Romantic break for two? Long weekend with the guys?
Europe offers so many different and interesting destinations. Whether you want to embrace your inner foodie in France, run with the bulls in Spain or traverse Italian city canals, there is something for everyone in Europe.
For those on a budget, long weekend trips can mean exciting experiences. You can get away for a few days, explore a new destination, and save more money than you would if you go on a longer holiday.
Looking to make your break as affordable as possible?
Try avoiding the main European hubs and venture a little off the beaten path. There are so many hidden gems in Europe and by choosing the right destination and going on a long weekend, getting a break doesn’t have to break the bank.
Here are the top destinations in Europe you should definitely add to your list:
For Foodies
Lyon, France
Via thousandwonders
If you are looking for an alternative to the gastronomic glamour of Paris, try Lyon. Nestled in the Rhone Alps region, Lyon is hailed as the gastronomic capital of France. One of France’s oldest cities, its roots go back to the Roman period.
The city’s old town, Vieux Lyon, is a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can meander through quaint passageways, cobbled streets, and stunning old world architecture. Foodies can try one of the charming ‘bouchon lyonnaises’ that serve traditional lyonnaise fare.
Take note that Paris can be notoriously overpriced, so if you are looking for the perfect base to explore the French culture and cuisine a bit deeper, then Lyon is the perfect budget destination for you.
For Culture Lovers
Toledo, Spain
Via toledosistercities
Just over an hour from Madrid, Toledo is a cultural center in Spain. With its ancient hills and medieval architecture, the historic city is a lively hub for history buffs and travelers. There, they can experience the buzz of the old European culture without the drama or fanfare of Spain’s capital city.
Visit the 13th Century Toledo cathedral in the center of town or the Moorish Bisagra Gate and the Sol Gate, which opens up into the old quarter. Visiting Toledo is like taking a step back in time. You’ll get an unforgettable experience to soak up distinctly Spanish culture here.
Moreover, the savings one can get when traveling to this top destination make it perfect for visitors on a budget. You can save over 66% on a weekend trip when staying in Toledo over Madrid. Fees typically include accommodation, a meal, drinks, and ground transport into the city.
For Trips with Friends
Vilnius, Lithuania
Via cctv
For the more adventurous travelers, Vilnius is the perfect destination. It offers a little more action alongside history and culture. The walkable capital city is nestled in the heart of Lithuania and is becoming one of the more increasingly popular destinations for city breaks in Europe.
Vilnius houses the oldest medieval town in central and eastern Europe and is popular for its stunning baroque architecture. Visit the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Lithuania or the gripping Museum of Genocide victims, housed at the former headquarters of the KGB.
You can expect a little more lightness and fun in the evening as the continental town is one of the cheapest destinations for food and drink in Europe. This makes it a spirited town with a burgeoning nightlife scene, perfect for those stag-dos and weekend trips with friends.
For Romantics
Klosterneuburg, Austria
Getting away for the weekend with the one you love should never be off of your list. You can impress your partner with a romantic holiday to Austria. Although Vienna is known to be expensive, it doesn’t make Austria off limits for budget travelers.
Nearby city Klosterneuburg is only 12 miles away from the Austrian capital and has a whole lot to offer travelers who want to experience the Viennese culture without its price tag.
For starters, you can visit the huge castle built by Salian Emperor Henry IV that sits near the Danube river. You can also go see the Klosterneuburg Monastery, which is home to one of the oldest vineyards in Austria.
With such a short travel time, you can fly into the capital and find an elegant and romantic bed and breakfast out of the tourist trap, saving money on accommodation and food. This way, you get to experience the best of both worlds.
More than half of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, but most of it has a very high salt content. This makes it unsuitable for human consumption. If you are wondering why, here are 6 good reasons that will discourage you from drinking salt water.
Your body will get dehydrated
The human kidneys are only able to eliminate a small amount of salt from the body at a time through urine. In order to remove huge amounts of salt, the kidneys need to produce a lot of urine to flush the salts out.
Essentially, when you drink salt water, your body will require even more water to dilute and eliminate all of it. In the end, you will just get more dehydrated from urinating too much.
The human cells are made up of semi-permeable membranes that allow water to move in and out of them freely.
When you drink salt water, you increase the concentration of sodium outside of your cells. So, to bring back balance, water moves from the cells to the external space and this causes the cells to shrink.
When cells shrink too much, they become unable to perform their tasks and this leads to health problems.
Your blood pressure will increase
When you have excess salt in your body, the amount of sodium in your blood circulation increases. This attracts more fluid, which increases the strain and pressure in your blood vessels.
As you get more dehydrated from your body trying to flush out as much sodium as possible, your vital organs suffer and this can lead to organ failure. If not managed properly, this condition will be followed by a comma and eventually death.
You overwork the kidneys
Your kidneys play a huge role in excreting salt and water that the body does not need.
When there’s a high concentration of salt in the body, your kidneys will have to work extra hard to maintain balance. An overworked kidney can fail anytime and this can lead to further health complications.
A scaly and dry appearance
Salt water has a way of messing up with the skin by making it dry, flaky and ashy. This happens when skin cells lose water due to dehydration. You’ll see this start on the lips before moving to other parts of your body.
Frequent cramps
Another common problem that you will get when you drink salt water is cramps. It can happen when sodium builds up in the extracellular space of the cells. The high concentration of sodium outside the cells causes water to move outside.
Cells that form muscles will start to shrink and you can end up with muscle cramps. With time, your joints will become weaker, too. Eventually, this could hinder your ability to move.
Salt water animals are able to survive in such a saline environment since their cells are different from those found in humans. Their cells act like osmotic conformers, which means that their cells have the same salinity as their environment. An intake of salt wouldn’t cause a disruption in their physiological equilibrium.
Other animals, like fish, usually have specialized cells which cope with osmosis. They excrete excess salts, which allows the fish to consume salt water without any problem.
There are many negative effects of drinking salt water. Therefore, make sure to filter your water before drinking it. You can invest in whole house filters or portable ones, which you can easily take with you when you go camping or hiking.
A vacation to Southwest Florida is incomplete without some fishing as it has some of the best fishing spots in the state. If you are planning your trip, this fishing guide can help you get the best vacation ever.
Fishing on the Piers
Via gulfshorelife
Naples and Fort Myers Beach are popular with fishermen and hungry pelicans. The shop on the pier at Fort Myers Beach has rods and reels for rent along with plenty of bait to last all day long. In Naples, the pier has a snack bar and a bait shop.
With limited space, there are rules for fishing at both piers. But, the best news is that if you want to fish on either pier, you can do it for free.
Choice Spots in SW Florida
Another great spot for fishing in Southwest Florida lies just south of Fort Myers Beach. Lovers Key State Park encompasses three islands and provides plenty of spots to catch a variety of fish.
Visitors to the park have been known to catch tarpon from atop the bridge. It is also a common sight to see kayakers and canoers with a line and a net. There is a bait shop on the island with experts who are ready to give you tips and tricks for a successful excursion.
If you are in the market for something bigger, Boca Grande Pass is the place to be. This is the home of the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament, which takes place in May on an annual basis. Anglers earn thousands of dollars catching unbelievable tarpon. The pass along the south side of the island is also home to grouper, barracuda, and snook.
Southwest Florida is full of hidden mangroves that are loaded with fish. While many people think that charter fishing is the only way to go, fishing in places that big boats can’t reach is quite enjoyable.
In the area known as 10,000 Islands, in-shore fishing rules. This area has freshwater and saltwater fishes as well as mangroves that are ready to be explored. There are charter boats that tour this area near Everglades City, at the doorway to the Everglades. Like Lovers Key State Park, you can even catch fish from the comfort of your own canoe or kayak.
Charter a Fishing Boat
Via matadornetwork
For the ultimate fishing excitement, all of the coastal towns in Southwest Florida have charter boats available for rent. From half-day to full-day charters, you can choose the excursion and price that fit your needs.
Charter fishing costs range from under $100 per person for a half-day trip to well over $1000 to rent an entire boat for a day. Some charter captains prefer to stay close to the shore or even in-shore, while others bring their guests far out for deep sea fishing adventures.
In-shore fishing might seem like an oxymoron, but it is a popular choice in Southwest Florida. In-shore fishing charters are good choices for people who prefer quiet, calm waters. It can be done within nine miles off the coast.
There are plenty of backwater areas around Estero Island and Fort Myers, as well as Everglades City and Naples. It is common for people to not just catch fish while trolling around the islands and inter-coastal waterways, but also catch glimpses of dolphins, bald eagles, and manatees.
Offshore fishing in Southwest Florida is out in the Gulf of Mexico. The beautiful blue waters are home to fishes like grouper, snapper, sharks, and mackerel. Like in-shore fishing, those who choose their adventure on the big water often see dolphins, stingrays, and sea turtles.
Offshore fishing is usually done on larger boats than those used for in-shore fishing. When anglers go offshore fishing, they venture out to distances that are between 10 and 60 miles away from the shore.
Amenities on a Charter Boat
When you charter a fishing trip, the cost of the trip usually includes several amenities. Florida requires anglers to have a fishing license, so your fee covers that expense. It also covers the costs of running the boat, the equipment, bait, and iced storage for the fishes you’ll catch. Many fishing charters will also clean the fish for you when you return to shore.
It is a good idea to bring along a sunscreen, polarized sunglasses, and any medication that you will need throughout the day. The majority of charters provide lunches or snacks, especially for guests who book full-day trips on the water. Nearly all provide bottled water or other beverages while guests are out on the Gulf or trolling the backwater.
How to Find the Best Charter Boat
If you are new to Southwest Florida, the best place to start is by asking around at your resort or hotel. Concierges know what fishing charters have the best rates and catch the most fish. You can also visit a local marina and talk to the charter boat captains.
At the marinas, you can ask questions about the excursions. Most charters are either four or eight hours long, so take that into account when choosing the right charter boat for you. You should also consider design as some charter boats are better suited for beginners while others are designed for the veterans.
What to Know If You Fish On Your Own
If you are looking for a peaceful time on the calm backwaters, fishing from a kayak might be for you. If you decide to fish this way, be sure that you get a fishing license. There are short-term licenses for vacationers and Florida does offer a few days each year where you can fish without a license. All fishing licenses can be purchased online through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Along with a license, you will also need to be aware of what fish season it is since it is only legal to catch and keep certain species at different times of the year.
In this day and time, it is often unthinkable for businesses and professionals to not have some sort of online presence. With over 3 billion people being connected on the web according to Google, it is essential to be visible to as many people as possible. Even for freelancers and entrepreneurs, cultivating your digital presence on all fronts is very important!
Here are 5 reasons why you need to build your own website.
Personal branding
When you think that there are about 3 billion people connected to the web, you realize that it is important to stand out from the crowd and differentiate yourself from others. This is where you can focus on your personal branding.
Think about what will make you different from other freelancers. What can you show to your potential clients that will make them want to work with you? What will make other people think of you when they need a service or product?
Having a website is perfect for your personal branding. Not only does it allow you to demonstrate what you can offer, but it also helps you to make your business or product more popular. Having an eye-catching website can give you an edge over your competitors.
As a freelancer, you would know that gaining trust from your clients is very valuable. Although there are a number of great freelance platforms out there, such as Upwork or Freelancer, having a website will allow you to reach out to clients that aren’t on those platforms.
With a website, you have more liberty and room to showcase your projects. You’ll have more freedom in introducing yourself and strengthening your online presence.
You can ask your clients to give you reviews which you can publish on your website. This will help you establish credibility. When other potential clients see what others think of you, it can give them more reasons to contact you.
Professional
Not only does a website make you more credible in the eyes of your future clients, but it will give you a professional boost. Having a website demonstrates that you took the time and worked hard to establish yourself as an expert in your field.
Don’t hesitate to demonstrate your knowledge by sharing your ideas and thoughts on your website. Show your potential clients what you are capable of and that you are active. If you make yourself look approachable and reachable, you will most likely gain more contacts.
Visibility
A website serves as the face of your business. Rather than letting your clients do the guesswork in how well you can do your projects, direct them to your website to give them a clearer idea.
Remember, even if you have a good visibility on social platforms, it doesn’t mean that all of your potential clients will find you there. When you have a website, it acts as another means of contact. You can consider it like a business card.
Make sure that your website is visually attractive, readable and includes the most important information about you. Include your experiences, specialties, recommendations and portfolio.
If you are not an expert in website building, there are a number of great website builders that can help you at very little costs. For example, you can check out Heek. It’s a little robot that will help you build your own website through chat.
It is important to be a part of freelance networks and communities to expand your reach and have a good audience base. Focusing on only your social presence will not help you create a solid community base.
Having your own personal website will allow potential clients and visitors to contact you directly. You will be able to develop your own client base outside of platforms, which could be very useful if the sites that you are on ceases to run.
And finally, why not think big?
A website can help you build a business rather than just freelance for others! If you take some time to start a website or blog, you will be able to open up doors to other opportunities.
Aromatherapy refers to the ancient Ayurvedic practice that harnesses the mind and body through essential plant oils. It’s used to be considered an “alternative” therapy. Later, it became an adjunct to spa treatments and certain cosmetic products.
Today, aromatherapy goes beyond that. People practice it at home and its benefits go far beyond scent itself. It offers health and wellness benefits in just a few drops.
Now, if you are wondering what those aromatherapy benefits are, here are 5 of them.
Better cognitive performance
Certain essential oils can increase focus and concentration and even enhance decision-making. Lemon oil is one of them. Studies show how they can raise the levels of brain chemicals linked to motivation and decision-making.
Rosemary, meanwhile, is associated with memory while peppermint stimulates, energizes and increases one’s ability to think clearly. You can place a few drops in a compact, inexpensive ultrasonic diffuser at work or at home to experience all these benefits.
Try aromatherapy both before and after your next workout.
Prior to exercising, use a stimulating essential oil, such as peppermint or eucalyptus, to help clear your lungs and regulate your breathing. These things can help you feel energized and perform at your peak.
Afterwards, try massaging a few drops of pure essential lavender oil on sore muscles. It will help with post-workout inflammation and soreness.
Better digestive health
Via aickar
Digestion is one of the body’s most important biological processes.
When you have poor digestion, you can experience a handful of annoying symptoms. This can range from heartburn, nausea and constipation to fatigue and lack of energy.
When we think of how important smell is to the act of eating, it’s easy to understand how aromatherapy can enhance digestion. Scent doesn’t just stimulate the appetite, it actually stimulates the digestive system by triggering the production of saliva and digestive enzymes.
Rosemary essential oil has stimulating effects on the digestive tract. It’s effective in relieving constipation. Peppermint, lavender and orange essential oils also have anti-spasmodic effects.
Better overall energy
We often think of aromatherapy as a relaxation tool, but it can also have energizing and invigorating effects. Citrus oils, such as grapefruit, lemon and sweet orange, aren’t only popular for their fresh, clean and appealing scents, but also for their invigorating and uplifting effects.
So, instead of relying on a cup of coffee to jump start my day or give me a lift in the afternoon, I like to place a few drops of grapefruit essential oil in my ultrasonic diffuser and just breathe in the energy. I am a frequent traveler and I also use the same method to get over jet lag.
Better sleep
Via essentialoildiffuserusa
If you have trouble falling or staying asleep, it’s important to look at and address the possible causes. It can be due to stress, digestive issues or any discomfort in your body.
It is also important to create the right environment for sleep. Try eliminating distractions such as electronic devices, light and sound sources before getting to bed. In addition to that, you can also use lavender oil. It’s a classic calming essential oil when it comes to sleep problems.
You might want to experiment with other oils, too. You can try bergamot or cedarwood oil and see if they can help create the ideal sleep environment for you.
I was once a hard-working entrepreneur. With a relentless schedule that goes with poor diet, my habits took a huge toll on my health. I speak from experience when I say that aromatherapy is much more than scent. It is definitely “therapy.”
It helped me recover my good health and vitality. This is why I encourage everyone to use aromatherapy not just as a “cure” but as prevention.
About the author: Puneet Nanda is a successful businessman-turned-yogi, certified Ayurvedic practitioner and proponent of aromatherapy as a means of heightening human well-being. Today, he brings high-quality, pristine, sustainable essential oils and oil blends to consumers, having personally traveled the globe in search of the purest sources. A dedicated social entrepreneur, GuruNanda is also committed to effecting positive change, paying farmers a fair price for the best ingredients and generating employment opportunities within these communities.
Whether you are a marketer, small business owner or blogger, Instagram is undoubtedly the most popular social networking platform for ads right now. It can greatly help you magnify your exposure on social media.
If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet, here are seven reasons why you should consider Instagram advertising.
Visual ads are the way to go if you want to appeal to Gen-Z
If you’re in the advertising sphere, you’ve probably already heard quite a bit about Gen-Z. The term encompasses anyone born after 1995. They’re considered the first true digital natives.
Gen-Z has grown up alongside social media, ubiquitous smartphone use and a deluge of smart devices. By 2020, Generation Z will make up 24.7% of the American population.
For Gen-Z, social media is more than just a way to pass time during the commute to school or work. It’s a lifestyle. 96% of Gen-Z own a smartphone while 85% learn about new products via social media. A recent study, courtesy of eMarketer, found that engagement with Facebook among teens and tweens had decreased by 3.4%.
Instead, the 12 to 17 demographics has migrated to Instagram and Snapchat in droves, with some bypassing Facebook altogether. With an attention span of 8 seconds, the generation that will eventually make up 40% of American consumers is primarily motivated by visual communication.
So, if you want to bring in a younger audience, choose visual-based social media like Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook or Twitter.
Digital advertising is currently facing a purge when it comes to online ads and you can’t say we didn’t have it coming. Endless pop-ups, annoying auto-plays and spammy clickbait titles have led to the rise of the ad blocker.
Here are some quick statistics, courtesy of Page Fair, to get you up to speed:
11% of the global internet uses ad blocker technology
74% of ad block users say they leave a website with adblock walls
Interruptive ad formats are the leading motivation for installing adblockers
Users aged between 18 – 44 are most likely to install aggressive adblockers
Google and Apple are in the processing of rolling out newer and more sophisticated methods of adblocking software. This is set to paralyze traditional digital advertising revenue streams.
Savvy marketers will turn to audience-pairing and influencers over interruptive ad experiences.
Social media influencers are set to outpace celebrities when it comes to paid endorsements and product placements. 60% of Gen-Z says that they prefer to see influencers in brand campaigns over celebrities. Because of that, influencer marketing has increased by 90% since 2013.
Using Instagram influencers to promote products is one way to outsmart an ad blocker.
Television commercials are less effective
For decades, television ads were the Goliath of the advertising industry. But, thanks to the ever-present smartphone, television commercials are being elbowed out of the way by mobile traffic.
The next time you’re watching a big sports game with your friends, pay attention to what happens during the commercial break. How many of your friends check their phones?
A research discovered an unusual spike in cost-per-click ads on Instagram for males aged between 13 – 17 during Q2. This was especially unusual, considering that Instagram has a female demographic tilt that tends to monopolize CPC trends.
Guess what happened during Q2? The NBA playoffs!
It turns out that 45% of the NBA’s fanbase was under 35 and NBA fans were most active on Instagram. LeBron James has more Instagram followers than the NFL, The Patriots and the NFL combined.
While mega-corporations are still shelling out millions of dollars to occupy commercial real-estate during big televised events, smaller companies can take advantage of targeting specific user groups based on televised events and the commercial breaks.
There’s data to back this up.
A recent study by Alphonso found that mobile device usage skyrockets during prime-time TV and the spikes perfectly align with commercial breaks. “Every 15 or 20 minutes, right when there’s a commercial break on TV, you see a massive peak in mobile activity,” the founder of Alphonso told CNBC.
Instagram users are more engaged
Snapchat might still be the darling of the social media world. But, when it comes to solid brand engagement, Instagram is still the top dog.
While the exact engagement rate has ebbed and flowed in recent years, it was recorded as 4.21% to Facebook’s 0.07% in 2014, according to Forrester. Although Instagram engagement rates trickled down in 2015, it still beats Facebook when it comes to converting a customer that continues to engage with a brand, even when the promotion is over.
While you might think that this metric appeals to more “visual” products, like the fashion and beauty industry, this trend was witnessed across diverse product segments. This includes brands such as Ford Fiesta, General Electric and Red Bull.
With a dwindling attention span, American consumers are taking less time to read that ad copy that you spent weeks meticulously editing. According to research from the Post-It corporation, the human brain processes an image 60,000 times faster than text. This means that you can connect with your audience much faster.
Here are some more interesting statistics about the benefits of visual advertising:
The average person only reads 20% of any given web page
90% of the information sent to the brain is visual
Content with visuals gets 90% more views
65% of people are visual learners
40% of people respond better to visuals than text
To create a lasting impression on your audience, consider switching up your text-heavy ads and retargeting your audience with visuals.
To learn more about Instagram advertising, view the infographic below.
“More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
Work is meaningful and essential. Work is a part of life. It’s utilizing our talents in order to get something in return. It is a give-and-take process that benefits both parties for the betterment of society.
Through work, you get to feed yourself and your family, pay the bills and get to buy your wants and needs. It is a comfort to the people who have it because it is the answer to their needs.
Unfortunately, not all jobs fit everyone. Some are unfortunate to land a job they dislike while others simply fall out of love from their jobs. This makes it harder for them to work efficiently.
The Common Factor That Makes People Hate Their Jobs
There are a lot of factors that make people hate their jobs.
For some people, it’s the imbalance in their work and personal life. For others, it’s the overwhelming workload and the toxic people they need to work with. The list can get long but one thing is present in all these factors- stress.
Stress is the body’s natural response to pressure or danger around you. It produces hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol, that activates the ‘flight-or-fight’ response of your body. Every day, we encounter stress. However, too much stress can have negative effects on your health.
Here are the common types of stress at work and how to manage them.
Time Stress
This is the most common type of stress at work. You usually experience this when you think there’s not enough time for you to finish a task. Panic sets in and you struggle to finish as many things as you can. You rush until you get burned out, do all of them half-way or, worse, not get any work done at all.
How To Manage Time Stress
When facing time stress, it is important to manage your time and get your priorities straight. Filter your tasks so you can easily see which ones you need to do first. You can use the Eisenhower matrix for this.
Here’s how:
Do First. Tasks in this category should be your first priority. Anything that is placed here should be done as soon as you’re able and not later than the day after tomorrow.
Schedule. This could be important tasks but are not so urgent. These kinds of tasks are either important scheduled meetings or an article with a set deadline.
Delegate. Tasks in this section are not important but still urgent. It could be a follow-up call to a client or a request for your presence for a presentation. These can be transferable to people you can trust, though.
Don’t do. Tasks in this category are neither important nor urgent. You can either do it when you have nothing else to do or not do it at all.
You can use this method if you like prioritizing things the traditional way. However, with today’s technology, you can use apps like Evernote and Toggl to boost your productivity and manage your ideas and time easily.
Anticipatory Stress
This stress is associated with the feeling of anticipating the future a little too much. You anticipate so much that uncertainties of what could happen in the future overwhelm you.
Here’s How To Deal With Anticipatory Stress
Be Positive. The best way to deal with anticipatory stress is to not let fear get the best of you. Positive visualization of outcomes helps by cutting off the negative stream of thinking. Meditation and calming yourself down can also help you from stressing yourself out.
Be Prepared. Face the unknown and tackle it head on by visualizing both the best and worst case scenario. If you think that something is going to go bad in the near future, be prepared and formulate back-up plans that you can use.
Be Brave. Anticipatory stress is mostly caused by the thought of failure. In order to combat failure, prepare yourself by visualizing possible obstacles in your path. Take those obstacles as challenges and see failure as a chance to learn and grow.
Situational Stress
Situational stress happens when everything starts to go out of your control. It appears suddenly and you will have no clue on what to do. It is the time when you think that everything is going smoothly but suddenly, in a blink of an eye, everything goes downhill.
It could be a time when conflict suddenly erupted near you and you are caught in the middle of it. Or it could be the time where your boss suddenly mocked you in front of many co-workers.
Getting Over Situational Stress
Everyone reacts to situational stress differently. You can act out based on your behavior or on how your automatic response work in specific situations. In a sudden eruption of conflict, you either join the conflict or back away.
Be Self-Aware. The most important point is to be self-aware in whatever you will be doing. Being aware of yourself, your actions and with everything around you, will help you think of a solution despite the stress you are under.
Be Calm. Keep hold of your cool and use your head instead of your temper or emotions. Keeping calm lets you assess the situation before doing something that can negatively affect you, your reputation or your job.
Be Patient. Be patient by hearing each side of the conflict before deciding how to solve it. Meet them halfway in order to come up with a peaceful end to it. If you are dealing with situational stress with your boss, hear him out before reacting.
Encounter Stress
This stress involves the feeling of being overwhelmed by meeting new or too many people. All of us can be overwhelmed by a lot of people, whether we are introverts or extroverts.
It might be because you don’t like them or they don’t like you, but you have to interact with them. It might also mean that it’s the first time you’ll meet them and you worry about how they will react or how they will perceive you.
Handling Your Encounter Stress
Practice People Skills. In order to be able to manage a lot of people well, practice or even perfect your people skills. Be confident with interacting with them, so that you can take control of the situation. You’ll be calmer knowing that you can handle any problem that can arise.
Be Emphatic. Empathy is understanding another person from their point of view. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes will make you understand them deeper and feel what they are feeling without judging them. It’ll avoid possible conflict and strengthen relationship bonds at the same time.
Breathe. Whenever stressed, it is important to breathe. Deep breathing has the ability to reduce stress in the body. This signals the brain to calm down and the brain sends the message all over the body.
Other Stress Management Techniques
Write. Studies show that writing about your feelings or anything that makes you happy reduces stress. Take time, relax and write anything you can think of.
It is very important for you to be able to take care of your well-being in order to continue doing what you love and sharing what you can do to everyone. Equipping yourself with a healthy body, engaging mind and a positive attitude will make you go a long, long way.
Data entry has become vital in every business. It helps ensure that all information is recorded by businesses, so that they can access it whenever they need it. However, data entry isn’t a core function of business, so it’s usually delegated to firms or freelancers.
Data mining is much the same way. While it’s important for a business to be able to pull relevant information from their raw data, it’s not a core business function. Therefore, it’s usually outsourced to a third party. Businesses who tried to do their own data-mining ended up wasting valuable time that they could have used to work on core business processes.
This post is going to walk you through the process of selecting the best data mining services for your business. Let’s start.
Where to Find the Best Data Mining Services
This is the first question that you’ll need to address. One of the best places to start your search is through freelancing sites like Upwork or Freelancer. Just search for “Data Mining Services”. You can also visit LinkedIn.
If you’re on LinkedIn, then you can search through potential candidates to see if any meet your requirements. However, your best bet is going to be freelancing sites. You just need to post a new job that describes the data mining process that your company has developed.
Don’t have a written process? Then create one right now.
Choosing the Right Provider
Over time, providers will start sending you proposals and going through them is going to take some time. However, once you find the perfect provider, you can use it for all of your data mining needs. Here are some of the main factors to consider before hiring a data mining provider.
Reviews
Freelancing websites like Upwork have built-in review systems, so this is a great place to start. Of course, you don’t want to depend solely on these reviews, but they provide a great way to filter out the lower-tier candidates. Some of the new providers might be more than qualified to take on the job, so be careful. Use reviews as your initial filter and weed out unqualified individuals.
Check The Provider’s Website
You’ll want to check out the provider’s website before hiring them. If they do not have a website, then consider them off-limits. It’s easy to have a website today. So, if a freelancer doesn’t have one, then they do not take their business seriously.
Once you are on their website, look closely at their information. Do they come across as experts and professionals?
Company/Owner Name
Many people overlook this, but I feel that if a company’s name is catchy and unique, then it shows that the owner is innovative. This isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but it’s definitely a factor. Innovative companies tend to be much more efficient.
Work Process
Providers should have their entire process for data mining in writing. You can use this to gauge whether or not they will be a good fit for your needs. What’s even better is if they have a video describing their entire system. Taking the initiative to shoot a video is a good sign that a provider takes their business seriously. Again, this is a sign of innovation.
Cost
Why did I save cost for last? While the cost of a provider is a factor, it should not be your primary concern. Naturally, providers who are highly qualified are going to expect to be paid more for their services. Once you have narrowed your list down to the top candidates, then you can use cost as a final deciding factor.
Review Your List to Decide a Provider
By this point, I’m sure that you have a list of potential providers based on the criteria above. So, now it’s time to go through that list to make your final choice.
The first step is to determine which criteria are most important to your business. Some businesses will have a strict budget while others might have a strict process.
You should give a lot of weight to case studies done by the organization. While user-generated reviews are important, I feel that case studies hold a lot more weight. With this, make sure you do your research first on each provider on your list. What case studies have they done in the past?
Final Thoughts
Once you’ve found a provider that has met your needs, you can always ask whether or not they offer a trial. Many companies will offer discounted data mining services to new clients. You might as well ask.
Finally, it takes approximately three months for you to see any noticeable changes in your business. You can’t expect drastic improvements overnight. It takes time.
Do you have the level of flexibility, freedom and fulfillment that you crave in your career?
Are you managing every aspect of your life with the deftness that you wish for?
It is quite possible that this is not the case. Maybe you are feeling satisfaction in some areas of your life, but lacking a feeling of contentment in others.
Let’s face it.
An average day in a freelancer’s life is marked by relentless hustling, doubts and exhaustion. The journey is often lonely. At one point, you’ll even feel the urge to say goodbye to some of your most cherished dreams– a six-figure income, a vacation with the family in exotic destinations and so on.
This is where the Kaizen approach fits. It will help you to improve certain areas of your life.
Kaizen: Overview
In English, Kaizen means “positive change” or “change for better.” It is comprised of a series of small, simple steps.
As a business philosophy, it has been popularized by Toyota in the middle of the last century. Since then, it has been successfully implemented by thousands of corporations, small businesses and individuals.
The uncomplicated nature of this technique makes it a preferred choice by many. With continuous commitment, it helps you to get to the root of the problem and resolve it for life.
Because of its impact, Kaizen is now used even in Psychotherapy. In other words, it not only affects business processes but your entire life, too. However, remember, it is no silver bullet and shouldn’t be treated as such.
“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” Plutarch
What are the benefits of using Kaizen?
You have turned your passion into a career, but you don’t want to stop at just that. You want to taste steady success. The aim of Kaizen is to help you to do exactly that. In the process you will:
Improve the quality of your work
Develop new skills
Fuel creativity
Increase productivity
Ensure customer satisfaction
Reduce waste
Maintain an organized workplace
Lower the operational costs of your freelance business
Derive immediate benefits from your initiatives
Blogger and entrepreneur, Yaro Starak, recommends using Kaizen to boost your blogging income
Try to make Kaizen a part of your daily life. Until that happens, make sure to use this technique every time you score a big win. It will then help you to carry on the momentum. You should also use the power of Kaizen every time a major decision backfires. It will offset the negative effects of the transition, if there are any.
How to apply Kaizen in your career?
Identify the area to work on. This is a pre-requisite to making any kind of improvement. Think of the most gnawing question that you have at the moment.
Here are a couple of examples to help you start:
Sheila: How can I reduce my working hours and still accomplish all of my tasks?
Eric: How can I earn a more stable income from my freelance business?
Try to recognize the underlying problem.
In Sheila’s case, the concern is with time management and overworking. For Eric, it is a lack of stable and sustainable income. His question reveals an intention to halt the “feast and famine cycle” and improve his living conditions.
There could be other reasons behind these wishes, such as freeing up time to learn new skills, experimenting with a side hustle, spending more time with the family or globetrotting etc. We will know shortly.
“It is not enough to do your best; you must know what to do and then do your best.” Dr. Edwards Deming
Write down your goal. For Sheila, it would be how many hours she prefers to be working per week. Like Eric, if you are yearning for a more “stable income”, define how much per month would satisfy you and your needs. Don’t bother about making mistakes in your calculations. You will get to revise these further down the road.
The 5 Whys
Let us begin with root cause analysis using a very simple technique known as ‘5 Whys’ or the ‘5 Why Analysis’. Question the problem statement with “Why?” and make sure that your question has a specific answer.
It may not always be possible to identify the root cause in 5 steps only, but continue to ask “why” until you get to the root of the problem. To prevent wandering off from the topic, especially in the beginning, conclude your answer with “therefore” and see if it logically links back to the previous statement.
This was the 5 Why analysis done by Sheila.
Problem Statement: I am working for over 60 hours between Monday and Friday. I don’t even have the weekends free for me.
Why am I forced to work for more than 60 hours a week?
Ans: I’m juggling between multiple projects.
Why am I working on multiple projects at once?
Ans: My income is low. I need to work on as many of them as possible to make the ends meet.
Why is my pricing low?
Ans: There’s far too much competition.
Why am I failing to rise above others?
Ans: I’m unable to differentiate my offering from the rest.
Why am I unable to do so?
Ans: I’m yet to gain specialized knowledge in any particular field.
Identified: Skill issue
This was Eric’s 5 Why Analysis.
Problem Statement: I’m unable to earn a stable income.
Why am I failing to earn a stable income?
I never seem to have long-term projects.
Why don’t I have long-term projects?
Ans: I’m not able to find clients who can offer high value and long-term projects.
Why am I unable to attract such clients?
Ans: Where are they? I don’t know a possible place where I can meet them.
Identified: Issue with marketing and communication
Try not to jump to any conclusions at this stage. Do not cut the analytical phase short. This will ultimately lead you to the right path.
The Ishikawa Diagram
The Ishikawa or Fishbone diagram is another very effective tool for root cause analysis. It was pioneered by the organizational theorist, Kaoru Ishikawa.
The Ishikawa Diagram is generally used in combination with 5 Whys. Any concerns faced by you are divided into 6 to 8 broad categories: machine, method, people, materials, measurement and environment.
Via pmstudycircle
Now, brace for some action!
You have gained an insight into the actual nature of your most pressing concerns. Let us try to improve the situation one step at a time.
What has been taught in The Art of War all those years ago holds true even today.
“In warfare, first lay plans which will ensure victory and then lead your army to battle; if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured.”
This is a war for you. It’s a war to root out any inefficient processes from the system and to refine them to your liking.
Plan
Brainstorm the steps that will help you to move closer to your goal. In case you are facing a skill issue, identify what skills you need to develop. How much time do you need for that? How much time can you dedicate each day to practice? Do you need outside help? What’s the investment (financial) needed to acquire that skill?
Like Eric with his problem on marketing and communication, you need to decide on how much time each day you need to dedicate to solving the issues. How can you manage your routine without any additional stress? Can you automate some of your repetitive tasks? Do you need external help like referrals, membership to professional associations etc, to fuel your marketing activities?
It is normal not to find every step in the planning stage to your liking. Mark out those that seem to be particularly problematic or scary. Differentiate your to-do items into ‘to-be-done-immediately’ and ‘to-be-done-in-30 days’ time.
Eric was apprehensive about face-to-face meetings. Cold calls also scared him. He needed some time to mentally prepare for those steps. He created his itinerary accordingly.
Plan your actions for a short period of time but make sure it doesn’t exceed a week to 10 days.
Do
Start putting your plans into action. Note down the results of your experiments. Keep logs of the problems that you’ve faced when performing these tasks.
Check
Study the results and issues faced after 7 or 10 days. Compare them with your anticipated results and make adjustments where necessary.
At the end of the first stage, Sheila found it extremely difficult to set aside some time every day to study. She decided to dedicate two hours every Friday afternoon for this purpose. This modified schedule suited her better.
Eric found his initial efforts to be rather disheartening. He was using email to reach out to potential customers. However, he received zero responses in the first week. He, therefore, requested a friend’s help.
Act
Begin acting on the revised plan. Once again, set a small target.
Sheila was trying to venture into medical writing. Her time constraints, as well as her financial condition, at the time prevented her from getting the necessary certifications. She decided to brush up on her industry knowledge and enter the commercial arena of the healthcare industry for the time being.
On the other hand, together with his friend, Eric went to meet a few business owners in his area to have an informal chat. They were well-prepared for the interviews and took detailed notes of all of the business issues discussed during their conversation.
He repeated the process over the following few weeks. Eventually, one of them connected Eric with the owner of a top real estate development firm in the city. He was impressed by Eric’s industry knowledge and offered him a three-year contract.
Both of them stayed committed to the process and made Kaizen a part of their lives. They understood that:
“To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.” Henri Bergson
How to develop a Kaizen mindset?
To get the best results, try to develop a Kaizen mindset actively. Dedicate 10 to 15 seconds every day to do so. The success of this philosophy depends on it.
Here’s how:
Be willing to believe that everything can be and should be changed for better.
Strive for improvement in every day of your life.
Focus on how-to-improve rather than why-can’t-something-be-improved.
Don’t criticize anyone.
Spare yourself from self-pity.
Why Kaizen fails or may fail?
Kaizen isn’t about producing sudden or dramatic results. It is based on the philosophy of sustained improvement, the sum of which may be greater than any sudden gain.
Staying dedicated to the process can sometimes be difficult. This makes it important for you to take a time-out and to celebrate any small successes on the way. If you find yourself stuck, don’t hesitate to discuss it with someone you trust. Kaizen encourages a collaborative approach.
Any system is only effective when you take it and modify it into your own. Kaizen is not meant to be a set of rigid guidelines. Don’t be afraid to revise the steps to suit your needs.
Now that you are aware of the basics of this philosophy, you can go through the process of constant review and adjustment. Eventually, you will know what to leave behind and what to carry forward with.
So, which aspect of your creative life have you decided to improve today?
When all businesses are moving online and making it their prime source of business, print marketing gets left behind. People have been putting too much effort on technology that sales and marketing in this niche have been ignored for long.
But, let me ask you this: Don’t you think it’s time to reconsider print marketing? After all, it’s still one of the best businesses around.
Technology is very important for any online business but your business growth starts with your customers. If you do not have customers, how are you going to run the business? A web to print solution’s success depends entirely on customers. Here customers are of two types- a) your existing customers and b) customers you wish to acquire.
To target both these customers, you need a planned marketing move or strategy. Think of this as a “new service” you wish to market. You could pitch the features to your staff first and then your customers to see what they have to say about your “new services”.
Here are a few web-to-print solutions marketing tips you can use to make your business more efficient.
Using Target Marketing Strategy
When you plan a marketing strategy, you also plan whom you are going to target. You need to define your audience in advance in order to achieve the best results. Using target marketing gives you a clear picture as to whom you should target and how.
Most web-to-print solutions marketing strategies fail because they are not sure who to target and they end up pitching to the wrong group. This wastes both money and time.
Once you have defined your audience, you need to know what you want to pitch to them. Not all customers will want every service or product you sell, so you’ll have to do research to find out what interests them the most. The way you segment your customers will allow you to market your products in the best possible way.
After that, you need to set your business goals. They need to be realistic for you and your team. Like keeping a track of the first order in the system, this will keep your team on their toes to get their first order in the system.
Marketing success is way different from technical success. Here’s how:
With technical success, it means you have successfully implemented the system. If your marketing strategy is a success, then it means you and your business is growing.
Using Branding as a Marketing Strategy
Every business has a name, so choose one that can easily make you and your business more popular. A smarter way to choose a name is to pick something from your internal projects.
This is called Branding. It’s a type of marketing strategy that will let people know about your business and what it can do for them.
How you started, when you started and what made you start your business is very important. What you sell and what you do not sell are things that are necessary for your sales and marketing team, too.
As much as possible, never let your sales team go out without a story because they might end up making one of theirs and this can get you in trouble. A story is a good way to market your business and the services it provides.
In addition to that, you also need a plan on how you can tell the story. You need to say it in a way that matches the demands of your target customers. Therefore, you need to play a clever and smarter game here. You need to do branding in a way that you tell them how your solution is going to benefit them. Never tell them what features your business have. Instead, tell them how those features are going to help them.
Like most customers, I would not be bothered to know about you or your business. My prime concern will be how your solution will benefit me. That has to be your focus when you are creating a brand.
Know Your Customer
You should know your customers before they know you. You have to identify their needs and understand the solutions they are looking for. Apart from that, you also have to know when they’ll need you and you must have offers ready by that time.
Using Social Media as Marketing Strategy
A third of the world uses social networks regularly. Hence, it is one of the best marketing tools around. This is why most marketers are expanding their business widely using social media.
Why should you focus on Social media marketing? The stats below will give you a clearer picture.
Facebook has the most engaged users with 70% daily log.
59% of Instagram users are on the platform daily, including 35% who visit several times a day.
In the past two years, people who use LinkedIn has increased 21%.
Instagram has 500 million monthly active users.
In the print industry, the same ideas follow. You can target group of people from different regions and different age. You can attract customers by creating attractive ads on these social media platforms.
Your marketing move is very important. You need to decide how and what has to be your next move to achieve your customers’ goal.
Conclusion
Print Industry is huge and when you take web-to-print solution, then you need to have a proper marketing strategy in place so that you can collect more customers. Your prime goal needs to match the customers’ demands.
Promoting something you know the customer has been looking for will fetch you results that are more positive. Hence, keep your target audience in mind, use branding and sell solutions or features while keeping in mind what your customers want. This will be a great success for your print business.
Sig Nordal 