When you decide to pursue a songwriting career,  you shouldn’t expect to be successful right away.

To become an industry expert, you have to know your way around. Since there’s no handbook to guide you and no course to prepare you, it’s important that you keep a realistic view of the songwriting world.

Here are a few things you should know before you invest all you’ve got in a new career.

1. Income is unpredictable

You may be writing a lot of songs but it doesn’t mean that they’re all going to make money. Songwriting is only a part of the process; you need to get your songs picked up and recorded by artists before you can actually earn from them.

Aside from that, the success of your songs counts as well. They have to be downloaded a number of times and played on radio stations for them to reach more people. If they get licensed or used for films, the more successful they’ll be.

Keep in mind, however, that it could take months before you can actually earn your first paycheck. This means that you’ll have to find another way to support yourself while you are still getting started with your songwriting career.

See Also: Living the Freelancer Life: 5 things every variable income earner should know

2. Write something unique

Writing unique songs can make you a successful songwriter.

The key is to avoid tunes that are already on the radio. Although they can serve as inspirations, you should avoid copying them. You want your songs to stand out against other songs so that when they get sent to artists, they’ll find yours more catchy and interesting.

The more unique your songs are, the more chances they have of getting picked and recorded.

3. Not every song gets to be a hit

Your songs will go through a handful of people before they get released. The list includes the artist, the label as well as the producer. Each of these people’s opinion matters and they might shut your songs down if they can’t see any potential in them.

If ever you get turned down, do not see it as a failure. Instead, use it as a stepping stone for you to work harder and get a better songwriter career.

 

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There is nothing as fulfilling as reaping the fruit of your labor. All those long hours at work, and countless meetings, phone calls and emails may have made you successful in your career but your family had to pay the price for it. You hardly spend time with your wife anymore. And your kids are growing up knowing less and less about you.

Striking a balance between work and your family can be a challenge but, as it is with everything challenging, there is a way out. With proper structuring of your habits and daily routines you’ll be able to create enough time to spend with your family.

You’ll no longer have to miss out on precious moments and getting to know your kids. In the end, you’ll be glad you made the change.

1. Reassess Your Priorities

The first step to finding a balance is to review your priorities. What do you value the most: Bagging a new business deal or being able to partake in special moments in your kids’ lives?

The change begins when you realize that there is something more important in life than work. You could lose your job tomorrow but you’ll get a chance to have another. But when you lose your family, you lose a part of you. You’ll spend your life with a void that only a family can fill.

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

2. Delegate Responsibilities

One of the reasons many men end up workaholics is because they are dead scared of delegation. I know, I was scared too. It;s a trust issue and you need to shake it off and realize that there are many others who can do it just as good as you can. Or, even better. You need to explore the massive benefits of delegation.

Are there tasks that you can delegate? Most times, unknown to you, you may be doing work that is not significant. Take on major tasks but delegate minor or shallow tasks effectively to ease your workload.

Once you see your operations running smoothly and your staff effectively handling the tasks delegated to them, ignore the temptation to micro-manage. Use this time instead to be with your family more.

3. Schedule Time For Your Family

Every time you write your to-do list, factor in a special slot for your family. Yes, put family time on your schedule. Use reminders on your phone if possible and engage technology.

The idea is to avoid doing anything work-related during the time you set aside for your family.

4. Restrict The Amount Of Work You Bring Home

Just because you’re at home doesn’t actually mean that you’re spending quality time with your family if what you’re doing in reality is working anyways. Your focus could be on your work even though physically you’re at home. It’s as good as not seeing your family at all.

Your family wants you to be physically AND emotionally present with them.  They want and need your love and attention.

If at all possible, leave work in the office when you go home. This will give you the opportunity to fully dedicate your time and attention to your family.

5. Set Limits

Are you taking on more jobs than you’re meant to? Learn to say “no” when someone asks you to take on an extra project and begin to set boundaries.

Although the more projects is generally good, there should be a limit on what you can and cannot handle. You need to realize that every minute devoted to work is less time from your family.

See Also: Saying No As Much As Yes To Enjoy Life More 

So the next time you are faced with a multitude of new projects, or having to postpone that long-planned trip, think again. I hope you decide that the family is a priority. Every good man is only as good as the attention he gives his family.

 

The post 5 Ways to Balance Work and Family Time Even if You’re a Workaholic appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Remember that scene of the movie “Up in the Air” when George Clooney packs his carry-on in 20 seconds flat? His clothes are folded crisply and neatly, his neckties are stashed in a travel pouch, and he closes the bag in one clean (highly satisfying) pull of the zipper.

Luckily, you don’t have to be a celebrity to master the art of suitcase packing. With a little pre-planning, all travelers — business or otherwise — can learn to pack their bags just like Clooney.

Your Carry-On Is Your Best Friend

When you’re on a solo business trip, you’ll end up spending more time with your carry-on than with anyone else. For that reason, it’s important to choose the perfect companion.

Here are a few general carry-on guidelines:

• Pick the right bag.

Should you select a backpack, duffle, or wheeled bag? If you’re hauling it on and off subways, buses, or trains, choose a bag you can throw over your shoulders.

I personally prefer using luggage with swivel wheels. Bags like these will virtually walk by your side, while a bargain-basement deal will run away or fall apart before you’ve even left the tarmac.

• Keep it compact.

Whatever kind of bag you decide on, make sure it’s the right size. U.S. airlines generally allow bags to be up to 45 inches in total (length, width, and height).

Today, more airlines draw the line at a 20-inch length, and international carriers limit bag weight to 20 pounds.

• Make sure it’s secure.

Be sure your bag can be locked, and purchase a bag lock to keep your belongings safe.

See Also: Things You Didn’t Know That Occur While Traveling

Smart Packing Means Smooth Sailing

Once you have your carry-on, it’s time to figure out what you need to put in it. Start packing two days before your departure, and pack from a highly curated list.

Here are a few guidelines for efficient packing:

• Choose multitasking items.

Your choice of footwear should be comfortable and versatile. Pack business-appropriate shoes that you can comfortably walk around in.

(Hint: Wear slip-on shoes to the airport to get through security more efficiently.)

Small adjustments like this can make a huge difference!

• Use your space wisely.

You can and should tightly roll most clothes (which will prevent wrinkles). However, a few items such as jeans and suit jackets should be folded.

• Divide and conquer.

Sort clothes by type (e.g., shirts versus underwear) and occasion (e.g., running gear versus business clothes) into gallon-size resealable bags, then squeeze to compress. Doing this will save you space and cut the time it takes you to repack in half.

• Balance the load.

Pack shoes and heavier objects near the wheels of a carry-on or at the bottom of a duffle. Stuff shoes with socks.

• Pack accessories separately.

Small items such as brushes, chargers, and USB cords should be packed away in clear plastic bags so they don’t get lost in the abyss of your bag.

• Pack a few lightweight shopping bags.

You can use these to keep your dirty laundry separate from your clean items.

Leave It — You Won’t Miss It

You don’t need to take your entire wardrobe, even if you’re going to be gone for a full week. When in doubt, leave it out. The following items should go on the stay-at-home list:

• A heavy raincoat or umbrella:

Opt for a poncho in a pouch instead, which can double as a tarp, raincoat, or even a blanket.

• Extra toiletries:

Per Transportation Safety Administration rules, gels and liquids (e.g., toothpaste, lotion, and conditioner) must be in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers. The containers must fit inside one clear quart-size resealable bag. If you can, forgo the extra self-care products. Hotels offer shampoo and conditioner anyway.

You might not have the benefit of being a glamorous movie star, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pack like one. On your next business trip, channel your inner Clooney — you won’t regret it.

 

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If you’re a man, your 40s means you might be fighting an ever-expanding waistline or facing multiple hair dramas such as wayward grey hairs or a receding hairline. You might also be stuck in a career rut as you watch the next bunch of twenty-something entrepreneurs sell their two-year-old dot com businesses for X billion to Facebook before you’ve even figured out what the point of the “reactions” button is compared to the “like” button.

Regardless, the main feature of your crisis will be obsessing and over-analysing your lot in life: your achievements, failures, career, lovers, partner, kids, friends and wondering what it all means.

Calm down. It’s only a midlife crisis.

To compensate, you might find yourself splashing out on expensive “boy’s toys” and passive-aggressively justifying your purchase by telling yourself – and everyone else – that you always wanted a Bugatti smart toaster that cooks vegetables and steaks using semi-conductors.

Yeah, right.

If you’re not buying up cutting edge, see-through domestic consumer appliances, you might be spending your cash on light-hearted gadgets and gizmos that are designed to entertain and help you reminisce about the “good old times”.

Who doesn’t want a Yoda Look A Lite?

You can be “down with the kids” and revel in your own coolness because you were there when the “first” and “proper” Star Wars movies came out. Note: you cannot use the phrase “down with the kids”. For that you will be mocked, possibly even tortured, and rightly so.

You might also feel a sudden rush to get out there and do all the exciting things you’d never previously made time for, like going to a music festival. If you can’t stomach the thought of all the mud, rain and using public toilets at such events, at least start calling it “Glasto” instead Glastonbury. Failing that, you might find yourself splashing out on a drum kit or guitar, or doing some adrenalin-fuelled activity like quad racing – it’s ok – it’s got four wheels, not two, so you’ll be safer (probably).

When your mid-life crisis starts, drastic reactions to it will attract extra attention and jokes: some behind your back, others in your face.

But don’t let that deter you.

Your introspection at what it all means and your desire to rediscover your youth is a rite of passage and yours for the taking! Just don’t do the obvious. That means no to buying a Ferrari, getting a spacer earring, chasing after a woman half your age and half the world away, or suddenly jacking in your job in the hope of becoming the next JK Rowling.

Instead, here are five (slightly less reckless) things you can do to enjoy your crisis years:

1 Drown it out

One way of enjoying your crisis is to ignore it. The boss demanding yet another report by the end of the day, the office gossip-queen’s non-stop verbal diarrhoea, the tinny-sounding beats and tweets from your fellow commuters’ earphones and mobiles, not to mention your three-year old screaming “just one more daddy!” and the nags about all the DIY you promised to do but knew you never would – frankly, you can live without all the fuss and bother. And now you can with noise-cancelling headphones!

See Also: How To Be The Hero Of Your Own Story

2 Get a fake tattoo

Just because you had the good sense not to get your first lover’s name tattooed on your arm when you were sixteen won’t stop the sudden urge to get a tattoo when you’re 40-something. So, before you head off to the tattoo parlour and make a terrible mistake, try a fake one that you can scrub off when your mates turn round and say “Rodney, you plonker.”

3 Fulfil your need for speed

The Porsche is probably the most iconic midlife crisis purchase of all time. Sure, it’s a beautiful car, but is it really worth blowing your hard-earned cash on? Do you know the running costs or want the constant worry of scuffing the alloys on the curb?

If you want a petrol-head adrenalin kick, book yourself in for a supercar driving experience. That way, you get to drive your dream car, on a real racetrack, with expert instruction from some of the country’s top drivers and you won’t look like a man who everyone knows can’t really afford a Porsche, but bought one anyway just to show ‘em who’s boss.

See Also: 5 Important Questions And Tips For Buying A New Car 

4 See the “virtual” world

If you can afford to take a year out, then sure, pack your bags and head off to see the places you’ve always wanted to visit. But if not, treat yourself to a virtual reality (VR) headset. There are loads of travel apps out there to help you satisfy your resurgent wanderlust.

Maybe there’s a spectacular place you want to visit in a unique way – hovering 500 feet above the Grand Canyon for instance – a rare animal you want to see up close, or a favourite destination from your younger days that you’d like to re-visit.

No, it won’t be the real thing, but you’re of an age that will appreciate the technology all the more because it didn’t exist when you were young. And of course, you’ll make it home in time for tea.

5 Get in shape: without blood, sweat or tears

If Kevin Spacey’s 42-year-old character in American Beauty has taught us anything, it’s that midlife crises and expensive exercise equipment go hand in hand. But turning your garage into a fully-fledged gym isn’t realistic – because where are you going to put the Porsche?

So instead of getting fit, get lazy instead! A “tone tee” t-shirt is the perfect way to get the “fit” look without the blood, sweat and tears. Now you can get back to doing some real exercise – shouting at the ref, beer in hand, from the sofa!

After all is said and done…

If you’re still left wondering what it all means, it might be time to look at things from a different perspective. Instead of asking yourself “what is the meaning of life?” ask yourself “what would be a meaningful life for me?”

It worked for Alan Watts. It might work for you.

 

The post 5 Things to Help a Man Enjoy His Midlife Crisis appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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Many of us, especially the younger generations, rely so heavily on cashless payment options. Even though they are convenient, such payment methods are actually very disruptive to your finances. Without control and discipline, you can end up with tons of debts and interests.

To save yourself from these inconveniences, try to avoid using your cards as much as possible. Here are some of the benefits of paying with cash to convince you.

1. Cash feels more real

Earlier this year, author Gretchen Rubin asked her social media followers about which payment method feels more real to them. Their responses revealed that people generally feel a deeper connection with cash purchases.

Research from Avni M. Shah, assistant marketing professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough, supports this theory. Similar to how casinos trade in your cash for chips at the table, hiding your balance behind a card psychologically devalues your bank balance.

By using cash, you’ll be more aware of where your money is going and how much money you have left. Cash brings transparency to your finances. It pulls you out of the vicious cycle of making purchases and paying interests.

2. Cash encourages smart spending

Cash purchases can make you pay more attention to what you’re buying. Because you’ll be paying with your hard-earned cash, you’re likely to spend more time weighing prices, warranties and other features.

Paying with your card, on the other hand, can result in impulse buying. You can even end up purchasing items you don’t really need.

See Also: Thoreau’s Guide to Living More by Spending Less 

3. There’s no fee for cash payment

Credit cards have interests and companies usually charge additional fees for purchases. Some businesses even pass on merchant card processing fees to consumers.

Over time, your credit card payments can build up and strain your finances. If you end up missing a payment, you’ll lose even more in fees. In case you fail to address your dues right away, you could end up in court with a case filed against you.

4. Cash purchases mean more

Paying items with cash increases your emotional attachment to your purchases. For example, if you don’t have enough money to afford a PS4, you’ll have to save up for it. This makes the PS4 more valuable to you.

When you use a credit card, however, you’ll feel instantly gratified. Soon, you’ll be focused on buying something else.

See Also: 7 Common Money Mistakes to Avoid (And their easy Solution)

5. You can’t spend cash you don’t have

One of the biggest drivers of consumer debt is people spending money they don’t have. In fact, overspending was a major contributing factor in the 2008 mortgage bubble collapse.

A lot of people make purchases today and just worry about paying for them later. This is a toxic and unsustainable way to live.

Using a card hinders our ability to save, lowers our net worth, and can lead to crippling debts.

By paying with cash, you’ll have a visual representation of how much money you actually have. It’ll help you start living within your means which is a beautiful thing.

These are the benefits of paying with cash that convinced me to avoid card transactions. If you’re still not fully convinced, it’s probably high time to rethink your financial strategy.

 

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With their influence, it’s probably a good idea to start writing for millennials, especially if you’re trying to make a name or even sales. They’re the world’s largest generation and they spend about $200 billion on goods and services every year.

To help you out, here are some ideas you can start with.

Focus on adding value to your reader

Your blog should concentrate on your readers and not you. Every word you put out there should focus on them.

Before you start writing for millennials, it’s a good idea to talk to one of them first. If you can’t personally talk to one, find a way to know what most of them are struggling with and how you’ll be able to help solve their problems.

With more than 80 million millennials using the Internet, you surely won’t have a hard time generating great content.

Here are three tips you can use:

• Information

People like learning new things and the same goes for millennials. If you want to get their attention, you have to write something that will add more value to what they already know.

• Sources

To build you credibility, it’s a good idea if you can add case studies, researches and statistics to support your claim. If you want to motivate them to take action, you have to inspire them with hard facts.

• Entertainment

Although you’re providing information and value to your readers,  it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice entertainment. Millennials like being amused so make sure you write in a very interesting way.

See Also: How To Find The Best Topic For Your Blog 

Write concisely

Millennials are smart people. If you write in a way that underestimates their intelligence, you’re not likely to get their attention.

Instead of using too much words to explain something, write in a concise manner. They like reading contents that are brief and straight to the point.

Make your blog posts scannable

The Internet is full of information. With so many great contents, it can be quite hard to stand above the rest.

A great tip you can use is to make your post scannable.

Research suggests that only 16 percent of web users actually read web content word by word. The remaining 79 percent just scan web pages.

When creating your web post, try to keep these things in mind:

• Write subheads

Subheads break your content into sections and make them easier to digest. Your readers should be able to get the gist of your story just by scanning through your subheads.

• Write short paragraphs

Single paragraphs are scannable. Always write one at the end of every subhead in your article to make it easy for your readers to scan, read, and digest.

Neil Patel is a skilled writer of single, scannable paragraphs. You’ll frequently find his posts written in such manner.

Below is one example of how he writes his posts:

Article headline: The Proven Method to Ranking on the First Page of Google For Any Long-tail Keyword

Subheading: 5. Market your new article like crazy

“Now that you’ve written your article, it’s time to market the living crap out of it. Putting it on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn is a given, but there is a lot more to it than that.

What really matters is telling the right people about it.

Reach out to influencers to see if they’d be willing to link to your content; create a YouTube audio version of your content with a link back to the article in the description; or even create a podcast with a summary of your article.

Use every possible avenue to get your article in front of as many eyes as possible.

The more times your article is seen, shared, and commented on, the better your odds of higher ranking on Google.”

• Write in bullet points

Like subheads, bullet points break ideas as well. They make your points easy to decipher and your blog posts a lot more scannable. They’re great in targeting those online scanners.

Will these tips make your blog post go viral?

Don’t feel bad, but they might not. There are many factors that can make a content go viral.

The ones listed in this article are just parts of those factors. However, applying them to your post can surely put you ahead of other people who are planning on writing for millennials.

See Also: 5 Proven Strategies That Can Massively Increase Blog Traffic 

 

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Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. There will be approximately 159,260 deaths from lung cancer in the United States this year alone (Cancer.org, 2014).

Despite smoking being the most common cause of lung cancer, more than 42 million Americans continue to smoke cigarettes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). In case you are struggling with ditching the habit, here are some tips for quitting smoking.

1. Find a Substantial Reason to Quit

The best way to motivate yourself is to find a compelling reason to quit.

For many people, it’s to preserve their health. There are others who want to quit for the benefit of their loved ones.

Once you have identified your reason, remind yourself of it every day.

Place reminders on your phone, fridge, computer or even in your car. If your family is your reason for quitting, place their photo in your packet of cigarettes. Anytime you are about to light a cigarette, you will see their faces and think twice.

2. Understand the Damage That Smoking Does

If you require more motivation, spend some time looking into the health implications of smoking. In addition to causing lung cancer, smoking also increases your risk of having coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and cerebral infarction (CDC – Smoking and Tobacco Use, 2014).

Your risk of having lung-related ailments also increases if you are a smoker. You’ll be prone to developing emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma attacks.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also suggests that, in addition to lung cancer, smoking can encourage cancers in other parts of the body, too. The list includes stomach, pancreas, liver, throat, kidney and bladder cancers.

Other health problems related to smoking are reduced sperm count, increased risk of type 2 diabetes, birth defects and stillbirth. It’s also associated with increased cataract risk and impaired immune system function.

3. Recognize the Symptoms of Nicotine Withdrawal

Once you have plenty of motivation to quit, it’s essential that you develop an understanding of the battle you’ll be facing. The first step is to know the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

The nicotine in cigarettes is what makes you feel good when you smoke. Nicotine stimulates your adrenal glands to produce adrenaline and give you a pleasurable feeling.

Some of the symptoms you may experience when withdrawing from nicotine include irritability, frustration, depression and anxiety. You can also experience headaches, fatigue, increased hunger and constipation (Webmd.com, 2014).

By understanding the symptoms, you can create a plan to combat them.

4. Find Your Smoking Triggers

Most people have certain triggers that cause them to smoke or increase the number of cigarettes they light in a day.

For example, some people find themselves more compelled to smoke when they are drinking alcohol or after having a meal. Others have certain places or activities that make them more inclined to smoke.

One of the greatest tips for quitting smoking is to identify your triggers so that you’ll be able to deal with the compulsion.

If you find yourself smoking when drinking alcohol, replace it with another activity, like eating pistachios. This will keep your hands busy and reduce your compulsion to smoke.

5. Keep a Journal

To help you identify and remember your triggers, use a journal to keep track of your activities and how much you smoke each day.

You’ll be surprised to find how your emotions can affect your smoking habits. A journal is a good reminder that smoking is both a psychological and physiological addiction.

6. Throw Out Anything Associated with Smoking

Go around the house and remove anything associated with your habit. All your ashtrays, antique pipe collection and lighters must go.

You need to keep an eye out for anything that might trigger your cravings for cigarettes. As much as possible, remove the smell of cigarettes from your home as well so you don’t have a constant reminder of tobacco.

7. Cold Turkey Rarely Works

No matter how tough you think you are, quitting smoking is not an easy task- even if you go cold turkey.

According to research, most people who do manage to quit by going cold turkey relapse shortly afterward. The figures are shocking as only 3 to 6 out of 100 smokers quitting through the said approach manage to ditch the habit for good (Peters, 2012).

The most successful way to quit is to create a plan that will gradually reduce your nicotine consumption.

8. Use Nicotine Replacement Therapy

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) uses gums, pills, patches, inhalers, lozenges or mouth sprays to deliver nicotine to your system as you reduce your cigarette intake. Studies indicate that people who use NRT are 50-70% more likely to successfully quit smoking (Icanquit.com.au, 2014).

Nicotine is the addictive component of cigarettes.

9. Keep Your Mouth Busy

Many cigarette smokers experience a compulsion to do something with their hands and mouth when they attempt to quit smoking. Directly address this problem by chewing gum, sucking on lozenges or eating pistachios to keep your hands and mouth preoccupied.

Some smokers gain weight when they are quitting because they begin to consume more candy. Instead of indulging in sweets, try selecting healthy treats like nuts.

10. Take Pills to Reduce the Effects of Smoking

There are medications available to help you quit smoking, such as Chantix and Zyban.

Chantix attempts to reduce the stimulatory effect that nicotine consumption has on the brain. Zyban, on the other hand, is a mild antidepressant that can reduce the negative impact of nicotine withdrawal.

It is important to remember that both of these drugs have some possible side effects.

11. Supplemental Treatments

A wide range of supplemental treatments has been reported helpful when it comes to nicotine withdrawal.

Aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture and massage have great benefits to people aspiring to quit smoking. Deep breathing exercises and other relaxation techniques work well, too.

12. Ask For Help

In recent years, the government has been spending millions of dollars on programs to help people quit smoking. You can use the Internet to see what free programs and help lines are available in your area.

You could also quit with a friend who smokes or seek professional medical help for a safer process. It’s a good idea to ask your family to help as well.

The more help you have, the easier the quitting process.

13. Keep Busy

Nicotine withdrawal can also make you feel restless. To address this, try to keep yourself busy.

Take up a new hobby, wash your car or go hiking. You can also go for a quick jog or go out to lunch with your friends.

A busy schedule will help you forget about your nicotine cravings. Keep in mind, however, that you still need to avoid stressful activities as they can be smoking triggers.

See Also: Spiritual Pointers for Quitting a Bad Habit 

14. Hang Out With Healthy People

If you have non-smoking friends who live healthy lifestyles, spend more time with them. Their enthusiasm for fitness and being healthy will help you overcome your cigarette addiction.

15. Use Technology to Beat Cigarettes

There are applications for quitting smoking which you can download to your smart phone. Good examples include Quit It Lite, Quit Smoking, My Last Cigarette and ButtOut.

Most of these applications are free or cost a few dollars, so experiment with them to find the best one.

16. Create a Strategy and Schedule

If you can create a detailed plan using the mentioned tips for quitting smoking, your chances of succeeding will be greatly increased.

A good way to start your plan is by drafting a quitting schedule with a start date and a number of milestones. Use these milestones as markers for every symptom you’ll be able to overcome.

For example, 14 days after quitting, your circulation and lung capacity should improve. After 28 days, you will have less shortness of breath and be able to exercise more strenuously.

See Also: How a Healthy Lifestyle Affects Your Career 

Quitting a habit is not an easy task. However, with the right preparation and these tips for quitting smoking, you’ll be able to beat your addiction and live a healthier life in no time.

 

 

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When you overindulge in carb-rich meals, you’re inhibiting your body’s fat burning mode. If you’re already overweight or obese, this means a lot of problems since you won’t be able to lose any stored fat.

So, until you turn on the fat burning mode or start a low carbohydrate diet, you won’t be able to lose even a pound of excess weight. Aside from that, here are the other health benefits of low carb diet you should know.

Aids in weight loss

If you want a dramatic reduction in your body mass index (BMI), then going on a low-carb diet can surely help. Several studies have shown how a low-carb diet can lead to a faster and more obvious weight loss than going on a low-fat diet.

In a certain randomized trial that consisted of two groups (low-carb and low-fat group), the low-carb group lost about 4kg more than the low-fat group. One striking feature of their weight loss was the significant reduction in their visceral fat, which happens to be one of the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

Too much visceral fat is also a risk factor for insulin resistance, obesity and inflammation.

The quick weight loss that results from a low-carb diet is attributed to its insulin-lowering properties. When insulin is lowered, excess water is flushed out of the body as the kidneys try to get rid of too much sodium.

When you’re on a low-carb diet, you’re less likely to feel hunger pangs than when on a low-fat diet.

See Also: 4 Best Teas To Help You Lose Weight

Banishes insulin resistance

Low-carb diet has been reported in several human studies to be beneficial to both diabetics and non-diabetics.

Your body needs the hormone insulin to process glucose for energy. Whenever you eat something that’s high in carbohydrate, it triggers your pancreas to produce insulin. The more carb-rich foods you eat, the more insulin is produced.

In the long run, this excess glucose and insulin create a resistance and their receptors become incapable of recognizing them. This puts you at risk of several health issues. You may even be required to take medications just to control your blood sugar and help your body utilize glucose for energy.

Lowers your Triglyceride

Besides stress, a high carbohydrate diet is another major cause of high triglyceride levels. One good example is when you eat high fructose corn syrup and other forms of simple sugar.

When you switch from high-carb to low-carb, your triglyceride level goes down. This lowers your risk of getting a heart attack.

Elevates the “good cholesterol” (HDL)

Not all fats are bad for you. HDL (high-density lipoprotein), for example, is good for your body because it keeps your arteries clean from plaque build-up. It mops cholesterol to the liver for reuse or elimination.

When you increase your HDL, you are basically decreasing your risk of getting heart diseases and stroke. Going on a low-carb diet can elevate your HDL and improve the chemistry of your LDL.

See Also: Better Eating vs. Exercise – Do You Really Need Both?

Maintains normal blood pressure

Several studies have shown that one of the health benefits of low carb diet is normalizing blood pressure. With normal blood pressure, you’re technically saving your body from kidney failure, eye problems and even stroke.

So what do you think? Are you ready to give low carb diets a try?

 

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Trying to stop drug addiction by yourself is extremely hard. Without the right drug addiction treatment programs, the process can rattle you psychologically, emotionally and physically.

In case you or a loved one is aiming to end this bad habit, here are the 8 programs that can help you achieve your goal faster and safer.

See Also: Suffering From Anxiety? This Is How I Deal With Mine 

What Are My Options For Drug Addiction Treatment?

There are myriads of options available to drug addicts for their recovery. However, the type of treatment that would be appropriate for a patient would depend on his level of addiction.

For people who are in the early stages of their addiction, their treatment can require routine visits to rehabilitation centers. For acute to severe cases, they may need to be admitted to facilities.

To ensure patient safety, medical and health experts must first assess a patient thoroughly to ensure that their plan of treatment will be effective and safe.

Drug Addiction Treatment Programs

1. Psychotherapy

Most people who turn to drugs are frequently mentally unstable. They experience a lot of stress, depression and disappointments. They feel extremely lonely.

Psychotherapy can help patients deal with these emotions better. Treatment is typically carried out by a psychologist, psychiatrist and social workers. They perform psychological assessments on their patients to figure out how they can help them.

The key to the success of this treatment is in resolving a patient’s psychological issues.

2. Family counselling

Drug addiction doesn’t only affect the actual patients; their families can suffer, too. They can experience frustrations, stress and even stigmatization.

Family therapy is geared towards helping family members become support systems for the patient. They undergo counseling that will teach and assist them on how to cope with their patient’s recovery process.

3. Mutual support groups

Mutual support groups help patients get over their sense of inferiority and insecurity. They give patients the chance to talk about their problems and come up with opinions and practical solutions.

A couple of mutual support groups do exist. There is the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) just to mention a few. They offer support to both men and women undergoing rehabilitation.

4. Outpatient treatment programs

If you are really serious about getting out of the shackles of drug addiction, medical care and support should be your top priority.

For those busy patients that do not need intensive care to get better, a flexible outpatient treatment plan can be the best program for you. You’ll need to come at regular intervals for checkups and assessment of your progress.

5. Residential drug treatment centers

In the case of chronic addiction as well as cases where outpatient treatment schedules do not seem to be yielding results, an intensive 24-hour treatment center is the next best option.

With this drug addiction treatment program, patients stay in a residential setting that makes close monitoring easy. With patients totally secluded from normal life, tendencies of relapsing into addiction will be reduced.

They will have more time with their psychologists and psychiatrists as well as have less exposure to factors that can trigger a relapse, such as relationship issues and social problems.

6. Sober Living

Sober living can be the last stage of the rehabilitation process for some patients. For chronically addicted patients, it may take awhile before they reach this phase. This is to avoid overwhelming them right away.

When you’ve been secluded for several years and months, adjusting to the outside life won’t be that easy. Aside from the change in your environment, you’ll also be re-exposed to the factors that caused your previous addiction.

If you’re not prepared enough, there’s a good chance you’ll fall back to your previous habit.

7. Prescription medication

Medication can be a part of the patient’s treatment process under certain conditions. Take, for example, the effects of withdrawing from drug use.

It may take awhile for the body to get used to the changes. As it is adapting, it experiences a lot of side effects, such as depression and anxiety. It can experience stress, too.

To mitigate them, your doctor can prescribe medications such as Buprenorphine, Baclofen and Topiramate. Usually, they are given for a certain period only and tapered slowly until there are no more side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

8. Inpatient hospitals

If the risk of health complication is very high, the patient may temporarily be admitted to a hospital. As soon as his health stabilizes, he’ll receive the next course of his treatment in a recovery facility and then he’ll be closely monitored.

It all begins with you

The starting point of breaking free from drug addiction is in acknowledging and accepting that you are in dire need of help. If you can’t recognize your vulnerability, you’ll see no problem with your addiction and behavior.

Once you are able to admit and understand your condition, you need to reflect on the factors that triggered your bad habit. By taking some time to reflect, you’ll be able to give your counselor or psychologist the help they need in coming up with the right drug addiction treatment programs for you.

See Also: Spiritual Pointers for Quitting a Bad Habit 

 

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As a young freelancer who has had the opportunity to run my own business, I’ve had numerous experiences. Some of them were really good while others were extremely challenging. Without them, I wouldn’t have the right mentality for success as I do now.

If you are still struggling with your business or just want to know how you can be successful, here are a few essential tips you can use.

Challenging Conclusions

The first thing I had to do to get the right mentality for success was to alter how I looked at my problems. In the past, I didn’t push myself hard enough whenever I got stuck. Instead, I made myself believe that there was nothing I could do to change the situation.

However, I found out that challenging myself during such times was what made me a better person. For me to succeed, I needed to challenge my own conclusions about myself and my capabilities.

Frankly, the only person who can stop you is yourself.

See Also: 10 Habits of Successful People

Understanding Limitations

I used to torture myself by spending a good amount of time admiring more successful and wealthier people. Whenever I looked at them, the idea that I could never be like them got instilled in my head.

It took me some time before I realized that this was not the right mentality for success. If I want to succeed, I have to help myself.

The first thing I did was to accept my limitations. I am still growing as a person and as a professional. It’s totally fine if I’m still not within their level. The more important thing is that I am making progress.

Limiting Reactions

The most powerful skill I gained was controlling my reaction. Before, I tend to take a tit-for-tat approach whenever someone criticized my personality or my business.

If a client returned a work I did for revision, I’d look for faults in his original instructions. I lacked the capability to accept mistakes and admit that I messed up. I used to look for opportunities to criticize the other person.

This is a childish reaction and one that would get me, or anyone, nowhere. So I worked really hard to change it. Instead of finding a way to flip the situation, I learned to take all the criticisms and act accordingly.

I learned that when I’m calmer, I tend to find the solutions to my problems easier. I also realized that criticisms aren’t all bad for you. They actually give you the opportunity to grow and be a better person.

See Also: 10 Productivity Musts for Freelancers 

Listing Strengths

I started listing down my five best skills within my personal and professional life. Before long, I could actually look and say “These are my skills!”

By listing my strengths, I realized that I wasn’t the failure I made myself believe. I also learned that the level of improvement I needed was far smaller than the achievements I have already made.

The path to success is shorter than the road to failure. All it takes is the right mentality for success.

 

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