Year: 2019

5 Ways To Boost Your Self-Esteem

Published by Marie Miguel on 2/1/2019

We tend to be our own worst critics; we judge and put ourselves down for not meeting a certain standard or expectation either social media or society demands that we live up to or is self-imposed. Sometimes this can go on for years, particularly after a traumatic event, and the struggle of learning to rebuild one’s self-esteem becomes ever more challenging.

Having a healthy self-esteem is about having a compassionate, loving and realistic approach to oneself and it is vital if you want to have a happy and healthy life. Here are ways you can boost your self-esteem and increase your feelings of self-worth:

1. Remember that you are not defined by what happened to you.

It is important that you do not place your identity or define yourself by what was done or said to you. Your self-worth should not be tied to a particular person or event as this false connection only results in feelings of shame and unworthiness. You are not what happened to you; you are not what they say you are. You get to control what you believe about yourself; you get to control your destiny.

2. Be mindful of your thoughts.

One of the first steps to improving your self-esteem is being aware of the negative thoughts going through your head and learning to distance yourself from them. By identifying with them less, you will be able to see your thoughts as just that — thoughts — and not facts or truths that are meant to be believed. Every time you find yourself talking negatively about yourself, simply observe them and remind yourself that they are not facts. If this becomes a persistent problem and you are struggling to disengage with your negative self-talk, consider getting professional help from a therapist or seeking invaluable advice from trusted sources like BetterHelp.

3. Change the way you talk to yourself.

Repeat positive affirmations to yourself, about yourself, everyday; this has shown to decrease symptoms of depression. Start by listing all the things you love about yourself, such as your body shape or that you’re a trustworthy person. Then, list all the things you are good at, such as being a present listener or a reliable planner. The next time negative self-talk arises, look back on your list and remind yourself of at least two things you love about yourself and at least two things you are good at.

4. Accept your strengths and weaknesses.

Someone may be an amazing cook but a terrible reader, but neither of those things define that person’s worth. We all have things we are good at and bad at, and when you choose to focus on your strengths and be more forgiving of your shortcomings, you will gain a more coherent, realistic and compassionate perspective of yourself. If you have trouble identifying your gifts and talents, ask your friends and family — sometimes they see the best in you more than you do yourself.

5. Take good care of yourself.

Invest in forms of self-care as poor health habits significantly affects your mental health in a negative way and leads to a greater devaluation of oneself. Exercise has proven to increase self-esteem, improve mental health and empowers not only the mind but the body; getting sufficient sleep every night helps you think more clearly and rationally; a balanced and nutritious diet also has positive effects on self-perception.

Remember that you are worthy and you are enough. You do not need to do or be anything to be valuable. You deserve respect and love, no matter who has told you otherwise. And with self-compassion and self-care, destructive thoughts can be dismantled and your self-worth can be alive and thriving again.

Marie Miguel

Contributor

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with
mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

Ways to Make Your Working Day More Efficient

Published by Will Chatham on 1/29/2019

Are you tired of lagging behind and not getting the amount of work done that you had expected to get done at the start of the day? It’s a common issue but not everyone suffers from it. You need to learn from the habits and working techniques of people who manage to stay efficient and on track every day of the week. Here are some of the ways in which they achieve efficiency.

Create a Structured Schedule

It’s important to have some sort of structured schedule in place so that you can stick to what needs to be done and not end up wasting time on things that aren’t as important. The schedule will guide you throughout the way and provide you with a quick way of noticing when you’ve started to lag behind. You can then immediately get back on track and back to work.

Use Dictation Software

One thing that many people find is that they’re able to talk much faster than they type. That’s pretty normal for most people; so why not make the most of that fact and start using dictation software? It could help you to get work done much faster than ever before. Head to a site like fusionnarrate.com to find out more about it and then decide whether you would benefit.

Stop Multitasking All the Time

Efficiency is pretty hard to achieve if you’re insisting upon multitasking all the time. It’s never a good way to get things done because you actually end up wasting time rather than preserving it more often than not. So instead, just aim to get things done one thing at a time and don’t worry about doing multiple things at once. It’s never an efficient way to approach work.

Learn to Delegate if Possible

If you work in a management position or you run a small business, you should avoid falling into the trap of wanting to do everything yourself. Instead, you should learn to delegate in an effective way. People who delegate tasks are able to focus on the important things that they need to do themselves, freeing up time and allowing them to produce work of a higher standard.

Block Out Distractions

Lastly, you should do whatever you can to block out distractions in the workplace. That could mean finding a working area that’s quite and away from people who you know might distract you. Or you could block certain websites on your browser so you’re not tempted to visit them and procrastinate during the day. It’s a good way of staying focused on the things that really matter and not losing track of time on websites not related to your work.

If you want to be more efficient while working each day, these are the sorts of things you should be focusing on and trying to get right. Each of the points made above will make it possible for you to work in a more efficient way and get more done each day at the office, so make the most of them.

How To Boost Website Conversions

Published by Will Chatham on 1/27/2019

Having an attractive looking website that is visible on search engines is what we all aim for, but this does not always mean that conversion levels are high. The main goal is always to turn traffic into consumers. Below, we have put together some top tips to help you do so.

Get rid of any distractions on your website

One thing that could be turning potential customers away is too many distractions. Website navigation should be simple and easy. Only include elements that are necessary. Less is more, as they say.

Make sure your website is optimized for mobile use

Nowadays, a huge proportion of people use their smartphone to access the Internet. You need to make sure your website has been optimized for this platform. Have you ever went onto a site using your smartphone to discover that the layout was all muddled up and all elements seem squashed? This is because the website has not been optimized for mobile use. You need to make sure it can be viewed and used on all devices.

Recommend related products

One way to keep your users’ interest and encourage sales is to recommend products or services that they may be interested in. You can do this by showing your most popular products, or by using data, such as what that client has bought before or searched for before. Companies like PRWD can help you in terms of acquiring the data you need to optimise your website effectively.

Include a call to action (CTA) and make sure it is compelling

Do you have a call to action on your website? This is something that makes your customers take action, i.e. join your newsletter or make a purchase. It is crucial to ensure that your CTA is enticing if you are to secure new customers.

Simplify any forms on your website

No one wants to spend ten minutes filling out a form to join a website or make a purchase. It is important to ensure forms are as simple and straightforward as possible. A good website builder will enable you to do this. Only make users input information that is essential; don’t waste their time with anything that is not needed.

Offer numerous payment options

Last but not least, make sure you give your customers a good selection of payment options to choose from. Believe it or not, not everyone has PayPal nor does everyone want to use it. By having a variety of payment methods, including all major credit and debit cards, you can satisfy all demands.

If you follow the tips above, you can make sure you improve your conversion rates!

Crypto Investors: Here’s How To Protect Your Investments In Style

Published by Will Chatham on 1/22/2019

The world of cryptocurrency has taken on a life of its own in recent years. And thousands of new investors are joining the revolution every single month. Whether you’re new to the party or have been investing for some time, protecting your assets is something that you cannot take lightly.

Failure to protect your investments could lead to theft, fraudulent behavior, or related troubles. Thankfully, small ideas can make a significant impact, allowing you to focus on making the right deals at the right time.

Here’s all you need to know.

Browse Safely

First and foremost, anybody using digital investments of any kind needs to ensure that they are using the internet in a safe manner. Fail to do this, and it’s not only your crypto investments that could be at risk. In truth, your entire bank balance and digital identity could be under threat.

Hackers are using more advanced forms of malware than ever before. Therefore, secure browsing is the only way to ensure that they cannot target your finances and investments. In truth, this will protect you in all online endeavors.

Moreover, it should provide peace of mind.

Use The Right Investment Platform

As with most forms of trading, there are many different ways to tackle your crypto investments. In truth, no two investors are the same, which is why you won’t want to copy friends or relative. You’ll need to ask several questions en route to finding the best option – the platform is key.

There are many different websites and platforms that allow you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. Whether you wish to hodl or day trade, knowing how to get hold of crypto in the right manner will serve you well. Make sure you do.

Losing out through a lack of research would be disastrous.

Use A Hardware Wallet

Cryptocurrency coins aren’t physical coins, but they are assets all the same. As such, choosing the right storage solution is a vital step en route to keeping your crypto coins suitably protected. Once again, it’s always better to be safe than sorry, which is why you must employ this ASAP.

Even when you use the right browsing software and crypto platform, there’s never 100% protection against fraudsters. As such, finding a hardware solution for your crypto can remove the dangers. This is like having a physical wallet that nobody else can access.

Just be sure not to lose it.

Try To Diversify

After seeing the journey of Bitcoin over the recent years, you’ll be eager to find the next super coin. However, the last 12 months show that putting all your eggs into one basket might not be wise after all. Moreover, sticking to one crypto could put you at greater risk of losing it all through thieves.

As such, it’s worth doing your research into Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin, Monero, and the other coins. A diverse portfolio across several platforms is ideal. Even if the worst occurs, hackers should only get to a small percentage of your investment.

Putting this type of damage limitation in place is always a good idea.

Are You Doing Enough To Protect Your Business Bubble? Online Security Essentials

Published by Will Chatham on 1/18/2019

Forbes estimates that the global cost of cybercrime will top $21 trillion by the year 2021. We tend to hear all about high-profile data breaches that affect giant, multinational corporations, but the reality is that every modern business is now vulnerable. If you have a website, you deal with online data, you use cloud systems or servers, or your staff spends hours every day tapping away at a computer keyboard, there’s every chance that you could fall foul to a cyber attack. If you’re keen to protect your business bubble, here are some security essentials to bear in mind.

Invest in robust security systems

If cybercrime hasn’t been a priority for you in the past, you might find that an audit of your security systems flags up areas of concern. If you haven’t got robust systems and modern software in place, it’s wise to invest in tightening up security and reducing the risk of breaches. If you’re not au fait with Internet security, enlist the help of an IT firm that specializes in this area. They will be able to take a look at the programs and technology you use and provide recommendations to increase protection levels.

Take care with remote working

An ever-growing number of businesses is offering flexible working arrangements, which often involves providing employees with remote access to platforms, programs, and software used in the office. If your employees work from home, or they’re out in the field, and you have systems and features in place like Microsoft remote desktop, ensure that your security measures cover the parameters of working on the go and accessing files and programs from multiple locations. Another issue to be mindful of is the BYOD, or bring your own device, trend. If you do allow employees to bring their own laptops or tablets to the office, make sure everyone is familiar with your security policies, encrypt data, and ensure the network is secured.

Provide training

In the grand scheme of things, cybercrime is a relatively new threat to businesses, and not everyone is familiar with preventative measures they can employ to lower the risk of attacks. Provide your staff with training to help them understand the importance of security and enable them to spot potential signs of abnormal activity. Enforce up to date policies and procedures, and arrange for an expert to talk to your staff about these documents and explain how they can apply them to their day to day work life.

Consider outsourcing IT support

If you don’t have an in-house IT department, it’s worth considering outsourcing IT support and system management. If you work with a firm, they will be able to secure your systems and minimize the risk of downtime, as well as providing advice about how you could improve efficiency and productivity and cut costs.

Every business owner should be mindful of the potential impact of security breaches. If you haven’t given too much thought to online security in the past, now is the time to upgrade your security systems, seek expert advice and ensure your staff is familiar with potential cybercrime warning signs.

Making More Of Your IT Budget

Published by Will Chatham on 1/17/2019

IT is already playing a huge role in helping businesses run more cost-effectively than ever. Being able to carry out processes faster and without error, relying less and less on paper, and being able to hold video conferences as opposed to having to pay for transport and a hotel are just some examples of that. However, as your business’s reliance on IT grows, so too can the costs. Here, we’re going to look at how to get more out of your IT budget by getting a little more frugal with it.

Take it to the Cloud

One way to better spend your money is to think about how exactly your business is acquiring the software that it uses. While many businesses are still buying licenses to download software, or having it built for them, others are moving a new model that may be more cost-effective. Cloud software can cost a lot less because the client, user, or business doesn’t have to deal with the costs of maintaining, fixing, or updating the software as it’s all handled on the user’s side. What’s more, Cloud software opens up the possibility for implementing remote working in the business, as it can be used on any device with the right authorization, allow you to save by having less need for your office space, too.

Know your costs before you plunge in

One of the ways that businesses can often get in trouble with the costs of their tech services is that they don’t factor exactly how much it will cost in the long-run. Even if you can manage the costs of growing your IT systems, it can force you to reallocate funds and assets that could be better spent elsewhere in the business. However, some services are now offering IT cost benchmarking to help you be able to get a more precise grasp of how that growing presence of tech is going to affect your budget. Make sure you do your math before you agree to any new service or software installation.

Identify the ROI

When you have figured out how much your IT plans are going to cost you, you then to work out just how worthwhile it all is. Finding the return on investment for tech services, solutions, and software/hardware isn’t always easy but one of the best ways is to look at how it will save you time and money. If you are able to quantify an estimate of how much more efficient you can be, or what costs you can reduce, you can look at those numbers against the long-term costs of the IT. If you’re unable to identify a return on investment, it may be worth considering whether or not the current plans are the right ones for you or if there is another solution that might be worth more.

Hire your IT team the right way

As your tech grows, so too will the responsibilities of maintaining it, fixing it, and overseeing its growth. An IT team is going to be essential, often sooner rather than later. However, if your tech needs are still relatively small and you don’t think you could justify paying the full price of a full-time employee who doesn’t have enough work on their plate to fill a full-time role, you may instead want to look at other ways of hiring. Outsourcing your IT support can be much more cost-effective for the immediate future. As your reliance on tech continues to grow and you have a bigger network or more devices to oversee, you might want to switch to in-house eventually.

You don’t always have to pay

When you’re implementing new tech plans in the business, it’s always easy to fall into the temptation of pouring as much money into improving all your current processes and systems as possible. However, it’s not only worth identifying those investments worth making but also the investments that aren’t worth it, as well. While software improving your core work processes might be a worthwhile investment, there are some processes that might not be as important that could instead benefit from the use of free software. While there is something of a quality dip in most free software, it can still help you manage your admin much more efficiently, like free accounting software.

A keen understanding of the costs involved in implementing new tech, whether it be software, hardware, networking, or new services is crucial. Once you implement that IT in your business, it can become crucial to its survival so you can’t afford to lose it because you can’t pay for it anymore.