Being sick can derail our life for a short period and depending on what you do for a living, it can really have an impact on your livelihood. It is something we all want to avoid, yet there are many things in our environment that put us at the risk of falling ill.
And some of those things are in our own homes. From dirty door knobs to silverware, a lot of the things we have at home have the potential to become breeding grounds for bacteria.
Here are some of the nastiest items.
Bad Vacuum Cleaner
Problem: If you don’t clean your vacuum filters regularly, you risk microbes and bacteria making their way into your vacuum system. This can put you at risk of allergies and other breathing problems.
Solution: Be sure to clean the filter out often and open the windows when you vacuum. Consider wearing a mask when you clean. Also think about purchasing a HEPA filter, which gets rid of 99% of the particles in the air.
Heating and Cooling Systems
Problem: If the temperature in your house is not regulated, then your body temperature has to constantly adjust to the hot or cold. This could disrupt the blood supply going to your heart.
The heating system could also affect the natural oil gland in your eyes, which will dry them out. Constant coughing at night is a sign that your lungs are not getting enough moisture.
Solution: If you install a humidifier, this will counteract any irritations you may be having. Also, make sure all your rooms are set to the same temperature.
Bedding Sheets
Problem: Sheets are a prime spot for dust mites. These make it easy for you to catch a cold, worsen allergies or even hay fever. Dust mites tend to accumulate when your bedroom environment is enclosed, such as when your windows are constantly shut.
Solution: You should air out your room daily and wash your sheets regularly. Regular vacuuming of your room is also a must.
Cleaning Products
Problem: Most cleaning products are packed with chemicals that can irritate our skin, damage different parts of our body, and depress the central nervous system. The scary thing is that only a small percentage of companies make the toxicity information of their products available.
Solution: For the cleaners that you have in your home, be sure to use gloves when you are using them. When cleaning, make sure to open the windows for proper ventilation. You can also dilute the products with water to make them less toxic and nasty.
If you are the DIY type of person, look up homemade cleanser recipes on the Internet.
Problem: It is easier than ever for mold to build up, especially on surfaces such as drywall, wood and wallpaper because homes are now sealed up to be energy efficient. Any excess moisture can cause mold to form and grow.
Mold buildup can cause reactions in 1 in every 3 people, as well as aggravate asthma in people who already have the condition. However, not all molds are bad. In fact, only 50 out of 100,000 mold species are toxic.
Solution: If there are visible signs of mold, such as discoloration, peeling or water intrusion, you should have your home professionally cleaned. A faint musty smell is another indicator that you should call in an expert.
Refrigerator shelves and drawers
Problem: There are some sneaky things in your fridge that don’t always get cleaned. For instance, if you have a spill in your fridge, that can become moldy and infect your fresh food.
The fruit and vegetable drawers are easy to ignore. They can be harboring bad microorganisms without you even knowing. In your freezer, there is also a metal coil that melts every few hours with the liquid dripping into a little pan. There is dust in that pan and when its water evaporates, the dust gets carried with it and that can cause you to have a cough.
Solution: Be sure to give your refrigerator some TLC by cleaning your shelves and vegetable drawers with warm water and baking soda. Also, be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables before placing them in the refrigerator.
Your Bath Mat
Problem: They can contain mold, dust mites and bacteria. All of which can lead to exasperating allergies and common colds.
Solution: You need to clean your bath mat a couple times a month. Consider drying it off with a towel in the tub/shower so that you aren’t stepping on the mat extremely wet.
Your Blender
Problem: The gadgets at the bottom of your blender can collect spillage and leftover liquids over time. Microorganisms can collect there, causing E.coli and Salmonella to form.
Solution: You should take apart your blender with clean hands and rinse or wash it before you put it away. This should be done after each use.
Pet Fur
Problem: The dander that they leave behind can potentially make you sick. It can cause you to sneeze and sniffle and it can affect people with allergies.
Solution: The best way to prevent flare ups of allergies is to keep pets off of furniture, fabrics and carpets as much as you can. Dust your home and clean it often to prevent dander from piling up.
Whenever you have to leave for a trip or a vacation, you don’t want to be worrying about your home. To make sure nothing bad happens, below are 14 ways you can protect your home while you’re away.
Put your kitchen in order
Before leaving, it’s a good idea to clean out the refrigerator. If anything is due to expire while you are gone, throw it out. Remember to empty trash cans, too.
Put dry goods such as cereals, pasta, nuts and other foods in containers that are airtight, if possible. Wash, dry, and put away all dishes.
Clean your house
Put away stray items and vacuum. Toss any fresh flowers or other things that will spoil. Also, change the bedding as well as your linens. When you return home, you’ll find these little things amazingly comforting.
3. Do your laundry
It is not a good idea to come back to piles of old laundry after your vacation. Moreover, clothes, soiled towels and sheets can get smelly and mildewed if left unattended for a long time. So, better to have it washed before leaving.
Water the plants
Give your plants a good watering to ensure that they won’t dry out while you’re gone for the weekend. If you’re going to be gone longer, get an automatic waterer or ask either your neighbor or friend to water your plants.
Spray some insecticide
This is to make sure no bugs will be creeping all over your home while you’re gone. In spraying insecticides, make sure to focus on key areas.
Check your appliances
Go through your home room by room and make sure all your appliances are turned off. Unplug the television, computers and gaming system. If they are on a surge strip, you can turn it off at the switch itself or unplug from the wall socket.
Stop newspaper delivery & arrange to have your mail picked up or held
Newspapers in your drive and mail stacking up in your mailbox are clear signs that you’re not home. Have a friend or neighbor pick up your newspapers and mail each day or have the post office hold it for you.
Put lights on a timer
Nothing tells would-be burglars that you’re not at home faster than a home that is completely dark. Light timers are available for a small fee and can turn off and on lamps for you.
Turn off the thermostat
If your home will be empty including pets, turn off your HVAC unless there’s a chance of freeze. If so, set it to 55 degrees. This will maximize energy savings.
Close the curtains and blinds
Closing blinds and curtains can also save energy and is a good way to prevent people from looking in and seeing what you’ve got inside your home.
Check faucets, fixtures and pipes
Who wants to go on vacation only to be faced with the need for water damage restoration? Be sure to inspect all faucets, pipes and fixtures to ensure that there are no leaks. You can also turn off the water supply for extra insurance. Just don’t forget it when you come back!
Close your garage door and lock it
Burglars are often able to get access to the rest of your house through your garage. Close the garage door and lock it from the inside.
Neighbors or friends should have the required info they need
If they are going to look after your house while you are away, make sure they have the keys to everything, including your phone numbers (or alternative numbers) to reach you if there’s an emergency situation.
Even for small trips, make each of these steps part of your routine. You will feel much safer and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you did the necessary steps to protect your home.
Blue light is everywhere. In addition to radiating from the sun, blue light also emanates from those buzzing fluorescent lights in your office, from your computer screen, cell phone and television.
No matter what time of the day it is or what you are doing these days, it seems that you are getting exposed to massive amounts of blue light. But, what’s the big deal?
Blue is a pretty color, right? Sure, but that’s not the point.
What Is Blue Light?
Blue light waves are shorter and emit higher energy levels than all other light in the visible light spectrum. A full third of all visible light is blue light, so there’s a lot of it. Most importantly, it can cause severe medical problems when you get too much exposed to it.
The list includes:
Headaches
Cataracts
Macular Degeneration
Pterygium
Sleep Disruptions
Eye Strain
Flickering lights can cause eye strain and glare. These things can make your eyes work harder.
Apart from that, blue light exposure tells your brain it’s daytime and this can prevent you from being able to sleep. And all that light can deteriorate the physical structures of your eyes. No big deal, right?
People Are Spending Too Much Time Looking At bv Screens
Thanks to the digital revolution, people are spending more time than ever staring at screens. Sure, they simplify our lives, but didn’t humans live for thousands of years without them?
Unfortunately, in this day and age, you won’t be able to get a job without a computer and a cell phone. And if ever you do get a job, you’re very likely to spend a great deal of time staring at both in almost everything you do.
Back in 2014, the average American adult spent 7.4 hours looking at screens. Today, that figure has climbed to well over 10 hours a day. Think about it. You spend all day at work staring at a computer screen, you play games on your phone during your lunch break and then you go home and turn on Netflix. Where’s the downtime for your eyes?
Kids aren’t immune, either. Most parents report that their kids spend over two hours a day in front of a screen. Kids have their own mobile devices, so it’s even harder than it was back when our parents just had to turn off the TV and tell us to go outside.
Despite this and despite the fact that most parents are concerned about the amount of time their kids spend on electronic devices, only 29% of parents take their kids in for their annual eye exams.
Protecting Your Eyes Is Key
Preventing the damage from occurring in the first place is the key to ensuring you won’t suffer severe health problems related to blue light exposure. Over the first twelve years of this century, there was a 25% jump in the number of Americans with severe Macular Degeneration and prevention is the only decent treatment option for that crippling disease, unless you really like getting needles stuck in your eyeballs.
Wearing sunglasses every day protects your eyes from UVA and UVB rays, which is crucial for preventing cataracts. But, blue light can also contribute to many of the same maladies that UVA and UVB light can cause and your sunglasses offer you zero protection against it.
If you wear glasses, consider investing in a blue light blocking coating for your next pair. Even if you don’t wear glasses regularly, you can also invest in computer glasses that will block the light while you stare at your computer screen all day.
Other tips for protecting your eyes from blue light:
Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for 20 seconds to a distance of 20 feet.
Don’t forget to blink! Post a note to your monitor if you need a reminder.
Adjust the lighting of your surroundings and your computer screen to match. This will help you avoid eye strain.
Use anti-glare screens for your computer monitor.
Use a blue light filter setting on your phone and other digital devices whenever possible.
Avoid screen time for two hours before bedtime.
Learn more about the perils of blue light from this infographic. Are you protecting yourself from its harmful effects?
Admit it or not, if you want to do business, you’d want to do it with other people- not companies. Putting up a strong personal branding allows you to reach out to your clients more which, in effect, can dramatically boost conversion rates and sales.
But, how exactly do you build a personal brand?
Honestly, there’s no single formula that can make you successful overnight. It will take a lot of hard work and commitment before you can make it big in this kind of business. But, to help you out, below are 10 easy yet proven ways on how to build your personal branding.
Ready?
Get a logo
If you want to build a personal brand people can easily identify, you’ll need a logo. It’ll be the visual representation of your brand so you have to pay close attention to how you’re going to make it. You can go simple or complicated, depending on your style and the people you want to connect with.
Logotypes are highly effective, despite being simple and plain at times. You can create your brand name and print it on your preferred typeface. This choice can save you time and money, especially if you don’t have enough moolah to spend on hiring a good designer.
While designing a logo used to be a costly and time-dependent process, logo makers have come a long way in recent years, and are rapidly overtaking humans as the go-to tools for creating affordable and eye-catching logos.
Be you
In creating a personal brand, it’s understandable why a lot of people work so hard to impress their target audience. After all, the more you impress them, the more they are likely to patronize your brand, right?
Well, that isn’t always the case.
You see, consumers prefer to see the real personality behind a brand. And if you come across as NOT authentic, they are likely to leave you. So, show your true personality. Use social media to bring forth an honest profile your consumers will be able to relate with.
Make friends online
When it comes to personal brands, having influencers around can be one of your greatest assets. These people can share your brand, stories and posts to their respective target audience and this can greatly extend your reach.
Apart from that, you should also be more active online. Join forums that are related to your niche and engage in online conversations that are relevant to your business. Create a personality that people trust. Take advantage of social media in making your presence felt online.
Meet friends offline
Although online influence is essential, you can’t just limit your connections within the boundaries of the Internet. Go out and actually meet people offline. Attend local events within your industry and start building friendships with everyone you meet. Expanding your circle and networking means expanding your influence.
Start a website
If you want to make a name online, there should be a place people can go to if they want to know more about you and your brand. This is where a website plays a major role, particularly the About Me page.
There are tons of tools you can use to create a decent website. You can get them for free or for a fee but make sure to get only what you’ll need. Purchasing complicated tools and not using them will only be a waste of resources.
Provide your consumers with value
Your personal brand should reflect the true you, but it shouldn’t be all about you. Instead, focus on your audience and what they really want. Create content not just to satisfy their needs but to keep them coming back for more.
Make sure to provide them with something unique so you can set yourself apart from your competitors. Research about what your readers are interested in and what products and services they are talking about more. Finding areas of unique perspective will put you one step ahead of the competition.
And don’t forget to be relevant. Be your consumers’ source of information and you’ll easily grow your authority in the industry.
Work consistently
Being consistent can take a lot of work and commitment but it’s one good way to ensure the growth of your personal brand. If you are inconsistent, you’re just likely to confuse and bore your audience to the point that they’ll look for something better.
Be focused
The initial stage of building a personal brand can be discouraging, especially if you only have a few followers. If you want to make it big, don’t focus on the number and pay more attention to your purpose.
Talk as if you are speaking to hundreds of people. Write as if the whole world is reading your content. You’ll be surprised with how this kind of dedication and focus can change your business.
In your quest to establish authority, it’s likely that you’ll meet other people and businesses that’ll want to work with you. Before you actually agree, think first. Make sure those people and businesses are in line with your brand, vision, and personality.
Your work, as well as your actions, will reflect your brand so be careful in what you do and what decisions you make.
Just give it a go!
Although preparation is key, too much planning can get in the way of you actually starting. In fact, if you wait too long to get started, you may end up not starting at all.
So, don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you start. With your limited resources, start building authority, reach out to people and be consistent with your job. After all these things, success will surely follow.
In Summary
Building a personal branding isn’t that easy, particularly with so many people aspiring to create their own. If you want to be successful, you have to know exactly what you want to achieve.
Be you in creating your personal brand but remain relevant and focused on your consumers. Take advantage of technology and use tools that can make the process a lot easier. Be consistent and don’t wait too long before getting started.
Imagine yourself on top of a mountain. As you look around, you see the world around you. You know that this is a particularly special moment and that this will not last forever because you’ll have to go down eventually.
Is this the kind of experience you’ll want to relive over and over again in your living room?
If yes, then you’re not alone. A lot of people bring out their cameras or phones to take home with them an experience that they’ll never forget. Some of these people even make a living out of taking pictures of special moments.
They are called photographers.
Being a photographer is a demanding job. Photographers are not always present in elite fashion shows and high-class photo shoots. Sometimes, photographers have to make their way into several fields within in the industry. With this, how exactly can they make money from photography?
We all know that there are a lot of photographers who make a lot of money in the field of fashion and stock photography. Famous fashion photographers include Annie Leibovitz, Todd Anthony Tyler and Mark Getty. These people easily make six-figure incomes or even possibly seven figures.
Now, before you even pick up your camera, know that the field of photography is highly competitive.
It’s extremely difficult for entry-level aspirants who want to make it big in the photography scene or just simply earn an earnest living. However, fashion isn’t the only field in photography. The area is amazingly broad and you can find your niche in one of those specializations.
To get started, here’s how to make money from photography.
The Basics
First off, take photos of people and events.
For example, photographers are always a must when it comes to weddings. If this is your chosen niche, remember that “people” should be your priority if you want to make a living.
Why? Because people will hire you to photograph them and not mountains or landscapes. They want photos of actual living individuals and the events they want to be a part of.
Of course, another thing to take note of is your happiness. Photography is capturing special moments on film. Making money out of something you love is a commodity for most people and that is the reason why a lot of photographers enjoy what they do.
Being more passionate about your “art” can make all the difference between moving on and giving up on your dream.
Now that you’ve decided to go more realistic and practical by photographing people, you can try practicing on your portraiture. Most individuals want a photographer to capture the best images of themselves.
With more experience and practice, you’ll be soon mastering your craft which means increasing your reputation. More recognition means more projects and this can mean more income.
Continuing Professional Growth
As mentioned earlier, you have to be happy in what you’re doing to be successful. Unfortunately, sooner or later, you’ll get tired of doing it and it’s perfectly normal to feel that way.
However, those who have a genuine passion for what they’re doing will find any means necessary to keep on perfecting their art. Don’t be afraid to branch out into your chosen field.
Although mainstream and traditional photographers frown on these “new breed” of photographers, there’s no denying that they make a lot of money. These photographers don’t come armed with professional cameras, tripods, lightings or anything like that. Instead, they come with iPhones and selfie sticks.
These people are social media photographers. A relatively new field of photography, a lot of people are engaging in this lucrative practice. These people are being paid to create images and share them with their followers.
Top companies such as Nike, Sony and other corporate giants shell out vast sums of money to encourage more people to choose their products. These companies often provide fare, allowance and time to these people just to do their jobs. They get to travel all over the world and make a buzz on the social media platform they’re in, more preferably, Instagram.
You could say that this job is easy and that they’re living the dream. However, the work that comes with this is also difficult. Gathering a lot of followers in a few months time is extremely difficult and requires superb dedication.
Takeaway
Photographers are unique individuals that get to share and experience the rarest moments in the world. They get to capture it on film and share it with everyone else to see. In a way, photographers are like painters who also rely on skill to deliver their masterpiece.
However, no matter how beautiful your masterpiece is, without any income, you won’t be able to survive. Although there are several ways for people to earn money from photography, it will only get tricky if they’re not happy with what they’re doing.
While women have always been scrutinized for choosing career over their families, today, the same can be said for men as well. This means that the social scales have tipped towards the middle.
But, how can someone raise a family while nurturing a career? Here’s what you should consider when balancing work and family.
Family status
The first question that anyone should ask themselves when considering a career over their family is what their current family status is like.
Does the family have enough resources to provide for everyone if one of them goes off to hone their skills and travel the world in the name of his company?
Raising a family takes much more than putting money on the table. The presence (or lack thereof) of a family member can be felt and it can cause great changes in the family.
If a single person is considering whether he wants to raise a family or focus on his career, he should always think about where he wants to see himself down the line.
Which picture seems more attractive? A CEO’s chair or two children holding your hands?
Having both is not an impossibility but for this, you would need a very strong support system in the form of a dedicated spouse or parents who will take up the slack when your business needs your 100% focus.
Feeding children and paying the bills can take a toll on your monthly income. Even if both you and your spouse are working, it might be impossible to sustain a bigger family.
You might have to give up a lot of your spare time in order to provide enough attention to your child if you choose to raise a family. Opting for the career path will have different consequences, however. You might end up with a lot of spare money that you won’t know how to spend, leaving you lonely and depressed.
Social bias
The most important thing you need to understand is that people will judge you no matter what you do. If you choose a career over raising a family, people will call you selfish and cruel. If you choose raising a family, you will also be judged if you are a poor provider.
Social biases are determined by your local environment and the predominant social layer of that particular area.
Raising children
Some will tell you that raising a child comes naturally. You will find your footing down the line and come out on top. While a child will grow up, either way, the question is what kind of a person will he become?
Putting too much faith in chance and the goodwill of those around you can have devastating consequences if you try and raise a child while also catering to your career. People who try and raise a child while also nourishing a career in an area such as surgery, law or even law enforcement, can have problematic relationships with their children.
Being with a spouse who is understanding and supportive is a must.
Many will argue that raising a child is much more demanding than simply building a career. It takes much more time and effort, often ending in a complete sacrifice of spare time and personal leisure. In turn, your child will always be there for you and help you when you are older– which we all become sooner or later.
Long-term results
In the end, the question that each of us needs to ask ourselves is what do we want out of life? Do we want to see children running around our backyard, laughing and playing with their friends or do we want an expensive, single life and traveling the world?
The question is certainly a difficult one and much more complex.
All of us are given a life to live however we want and know best. It’s up to us what we do with it and where we go from there.
For some, children represent a step backward and a huge detriment. For others, however, having a child is the best thing in the world, no matter how difficult it can sometimes be.
Asking yourself if you have to choose between a family and a career is often arbitrary. Many people choose both and end up sacrificing a bit of each down the line. This can result in being absent from important milestones in your children’s lives or missing out on promotions and other forms of career advancement.
Try talking to your family and spouse before doing anything as impactful as choosing between the two. Whichever you choose and whatever you decide, they will be the important people in your life who will be supporting you and cheering you on.
You’ve got big dreams for your business. Unfortunately, your budget is in the opposite direction. And if you think you’re alone in this dilemma- you’re not.
The majority of small companies are chartering the same waters. However, this doesn’t mean that there’s no way out. It just means you need to be smart if you want to outwit your bigger competitors.
The big-splash strategies of the Fortune 500 will not work for you as you don’t possess a whole floor of people to maneuver these tasks. You don’t have a Pepsi-size budget either.
But then again, you don’t have to.
The Rule of Thumb
The golden rule in business has always been knowing how to sell. You can build just about anything. But, if you can’t sell it, it won’t matter at all.
Sales are the life of every business. Without it, you’ll most likely fail. Finding out what works best for generating sales for your business is the key to success.
Strategize To Increase Your Sales
According to the US Small Business Administration, 54% of the total sales revenue in the US comes from small businesses. This, however, doesn’t ensure that making sales will be an easy task.
As a matter of fact, one-size-fits-all doesn’t apply when it comes to sales and business. For instance, flyer printing could be beneficial for your business, but it may not for others. Notwithstanding, there are simple yet effective strategies to increase sales that you can use to grow and develop your customer base.
To generate substantial sales, you need to depend on many factors. This includes your niche, location, and industry.
Below, are some of the best marketing strategies that you can use to make your business more prolific in the sales department.
Build Customer Relationship
There are numerous ways to increase sales that pop out on a regular basis. However, traditional approaches still work for modern businesses.
Building relationship with customers is no longer a new idea, but it stands the test of time because it works.
The best approach here is to build a personal relationship with your customers. Listen to their needs and do your best to satisfy them. You can even customize your product offers to meet their needs.
Of course, building customer relationships comes with a cost. Be prepared to invest your time, effort and resources into customer relationships.
The traditional approach in business can generate sales, but you also need to utilize modern day technologies. The internet allows you to reach a bigger audience and communicate with them in distinct ways.
The approach that you need to make online business is different from what you would normally do in bricks-and-mortar style of business. It’s impossible to keep a personal relationship with each customer online due to the big numbers of potential buyers. But, you can create customer relationships using a sales page with clear contact information and outstanding customer service.
Digital marketing, content marketing, and email marketing are just a few of the available avenues that you can use to maximize digital media.
Consider Print Advertising
It’s unarguable that digital media is a now a primary component of many marketing strategies. However, the age of brochure printing is still very much alive. You shouldn’t disregard print advertising as it remains as one of the most efficient ways to build a credible reputation and customer awareness.
For instance, newspaper ads are advantageous in boosting engagement levels and growing your audience. Besides, the majority of newspapers are now using both digital and print versions of their papers. This means that your business gets double exposure when you use an integrated marketing campaign.
Prioritize Retention
According to the WASP Barcode Technologies State of Business Report in 2016, 43% of small business owners use retention as one of their strategies to upgrade growth of revenue.
The mechanism of retention is simple. You create contents for your existing customers. It will mean a closer partnership with customer service, too.
Go Where Your Audience Is
Choose your battles carefully. Don’t feel bad if you skip Snapchat with less than 50 audiences. You need to spend your resources on things that will benefit your business.
You just have to track where your target audience gathers online. Find out which social channel they love, what blogs and publication they read, which podcasts they follow and just about anything that deals with your audience.
Takeaway
Suffice to say, sales are the lifeblood of every business. When you know how to produce and track sales for your business, then you’re close to reaching your dreams.
Utilize your creativity and flexibility to get the results that you want even it means going back to your start-up roots. And as you go on your daily operations, keep upgrading your sales efforts as it’s a continuous process.
Whether it’s lack of capital, economy or just a bad idea, each business has its own reasons for failing. And even though I’d agree that those reasons are common, there is another insidious reason that can cause a business to fail.
It’s neglecting self-care.
Here’s why I believe in this and how you can avoid it in your own journey.
You are your business
“You are not patient enough. Your lack of patience is killing you and your need of things is killing you.”
– Gary Vaynerchuk
Whether you realize it or not, your business is an extension of you. You are your own business.
From culture to product development, your personality and decision-making have a direct impact on every aspect of your business. And that’s why my big “ah-ha” moment came when I heard that phrase.
It’s a simple phrase. But, when you really think about it, it makes a lot of sense.
How?
Well, when I first started, I was working crazy hours and always on the go. I threw all other priorities to the side and only cared about one thing – getting my business up and running.
I figured this had to be done and it’d be worth it in the long run which, to some degree, I would agree. But, in hindsight, I’ve realized how damaging this mentality was.
I was overworking myself and operating at 20%, which subsequently meant my entire business was, too.
I didn’t notice it at the time but the quality of my work was quickly declining. Slowly, I started to lose clients because of it.
So, I tried to replace those clients by marketing with blog posts.
It wasn’t a terrible idea, but here’s the problem – those blog posts didn’t make sense.
And on top of that, when I did get a potential client on the phone, I could never close the deal. To this day, I’m still not sure why but, if I had to guess, I’d say it’s because I was strung out and they could tell.
But, as crazy as it sounds, I continued to operate like this for 8 months and somehow survived.
Part of me thinks it was because my original base of clients -the ones I got when I was still sane- stuck with me out of pity.
The other part of me thinks they stuck with me because they couldn’t find a better rate. I’d offered them a good discount to get up and running. In retrospect, that wasn’t the best idea.
But, fragile things can only hang on for so long and one day, it all came crashing down.
I finally snapped and after losing my cool over the dumbest thing (still embarrassed to talk about it), I finally realized that something had to change.
Immediately, I reached out to all my remaining clients and told them I’d be shutting down the business. I notified them of a referral source that was a good friend of mine and one that agreed to honor their current pricing for the next 3 months.
Now, to be completely honest, I was expecting and hoping for some condolences and expected the typical “No, Sean. It’s sad to see you go.” However, as I’m sure you can guess, that didn’t happen.
Instead, all of them replied with some form of “I think that’s a good idea. You could use some time off.”.
Yeah, that was embarrassing.
I continued on anyway. I tried to make the transition as seamless as possible and after I got the last client moved over, I began my “comeback period”.
To start, I immediately sold everything I could, moved back in with my parents and started digging into self-development books.
I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking for. I just knew I had to work my way out of this funk.
So, that’s what I started to do and even though this “comeback period” was only supposed to take a few weeks, it ended up taking 6 months.
And as weird as it sounds, it was the best 6 months of my life.
Not only was I able to come back fresh, but I was able to come back with a wealth of knowledge that I wish I had the first time.
I’ll explain that knowledge throughout the rest of this article. But, long story short, business is a marathon, not a sprint.
With that said, hard work is inevitable
“There is no substitute for hard work” – Thomas Edison
Okay, so now I’m going to throw you a curveball.
I know I just spent the first 5 minutes telling you how I overworked myself and ruined my first business. At the same time, however, I’m still realistic. I realized that all good things take hard work.
That’s why I’m not here to tell you that you can’t or shouldn’t work hard. I’m here to tell you that there are ways to blend the two together.
And when you do, that’s when good things start to happen.
There’s plenty of different ways to do this, but out of all the reading and things I’ve tried, I’ve learned that the best way is systems.
Now, I’m not talking about computer systems or anything like that. I’m talking about systems that allow you to absolutely bring it day in and day out.
And to give you a good idea of how you can apply this to your life, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of the exact systems I’ve used to significantly better my life.
Starting with:
Plan your day out the night before
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”- Benjamin Franklin
When I first heard this advice, I honestly thought it was crazy.
I didn’t think it’d make a world of difference if I planned my day out the night before and even if it did, I didn’t think it’d work for my business.
I was a client-facing business and new fires happened every day. There’s no way I could have my schedule set in stone the night before.
But then, I read a story about Charles Schwab.
It explained how he was frustrated at the lack of productivity of his staff and after dealing with this for a short time, he finally decided to ask for help.
He made an announcement and promised to reward the person who could increase productivity for Bethlehem Steel.
After a short search, he came across a man known as Ivy Lee. According to Schwab, Mr. Lee gave him a singular life-changing piece of advice.
That advice?
Every evening before finishing work:
Write down 3–5 things you plan to get done the next day
Rank them from highest to lowest priority
In the morning, start working on the task of highest priority
Only move on to task #2 when you’ve completed #1
Repeat
And that was it. That was the singular piece of advice that changed Charles Schwab’s life.
It was so valuable to him that he sent Ivy Lee a check for $25,000 (the equivalent of $297,256.23 in 2015) 3 weeks later.
So, after reading this story I decided to give it a shot and let’s just say, I’ve used it ever since.
I don’t know if I’d consider it an advice worth $297,256.23 but that’s the best part. I received it from the Productivity Planner, an investment that only cost me $25.
This planner does a lot more and really helps me keep track of all the important tasks at hand. It’s something I highly advise for any entrepreneur.
Sleep
Have you ever met somebody that likes to brag about how he never sleeps?
The type that’s usually sending Snapchats at 4 a.m. or has “you can sleep when you’re dead” tattooed on his back?
Yeah, that used to be me. Well, with the exception of a tattoo on my back.
I was always the type that bragged about how I only slept 5 hours a night. I figured that I was outworking my competition and if I just slept fewer hours, I’d get more work done.
It made sense in theory, but here’s the thing: When I was working, I wasn’t productive.
Don’t get me wrong. I thought I was at the time. But, when I compare the amount of work that I accomplished then to the amount I get now (after getting a full 8 hours), the results aren’t even close.
In other words, I finally realized that my lack of sleep and “constant hustle” was just a glorified way of torturing myself and getting nothing done.
Without it, you’ll be dragging the next day. Even though you think you’re productive, you’re not going to be as productive as somebody who’s had a good night’s sleep.
So, what’s the ideal amount of sleep then? Whatever makes you feel rested.
For me, it’s 8 hours. For others, it’s 6 and half hours.
Everybody’s wired differently and if you have the flexibility to test it, I think the easiest way to figure it out is by sleeping in without an alarm clock.
Have you ever woke up frantically and just started running around?
I’m not talking about the Saturday morning after a fun Friday either. I’m talking about a typical Tuesday.
One where you spring out of bed, run straight for the shower, scramble around to find your keys, leap out the window, run to your car and start your day.
Okay, hopefully, you’re not leaping out the window. But if you’re anything like me, then you can certainly relate.
I used to start every morning like this after hitting my snooze for 30 minutes and, surprisingly, my days were always frantic.
I was always running around trying to multitask and always felt like there wasn’t enough time in the day. Something I guess most people refer to as a “rat race”.
And then I heard about the concept of a morning routine- an organized morning routine. One that didn’t involve a frantic wake-up or me jumping out the window to start my day.
The logic of this was that if you could find a routine that turned into a productive day, then replicate that routine and make every day a productive day.
It made sense and I couldn’t find any reason not to give it a try. So, I finally mustered up the courage to ditch my current routine and find another one that’d help me start each day off right.
Now, this took a lot of testing and tweaking. But, after months of trial and error, I finally found my sweet spot. The one that’s allowed me to start every day how I want and all jokes aside, that’s actually allowed me to replicate my increased productivity every single day.
Again, everybody’s different and everybody should make tweaks to fit their own needs. But to get you started, here’s the exact routine that I use every day.
My morning routine:
Wake up without an alarm clock.
Make my bed. (We’re completionists, this gets the momentum going.)
Take the dog for a walk. (Try for an hour, but sometimes more. Usually, it depends on the podcast I’m listening to.)
Take a shower, last 30 seconds are cold. It wakes me up and has some health benefits.
Drink 2-3 cups of coffee that’s usually spiked with Laird Hamilton’s Superfood creamer.
Read for 20 minutes while drinking coffee. This can be anything, but it’s usually the Tao of Seneca.
Meditate using Headspace. It helps remove all anxiety and gets me ready to tackle the day.
Open my productivity planner and start getting things done.
And that’s it. That’s the routine that’s skyrocketed my productivity and indirectly made me thousands of dollars.
To be honest, I probably should send Tim Ferriss a $297,256.23 check as he’s the one that got me on this routine. However, I don’t quite have that much change lying around (yet), so please don’t tell him.
Use the Pomodoro technique + productivity music
Alright, so before we get into this one, I want you to imagine a coder sitting in some dark room, music blaring and just absolutely going to town on his keyboard.
He’s likely got a coffee or large soda in front of him, taking a quick sip every 30 seconds before he goes back to typing a million words a minute.
Okay, now take away the “coder” aspect of this and you get me when I’m in one of my “Pomodoros”.
So what exactly is a “Pomodoro”?
Well long story short, Pomodoro means tomato in Italian and the guy who created this technique (Francesco Cirillo) used a tomato shaped timer when he first created it. So, he named it the Pomodoro technique.
Interesting, I know…but it works.
It works because it forces you to remain 100% focused on a task for 25 straight minutes. That means no Facebook, no email, no phone, no coffee refills and no bathroom – unless absolutely needed.
It’s a concept that sounds overly simple and it really is. But, it’s also one that’s helped me get more things done in 2 hours than I used to in an entire day.
I guess I don’t have the exact scientific reasons for this, but from personal experience, it just helps me keep my eye on the prize and not stopping until it’s complete.
It’s much more effective than my traditional technique of working on something for 3 minutes, checking Instagram, seeing if I have a new email, making sure I didn’t miss James Altucher’s latest blog, and then going back to the task for another 3 minutes.
Now, this worked great and didn’t really need any improvements but then, one day, I was reading Tools of Titans (huge Tim Ferriss fan if you couldn’t tell) and I started trying out the productivity music that he listed.
I tried a few of them but the one that really got me going and one I’ve stuck with to this day is “I Choose Noise By Hybrid”.
Again, not necessary, but it amplifies the experience.
Set boundaries – Parkinson’s Law
“Busy is not productive” – Tim Ferriss
In college, it seemed like I had 2 types of teachers.
One that would give me 3 months to type a paper and one that gave me 3 days to type a paper.
I’d always praise the former and cuss the latter (behind their back, of course) but looking back now, deep down, I think I actually liked the latter more.
Not as a person of course. I’m pretty sure they gave tight deadlines to torture us, but I noticed that when I had 3 days to type a paper, I’d instantly go to town and quickly create a work of art.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t a work of art. But, hey, C’s get degrees.
Then on the flip side, when I had a teacher that’d give me 3 months to type a paper, I’d spend the first 89 days thinking about the paper and making myself a mental wreck. Then, I’d spend the last day cramming all the worthless information I could think of onto a piece of paper and pull away with a D.
Not ideal, but oh well. The occasional D still gets a degree.
This is something I chalked up to a life of procrastination. Then one day, I was reading The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss (surprising, I know) and I came across the concept of Parkinson’s Law.
Tim gave a similar example of how he applied this concept to college papers and after I heard that, it really started to make sense.
If you’ve never heard of Parkinson’s Law before, it’s an old adage that “work expands as to fill the time available for its completion”. In other words, no matter what, you’ll always be rushing to hit the deadline.
Now, this might sound depressing and if you don’t do anything about it, it can be.
But. here’s the good news.
You can actually use this to your advantage. Instead of allowing yourself long deadlines that cause you to be a mental wreck, take a different approach and tighten up your deadlines.
Always work until 11 p.m.? Force yourself to stop working at 6 p.m.
Always work 7 days a week? Go crazy and start taking Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off.
The way you do it isn’t the important part. The important part is that you work less and force yourself to get more done. Kinda like the teacher that gave me 3 days to write a paper.
Ketogenic Diet
“I find I have much better drive and focus when in a state of ketosis. I have a lot more mental clarity and productivity.” – Bryan Barksdale
Have you ever had one of those mornings where everything is going great and you’re extremely productive, but then you go to lunch and want to sleep the afternoon away?
Yeah, me too. And like many others, I just thought this was normal, something I’d have to live with.
But then, I was talking to a friend and he was telling me about this new lifestyle he was trying out.
Now I’ve never heard somebody say they were trying out a lifestyle so he had my attention already. Then, he cranked it up one notch and told me it was actually a diet.
Ohhh boy, another one of these speeches. No, I will not buy your Nutrisystem.
But, we were out to lunch and I didn’t have anywhere to hide, so I continued to listen to his spiel and that’s when he started to tell me that it wasn’t really a weight loss diet. Instead, it was a diet that helped him maintain energy.
I asked him to continue and that’s when he got real excited and started babbling a bunch of fancy words.
From what I gathered, he was able to keep a steady source of energy because his body was running off ketones (energy that’s created when fat is burned) as opposed to glucose (energy that’s created when carbs are burned).
And even though he sounded slightly crazy, at the same time, he kinda made sense.
I was always a sandwich guy, which meant I was getting my fair share of carbs in over lunch. So, even though I’d never heard this logic before, I couldn’t really discount it.
Not until I tried it, at least.
So, over the next 2 weeks, I decided to look into this a little more and see exactly what I had to do. Then, a few days later, I decided to give it a shot.
I told myself that I’d give it 4 weeks and if I didn’t notice a difference after that, I was going back to my Jimmy Johns.
And to be completely honest, I was really hoping it wasn’t going to work. I really didn’t want to have to decide between my Ultimate Porker and increased energy.
Then, I finally hit ketosis (fat burning mode) and holy hell, it was worth it.
My productivity soared. I no longer had afternoon crashes. My memory improved and I was always focused.
Now that I think about it, I kinda feel like Bradley Cooper in Limitless.
(Even though I still miss my Jimmy Johns.)
That’s a wrap
Without you, your business won’t survive.
I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of constant hustle and thinking more work means better business.
But, remember, busy does not mean productive.
You’re better off taking care of yourself and focusing on the long game, not the quick win and neglecting self-care.
When an average person hears the words “essential oils”, he’d probably associate it with something that can improve the smell of a home. And though that is true, there’s more to essential oils than just bringing a pleasant fragrance.
So, if you are planning to get a new house, here’s an essential oils guide you might find useful.
Lavender
Widely used for its calming effects, lavender is, undoubtedly, one of the most popular essential oils. Of course, the reason is obvious. This oil brings a soothing effect when you’re stressed or irritated. Aside from that, it can also treat burns and relieve irritated skin.
To treat burns, simply put two drops of lavender oil on the affected area. In a few minutes, the swelling and pain will be relieved.
Peppermint
Having a hard time dealing with nausea? How about headaches? Do you want to improve energy levels?
You might need to have a bottle of peppermint essential oil at home. Massage a drop of this oil to your forehead and temples to relieve a headache. To relieve nausea, inhale straight from the bottle but be careful not to get it in the eyes.
Lemon
For those of you who have a congested chest or itchy throat, you will need several drops of lemon. When paired with honey, it can effectively soothe a sore throat!
If you want to use it in the kitchen, you can, too! Mix at least 5 drops of this essential oil with 4 ounces of an unscented liquid dish soap to get rid of grease in your kitchenware.
Eucalyptus
To add an antimicrobial effect to any DIY homemade cleaning recipe, make sure to add a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Five drops of this oil added to 16 ounces of water can effectively inhibit the growth of mold. Also, 10 drops of this added to a bucket of water can help ease the job of cleaning the floor.
Frankincense
Although it is a bit expensive, frankincense essential oil can effectively get rid of stress and relieve headaches. It can even help make bath time extra relaxing!
After washing your body with soap, put a few drops of frankincense essential oil to your washcloth. Then, wipe it over your body while rinsing with warm water. The steam will instantly infuse with the oil, giving you the refreshing and relaxing feeling you need.
Oregano
Oregano might be a popular kitchen ingredient but it also has some other uses at home. It has antimicrobial properties that help the body combat illnesses. No wonder why it’s a must-have! To fight flu and illnesses, diffuse this oil in your favorite diffuser. It’s that easy!
Tea Tree
Another powerful ingredient in homemade cleaners, tea tree essential oil deserves a spot in your home. Not only does it have soothing properties that heal rashes and itching, it also has properties that aid in stopping athlete’s foot.
Normally, this oil is diluted with a carrier oil, such as organic coconut oil, in a 1:1 ratio prior to applying to the skin.
Wild Orange
Apart from its pleasant smell, wild orange has got many good properties. It does not only work as a sedative, it can also be used for treating an upset stomach. Simply combine a tablespoon of coconut oil with a drop of wild orange essential oil for an instant massage oil.
Vanilla
Here’s something you might not be aware of: Vanilla essential oil has properties that can neutralize the free radicals present in your body. It can protect it against illnesses and diseases.
It also brings about a calming effect that makes it ideal for relieving restlessness and stress. Put a few drops of this oil into your bath or rub the oil on your temples for a quick relaxation.
Rosemary
If you are feeling confused or indecisive, you will need the fragrance of rosemary essential oil. It does a pretty good job at clearing your head and supporting digestive functions.
When combined with peppermint essential oil, it can improve one’s focus and insights, too! Just mix 3 drops of this oil with 3 drops of peppermint essential oil and rub on your upper neck. It should effectively improve your memory and keep you focused the whole day.
Actually, there are still lots of essential oils out there. These are only ten of them. Nonetheless, if you want your family to reap the benefits of these oils, then this essential oils guide can help you get started.
The biggest challenge in dating is finding the right person.
Most of the time, dating is usually clouded with the wrong intentions. Some simply want to get laid while others want to see what happens next. These aren’t really wrong if those are what you intend.
But, if you are looking for the right match, you can easily get hurt if the other person has those intentions.
That is why it is important to make it clear what your intentions are, particularly at the start of the dating process. If you are dating to find the right person for you, then you have to be honest about it. Otherwise, you will get hurt if you play along and can become an easy prey to people who are just looking for fun.
Finding the right person takes time. Actually, it takes an enormous amount of time. Some people can be married, have kids and start a family only to realize that who they live with is not actually the right person for them. No wonder divorce rates are sky high.
Here are a few dating tips for finding the right person:
Eliminate Fear
Fear will always cause us to make the wrong decisions. Fear can easily convince us that who we are currently dating is the best we can have. At your very core, however, you know there is a mismatch in many of your characteristics and personality.
In other words, fear will make you blind to many unpleasant things and this can cause great issues in the long run.
It is best to date not because of fear, whether that is fear of loneliness or being single. Being single shouldn’t actually be feared at all since rushing into a bad relationship is actually worse than being alone.
Do not confuse being partnered with happiness, too. You can be happy alone and you’ll have a greater chance of finding the right person if you are complete on your own.
Take Time Before Committing
Commitment brings a relationship to another level. Sometimes, the sweetness and the “high” felt at the beginning of a new relationship can convince you to commit to something even more serious.
Hold back a little and think about what you are getting into.
Not being bitter, but you have to consider many things. Think about your career, social life, and personal life. If the relationship you are committing to may be disruptive to any of this, it may not be worth it.
There are many relationships that flourished not because of initial attraction. In fact, some of those that truly lasted are people who may have known each other for a long time without being entirely in love. The right person may be the wrong person at first, so give your partner a fair chance.
Who you are craving for may be toxic and cause you problems and those you may consider toxic or perceive to be may just be the remedy you need to achieve and sustain happiness.
You’ll never know!
Establish a Sensible Foundation for a Relationship
Many of us sign up for a relationship as if it’s a promotion of an insurance company. We forget that any relationship requires a solid foundation as it gets established.
Before you go about committing to enter a relationship, have a clear sensible foundation. For example, list your own set of values that are most important for you and see if the other person can identify with them. If not, better look for another one. Otherwise, you’ll just create your biggest regret.
Don’t Let Lust be the Foundation
Lust and sex (as dirty as possible) is a requirement for a healthy relationship. No argument in that one. But, take note that it shouldn’t be the foundation of your relationship.
Sexual chemistry is great but it doesn’t mean you’d go blind over the bad behavior of the other person. Life isn’t about sex alone. Remember the many other aspects of life you need to keep intact.
Have fun dating and don’t let bad experiences take away the possibilities of finding the right person.
Again, it takes a long time to find the right one. But, if you do not stumble upon the wrong ones, you would never get there. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, but please learn from them and never allow them to hurt you. Appreciate the transience of people in your life and move on quickly!
Sig Nordal 