Let’s fast forward to the year 2030.

The over-65 population has doubled from 2012 to 78 million. Twenty-one million of them are obese. Fourteen million live with diabetes. Twenty-six million suffer from arthritis. All are determined to maintain their active lifestyles.

Baby boomers overwhelm hospitals and clinics with joint replacements and physical therapy sessions. Exhausted doctors work doggedly to make their rounds and remotely treat hundreds of patients. Newly built labs scramble to increase efficiency and win their market share of over 55 million annual tests.

Nurses drive luxury vehicles and live in affluent neighborhoods.  Everyone is in, or knows someone in medical school. Over four dozen sugar substitutes line the virtual shelf display of the local grocer, right under the over-the-counter insulin reviews.  Acupuncture is the new aspirin. McDonald’s has a raw menu. Starbucks offers flu shots.

So what have we been up to?

Developers have created over four million new healthcare apps for handhelds. The most popular is myMRI, the app that optimizes and tags the MRI taken with a home machine and adds it to the appropriate physical therapist’s remote patient queue.

A group of entrepreneurs launched KneeBay, the first auction site for the consignment of prosthetics.

Social media marketers have integrated with paramedic and emergency room identity scanners to send instant notifications and updates to a person’s family and loved ones.

Search managers have successfully monetized Google Lab Results, where patients can see the results of their free diagnostic tests, a word from their sponsors and local listings for relevant healthcare practitioners.

UI designers have greatly improved upon user interfaces for remote surgery robotics, allowing surgeons to perform several operations at once.

Back to the year 2013, where it is now easy to visualize the ways today’s geeks can be tomorrow’s healthcare heroes.

One common reason for this near epidemic problem is portion distortion.

Portion distortion is not a permanent problem that is impossible to resolve.

In fact, all it takes is some portion control in your eating habits and a little effort in maintaining a healthy, balanced diet.

What exactly does it mean and how can it lead to gaining excessive weight?

Portion Size

Technically, a portion size refers to the amount of food that an individual chooses to eat as a meal or snack.

On the other hand, portion distortion on a personal level is certainly not a positive concept because it means eating more than the correct serving size of food at any given meal, essentially overeating.

Portion distortion viewed from a timeline perspective, describes the gradual increase in serving sizes over the last few generations.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute or NHLBI interprets this practice as a result of the dependency many people have in fast food dining.

ince eating outside the home costs extra, people tend to look for more ways on how they can maximize every cent they spend.

For the fast food restaurant, they are also looking for more methods on how they could make their business progress.

So, they tend to create meals that allow customers to get more servings at lower costs.

Hence, with bigger serving sizes and more affordable prices, people tend to order much more than what they should be consuming.

In effect, more and more people are getting used to these larger serving sizes they eat every meal.

That is why, even when they come home and prepare food in their own kitchen, they still end up eating more than what their body can normally handle.

Portion Distortion Quiz

Go take the NHLBI portion distortion quiz if you want to see the difference in portion sizes from twenty years ago compared to today’s serving sizes.

Overeating

Our body can only digest and burn a certain amount of calories.

When there is too much food being shoved in our bodies, everybody knows; the excess food is stored as fat.

Since we also tend to eat too often, the stored fat remains stagnant and is no longer burned.

Over the years, extra pounds will accumulate and this results to obesity.

Now, the question is: Is there no way out of this problem?

Portion Control

You do not have to force yourself to stop eating big amounts right away. Starvation or crash dieting is not the key.

The simplest method to stop portion distortion is to seperate your large meals into smaller, more manageable meals.

Do not eat all of them in one sitting. Instead, put at least a 3-hour interval in between meals and snacks.

It could mean eating more frequently within a day with the portion sizes being much smaller.

By doing this, your body could digest and burn the food you eat properly thus the amount of stored fat will be reduced.

To gradually reduce the amount of food you eat, the best thing to do is to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Reduce your calorie intake and focus on foods that are rich in fiber.

By doing this, you will be able to satisfy your hunger and still feel full without the need to continue with your old poor eating habits of stuffing too much food into your body.

The next step really is to educate yourself to the correct serving sizes of each food.

You have to be aware of the nutritional value and healthy benefits derived from each of the foods you eat.

It is a fact that different body types require varying amounts of nourishment so you have to be able to identify what your personal energy expenditure.

Money Saving Tip – Eat for Two for the Price of One

If restaurants want to serve massive helpings, I take full advantage.

When eating out with your significant other or family members, order less entrees and share.

Save money, eat less, win, win.

Running is in my blood, and my body enjoys it, not to say I do all the time. But I’m not the only one. Running is an outlet and in fact has a number of scientifically identified benefits.

1. It is one of the very best activities for weight loss. It works quickly and burns more
   calories per minute than your silly elliptical you claim works you out harder.
2. It keeps you stronger, longer. Running requires you to push the body to a higher level of intensity, but this strain keeps our insides healthy. It also promotes human growth hormone, keeping you looking young.
3. It gets you high. Quite literally too. I don’t need science to help me prove this one, I can tell you after I get going and run through my list of mental complaints and finally settle into a rhythm you feel it. The release of endorphins that brings you back to center makes you look around and appreciate the beautiful day and the opportunity to be putting one foot in front of the other running for just the simple joy.
4. It helps turn a stressful day into an enjoyable night. Stress impacts more than just our mood, it hampers our ability to perform at work, affects our relationships, and can cause us to make some poor decisions around our health (but that margarita tastes so good…). By going for a run rather than getting a drink or staying stressed, it causes you to focus on other things and your body will begin to naturally secrete hormones that will make you feel better.
5. It’s good for the brain helping you grow new nerve cells, fight off dementia, improve decision making, and improve your memory recall.

It’s not just about going out and doing it, it’s about getting it done in the very best running gear out there. I’m a firm believer in if you’re in the right outfit; anything is possible, especially when it comes to running. There is nothing worse than trying to focus on your pace when your cotton t-shirt is making your armpits bleed.

Runners are pretty loyal people, when we find the running gear we like we stick to it. We depend on the tried and true, wearing it for every long training session. This dedication can lead to some pretty run down outfits, and occasionally it happens the week of a race.

Now the only worse than bleeding armpits, is going to the sporting goods or running store a few days before a race only to find out your favorite shirt is out of stock and it will take two weeks to replenish.

Don’t these people know there’s a solution to fix that? Take Under Armour for example, by using a supply chain solution they can manage inventory so their dedicated runners can be confident no matter which store they visit, or look for it online, the gear will be there.

Check out how Under Armour, one of my personal favorite brands, is producing and delivering the best merchandise.

Yet many people view wellness as a privilege. Why do some companies create entire cultures around wellness, and others do not? What makes them special?

Healthy People = Better Business

Here are the facts: Healthier people work harder, are happier, help others and are more efficient. Unhealthy workers are generally sluggish, overtired and unhappy, as the work is a symptom of their way of life.

According to Corporate Wellness Magazine, every $1 invested in employee wellness programs yields roughly $4 in savings through reduced sick days, higher productivity and decreased overall health costs.

It’s no wonder why: We live in a fast-paced, busy world, full of constant distractions. We’re constantly dialed in with technology and always on the move. Which is why it’s so refreshing to walk into a company where you feel the environment is different, one where people seem motivated, excited, inspired and really loving what they do.

My experience with corporate wellness leads me back to Google in Mountain View, CA (and how Google maintains its status as one of the top 100 best companies to work for year after year). Google doesn’t just create jobs, they create a culture, one in which people are valued and appreciated every day. Google’s locations have full fitness facilities, daily classes and healthy food available throughout the day; as a result, employees feel cared for and valued.

Of course, not all companies are as lucrative or as large as Google, and perhaps resources are not as vast, but every company has the ability to place some type of wellness program in place. As healthcare costs continue to rise, and there is more demand to work around the clock, this is more important than ever.

Wellness in 4 Steps

So how do you install a wellness program that‘s efficient, smart, scalable and goal-oriented? We have a four-step process to create this type of culture change — and the steps are simple enough for you to start taking right away, too:

1. Determine the needs of employer AND employee. First, we ask a simple question: What do employees need, and how do those needs fit with the goals of the employer? It’s impossible to answer these questions without assessing both sides. It is essential to understand the mindsets, challenges, and your audience first before laying out a framework for its path. This includes surveying not only the employees, but also the employer. A simple health risk assessment (which your insurance carrier may offer) followed by biometric screens is a good way to assess problem areas.
2. Analyze the data and create a plan. Based on our survey data, we try to determine what elements will work for the existing culture. Is it fitness classes that will motivate the employees, wellness workshops, individual health assessments, or some combination of the above? We always recommend combining wellness education with physical activity — otherwise, many employees will not take advantage of classes and programs they need to see real benefits.
3. Create a communication plan. A culture of wellness doesn’t happen without reinforcement. Employers must create a communication plan that lays out the program’s framework and different methods (and times) to communicate the information to employees. This keeps wellness at the forefront.
4. Put an incentive plan in place. We have found, time and again, that rewarding employees for getting healthy and achieving results encourages the type of change needed to get a program off the ground and encourage a real shift in employee culture. However, because the required behavior changes are new, challenging, and difficult to sustain, programs must include incentives and rewards throughout the year in order to drive long-term engagement.

It takes time to break old habits and develop new ones; companies, like people, cannot approach wellness as a short-term or quick-fix solution. But getting started is easier than you think.

What about you — is your company taking wellness seriously yet?

Joshua Love is a passionate, motivated entrepreneur who seeks to create an impact in the corporate fitness/wellness industry. Driven by the will to succeed, he has worked with many of the top hotels and companies in Los Angeles and has created custom programs for employers that now have become standard practice for their culture. Joshua continues to open his network and expand Kinema Fitness to new markets.

Habit is either the best of servants

or the worst of masters.

Nathaniel Emmons

Motivation is the single most important key to attaining any and all of your goals. If you cannot get excited about your goals, then achieving them can become hard work, drudgery and quickly abandoned. No one really wants to spend their days doing chores. Here are a couple of tips to help motivate you to succeed:

Reward yourself

If you have ever worked with children, you know that bribes work. Most of us grew up in homes with our parents and teachers saying things like, “Eat your vegetables and you can have more mashed potatoes,” or “Get an A on your work and you will get a gold sticker,” or ”Clean your room and we can go to the park.”

As adults, people tend to drop this habit. You just do the work because you are supposed to, or maybe you don’t do the work as well as you could because there is no joy in it. Why not add the fun back in? Reward yourself. Notice that I didn’t say bribe. Reward yourself for your success. For example, if your goal is to stop eating after 6pm at night, then buy yourself your favorite coffee the next morning.

Use your friends

Friends can make goal-setting and achievement fun! Sticking with the ’snacks after 6′ example from above, whenever you feel tempted to snack, why not call or text a friend. Share with them what’s going on and you can both laugh about it. That is one of many things that make friends valuable.

In exchange for helping to distract you from snacking, you could take your friend out for coffee in the morning. Friends can also join you in your goal. For instance, if you are looking to add some exercise to your routine, you can join a gym with some of your friends, or just meet up together each morning for a brisk walk. Now you are both working at getting healthier, and on the days when you really don’t feel like walking, knowing that someone else is waiting and counting on you will help get you out of bed and stay focused.

Journal

Record your successes. Journaling is a great tool to keep track of how you are feeling. It can also be very motivating looking through your journal at past successes. By sitting down and writing about your successes, when you are facing a difficult day, and you will, you can open up your journal and read your success entries. Remembering what it felt like to succeed will help you keep motivated during some of the tougher days.

Keep positive

A positive mindset and attitude are great motivators. When you are feeling positive and have a brighter outlook, it feels as though almost anything is possible. A good way to stay up, and motivated, is to take the time to write down a few solutions that you can use when you aren’t feeling so positive. This happens to everyone. Every living person has bad moments and bad days.

Being pro-active and planning for those tough times, and knowing how you can turn your frame of mind around, is a very useful tool to have in your arsenal. So what makes you happy? Puppies? Sunshine? Music? Jokes? None of these work for you? Go to the next step…

Attitude of gratitude

What in this life do you have to be grateful for?Making a point to remember what is good and right in your life tends to help put things into better perspective. When you are dealing with a particularly difficult time, and working out sounds less fun than cleaning the toilets, or all you can think of is that a burger and fries from the local drive-through will solve all of your problems, then it is time to get out a pen and paper.

Write down 5-10 things you are grateful for? This should help snap you out of your funk quickly. Once you remember what is good and right in your world, the gym will not sound or feel so bad. And that takeout food will no longer feel like a life preserver.

Photo Credit: MR MARK BEK via Compfight cc

Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.

The fearful are caught as often as the bold.

Helen Keller

Overcoming fears might appear simple in concept, but the actual application of the techniques is never easy, especially for the person directly involved. Depending on the intensity of the fear, some people may be able to confront it alone, while others will require a great deal of help from others. Nonetheless, it is important that you do something about it. When you are able to successfully work through some of your fears, you will open up more many more opportunities for personal and career growth.

Slow and steady keeps you on track

This works best with a high degree of fear. Here we are not talking simple fear like the fear of being rejected when asking someone out for a date. This kind of fear leaves you with an inability to take action in the presence of fear. So, take one small, initial step instead of aiming for a huge leap right away. Being able to get through the small steps safely and securely, should help boost your confidence enough to make the succeeding steps.

In order for you to build up courage and make that small step, clearly identifying your fear is absolutely essential. After taking several of these small steps successfully, you will be able to extend that new level of confidence into other areas of your life as well.

Find a motivation

Working to face and overcome fears is often a difficult process that requires time. But you shouldn’t be demoralized by the fact that it doesn’t happen instantaneously or overnight. One method for keeping yourself actively moving forward and making the effort that is required to combat your fears is by replacing your negative thinking processes and thoughts with different ones that motivate you.

One way to approach this in a more concrete fashion is to make a list of all of the benefits that you feel you will accrue by making a change, or changes, in your behavior that is specifically related to your fears. Seeing all the possible benefits that you might enjoy will help motivate you to get going in the advocacy of eliminating fear in your life.

Change the way you see things

Often, when people suffer from failure or rejection, it can spiral into more negative thoughts that can lead to some self-destructive behaviors. However, remember that everyone foes through setbacks at some point in their lives. This is a reality of life that you need to understand and embrace.

So, if failure or setback are bound to come to your doorstep, then it is incumbent upon you to change your view about failure and rejection. Instead of letting these things demoralize you, open your mind, and use it as a learning opportunity rather than as a punishment. Use it to help you pinpoint the areas of your life that you think need to be improved to meet with success.

Face reality

Most people’s fears are associated with unpleasant experiences from their the past or worries associated with their future. So, one of the most obvious ways that you can overcome such fears is to focus on the present, the “here and now.” Focus on learning to make plans and realizing them. You can make plans and act on them, or you can wear yourself down with worries and fears. If this is where you spend most of your time, stuck, then you will neither fail nor achieve anything.

Redefine… you

One of the most effective methods of working through your fear is to redefine yourself and how you will view and use your fear.

For any of this stuff to work, you must become an active participant in each of the steps in order to make effective progress in your fight against your fears. When you dedicate yourself to the fight and the process, all of these steps will eventually become second nature to you, you won’t have to think about them. Working through your fears also allows you to see the world in a more positive light, and a place where fear does not overshadow everything.

Photo Credit: h.koppdelaney via Compfight cc

The television commercials are boring, replete with mind-numbing lists of side effects. The social media efforts have as much resonance as teachers talking in a Charlie Brown comic. And the detail aids ramble on for 20 pages teasing out the minor differences between competitive medications.

But Angelina’s decision to have a double mastectomy shows healthcare marketing’s inner potential. By pairing the sexy science of genomic medicine with the breathtaking boldness of patient empowerment, Angelina has given us a glimpse into it’s beautiful potential. Like an ugly duckling, a beautiful swan awaits in the future.

That is, if the marketing focuses on bringing highly targeted medications to market in a way that patients can understand, act on and pay for.

Consider the science—it’s truly mind-boggling. Take for example, exon skipping and muscular dystrophy. Through genetic testing, we can identify which teeny tiny piece of a gene is missing, what impact it has on patient functioning and most importantly, devise a medication to bridge the gap. Beautiful healthcare marketing will focus on bringing this science to life versus bludgeoning the competition.

And then there’s the promise of true patient empowerment. Prodded by increasing responsibility for healthcare costs and enabled by technology and transparency, patients are taking charge. With efforts like Minnesota’s D5, Five Goals for Living Well with Diabetes, patients choose clinics that have the best record of treating their diabetes. With the recent revelations by Health and Human Services about the cost of common hospital inpatient services across the nation, patients vote with their pocketbooks. With the explosion of genomic testing, patients find out what diseases they are at risk for and take action. Beautiful healthcare marketing will provide the decision support needed patients sort through the options.

But not everyone faces life as fearlessly as Angelina Jolie. Nor do many patients as she notes in her amazing New York Times Op-Ed, My Medical Choice, have the resources to access it, in terms of both overcoming fear and financial limitations. Extended outreach, support and skill building will be necessary to make sure everyone benefits from the genomic revolution. And beautiful healthcare marketing can play an important role.

Thanks for letting us share.

#1 Get Plenty of Rest
I know this is not exactly a productivity tip, I’ll get to a few of those too, but I do firmly believe getting enough rest allows for longer periods of concentration and focus. I’m sure there is some deep rooted science proving this too, but for me it’s based on experience. When I’m rested, I am energized, happy, focused and productive.

#2 Eat well and Eat Often
After I had both of my kids I did weight watchers and I have to say I liked it a lot and it taught me some good eating habits.  I’ve carried those with me and I’ve noticed that when I eat healthy and snack at regular intervals, my energy stays up.

#3 Have a Schedule
I follow the same schedule pretty much every day.  Now there are huge blocks of time that are not, “scheduled” since my work is very busy and always changing, but there are cornerstones throughout the day that stay the same.
For me it falls at 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm.  I have specific things I do at these intervals (i.e. check email, log in/post/check social networks, have a snack, check my ToDo list, etc.). This frees my blocks of time up and allows for flexibility in my schedule but still time to get things done.

#4 Make a ToDo list
Prioritize. Stick to It – this is one of my biggest tips.  I do not live out of my email in-boxes (yes I have several).  Every day I make a priority list of what needs to be done and prioritize.  I allow for le-way time for things that do come up in my email and I block out time to get certain things on my list done.  This leads to tip #5:

#5  Block Out Time
Block out specific time on your calendar to get things done.  I cannot tell you how many task/productivity apps I’ve downloaded on my iPad, but there have been a lot, and none work as well as the one I am going to share with you right now.

Now, in case you are hoping I will tell you what the best one is and I am, but don’t get too excited, you might be disappointed.  My biggest productivity application is (drumroll here). Outlook. Yes. Outlook.  Here’s why.  For me I am booked constantly with meetings and calls, so I’ve found that blocking out small chunks of time (15 – 30 minutes) on my calendar throughout the week allows me to get the top priority things done.  This really works well for me, but you definitely have to stick to it and hold yourself accountable.

There you have it, the top 5 things I do to be super woman productive.  What do you do?

How the fable explains the concept

In case you don’t remember that fable by heart, here is how it goes. A struggling farmer finds an egg made of pure gold in the nest of his goose. He thinks it is some kind of joke, then gets it appraised and discovers that the golden egg is for real. The goose lays one of those golden eggs every day, which should be enough for the farmer to live a great life. He indeed becomes rich because of those golden eggs.

But even though he is now rich, it is not enough for the farmer. He wants more, and getting that once-a-day egg is not enough. So, convinced that there must be a literal goldmine inside the goose, he kills it and slices it up to get all the golden eggs at once time. Only thing is, he finds out that there is no golden eggs inside the goose, and now that he has killed the goose, he will not be getting anymore. So thanks to greed, he killed the thing that made him rich.

Defining P/PC balance

Covey uses this tale to illustrate the P/PC effectiveness equation. People think that “the more you produce, the more you do, the more effective you are,” Covey writes. But he notes that “true effectiveness” is really due to two things – what is actually produced (the golden eggs), and the thing that produces it (the goose). It is critical to have a P/PC balance. P is for production, and PC is for production capability.

So you can stay up all night, every night, to get your work done. But at a certain point, after you increase production, the production capability – you – will face diminishing returns, as you production capacity fades due to a lack of sleep.

If you have a car, and take care of it with regular maintenance, oil changes, and tire rotation, you are helping the PC – production capability — in order to keep the P – production – going smoothly.  If you do not do that, you may save a little money on maintenance in the short-term, but you will lose in the long-term because your car will not run as smoothly, and will break down more frequently.

That is a great metaphor for having a good P/PC balance in whatever you do. There are various ways to keep your personal P/PC balance good – regular exercise, visiting a life coach, dieting, and relaxation techniques could keep you on an even keel. To learn more about how a life coach can help you with your P/PC, click here.

Stress:

The confusion created when one’s mind overrides the body’s

basic desire to choke the living daylights out of

some jerk who desperately deserves it.

Unknown

Everyone takes it for granted that stress can have profound effects on your mental health. It can cause you to lose focus, or it can trigger episodes of depression or anxiety. It might affect your memory, and it can have a negative impact on your relationships with others. But did you know that stress can adversely affect our physical health as well?

What’s the physiology of stress?

In addition to the changes that stress brings out in your mind, it can cause a number of physiological responses. How does that work?

1. Alarm reaction

First, you experience a stress alarm reaction. This is what is commonly referred to as the “fight or flight” response. Hormones, pheromones, enzymes and other chemicals, including adrenaline and endorphins, flood into your bloodstream, and you experience a sudden burst of energy. This increases your blood pressure and your breathing rate. Digestion slows down, because you don’t need to digest for either of these situations. And, blood rushes to your major organs.

2. Stress resistance

Once the initial threat has passed, your body moves into a stage called stress resistance. The body begins to function somewhat normally again, but it is still on alert. It begins to repair any tissue damage that happened during the initial stage of stress.

3. Exhaustion

The third stage is stress exhaustion. This occurs when you experience ongoing stress. This is the stage where the most damage is actually done. The immune system will likely be suppressed because of the overload of certain chemicals. And this is the stage in which your cardiovascular system often suffers the most.

What is the physical result or toll?

The end results of too much stress can be detrimental to our health. The strain that it puts on your cardiovascular system can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, even stroke. You might have difficulties with weight gain because of the changes in metabolism or in your eating habits. Are you a stress-eater?

Your immunity may become so impaired that you find that you are getting sick more often.

Stress can also affect your body in ways that are less serious but also bothersome. It can cause headaches and body aches. It might lead to skin problems, like acne. It can disrupt your normal sleep pattern. It can cause sexual dysfunction. And it can also make you more susceptible to allergy symptoms.

Some of the health problems that you already experience may be exacerbated by stress. This is particularly true for disorders that are connected to your nervous system, like as chronic pain, digestive issues, and bowel disorders. If these things are already present, excessive stress can make a bad situation worse.

Everyone experiences stress. It is a perfectly normal and unavoidable part of life. However, too much stress can cause a number of problems for you. That is why it is so important that you to learn how to deal with your stress and stressors quickly and effectively. Doing so will help reduce its harmful effects on both your mind and body.

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“Sleep-inducing drugs merely provide a temporary solution and only mask the true underlying causes of insomnia,” said Pax Prentiss, CEO and co-founder of the Passages Addiction Treatment Centers in Malibu and Ventura, California. “When people use them to self medicate, particularly in conjunction with alcohol or other prescription medications, the results can be dangerous, devastating, and very serious,” he added.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required makers of zolpidem to cut the recommended dosage due to health concerns.  Adverse side effects from the drug include drowsiness, dizziness, and problems driving.  Additionally, healthcare professionals are increasingly concerned of a growing epidemic where prescription users combine high dosage of sleep aids with alcohol, other prescriptions, and drugs to create a dangerous cocktail of substances.

Credit: Commons/Flickr

On May 14, the FDA approved labels with lower recommended doses for sleep medications containing zolpidem.  The controversial drug is known to affect patients’ mental alertness long after its use.

People with sleeping problems have been searching for natural alternatives to zolpidem.

Two years ago, the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published a report that a nightly dose of melatonin helps children with autism and insomnia fall asleep.  Melatonin is a naturally occurring compound found in animals, plants, and microbes and has been available as an over-the-counter drug in the United States since the mid-1990s.

According to the 2011 study, autistic children, ages 3 to 9, completed the 14-week treatment where they received a nightly regimen of melatonin (1 – 6 mg) which helped with sleep within a week’s time with no significant side effects.  The journal stated that “parents also reported improvements in their children’s daytime behavior and reductions in their own stress levels”.

Nearly half of Americans – more than 150 million individuals – are constantly sleep-deprived (less than six hours of sleep).

Aside from busy schedules, technology may be partly to blame for insomnia and restlessness in the bedroom.  On May 1, the Better Sleep Council published a study which found that the presence of technological gadgets (such as smartphones and tablets) inside the bedroom tend to make people restless and therefore more prone to become insomniacs.  Nearly 80 percent of Americans don’t turn off their cellphones at night.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that nearly 36 percent of U.S. adults are obese.  The lack of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, along with large intake of caffeine, appear to be contributing factors in more people lacking sufficient rest.  Some researchers believe that as much as 70 percent of the U.S. population may be getting sleep of less than six hours each night.  Physicians recommend getting seven to nine hours of sleep every day.

According to a May 14 study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, obesity in America is identified as a potential culprit in the increases in sleep apnea rates.  Researchers estimate that between 80 and 90 percent of an increase in sleep apnea symptoms is likely due to increasing obesity in the United States.  The Wisconsin researchers estimate that 4 to 5 million individuals are more likely to suffer from sleeping problems due to obesity.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports that about 10 to 15 percent of adults have an insomnia disorder with distress or daytime impairment.  Although more research is needed, the long-term effects of insomnia can be deadly.  It is well established that sleeplessness is one of the symptoms of individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  In February, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimated that 22 veterans commit suicide every day.

A new study published on May 15 by the University of Pennsylvania suggests that proper sleep can significantly reduce the risk of suicide.  According to the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Research Program in Philadelphia, research shows that every one-hour increase in sleep duration was associated with a 72 percent decrease in the likelihood of moderate or high suicide risk.  The researchers will present their findings on June 4 in Baltimore at the 27th annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Natrol, a market leading provider of melatonin, has reported a significant uptick in demand.  People who have trouble sleeping may not produce enough melatonin naturally.  Thus, more individuals are taking a melatonin supplement half an hour before bed.

Unlike synthetic sleeping pills, melatonin does not introduce unnatural chemicals into a person’s blood stream.  The appropriate amount of dosage may depend on the user’s age.  Some researchers believe that the level of natural melatonin the body produces diminishes with age.

Sleep deprivation messes with the body’s energy balance.  According to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, reduced sleep may disrupt appetite, promote greater food intake, reduce energy expenditure, and change body composition to favor more fat storage.

Thus, proper sleep likely results in more than just not waking up groggy or irritated.  It can help to restore the body’s energy balance.

1. Grab a friend

If you’re the type of person who finds it hard to turn down others, then grab a friend and get them to commit to a regular outing with you every week. By doing so, you’ll be obligated to go out and do some exercise, which may feel like a burden. However, once you get back from the day’s activities, I can guarantee you won’t be saying “man, I really wish I had sat around on the couch instead of going out today”.

Activities: Hiking, Jogging, Frisbee, Tennis, Yoga, Cycling, Surfing, Fitness DVD, Rock Climbing

2. Join a league

For some of us, being with just one friend doesn’t cut it – we need a team to hold us accountable. The best part about joining a sports league is that if you’re a competitive person, you’ll be motivated outside of your league activities to get in shape so your team can start racking up some wins. On the flipside, if you’re not so competitive, being expected to pull your own weight on the court/field can also provide a lot of motivation to get in shape.

Activities: Kickball, Soccer, Basketball, Flag Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Ultimate Frisbee

3. Get in the gym

The gym can be one of the best tools to getting in shape, just ask any of the ridiculously fit people walking around inside. Sure it can be intimidating, but being surrounded by people who are being productive and exercising will definitely rub off on you as long as you stick around long enough. If you’re not sure about what exercises to do in the gym, a quick YouTube search will do some good. Also, make sure you learn a little bit about gym etiquette before you go.

Activities: Weight Training, Treadmill, Elliptical, Swimming, Zumba, Yoga, Aerobics

4. Learn something new

There’s always that one sport you’ve always been interested in but never had the time to try, and there’s no better time to start learning than now. One of the best ways to get started is to join classes or hire a teacher for the desired sport which will cost some money, but there are plenty of sports that don’t particularly require a teacher such as cycling and frisbee. In any case, finding something new that you’re interested in will help with motivation and being consistent in your effort to get fit.

Activities: Cycling, Frisbee, Tennis, Badminton, Rock Climbing, Surfing, Longboarding

5. Hire a Trainer

For those who would like to have a guide to show them the ropes around the gym or someone there to push them to their limits, hiring a Trainer is definitely the way to go. A good trainer will listen to what your goals are in terms of fitness and create a regimen for you that will help you achieve your goals. Make sure you find one that fits with your personality and you’ll be fit in no time.

All of these suggestions are here to make it easier for you to get active, but it always comes down to you. Once you make the decision to start something, the most important thing is to see it all the way through, and the best way to do that is to go out and find something that you truly enjoy. So get out there and give it a shot, I’m sure you won’t regret it!

This article was written by Andrew Poon of Bluefields.

What are you stressed out about today? It is your job? Maybe you are stressed out because you don’t know if you will have enough money in the bank to pay your rent for the month. Whatever the reason is that you worried doesn’t matter, all that matters right now is that you do what you can to help yourself and eliminate the problems in your life.

One thing that you need to understand is that there will be hundreds of problems each day, but it is how you get over them that make you stronger. Think about it, did you brush your teeth this morning? I ask this because this is considered a problem. What most people do is they struggle to get out of bed in the morning and because of that they don’t want to go to the bathroom and brush their teeth. Even though you don’t want to do this and you might not have time, you make time and you do it anyway. The reason you do this is because you see the benefits of doing it and compare that to the problems that could arise if you didn’t.

Now, take this very same thinking and put it towards something else in your life. If you thought of something, then think about how you have overcome that problem recently. I bet that there are more problems in your life that you have thought about just now and you might not be as worried about them, right?

When it comes to eliminating problems in your life the main thing is that you take the time to do whatever you can to make your life better. I have seen many people that will take the time out of their life to do fun things, but in the end it doesn’t improve their life one bit. Just know that making sure you are ready for these problems is the key to handling them. One other thing that I want you to know is that a problematic life right now will only make it more difficult to deal with other problems as they arise. So, my advice to you is to make sure you have a worry free life and you are taking care of anything and everything right away.

Tips To Eliminate Problems in Your Life

Don’t Stress Out – The very first thing that people do when they have problems in their life is they stress out, don’t do this. You should never stress out about anything because there is always a solution to every problem. If you don’t believe me, then just think about a problem that you have had recently and now think about how it got fixed.

Get Help – You are not the only person in this world, so if you feel like your problems are just too overwhelming, then you need to get some help. My advice is to turn to friends and family first, but then if nobody can help you it would be a wise decision to turn to a professional. I know that you may not want to do this but just know that your life will be better once you know how to handle everything in it.

Deal With Problems Now – Have you ever heard of the saying, “Don’t wait till the last minute”? I ask this because that is what most people do when it comes to dealing with problems. Do yourself a favor and deal with problems now because that is when they are the least worrisome.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to eliminate the problems in your life; you just have to want to make your life better.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched its long awaited website called FDA Patient Network. The FDA Patient Network is part of the Office of Health and Constituent Affairs (OHCA) and seeks to help patients, patient advocates, and their health professionals connect with FDA during the drug approval and commercialization process. This marks the entrance of a critical new voice in the conversation on patient care and transparency. Conversations between patients and doctors and patients and drug developers that were once held behind closed doors will now be held in an open public dialogue.

Patients can interact with the FDA officials through open meetings, email, and webinars and have opportunities to comment on FDA regulations. The FDA is also using the website to recruit patient advocates that could in turn help the FDA make more informed decisions on certain treatments. Most importantly, the Patient Network represents a place for clarity for those patients who are confused on how FDA operates, what the organization actually does, and how the drug approval process works.

Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., Commissioner of the FDA, writes in her blog regarding the website launch, “When patients better understand the intricacies of how medical products are studied, reviewed, assessed and brought to market, their input will be that much more focused and valuable.” This statement addresses the growing sentiment of many today. Patients want more transparency – in healthcare costs, in their drugs and treatments, the quality of the service they are receiving – and as producers of the good and services they buy, the healthcare community owes them that much.

The FDA, the regulating body of U.S. healthcare, has made a small but very significant step in creating an environment where patients can freely ask the questions they want on the status of new drugs treatments – Why is it taking so long to get to market? Why has one drug been approved over another? Has the FDA taken into consideration the implications of adding a new narcotic into the market and how the availability of these medicines affects American families?

A key question is how will pharma, biotech, medical device and health services companies drive the conversation when they are no longer the only players in a room but instead joining a roundtable discussion? As healthcare communication professionals, we advise our clients to engage with patients in multiple educational formats, such as unbranded websites to provide unbiased educational information on the therapeutic area of interest to them; it demonstrates their long-term commitment to patient communities. In the future, we may advise to go a few steps further and create a venue where patients are allowed to ask the “whys” – why this drug, why this indication, why is it taking so long? We need to work with our clients to become more comfortable in participating in conversations online, even when we know the questions won’t be easy to address, and help them build a community, just like the FDA Patient Network, where patients feel at ease asking the tough questions and where they trust they will get an honest answer.

Photo courtesy of Brandon Giesbrecht on Flickr

Another study by Harris Interactive for Everest College shows that 83 percent of American workers say they feel stressed out by their jobs, up from 73 percent a year ago. I believe that the economy and technology are to blame for the rise in workplace stress. We’ve had to work longer hours for the same or less pay and we have to constantly check emails and be connected to work even when we leave the office. People have a fear of missing out and workplace demands are increasing every year. Here are some tips on how to deal with workplace stress so that you can get your life together and not let is negatively affect you:

1. Identify what’s causing your stress

You need to recognize what’s making you feel more stressed before you know what to do to remedy it. When you’re overwhelmed at work, you may lose confidence and act the wrong way to the people around you. Common stress symptoms are stomach problems, high anxiety and fatigue. If you’re having trouble sleeping, then you’re probably up all night thinking about what you need to get done for work, which is a sign of stress. Pay close attention to your behavior, your habits and your emotions and you’ll be able to identify what’s causing you stress and do something about it.

2. Manage your time better

Being overly worked can make you feel very stressed out. By managing your time better, it can help you be more efficient and feel more under control. You should set goals that are realistic and not too many stretch ones. If your goals are too high, they might not be attainable and it may cause you a lot of stress trying to reach them. You should also make a priority list of tasks and rank them in order of priority and review it every single day to make sure that you’re making sure the right tasks get completed at the right time. Managing your time is your own responsibility and the better you get at it, the easier your life will become.

3. Exercise and eat healthy

Working out at a gym or going for a run can help you be less stressed. It gets your mind off of your job and helps relieve negative thoughts. It’s also good to stick with an exercise schedule so that you can have more balanced days, have something to look forward to and force yourself to stop working throughout the entire day. I know a lot of people who go to a gym during their lunch break for this reason. Eating healthy can make you feel better and prevent you from getting sick. If you stick to junk food, it can have a negative impact on you physically and psychologically.

4. Learn how to say “no”

The more work you take on, the more stressed out you’re going to be. It’s easy to want to take on more because we think that more is better as a society. The reality is that if you spread yourself too thin and take on too many projects, you won’t be able to give 100 percent to each one and the quality will be lacking which will hurt your career and cause even more stress. You should politely decline projects that won’t have an impact on your career success or aren’t required for your job. Here you can Learn How to Say No without looking bad.

Image via Flickr by Location is Everything

Tooth Pain

Suddenly, eating your favorite ice cream—or anything chilly—is torturous. You feel a dull throb or a sharp twinge in your tooth when it gets near something cold. In this case, you probably have damage to the nerve of your tooth. It’s often because the surrounding tooth has cracked or is rotting.

If you don’t take care of this quickly, the bacteria in your mouth find the opportunity to infect the nerve. Then that could spread throughout your body, and that’s something nobody wants to deal with.

Severe Head Pain

If you’re experiencing severe head pain, chances are you just have a migraine. But what happens if the usual migraine symptoms, such as a visual aura, don’t come along with your pain? Sudden and severe pain—pretty much the worst headache you’ve ever had—could signal a brain aneurysm.

Most of the time, people don’t even realize they have an aneurysm…unless it tears or leaks. Then escaping blood goes into surrounding tissue—that’s what causes the headache—and cuts off oxygen supply. Odds for this increase if you smoke or have a family history of aneurysms. Call 911 immediately.

Chest Pain

You feel like you have a bad case of heartburn or a tight squeezing in your chest. Maybe it is heartburn, but especially if you’re at risk for heart problems, this is something you should never ignore, as this is also your body’s way of signaling a heart attack. Women have less severe symptoms than men, but even in men the signs are sometimes less obvious. Men might only have pain in the left arm or jaw or shortness of breath.

Body Slowing Down

What if you feel like your body is just slowing down overall? Maybe you feel tired more often than usual; maybe you’re gaining weight. Or you always feel cold, your skin is dry, your hair is lifeless, and you’re experiencing fluid retention. Even mental slowing or depression are possible signs of hypothyroidism.

If left untreated, symptoms of under-active thyroid, leave you at an increased risk of heart disease, an increased risk of pregnancy complications, and, though rare, even coma. Fortunately, once the symptoms are properly diagnosed, they’re relatively easy to treat.

Sharp Side Pain

OK, maybe you just have gas. But if it gets worse over hours or days, it could also be appendicitis. Appendicitis occurs when your appendix gets dangerously inflamed. If you don’t remove it, it could burst. And that’s bad, as the tissues surrounding your organs then swell.

If you’re a woman, the pain in your side could also signal an ovarian cyst that’s twisted or ruptured. You need to remove this, too, or it could block the flow of blood to your ovary. That would then cause you to have your ovary removed.

Shortness of Breath

Sure, sometimes that’s normal, like after an impromptu game of basketball. Other times, it’s not so normal. This includes walking a few blocks, climbing a single flight of stairs, or even just lying in bed at night. This could hint that your heart is weakening, also known as congestive heart failure.

Back Pain—Especially With Numb Feet or Toes

If you’ve done something to hurt yourself, and anti-inflammatories aren’t helping, head over to the orthopedist. Maybe you just moved in and you’re back has hurt since. You could have a disc pressing on your spinal nerve.

The orthopedist will take an x-ray or MRI to figure out if you have a disc that’s slipped or ruptured. Without proper treatment, it could lead to permanent nerve damage. So if your anti-inflammatories don’t do the trick in a reasonable amount of time, go to the doctor.

Weight Loss, Without Trying

Many people are trying to lose weight. But suddenly you find yourself losing weight without putting any effort into it at all. You may consider yourself lucky at first, but this isn’t something you should ignore. You might have a serious condition you’ll need to treat as soon as possible. You might have something fairly easy to deal with, like an overactive thyroid. But you might be dealing with something much darker, as involuntary weight loss is a clue to cancer.

Leg Pain With Swelling

You’re on a long business flight or stuck at your desk with a deadline when your calf becomes very tender in one spot. You see the swelling, and the painful spot looks red or is warm when you touch it. Resist the temptation to walk it off and see a doctor as soon as you can.

When blood pools in your lower body, it’s possible to form a clot. Once the clot starts to block the vein or artery, the area surrounding it hurts and swells. You call this condition deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT. Simply, you have a blood clot.

Blood in Your Stool or Urine

Yeah, you might not want to look. But just do it, because if you see blood, you have a problem. Any disruption as urine travels from your kidneys to bladder—from inflammation, cysts, infection, or stones—leads to blood. But so does kidney or bladder cancer.

And blood in your stool is another signal of problems. Don’t just assume you have hemorrhoids. You have to rule out colon cancer, bleeding ulcers, or diverticulitis.

Changes in Urination

If you suddenly find yourself getting up in the night much more often to go to the bathroom, it might mean a serious condition like diabetes. If you’re a man, and the symptom comes with a weak stream or difficulty passing urine or getting started, you could have an enlarged prostate. An enlarged prostate could mean benign prostatic hyperplasia. When that’s detected early, preventing progression is possible. Prostate cancer, which is life-threatening, has similar symptoms.

Your body is very adept at sending out signs when there’s something you need to check out. You should never ignore symptoms, even when you think they seem minor, as they could signal that you need to start treating something very quickly.

There’s a good chance this guy believes, deep down, that success is everything. But there’s another way to think about your career — one that will help you live a satisfied life.

A New Paradigm

This is the ultimate equation for a good life:

Following your passion/expressing your true self

+

Success

=

Fulfillment

There are all kinds of discussion on the definition of “success.” Success, in this case, is any notable material or social achievement in your field.

Fulfillment is Bigger than Success

Fulfillment is a broader concept than success. You can have success in any field, but if you combine it with something other than “following your passion or expressing your true self,” you will not achieve fulfillment.

Think back to our businessman. Perhaps he reaches the top of his career and meets all his professional goals, but he does it without any love for his product or passion for the people he’s helping. It is possible to become incredibly wealthy, solely on the combination of grueling hard work and ambition. Despite this obvious success, he will never achieve fulfillment.

Passion Fuels Success

You may think, “Why does this matter?” Success is success, right?

Fulfillment is a healthier goal because it’s more attainable. If the businessman is passionate about the product he sells, he achieves fulfillment as soon as he starts selling to happy customers, and he retains fulfillment long after his breakthrough success.

If you rely solely on professional goals to propel or motivate you in your vocation, you will miss the opportunity to run on the high-octane, limitless power of passion. That passion will drive you even before goals are met, and they’ll keep you going when you fall short. Most people who reach the biggest goals are motivated by their passion for their chosen profession.

The Fulfillment Continuum

Fulfillment is a continuum, not a fixed point. A goal is a single point of attainment or a milestone you can reach — or not.

Fulfillment is more subjective. It’s a feeling you get when you’re engaging in an activity or career that you’re passionate about — an endeavor with which you connect on a deep, emotional level. That feeling will continue to flourish for as long as you engage in the activity that brings it into your life. When you stop the activity, the feeling of fulfillment will go away.

When They Overlap

A base level of success will heighten your fulfillment. You may begin to feel fulfillment when you start working in a field, but setting goals and reaching them will increase those feelings.

For example, look back to our businessman. He may love his product and really believe in the problem he solves by selling it. But if he can’t pay his bills through his passion, the feeling of fulfillment will fade quickly. This is why I usually advise entrepreneurs to keep their day jobs until their businesses are profitable.

Professional goals have a place in the fulfillment equation. They can help you achieve the base-level success you need to be fulfilled in your passion or expression of your true self. The key is to not use goals as your sole motivation.

Fulfillment is a better motivation to shoot for than simple success. When you find your passion, it’s much easier to reach both success and fulfillment in your career.

There are three constants in life…

change, choice and principles.

Stephen Covey

Your life is all about the choices and decisions you make. Life is like a road. There are some long roads and some short ones. Some smooth or rocky roads, crooked or straight. In your life you will stumble onto many roads, and a few you will choose intentionally. One may lead to fame and/ or fortune, while another leads to isolation or poverty. How do you choose which ones to travel, and which ones to avoid? Well, the first thing to get rid of is any notions about guaranteed success or failure. There are no guarantees!

You may have some general idea where a particular road should lead you, but you do not really know for certain where you will end up. There are no guarantees. And there are often just too many variables, not to mention other people involved, to be able to have absolute control over any kind of ultimate outcome.

Likewise, everyone makes some wrong decisions. Wrong decisions are always at hindsight. If you had known that you were making a wrong decision, hopefully you would have chosen some other alternative. Perhaps not. It is only after you have made a decision and had time and space to reflect upon it can you gague its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong, since you didn’t land where you expected or get what you desired.

So how do you choose?

Accept risk. Decide.

In light of the fact that life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision could be wrong until you have made it and committed to it, then you may as well accept the risk and decide. It is usually better to start in some direction, than to remain in limbo. While it is certainly true that one wrong turn may get you lost, it could also be that such a turn presents an opportunity for an adventure, leading to more open roads. Ultimately, it is all a matter of perspective. You always have the choice between being a lost traveler or an accidental tourist of your life. But, I am not suggesting that you throw caution to the wind, or make decisions haphazardly or unadvisedly. Taking risks is not about being careless or stupid. Taking a calculated risk involves more than throwing darts at a board. There are steps you need to take to make the best decision with the best information at hand.

Be informed!

You cannot really have any confidence in making your decision if you have no information about the choices. Just as any good reporter would tell you, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved in the opportunity? When did/ will this happen? Where is this heading? Why do you find yourself in this particular set of circumstances? These are just a few of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Often, the reason for indecision is a lack of solid information about the situation.

What are the options?

What are the options provided by this situation? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are too numerous to count. How do you usually feel or respond when a situation seems to offer no options? Once you get through squirming and whining about it, this is the time to put yours creative mind work. Entertain a very idea that pops into your mind. Sometimes the more outrageous an idea, or the bigger the stretch is for you, the better the result.

Look carefully at the pros and cons of every option.

Assess every option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you can gain more insights into the possible consequences of each of the options.

Trust yourself and make a step!

Now that you have reviewed, and assessed, and pontificated and separated the facts from the fallacies and the wheat from the chaff, the time has come to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees in life, and wrong decisions are born in hindsight, which they say is 20-20.

So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time with the information you have available.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: the good, bad and ugly. It may take you to a place of promise or problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a passive bystander in your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell you for certain. But do not get mired down in regret, regardless of outcome.

Every single experience that you have in life is a golden opportunity to learn. And if you learn, there is always a chance that you can make better decisions in and for your future.

Thoughts?

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People clamor for the healthcare industry to make their processes more efficient, decrease costs, develop more useful healthcare solutions, and complete the ACA order. However, healthcare service providers are becoming more challenged by the following:

• Rising expenses
• Lower reimbursements
• Regulatory deadline
• Administrative efficiencies
• Fast technology adaption

These challenges have forced the healthcare industry professionals to alter their business processes and service delivery frameworks.  But, with the renowned and increased availability of BPO providers today, healthcare firms can reconstruct their operating models to get the most out of their procedures at last. Moreover, healthcare solutions that are conveyed through outsourcing also support service providers in growing their business with operational superiority and realm expertise for them to focus more on their business cores.

With that being said, of course, the core business is to keep providing quality services.

A lot of healthcare outsourcing companies combine industry best practices and propriety tools to enhance patient satisfaction and cut costs in operations while restructuring processes through technology development.

The best solution to reallocate human resource while reducing costs is by going to the outsourcing route. It attends the dilemma of increasingly expensive administrative operations. Knowledge workers or outsourcing professionals are highly adepts at clerical work like typing referrals and documents. Similarly, doctors are freed from preparing medical reports themselves, gaining back their primary role as “providers” of efficient and considerate healthcare solutions.

Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant.

There is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.

Johann Gottfried Von Herder

Everyone wants to do better; well, most people do. But staying motivated takes more that merely saying you favorite affirmations over and over, you must believe them. It means putting in the work and doing your due diligence, but you must also find ways to keep your motivation turned on, fired up, tuned into what you want to achieve. You have to help your mind want to stay motivated. Here are a few suggestions on how to do that:

1. Make it and life fun

When you are working on projects, either in your personal life or at work, you need to find some fun in the processes. Making things fun can help motivate yourself and others who may be having a tough time making it through. If you can find ways to make your work not feel like drudgery all the time, you will begin to enjoy it so much more. If you are the “boss” or the leader, and your employees or teammates are lacking in motivation, then it is up to you to help turn things into a more positive environment. This will help alleviate mounting issues of frustration that eventually lead to problems with hostility.

2. Communicate

Communication is an important way to remain motivated and to motivate other people. You need to be sure that all of the lines of communication are open and that there is never a disconnect. If there are potential brewing, make sure that people are keeping you and others apprised. The more aware and attuned you are to potential problems, the less severe the fallout will usually be. Awareness can also help you prevent some things from occurring also.

3. Stimulate

Stimulation is important. Be sure that you participate in something every day that is stimulating for you. Stimulation is good for the brain and body. If you do the same thing day in and day out, you will eventually become bored with it. This will ultimately make it difficult to concentrate on reaching your goal. Be sure you create a stimulating environment for yourself, even if it means just mixing things up a bit. Change some small things. This can help you become enthusiastic about what you are doing, and may present opportunities to change your perspective about the “big picture” of your life too.

4. Continual improvement, not perfection

Improvements are important. One of the things that you need to keep in your motivational toolkit is to expect some improvements as you go along. As you practice your motivational techniques you will need to find ways to improve your attitude and the way you do the things you do. If you are paying attention, you will be able to find specific areas where you can make small changes to make things better. As you notice these areas, you can create a focal point and set new goals too. This will help you keep motivated to work toward your larger and longer term goals.

Expecting improvement is an excellent way to avoid stagnation. When people improve or you improve, don’t be afraid to raise the bar a bit. This helps people excel even further beyond what you or others might have thought was possible.

5. Create

Feed your creativity muscle. When you work on your motivational techniques everyday be sure you are creative. Never be afraid to use your creative side. It is healthy to be creative. Encourage creativity in others as well. Many of the people you encounter every day have a lot that they can teach you when you show them you are interested in seeing them and their creative side.

Motivation takes some work. You must make conscious and conscientious efforts to keep yourself and those around you focused and on track. But remember, all work and no play makes you very dull… even to yourself. Have some fun. Mix things up a bit. Let your creativity flag fly every now and then

Thoughts?

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No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.

Voltaire

How well do you think of yourself mentally? If you were to ask yourself if you thought you were intelligent, would you answer with a nod and a smile, or with an ashamed-faced “maybe”? In answering this question, you should know that there are a lot of things that you need to consider, and your IQ score is only one of them. And, the reality of the situation is that if you think well of yourself, your brain will actually perform better. Your outlook and perspective on things like this influences the performance of your mind. If you really believe that you are good enough, then your mind starts looking for new ways to perform to meet the level of your expectations.

Influential Psychology

You have probably heard stories hundreds of stories where someone, like Robert Kiyosaki, who never set foot in high school, was able to work his way up from rags to riches. He used his gut and determination to climb his way to the top, to reach his goals. During his childhood he was exposed to situations that showed him that he could become as rich as his friends, if he put in the work to accomplish it. So essentially it was his outlook that helped drive him forward to achieve what other had.

As the story goes, he never received any money from his rich friends, and he never received any real assistance as he worked his way up. But what he did get from his friends was his own level of expectation. If he had never met his rich friends, if he had never realized that it is possible to become richer, he would not have worked hard to get to where he is. He set a goal when he met them, and all he had to do was to continue to work hard to reach that goal. And so he did.

You see, the expectations that you have of yourself play a huge role in your life. It serves as your source of motivation. It makes you feel as if you have latched on to something possible, reachable. It stirs that something inside that keeps telling you that you “thing” is the reach of your grasp if you continue to work hard enough. This is the influence of psychology. Don’t you think that it is possible that just by thinking that it is possible for you to think harder and learn faster, your brain might just do the same perform at a new level?

Examine the evidence

After you have viewed yourself with new and better perspective, then the time has come for you to become more attentive to the things around you which can serve as an evidence that you are about to reach your goal. After you have done all of the affirmations, you will eventually need some hard proof. Take special note of your progress, regardless of whether it seems too small or too big. Focus on your developments. You will soon realize that the more you begin to appreciate your small developments, more of them would soon follow.

So, in looking at your own brain and its development, if you work at it, you can improve your mind’s performance. The improvements may not be as dramatic as you might like, but there will surely be some changes. Make note of these changes, and soon you will realize that the cumulative or additive effect of these small changes will amount to a big alteration to your mind’s functioning.

Think of yourself as better, your mind will soon live up to your expectations.

Thoughts?

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In this new social technology age, we all are contributing towards the evolution of communication technologies in some way or the other. One common thing that most of the work place experience is the usage of computers, laptops and other devices that makes the working easier. One cannot think of a state of the art organization without the usage of computers. Well, for many of us, it is the first thing that we do when we get in our respective offices, i.e. to switch on our machines, check our respective notifications, set the agenda for the day and start working.

With the over usage of computers and other smart devices, one most not neglect the importance of some of the fundamental issues that can help the computers users to avoid injury and fatigue as they work for long hours on a computer.

Sitting using a correct Posture

• As opposed to watching a close finish of a sporting event, when you are on the edge of your seat. While you are in the office, sit back and push yourself as much as back as possible in the seat.
• The height of the chair should be adjusted in manner so that the feet are flat on the floor and the knees are not above the level of the hips.
• Back of the chair should be reclined at 100°-110° angle.   

• The use of cushions and other supports is encouraged to support the lower and the upper back.
• Frequent position changes should be made while working, active back mechanism in the chair can help in this regard.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed by adjusting the armrests. Remove them if they are in the way.

Using the Keyboard

• An articulating keyboard tray, especially if it can accommodate other work materials such as files, folders, diaries, mouse, telephone etc is conducive for working.
• Pull up to the keyboard as much as possible.
• If you use certain sections of the keyboard more frequently then position the keyboard in a way so that those sections are centered with your body.
• The hands, wrists should be straight and the shoulders relaxed while using the keyboard. The keyboard feet or tilting should be used to ensure that the wrists are straight.
• Avoid over reaching the keyboard and use wrist rest to rest the palms of the hands between key strokes.

Positioning the Source Documents correctly

• An awkward working posture is a result of incorrect screen positioning. The screen and other source documents should be adjusted in a way that makes the neck neutral and relaxed.
• The top of the screen should be positioned at least 2.5” above the eye level.
• Sit at an arm’s length from the screen, use of glass glare filters and light filters are also recommended.

Using adequate Breaks and Pauses

• Get away from your computer screens during the lunch hour. As an exercise, look at a distant object or close your eyes frequently. Resting your eyes by covering it with your palms can also help.
• Take a five minute break every one hour. Change your task for some duration if you are working on a particular task that would take a long time.
• Moving around and keeping a correct posture is critical.

Things to pay Attention to:

• Correct positioning of arms/wrists (straight), head, neck/spine is crucial
• Using minimum force while striking/using the keyboard
• Take frequent breaks with the objective of rejuvenating yourself.
• Relax your eyes, washing frequently with water and blinking helps.

Other Factors:

• Maintaining proper light level in the office is imperative for efficiency. Users should also adjust the contrast and brightness appropriately so that the usage is comfortable.
• Minimize the unnecessary materials on your desk like papers, files etc.
• Maintaining a comfortable temperature in the working environment.
• Cleaning of computer screens and other devices regularly.
• Being considerate to others, this can include holding conversations at a specific place ensuring that the same is not disturbing others. Fabric partitions can help in this regard. Noises like that of type-writers and photocopiers can also be avoided using the same.
• Plan ahead to set a realistic yet challenging agenda for the day.
• Make tasks interesting, for example, instead of using the telephone to contact your colleague, reach out personally.
• Paste your favorite quotation, pictures, arts, and plants etc which can help in encouraging you and keep you positive throughout the day.
• Develop your own ways to relax yourself, it might be swimming for some, while driving or hitting the gymnasium for others.

All the above mentioned points are pretty basic but yet their importance should not be neglected at any point in time. Let us spread awareness and share this to encourage people to use the computer and work in the right manner.

Tai chi does not mean oriental wisdom or something exotic.

It is the wisdom of your own senses, your own mind and body together

as one process.

Chungliang Al Huang

If you have been looking for some way to move back into getting a little more exercise, and you find that, like most of us, you are not presently interested in running the full or a half marathon, and you have no interest in lifting a few weights, I have a suggestion to offer you. While both of the exercises that I have mentioned are good for you, to begin a new routine, of any kind, you have got to get your head and heart in the game. You have to want to do it. This comes even before being committed to sticking with it. My suggestion is Tai Chi. But, like any other new undertaking, there are certain points to consider if you are really thinking of joining a group.

Basic Facts

Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan are the same. The Anglicized and Americanized spellings do not adequately reflect the CHINESE symbols, so there are a multitude of ways to spell the same thing. There may be an additional character or two on the end of the latter, but the meaning stands the same. Tai Chi is just the shorter version. Tai Chi Chuan means “Supreme Ultimate Fist”. It is derived from a series of kung fu techniques that can be applied as both a therapeutic activity and as a medium of self-defense.

No age or fitness requirements

Tai chi is a good activity for almost any age, teens to the 90s. This art is not common for children though, because the slow movements will probably just bore them to tears. But most likely, the classes that you look into will be targeted at people from the early twenties and so on. Men and women can both enroll in the same class. It is unusual to see a men-only or women-only class within a Tai Chi program. Generally, it is much more beneficial if men and women mix because of the energy this brings to the class.

Being physically fit is not a prerequisite, as it is in some sports. It is really okay that you may be you are stout, thin, overweight, etc. Even people who are wheelchair-bound can do modified movements of Tai Chi. There are even a video program series that is aimed at people with arthritis.

But you do have to be able to maintain a certain level of attentiveness. Like most other forms of exercise, even though this may not sound strenuous, it is advisable to check in with your physician if you are taking any medications to help maintain your current state of health. And if your doctor approves, tell your teacher about your issues so that they can adjust or restrict movements for you.

Is it a martial art, or not? Yes

Tai Chi is both an exercise and a martial art. There are some teachers who give out only the movements that are designed purely for health benefits. There are also a few instructors who focus on the self-defense aspects of the forms. So if you are thinking that you are the type who needs self defense along with your exercise, and you want the best of both worlds, Tai Chi may be a wise choice for you. If your focus is on self-defense solely, then Kung Fu or Tae Kwon Do may be more suited to your tastes.

Tai Chi is a form of an internal martial art that is characterized by soft movements and is a training that is meant to be a relaxing and a much slower speed than most other kinds of martial art.

Don’t go out to buy a new outfit

Many people stumble over getting ready for things and never actually do the activity. You know these people. They need the in fashion tennis outfit, the right bowling ball, new shoes and gloves for weight lifting, a brand new set of clubs. And these people will never move forward because they are focused on the look, rather than the activity. They get stuck in the minutiae, lost in the preparation. Hung up at “Fixin’ ta…”

No such set of excuses will save you from Tai Chi. If you decide to go to a Tai Chi class, you don’t have to shop around for cool clothes. Special clothing is not a requirement. You just have to wear something really comfortable like shoes (preferably soft, like sneakers) or socks work well, and clothing that will allow you to move freely while performing your every move. Do not wear jeans or any constrictive kind of clothing.

While doing the actual class, expect to do some Qigong. This is a form of breathing and meditation that is done by moving your body, or sometimes in a stationary state. Expect to do some “Push hands” or what is known as tui shou. This is an exercise that requires two persons who exchange energy by performing movements leveled with each other. You may also expect the use of weapons like swords, but certainly not at your first class.

Tai chi and Qigong are great, gentle exercises for your heart, mind and body. And, yes, before you ask, I do practice Tai chi, and have even taught a very short basic form. I am also a first degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. And, I am old. :) So, what’s your excuse?

Go out and try it for yourself.

Thoughts?

Photo Credit: stevendepolo via Compfight cc

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of

balance, order, rhythm and harmony.

Thomas Merton

How do they do it? You know those people who work full time and seem to manage to have things rocking along well at home too. They have a secret. That secret is that they work to maintain a good work-life balance. You have, of course, heard the expression “all work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy?” Well the same goes for all play and no work. Focusing too much of any one area of your life, and neglecting the rest, is a sure way to make yourself and the people you care about crazy.

The good news is that you can have better in both worlds. You can work hard and still find time to enjoy your family and friends, and your life. You must take the initiative and decide that you need to create a better balance for yourself.

How?

You will need to adopt a few essential strategies. And, no, it is not always simple, especially in the beginning. Work-life balance is about finding new ways to balance the demands of your work with the demands of your personal life. You actually can be successful and happy doing both; or at least happier.

Establish A Flexible Schedule

The more rigid you are, the less likely it is that you will be able to develop a work-life balance that is actually successful for you. You have to understand that there will be times when work requires more attention and other times when your personal life requires more attention. It is certainly much easier to balance the two when you allow a little flexibility in your schedule. Always leave a little bit of room for the unexpected. That way you are never taken completely by surprise.

Balance Your Workload

As much as you can control this situation, you will need to be sure that you take on enough work to keep you busy, but not so much work that you constantly feel like you are a heartbeat away from overwhelm, and that can’t create some better balance in your life. Take on additional tasks at work only when you feel up to it, and you know your family time won’t be impacted by you coming home late a couple of nights in a particular given week. Likewise, don’t overbook yourself with family and friend events unless you can balance your personal obligations with your work ones successfully.

Prioritize Your Activities

There are going to be times when you just cannot get everything done. Amazing, I know. Don’t panic! As long as you have prioritized your activities you will be able to ensure that you are able to take care of the most important things ones first, and you can always catch up on less important activities at a later time.

Delegate

This is extremely hard for most people. But, any seriously successful work-life balancer knows that you simply cannot succeed unless you know how to delegate. Know who you can turn to in a time of need and who has a skill-set that is compatible with your actual needs, so that when the occasion arises you can dish out some of the items on your plate to others. Notice that the sentence doesn’t read if, but when.

Delegation isn’t just for official ‘work’ tasks. You can also delegate personal tasks including the laundry and other chores. Work-life balance is easier to create when you schedule enough time for your personal interests and work tasks. You can do this by organizing your schedule and taking great care not to overburden your plate at any particular time.

Also remember that to achieve a successful work life balance you must put your personal life at or near the top of your priority list.

If work is your only priority, then you cannot succeed at both. Finding meaningful and challenging work is an important aspect of any quest for work-life balance. The good news is you don’t have to give up one or the other. You can manage to work and still raise your family and do the things you love, and be successful!

Photo Credit: ViaMoi via Compfight cc

• Don’t let anything get between you and your fork: For complete peace of mind that you’re tracking how much you eat, pick up the HAPIfork, billed by HAPILABS as the world’s first connected fork that will transform your relationship with food. After every meal, just plug the fork into a computer to see how fast you’re eating and get pointers on how to slow down. HAPIfork is currently seeking backers on Kickstarter. The first 2,500 people can get the fork for $89. Those interested in being in the first commercial batch can pick one up for $99.
• Take the flight of shame. In an unprecedented move, Samoa Air became the first airline to charge passengers by weight. Its “pay what you weigh” policy is intended to keep airfares “fair” and not charge passengers for excess baggage. The CEO of the small island airline says he hopes the policy will raise awareness of Samoa’s obesity problem.
• Get healthy or pay up. According to a Wall Street Journal article, Michelin North America will no longer award workers automatic $600 credits toward deductibles, along with extra money for completing health-assessment surveys or participating in a nonbinding “action plan” for wellness. Now, the company will reward only those workers who meet healthy standards for blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and waist size—under 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men. Employees who hit baseline requirements in three or more categories will receive up to $1,000 to reduce their annual deductibles. Those who don’t qualify must sign up for a health-coaching program in order to earn a smaller credit.

I’m game for just about anything that helps me stay in shape. I hired a personal trainer towards the end of winter, hoping to jump-start building strength and endurance for golf season. Eight weeks into it, I’m amazed at how much more energy I have, especially on evenings after a work-out. In fact, as a writer, my creative muse has never been stronger. My employer, SAP, is committed to create a healthy culture that supports the highest levels of engagement, creativity, and productivity. Our Business Health Culture Index (BHCI) is based on the notion that there’s a direct link between the health of employees and the company’s ability to innovate and ensure a successful future. No doubt legal battles can’t be far behind as other companies start rummaging around in everyone’s refrigerators. Meantime, I’ve already hit the fairway with promising results. The beach can’t be far behind.

This blog originally appeared in SAP Business Trends