You Are NOT Alone!

“The be-all and end-all of life should not be to get rich, but to enrich the world”

                                                                                           ~ B.C. Forbes

 

While every generation of workers has a different set of work expectations, the desire for work/life balance has become one of the foremost goals of every generation in the workforce today.

A recent study done by the Families and Work Institute illustrates that young workers just starting out in the workforce are choosing to turn down promotional opportunities to achieve greater work/life balance. In other words, the generation known as the Millennial Generation is looking for more than a gold watch at their retirement.

Why do you suppose these apple-cheeked, enthusiastic job entrants might take this approach? In a study done with young employees by Families and Workplace, work/life balance was among the top for both genders.

Most of these young adults were raised in families where both parents worked and they experienced the sacrifice and demands placed upon their parents, firsthand.

Not surprisingly, of all the generations in the workforce today, these young adults are the most likely to consider job flexibility and schedules when they look for a job, and it is key to employee retention for companies that employ these young workforce.

The point of all of this background information is to let you know that you are not alone in your desire to find balance.

All generations in all types of jobs are today, looking for balance, less stress, and more time with family and friends. Like you, these people are willing to give it their all when they are at work and they expect to work hard, but in exchange, they want a life.

 

In essence, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

 

If you think that work and family life balance is a small problem, you may be interested to know that, in addition to the few companies that have recognized the issue and taken the lead in establishing life balance programs, there are numerous organizations,

Organizations as diverse as religious groups, government agencies, human resource companies and behavioral scientists now study these issues and, not just because it is the right thing to do.

There are real economic advantages to companies that recognize the need for life balance and create a working environment to help their employees live their lives more fully.

Companies spend a lot of money training and keeping employees and happy employees will stay longer, live longer and contribute to the company longer.

But, we are just scratching the surface in understanding the true human toll that an unbalanced life takes. Many have studied the evolving societal issues and their roots in overwork and lost community connections.

If you WANT more balance in your life but you wonder whether it is all that important, let’s talk about the reasons you NEED this balance.

 

Health – Living an unbalanced life where work dominates can significantly affect your health. Long or stressful work hours can cause problems with your heart, your blood pressure, and your sleep cycles.

Studies show a significant increase in heart attack and stroke since the advent of seventy-hour workweeks. Long hours at work and lots of work related travel also encourages poor diet and leaves little time for exercise.

As we become more out of shape, sleep less and experience health problems, we are no longer the powerful asset to our employers, nor can we participate fully in a family and social life.

 

Emotional Wellness – Your ability to give back to your family, friends and community, and your own emotional stability depends on a balanced life.

As overly dramatic as it sounds, you are likely to experience emotional problems, need counseling and suffer from anxiety attacks or other problems if you have no time to decompress and relax.

 

And these benefits are both physical and emotional.

 

You can’t be ready to take on the issues in your family, support your spouse, parents, siblings and children and your friends if you have no emotional stamina.

If you’ve spent all of your focus and attention on work and you find yourself so tired at the end of the day that you don’t even want to talk to your family, you have a problem. And your family may not wait around for you to resolve it!

The societal impact of ‘all work and no play’ has damaged and destroyed many a family and the divorce rate continues to climb. Children grow up barely knowing their parents because they are away at work all the time.

Family vacations are a thing of the past in many families. Vacations get postponed and many employees find themselves losing their accrued vacation time because they have ‘rolled it over’ for so many years and just NOT taken the vacation they deserved.

Your emotional reserves are depleted. You have no patience with yourself or others. You are short on sleep and even on time to think about what you want for dinner.

 

Is it any wonder that psychologists and psychiatrists are busier than ever?

 

Stress – In my previous series I discussed some of  the health implications related to ‘all work and no play’ but stress is its own health factor.

Even if you like your job, if you have no time for anything else, stress will get you eventually.

We’ll talk more about stress later and you’ll get some tips on how to eliminate or mitigate stress so that your body and mind will be better able to handle whatever comes your way.

For now, what you need to understand is that stress can affect your physical and emotional health and that, over time, it can make you very sick. If you are not in a position to change jobs or otherwise make a major change to relieve stress, learn how to handle it better.

We’re not talking about taking five years of classes here. We are talking about simple techniques you can use to help balance your life.

Remember that work/life balance is not just a question of the hours you spend in one place or another. It is also a question of how balanced you feel and how you react to things.

No matter how much time you have with your family and friends, you will enjoy it more if you are able to balance YOURSELF.

If you can become less of a victim of stress and overwork and take control of your own reaction to stress, you will live longer and be happier at work and at home.

Family and Community – Government and university studies support the idea that the ‘all work and no play’ lifestyle contributes to divorce, dysfunction in the family, and lack of involvement and investment in the community and neighborhood.

As the community grows apart and neighbors become strangers, emotional and family support for things like childcare, help with aging parents and support following trauma and tragedy become real issues.

The community turns to the government to supply services to fill this gap, taxes rise and people remain strangers.

Families struggle with alternating schedules, and children fail to thrive emotionally and physically.

Divorce is rampant and single parents are under even more stress with even less time to pay attention to children. So, things deteriorate even more!

Role models for marriage, relationships and juggling time and family are important to a child’s adult relationships. If we do not provide those positive role models, we perpetuate the problem.

It is interesting to note that the generation of children now in the work force has started to rebel against jobs and employers that require ridiculous hours and dedication beyond the call of duty.

They understand the toll this type of career takes on a life. They grew up in families that suffered this impact.

Perhaps our greatest hope for change lies in this generation of seasoned veterans of dysfunctional families.

Productivity – If your employer believes that your eighty-hour workweek is giving him more benefit, he should look at the statistics and information gathered by human resource companies and companies that focus on efficiency and productivity.

It is a fact that the human brain needs downtime and rest and recreation to recycle. Think about your own life and the times when you had to work long hours to get something finished.

Perhaps you found that you could barely focus after a certain number of hours. There is a reason that coaches that teach good study habits tell students not to cram for

eighteen hours before an exam, but rather to spread out the studying and mix in recreation.

Take a walk; talk with friends to regain your clarity and focus.

If you and your employer truly want to take the best advantage of your time, you need to take time for yourself.

You will spend less time reworking things you’ve done wrong, mistakes you’ve made and details you’ve missed. And your employer will get better quality and output regardless of your job.

Pilots are subject to time constraints and can only spend so many hours in the air because airlines learned a long time ago that a tired and overworked pilot could make critical errors.

In lengthy neurosurgery or heart surgery, surgeons take breaks and leave the operating room to clear their heads and rest.

Again, these habits and techniques were learned the hard way and only when critical mistakes were made did these work policies change. You wouldn’t want a tired doctor working on your open heart, would you?

Life Goals – Everyone has goals. And you are probably no exceptions. You may have work and career-related goals like promotions, expanded responsibilities, and recognition as an expert in your industry.

These are all fine, but be sure you don’t just focus on your job. Many people come to identify their success in life by their position in their job and the recognition they get there.

If they become disabled or sick, or if they retire, they suddenly find that they don’t know themselves anymore.

They have no identity at work so they don’t know who they are. They may have lost family and friends or have become strangers to these people, unaware of the important events that happened at home while they were at work.

So, they have to get to know themselves and their loved ones all over again. For some, this is an impossible task.

Be sure you set personal goals, family goals and general goals in your life for growth and happiness.

If you can become less of a victim of stress and overwork and take control of your own reaction to stress, you will live longer and be happier at work and at home.

Family and Community – Government and university studies support the idea that the ‘all work and no play’ lifestyle contributes to divorce, dysfunction in the family, and lack of involvement and investment in the community and neighborhood.

As the community grows apart and neighbors become strangers, emotional and family support for things like childcare, help with aging parents and support following trauma and tragedy become real issues.

The community turns to the government to supply services to fill this gap, taxes rise and people remain strangers.

Families struggle with alternating schedules, and children fail to thrive emotionally and physically.

Divorce is rampant and single parents are under even more stress with even less time to pay attention to children. So, things deteriorate even more!

Role models for marriage, relationships and juggling time and family are important to a child’s adult relationships. If we do not provide those positive role models, we perpetuate the problem.

It is interesting to note that the generation of children now in the work force has started to rebel against jobs and employers that require ridiculous hours and dedication beyond the call of duty.

They understand the toll this type of career takes on a life. They grew up in families that suffered this impact.

Perhaps our greatest hope for change lies in this generation of seasoned veterans of dysfunctional families.

Productivity – If your employer believes that your eighty-hour workweek is giving him more benefit, he should look at the statistics and information gathered by human resource companies and companies that focus on efficiency and productivity.

It is a fact that the human brain needs downtime and rest and recreation to recycle. Think about your own life and the times when you had to work long hours to get something finished.

Perhaps you found that you could barely focus after a certain number of hours. There is a reason that coaches that teach good study habits tell students not to cram for eighteen hours before an exam, but rather to spread out the studying and mix in recreation.

Take a walk; talk with friends to regain your clarity and focus.

If you and your employer truly want to take the best advantage of your time, you need to take time for yourself.

You will spend less time reworking things you’ve done wrong, mistakes you’ve made and details you’ve missed. And your employer will get better quality and output regardless of your job.

Pilots are subject to time constraints and can only spend so many hours in the air because airlines learned a long time ago that a tired and overworked pilot could make critical errors.

In lengthy neurosurgery or heart surgery, surgeons take breaks and leave the operating room to clear their heads and rest.

Again, these habits and techniques were learned the hard way and only when critical mistakes were made did these work policies change. You wouldn’t want a tired doctor working on your open heart, would you?

Life Goals – Everyone has goals. And you are probably no exceptions. You may have work and career-related goals like promotions, expanded responsibilities, and recognition as an expert in your industry.

These are all fine, but be sure you don’t just focus on your job. Many people come to identify their success in life by their position in their job and the recognition they get there.

If they become disabled or sick, or if they retire, they suddenly find that they don’t know themselves anymore.

They have no identity at work so they don’t know who they are. They may have lost family and friends or have become strangers to these people, unaware of the important events that happened at home while they were at work.

So, they have to get to know themselves and their loved ones all over again. For some, this is an impossible task.

Be sure you set personal goals, family goals and general goals in your life for growth and happiness.

Anxiety And Stress Relief - Facing Life's Giants!

 

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday. This last year was a major season of change for all of us; new house,new job for my wife, new school for my daughter...it's safe to say that I have dealt with stress. Anyway, we wanted to make this birthday special for my daughter with all of the stress of the year, but the more we worked on it, the more ideas fell through. As stressful as it was, we came up with a game plan that gave her an enjoyable time as well as her friends.

I led in with that story to say this, life often takes on a David and Goliath feeling. Giants bearing down on you, taunting you, making you feel small.  Enormous footsteps shaking the very foundations of your life bringing stress and anxiety.  Relief from these problems can often seem to be, not only out of reach, but also out of sight.  When bills pile up, family demands are overwhelming, your tasks in hand get out of hand and calamity and tragedy fill the headlines of your news feeds.

 

What do you do when stress giants come into your life?  Who do you turn to for help?  The fact it is you are not alone there is somebody who can help.  There are people you can turn to for support, advice and assistance.  You do not have to face these stressors alone in silence.  If you need help to over come life's problems and are looking for stress relief try one of these:

 

·           Family

·            Friends

·            Counselors

·            Pastors

·           Self-help books

·           Self-help CDs

 

How about calling your regular doctor for advice about stress relief?  Many people ignore or forget about these obvious support channels.  In fact, sharing our stress with someone who will support us should be on the top of our list when dealing with life’s stress.  When life's difficulties becomes too much and you are finding things bearing down on you to the point your stress is compounded by a feeling that you can’t take it anymore, then this is the time to share that burden with someone else.

 

Stress relief information and help should be sought in the same way as any other assistance.  If you broke your arm then you wouldn't think twice about seeking medical help, so you should treat your stress problems the same way. If you don’t have someone close to confide in, call your doctor, see a pastor, or make an appointment with a counselor.

 

It is possible that your stress and anxiety is bad enough that a doctor will prescribe medication to give you some relief, but most of the time, just getting off of your chest is enough to get you back in the game.

 

Make time for yourself

Another way to handle the giants is to step away and regroup. Everybody deserves (and needs) some time away.  Time for one’s self should not be considered an unnecessary luxury.  It is something that we all need.  Find something that you love doing, something that gives you pleasure and take the time to indulge yourself in it.  If your schedule is so overwhelming then start with ten minutes for yourself per day, your objective should be working towards one hour of time devoted to you per day with one day strictly for relaxation and not thinking about any of your stress giants.

 

Taking the time out for yourself does not mean that you are selfish and uncaring.  When people demand so much of you, it is easy to find your personal resources evaporating away and your ability to cope with your own personal stress will diminish.  To be able to give your best and work at your optimum level means that you need time devoted to yourself.

 

So, what are you going to do with this new time that you have devoted to yourself?  How will you use your "me time?"  Here are a few suggestions to help get you started relaxing and regrouping to face the giants another day:

 

·           Take a long relaxing walk

·           Take a long relaxing bath; light candles, burn incense

·           Read a fiction book

·           Write a poem or short story

·            Undertake some light exercise

·           Take up a new sport

·            Practice meditation

·           Enroll in a yoga class

·           Try listening to music

 

Whatever you do begin to enjoy life.  Live it to the fullest.  Consider each moment precious and know that you do have permission to step away from your giants for a short time to regroup; they will still be there tomorrow. Begin to experience life and don't just let it pass you by because you are spending too much time stressing on things.  Stress relief is attainable and within your grasp.  But you must make the effort to reach out and take it.

 

 

 

Good Stress And Bad Stress

 

The stress response of the body, in a way, is like an airplane getting ready for take-off. Virtually all systems (e.g., the heart and blood vessels, the immune system, the lungs, the digestive system, the sensory organs, and brain) are modified to meet the perceived danger that is just around the corner.

 

The Pounding Heart

The adrenaline in our system makes our heart beat faster in order to pump more oxygen to the brain in order to obtain a quick flight or fight response if it is needed. This excited feeling can sometimes overtake us and lead to poor decisions.

 

Become aware of your stressors as well as your emotional and physical reactions to those stressors. As the phrase goes, “Know thyself”. Notice your distress. Don't ignore it. Don't gloss over your problems. Determine what events distress you. What is your body and mind telling you about the events taking place? Determine how your body responds to the stress. Do you become nervous or physically upset? If you do, in what specific ways are you acting or thinking?

 

Preventing Stress

Reduce the intensity of your emotional reactions to stress. In today’s society the stress reaction is more often than not, triggered by your perception of danger and not real life threatening situations. Are you viewing your stressors in exaggerated terms and/or taking a difficult situation and making it a disaster?

 

Are you expecting to please everyone?

Are you overreacting and viewing things as absolutely critical and urgent? Do you feel you must always prevail in every situation? Work at adopting more moderate views; try to see the stress as something you can cope with rather than something that overpowers you. Try to temper your excess emotions. Put the situation in perspective. Do not labor on the negative aspects of the situation.

 

Good Stress and Bad Stress

The stress response (also known as the fight or flight response) is critical during emergency situations, such as when a driver has to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. It can also be activated in a milder form at a time when the pressure's on but there's no actual danger - like stepping up to a podium to give a presentation in front of a room full of people, getting ready to ask someone out for the first time, or waiting for test results from the doctor. A little of this stress can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge. And the nervous system quickly returns to its normal state, standing by to respond again when needed.

 

By analyzing our stress at the time we are having it, our left-brain kicks in and allows us to take more control of our situation. If you are taking a test, there is no way that the professor is going to attack you if you don’t finish on time, nor will there be any physical repercussions if you ask someone out and they say no. So, once you realize that there is no mortal danger present, you can see that your body is overreacting and you can quickly gain control before doing or saying something that you will regret later.

Your Brain's Response To Acute Stress!

 

Stress is a feeling that's created when we react to particular events. It's the body's way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness.

 

The precursors that lead to stress are referred to as stressors, and they can cover a wide range of situations; everything from outright physical danger to making a class presentation to having a bad dream.

 

Particularly in a normal working life, much of our stress is subtle and occurs without any obvious threat to our survival. Most comes from things such as work overload, conflicting priorities, inconsistent values, deadlines, conflict with others, unpleasant environments and so on. Not only do these reduce our performance as we divert mental effort into handling them, they can also cause a great deal of unhappiness. These mild levels of stress are classified as ‘acute stress’ and we all experience it in one way or another.

 

The best way to envision the effect of acute stress is to imagine yourself in a very base-level, primitive type situation, such as being chased by something in the woods.

 

In response to being chased, a part of the brain called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system is activated.

From here there is a release of Steroidal Hormones. The HPA systems trigger the production and release of two specific hormones Glucocorticoids, which includes the primary stress hormone Cortisol. This particular hormone is very important in regulating and maintaining systems throughout the body that including the heart, lungs, circulation, metabolism, immune systems, and skin in order to quickly with stressful situations.

 

Next, we have the release of Catecholamines. The HPA system also releases certain neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) particularly known as dopamine, nor epinephrine, and epinephrine (also called adrenaline).

 

Today's world is changing at the most accelerated rates ever, and our bodies, minds, emotions and spirits are all being affected by these larger changes.  Many people are feeling a heightened sense of emotional intensity, so we are seeing more stress.

 

Not all stress is bad. It is important that we understand this. Stress, in the right amounts can keep us healthy, safe and more mentally aware. In my next entry I will talk more about this, so until then, God bless.   

 

10 Leading Causes Of Stress

 

The University of Washington first did a study in 1967 that theorized that there was a connection between major life events and physical health. As part of that study, Thomas H. Holmes and Richard H. Rahe, along with their team, charted all of the major stress factors. In 1967, this chart contained 43 main causes for stress in the average person. Thirty-nine years later, in 2006, that chart was revised to contained 55.  Since 2002 we are even higher yet, now adding on extra stress with traveling, foreign affairs, etc.

It is highly apparent that our modern society, filled with conveniences that are supposed to make our lives easier and less stressed, is finding more and more reasons to feel stress.

 

So, by knowing the leading causes of stress in your life, you can take actions that could minimize, if not eliminate them all together. Do you think it is possible to totally eliminate stress from your life, or will it be part of your life until you die, quite possibly being the cause of your death? Or maybe, there is a middle ground somewhere?

           

Which Are Your Leading Causes for Stress?

 

Death of a Loved One

The Holmes-Rahe Social Scale, that they based on their findings are still pretty accurate in the 21^st century. The scale shows that the death of a loved one, more specifically a spouse, can be one of the most stressful events a person can face. This stress is compounded when that couple owes a lot of debts and the remaining spouse must worry about finances on top of grieving the loss of a spouse. Issues can add up even more if someone loses a spouse while there are still minor children living at home.

 

Divorce

Divorce is another leading cause of stress among men and women, this according to the Holmes-Rahe scale. In addition to dealing with a variety of stressful emotions, divorce usually means that one or both spouses must leave their home. Individuals also may have to deal with disagreements involving division of property, finances, and child support custody issues.

 

Finances

Finances, particularly mortgage foreclosures, are another leading cause of stress ranking at the top of the Holmes-Rahe stress assessment scale. People who live in poverty, and individuals who face overwhelming debt or bankruptcy usually experience high levels of stress.

 

Job

Work-related stress is common among men and women who have demanding jobs and work long hours. Workers also tend to be more stressed during poor economic times when they worry about layoffs or a reduction in hours.

 

Health

Personal health issues can be stressful on both children and adults. Working to get well, worrying about medical costs or dealing with an unexpected health crisis or chronic illness can all bring on stress. The sad part is that stress itself contributes to disease. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that within the next 10 years, stress-related conditions like depression will rank as the second leading cause of disability worldwide.

 

Personal Relationships

Everyone is stressed at times by personal relationships, even when relationships are basically good. Couples argue, parents and children fight and occasionally conflict among friends or co-workers can create stress.

 

Chronically Ill Child

Parents who have a child with a serious health problem or injury frequently are under a great deal of stress. They worry about the recovery of their child, and may find it difficult to see their child suffering or in pain. There can be financial worries associated with a child's illness as well.

 

Childhood Trauma

Some individuals experience long-term stress as a result of a traumatic childhood. The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, milestone research in 1998, found that difficult emotional experiences as a child can cause physical stress on the body throughout life. Children who live in abusive homes, or who grow up living with an alcoholic or drug abuser often suffer more psychological stress throughout adulthood.

 

Pregnancy

Pregnancy, too, can be a stressful event. This is particularly true of pregnancies, which were not planned, or pregnancies that result in serious complications for the mother, child or both. Another problem is that sometimes couples realize that they are not as ready financially or emotionally for a child as they thought they were.

 

Danger

Dangerous situations such as fires, automobile accidents or being the victim of crime can cause stress. Any hazardous event that is out of the ordinary for an individual can cause either short- or long-term physical or emotional stress.

 

Stress can be caused by many factors and, no matter how minor, some may be, they can add up to become debilitating. Before you go away depressed and stressed about this post, we will start discussing some ways to relieve stress next time. So be sure to check out my next blog.

 

What is Stress and How Do You Manage It?

 

We all face Stress problems in our lives. But, how do we manage stress and lead a happy life? Recent research reveals that the body has the capability of affecting the mind. Simple things like the way you carry yourself, the way you walk, the way you talk, and the way you project yourself physically, affects your attitude and mind to a much larger extent than we previously were aware of. We have learned more about how our mind works in the last 12 years than in our entire history of neuroscience.

 

This article will, in short, discuss the positives that should be developed in order to have effective stress management.

 

For several decades now, researches all over the world have asserted that what goes on in the mind affects the body, but not until around this last decade, give or take a few years, have we found undeniable proof. Negative thoughts and a negative attitude lead to our feeling low: our heads fall, our shoulders sag, and our breathing becomes shallow. In fact it has been conclusively proven that a negative mind will trigger off a whole chain of physical reactions, which lead to us feeling the way we do.

 

On the reverse, positive thoughts and positive attitudes make us feel good: our heads are held up, we tend to look up, stand taller, breathe deeper and fuller.

 

So you see, the body is directly affected by our mental state. But, consider this: recent research reveals that we can switch the current, so to speak. The body also has the capability of affecting the mind. The way you carry yourself, the way you walk, the way you talk, and the way you project your physical self, affects your attitude and mind to a fairly large extent. If you always stand straight, with your chest held out and breathe in deeply, chances are you will begin to have a better attitude. On the other hand, if your shoulders are dropped, and you have a crouched back, you are probably going to feel depressed.

 

The interesting and potentially very powerful corollary to all of this, on the slim chance that you didn’t catch it, is that we can control our emotions though our bodily actions and postures. That means if we want to feel good or positive all we have to do is change our body posture. Though it may vary only slightly from person to person, the overall precepts for a positive frame of mind are more or less the same: Head high, Shoulders pulled back, deep breathing, chest held out, and of course the all important smile. As Tony Robbins puts it, “Motion creates Emotion”. The way we move changes, the way we think, feel and behave. The rigorous workout to upbeat music down to the slightest movement of a facial muscle has the affect of changing our emotions.

 

Even the simple act of a smile can make an enormous difference to your state of mind. Extensive research in this area proves that the act of smiling sets of a biological reaction that affects all parts of the body. It stimulates the heart and the lungs. It increases the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. The body's excretory organs function more smoothly, thus clearing the body of harmful toxins. Imagine such a simple act as smiling to have such a far-reaching effects; in fact many doctors are of the opinion that fifteen minutes of light laughter on a daily basis, can increase your life span by about 5-10 years.

 

The point is that nothing happens by chance. We have all been created in a very scientific manner. Every gesture, every moment in the body has some purpose – some of those moments cause us to feel miserable, to doubt our abilities, and to curse our luck, while others make us feel good, optimistic and positive about life. We have the ability to choose the ones we desire.

 

 

12 Reasons why Smiling makes you More Successful!

 

When you realize the true benefits that one gains from a smile it is surprising that more people don’t spend more of their time actively sharing them with others.

 

1. Our smile shows others how friendly we are.

 

If a stranger approached you and gained eye contact with you and then treated you to a broad smile you will have a fairly good idea that he or she is being friendly and means you no harm or ill will.

 

By contrast, however, we often find it far more difficult to give trust to a stranger that approaches with a scowl or unfriendly look on their face.

 

2. A smile can make people happy.

 

When someone treats you to a smile, even a stranger, you usually can’t help but smile back.  For that moment you enjoy a flash of positive communication without saying a word. As you walk through a crowd such as a social event, you may find yourself doing this hundreds times in a very short period of time. 

 

When you smile at someone who is not already smiling and they smile back you have brought a moment of happiness into that person’s life which, who knows, could last all day.

 

3. Smiling can be (and usually is) infectious.

 

When you are in the company of someone who smiles a lot you will soon discover that their smile starts to wear off on you.  It is hard not to return a smile; most of us do it at an unconscious level without thinking.

 

4. Smiling could make you popular.

 

Which type of people do you prefer; A: the person that has a tired and listless face or B: the one with an expression that may reflect their inner thoughts of boredom and worry or C: someone who is always smiling and shows that they have an enthusiastic passion for life?

 

I think for the majority of us the choice is be clear!

 

5. Smiling can bring new friends into your life.

 

In the same way few of us would make a conscious choice to be miserable, we generally stay away from other people who are unfriendly. Lets face it we all want someone who is going to be bubbly and a happy and positive person. 

 

6. A smile is a gift usually returned

 

When someone smiles back at you it make you feel good inside. You have just made a short, but very positive communication and possibly the first step in the process of getting to know or making friends with someone new.

 

7. Smiling makes you positive and happy inside.

 

When you smile it is hard to feel unhappy, negative or sad in anyway. Smiling gives you enthusiasm and drive; it can also become quite habit forming.

 

8. A smile makes you look more attractive.

 

You don’t see many celebrities or media personalities that are not smiling because if you did it is fairly certain that their popularity would quickly start to drop!

 

9. Smiling also helps make you memorable to others!

 

Have you noticed that smiling people are usually far more memorable than those that are not? It is a fact that you are 3 times more likely to remember the person that is smiling over the one that is wearing a negative or neutral look on their face.

 

10. More important, smiling is good for your health!!!

 

When you are smiling you find whatever you are doing far easier. It releases stress, worry and tension that you may have built up throughout the day. Long term, developing the smiling habit will be one of the smartest things that you can do to improve most aspects of your life.

 

11. The effects of smiling can last for hours

 

Whatever problems and challenges you have in your life, smiling temporary puts them on hold.  For a while you forget the problems and become more positive, and while you are in a positive state you have far more potential and power to advance and improve your life.

 

12. Smiling is FREE!

 

You are never going to run short of smiles and will always have enough to go around.  When you weigh up the positive points of smiling it is a no-brainer decision to do far more smiling and share them with as many people as possible.

 

Keep smiling.

The Effective Campaign

*Special Labor day Edition*

Posting this here, because I messed up and missed one of the posts on this series. Please forgive me and enjoy.

So if you have been keeping up with this mini series on email marketing, I hope that I have stressed the importance of using effective email in your marketing campaigns.

 

So, are you interested in using email marketing to enhance the traffic and sales of your website yet?

 

 

It can be a confusing process if you don’t know where to start I know…Trust me, oh how I know.

 

You will need to establish your goals before you send the first email. What are you hoping to accomplish?

 

Make sure these goals are clear and realistic. This will help you measure the success of the email marketing campaign. This is a great way to learn what works and what doesn’t for future email marketing campaigns.

 

While your particular goals will vary, some common ones include:

• Increasing sales
• Getting more traffic to the website
• Improve awareness of your company and what products or services you offer
• Building a solid relationship with your customers.

 

As you start measuring the success of your email marketing campaign, make sure you are comparing the data only against your own information not that of the industry.

 

For example, you want to ask yourself, did your sales increase by 10% and traffic to your site increase by 25% after your last email marketing campaign rather than asking what the rate of sales and traffic increased by for the entire industry you are in. Just because sales in the industry increased, doesn’t mean that your campaign was good.

 

Don’t be discouraged if your first email marketing campaign doesn’t do as well as you hoped, especially if you are a new business. It takes time to build trust with consumers.

 

Make sure you use your original email address when you send out the emails. This will help it get past the spam filters.

 

Always make time to ensure that your email listings are current and remove any requests to opt out quickly and efficiently to respect the consumer’s privacy as well as obey the law.

 

You will be wasting your time emailing to incorrect addresses or those who don’t want your materials. Never change the first part of a person’s email address even if the mail is undeliverable. However it is a good idea to look for misspellings in the email service provider name such as ‘Yahoo’ being ‘Yaho’ or ‘Hotmail’ being ‘Hotmall’.

 

Some businesses like to use an email-marketing template. Don’t get too comfortable with a successful marketing campaign though!

 

This is because customers become bored easily with the same format. You need to keep their interest by mixing things up a bit in future email marketing campaigns. Opt in email marketing software such as listwire, mailchimp and Awebber collects email addresses from your website. This is a great method that is simple for getting you a database started, plus they help you out with setting up the legal tidbits that you now have to include in your email marketing.

 

As your database grows you can choose to send your future email marketing campaigns to everyone on the list or just a select target group based on their purchasing history.

 

You will need to design your email marketing campaign very well.

 

It needs to be attractive to hold the attention of the consumer long enough for them to decide it is worth reading. You don’t want your efforts to be mistaken for common spam or junk mail right?

 

Make sure all the content is spelled correctly. Keep the text short and to the point. Readers who open your email may choose to delete it or save it to read later if it looks too lengthy. You want them to open it, be captivated, and read it.

 

The first sentences need to identify your company and what you are offering while not sounding like an advertisement. Place the important information first. Then the reader is likely to keep reading. Give them a sense of urgency for responding by clearly stating the day the promotional offers expire, the price changes, event is over, etc.

 

Email marketing is an effective tool if you take the time to use it properly. While this means you will have lots of opportunity to market your business, it also means there is going to be a great deal of competition trying to get consumers to look at their business as well. You will have to be creative and work hard to develop effective email marketing campaigns that will be attractive, informative, and encourages the consumer to take action.

 

If you haven’t started on your email marketing campaigns yet, go for it.

As with many of the topics I post about, I try to include something that helps my readers move forward. Since the topic of this series was email marketing I thought this was a great resource. Just click here to learn about an awesome and effective way to keep on top of your email campaigns. It's easy and affordable.

The E-Mail Marketing Consultant

I hope that you see by now that email marketing is an effective way to get your business fresh in the mind of a customer. The content of your marketing campaign is very important.

 

Per the request of some of my readers, I will attempt to give more information in this post about email marketing consultants to help you make a more educated decision on whether to get help with your campaigns or not. Not everyone needs consultant help.

 

As with any other form of marketing, you are competing with many other businesses for the same attention of the consumer. It has to appeal to them and encourage them to go to your website and make a purchase.

 

The concept is simple but the process is much harder. It can be very time consuming. If you are struggling with your email marketing processes or simply don’t have the time to commit to the process, this is where you would consider hiring an email-marketing consultant.

 

What exactly is an email-marketing consultant? This is generally a freelancer who has skills in the area of developing effective email marketing campaigns.

 

There are businesses that employ several email-marketing consultants as well. They will help you create effective promotions, specials, and newsletters for your business.

 

The amount of time you use an email-marketing consultant will depend on how much you plan to send emails to your customers.

 

These consultants are very familiar with the email marketing process as well as what consumers respond well to. They know the market trends and many other aspects that are part of the formula.

 

Since email marketing is such an important part of the entire marketing concept today, take the time to investigate the consultant you plan to use. If they are part of a company then check them out with the Better Business Bureau. You will find out about any issues and complaints filed against the company by other consumers.

 

Check the internet for reviews about the company or individual as well. It is important to ask the email-marketing consultant exactly what they will be providing for you.

 

Ask for references and information on previous projects they have worked with. Most email-marketing consultants have a portfolio.

 

Putting the wrong person in charge of your email marketing can damage the relationship you currently have with your customers. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself changing email marketing consultants down the road once your business has grown and the objectives of the company have changed.

 

Sometimes the relationship can continue long term but if your company heads in a different direction then some changes in marketing and creativity may be in order.

 

An email-marketing consultant should be willing to listen to the goals of your business. They need to be aware of exactly what you want to accomplish.

 

Keep in mind they may need to make changes to your plan based on the best marketing practices but they should be willing to discuss the changes with you as well as why they are needed.

 

If the consultant isn’t willing to talk with you about the goals of your business or isn’t easily reached then don’t work with them. They may not be effective or they may have too many projects taking place to do yours justice.

 

Any agreement with you and an email-marketing consultant need to be clearly placed in writing for both parties to sign.

 

It may take a marketing campaign or two for you to start seeing the effects. You should see a small increase in traffic to your website as well as sells, but don’t expect to see a huge difference overnight regardless of the product or service you are offering.

 

Your email-marketing consultant should go over this information with you as well. A consultant knows the process and market trends enough to give you a realistic forecast of what to expect. They can also help you analyze data from online analytics that can be used to make your next email marketing campaign more effective.

 

Email marketing is a valuable concept that allows you to reach volumes of customers quickly, effectively, and inexpensively.

 

The process can be difficult and time consuming. An email-marketing consultant can help you meet your email marketing campaign goals while allowing you to use your time to operate other aspects of your business.