Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Maximize Your Results: Tools that Work
Working from home is a blessing but it can also become challenging to remain focused. It requires discipline, a system, and some time management tools. I still work during the day from 8:30am-4:30pm at a J-O-B. The few hours in the evening I have dedicated to work for myself really have to be used wisely.
Here are a few of the "tools" that help keep my home business running smoothly.
1. Large Dry Erase Quarterly Wall calendar- I use this with multi-colored dry erase markers to color code and organize my appointments for the kids, work appointments, conference calls, outreach, clients, exercise etc.
2. Smartphone: I use my phone to schedule alerts/reminders and tasks (with alarms) I also program my conference calls in so my phone reminds me 15 minutes before calls begin & connects me with one click.
3. Goal Poster- I keep this hanging in my office where I can see it all the time. This poster serves as a reminder as to my "why". It's my motivation to "do more"and "be more" (More on Goal Posters).
4. Web Cam- Awesome for Skype and conferencing with associates and/or client's who are long distance.
5. HootSuite- Allows me to update my status on various social media sites simultaneously at 1 location. I can also monitor and respond to my contacts from several different social media sites. Using HootSuite helps me to stay connected but not spend too much time hopping Facebook pages; becoming easily distracted by pics of cute babies, tons of inspirational quotes, and hug requests. :)
6. Coupon Organizer- I get these from the dollar store. I use them to organize my receipts and invoices throughout the year so my records are in one convenient location come tax time. I leave 1 in the car for "on the go" (gas receipts, tolls, parking etc) and 1 at home.
These are just a few tools I use to keep me focused and on track. Do you work from home? What do you use?
Action Nudge: It's the beginning of a New Year. Why not set up a system, re-organize your home office and utilize these ideas or implement your own to keep yourself on track and focused while working at home.
Here are a few of the "tools" that help keep my home business running smoothly.
1. Large Dry Erase Quarterly Wall calendar- I use this with multi-colored dry erase markers to color code and organize my appointments for the kids, work appointments, conference calls, outreach, clients, exercise etc.
2. Smartphone: I use my phone to schedule alerts/reminders and tasks (with alarms) I also program my conference calls in so my phone reminds me 15 minutes before calls begin & connects me with one click.
3. Goal Poster- I keep this hanging in my office where I can see it all the time. This poster serves as a reminder as to my "why". It's my motivation to "do more"and "be more" (More on Goal Posters).
4. Web Cam- Awesome for Skype and conferencing with associates and/or client's who are long distance.
5. HootSuite- Allows me to update my status on various social media sites simultaneously at 1 location. I can also monitor and respond to my contacts from several different social media sites. Using HootSuite helps me to stay connected but not spend too much time hopping Facebook pages; becoming easily distracted by pics of cute babies, tons of inspirational quotes, and hug requests. :)
6. Coupon Organizer- I get these from the dollar store. I use them to organize my receipts and invoices throughout the year so my records are in one convenient location come tax time. I leave 1 in the car for "on the go" (gas receipts, tolls, parking etc) and 1 at home.
These are just a few tools I use to keep me focused and on track. Do you work from home? What do you use?
Action Nudge: It's the beginning of a New Year. Why not set up a system, re-organize your home office and utilize these ideas or implement your own to keep yourself on track and focused while working at home.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
How Far Will We Go to Lose It?
I received a call from a friend of mine today telling me she heard of this new diet and she wanted to hear my thoughts on it. There are tons of diet crazes out there; especially this time of the year. I really try not to get caught up in it all. However, she asked me to "Google" it and give her feedback, so I did.
The diet is called the HCG Diet. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone produced while a woman is pregnant by the cells that form the placenta. The hormone can be detected in the blood approximately 11 days after conception & is detected in the urine 12-14 days after conception. Did you guys read that? It's a hormone taken from the urine of a pregnant woman!
Oh check out the negative side effects: headaches, depression, blood clots, mood swings, dizziness and confusion. Some women have developed a condition called Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome as a result of taking HCG. The symptoms of OHSS are pain in the pelvis, swollen hands & legs, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting/nausea & decreased urination.
Why are we in such a rush for everything? I think sometimes we go too far. What happened to putting in some good ole fashioned sweat equity? Ya know, hard work?? Discipline?? Eating well??
Being healthy and at an ideal body weight should be achieved through methods that come about by lifestyle changes. Chances are if you lose this way, you will gain it back because you haven't learned anything about why you put the weight on in the first place.
Has anyone else heard about this diet? What are your thoughts?
The diet is called the HCG Diet. HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) is a hormone produced while a woman is pregnant by the cells that form the placenta. The hormone can be detected in the blood approximately 11 days after conception & is detected in the urine 12-14 days after conception. Did you guys read that? It's a hormone taken from the urine of a pregnant woman!
The hormone HCG sends signals to an area of the brain that affects your metabolism; to eliminate your fat stores. The claim is that taking HCG injections coupled with a 500 calorie restricted diet will help you to lose 1-3lbs daily!!!! Am I the only one that thinks this is insane?!?
How healthy can this be? I cannot believe people are doing this. My friend said the person she heard about this from lost 11lbs in 3 days ago. Oh check out the negative side effects: headaches, depression, blood clots, mood swings, dizziness and confusion. Some women have developed a condition called Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome as a result of taking HCG. The symptoms of OHSS are pain in the pelvis, swollen hands & legs, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting/nausea & decreased urination.
Why are we in such a rush for everything? I think sometimes we go too far. What happened to putting in some good ole fashioned sweat equity? Ya know, hard work?? Discipline?? Eating well??
Being healthy and at an ideal body weight should be achieved through methods that come about by lifestyle changes. Chances are if you lose this way, you will gain it back because you haven't learned anything about why you put the weight on in the first place.
Has anyone else heard about this diet? What are your thoughts?
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Fight Fatigue: 3 Contributing Factors & How to Avoid Them
Several years ago, I remember going to my doctor and complaining of very low energy levels. I read about several celebrities who were receiving vitamin B injections for energy. I thought if I had one of these I would be able to function without always feeling so tired. My doctor dismissed my cries for help from fatigue by saying "you're a single mother" "you work hard of course you're tired". My blood work indicated that I wasn't vitamin B deficient. As a result, she would not give me the vitamin B injection. Instead she offered me a prescription drug to help me relax. I took it once and experienced a horrific allergic reaction and never took it again. Looking back now, I believe that was God's way of showing me another way.
So I left her office and sought a holistic approach to battle my continuous need for sleep. I now know that there were a few factors that were contributing to my fatigue. I'm happy to say my energy has dramatically increased as a result of me making a few small changes. The changes I will now share with you. Statistics show that approximately 25 million Americans are suffering with disabling fatigue. Here's 3 things I have found that contributed greatly to my fatigue.
1. Sleep Deprivation: Ha! Talk about stating the obvious. Well, the truth is that most people need 8 hours sleep for the body to function properly. Now, I must admit I currently operate on a little less than 8 hours. I average about 6-7 hours of sleep nightly however when I was battling fatigue I was getting significantly less than that. I had severe pain at that time that interrupted my sleep. I started drinking chamomile tea at night. I also took Isotonix L-Tryptophan for awhile. L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that induces sleep & tranquility. I also discovered that taking a Calcium and magnesium supplement produces calming effects on the brain and aids with sleep. I personally prefer natural methods as opposed to Tylenol PM or any of the other OTC drugs. I'm happy to say, I no longer need L-Tryptophan or chamomile tea so I have stopped taking them. Of course I still take my calcium supplement for the other health benefits.
2. Nutritional Support- Getting proper nutrition is essential to well being. My diet used to be pretty terrible. The truth is many of us do not eat the proper foods. A large portion of our society is nutritionally deficient. Taking supplements in my opinion is is not optional. Our bodies cannot and do not get what we need to optimally perform from the foods we consume-Period. Eating fresh fruits & veges, drinking plenty of water, and taking a quality multi-vitamin/mineral formula and a few other nutritional supplements has become essential in my life. I've also eliminated or cut back significantly on my sugar intake, white foods, and processed foods. Proper nutrition can make a huge difference in your energy levels.
3. Immune Dysfunction - A weak immune system = a body open for infection, disease, and malfunction. A strong immune system = health, well-being, and vitality. A poor immune system sometimes can be indicated by an excess of yeast in the body. If you experience excessive nasal congestion, mucus, gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation those are clues you may have an excess of yeast in your body. Guess what? --- A poor diet and insufficient sleep contribute to a lowered immune system. By eliminating sugar, white products and caffeine you can reduce the amount of yeast in your body. Yes, it's a vicious cycle! There's a lot more I can say about supplements to boost your immune system but I'll save that for another post! =)
So there you have it. Working on these 3 areas contributed to my increased energy levels. If you're reading this and you find you're always feeling tired. I encourage you to go to your doctor, have blood work check your hormone levels, and work on the things listed above. Of course this isn't Rx for the cure to fatigue I'm not a doctor however, it definitely made a difference in my life. Hope it does for you!
Stay Healthy,
Melissa
To Hear More About My Story Click Here
So I left her office and sought a holistic approach to battle my continuous need for sleep. I now know that there were a few factors that were contributing to my fatigue. I'm happy to say my energy has dramatically increased as a result of me making a few small changes. The changes I will now share with you. Statistics show that approximately 25 million Americans are suffering with disabling fatigue. Here's 3 things I have found that contributed greatly to my fatigue.
1. Sleep Deprivation: Ha! Talk about stating the obvious. Well, the truth is that most people need 8 hours sleep for the body to function properly. Now, I must admit I currently operate on a little less than 8 hours. I average about 6-7 hours of sleep nightly however when I was battling fatigue I was getting significantly less than that. I had severe pain at that time that interrupted my sleep. I started drinking chamomile tea at night. I also took Isotonix L-Tryptophan for awhile. L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that induces sleep & tranquility. I also discovered that taking a Calcium and magnesium supplement produces calming effects on the brain and aids with sleep. I personally prefer natural methods as opposed to Tylenol PM or any of the other OTC drugs. I'm happy to say, I no longer need L-Tryptophan or chamomile tea so I have stopped taking them. Of course I still take my calcium supplement for the other health benefits.
2. Nutritional Support- Getting proper nutrition is essential to well being. My diet used to be pretty terrible. The truth is many of us do not eat the proper foods. A large portion of our society is nutritionally deficient. Taking supplements in my opinion is is not optional. Our bodies cannot and do not get what we need to optimally perform from the foods we consume-Period. Eating fresh fruits & veges, drinking plenty of water, and taking a quality multi-vitamin/mineral formula and a few other nutritional supplements has become essential in my life. I've also eliminated or cut back significantly on my sugar intake, white foods, and processed foods. Proper nutrition can make a huge difference in your energy levels.
3. Immune Dysfunction - A weak immune system = a body open for infection, disease, and malfunction. A strong immune system = health, well-being, and vitality. A poor immune system sometimes can be indicated by an excess of yeast in the body. If you experience excessive nasal congestion, mucus, gas, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation those are clues you may have an excess of yeast in your body. Guess what? --- A poor diet and insufficient sleep contribute to a lowered immune system. By eliminating sugar, white products and caffeine you can reduce the amount of yeast in your body. Yes, it's a vicious cycle! There's a lot more I can say about supplements to boost your immune system but I'll save that for another post! =)
So there you have it. Working on these 3 areas contributed to my increased energy levels. If you're reading this and you find you're always feeling tired. I encourage you to go to your doctor, have blood work check your hormone levels, and work on the things listed above. Of course this isn't Rx for the cure to fatigue I'm not a doctor however, it definitely made a difference in my life. Hope it does for you!
Stay Healthy,
Melissa
To Hear More About My Story Click Here
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