You must pay special attention to your mattress and make sure that it’s in a great condition. You spend about one-third of your entire lifespan sleeping on your bed so it’s really important that you’re using the right mattress.

An average mattress could be used for a maximum of 8 years. Beyond this, your mattress can have negative effects on your health and well-being.

If you are wondering about the effects of a bad mattress, below are some great examples.

Pain

Even if you have been using a top quality mattress, it can still lose its shape with time. Once that happens, your mattress would no longer be able to give your body the support it needs both for your safety and comfort.

As a result, sleeping on a saggy mattress can leave you with a very painful neck and back. It can also affect your posture.

To temporarily prolong the life of your mattress, you can consider rotating it and using the other side. However, this isn’t really encouraged since its structure will no longer be the same.

When buying a replacement, there are many good mattress buying guides on the internet that teach about firmness, size, support, and different materials. Choose carefully depending on your needs, sleeping position, and weight.

See Also: 6 Sleeping Tools To Help You Sleep Better And Alleviate Back Pain

Itchy Skin

Bed bugs are quite commonly found in many old mattresses. With age, your mattress can become a fantastic habitat for these bugs as well as dust mites.

Although these insects aren’t really that dangerous to your health, they can make you itch and that can be really uncomfortable. You can even end up with rashes and redness on your skin as they feed on your dead skin cells.

Dust mites can also trigger severe allergic reactions, which can be simply devastating for people with asthma. You must buy a new mattress and keep replacing dirty linen with freshly washed sheets on a regular basis.

See Also: How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs

Allergies

An old mattress provides an optimum environment not only for dust mites and bed bugs but also for mold and bacteria. This includes Norovirus, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, and also MRSA. These microorganisms trigger skin infections, serious viruses, and urinary tract infections.

Mold is most frequently found in a damp environment. It can trigger allergic reactions, like eczema, coughing, and itchy eyes.

Conclusion

Once your mattress is quite old, consider replacing it right away. If you see changes in its structure or if you feel that it’s no longer giving you the good night sleep it used to, get a new one.

Don’t wait for your neck and back to get painful or for red, itchy spots to appear on your skin. Be proactive about your health and maintain a safe environment even when you sleep.

Change your sheets regularly and ensure that your pillow covers and linens are clean and washed properly. Air out your mattress once in a while to make sure that no bacteria or mold can grow in it. You may also invest in a good vacuum to completely get rid of dust in your bedroom.

The post 3 Negative Effects of Bad Mattresses You Need To Be Aware Of appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

https://ift.tt/2pAIaHA

Love comes in different forms and different relationship dynamics.

First, there is young love that is restless, magical, all-consuming, and ready to conquer the world. Then, there is mature love which is calm and ever-present.

Just as love evolves, the little things that come with it should change, too. The unique gifts that remind you of how special you are should mature just like your relationship over time.

Jewelry is the most versatile of all gifts you can give to your special someone. With its versatility, it can also leave people confused as to what it really means. Keep in mind that every jewelry design calls for the right time and the right situation.

These diamond buying tips can help you decipher that.

Diamonds are for everyone

Let us start with young love.

You are a new couple and your relationship has attained a certain stability. Aside from Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and birthdays, you are going to get quite a few opportunities to buy gifts.

The rule of love says that you should exchange gifts frequently to express your appreciation. You don’t have to go all out on one occasion. Instead, spread out your budget for at least ten events throughout the year.

Diamonds are everyone’s best friend and you can easily find several designer pieces that will fit those events. You may also get numerous choices within your budget.

But beware as not all diamonds are created equal or priced according to their quality. To avoid paying more than you have to, expert MichaelFried recommends buying only GIA Certified Diamonds and AGS Certified Diamonds.

For the special friend

For her birthday, choose diamond stud earrings. You can go for colored diamonds if you know her favorite color or her lucky color. You can also go with a stylish pendant that she can wear regularly.

If you wish to buy something for regular wear, pick a metal like gold or platinum that is hypoallergenic. Titanium is also a good option. If you want something dazzling yet personal, go with a diamante charm bracelet. With a little time in hand, you can design the charms to signify her hobbies, interests, and passions.

For every kind of love

Buying a charm bracelet is a great gift idea for your mom, sister, aunt, best friend or even your grandma. As long as you know their hobbies, likes, and dislikes, you can easily impress them with your jewelry choices.

Pick a pendant for your mom if she has expressed a desire for one over the years. Pick diamond studs for your grandma if you know how she misplaced her first pair.

Jewelry as a gift allows you to touch the lives of the people who matter the most to you.

Lovebirds in mid-flight

If you are not yet ready to settle down, picking the right diamond jewelry as a present can be challenging. However, traditional holidays and anniversaries bring forth the need to buy the same at least five times each year.

Play safe with something personal yet neutral like diamond hoops, sleek diamond necklaces or even a statement pendant that goes perfectly well with evening gowns. Knowing what she likes and what she wants is the best way to woo her all over again.

For the happily ever after

Living together for years has probably added more charm and beauty to your relationship. That is what your choice of diamond jewelry should convey as well.

Though gifting a ring to a woman before you are ready to propose can be a risky move, giving her one after years of living together is just super romantic and cute.

You can add lots of romance and love to the occasion with a stylish and splendid promise ring. Do not forget to engrave a few loving words to give the item a personal touch.

Diamond for all occasions

For the more conventional lovers, diamond studs, bracelets, and pendants are great options for immortalizing any special event. Do not wait for an anniversary or a holiday to pamper your beloved. Seize every opportunity you get to remind her how lucky you are!

The thousands of available designs and their pocket-friendly prices are now making it possible to do just that. Diamonds can dazzle anyone’s senses and they are the best gifts for any occasion!

See Also: Choosing The Perfect Handmade Diamond Ring For Your Engagement

The post Diamonds As Gifts: How Do You Pick The Right One? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2IN289R

Why is content going digital?

There are plenty of people who prefer going to movie theaters to see new movies. There are still lots of folks who enjoy a live musical performance over listening to the radio.

But more and more people are choosing to download digital copies instead of standing in line to buy physical copies of books, music, and movies. And that’s not even the most seismic shift to digital content we are seeing at this point in time.

There is a ton of data out there that is finally starting to be used for something and they are going to change everything about our lives.

How Much Digital Content Is Out There?

90% of today’s data were generated in the last two years and that’s really not surprising. Smartphones have only been around just over a decade. Users have only recently embraced their ability to generate data pertaining to their everyday lives.

Two and a half quintillion bytes of data are created every single day worldwide. Considering that internet usage worldwide is only at 50%, that figure is going to continue growing exponentially in the future.

What Else Is Going Digital?

One major example is currency.

We see this a lot with cryptocurrency. Even though news of cryptocurrency’s volatility, carbon footprint problems, and security problems are making headlines daily, digital currency is still getting more popular. In fact, it increased 43 times in just one year.

That speaks volumes about the trust people put on digital currencies and content.

See Also: Cryptocurrency Is On The Rise: Are You Prepared?

Businesses Are Leveraging All That Digital Content To Innovate

Think about all the data generated about you when you go online and interact with people there. That’s the same way companies get an idea of who their target audience is.

Think of it this way:

When you call a call center with a complaint or customer service issues, the other party asks for your details. That includes who you are, where you live, how much money you make, your education level, and more.

Those data can tell a company a lot about who its target audience is. They can also provide valuable insights on how its employees and products are doing in terms of customer satisfaction and retention.

Some of the ways that big data is being leveraged to improve businesses include:

• Cost-benefit analysis and decreasing expenses
• Making decisions based on data
• Discovering new avenues for innovation
• Speeding up current innovation efforts
• Launching new products and services based on what customers want
• Adding revenue
• Transforming business into a sustainable model that will work in the future

See Also: Know Your Customers In The Digital Age

Potential Downsides To Going Digital

We’ve seen places like Puerto Rico get slammed with hurricanes that have wiped out the entire power grid. Replacing that power grid is slow and costly.

Of course, in that situation, you wouldn’t be worried about accessing your digital movies, books, and music.

But what if you’re relying completely on digital currency and there’s no electricity to connect you to the Internet? How can you use it?

Digital Marketing for Businesses

At this point, it no longer makes sense for your business not to adopt and utilize digital marketing. It’s the hottest thing right now and it’s what can give your business the boost it needs to improve its sale.

Here’s a list of what you need to do:

• Post videos of special events and see how the public will react to them.
• Post photos regularly on Instagram and see which ones get the most interaction. This is often where you will find your next big idea.
• Use social media as a means to interact and build relationships with your customers.

Learn more about leveraging digital content from this infographic!

Infographic by MerlinOne

The post Digital Marketing for Business: Is It A Must? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2Gi5BiB

If you live in a big city, your cost of living could get even higher in 2018. Cities all over the US are seeing record-breaking increases in living costs, making personal budgeting more difficult than ever.

For city-dwellers, high expenses come with the territory.

A study conducted by Zillow and Care.com found that people living in cities paid $9,073 more on average for daily living expenses than people living in the suburbs of those same cities.

Some places have an even bigger gap. Cities like Chicago and New York could cost up to $71,237 higher—nearly $6,000 dollars more per month.

See Also: How to Reduce Expenses When You Live In An Expensive City

So, how to cut down expenses?

The first step is to break down your budget and track your spending. Services like Mint and Acorns provide easy ways to track your spending and save. Planning your budget can help you build up an emergency fund and save for long-term goals like home ownership.

To get you started, here are a few tips for reducing your monthly expenses and eliminating wasteful spending.

Find the Perfect Apartment

With real estate markets skyrocketing across the US, your location can make or break your budget in a major city. “Budget-buster number one is housing, so I recommend starting there when trying to keep expenses in check,” says finance author Stephanie O’Connell in an interview with Chase Bank. If you’re willing to make a few small sacrifices in your living situation, you stand to gain considerably.

Start researching apartments early and get to know where the “trendy” neighborhoods are. You can look for areas away from the highest growth. You can also consider rooming with other people.

Finding a low-cost location to establish yourself will simplify your budgeting. This puts you in a good place to save for a better apartment after a few years.

See Also: How To Ace Your Apartment Hunt

Master the Secondhand Market

Major cities are hotbeds of consumption. With so many people filling their tiny apartments with new stuff, the secondhand market thrives. Thrift stores, used furniture stores, and pawn shops are almost always full to the brim with perfectly good items.

If you’re patient, making regular trips to the thrift stores in your neighborhood can pay off. On the secondhand market, you can save a few hundred dollars on furniture alone.

When you visit a new thrift store for the first time, ask when they restock their shelves so you can get there first for the best deals. As a final tip, auctioneer sites like eBay are great sources for used clothing, especially if you’re familiar with the sizing of certain brands.

Take Public Transportation

The average American spends more than $10,000 a year to own a car and that increase over time. If you’re in a major city, the costs can dramatically increase due to the high cost of parking. Going car-free is a great way to substantially reduce your costs, especially if you’re paying for an apartment with a parking space.

With a high saturation of public transit options, cities are ideal for car-free lifestyles. Most major cities incorporate extensive bike infrastructure, making it safer and easier to commute for free by bicycle.

Going car-free can also be a good lifestyle choice beyond improving your budget. Many people experience less stress and get more exercise using alternative transportation.

Cut Down on Eating Out

Major cities have thousands of delicious restaurants and cafes, maximizing the temptation to eat out.

For many people, food costs can make up their third largest monthly expense, making it the perfect place to make budget-smart changes. Changing your eating habits can help you save up to $3,900 a year.

The best place to start is in your pantry.

Conduct a full inventory of your pantry and fridge and check expiration dates to prioritize certain things before they go bad. Once your food is organized, you can make a list of items to pick up, reducing the temptation of impulse purchases.

Finally, cut down on purchases between grocery trips. Making coffee at home can save hundreds of dollars over a daily visit to your barista.

Spend Less and Have More Fun

Setting a specific budget for leisure activities can be essential in a major city since a single night out can cut a deep rut in your paycheck.

Cutting the cord on cable packages is a great option for city dwellers. Look into streaming services and online subscriptions as an alternative to a major cable or satellite package.

With a host of local HD channels and plenty of high-speed internet options, cutting the cord could save you a substantial amount of money per month without having to miss out on the newest TV shows.

Conclusion

Living in a big city doesn’t have to keep you from saving for your future. With these money-saving tips, you’ll learn how to cut down expenses without sacrificing your needs and wants.

The post How to Cut Down Expenses While Living In A Big City appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2Gbq3l0

Read any video-related article and you will find that videos are significant on landing pages, social channels, seminars, and even conferences.

But that’s not all.

Videos are playing a crucial role even in the Google Play store.

The top-performing apps all have a common feature – explainer videos. Whether the app belongs to the healthcare industry or an IT firm, those videos work equally well.

Why?

Videos are dominating the online landscape because they offer more engagement value than other forms of content, thanks to the combination of visuals and sound.

The persuading power of videos goes beyond product selling to influence user behavior and you can utilize them to trigger more downloads.

Here are some tips for you to do that:

Youtube

In-stream ads

Youtube offers you the option to place your ads within videos. You can put them in the beginning, middle or right before the video ends.

In-stream ads can be skippable or non-skippable. Skippable ads allow users to skip after the first 5 seconds. On the other hand, unskippable ads do not come with an option to skip.

Best practices

• Engage quickly. For skippable ads, make sure that your video makes a strong pitch in the first 5 seconds.
• Write a compelling headline for your call-to-action and make sure that the CTA (app link) is visible throughout the video ad so users can download the app directly.

Discovery ads

When you perform a search query on Youtube, those ads that pop up alongside the results are called discovery ads. These ads can also be found on the watch screen when the user is viewing a specific video.

Best practices

• Pick an enticing thumbnail.
• Have an attention-grabbing headline which gives a core idea of the ad content without revealing everything.

Facebook

Facebook generates 8 billion average video views daily. Thus, video and Facebook make a great combination.

Facebook has numerous video advertising options. You can choose an in-feed sponsored video ad, canvas ad or go with the mid-roll option.

Best practices:

• Sponsored video ad
• Provide an ‘Install Now’ button to take the user directly to the download page.
• Highlight your app’s unique information in the ad headline. Use uppercase letters to emphasize the details that would compel the user to proceed with the download.

See Also: The Facebook Organic Growth Tactic that Everybody Forgets

Canvas ads

For e-commerce sites looking to increase app downloads, canvas ads are a great way to go.

Since canvas allows you to include multiple content formats within the ad, they aid in taking the user to the product. You can use a video trailer to build awareness and offer product images that showcase your best collection.

Instagram

Various brands are now flocking to Instagram because video ads on this platform are less intrusive as compared to other channels. Since these ads blend easily with other content, they are not seen as ‘salesy’. Instead, they appear more genuine and useful.

And Instagram has proven beneficial for boosting app downloads.

From the pages of successful Instagram campaigns, we found the story of Lightricks. By creating a series of beautiful video ads containing the app download links, they were able to trigger 300,000 app downloads (of their new Enlight app) over 5 days and found their way to the top of the app chart.

Best practices

• Make the video visually appealing.
• Ensure that video is accompanied with the CTA that allows app download.

Landing page

An explainer video on a landing page can boost conversions by as much as 80%. If you are looking to trigger app downloads, a video is a great way to go.

The landing page video is essential to bring your app to those users who don’t come across your ads. Remember, there is a chunk of users who will probably only get to know about your app when they access your website.

Best practices

• The performance of videos on a landing page is governed by two factors – design and content.
• Ensure that the video is placed at a point where it is clearly visible and that the size is neither too small or too large.
• Have an enticing thumbnail to drive more engagement.

Conclusion

Videos work perfectly in boosting app presence. The key is to ensure that there are enough touch points for your audience to know about a new app launch or upgrades.

Ensure that your video also finds its social audience since social channels help you in getting more eyeballs for your content. This creates room for more downloads. Don’t forget to optimize your videos for the platform you are sharing it on.

The post How To Increase Your App Downloads With Video Trailers appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2IIymTU

How much does it cost to create an app?

App development is a tricky thing. If you’re not thoroughly aware and prepared, you can easily end up spending more than you should. Worse, you can end up with an unfinished project just because you ran out of funds.

Cost of publishing an application in app stores

Yes, you need to pay certain fees before you can release or publish your app. There’s the fee for registration of developer account and fees for each transaction.

Let’s talk deeper about them.

Apple App Store

The cost of registering the developer account to publish your iOS app is $99 annually. That is if you sign up as an individual or organization. In case you represent an enterprise that wants to create a proprietary app it can distribute among its employees, you’ll have to pay as much as $299 annually.

Don’t forget about transaction fees as ignoring them may lead to a lesser return. Transaction fee in the App Store is 15% from any purchase. This means if your application, subscription or in-app purchase costs $10, you will get only $8.50 in profit.

Google Play

Google has a better price policy for registering developer accounts and a more complicated policy for transaction fees.

To open a developer account, you’ll have to pay $25 once to get an eternal access to it. Concerning transaction fees, Google charges 30% from each purchase ($10 = $7).

However, subscriptions are kind of an exception. Google charges a standard 30% in the first year a customer uses the app subscription. After the first year, this fee decreases to 15%.

Amazon Appstore

The Amazon Appstore is a nice alternative app store for your Android app. It has a clearer pricing policy compared to the previous two stores. Registering as a developer and publishing your app is free. Besides, Amazon charges 30% fee for each transaction.

Expenses on cloud data storage

If the application you work on deals with processing and storing various data like videos or photos, pay due attention to this aspect. The more customers use your app, the more space (read: money) you need to store all their data.

For example, Facebook spends an overwhelming $1.5 billion each year to store the data of its users.

The majority of existing projects choose Amazon S3 for this purpose. The service is absolutely free right out of the box. You have to pay only when the app will require more than 5 GB of storage space, 15 GB of data transfer, and several other parameters.

The data storage isn’t the only expense. Amazon charges payments for different data manipulations as well.

Software licenses

When developers build a mobile app, they use a variety of third-party solutions, like libraries and SDKs. They help to reduce the time required to implement a certain feature.

The majority of those solutions are absolutely free but some of them come with certain limitations in their free versions. Sometimes, these limitations can interfere with what the project needs.

For instance, you need an advanced search in your app with filters by time, region, location, and other parameters. Your team of developers can build that feature on their own but it’ll take much time.

Let’s say the team estimated they need 100 hours to implement that feature. If you multiply 100 hours by the developers’ hourly rate ($50-250, depends on a region), you will end up paying a lot for just one feature.

So, in many cases, it’s much cheaper to pay for a solution with a ready-made feature you can customize according to your project’s needs than build it from scratch.

In Conclusion

How much does it cost to create an app?

The answer is a lot.

However, if you know exactly what you need and don’t need, you can actually cut down on your expenses. You can also allocate your budget properly so you don’t end up abandoning your project.

See Also: How To Make A Successful Mobile App For Your Business

The post The Hidden Costs of Developing A Mobile App You Should Be Aware of appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2DK43IB

In today’s society, people are used to getting a taste of products for free. When a product or service is so high-quality that its creator is confident enough to give it away, that tells audiences it’s truly valuable.

Take Chance the Rapper, for example: He has risen to stardom over the past seven years — performing for President Barack Obama at the White House, hosting “Saturday Night Live,” and winning three Grammys in 2017 for his rap album “Coloring Book.” If that’s not impressive enough, he managed it all while giving fans his music for free. He’s taken the road less traveled, and zigging when everyone else is zagging draws attention from his fans.

I’m certainly not a rapper, but I have relied on a similar method for success in the 17 years I’ve led a gift strategy and logistics company, and I wrote about it in my book “Giftology.” I’ve built a personal brand based on giving and authenticity, and I can show you how to do the same. Here’s where to start:

Give back to your collaborators and supporters

When building a brand, most people focus on scrounging for every penny to help them rise to the top. But like Chance, I focus on what I can achieve alone, then collaborate with others to let them shine. In my case, that means partnering with the people providing me gifts, then putting the spotlight on them. A core value of my business is relationship-building, because even if I can give only a little at the start of a relationship, my partners and I will grow together over time.

Build a giving mentality into the fabric of your personal brand to help set it apart. As often as you can, donate time or resources to give back to the people or companies that helped you get where you are. Chance, for example, champions causes and invests time and money into revamping Chicago and its public schools. Ensure the messaging you create to market your personal brand focuses on how you’ve helped others, not on how you’ve helped yourself.

Be gracious early on

I follow the Gary Vaynerchuk mindset of playing the long game, which Chance demonstrates with every album he releases. While giving his music away for free might seem might seem crazy at first, he’s really just building good faith with his audience, which pays off in spades. It’s the same reason I ask anybody I’m engaging whether I can comp a gift on his behalf to help him look good. This freemium model has helped us land a number of clients, including pro sports teams like the Orlando Magic, and it builds goodwill.

Make the first move of generosity by giving your connections something on the front end. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant gift, either. Maybe you can only afford to take someone out for coffee at a trendy local shop while you network and send him a handwritten thank-you note after your meeting — that’s OK. That act of kindness can be enough to keep you top of mind the next time an opportunity comes along that should have your name written all over it.

Go off-book

 

Any time you can surprise and delight by blazing your own trail is a chance to impress those around you. Just because society has set a standard doesn’t mean you can’t change it. Chance the Rapper doesn’t bow to the pressure of $10 million offers from record labels; he pursues his own vision. Technology has made it easier than ever to build a brand that bucks the status quo, regardless of your credentials.

It’s also a great opportunity to set yourself apart from competitors. Going off the beaten path can be a powerful indicator of who you are and what your brand is. Breaking patterns gets noticed, so whether you’re simply changing the way you present yourself on social media or pulling stunts in your community to generate buzz, don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd.

Chance the Rapper is known not only for offering his music for free and for his charitable work, but also for becoming a lifestyle icon. No matter your industry, chances are good your personal brand will benefit if you take a page from his book. Take it from me: A personal brand built with authenticity will take you far.

The post 3 Ways To Build A Personal Brand Based On Authenticity appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2FWXy7p

The UK is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to technology and in 2017, the tech sector saw a record amount of investment at nearly £3 billion. This was almost double the amount that was spent in the previous year.

At a time of great uncertainty and with Brexit looming in the background, this just goes to show how powerful and infallible the tech industry is. As the tech industry continues to evolve at a rapid pace, 2018 promises to be another massive year.

Tech events are great if you want to keep up to date with all the latest trends and developments in the industry. They’re also a great opportunity to network with peers and learn from the most influential thought leaders around.

Whether you’re interested in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence or digital marketing, there’s an event out there that will help you and your business to grow.

Here are the top tech events in the UK that you need to attend for your business this year:

The Wearable Technology Show – London (March 13 to 14)

Wearable technology has been soaring in popularity over the last few years, with many brands recognizing its huge potential. It has been used in sports, fitness, healthcare and augmented reality.

The Wearable Technology Show will be held at the ExCel Centre in London over two days. It will showcase the latest and most innovative wearable gears to date. There will be a range of different speakers and workshops that you can participate in.

Cyber UK – Manchester (April 10 to 12)

As our reliance on the digital world grows each year, so too does the need to improve cybersecurity. The threat of fraud, hacking, data theft and other nefarious activities online remain more prevalent than ever. This is why cyber security is so important.

Cyber UK will take place at the Manchester Central Convention Complex for three days. It will play host to thousands of delegates and online security experts from around the world.

The event is organized by the National Cyber Security Centre. It will include a number of different workshops, briefings, and talks from thought leaders, government representatives, and many more.

London Tech Week – London (June 11 to 17)

London Tech Week is the largest festival of tech in Europe, attracting more than 55,000 attendees from over 90 countries. The event is an all-encompassing celebration of all things tech-related. There, you’ll see techs linked to virtual reality, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and cybersecurity.

As a business, you have the opportunity to exhibit some of your work. You’ll also be able to network with and learn from some of the most creative minds out there. The Prince’s Trust Gala Dinner and the Leaders In Tech Summit will both be in the lineup while you’ll also have the chance to watch some exciting F1H20 Powerboat Racing take place.

Turing Fest – Edinburgh (August 1 to 2)

The Turing Fest in Edinburgh this year promises to be the biggest one yet, with six conference tracks providing an insight into how the most successful businesses use technology to grow and stay relevant. The event will be attended by some hugely successful CEOs, such as Eric Yuan of Zoom, Des Traynor of Intercom, and Samantha Noble of Biddable Moments.

You’ll have the opportunity to network and share tech insights with like-minded peers and participate in a range of panel workshops and keynotes. There’ll also be some additional informal fringe events.

DigiMarCon Ireland – London (September 5 to 6)

While DigiMarCon Ireland is one of the largest Irish digital marketing events, it actually takes place in Heathrow, London. This event is not only ideal for digital marketing companies and startups but also for any brand that wants to grow and expand their reach.

You’ll be able to find out about all the latest developments in terms of generating traffic, boosting brand awareness, and improving lead generation. You will also know more about content marketing, SEO, and geotargeting during this two-day event.

It’s also worth noting that there are many other outstanding tech events that take place internationally, particularly in Australia and America. So, consider heading overseas to expand your tech knowledge- a perfect excuse to spend some of that business trip budget!

The post The Top Tech Events You Need To Attend For Your Business This Year appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2G5E3g5

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I have plenty of time, I can work on this later” or, “What I do now doesn’t matter, again I’m young”?

If so, I’m here to say that it does matter, particularly when you’re learning how to stop bad habits.

There’s a saying that I’ve been hearing a lot lately.

“Past performance is indicative of future returns.”

Now, although it’s usually said when discussing a financial institution, I believe that it can be applied to so much more.

Take habits for example.

Once learned, do you know how hard it is to break a habit? Very freaking hard.

It takes a lot of self-discipline and commitment to break a habit and even once it’s broken, constant maintenance is required to keep it broken.

Think about all the habits you learned while you were young. Look back at how you look and behave toward certain ideas. Those habits and behaviors are hard to get rid of because they are built deep within you.

But how exactly do you take them out of your life?

I’ve talked to so many people who, despite their good nature, have told me that they used to believe that they were immortal (figuratively). They used to think that they have all the time in the world.

Now, upon reflection on their lives, they’ve noticed that they’re stuck in a sense of perpetual failure. They have developed tons of self-defeating habits that they can’t seem to shake off even after so many years.

3 Tricks on How to Stop Bad Habits

Replace it with something else

When I was younger, I had several BAD habits that really hurt both my work ethic and outlook on life. After a length of time doing these things, I noticed what they were doing to me- they were contributing to my failures.

My only option was to kick the habit but I had no reasonable idea how.

So, one day, I just quit cold turkey.

I told myself that I just wouldn’t do them anymore and it worked for a while.

A few months later, I found that the desire for them was back and that I longed for the pleasure that they brought again. I’d put a lot of thought into it and I was wondering why this feeling came back.

I realized that I needed something else that would calm me- something that would help clear my mind so that I could stay focused.

Then, I stumbled upon exercise.

I found that the relief I get from it was on par with the relief that the substances brought to me. I kept exercising on a regular basis and soon found that my desires went away. I’d found my substitute.

With the help of sticky notes, I’ve eliminated my unwanted habits and it worked really well for me.

See Also: 16 Essential Tips for Quitting Smoking

Figure out what stimulates the habit

After you realize that a habit is unwanted, the next (and possibly the easiest) thing you should do is to figure out how to avoid doing it. This also means that you must find your trigger.

For me, it was the stagnation or the feeling of constant movement but never going anywhere. This coupled with the ever-present mistakes that made it very difficult for me to deal with the stress of life.

It took me a while to realize that.

At first, all I noticed was that I wasn’t on my stuff the way that I needed to be. But like with anything, until I knew what was causing it, there would be no way for me to avoid a similar situation.

This all comes with time though.

Just like how it took a while before I figured out what was hurting me, it will also take a while for you to realize that.

This is what we have to do:

We must reflect and realize what is contributing to our current state. It’s hard but with enough time, it can be done. And if you can’t do it yourself, go to someone who can help you.

Make yourself aware of the fact that it’s unwanted.

This is the hardest thing in the world for us to do, especially by ourselves.

A habit is something that we do on a regular basis. We get so used to them that we no longer view them as a problem. This means that we must reflect and pinpoint the issues. We must look long and hard to find the things that add to our problems.

For me, one of those issues was my substance abuse. I just had to look into myself and see what it was that was causing my current state. It took a very long reflection for me to realize that it was hurting me and how it was holding me back.

This is your life, and you only get so much of it. Since our time on this earth won’t last, we must make the most of it. We must rid ourselves of our unwanted habits as soon as possible. Don’t be the person that looks back and says, “Man, I knew that I needed to do this. I just never did.”

See Also: Spiritual Pointers for Quitting a Bad Habit

The post 3 Ways To Stop Your Bad Habits appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2G1oyWk

Medicines are necessary to control a condition, prevent complications, and treat health problems. Although helpful, not all medications are free of side effects. Some of them can be life-threatening while others can have a negative effect on how you look.

To help you understand better, here are the most common oral side effects of medications and what you can do about them.

Dry Mouth

Drugs prescribed for heart diseases, like enalapril and chlorothiazide, can dry up your salivary glands. This can make your mouth excessively dry.

Once that happens, the tissues in your mouth can become irritated and inflamed, which can increase the risk of infection, tooth decay, and gum disease.

Think of it this way:

If there’s less saliva in your mouth, it can cause foods to stick on the surfaces of your teeth, making them difficult to remove. Saliva protects the tooth against tooth decay and gum disease.

See Also: 10 Habits That Can Prevent Heart Disease

Discoloration of Enamel

Drugs that cause staining and discoloration of the enamel include antibiotics. They are typically used to treat bacterial infections, some forms of acne, and respiratory issues.

Apart from that, consumption of too much fluoride can also lead to enamel discoloration. It can cause chalky white and cream colored patches to develop on your teeth.

Fungal Infection

Inhalers used for asthma may lead to yeast infection in the mouth called oral candidiasis. It is very important to rinse your mouth every time you use an inhaler to avoid this side effect.

Altered taste

Some medications can alter your sense of taste, which is also known as dysgeusia. It happens frequently to elders who take multiple medications for their ailments. It can also happen to people who are under chemotherapy and taking doxorubicin and chlorpheniramine maleate.

Generally, the change in taste is temporary and goes away when you stop the medication.

Gum Swelling or Gingival overgrowth

Medications, such as oral contraceptives, immunosuppressive medications, and calcium channel blockers can cause gingival overgrowth or gum swelling. Blood pressure and epilepsy medications can also cause the same side effect.

The inflammation around the teeth increases your risk of periodontal disease as it creates a favorable environment for bacteria to grow.

See Also: 3 Natural Home Remedies to Heal Gum Diseases

How to Avoid Oral Side Effects of Medications

Because you can’t stop taking your medications just because you’re fearful of their oral side effects, you need to do your homework and know the best ways to care for your teeth and gums. See your dentist and ask what you can do to avoid oral problems while you’re taking your medications.

Your dentist will assess your oral health. He may use an interdental brush for complete cleaning before providing the right treatment for your oral problems. Undergo a professional cleaning as that can help remove plaques that your regular toothbrush won’t be able to get rid of.

If there is swelling in your gum tissues or if there’s too much pressure around your teeth,  a minor surgery will be required. The surgery is usually done with anesthesia so you won’t feel too much pain during the procedure.

To help control the situation, your dentist can also communicate with your general physician to find out alternative medications that don’t have the same side effects. As much as possible, do not stop taking your medications, swap drugs or change the dose without consulting your doctor.

General dentistry procedures involve the latest dental technology and ensure early and exact identification of any oral health complication, which can affect your overall health. It is always a wise decision to go for a routine dental checkup to prevent future problems.

The post Oral Side Effects of Medications: What You Need to Know appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2tRbOgc