Category: Contributed Posts

Recovering Financially From A Unique Set Of Circumstances

A key focus of my blog is Financial Literacy/Money. Most of us will experience a major negative financial event at some point in our lives. The key though is preparing for the recovery, and then recovering. The following contributed post is entitled, Recovering Financially From A Unique Set Of Circumstances.

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The vast majority of people are conditioned to react to the word “debt” as though it’s a toxic, inextricable state of affairs. For sure, none of us wants to be subject to a financial burden that pushes down on us for an extended period, but it is worth developing a more sophisticated understanding of how debt works. Not only in terms of how it can be maintained safely, but also how it can sometimes be simply inevitable.

Let’s take the current situation as an example. Although different areas have opened up after the initial pandemic lockdown, to a greater or lesser extent, we are far from a “normal” situation. People have lost out on paydays, which means they have had less money to spend. This means that businesses have seen their takings reduced, and some businesses will not survive. Which means that other people lose out on paydays. Sound financial management – which is always worth practising – will not, on its own, prevent a lot of us from serious debt burdens.

So what do we do about this?

Usually, when negative circumstances arise, the smart advice is to tighten one’s belt and look for alternative income streams until it all blows over. As second waves of the pandemic develop in those countries fortunate enough to have managed the first wave, no-one knows when this will all “blow over”, but you wouldn’t bet on it being this side of 2021. That’s a long time to be in a financial holding pattern.

It is hoped, broadly, that some top-down plans will arrive at some stage to assist those of us worst affected, but again, it’s a waiting game. For some of us, the best bet may be to go on the offensive: looking for payment holidays from creditors; finding out about refunds we may be entitled to; reading a DTSS U.S. review or two to see where you might benefit from getting more proactive.

Working on future financial independence

Perhaps the most important element of recovering from this unforeseen public health crisis is being ready for it to happen again. This is a set of circumstances to which most of us have never been exposed, and it’s reasonable to imagine it wouldn’t happen again in our lifetimes. We shouldn’t count on that being the case – recent history shows us things can always get worse. So being ready to not rely on a single income stream is essential. Diversifying your revenue is a priority.

Right now, it may be tricky to find a way to ensure continued income; as we’ve said, all but the richest are experiencing anxious times right now. However, now is the time to think about how we can build back from this, work out how and where to invest money so that – if this all happens again sooner than expected – we can be confident that there will still be money arriving in our accounts every month. It may seem like a pessimistic way to look at things, but we’ll be grateful for some level of preparedness if we have to weather another storm.

Cell Phone Coverage 2020

A key focus of my blog is Technology. Cell phones have become a part of our new digital world and all our lives. Its technology is ever evolving and it’s important to keep track of it. The following contributed post is entitled, Cell Phone Coverage 2020.

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When it comes to choosing the ideal cell phone provider, one of the most significant questions that you need to ask is “what kind coverage are you going to get?” For a long time this was just a matter of knowing what kind of signal you would get for phone calls. However, the coverage that different networks provide these days is often very different.

After all, not only does your cell phone network have to provide coverage for making and receiving calls but also for sms messaging. Not only that but with the rise of smartphones and other smart devices, the importance of digital data speeds are becoming a bigger and bigger concern. A network that doesn’t provide fast 5G coverage in certain areas is going to present a big issue for a lot of people both in their personal life but also in terms of their working lives as well.

If you’re trying to find the best possible coverage then you need to know who it is who’s going to be able to provide you with it and who you can rely on for consistent coverage no matter where you are or what you’re doing. The truth is that these factors can often be very changeable. Which providers offer the best coverage in which state is something that is often in flux so it’s always a good idea to make sure that you have all of the information that you need before making a decision.

The following infographic gives you all of the information you need to know about cell phone coverage in 2020.

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Infographic designed by CellularStatus

What Empowers Us To Help Each Other?

A key focus of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success. There are always people who want to exceed and excel but don’t know how to. In many instances our success is impacted by the help of others. The following contributed post is entitled, What Empowers Us To Help Each Other?

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Some websites are dedicated to sharing only happy and empowering stories, such as the Good News Network. It’s always a good idea to browse through their news and remind ourselves that there is still a lot of good in people.

Yet, it’s hard to read about positive stories without wondering whether you’d be able to do the same if you were in a similar situation. While it’s inspiring to read about people helping each other, it also reminds us of our limitations. But the real question you want to ask is not whether you can help someone else, but instead, what you need to feel empowered to be the hero of the next Good News Network story.

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Communication is at the heart of community support
The first and most surprising obstacle to helping each other is an obstruction to the flow of information. Communication plays a significant role both in business and social life? However, while we communicate every day, we still have a lot to learn to improve the way we share and exchange information. A streamlined flow of communication, for instance, can avoid unnecessary friction and ensures everybody is on the same page. Why does it matter? Because you can’t help people if you don’t know what’s going on. Having access to current and relevant facts can not only help you determine who needs help but also how to make a difference.

Finding a role model you can trust
We’re never too old to look up for a role model. Someone who is able to go above and beyond to help others, such as Irvington, NJ, Mayor Tony Vauss, provides the inspirational example we all need to change. The mayor has been seen building partnerships and reaching out to officials in order to keep the population safe. His actions demonstrate that creativity, perseverance, and engagement are crucial to helping those who need it, such as distributing emergency food and fresh produce. From an observer’s perspective, the real-life example can give us more confidence to take action ourselves.

There’s no secret: If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will do it for you
Perhaps, the biggest issue you will have to tackle before you can embrace your selfless side is your self-esteem. Your self-esteem is shaped by a variety of experiences, relationships, and events. Many beliefs you have about yourself are often the result of the message you’ve received from your friends and relatives. Therefore, it is easy to have low self-esteem if you’ve received unhelpful messages. As a result, you may be tempted to believe that others are more capable than you, and therefore better suited to make a difference. Yet, identifying the roots of your lack of confidence can provide you with a key to move past and build something new. Ultimately, you can’t find value in helping others if you can’t value yourself first.

What does it take to reach out to someone else and give them a hand? It takes a lot more than you think. You need to be appropriately informed about their situation, guided by a role model’s success, and equipped with the self-belief to make it happen. The bottom line: Perhaps the lack of selflessness and care for each other is a societal cry for help that highlights the many human flaws that prevent us from becoming the best version of ourselves.

3 Ways To Improve Your Family’s Health

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. It’s one thing to manage your own personal health, but when you have a family, everyone’s health becomes interconnected. If you’re doing it right, you want to always consider how to improve the health of your loved ones. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Ways To Improve Your Family’s Health.

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Family is everything, and if you are blessed to have a wonderful one, you should strive to ensure that every member is as fit as a fiddle. It is not uncommon for people to inherit a disease from their family members. To further prove this point is a CDC report that shows that roughly 84 million Americans are prediabetic, most of whom are clueless about their condition. This means if two parents have diabetes, it’s very likely that their children also are. Fortunately, families can prevent health problems like diabetes, heart diseases, and other conditions with the right lifestyle changes. If you have your family’s welfare at heart, then here’s how you can keep everyone’s health in good shape.

1. Eat better as a family

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Diet always plays a huge role in the overall health condition of a family. Therefore, if you want to be a healthy family, start preparing good quality meals. For example, you can begin your day by serving nutritious breakfast to all family members. Breakfast will refuel your body and provide you with the energy you need to carry on with the day’s activities. Also, try not to miss your lunch and dinner as well. Eat slowly and responsibly because your brain takes about 20 minutes to send a signal to your body that you have eaten to your satisfaction when you eat. That means if you don’t control your eating speed, you may actually end up consuming beyond your carrying capacity. Excess calories may increase your weight, which will place you in a bad position to fight obesity.

2. Stay active as a family

Healthier families don’t only eat better; they also stay physically active. You can draw a family exercise calendar, and even though adults need to move more, try to incorporate something for the kids. Without going to the gym, you can still engage in physical activities at least 30 to 60 minutes or break up your family training activities into smaller sessions for each day. They can include simple exercises like brisk walking, swimming, biking, and running. The idea is to work out as a family, burn calories, and stay strong. Parents should limit their children from playing video games for over two hours each day, to save time for their studies and workouts.

3. Go for routine medical check-ups

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As you eat better and keep fit, make routine visits to medical healthcare facilities to check your family’s health. Medical examinations will see farther than your own instincts, especially in these times of the coronavirus pandemic. Conditions like hypertension, typhoid, and even sickle cell anemia can run through the whole family’s blood. When you seek early medical attention as a family, doctors can diagnose and treat your conditions before matters worsen. While visiting the doctor is essential, you can do some basic things to avoid falling sick. For example, if your family members have asthma, ensure your space is always clean. You can also go the extra mile to get an emergency cleanup contractor to inspect your building for mold which could trigger allergies.

In summary, health is wealth. But if you don’t live healthy lifestyles as a family, you are probably risking your life and that of your adorable little ones. Eat better, stay active, sleep better, and go for routine medical check-ups.

What To Do If You’ve Been A Victim Of Fraud

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. Something that can disrupt all of forms of our personal health is fraud. It’s important to know how to proceed, should you become a victim of fraud. The following contributed post is entitled, What To Do If You’ve Been A Victim Of Fraud.

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Scams and fraud are very upsetting to fall victim too and can cause can you real problems with your finances and credit. A lot of money is being spent on preventing fraud, but what happens if you’ve already been a victim? Is there a way that you can get restitution? If you’ve been a victim of fraud or a scam, here’s what to do.

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Report The Scam

A lot of victims of fraud never report it, perhaps because they feel embarrassed, feel it’s pointless, or just don’t know where to report it. However, reporting is important as it establishes accurate statistics on the number of people who have been affected and to help law enforcement identify patterns. Start by reporting it to the police (this is essential if you want to make an insurance claim on stolen property). Report any compromised credit or debit cards to the card issuer. You can also call the AARP Fraud Watch Network hotline for advice on what to do next, whether you’ve fallen for a scam or are a victim of negligent misrepresentation.

Think Locally

This should be done even if you’ve been acted on globally. For most scams that involve goods and services (for example nonexistent vacation properties), start by contacting your state attorney general’s office, your local and state consumer protection agencies, or the Better Business Bureau. You could also reach out to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Match The Agency To The Crime

If the fraud you’ve been a victim of violates federal law, there is likely to be a government agency that handles it. You can find a list at usa.gov, and the relevant crime to report there, from income tax debt collection fraud to income tax refund fraud. A good place to start is the Federal Trade Commission.

Focus On Emotional Healing

Federal agencies very rarely track down the perpetrators of crimes against individual people. Instead, they use complaints to record patterns of abuse, which allows them to take action against a company or industry. Fraud often has a global nature, so victims should be realistic about their chances of legal redress. It’s unlikely reporting it will bring you much satisfaction so it’s important to focus on emotional recovery. Try not to feel angry with yourself for falling for a scam, and instead ask friends and family for support in helping you move past it.

Anyone can be a victim of fraud or a scam, and you don’t have to be gullible to be taken in. If you have been a victim, try to react quickly in order to protect your finances as fast as possible. Report the crime to help law enforcement protect others from being a victim to the same scam that you fell for, and make sure you take any needed steps to block and replace credit and debit cards. In the future, learn to spot the signs of a scam, so you’re less likely to be a victim in the future.

Keeping Your Business’ Office Intact

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and Organizational and Management Discussions. When you’re a business owner, one of the things you have to consider is keeping your business’ office intact. Keeping everything safe and secure will ensure its operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Keeping Your Business’ Office Intact.

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If you have a business to run, its office is always going to be one of the most important things that you need to keep an eye on. As long as the office is running smoothly and being looked after, you can be sure that the business itself is going to be moving in the right direction, so that is something that you are going to want to think about. But what do you need to do in order to ensure that you are keeping your business’ office intact? In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the essentials that you will need to consider on that front.

Health & Safety Rules

For one thing, if you have health and safety rules in place, you are going to find that this leads to safer behaviour from everyone, and that means that the people are safer – but also that the office itself is less likely to become damaged at all. That’s great news for the future of your office and your business, so it’s something to think about. Make those rules as clear as possible and ensure that you are actually enforcing them in order to make sure that people follow them as well as possible. If you do that, you are going to find that your office is in a much better state at all times.

Fix Problems As They Arise

There are always going to be all sorts of problems that arise when you are running an office. Many of these are unavoidable, such as issues with electrics and heating and so on. The important thing here is that you are fixing these problems as they arise, rather than letting them continue for a long time first. The first port of call should be somewhere like Top Craft Market, to find a tradesperson or craftsman who can help you to get things back in order. Then you can ensure the longevity of your office much more easily, and that is going to be beneficial for the business and the people who work for you too.

Clean Regularly

Cleaning is not just vital for the sake of keeping people healthy and safe, it also actually makes a difference to the office itself. The maintenance of your office relies on its being as clean as possible – even something like an excess of dust can cause damage in the long run. Then you have other issues that can arise such as mold and other damp problems, and that can be a real issue for the structure of the building too if you are not careful. So call in someone to clean the office regularly, and make sure that you keep this up no matter what. It really is essential for the future of the office.

If you can do all that, your office is going to be in a much better position, so it’s something that you are going to have to think about.

Protecting Your Business Has Never Been So Important

Two key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A major part of your business is protecting it. Threats can come from all directions and it’s critical to understand how to protect your operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Protecting Your Business Has Never Been So Important.

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Your business has a lot of vulnerabilities that you probably never even thought of. It’s important then that you are taking all of the precautions that you can to ensure the safety of your company as a whole. If something does happen and you haven’t done everything you could to prevent it, then you are going to be partially to blame for whatever negative consequences come your way. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the ways to protect your business and what you’ve got to protect it from. Keep reading to find out more.

Cyber Attacks

Cyber attacks are on the rise, and there’s not much that can be done about this other than to protect what’s yours. If you don’t want to allow hackers the chance to get to what is yours, then you’ve got to ensure you’re taking all the necessary precautions. It might be the case that you are not well versed in how to protect your business online, which means that you’ve got to hire someone who is. Look into hiring an IT Consultant or a company that specializes in cyber security to ensure that everything is being done to keep your business safe online.

If you hire a professional, at least you know your company is well taken care of. A lot of firms offer an option where they watch your business servers, and get alerts if anything isn’t quite right out of hours. 24/7 surveillance might be the only thing that helps prevent an attack on your company.

Real Life Threats

There are also real-life threats that you’ve got to consider such as people breaking into your office when you are closed. You’ve got to make sure that you have security solutions in place so that something can be done about this, and at the very least, you may be able to see who did it. If you look into a solution like https://www.watchmenkc.com/commercial-security-service-in-kansas-city/ or something similar, you know that you are going to be protected from people who would see your business harmed.

A lot of the time, security measures act as a deterrent that stop people from trying something. Of course, this isn’t always the case, and there are people who will still try to get to your company if they really want to, but for the most part, nobody should.

Data Breach From Employees

Finally, if your employees accidentally or willingly give over any confidential information from your business, it could be devastating. Or, even if they just share something with your competition that gives them the edge over you, your business could be in jeopardy. That’s why you should always have your employees sign NDA’s. If you want to know more about this, check out a site like https://www.everynda.com/blog/4-reasons-sign-nda-employees/.

We hope that you have found this article helpful and now understand some of the things that you need to protect your business from and why this is so important. Put this advice into practice, and be reassured that your business is as safe as it possibly could be. Good luck.

How To Keep Your Staff Informed & The Loop

A key focus of my blog is Organizational and Management Discussions. A major aspect to getting the best out of your staff is establishing and maintaining loyalty which actually is a door that swings both ways. A key way to ensure your staff’s loyalty and productivity is keeping them in the loop. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Keep Your Staff Informed & The Loop.

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It’s important to keep your staff informed. This can seem obvious. It can seem as clear as suggesting ‘your staff need access to water while in the office’. That being said, it’s important to notice there are various degrees of being informed. For instance, you don’t have to inform a new office worker about every single one of your plans, what your balance sheet looks like, and hidden products in development for them to be good at their job.

So, informing your staff can take place in degrees of relevance, and most of all, the delivery system is what counts. That being said, it’s important to note how to move forward and get the best out of this. Giving them a 50-page file each morning, while detailed and very important, can rob them of the time they need to move forward with their daily tasks. So, informing your staff is more about a simple information dump, but rather knowing when to dispel it, and when to help them stay on top of their approach.

How can you keep your staff informed and in the loop, in the most optimal manner? Let’s discuss that below:

Morning Briefings

Morning briefings give you the chance to level with your team on a face-to-face basis. Or, if you prefer, a morning newsletter can help your staff keep up to date with the goings-on that day, helping you disseminate the important principles that must be catered to in the right context. Morning briefings can help you keep communications open with your staff, without having to pester them sporadically throughout the day.

Let Them Inform One Another

It can’t hurt to give staff the chance to inform one another about the daily efforts they must make. Word can travel quickly, but it’s important to keep your team able to communicate, and more easily able to do so. For instance, with VoIP solutions found here https://www.lingo.com/business/sip-t1-pri/, you can ensure all communication methods are provided, and optimized. That has to be a useful, and eternally relevant step to take. Of course, providing official sources of information is essential as sometimes hearsay can get out of hand, but for the most part, allowing staff to stay in the loop and keep one another efficient is essential.

Keep It Streamlined

Always keep your communication streamlined. This means keeping a regular format, and staying consistent with it. Instead of giving the word through a Slack channel one morning, you must deliver it through email if that’s what you’ve been doing so far. If you keep regular meetings, do not change their times unless you have extraneous circumstances that must affect your scheduling. Keeping your staff informed and in the loop needn’t be a difficult nor overly complex approach, you just need to help them learn what to expect.

With this advice, we hope you can more easily keep your staff informed and in-the-loop.

4 Important Ideas to Help Your Business Function at the Top Level

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you’re running a business, you always want to think about ways to help you business function at the highest level possible. Doing so will assure your business’s survival and may even mean stifling your competition. The following contributed post is entitled, 4 Important Ideas to Help Your Business Function at the Top Level.

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You have plenty to think about as a modern business owner, and it is important for you to do as much as possible to work on this moving forward. Try to come up with some of the best ways of being able to make the most of this right now, and there are a lot of elements that play a role here. Try to think about what it takes to make the most of this right now, and there are a lot of ways of being able to improve this right now.

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Make sure you are focused on doing as much as possible to come up with great ways of helping your business function at the top level as much as possible. There are a lot of things to keep in mind when it comes to improving this right now. Think about using these 4 points to try to help you with this, and get the best possible outcome for your business right now.

1. Rebrand

Rebranding is one of the most important things you can do as a business these days, and this is why you need to make sure you focus on rebranding the company in the right kind of way. It is essential for the brand to stay relevant and up to date as much as possible, and this is something that you can achieve by rebranding more effectively. So do as much as possible to come up with ideas that are going to help you here.

2. Make Your Business More Secure

Trying to make your business more secure is one of the key things that you should be looking to accomplish if you are hoping to take things to the next level. There are so many factors that play a part in helping to make your company as secure as possible, and this is something you are going to have to work on as much as possible, and there are a lot of elements that can play a role in this as much as possible.

3. Use the Right Software

There are a lot of things that play a part in helping you with this, and it is something that you need to play a role in right now. Try to consider the best ways of being able to use the perfect software in order to improve the functionality and productivity of the business. This is why it is important to make sure you use software like Aspera to help you improve things as much as possible when you are trying to run a business.

4. Improve Your Marketing

Make sure you have a strong and diverse marketing strategy that you can use to continue attracting interest in your business, as well as boosting your marketing right now. There are a lot of options to consider here, and it is important that you do what you can to make the most of this right now, and you need to experiment with different types of business marketing right now.

Keeping your company functioning at the top level as often as possible is so important for developing the best possible future for your business. This is something you need to look into right now, and there are a lot of things you can do to try to accomplish this.

How to Get Things Back on Track When Life Gets out of Control

Two key focuses of my blog are Creating Ecosystems of Success, and Health/Wellness. There are times in our lives when things get out of control. Likewise, the mark of a high successful person is one who figures out how to get things back on track. The following contributed post is entitled, How to Get Things Back on Track When Life Gets out of Control.

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If you are concerned that things are a bit out of control right now, then you are certainly not alone. So many people are in the same situation that you are in right now, but if you follow this guide then you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to get things back on track easier than ever before.

Do a Life Audit

Life audits really are the best way for you to try and focus on the different areas of your life, your career or even your relationships. When it comes to getting your life back on track, it’s always a good idea for you to assess where you are right now. There are many versions of a life audit, so you need to make sure that you find one which is suitable for you. Either way, the ultimate goal would be for you to try and find clarity across everything if possible.

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Regain Confidence

Confidence is the ultimate root to how you show up every day. Believe it or not, showing up is far more than just getting to work. It’s about showing up with an intention. When you feel as though things are spiralling out of control, this comes down to the fact that you do not feel physically or mentally in control. If you want to get around this, then you need to think about what gives you confidence. Then, find things that correlate to that. If feeling good mentally involves you feeling good about your body, then it is wise for you to try and commit to fitness. When you have control over this, you can then feel more in control of your life in general. If you feel like your criminal record is holding you back or getting in the way of your happiness then look into RecordPurge.com.

Brain Dump

Did you know that the average person has around 50,000 thoughts per day? Although it is very much impossible for you to keep track of every single thought that crosses your mind, you may find that eventually things get too much. Brain dumping is a way for you to declutter your mind and it also gives you the chance to bring all of your ideas together on paper. So the next time you feel overwhelmed, think about writing your thoughts down. When you do this, you can then prioritise them into different categories as this will save you a lot of stress.

Organise the Little Things

If you don’t feel as though you have much control over everything that is going on in your life then remember that you do have control over the space around you. You may want to clean your home, or even try and organise your drawers. When you do, you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to get a fantastic result out of your space and mental organisation.

So, if you are feeling overwhelmed right now then remember that there are things that you can do to put yourself at ease. When you do focus on them, you will soon find that you can easily feel better about yourself as well as the things that come your way.