Hypnosis for anxiety is more efficient for relaxing preoperative patients than medications

A study which was officially presented at the 2015 Anesthesiology annual meeting has concluded that conversational hypnotherapy, or in simpler terms – a few calm words by the doctor to the patient who is about to go into surgery, can help reduce the anxiety more efficiently than hydroxyzine and other anxiety pharmaceuticals which are normally used to relax patients and prepare them for the anesthesia and the medical intervention.

It is absolutely natural to be anxious when you are about to undergo surgery, but 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety and an estimated 3.3 million adults in the US suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, so finding an efficient and safe treatment for it is of immense importance. Using hypnosis for anxiety treatment is becoming ever so popular, because it requires no medications, and thus is a more sustainable and overall is a safer method to help people deal with this sometimes debilitating condition.

The conversational hypnosis for anxiety for patients who are about to go through surgery proved to be more effective in helping patients relax, as compared to those who were given 25mg hydroxyzine in a research which involved 100 patients having hand surgery. The research team concluded that the patients who were offered soothing and calming words by the anesthesiologists meant to divert and help them relax had lower levels of stress before and after the procedure as compared to those who were administered the oral medication. The anxiety level was measured via the patient’s heart rate (the Analgesia/Noniception Index) and their comfort scale.

According to the research team, conversational hypnosis for reducing anxiety can be used before surgery for patients having general anesthesia and during the procedure for those with local anesthesia.

A similar successful use of hypnosis as a replacement for possibly harmful medications is becoming ever so popular for women in childbirth as well. More mothers-to-be are choosing to rely on hypnosis for anxiety and stress which normally comes with the painful process of childbirth.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-fennecuscreativ/hypnosis-for-anxiety-is-more-efficient-for-relaxing-preoperative-patients-than-medications/

The World of Millennials: Turning Minimalism into a Lifestyle

There are quite a few misconceptions about the generation referred to as millennials. They are commonly misunderstood and many people shudder when they hear anything about them. The main problem with these false assumptions on the lifestyle of millennials is the fear of change, because, let’s face it – change is always scary, no matter how old you are.

The change in traditional lifestyle scares people and they don’t even try to understand the mindset of those living in this day and age, who grew up using computers and other digital technology innovations.

However, lifestyles are not meant to be understood – they are meant to be experienced. You can learn about a lifestyle different than your own, accept the fact that it exists and understand that it defines those who live it, making them unique, just as you are unique in your own way. Let’s take a look at what it truly means to become a millennial and how their lifestyle really is special.

Inside the Millennial Mind

The most common misconception about millennials, also known as the “selfie” generation, is that they are all about themselves, when it’s actually quite the opposite. They are all about building communities, sharing their thoughts and views and working together towards achieving their goals. They are open-minded individuals who want to make a change in the world.

They strive towards living in a free world, where there are no limits to what a person can do and where their voice can be heard. A minimalist lifestyle is what they aspire to and they want to create a world worth passing on to generations to come. Their open-mindedness and willingness to speak out is often mistaken for them being narcissists.

All they want is to do is lead a happy lifestyle and live in a world anyone can embrace with open arms. Isn’t that what we all desire the most? Yet, the lifestyle of millennials keeps raising questions in many people’s minds and they keep being misunderstood and prejudiced.

 

The Minimalist Lifestyle

 

Millennials are embracing minimalist trends and turning them into a lifestyle. It marks the fall of materialism, as they are interested only in being happy, building relationships and having experiences that exceed their wildest expectations.

What’s interesting is that they do have the opportunity to buy a big house or an amazing car, but instead, they would rather choose to take a trip around the world to explore new cultures and enrich their lives with the best possible experience along the way. Millennials are not interested in buying a house and spending a fortune on an extravagant wedding – they leave the material world behind and enter the world of simplicity and happiness.

By abandoning material things, such as expensive clothes and tech gadgets, they actually gain more and they get to fill their lives with positive vibrations and improve their mental health.

The best thing we can learn from millennials is to have a desire for things that money can’t buy and that cannot be taken away from us. Millennials cannot be lured by big salaries, as they don’t want to trade their lives for money. They want their lives to have meaning, which doesn’t mean they judge their parents’ lives.

Quite the contrary, they’ve seen what money can do, since they live in an economy-driven capitalist world, and they want to achieve more and take their lives to a whole new level of comfort. They also want to stay away from the stress that comes from dealing with bad finances. Having a roof over their heads, some food and some warm clothes is everything they need to lead normal and fulfilling lives.

Millennials are focused on making a difference, creating possibilities for living their lives to the fullest and finding their place in the hectic world of the digital era. They are the pioneers of this day and age, leading a quiet rebellion and striving towards proving those who are ignorant wrong, in order to show them the wonderful opportunity of embracing the amazing stress-free millennial lifestyle.
Anyone can choose to live this way and experience the ultimate happiness and mental satisfaction. Simplify your life and find a new meaning for it by entering the world of millennials and understanding the very idea behind it. It’s quite a beautiful thing, so go on and try it – you will be mesmerized.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/the-world-of-millennials-turning-minimalism-into-a-lifestyle/

Emergency Water Extraction After a Flood

When you have water damage and need to clean sewage, you need to take the proper precautions. If you don’t, you could end up creating more damage or even posing a threat to your health. Thankfully, there are plenty of tips out there that are aimed at helping you have a successful and hassle-free cleanup when you need it.

 

Protect yourself.

The first thing you should do is ensure you are always protecting yourself. Make sure that all electrical is turned off in the area that has water; otherwise you could find yourself seriously injured. You should also use the right gear, such as rubber gloves, eye protection, protective clothing, and even a respirator. You should also open any windows to help remove the odor from the area. The more you can do to protect yourself, the less risk you put yourself in.

 

Get rid of it.

Sewage and water damage are not something you want to tamper with, so this is the time you need to just throw things away. Porous items like mattresses cannot be saved if they suffer from sewage or water damage, so make sure you have a dumpster or large garbage bin and start getting rid of things. No matter how much Lysol or cleaning supplies you have, it will be better for you to just get rid of these items.

 

Along with the items in your home, you also need to consider the other objects that are wet or damaged. For example, carpet should be removed and thrown away. You should also remove hardwood flooring too. If you have drywall in your basement, the water damaged area will also need to be taken out and thrown away, and you’ll have to replace these areas with new drywall.

 

Clean thoroughly.

You can’t imagine the bacteria and general grossness that can make its way into your home with sewage backup into your home. Because of this, you want to make sure you thoroughly clean every areas of your home. Make sure you wipe down anything that was touched by the water or sewage that you plan on keeping. Use bleach or other products that can kill bacteria, and be sure to be thorough.

 

Dry it out.

After you have removed the water and any other garbage, you need to give the area time to dry out. Use fans, open windows, and just give the space time to dry. This can help prevent mold from growing.

 

Use a professional.

If you are worried that you won’t do a good enough job cleaning your home yourself, you can put the sewage cleanup help in the hands of Liberty Extraction in Miami, a trusted professional. There are many companies that have expertise in this area and are willing to get it done for you quickly and safely.

 

Sewage and water damage is not something you want to experience, but if you do, these tips will help ensure you get your home cleaned and serviced properly.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/nick-chalker/emergency-water-extraction-after-a-flood/

Natural Ways to Shed Fat

We’re now two months into the new year, and if your resolution was to lose weight, it’s probably time to take stock of where you’re at. If you’re less-than-impressed by your results so far, don’t give up! While losing weight is always a challenging proposition, there are some natural and easy ways to help make the task a little more manageable.

Be Active

This one is pretty obvious, so I’m getting it out of the way first. Being active isn’t just about hitting the gym for 30 minutes, though. While a hard workout certainly will help your waistline, getting up and walking around for a couple minutes every hour is also important. The health benefits go beyond the fat loss, too, as stretching your legs will help keep your circulation flowing and keep you limber for your next workout. Plus, taking a few minutes for activity periodically will help ingrain the behavior in your natural routine. This is critical for making the lifestyle change necessary for long-term weight management.

Adjust Your Diet

Everyone knows that cutting down portion sizes and decreasing total Calorie intake is the fundamental basis of fat loss, but there are also some specific food choices you can make to help that process along. Protein and nutrient-rich foods like eggs (and don’t be afraid of yolks, they contain healthy fats and vitamins) can be a great start to your day, and are versatile enough to be used in breakfast sandwiches, omelettes, or quiches. Drinking Green Tea can also have potential benefits, thanks to polyphenols found inside that are believed to block enzymes that build up fat reserves in your body. Though the fat-fighting effects of Green Tea may still invite some controversy, it’s a rather benign beverage, and you’ll notice Green Tea Extract has become pretty much ubiquitous in the various fat burning supplements peddled across the Internet and drug stores.

Drink More Water

Speaking of beverages, nothing beats good ‘ol H20. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses (64 oz) of water a day. Not only does this help shed excess water weight and facilitate the fat burning process, but keeping well-hydrated is important for your kidneys as well. Since medical conditions associated with obesity (diabetes, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure) can also impact the kidneys, it’s vitally important to keep them working optimally.

Try Fiber and Probiotics

Maintaining good GI health and promoting a healthy gut biome will cut down on bloating and cramping. This, in turn, will make eating fun again, and you’ll actually be able to enjoy a variety of delicious and healthy foods instead of scarfing down unhealthy options because they happen to be the one thing that agrees with you. Plus, though it’s not directly impacting your fat loss, relieving constipation and gas can really help your waistline and the weight you see on the scale. So without even changing anything else, you might already become a size slimmer.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/neel-joshi/natural-ways-to-shed-fat/

Categories vs. Tags: How Do I Use Them On My Blog?

If handled properly, WordPress can help you boost your online presence and/or promote your e-business through a simple-to-navigate blog that communicates your corporate philosophy and presents your offerings in optimal SEO light. By using categories and tags, you can group posted content into a logically organized database – but be careful! Categories and tags are both used to classify and label content, but they are not synonymous. Here are some concise guidelines as to how you can use tags and categories when organizing your posts to ensure optimal reader experience, higher on-site time and conversion, as well as improved search engine rankings.

1. Categories: The basics

WordPress categories are used to classify posts into thematic units (i.e. filtered archives), and they should focus on the main topics discussed on the blog. There are no clear rules as to how many categories you should have on your WP blog (this will depend on the range of your post thematic), but you should strive to keep the number minimal to avoid scattered post placement.

For instance, if you are blogging about food, you can create categories such as breakfast, lunch and dinner, but you can also classify the recipes into vegetarian, vegan, Paleo etc. Or, if you are posting about sports, your WordPress can have categories such as football, baseball, basketball, golf etc.

Categories and SEO

Your choice of categories will affect search engine ranking, so make sure the topic selection fits your overall SEO strategy. For best results, use category names of 6-10 words in length that are centered on the target keyword. This will help you get better search engine rankings and help your reader easily understand and navigate the blog.

2. Tags: The why and wherefore

Tags offer another way to label your posts and make the content specific and easily searchable. Unlike categories, however, tags are used to describe content rather than organize it into a thematic whole, so a single post can contain a dozen tags while belonging to one category.

For instance, a food blogger whose WordPress has the category breakfast can add different tags for each of the posts in the category, such as coffee images, croissants, bacon, eggs, vegan etc.

This way, readers can click on the tag they are interested in (e.g. bacon) and access all the meals featured on your blog that contain the listed ingredient without spending extra time reviewing each category and post.

Or, if you are blogging about sports, a post in Basketball category can contain tags such as LA Lakers, Michael Jordan, NBA playoff etc.

Tags and SEO

Another difference between categories and tags is that categories are mandatory while tags are optional. This means that one post can belong to one or two categories, but it may have no tags at all – or have 15 of them.

In addition to that, categories are hierarchical and can contain keyword-relevant sub-categories (e.g. Lunch category can branch into sub-categories such as Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Main course, Desserts), while tags are flat, purely descriptive and not necessarily keyword-centered, so having them in your blog can dilute keyword density.

One more difference lies in that category names appear in the blog URL, while tags do not.

3. How to organize posts using categories and tags

In order to classify your content into easily searchable categories, review the posts stored in the default category archive (Uncategorized template) and allocate them to different categories using category and tag management options featured on the WordPress dashboard (you can find them under the Posts menu on the administrator sidebar).

When creating categories, you can also include a short description (ranging in length from one sentence to a few paragraphs) under the category name to provide context for search engines and your followers.

When writing a new post, you can immediately assign it to an existing category or create a new one (the option is found to the right, next to the post body section), and add specific tags to further boost context comprehension and increase visitors’ interest in your content.

Both categories and tags are used to label and classify content, but categories are mandatory whereas tags are optional. In addition to that, categories should be clearly related to your niche and contain keywords to facilitate navigation and boost SEO results, while tags are used to further contextualize each post and their titles can have marginal relevance to the keyword.

All set? Ready, steady, blog! Good luck posting!

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/categories-vs-tags-how-do-i-use-them-on-my-blog/

A Beginner’s Guide on Getting Started with Content Marketing

A well-thought-out content strategy is vital not only to the growth of businesses but also to its survival for years to come. Nowadays, digital technologies are rapidly evolving, creating more opportunities for brands to create relevant and useful content, which can help them acquire and retain customers.

This is precisely what proper online content marketing is for — it’s about creating, curating, and distributing content with the intention of doing the following:

• Introducing a product or service to potential customers so that they’ll become aware of it.
• Changing or enhancing potential customers’ idea about the product or service so that they’ll consider buying it.
• Convincing potential customers to finally buy a product or pay for a service.
• Building loyalty among the customers
• Enhancing relationship with the customers so that they’ll become advocates of the product or service.

Unlike advertising, content marketing takes on a different tone. Advertising, as we know it in its classic form, is more of a “hard sell”. It involves exposing potential customers to advertisements to trigger conversion.

Content marketing, on the other hand, focuses on creating a story surrounding your brand to build relationships with potential customers. This is done by providing them information that is relevant to their circumstances and is valuable to them because they need it in some way. In doing so, people reward the provider of information with purchases, loyalty, and advocacy.

But how do you get started with your own content marketing strategy? There are several tips you can follow:

Understand what your brand needs to accomplish

Don’t jump too quickly into creating content simply because you think you need to or because your competitor has started doing the same thing. Your content marketing strategy should be guided by a business-driven goal you need to accomplish.

• Is your goal to introduce your brand-new business?
• Do you want to guide potential customers into completing the purchase cycle?
• Do you want your current customers to become your brand’s ultimate advocates, sharing your updates without you hinting at them to do it?

Remember to always ask yourself how your content marketing project is going to help your achieve an objective.

Understanding your brand’s core purpose is important because it will help you appraise and scrutinize your content to figure out if you are on the right track and doing the right thing. Does your content strategy support the primary purpose of your organization’s existence?

Know the kind of content that your audience looks for

This campaign will not work without high quality content that is capable of connecting to your audience. There are a few steps you can work on to give you a picture of what kind of content your audience would like:

A. Identify your target audience

Don’t be tempted to attempt targeting just “anyone and everyone.” You should have a clearly defined audience for the content you’re planning to create. Do you want to talk to your buyers or to the influencers? Do you want to target single moms? Couples with kids? Young urban professionals? Doctors? Florists? Or are you planning to target carpenters?

You should be as specific as possible so that you can craft content that is properly tailored to that particular group of audience.

B. Perform a competitor analysis

Take a good look at what your industry competitors are doing. Examine the kind of content they are producing, where they are distributing it, and with whom they are sharing it. Reverse engineering their content paths will often provide you with great hints as to how to tackle your own strategy. Do note though, that not all paths your competitors do should be copied, as this might end up giving your brand a negative impression to customers.  

C. Conduct a content audit

You need to check what’s already on your website in order to evaluate your content marketing maturity or even your SEO’s effectiveness. , which can spider your website and capture URLs so you can quickly see what your current content is all about. You can also check each page if they are optimized for search engines. You might have great content, but if they are not appearing on search engine results pages properly, then you might not be reaching your intended audiences.

 

Determine how you are going to distribute your content

 A. Choose a platform

According to Indian App Developers — You should figure out how you are going to deliver your content to your target audience. What are the best platforms to use and content types to create? Are you planning to set up a blog, create a Facebook and Twitter page, or write news reports and whitepapers?

B. Tap into influencers

You should also determine how you plan to get influencers to share your content. These key individuals have great reach over potential customers, so building a relationship with them is important if you want your content distribution efforts to be amplified.

 C. Listen to conversations

Be mindful of the trends or conversations that are currently taking place in your industry. Checking out relevant forums, for instance, provides a perfect opportunity for you to discover what questions your target audience want answers for, what’s causing them problems, and what’s keeping them excited. Again, identify your industry’s influencers and engage with them by sincerely providing them with things that are of value to them. For instance, you can provide expert answers to their questions or help them promote their businesses.

Now that you have an overview of the process that you need to work on, it’s time to get those creative minds working and formulate a content strategy for your audience.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-easyvince/a-beginners-guide-on-getting-started-with-content-marketing/

5 Things 50th Super Bowl Taught us About Marketing

Super Bowls have transformed into much more than just sport events. In recent years, they are accompanied by the marketing bonanza unlike anything we have seen before.  The 50th Super Bowl brought us a delicious crop of new ads that took the biggest TV stage there is. Many corporate giants have embraced the all-star marketing messaging and stepped up the game, giving us a lot of notes to take. So, to add some shine to the marketing pearl, you need not look further than a glittery sports spectacle.

Snatching the opportunity

For marketers, the outcome of the game is not in focus. They have mastered riding on the wave of hype and are versed at making the most of the unparalleled exposure. This window of opportunity is utilized to communicate a clear message to the massive audience. The game serves as a barometer for the feelings of the public, but it is crucial to test the messages before delivering them. Super Bowl commercials cost an arm and a leg, so there is no room for error. Exclusive content reigns supreme, and teasers and behind-the-scenes clips are a popular choice.  

Strategic thinking

Big brands invest a great deal of time and money in refining their messages. Top-notch marketing is not a spur-of-the-moment activity. Super Bowl is one of the important touch points in the journey to forging lasting relationships with the audience. Consumer and enterprise advertisers show us how to leverage market momentum, but they know that it cannot be sustained with one spot. Thus, there must be an overreaching strategy that gives an answer to the question: “When the crowd and cameras disappear, what is next?”

Humor and nostalgia

This year’s show has been stolen by uplifting messages and self-aware humor. These lighthearted messages are imprinted in the collective memory for months, even years to come, which is not the case with an average TV spot.  Nostalgia also seems to do the trick. Pokemon, for example, used the ad to commemorate the 20th anniversary and remind people of their carefree childhood. Namely, an extended cut of the ad was played ahead of the game to mark the beginning of a larger campaign.

Trust me on this one

SunTrust, a newcomer to the big marketing stage, decided to take a bold move. It did not follow the celebrity, humor tone of other giants. Instead, a regional bank came up with a straightforward message: Take control of your finances. The spot is also a part of an integrated campaign that will roll on for the next few months. This demonstrates that a different, daring approach is possible, but also that Super Bowl commercial is one costly piece of the content marketing puzzle.  

Digital frontier

When a consumer sees a striking ad, he is compelled to go online in pursuit for some extra information. Take the example of Taco Bell, which ran a paid search campaign in combination with the reveal of the new menu. The company displayed the best digital marketing performance by maximizing the paid search. This blog post by Louder Online seems like a great place to start picking up great digital marketing advice, as it outlines some great and easily achievable content marketing strategies.

Stellar marketing

Super Bowl is a treat for both the marketers and consumers. This event is used to create positive brand associations on a massive scale and widen the reach of marketing messages. Many valuable lessons were learned this year. First and foremost, the amount of thought and planning that goes in this content is astounding. Also, although the Super Bowl is pinnacle of content marketing, it is also a part of the bigger picture. The golden mine is secured when marketers manage to turn the initial interest and buzz into engagement over the long haul.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/5-things-50th-super-bowl-taught-us-about-marketing/

Protect Your Business: Conduct Background Checks When Hiring Employees

When you run a business, one of your main concerns is to protect it from negative influences. That includes the people working for you as well, as each and every one of them represents an important link in your company’s chain of command. That’s why it is extremely important to carefully evaluate your potential employees when you are considering them for a job.

Conducting thorough background checks when hiring should be something every employer does, as it can give a proper insight into the personality and character of every individual that may start working for them. Obviously, no one wants a thief for an employee, right? That’s why background checks are crucial before every job interview even takes place.

Let’s take a look at every aspect that should be covered during background checks, so that you can have an idea of what to look for when you’re hiring new employees.

 

Check for Criminal Records

Criminal records are usually the first thing almost every employer checks when considering a job application. Whether they hire someone with a criminal record depends on their personal views on that matter, of course, but also on the state law. It also depends on the job itself, especially when it involves working with children or taking care of the elderly, for instance.

Job applicants with criminal records are usually supposed to provide court documents and the proper evidence that shows exactly what happened that got them into trouble. Therefore, when you’re hiring your employees, be sure to check if they have perhaps been on the wrong side of the law and, if so, whether it was something serious or not, as that will also help you make your decision about them.

 

Educational Background

You must check for your potential employees’ education to make sure you are hiring the right people for the job, since properly educated individuals have much greater knowledge and working abilities in their niche than someone without a day in college. You must hire the best brains possible for your team to ensure your business thrives and educated employees are the key to accomplishing that.\

That being said, not everyone is going to be completely honest, and some will even go to great lengths to pad up their resumes. From frauds with diplomas from fake online colleges and those claiming to have multiple degrees from well-known universities, to people claiming to be war veterans, there is no shortage of people trying to lie their way to a good job. Be sure to check all their claims with the appropriate institutions before hiring someone.

 

Check for Credit Records

 

Credit checks are not something every employer conducts, but those that do tend to look at credit records as if they were criminal records. Checking for credit records involves student loans and any other form of late payment that your job applicants may have.

If they happen to have a debt due to medical bills or any other emergency, it is advised not to consider that fact when hiring them. However, if they happen to be drowning in debt due to their mere irresponsibility, it is something to be taken seriously when thinking about hiring them to work for you.

 

Drug Tests

Requiring drug testing when hiring employees is something that has been accepted by many states and a lot of employers take it as seriously as criminal records, as they should. You wouldn’t want a drug addict to be working for you now, would you?

You want a reliable worker who can perform all the tasks with a clear mind and maximum responsibility. That is why you should seriously consider asking your job applicants to perform a drug test and provide you with the results.

Not many employers do this kind of check, as they only care about their employees finishing their tasks on time, without realizing the extent to which the overall productivity of the company would be increased if drug tests were performed.
Protecting your business from all the potential negative influence should be of the utmost importance, so you must take background checks when hiring employees into serious consideration. Make sure only the best people work for you and you will certainly lead your business to success.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/protect-your-business-conduct-background-checks-when-hiring-employees/

5 Hacks to Make Your Study Space Supreme

As the new year kicked off, you may have noticed an influx of people shopping in the active wear section of your local department store. Odds are, they’d recently joined a gym—and in an effort to stick with it, outfitted themselves in fancy new workout clothes. It’s a decent strategy: make yourself feel good, even more confident, in an effort to make working out a habit.

Study spaces aren’t so different. Whether you’re an adult learner, a high school student, or a college senior, if you’ve got a great place to learn, you’ll be more inclined to stick with the study sessions. Here is a guide to creating the perfect study space:

Find a great location

The first step in establishing a great study spot is knowing what you need as a learner. While some may function very well in a crowded coffee shop, others need the quiet of a library or the privacy of a home office. Figure out what you prefer and what is actually effective—and then begin your hunt for the perfect space.

If you’re someone who likes to learn with a lot of action around you, find a coffee shop with hours that accommodate your schedule and beverages that make your taste buds happy. Find a few tables or spaces that satisfy your study requirements and scout out when they’re generally available.

If you’re in need of a quiet space, check out places like the public library, local college campuses, and community spaces. While you won’t be able to alter these spaces per se, they’ll make great out-of-home study spots that are sure to meet your needs.

If you prefer to study in your own home, there’s plenty you can do to change up your study space—the bare minimum you need is simply a space to call your own.

Think about sound

An important aspect of your study space is how it sounds and how you deal with those sounds. For some, music provides a much-needed accomplice to study time. If you’re one of those people, try experimenting with different types of headphones (if you’re in a space where headphones are required). While earbuds work for some people, over the ear headphones are a better fit for others. Experiment with different types of music, too—lyrics can be a help or a hindrance for some people, and familiar music versus new can also have an impact on your studying brain.

You might also consider investing in some earplugs if you’re more of the silent type. This way, if you’re forced to study in an area that is loud, you’ll be covered. Additionally, you may like or benefit from the visual stimulation of a public place but prefer quiet—in that case, earplugs are the perfect solution.

It’s time to get cozy

A good study space is one that is comfortable for you personally. How do you study best? Is it when you’re reclined on a well-loved beanbag chair? Is it when you’ve got an entire kitchen table in front of you? Does it vary?

If your preferred study space is in your home, you’ll have a bit more flexibility in making the space your own. Find a comfortable space and equip it with the things you need to successfully study. This might include a chair, a desk, and even appropriate lighting. Make sure you’re not too cold or too warm (a light study jacket or a fan can help with this), and keep some healthy study snacks nearby.

Spend some time getting organized

Great study spaces are well organized, giving you peace of mind as you settle into learning. Your physical space should be organized enough so that you’ve got easy access to everything you might need. This can be accomplished via desk organizers, post-its, whiteboards, etc. A planner might also be a worthy investment. You may also benefit from access to a physical calendar.

Finally, make sure all of your electronics are in order—organize your cords and chargers so you can get to everything you need with ease. Your computer, tablet, and phone are all potential study tools, so equip your space accordingly.

Think about your view

One of the reasons some people prefer a coffee shop to a conference room is the opportunity to take in a more interesting view. If you’re working on something creative, this may be especially helpful. If your study space allows, face a window or another open space, and if it doesn’t—well, make your own!

Looking at natural landscapes can be comforting, so a poster of something scenic might help you feel more inspired. Alternatively, you may consider a mirror to enlarge and enlighten your workspace.

If you’re a committed student, you can probably study anywhere. Still, a well planned study corner will encourage you to spend the time you need to be a great student, giving you just the push you need!
Heather Hamilton is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/varsitytutors/5-hacks-to-make-your-study-space-supreme/

SEO And Beyond…. Why SEO Is Crucial For Your Website

Most people bandy the term “SEO” around the office, but few people really understand the theory behind it, leaving the detail to the technical guys. In a nutshell, Search Engine Optimisation is the art of making your website legible to search engine robots and humans alike. It’s obvious you want your live and potential audience to be able to read and understand, but why do you need to bother with the robots? Simple. Without those robots, your audience won’t be able to find your website; like creating a work of art and displaying it in a dark cupboard.

Too often, businesses go to great lengths to create a website that sells their wares, but fail to make sure that their website reaches the right people. In a digital age, where online presence is a must, SEO is a crucial part of the searching and buying cycle. Here’s why:

 

• Guaranteed ROI

 

SEO isn’t an optional cost, but a necessary investment. With the right analytics, you can make sure that your website ranks highly in common searches, bagging top spots that will guarantee visibility. And, of course, a bigger audience means increased business. SEO has the potential to produce a rise in sales without a proportional rise in investment, allowing profits to increase exponentially.

There is an option to buy search engine placements with the likes of Google Adwords and in most cases this is a worthwhile investment but without optimising your website for search engine optimisation, it can often result in less traffic and higher bills.

 

• Increased Visibility = Increased Credibility

 

Whether you are a large, established organisation in your industry or have a smaller, less well known business, visibility is key. Few people tend to trawl through multiple search pages, assuming that those on the first and second pages are the most relevant and important. Good SEO will make sure that your website ranks well again and again in searches, which in turn will help to increase audience trust; after all, if you come up on every search, you must be good, right?  On the other end of the spectrum, SEO can help you to push links down in the list, allowing you to make sure that the top ranking search results don’t contain anything that you don’t want them to.

To obtain this kind of search ranking, you have to take several things into consideration. Who your target audience are, what keywords are you targeting and how are you going to present your Meta Data. By thinking hard about all these aspects, you will be able to target the right person, with the right search query and attract them to click your link with eye catching text.

 

• Brand Competition

 

Regardless of your size, you can’t afford to rest on your laurels when it comes to SEO. No matter how well known and respected you are, you are competing with other credible brands. In a climate where everyone is looking for the best deal, the sale will inevitable go to the brand with the best SEO. The right meta data, keywords and key phrases will make sure that your brand places highly, giving you the opportunity to reach customers before your competitors do.

Remember to establish yourself as a brand. Google favours branded websites so make sure you include a terms and conditions page, stand out logo and implement Schema structured data to showcase your product or service. Many SEO’s still don’t use Schema to structure their data and for this day in age, it is vital to make your website stand out as much as possible on the search engines. A great example of this is to add a rating scheme to your website to give yourself a star rating on search engines.

 

• Integrated Marketing

 

As the world of digital marketing has evolved, organisations are faced with a host of media via which to promote their services. SEO integrates well with social networks and helps to get your products in front of your target audience. With the appropriate use of social media, you can improve your reach; value likes, shares, hashtags and backlinks will help to increase your online presence. The balance here is fine; research shows that over exposure, such as too much social media activity and too many hashtags can desensitise your audience, making them less likely to engage with your brand activity.

Let your social and backlink profile grow naturally. Google has algorithms set in place to combat spammers or ‘black hat SEO’s’. All of these kind of signals do play a huge part in your online visibility but by over doing it, you can put your whole brand at risk or even deletion from the search engine index.

The Science

The art of SEO is a true science; a specialist area that involves painstaking analytics, creative flair and in-depth industry and marketing knowledge. It is no longer a case of adding a smattering of keywords into content, but a complex, evolving process that demands continual analysis and changes. Those who dabble in SEO are unlikely to see great results, and often abandon the attempt as futile. However, those who turn to qualified, proven SEO specialists are guaranteed increased credibility and a great long term return on investment. The question isn’t “can you afford to engage an SEO specialist”, but “can you afford NOT to?”

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/seo-and-beyond-why-seo-is-crucial-for-your-website/

What to Consider When Taking a Business Global

Expanding a business is always a big decision. Risks are high, but potential for increased payoff usually lies at the heart of the expansion. But unlike spreading out your business within the country, going international requires special attention to political, cultural, and economic factors. Opening a branch in Latin America, for example, is much different than opening one in Asia. Blanket strategies don’t work when it comes to doing business globally. Every new country or region demands specific, tailor-made marketing and business plans, and there are a few essential questions to answer before following through.

 

What are the political conditions in the region?

The legality of your operations overseas is perhaps the most important factor to look at, after all, legal trouble is the last thing a growing business needs. Not only is it a good idea to look into how other businesses in your industry function there, but researching any trouble they may have run into can be immensely helpful. Learning from others’ mistakes can give you an advantage your competitors may have missed out on.

Laws change, of course. Look into what issues the region is facing and what legislation is being worked on before committing to an expansion there. In the current age economic, social, and environmental issues are hot topics across the globe. Consider what is happening in the countries and organizations your target country interacts with economically, as trade agreements, tariffs, and alliances can be tricky as well. Have some foresight and set up your business to remain safe and lawful in the coming years.

 

What is the economic climate of the region?

Economic factors are likely what drew you to a particular region from the beginning, but what looks good on the surface may not reflect the overall economic state. Is there large economic disparity? How fierce will competition be? What resources are available in the region? Investigating factors such as a country’s economic history, GDP, and emerging industries will be a pivotal part of creating an effective strategy to ensure your company’s success. How will these help you? How might they harm you?

Depending on your organization’s focus other aspects may be deciding factors as well. For retail, ensure that there is customer base that you can rely to shop with you. For manufacturing, wages and availability of materials will make or break your business. What are the costs of manufacturing there? Are other companies interested in manufacturing there, or are they relocating? The recent trend of moving manufacturing back to the U.S. from China, for example, would be a revealing piece of information that prevent a foolish business decision.

 

Is the expansion ethical?

Business ethics are, sadly, often overlooked, especially during periods of growth. Frankly, this is unacceptable. If the expansion can’t be done in a non-exploitative way, don’t do it. As Rajshree Agarwal of the University of Maryland explained in The Washington Post, “Ethical business is based on voluntary trade.” If the business deal is not mutually beneficial with region you’re looking into, consider reevaluating your plan. What can you offer the local economy? Jobs with fair wages? A service that was previously absent? Opportunities for local businesses?

Do work you can be proud of. Business that you wouldn’t want shared with the public is most likely business you shouldn’t be conducting. It’s easy. While pursuing your company’s aspirations, just do the right thing.

If you can confidently answer all of the questions above, you may be ready to take the next step in your expansion. The infographic below provides some illustrated data on global expansions if you are unsure or in search of more information.

(Images by Rutgers University)

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-alsolydia/what-to-consider-when-taking-a-business-global/

Blogging Done Right: 5 Tools Every Blogger Should Use

If you are running a blog, you are most certainly aware of the endless number of tools available to bloggers and the ever-confusing question of how to choose the right ones. It can be quite a drag to explore them all and find the ones you need to make your blog run smoothly. If you’re just starting out, you must be in over your head, trying to put all the pieces together to ensure your blog becomes a success.

Creating your content and organizing every little detail before publishing it can take quite a lot of time. However, the end goal is to effectively showcase your business and promote your website, thus getting more traffic and building your reputation. Having that in mind, you need to use great blogging tools to make the whole process easier and more efficient. Don’t worry – that’s where we come in. We will give you a list of the most important tools every blogger should use in order to make sure their blog keeps growing and receives more traffic than ever.

WordPress

 

Before you set up your blog, you need a place for all of the amazing content you’re going to create. The number one platform that powers over 74 million websites is WordPress, and it is absolutely the best Content Management System available for those new to the online game. Its features are simply ideal for blogging and they will make help you streamline the whole process. WordPress offers numerous themes and templates to help you create your blog and it’s extremely easy to use.

What’s very interesting and useful is that it has a multiple-user feature. You can set up different permission levels, so that your whole team is able able to contribute. The most important thing about WordPress, apart from all the benefits, is that it’s free and with its built-in blogging feature, you can create your blog in no time.

Google Keyword Planner

 

You need to do keyword research before starting to create your content. It’s the most important step to take when starting your blog, since you want to be able to pull in your target audience and provide them with the exact information they are looking for. You need to have a look at the terms your target audience is using in search engines, to gain an insight into the right keywords that are going to drive the most traffic to your site.

The ideal tool you should use for your keyword research is Google Keyword Planner. It gives you a list of suggested keywords and their strength, as well as their search volume, that is, the average number of people who have searched for a particular keyword each month. This tool provides you with a great opportunity to create perfect keywords for your business and attract the right audience.

Google Analytics

 

The next tool you need is the one that will help you analyze the traffic on your blog. There are quite a number of such tools out there, but the best one yet is definitely Google Analytics. It can help you keep track of everything you need to know, to see if your efforts are paying off. Furthermore, it’s completely free. You can get an insight into the number of people visiting your blog, the time they spend on your blog, what they are actually doing when they visit, where the most traffic is coming from, what posts are the least performing ones and much more.

That last bit is probably the most important one, as you can learn what you should do to make your blog better and more attractive to your target audience. One of the most useful features of Google Analytics is that your history is never deleted. You can always go back to whatever time period you wish and compare the results to see if the referral rate of your blog has increased. You surely get the idea, and you definitely should make this amazing tool a priority.

Google Ad Manager (a.k.a. DoubleClick for Publishers)

 

You’ve probably heard of the Google Ad Manager, which has recently merged with the DoubleClick, the web page of which has been replaced (so don’t let that confuse you). It still has the same functionality, but a much more improved user interface and, most importantly, it remains free. If you’re not acquainted with it yet, you should absolutely start using it, because it is the best ad management tool out there.

Why not make money online when you are already running a blog? DoubleClick for Publishers will help you post ads on your blog and earn money around the clock. You can keep track of the success of those ads, that is, what ads get clicked on the most, what ads convert best and much more, so that you can see how much you earn from each and every one of them.

Canva

 

You’re not publishing your blog posts without some nice visuals, are you? If you are, you need to stop and think for a moment about how your posts would be more appealing with some images, charts or perhaps infographics. Your content will be much more attractive once you add some visuals. The tool that can help you the most with that is Canva.

It’s a free tool that will help you create all kinds of graphics to go perfectly with each of your blog posts. One of the absolutely best features Canva offers is that it has a number of templates to help you resize your graphics for social media, so that it can be extremely easy for you to share your posts anywhere you’d like and make them look amazing.
There are certainly a lot more tools out there to help you develop your blog perfectly, but these several mentioned above should definitely be your top priorities to make your blog an absolute success. Give them all a try and don’t stop there. Explore all the tools you can get your hands on and see for yourself how amazing it is to learn all about them and to provide your blog with the extraordinary benefits they offer. Happy blogging!

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/blogging-done-right-5-tools-every-blogger-should-use/

5 Resume Hacks to Get Recruiters To Fall in Love with You

Right now is one of the most difficult times in history to land yourself a job. Jobs are few and far in between, and for each new opening, there are more than enough candidates to make your head spin. In essence, everything boils down to two options: getting hired or starting your own business. Now, starting your own company in this economic climate is risky, and you have the most chance of succeeding if you are in IT, looking to get your own startup off the ground. Prospects in other fields are much less appealing.

Getting hired not only requires you to have a stellar education, skills, and work experience, but it also requires you to come up with a way to stand out above the rest with your resume. You only have a limited amount of time to present who you are and to make a good first impression, so it’s not unlike going out on a date.

You have to establish attraction so that you secure yourself a date, or in this case, an actual job interview. Of course, you can’t send the recruiters flowers or chocolates, but you can get them to “fall in love” with you by employing 5 effective hacks on your resume which we are about to share with you. Keep on reading.

Figure Out Who They Are and What They Might Like

If the girl (or a guy) you are asking out is athletic and outdoorsy, it would make perfect sense to go hiking, or just for a walk on your first date. If they are film buffs, take them to the movies. The same dating rules apply when sending in a resume for the recruiters to see. Before you put together a resume, find out more about the company you are seeking a job with. If they seem extremely serious and straightforward, it would be best if your own resume could reflect that, because it’s very likely they will be looking for such candidates.

If they are a little bit more unorthodox, you have more legroom to experiment with your resume. You can send in a video or infographic resume, or adopt a writing tone that is less formal and more interesting to read.

Dating tip #1: Don’t send in the same resume every time. They are unique, just like the person you are on a date with, so treat them that way.

Include Relevant Information in a Concise and Clear Manner

According to James Patrick, a writer over at Resumesplanet, your resume should by all means contain: “Your education, your skills, as well as relevant job experience. With that in mind, make sure to present all of that information in a way that is easily readable for the recruiter. This means breaking up important data and milestones into bullet points or short paragraphs. But, in addition to that, remember to keep it short and sweet. You don’t need to list every single technical detail of the project you have been a part of. Instead, explain the project, the final results, and the most important figures tied to it. The right amount of information builds interests. Too much of it creates boredom.”

Dating tip #2: Divulging too much information is like going on about yourself in detail when you are on a date. The other party is bound to get bored, and the end result is the same: you’re not going to get a second date.

Let the Numbers Speak for You

You will run into advice telling you to use power word and phrases where you can, but these are not only too general and vague, and convey very specific information, but they are also used by just about any candidate out there, which renders them completely useless. Most recruiters have developed a habit of ignoring them as filler, so why not make use of that space for something else? More specifically, share information that can be quantifiable, as the recruiter can get a better sense of your accomplishments and skills.

For instance, if you are a successful writer and a blogger, list the number of followers your blog has, or the number of shares your content receives across social media platforms.

Dating tip #3: Instead of just bragging about you and your skills, find a way to demonstrate them and convince your date you are the real deal.

Build Strong Social Media Presence

Seeing as we live in a digital age, it is simply a matter of good manners to keep your social media accounts active and polished. Studies show that over 90% of the companies you will apply for a job with will have their recruiters go over your social media profiles as well, whether you have listed them on your resume or not. This is especially true in the case of LinkedIn, so at least make an effort to keep your profile up to date, share relevant content and network with the people from your industry. It will show the recruiters that you are not only informed and knowledgeable, but that you are fully invested, as well.

Dating tip #4: Social media accounts are your face, it’s what the recruiters also get to see. So, just as you would get ready for a date, shower, shave, and dress for the occasion, prepare your social media accounts accordingly.

Don’t be Too Impersonal

Depending on how flexible your potential employers are, and the industry, you can let a little bit of your personality shine through, whether it’s through the design of your resume, your writing, your social media accounts, or the information you decide to share on your resume. If the company you are looking at is very progressive, there are less limitations as to what you can write on your resume. Maybe your personality will be the very thing that lands you the job. Of course, you still need to come off as a professional, and not a clown, if you want to be taken seriously.

Dating tip #5: Playing it safe can make you seem generic and boring. Share your personality and what makes you – you.

Your resume is your only chance to make an impression on the recruiters, so make it count. Take the time and research the recruiters first, and then take it from there. You will be able to see what they are looking for.

After that, it is a matter of disclosing all the relevant pieces of data in a way that is punchy, readable, and if there is room for it, original and unique. Don’t just rely on words. Numbers can be your allies, as well as your social media activity.

All of these things add up to who you are, so make sure that the recruiters know it too.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-gilmoremicheal/5-resume-hacks-to-get-recruiters-fall-in-love-with-you/

Phone Conversations Are Expected To Dramatically Decline In 2016

Communication is something that is constantly evolving with the times. The rapid advances in technology mean that new methods of interacting with our friends, family and colleagues are introduced with almost every generation. As they are, the quickest and most convenient methods of communication survive while the previous ones begin to die out. The Darwinian way that communication evolves means that things like letter writing, fax machines and pagers are now incredibly rare, if not things of the past entirely.

In 2016, one of the forms of communication that many people are predicting will begin to die off next is the traditional phone call.  In fact, Deloitte, a business that provides industry insights, is predicting that 25% of people using smartphones will have stopped making phone calls by the end of this year. They argue that there are so many advances in the way that we communicate with people that picking up the phone, scrolling our contacts and dialing the person we want to to converse with could become outdated.

As little as 15 years ago, having a voice conversation with someone was the primary reason why someone would buy a cell phone. They are, after all, telephones by definition. So what has changed? In short, the rise of various cutting-edge alternatives has reduced their need over the last few years. Many people will choose to use send text messages, write emails or communicate via instant messaging apps or social media instead. The app WhatsApp now has 900 million monthly users, for example, while 236 million people are actively using the social media platform Twitter.

There are a couple of reasons why many people in the industry are predicting that traditional phone conversations are going to be overshadowed by other services in 2016. One is that they believe businesses are not going to need to rely on them as much as they once needed to. As businesses are becoming far more international with the majority of commerce conducted online, they may have clients, customers and partners across the world. To contact them via phone would be expensive. However, by contrast, Skype calls or Google Hangouts allow these conversations to take place for free. These conversations aren’t restricted to the telephone with this technology either; they can be performed by laptops, tablets, etc. for the purposes of conference calls or group meetings.

Of course, it is not just businesses that are expected to lead the way in dropping phone calls. For ordinary people, particularly young ones, text messages and instant messaging are often thought to be far simpler in this day and age. They can be done anywhere because it is so discreet. Meanwhile, text conversations can be performed whilst multitasking (you can chat with a friend whilst watching TV or having dinner) and they can prevent any of the confusion created by poor quality phone calls.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that spoken conversation over a smartphone will die out entirely – at least not yet. After all, there are many scenarios in which people would rather communicate instantly than send a message and have to wait for a response. Emergencies and important news are, for instance, both things that people would prefer to discuss than read about in a tweet. However, the ways in which we will do this are certainly already changing – and are doing so at quite a rapid rate. Innovations like video calls and WiFi calls and are expected to become far more common in 2016 than ever before. Both have advantages in that they are more personal, can have a better quality and don’t suffer drop-out in network dead zones. Facebook integrated video calls into is Messenger in 2015 due to their rising popularity. Similarly, WhatsApp is currently testing the technology for its own app too.

Mobile network providers like Three and T-Mobile are attempting to make changes to voice calls to keep them relevant in this new digital age. Voice Over WiFi and Voice Over LTE is being introduced to improve the quality of calls, which are expected to be available for more than 300 million users by the end of 2016. Some businesses are also embracing Voice Over Internet Protocol which is connected to the internet and allows for greater accessibility and security. But can this really prevent the decline in voice calling? With the survival-of-the-fittest trend that communication takes, it seems like it will only be a temporary solution. One can’t help but wonder if voice calls will slowly be replaced on devices like smartphones in the coming years. And one can’t help but wonder if their decline truly will begin in 2016.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/danielsarath/phone-conversations-are-expected-to-dramatically-decline-in-2016/

Working from Home? Design Your Ideal Home Office

Are you working from home full-time? If that is the case, you need to find a perfect spot in your home and transform it into your home office. Make your work space perfect for your needs to ensure a high level of productivity. You need to set up ideal working conditions to make sure that you stay efficient throughout the day.

Working from the comfort of your own home seems like a great idea at first , but it does have its ups and downs. That is why it is absolutely crucial to separate your work space from other areas in your home, because you don’t want to make it too casual, as that would affect your ability to get things done. Here are some tips to help you design a home office that will be functional, practical and that will inspire you to work harder.

Choose the Perfect Spot

Since you will be spending a lot of time in your home office, you need to choose a place that will be ideal for you, something to keep you away from any and all distractions. Depending on your needs, you can choose to set up an office nook in some room in your home, if your regular home environment gives you that push you need to get everything done on schedule.

However, if you prefer to work in a more quiet and isolated place, you can choose any of your spare rooms, such as your guest room, your basement or perhaps your attic, and transform it into an office completely. It’s important to carefully evaluate how your work space can be used to inspire productivity and base your decision on the ideal office space solely on that.

 

Make It Functional

When choosing your home office furniture, you need to find a suitable chair first, since you’ll be spending most of your days sitting in it. You’ll need to feel as comfortable as possible. Your desk should be able to fit any equipment you may need, such as a laptop, a desktop computer, a printer and any other gadget, as well as the office stationery you need for your work.

It’s essential that you keep everything on your desk well organized to prevent things from piling up and making a mess. Every item you will need should be within reach and, in order to inspire creativity and productivity, your office should not look like a boring cubicle, but an exciting place where you can stay focused and motivated.

Accessorize

Consider implementing accessories into your home office to make it more beautiful, since that will relax and inspire you more. Think about hanging a nice picture on the wall and putting some plants in the room to bring more life to the whole place. Find some fun mugs to put your pencils in; your office equipment doesn’t need to be soulless and boring. When you go for a fun design, you’ll enjoy every moment you spend there. Another thing you can put in your home office is a nice and colourful rug, which you should always keep clean, especially if you will have meetings with your clients there. We highly recommend you try Sunlight Rug care at Sunlight Fine Rug Care & Restoration, since their amazing crew will offer you top quality services for cleaning any type of carpet you own.

 

Let There Be Light

Lighting is essential for any office and you should have as much natural light as possible. It would be best to put your desk right next to a window, to give yourself a nice view that will inspire your work and plenty of natural light. If your home office happens to have no windows, make sure you install several lamps to create the perfect lighting setup.
Your home office should be a place where you really want to spend your time and it should positively affect you throughout each and every working day. It should be your sanctuary, where you don’t have to worry about low productivity caused by countless distractions. If you simply follow these simple tips, you’ll set an ideal home office in no time.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/working-from-home-design-your-ideal-home-office/