme limits and end up with some kind of muscle injuries. Physical exercise is very important to remain active and fit. But you should be aware of where to draw the line.

Overtraining may harm your body. Just remember in the teen years, your body is still growing hence, excessive pressure may harm your body growth. These are the reasons that teen should avoid carrying heavy weights as it may result in disruption of growth plates.

Reward Yourself to Stay Motivated

One of the best and easiest way to motivate yourself to do regular exercise is through rewarding yourself. Set a goal for yourself, and once you achieve it, reward yourself. You may set a goal for 20 push-ups, and once you achieve it, you may reward yourself by buying a gift for yourself.

If you are planning to follow a regular exercise regime, you can always start with some basic exercises. This may be jumping ropes, climbing stairs, going on cycling with your friends, etc. The primary aim is that you should do some kind of physical activity daily for at least 15-20 min without stopping. Be healthy and live a healthy lifestyle.

— Jessica Ann has written many blogs across the spectrum, but specializes mainly in weight loss and dieting. With several years in the field, Jessica has been helping people get healthy and fit and is dedicated to providing information for those who need it.

• Posted 7.26.19 at 04:14 am by Roy Osing
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July 18, 2019

Practical ways mom and pop shops can succeed

Business competition is fierce, but even in the face of competition from big box retailers and the rising popularity of eCommerce, there’s still a place for the classic mom-and-pop shop.

Mom-and-pop shops, like the name implies, are typically small, family-owned businesses. They can take any number of forms, such as bookstores, specialty clothing boutiques, restaurants, or other types of physical storefronts.
Even though shopping options have expanded and consumer preferences have changed, in-store purchases still account for the majority of sales, and customers still value in-store experiences.

Mom-and-pop shops stand apart from large, mainstream retailers because they can offer a unique, personalized in-store experience that big retailers can’t quite replicate.
Knowing customers on a personal level and hosting in-store events can level up a mom-and-pop shop’s position in a local community and add character to what makes a city or town special.

Mom-and-pop shop owners, however, must employ strategies to help their businesses continue to stand out as retail continues to change.

Make the most of Independent Retailer’s Month this July by checking out this infographic courtesy of Fundera for actionable tips to help your mom-and-pop shop succeed against competitors.

— Meredith Wood is Editor-in-Chief at Fundera. Specializing in financial advice for small business owners, Meredith is a current and past contributor to Yahoo!, Amex OPEN Forum, Fox Business, SCORE, AllBusiness and more.

• Posted 7.18.19 at 04:04 am by Roy Osing
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June 28, 2019

How Instagram can be used to gain an advantage over your competition

How Instagram can be used to gain an advantage over your competition.

With so many people becoming a part of the massive social media revolution, Instagram has become one of the biggest platforms available. In fact, Instagram is now the second biggest social media platform, with around 800 million active monthly users. It comes after Facebook,  which has about 2.07 billion active users worldwide.
This is why many users, especially entrepreneurs, are taking advantage of these platforms to reach out to potential clients.

Why Instagram?

Facebook might have more than twice the number of users that Instagram has, but these two have their differences in terms of reach and form of promotions, making it necessary for most businesses to use both to improve their online presence and have an edge against the competition.

What makes Instagram a must-have for some businesses is that its mobile-centric photo sharing capabilities makes it a favorite for people in terms of capturing moments to share with and captivate audiences.
So, compared to Facebook, Instagram is a better choice when it comes to promoting your brand.

Getting started with Instagram for business

If you are one of the many business owners and entrepreneurs who have decided to go on Instagram and reach more consumers, here are nine things that you need to work on to promote your business online:

Fill out your bio strategically

Let the people of Instagram know who you are and what you do. Creating a credible identity on Instagram is a necessity. This way people will understand what you brand is about and if you are something that can be a part of their interests.
At the same time, you need to incorporate keywords that will help search engines know what your business is for.

Find, follow, and interact with your ideal customers

Instagram is not just about gaining as many followers as you can. It’s also a good tool to understand how you can better cater to your potential clients. Instagram is a great platform for businesses to have a better understanding of the people who can potentially become a part of their clientele.

Think about your product

How can you better promote your brand and your product on social media? It’s not just about words or numbers. Instagram has proven time and again how powerful photos can be when it comes to gaining a large number of followers, and more importantly enticing people to purchase products as shown on the photos shared by your brand.

Expand your reach with #hashtags

Hashtags have become a very important part on the online world. Think of it as the best bots out there. It has helped people find more interesting items in relation to a certain topic they are using to search and promote with.
If you are looking for the best way to reach more potential clients, hashtags should always be a part of your posts.

Build anticipation and offer exclusivity

There is a certain charm when it comes creating suspense and anticipation. Many people like having their curiosity piqued. Some brands that market online tend to take advantage of this by sharing a number of posts that entice other users to click on their post and learn more about their company.
Some brands, on the other hand, run competitions and quizzes and give out their product as prizes to the winners.

Think strategically about your posts

For your posts to be more effective and be able to reach more clients, you have to identify a specific strategy. It’s ideal to schedule regular posts and that you maintain a common theme throughout all your posts and these posts should promote your brand.
Riding the waves of viral videos or photos from famous people can also help you get more followers.

Coordinate with social media campaigns

There are various social media campaigns that can give you inspiration on how to get more followers. Many social media influencers and brands make use of Instagram’s live video feature to interact with clients and get more people to follow their page.
With a bright idea in place, these social media campaigns can help you go trending and become the talk of the media.

Announce new hires, promote your culture

If you want people to get more involved in your company, let them know as much as you can share with them. Let the public understand what type of environment your company has and who are the people behind your brand.
If you onboarded new people, share it with your followers and let them see what your brand is all about.

Showcase your customers and service

To make the most of social media, it’s not always just about your brand. Sometimes to be more inclusive and to create better connections with your customers, it’s ideal that you share the limelight with them, too.
Get your customers involved with your brand and share with your followers who your customers are. You have a famous person as one of your customers? Snap a photo of them with your product and share that with the people.

Instagram can definitely give you a better online presence. If you are new to this social media platform, these nine things can definitely help you promote your brand and reach more people who can turn into your own followers and clients.

— Marquis Matson is a writer, social media manager and SEO content marketer.  She currently lives on the coast of Ecuador, working remotely as a freelancer. Her primary focus is on building online visibility of new, up and coming brand, particularly brands that promote health and wellness. She lives a nomadic lifestyle, though is originally from California.

• Posted 6.28.19 at 04:08 am by Roy Osing
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April 26, 2019

Really simple ways leaders can empower their employees

An empowered employee is an amazing asset to an organization, and it is a manager’s/supervisor’s job to motivate and empower their employees.

75% of employees that leave their jobs say that they don’t quit the job; they quit the boss. This shows the great importance of good management. Employee retention is literally in the manager’s hand, and consequently, so is empowerment, productivity, and success.

Understanding how your employees work best and what they enjoy doing is the most important job of a leader.
Communication is the first step towards it. Instilling a culture of communication will not only help you understand your employees but it will also create a more enjoyable workplace.
Employees are empowered when they feel like their needs and expectations are met. And when people enjoy what they do, they do it better.

Listen to them

Communication is the first step towards understanding your employees and it starts with listening. By listening and understanding what your employees need to best perform their tasks, you’ll also make them feel empowered and important.

Talk to them

Expressing your expectations and your thoughts is also an important part of effective communication between leaders and employees.
As a leader, you are expected to remind everyone of the vision of the organization so they can become a part of it. At the same time, you have to keep in mind that succeeding in what you do is the end goal. 

Help employees see their purpose

When your employees see themselves as part of something bigger and as great contributors to a bigger cause they are more likely to feel motivated and empowered.

You can do that in various training methods by explaining to them their exact tasks and responsibilities.

Address any negativity

Conflict is a sickness that harms collective groups. Managing conflict and negative behavior between employees is a leaders job.

When you begin to see a negative behavior between two employees, or between another employee and yourself, the best thing is to talk about it.
Most of the times you will find that there were misunderstandings at play, and other times you will be able negotiate a solution to the problem.

Think we & us

The reason organizations have low employee retention rates is the spirit that comes from believing that everyone is on the same team.

Treating your employees as a separate entity rather than as members of the same group can create dissatisfaction among them; when you approach them with the “we & us” attitude, on the other hand, they feel more empowered and willing to make a greater contribution to the collective effort.

Own the blame but pass out the praise

Nothing bums people out more than failure. When something goes wrong, your employees might start to feel discouraged and powerless.
As a leader, your authority comes with accountability. Owning the blame can help your employees learn from their unsuccessful attempts rather than feel beat up about them.

Present new challenges and opportunities

Challenging your employees is crucial to their development and empowerment. You can do this by training them.
Your employees can gain new skills with eLearning or face to face learning. This will provide them with new skills and knowledge.

You can also give them a task they don’t usually do but one that fits their skills and/or talents. Sit down with them and ask them what they would like to do next and what they think they’re good at.

Involve employees in decision making

The best way to empower your employees is to give them the power in decision making. That will give them confidence in their job and abilities.
By doing this you tell them that you trust their abilities and ideas. This way, you’ll have a helping hand that you can delegate to and an empowered employee that is ready to do the job.

Provide growth paths

But giving them the space to grow and make decisions might not always work. Make it easier for your employees to develop by providing growth paths. Be a mentor to them and you will not fail to empower them.

Respect their boundaries

Regardless of the power you give to your employees, it will be insufficient if you don’t respect them and their boundaries.

No matter how much you want to push your employees to develop, you have to be careful to not push them to the point where this turns into a negative experience. You also have to understand what direction they want to further develop their skills so they don’t turn off and bail out.

Don’t babysit & don’t micromanage

Most people don’t like to be treated like they don’t know what they are doing; that’s just common sense. If you babysit your employees or micromanage them, you will certainly lower their confidence and make them feel incompetent.

Constant babysitting your employees disempowers them — don’t do it.

Give them flexibility

Being a leader is all about directing your team towards success. But sometimes, the best thing you can do is give your employees the flexibility they need to best perform their tasks.
Flexibility is the greatest driver of creativity; by giving them the flexibility they need, you will succeed more.

— UJËBARDHA BEKOLLI is passionate about ongoing, self-motivated and self-paced learning. She writes for Kiwi LMS, which is a learning management platform that aims to help restaurant owners train their staff in easier and more effective ways including online courses for different restaurant services.

• Posted 4.26.19 at 04:51 am by Roy Osing
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