Completing your thesis is a seminal moment in your life. It represents your Magnum Opus. It’s your contribution to knowledge. After completing it, it’s hard to imagine that it will probably sit on a shelf and not contribute to humanity as much as you would like.

You might be wondering how to publish your thesis to a wider audience. It’s not as hard as it may seem. You can solve this by publishing your thesis as a book.

In 4 doable steps, you can turn your thesis into a book that people can get their hands on.

Reconfigure Your Thesis

A thesis may resemble a book in length and depth, but it’s not a book. One of the first tasks in PhD thesis publication is to reconfigure your thesis to be more like a book.

When you begin reconfiguring your thesis, you need to first determine what market you want your book to appeal to. Are you focused on fellow academics? Do you want it to be used as a resource in undergraduate courses? Do you want to appeal to those who are trying to expand their knowledge in the subject?

Once you have your target market in mind, you can proceed with reconfiguring your thesis. It may require you to remove certain chapters, change chapter order, merge chapters, and split chapters. As you begin this part, you’ll probably want to get help from someone who has experience publishing a thesis as a book. It’s important to know just how your material needs to flow to meet your target audience.

Edit Your Thesis

After you have a reconfigured your thesis, you can figure out the editing that you need. Again, your target market for your book is going to be different than for your thesis. You’ll need to ensure that your book resonates with people and is easily understood. This is probably the toughest step in turning your thesis into a book, but using a thesis editing service can make it much easier.

Changing the wording is a first step in editing your thesis. This goes hand in hand with improving reading ease. You’ll want to define words in the text or use simple to understand words.

For example, while it’s perfectly acceptable and standard to say that you used Stata 9.0 for analysis, it’s not commonly known outside of academia what Stata 9.0 is. Saying that you use the commercial statistical analysis program Stata 9.0 is easier to understand.

Sentence structure should be changed as well. Flesch–Kincaid readability tests are used to determine different reading levels of texts. The formula to determine level is dependent on the number of syllables used and the number of words in each sentence. Sometimes it’s difficult to use shorter words, but breaking up large sentences can be very effective at making your text more readable. Again, a thesis proofreading service has the expertise and knowledge to make this task easier for you.

Find a Publisher

Once you have finished editing your thesis, you are ready to find a publisher. While some publishers will provide editing services, it’s much better to edit before submitting to the publisher. This greatly enhances the chance that the publisher will publish your thesis since it’s closer to publication status.

First, you need to ask your professors about who you might get your thesis published. Your university might either have a university press that can handle your book or they might have a publisher that they regularly deal with. While this is generally a good start, it’s not the only research you should do. Depending on your market, you may or may not want to go with one of the suggested publishers.

Your target market will often determine what kind of publisher can best handle your publication. Search the internet and find publishers in your subject area that publish books for your target market. Look for small publishers who are open to niche books.

Failing this, you can always look into self-publishing. With a fully edited book ready to go and an idea of how to market your book, self-publishing can be a very good idea. Most of the work has already been done and there are many on-demand publishers who get your book quickly in print. Many of them will even make your book available on Amazon.

Promote Your Book

One of the last things you’ll want to do is to promote your book to your target audience. You can start by opening a blog, posting about your book on social media, and reaching out to people who are in your target market.

For example, if your goal is to be a resource for undergraduate courtesy, start contacting professors and share your book with them. Oftentimes, your publisher will handle the bulk of your marketing, but you have a stake in it as well.

These four steps, from reconfiguring and editing your thesis to finding a publisher and promoting your book, will help you know how to publish a thesis as a book. You can make your thesis be what you designed it to be: an important contribution to knowledge.

 

The post How To Publish Your Thesis Into A Book In 4 Steps appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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You won’t believe how much a mobile app can change your small business.

Over the years, more and more people are getting hooked on mobile purchases. Did you know…69% of millennials purchase from their mobile phones and this projection is expected to increase up to 2020. In addition, 62% of smartphone users have made at least one mobile purchase in the last 6 months.

At this rate, it won’t be a surprise if mobile apps become more than just an extra treat for consumers, but a necessity. No matter how big or small your business is, this is something you have to take advantage of.

If you’ve been considering how to boost traffic or sales, here are 7 of best reasons to convince you to create mobile apps for business this year.

Increases visibility

Compared with a browser bookmark, an app is constantly present on a user’s smartphone. Because of this presence, your business is easily visible to your customers. With good content and a pleasurable user experience, the potential for users to be looking at your products and brand every day is high.

Another good reason why you should spend more effort in building your brand through a mobile app is because a lot of people spend more time browsing mobile apps than visiting websites on the internet. One good reason is that people tend to have less patience when they are reading texts online so an app that can make it easier for them to skim and scan products and services can help boost your sales.

Engages customers

People who are too busy with work and house chores prefer apps that can save them time and make tasks easier. People who dislike missing out on sales want to get updated on the latest discounts and special offers. For people who dislike getting caught up in traffic jams and rush hour, an app that can give them a frictionless shopping experience can spell good news.

By giving people exactly what they are looking for, they are likely to remain interested in your brand. However, for you to achieve that, you need to know exactly who your target audience are. Once you are able to recognize the values and needs of your consumers, you’ll be able to give them a more valuable shopping experience.

Gives you an edge over competitors

Having your own mobile app can give you a leg up on your competitors. However, for you to maintain your lead, you have to develop an app that will differentiate you from the rest.

Start off with an application strategy. Know how your app will work for your business and how it can level up customer experience. Another factor you should consider is your app’s seamless integration. If your customer will purchase an item from your company, you need to make sure that the product gets delivered on time and in good condition. The customer also has to be reassured about how safe their information will be once they make a purchase through your app.

Integrating your mobile app to function with social media can give you an opportunity to expand your audience and promote your brand better. It will also give you the chance to get honest feedback from real customers and interact with them.
Keep in mind that it’s important to generate a good experience from the start as a bad mobile experience can be hard to undo. Once a customer has uninstalled your app, it is difficult to get a second shot.

Boosts sales

Most people today do their shopping online since it’s easier and more convenient. Case in point, mobile commerce is now a third of all US ecommerce.

This is not too surprising given how a mobile app gives more accurate information on the things shoppers want to buy, allowing them to make comparisons first before making a purchase. According to recent statistics, 80% of shoppers use a mobile phone instead of a brick and mortar store to look up prices, research product reviews, or look up store locations.

By taking advantage of these needs, you’ll be able to dramatically boost your sales.

If you partner your mobile app with a mobile website, you’ll be able to reach 6.7% more customers, which translates to additional revenue. You can also get the service of a mobile app developer that can get your app in multiple languages so you can also attract international buyers.

Enhances customer service

Compared with the traditional way of addressing customer concerns, your business’ mobile app can make it easier for your staff to resolve customer concerns. The faster the concerns are addressed, the happier and more satisfied your customers will be.

For one, the app can help you easily segment your customers’ requests to the proper departments. This means that, once assigned, your customer support agent can easily retrieve all the information related to the customer’s complaint, including the date of purchase, location and even the records of his other transactions. As a result, your agent can solve and close the ticket faster.

In addition, you can also set your app to automatically send acknowledgment messages and create ticket IDs. For customers, one of the most annoying things a business can do is to make them feel like their concerns are invaluable. Waiting for a response is another story.

Makes marketing easier

The constant presence of your app in your customers’ smartphones conditions their minds to get used to your brand. They’ll be able to recognize your brand from almost any place they go.

A mobile app also gives you a more unique and direct way of reaching out to your customers. Sending push notifications, for example, can easily grab their attention which can then increase your sales. You can also post the day’s special deals as well as discounts to attract customers.

Apps generally have built-in data analytics and metrics which you can use to assess your existing marketing strategies as well as the recent buying trends. You can use these data in optimizing your marketing and internal operations.

See Also: 8 Top Marketing Tips for Small Businesses 

Encourages customer loyalty

As your customers get used to seeing your brand, it becomes a lot easier for you to earn their trust. This trust will make them more comfortable to buy your products instead of the items sold by your competitors.

The experience your customers get from your app can also establish loyalty. If you can give them a top-of-the-line shopping experience, you won’t have a hard time keeping them engaged and interested in your brand.

See Also: 4 Tricks To Turn Your Buyers Into Loyal Customers 

As we usher in the new year, it’s clear that as business owners, we simply can’t ignore our customers who are mobile users especially as they continue to use their smartphones with more eCommerce intent than ever before.

 

The post 7 Smart Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Develop Their Own Mobile Apps This 2017 appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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I wonder what my parents were thinking the day I came home from college and said, “I want to put my education to work. I want to homestead!”

There may have been a long pause — I can’t remember now — followed by some expertly crafted support rhetoric.

I do remember, though, how that passion was sparked in what seemed like an instant. It was as if there was an unfinished puzzle sitting in front of me, and I had finally put enough of the pieces in to figure out what the picture was.

I was entranced by the idea that I could work, live without clutter and noise, eat well, be sustainable, and stay healthy, all without driving anywhere. I knew it was for me, but not everyone who finds happiness in simplicity does in overnight, and happiness isn’t a permanent state.

Exploring what happiness and simplicity really are helps to appreciate how a simple life, while maybe less convenient, can be a happy life.

Hard Work is Rewarding

It’s what your grand-pappy used to say right? What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

I’m not going to pretend that fixing broken fences in the snow and rain is hella fun! It is not.

Knowing yourself, though, is an unparalleled reward and there isn’t a better time to get to know yourself than when you are giving something your all. Real satisfaction is achieved in creating something with blood, sweat, and tears and there’s a lot to be learned from failure, like perseverance.

An integrated, agrarian life combines problem-solving with physical ability, research with experimentation. It occupies both your head space and your body. That is what I call a complete workout.

“I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”
― Thomas Jefferson

Creativity Abounds

I often speak with creative professionals who express concern that living simply is a boring, day-to-day exercise in the mundane; a cyclical ceremony honoring obsolete traditions. This is why my husband and I strive to make every act on the homestead an act of art. We don’t have to go out of our way either.

When I design the year’s garden and then watch my beans, squash, and corn all grow into an expression of my intention; that is creativity. Crafting a new design for a gate, fence, or feeder fills the creative cup.

Living simply buys you back time that would otherwise be spent in the car, at the office, restaurant, shop, club or movie. So, I have time to take photos, stretch canvas and actually paint. Not to mention the inspiration that bubbles over when surrounded by happy animals and rich gardens.

“My wish simply is to live my life as fully as I can. In both our work and our leisure, I think, we should be so employed. And in our time this means that we must save ourselves from the products that we are asked to buy in order, ultimately, to replace ourselves.”
― Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays

Practicing Goodness

A very happy time in my life was when I lived in a small apartment the city and literally walked 15-20 blocks to work every day. Every morning, the city came alive. Each day felt like I was a part of this organism. I was a cog in this machine that was propelling humanity toward future grandeur, and being a part of that something-bigger felt amazing.

It feels great until you are faced with the fragility of it all, the wastefulness, and the reality that unless something changes, it will all collapse. The ultimate organism that we are all a part of is Earth, not the city.

Knowing what is good for us takes reflection, and a life of simplicity allows for that. Watching nature come alive each morning is a sense of awe beyond any, and you don’t have to live in the country. An urban homestead still awakens to the sounds of its birds and gardens, and to the smell of home cooked meals.

“We have lived by the assumption that what was good for us would be good for the world. And this has been based on the even flimsier assumption that we could know with any certainty what was good even for us. We have fulfilled the danger of this by making our personal pride and greed the standard of our behavior toward the world – to the incalculable disadvantage of the world and every living thing in it. And now, perhaps very close to too late, our great error has become clear. It is not only our own creativity – our own capacity for life – that is stifled by our arrogant assumption; the creation itself is stifled.”
― Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays

An Integrated Life

My childhood in the 80’s and 90’s was a series of rides to scheduled blocks of time. Ride the bus to school, ride the van to volleyball practice, ride in the car to piano lesson, ride with mom to do errands, ride to doctors office, and ride to the assisted living facility to visit grandma.

It just seemed very compartmentalized, like those professional organizers who want you to have a plastic bin for every item you own. A simple life is an integrated life which means that the homestead is the school, and the grocery store, and the workplace, and the doctor’s office (within reason). Each act of living becomes an act of teaching, working, and learning. There is intention and information in something as simple as taking a shower when you’ve plumbed your greywater through a greenhouse where it waters year-round salad greens.

“Though the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple.”
― Bill Mollison

Security in Sustainability

We’re used to depending upon utilities and retail stores so much, we place our sense of security in them. Pulling in a year’s worth of garlic, onions, and potatoes always gives me the deepest sense of stability, a ‘we’re going to be alright’ feeling.

Imagine never paying a utility company again. As long as the sun is shining or the wind is blowing you will have lights, hot water, and telephone.

Even if your homestead isn’t totally off-grid, with each step toward sustainability, you gain security. In the gales of a winter storm, knowing that your Rocket-Mass-Heater keeps you toasty warm with the slightest amount of wood is enough to have you singing “let it snow.”

Our current system of production, distribution, and consumption is not sustainable. It is totally dependent on fossil fuels, the exploitation of animals, and dwindling free resources from the Earth. It will fail, and withdrawing our investments in it now not only protects us, but it encourages the larger system to change for the better.

“A sacred way of life connects us to the people and places around us. That means that a sacred economy must be in large part a local economy, in which we have multidimensional, personal relationships with the land and people who meet our needs, and whose needs are met in turn.”
― Juliana Birnbaum Fox, Sustainable Revolution: Permaculture in Ecovillages, Urban Farms, and Communities Worldwide

See Also: Why Simple Living is the key to Finding your Life Purpose

 

The post 5 Little-Known Reasons Why a Simple Life is a Happy Life appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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How is it that some people can go head to head against seemingly impossible odds, and still maintain a sense of balance and perspective?

Do they know something we don’t? Or do they just think differently than we do? Maybe they just have different ways of viewing the world in which they live?

Perspective is going to serve you very well, no matter which struggles you face, chosen or otherwise.

One of the only definite powers given over to mankind is the ability to choose our own attitudes in any given situation. As Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl put it, to “choose our own way.”

This isn’t Pollyannaism. There are people all around us suffering because of real problems, and you may even be one of them.

This is also not meant to downplay the seriousness of whatever you’re struggling with, but instead, to convey the idea that problems are never going to disappear completely.

In reality, as our lives get better, all we receive are better problems to solve. It’s simply unrealistic to expect a life without any problems.

And as you’ll see, problems can actually make us happier!

THE STOIC PERSPECTIVE

There’s a branch of philosophy called Stoicism that I return to quite often. One of my favorite books of all time, “Meditations” was written close to 2,000 years ago by the Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. In it, he says things that could be very helpful to you, like:

“Don’t ever forget what proportion of the world you make up.”

“Nowhere you can go is more peaceful, more free of interruptions, than your own soul.”

“Is it your reputation that is bothering you? But look at how soon we’re all forgotten. The abyss of endless time that swallows all. The emptiness of all those applauding hands.”

“Why should we feel anger at the world? As if the world would notice!”

These insights are powerful beyond measure, and they can assist us in gaining much-needed perspective as we slug away at the problems that confront us each and every day or our lives.

Simply put, we need to step outside our own situations (difficult, I know!), and see our problems in a different light.

MENTAL JUDO

Apart from using aphorisms like the above to help us gain perspective, we can use our incredibly powerful brains to flip our problems on their heads.

You see, desiring something only reinforces to you that you lack that thing in the first place. It’s focusing on what you aren’t already, instead of the powerful individual which you already are.

Cultivating this internal locus of control is also essential to being happier even when seemingly besieged by problems.

With a simple “flip” in the mind, you will see that:

1) That desiring a positive experience is actually a NEGATIVE experience because it’s based on lack.

And…

2) That accepting a negative experience is actually a POSITIVE experience, as we are exercising our personal power.

In the end, everything positive in life is achieved by battling past the associated negative experience. It is similar to how your body will improve when you make yourself suffer through brutal workouts.

This pain is chosen by you.

And in fact, a lot of the problems that we face in our lives are chosen by us.

The problems we have are a window into what we consider important. Our problems, concerning things like parenting children, supporting our families, making our mark on the world, are all indications of what is most important to us, and most important to our own happiness.

So the question becomes: “What pain do you want in your life? What are you willing to struggle for?”

See Also: 10 Things You Should Know About Creating Your Happiness

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM OF ALL

I hate to sound like a downer, but I have to bring this up because it affects all our lives in such a powerful way. A lot of our problems have something to do with death. Either our own, or someone we care about.

Instead of repressing this like most people do, we can use the “problem” of death to become happier; to appreciate what we already have, instead of what death will eventually take away from us.

This is the biggest problem of all, but again, this is where perspective can come to our rescue. Yes, you are going to die, but that’s only because you are fortunate enough to have lived.

If you think about this long enough, all of your problems will come into crystal clear focus.

Instead of death being this negative, oppressive thing that is the source of all of our problems, we can turn it into our biggest source of gratitude. We can live immediately, and in so doing, a lot of our smaller problems will disappear on their own.

MOVING FORWARD

If you’re avoiding being uncomfortable or uncertain, then you’re giving up being alive at all. Problems, and specifically, solving problems, is what makes life meaningful.

And eventually, you’ll realize that problems confronted simply do not arise.

Not everyone will do this, of course.

Most people will run from their problems, as they’ve been doing for their entire lives, and for the entirety of human history.

See Also: 7 Ways to Get More Comfortable With Feeling Uncomfortable

But you’ll be different.

You will have valuable perspective on your problems, and you will hammer away at them until either they fall or you do.

And this struggle is where your greatest happiness will be found.

All the best,

Matt Karamazov

 

The post How to Leverage Your Problems in Order to Become Happier appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Negative thinking is such a downer and it gets in the way of most things. You start to lack creativity, you feel down in the dumps, and you actually start to get exactly what you expect – NEGATIVITY!

Most of us know that it would help to be a lot more optimistic about life but how do you do that when you are so used to thinking and feeling the way you do? I personally attack negative thinking in a range of ways.

Here are a few ideas that will work for you too.

Wake up earlier than your household

One thing that I know makes my negative thinking worse is being forced awake by my partner, the alarm clock, or my kids. If I am woken up, then I feel behind already and forced into everyone else’s agenda. Before I know it, the resentment and negativity starts to spike right at at the start of the day.

This no longer happens!

Now, I creep out of bed and creep past the princesses’ rooms and get downstairs, get myself a coffee and do the next point. This makes me feel a lot more in control of my mind. Yes, I love my family but I need time alone first!

And the alarm clock is just plain horrid so I never allow that to wake me up. I tap into the energy of Spirit and ask to be woken up at the time I choose and it works. Don’t ask me how. Just give it a go.

Make a commitment to wake up at least two to four hours earlier than everyone else to ensure you have enough time to feel in control of your day before everyone else wakes up. Imagine all that you can do during this time.

Journal

This is a key idea to defeat negative thinking. The time that I spend alone, I spend connecting with the energy of the Universe, reminding myself of my goals, and writing down who I choose to be.

This makes me feel in control and that makes me feel more positive. I write down my goals for my life and for that day and I decide who I need to be in order to make them come about.

If I want to make so much money that day, then I know I have to be willing to sell.  I write “I am confident and bold enough to ask for the sale today” and I spend some time feeling the emotions of being that bold, confident selling machine. Of course, there is no room for negative thinking if that is who I choose to be.

This works for whatever you want. Decide what you want to have and then decide who you need to be and then deliberately choose to take on the persona of the person that you choose. Write down what you would feel, how you would dress, and act if you are going to make that goal happen.

Set an hourly reminder

This is more of an emergency measure but I use it regularly because although I appear to be positive, I usually have to defeat a lot of negativity to appear that way. I no longer to leave this to chance so as soon as I finish my initial journal session, I set the timer on my phone to prompt me every hour.

The prompt reminds me to catch myself and check what I am thinking. If I have degenerated into crazy thinking, then I open a file on Evernote or whip out my journal again and write very quickly a series of I am, I have, and I do statements that remind me who I choose to be in that moment.

This usually works to get me ramped up again. The creativity returns and I can get back to whatever I was doing. This only need take 60 seconds or so but it works to bring me back to centre.

Have more orgasms

There is something pretty powerful about that moment of heightened emotion. When I am trying to get a new thought pattern secured in my brain, I make the decision to masturbate or make-love it in!

At that moment of orgasm, my brain feels more open, more willing to accept new thoughts, and I usually have something planned. I visualise my goals and what I want to achieve and it just feels more real in that moment as though I am changing the course of my brain cells. And I personally, think I am.

Stop second guessing

When I spend time overthinking and second guessing the ideas that bubble up within me, I always end up internally beating myself up and feeling negative. So, I am choosing to act considerably faster on ideas.

I think it is better to have acted fast and failed than to keep waiting for certainty. Regret is also a downer and a negative form of thinking and so, I am going to act even quicker than I used to.

Notice & grow in self-awareness

Having been an avid journal-er for as long as I can remember, I am pretty self-aware. Still, I went through a phase of trying to pretend my negative thoughts were not there. This form of denial can work for some thoughts but others are more persistent. They want you to notice them, honour them and then release them.

This year, I am going to do just that – Become even more meditative and untethered from these negative thoughts so I can see where they come from, honour the story that led me to feel that way, and then choose what I want to believe instead and release the old thought.

It may sound a little woo-woo but again, try it before you second-guess it (pun intended!).

See Also: You Need Self Awareness For These 3 Important Reasons 

Refuse to Take On Drama & Giving Up People-Pleasing

Some of my negative thinking comes from believing that someone, somewhere is talking/thinking about me in a negative way and so, when someone would look at me a little funny, I would immediately jump to the conclusion that they disliked me. That, of course, led me to think negative thoughts about myself.

This year, I am going to choose to think the best of every sideways look. I am creating a new habit of choosing to think they are thinking about how awesome I am and then I will choose to forget them.

See Also: 5 Simple Lessons to Break the Shackles of People’s Negativity

No more dwelling on what could really be nothing. And definitely no more caring what people think of me except to tell myself that everyone thinks I am great!

Those are seven simple ways to combat negative thinking. Use them!

 

The post 7 Simple Ways To Overcome Negative Thinking & Set Yourself Up To Win This Year appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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It’s the hardest part, right?

You’ve made the commitment to change your life for the better.

You’re unhappy with feeling like a prisoner in your body. You’re fed up with that voice at the back of your mind telling you you’re the biggest person in the room. You’re tired of looking in the mirror, because who you see is not who you are.

Enough is enough!

If you think about it, where you are today in life is a result of your current habits. So how do you go about changing all those habits that got you here? Just thinking about changing them is overwhelming. It’s going to take massive discipline and determination.

But what if I told you only needed to change one habit?

Just one to set the snowball in motion.

And that’s why I’m here. I would love to be the guy who helps you get started on your journey. Or maybe you’ve started your journey but feel lost. That’s ok too. One of the following habits might be the spark you need to rekindle your fire.

You’re Eating Like a Snake

I marvel at people who can unlock their jaw to inhale huge chunks of food without chewing. It’s a great skill to have in today’s fast paced world.

Unfortunately, it comes at a price. Research shows that mindful eating can decrease your calorie intake by 12.57%. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, then that’s 250 calories. That’s equal to cutting out a candy bar! Every. Day.

So chew your food to a cream before swallowing.

You Believe In Moderation

Studies show that the fat, sugar, and salt in processed foods have the same addictive properties as cocaine or alcohol. So eating junk food in moderation is like telling an alcoholic they can drink in moderation. Rather go cold turkey. If you do stray from your diet, don’t beat yourself up. Just continue where you left off from your healthy regime.

You’re Working on Yourself

Instead, work on your environment. Both physically and mentally. Participants in a study made healthier choices even though they weren’t motivated to change their eating habits. You can receive the same benefit by finding people who have what you want and hang out with them. Replace all tempting treats with healthier options like fruit and nuts. Replace sugary sodas with bottled water.

You Don’t Know What You Want

Successful people who reach their goal know exactly what they want to achieve. They don’t aim for vague goals like ‘I want to be healthy’ or ‘I want to lose weight’. Find a measurable benchmark and set your sights on your desired outcome. For you, it might be waist circumference, body weight, body fat percentage, BMI or dress size.

You’re Forgetting about Your Salty Tooth

The first thing well-intentioned dieters cut out is processed sugar. But what about salt? Your body holds onto excess water to dilute high sodium levels in your body. You might have experienced that bloated feeling after a salty meal. Aim to keep your total sodium intake below 1,500mg a day. About half a teaspoon of salt.

You Have an All or Nothing Mentality

In school did you aim for 100% test marks? And if you didn’t achieve it, you’d give up and say: ‘Ah screw it!’

Some folks apply this train of thought to their health goals. Rather aim for an 80 – 90% efficiency. For example, there are 21 main meals in a week. If you ate healthy for only 20 meals then you’ve achieved a 90% score. That’s an A+. Would you be happy with an A+ in school? I bet you would.

You’re Not Keeping Score

If you can not measure it, you can not manage it. If you can not manage it, you can not control it. If you can not control it, you can not improve it. Keeping a food journal is a useful tool if you’re stuck on a weight loss plateau. You can analyze your journal and find out where there’s room for improvement.

To make it even easier, use a journaling phone app and take pictures of everything you eat and drink. No writing required.

You’re Trying to Out-Exercise Your Mouth

You’ve heard the popular adage, diet is 80% of weight loss. And it rings true. It’s going to be a tough road to losing weight if your diet isn’t healthy. So instead of working out longer and harder, rather focus on your diet.

Doesn’t matter what diet you’re following, most of them give the green light for green veggies. Experiment, tweak and find out creative ways to sneak in more veggies into your meals.

See Also: Lose More Weight with these 14 Super Foods That Boost Your Metabolism

You’re Focusing Beyond the Step In Front of You

To get to the top of the health mountain, you may have to climb a few hundred stairs. It’s only natural to worry about the daunting journey ahead of you.

But I want you to forget about stair #497 or whatever. It’s not important now.

It will be someday, but not now. Rather focus on the stair in front of you. Because no matter where you are in your journey, there’s always just that one step in front of you.
Take it slow, steady and one step at a time. The last thing you want to happen is to get overwhelmed and quit.

That one step might mean solidifying only one healthy habit a week. That one step might mean packing a healthy lunch for work. That one step might mean picking the smallest habit that’s most attainable. Making the first habit so easy, you can’t say no.

That’s how you gain momentum. That’s how you win the long game.

Your highest priority is to get through today. That’s it. Don’t worry about what tomorrow might bring. Just get through today.

There`s only here. There`s only now. There’s no other day but today. So, what are you going to do today?

See Also: 4 Reasons You’re Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Results

 

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Every new year welcomes new resolutions.

We probably all want the same thing — to achieve more and feel proud of what we have achieved. For example, Mark Zuckerberg’s is to visit and meet someone in every U.S. state and mine is to keep my website alive for as long as I am living.

If you are one of those passionate IT folks, technical nerds and computer enthusiasts who are still looking for a challenge this year, here may be one that will interest you: an open source project.

So, as you kick-start the new year aiming to achieve and share greatness, here are five easy-to-use tools that can help you.

GitHub

John Resig, the creator of jQuery, once tweeted: “When it comes to hiring, I’ll take a Github commit log over a resume any day.” GitHub is undoubtedly the largest developer community in the world. Programmers like yourself go there when it comes to hosting your codes, and sharing and contributing to them.

GitBook

GitBook is a simple online and desktop tool for building books. Like GitHub, it is seen as a tool for programmers. But it can be surprisingly useful even for non-tech writers – especially if you want to write your books or documents about your project. You can use Markdown to write, edit and style your content simultaneously. To publish, a simple git push is all you need.

Sublime Text

In the question “What is the best programming text editor you are using?”, the answer is usually Sublime Text. It is a simple and sophisticated-looking text editor that comes with color schemes for your codes.

When you switch between different files or search, it is blazing fast, and stable. Not to mention it comes with the best Markdown experience you will ever find, as well as tons of packages like Pretty JSON that will make your use of this tool even richer.

Quire

While being a task management tool, Quire can play a part in your open source project too. If you prefer an interactive place for your milestones or features (which you probably entered in spreadsheet apps like Microsoft Excel and ZK Spreadsheet), tutorial or guide, or even a public forum, list them all out here.

With features like favorites and comments, you can see right away what topics are more popular, have a say in discussions, change the priority of your plan whenever you want, etc. Github commit links can even be found in the comments once you integrate with it.

See Also: 5 Essential Tools And Apps To Build Your Early Startup 

Inkscape

Last but not least, where will your project be without design? Seen as a great alternative to Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape is a free (and open-source) vector graphic editor made for you to create illustrations, arts, logos, charts, and paintings. Some say it is way ahead of Illustrator for its better UI, same professionalism, and superior quality features. It has also got a massive community forum where you can show off your work, and contribute ideas to.

See Also: 20 Best Productivity Apps and Programs for 2017

 

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You’re a freelancer. You work day in and out, Mondays to Fridays, and sometimes even during the weekends. You spend more than 8 hours a day sitting in front of your computer with occasional coffee and TV breaks. Your inbox is always full, you never run out of deadlines, and your unfinished work is piling up on your desk.

The question is: How do you survive?

Stay on Schedule

Stress is a feeling brought by lack of control of a situation. And it happens to me whenever I break my schedule. One of the ways you can combat the feeling of stress brought about by being overwhelmed by the number of jobs you have to do is to create a doable schedule that works for you.

I personally have an excel file which I name “work calendar” and here I list every project I need to do every month. Sometimes my calendar will have work booked for more than 3 weeks. Sometimes when I’m running low, I only have work for the next three days. That’s the time I know I have to hustle.

Having a schedule helps you control the flow of work. It creates order in your work life.

Tаke Brеаkѕ

It may seem counterproductive to take frequent breaks while working but believe me when I say breaks are the only thing that will probably keep you sane while working freelance.

There will be times when you simply don’t feel like sitting any longer in front of your computer because your eyes hurt or your brain isn’t working anymore. Don’t ignore it. Follow your body cues and take short breaks for no more than 30 minutes to refresh your mind and body.

See Also: Not Getting Enough Work Done? Try Taking More Breaks

Dоn’t let уоur сlіеntѕ gеt уоu down

I used to worry and feel stressed when my clients are not 100% happy. But then I realized that I can’t please every client I have. And this is perfectly normal.

Most freelancers encounter difficult clients more than once in their freelance careers. Sometimes freelancers will encounter clients that are hard to understand, clients who don’t pay on time, or those that rush you for results even if it’s just a day after you started the contract.

Learn tо say NO

Being a freelancer means you have to go look for jobs yourself. And while the competition is fierce, that doesn’t mean you have to say “Yes” to every job offer that comes your way.

Don’t accept jobs if you’re already over-scheduled. Don’t write for free for a test job. Don’t slave away for work with little pay. Be honest if you aren’t comfortable in writing a subject far from your niche, and politely decline.

Set Rules Before Starting any Job/Project

Clarify everything before starting the project. This includes project due dates and pays schedules which will save everyone a huge headache later on. If a сlіеnt is ореnlу rudе tо you, drор thеm. Bе сlеаr аbоut уоur hours. If your client resides on the other side of the world, let them know the time to contact you. You don’t want to be answering client calls at 3 am in the morning.

Outsource

Now that you’re earning more than you can handle. It’s time to delegate tasks so you could accomplish more during the day.

If you don’t want to do your admin tasks, you can hire a virtual assistant to do it for you. If you’re a web designer, you can outsource web content to a writer who can do the job better than you. Sites like Upwork, Freelancer.com, and EssayPro.Club have available workers to help with tasks and projects for every kind of freelancer.

Write on your niche

I found that when I’m passionate about what I’m writing, I tend to write more smoothly and quickly. In freelancing, it’s important to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you excel at writing humor pieces, don’t spend all your time writing boring tech pieces. Figure out what sets your writing apart and focus on the stuff that only you could write.

Bе рrераrеd tо defend уоur lifestyle tо ѕtrаngеrѕ

Sоmе реорlе wіll think you’re living an enviable life as a freelancer while others will look at you with fаіnt panic because іt dіѕtrеѕѕеѕ thеm thаt уоu’vе chosen such аn uncertain саrееr раth. Don’t let them get to you. Go to workshops аnd seminars, find your соmmunіtу of artistic ѕuрроrt, аnd trу tо lооk worldly and knowing in front of judgmental strangers.

Manage Time Wisely

Set work hours every day and stick to it. It will help if you set timers or batch your day for certain projects. For example, you can focus all morning to work on your website, the afternoon to edit your content, and the evenings to answer client calls. Make it work for you. Remember that you control your time as a freelancer.

See Also: 7 Convincing Reasons for Working as a Freelancer 

Closing Thoughts

Too much ѕtrеѕѕ саn hаrm your frееlаnсе wrіtіng career, аѕ well аѕ your mіnd and bоdу. Try thе above tірѕ tо ѕее іf they can work for уоu.

 

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Office politics is part and parcel of the workplace. Sometimes, you are left with no option but to navigate office politics smartly to fast-track your career.

It doesn’t mean that you need to jump right in and push your agenda. You need to prepare yourself carefully and know a good time to get involved. Also, you need to stay away from things that don’t matter to you.

Here are six ways to navigate office politics and emerge as a winner:

Build on your influence

Being an influential personality within an organization is the first step toward winning office politics. An effective means of building your power is to focus on the business objective of the organization.

Try to become the dependable go-to person for certain things. When people ask for help, use this opportunity to make professional friends and alliances in the workplace.

Don’t share your private information with your office friends. However, do share non-confidential, work-related useful information that leaves an impression that you care for people and want to help them professionally.

Build on your image

In politics, perception is everything. So they say! How do other employees view you? The image that you portray is imperative in winning office politics. Our image determines how others will interact with us.

You might have to make small sacrifices to build a trustworthy image of yourself. Also, avoid making promises that you can’t keep. If you are perceived as authentic and reliable, you are almost there.

The best way to create the right perception is to think of yourself as a television; whatever you do in office is being watched by everyone. This will make you responsible and prevent you from doing things that hamper your reputation.

Avoid taking sides

In the case of conflict between two groups in the office, avoid being on any side. Rather, create a platform where both teams can communicate and resolve their concerns. If you can’t do this, then stay away from people who amplify such conflicts.

If required, stand up for the cause you strongly believe in and not for any side. People will see you as a person who can support the right cause. This will help in winning the confidence of colleagues.

Understand others

Observe others and try to understand their reactions, attitude and behavior on important decisions of the company. All friendly people are not your friends.

Similarly, all those who oppose you are not your enemies. Understanding people is one of the most complex tasks. However, you need to observe your colleagues, bosses, and subordinates who regularly help you in making sound judgment. It will also assist you staying uninfluenced by office rumors.

Avoid getting personal

Office politics can get nasty at times and you may feel angry. Anger may drive you to get personal. Under this kind of scenario, exercising self-control and restraint is critical. Uncontrolled anger may lead you to humiliate others. Moreover, things become uncontrollable once people forget the objective and become personal.

So try to be objective in your communication and avoid personal attacks.

See Also: Keep Calm and Don’t Stress: Recognizing and Preventing Job Burnout

Don’t burn bridges

Do not have permanent enemies. Rather mend fences as fast as possible. Do not hold a grudge for long. Build bridges. Try to settle down the conflicts proactively. Never bring ego in the way of conflict resolution. Even if you don’t trust a person or hate a person, there’s no need to tell this to the person or anyone else. Be the nice guy.

Define your goals

Warring factions characterize office politics, and in many instances, you will find yourself drawn into other people’s wars. Therefore, to avoid such kinds of situations, you must define a goal and stick to it. If anything doesn’t help you attain your aim, avoid it. Your goals and career objectives should be above everything. Do what is best to achieve your goals and nothing else.

See Also: How To Set And Achieve Goals For Success In Career – 7 Tips

Conclusion

A strong faith in your abilities is crucial to winning political battles in office. You can’t choose your colleagues and you can’t control their behavior either. However, you can control the way you react to different situations. These reactions will determine how far you go in your career. And, it is not a one-time thing. You need to work continuously on your personality to control your emotions and reactions in hostile situations. In the end, whether you win or lose, never lose faith in yourself.

 

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It is a fact that success is achieved with a lot of hard work, struggle and persistence. However, one important factor that is usually ignored is mental strength. Some people are generally good when it comes to emotional stability while others can still work on it.

To be able to develop emotional strength, it is important to analyze how you are spending your time. This will help you explore things that you need to quit doing and things that you need to work on.

Here are 5 barriers that you put into your own path:

Jealousy

When an individual decides to focus on other people’s blessings, this is where jealousy acts as a barrier to one’s own success. If you want to achieve success and mental peace, then it is very important to focus on things that you possess rather than things you don’t own. Moreover, somebody else’s luck cannot take anything away from you.

Seeking Perfectionism

It is observed that individuals delay things as they seek perfectionism. It is important to understand that perfectionism is actually underestimating yourself that you are not good enough.

Perfectionism acts as a barrier to success. It leads individual to depression and anxiety when expectations over things and one’s self are not met.

See Also: The Dark Side of Perfectionism

Comparing Yourself To Others

A true waste of time, effort and resources is comparing yourself to others. Successful people would never do it as they know that they are one of a kind.

Instead, if you really want to compare anything, it must be what you have achieved and what you are willing to achieve. Overcome this obstacle to achieve success in this new year.

Blaming Others

It is a common attribute that people take all the credit for achievements and success. However, when things don’t work out, then it gets easier for us to blame others.

Blaming others for our own failures is actually the biggest obstacle to success. It keep us from being accountable and learning from our mistakes.

Instead of pointing a finger at others, identify the problem, learn from it, and solve it.

Doubting Yourself

Commonly, people doubt themselves on various occasions or instances. To overcome doubting yourself, it is important to remember the distance you have covered to be where you are today. Remember your achievements. Stop doubting yourself because it keeps you from moving forward.

See Also: How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Follow Through with Your Goals

Crossing these five barriers will help you gain mental and emotional strength. With enhanced and improved mental strength, you are going to be more powerful at work. This will definitely help you to overcome a lot of your weaknesses. In fact, it can be all that you require to achieve success in this new year.

 

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