Tag: Starting

  • Life Lessons Learnt Post Drug Detox

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    Drug addiction is a chronic illness that brings misery not only to the life of the individual addicted, but also to his or her loved ones. In recent years, drug addiction has become a matter of serious concern for the United States as a large number of young adults in the country are getting addicted to prescriptions drugs and illegal substances at an alarming rate.

    The “drug culture” rampant in the American society takes a heavy toll on the people’s personal as well as professional lives. Sometimes, the influence of the drug can be so strong that it may lead to several other serious issues, such as increased risk for physical and mental ailments, suicidal thoughts, and even death.

    However, drug addiction is a preventable and curable disease that can be treated with medications and counseling. Medical detoxification is the first step toward quitting the vice of addiction and leading a productive life. Though the detox process is essentially aimed at removing toxins from the body after a long-term drug use, it teaches some incredible life lessons along the way.

    Listed below are some of the lessons that people learn during drug detox in a rehabilitation program, which can be carried out for many years to come:

    1. Addiction does not discriminate

    Drug addiction can affect anybody regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, race, or even socio-economic class. Often starting as an experiment, people gradually cross the illusive line of addiction, from where there is no turning back. However, the good news is that an effective detox program can help such people get rid of the devastating habit.

    2. Increasing awareness about addiction is important

    Being aware about the ways in which a particular drug can affect an individual and knowing about the legal repercussions of its addiction can motivate a person and his or her loved ones to stay away from the drug. Also, being aware of the right detox program is important to ensure a speedy recovery for a person who is already in the clutches of destructive drug use.

    3. Addiction leaves one lonely

    Drug addiction is a chronic illness that makes an individual live in solitude. Those fighting substance abuse disconnect themselves from the external world and stay aloof from friends, relatives and other loved ones. Undergoing a detox program teaches a person to make friends, lead a social life and engage in healthy habits.

    4. Self-care is essential

    Taking care of own body and mind is important to keep oneself fit and healthy. This is also required to ensure that a vulnerable individual does not get trapped into drug addiction, and continues to lead an addiction-free life post detox.

    5. Running away from stress does not prevent drug addiction

    For many individuals, addiction generally develops when they feel low, sad or depressed. However, in a detox program, a person comes face-to-face with such negative emotions and makes efforts to develop “emotional sobriety” first, in order to lead a drug-free life.

    Leading a drug-free life is possible

    Abusing any form of drugs, including prescription drugs, is illegal and can deteriorate the life of any individual. A comprehensive detoxification is a must in every drug rehabilitation program as it prepares the patient for further treatment procedure. The complexity of detoxification depends on the nature and length of the abuse.

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    Source by Barbara Odozi

    Views: 0

  • Uncovering the Weight & Lifestyle Connection

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    Why do some people have a harder time losing weight than others?

    Some people have really low metabolisms due to inborn genetic conditions. Others develop hormone-imbalance disorders like hypothyroidism later in life, which can also make losing weight nearly impossible without proper treatment.

    However, the most common cause of delay in weight loss is actually lifestyle choices.

    If you are already dieting and working out and you still aren’t seeing any progress, it’s time to do a lifestyle check to see if you have any “weight loss traps” holding you back.

    What are “weight loss traps?”

    Weight loss traps are habits, beliefs and general lifestyle factors that can slow down your progress in slimming down. To say that only diet and exercise are needed to slim down is an oversimplification. There are many other factors that affect a person’s weight.

    Factor #1: Daily Routines

    How do our daily routines affect weight loss?

    Daily routines have a definite impact on the weight loss process. If people evaluated their main routines at home or at work, they would immediately see why the weight isn’t coming off.

    If you grab cheeseburgers or tacos for lunch and you skip breakfast on most days, your metabolism is probably very low and your body isn’t burning calories at an optimum level.

    Poor eating habits often have precedents. For example, if a person doesn’t have time in the morning to prepare breakfast, it is likely that they often sleep late and wake up in the morning with only minutes left to shower and dress for work.

    It’s important that you slowly change your daily routines to fit your new lifestyle requirements. Otherwise, your body will not be able to shed fat efficiently.

    Factor #2: Stress Levels

    How stressed are you on most days?

    If you answered “very stressed” or “extremely stressed”, your level of stress may also be preventing you from losing weight.

    In addition to the mental strain that stress creates, physiological stress also affects cardiorespiratory efficiency, nerve health and even your digestive health. In short, when you are mentally stressed, your body (including your vital organs) is stressed too.

    In this situation, the only viable option is stress management.

    There are many stress management techniques available, from meditation to massage therapy. Some individuals like playing subliminal recordings with ambient sounds to relieve themselves of stress. Explore your options and see which technique will be the most beneficial for you.

    Factor #3: Sleep Quality

    Sleep is the only time that the body can start renewing and repairing itself. When you are actively losing extra weight, your body needs even more sleep so that your muscles and organs can repair and reconfigure themselves to function more efficiently.

    What happens when you don’t get enough sleep at night?

    Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can affect your ability to exercise. Your metabolism is also slower and the digestion and absorption of nutrients also slow down.

    Having less than 6 hours of sleep every night can also cause physical stress which further reduces your metabolic efficiency. In short, if you want to melt away those extra inches, you have to give your “fat burning machine” the rest that it needs.

    How can you get better sleep at night?

    No Gadgets – If you are going to sleep, leave your tablet computer and smartphone on the bedside table or even farther away. Watching TV is also a bad idea as it makes your mind more active, making sleep harder to come.

    Aromatherapy – Starting with the ability to relax your mind and body, aromatherapy can vastly improve your sleep habits. Getting to sleep, staying asleep, the quality of sleep you are getting, and the ability to wake up refreshed are all quality sleep habits that aromatherapy can help you with.

    Lights Off – Current research shows that having even a small amount of light present during bedtime can affect sleep quality. It appears that we instinctually associate any form of light with sunlight and therefore, wakefulness.

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    Source by Josee Smith

    Views: 0

  • 5 Reasons to Be in the Restaurant Business

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    Restaurants can be found in almost everywhere that you may go and this is proof that this kind of business is really good. Every once in while, someone makes a decision to open up a restaurant for whatever reasons he/she has. There are evidently many reasons why people choose to open such business and you do not need to have the same reasons. You just have to evaluate what you want and to help you out, here are 5 reasons why you should be in the restaurant business.

    The fact that all people need to eat is one of the main reasons why you should be in the restaurant business. People can actually cook their foods on their own at home but sometimes there are people who choose to eat in a restaurant, the busy people in particular. Because they do not have enough time to cook at home, they prefer to go out and eat. In addition, during special occasions or events, there are people who choose to celebrate in a place other than their home and they want to taste different types of foods.

    Considering the fact that people need to eat, somehow you can be assured that the chance of your business to become a failure is smaller and this is another reason why you should be in a restaurant business. As long as you know what the people want and what they are looking for, you are going to be just fine. You just have to be creative and imaginative when it comes to the foods that you are going to prepare. If you want a lot of people to come to your place, then you need to come up with something new, unique and delicious. With this, you can surely keep the people coming to your place.

    If you love to cook a large variety of foods, then a restaurant business is going to be great for you. Although starting up this kind of business does not really require you to be someone who loves to cook, it’s definitely better if you do. When you are doing something that you really love, then the results/outcome would be better than doing something that you do not have that much interest in.

    Having a place where a lot of people pass by every single day is another sign that you should start-up a restaurant business together with your passion for cooking. If you have a really good place that’s accessible, many people would instantly know that your business exists and this means that you do not need to spend too much money for advertisements.

    And of course, money is the last reason why you need to be in a restaurant business. Along with all the reasons stated above, if you have enough funds to open up a restaurant, then you should go ahead with starting up your own.

    However, if you feel that you are not really interested in this kind of business, that’s the time when you can look into other options available.

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    Source by Mabel Miles

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  • Rolling Deposits – Uncovering the Granddaddy of Cash Fraud

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    The Shift Manager of the fast food restaurant sat in his car, under a shade tree in a parking lot. On the floor board are unused disposable deposit bags and a destroyed deposit bag that had been sealed with last night’s closing deposit. The manager had sliced open the deposit bag and the passenger seat is littered with the contents – ones, fives, tens, twenties, and change. He will use one of the unused bags to make a new deposit. The manager counted the funds several times, his stress level mounting. The amount is not enough to match a deposit slip for a deposit dated two days ago. Two days ago? What is going on here? Why did he open a deposit bag today for funds to match a deposit ticket that is two days old? Do you know?

    This is a theft scheme called “rolling deposits” and unfortunately it is not uncommon when retail and restaurant managers prepare deposits and make deposit runs to the bank. The employee steals all or a portion of the day’s deposit and makes up for the stolen cash from the contents of future deposits to cover the thefts. The scheme continues as long as the manager has access to deposits.

    The tell tale sign of the “rolling deposit” theft scam is deposits taken to the bank by a particular manager are consistently validated by the bank several days after they should be. Deposits taken to the bank by the other managers are validated on time. The stress level of the manager who is scheming mounts as the need to match deposit funds with unvalidated deposit tickets becomes increasingly complicated. As in the example above, the deposit the manager opened is not enough to cover the past deposit ticket. The manager will now have to wait to add funds from tomorrow’s deposit to conceal his thefts.

    If the business is using disposable deposit bags and the deposit was prepared by another manager, our shift manager involved in the theft scheme makes the bank run with the deposit. As in the scenario above, the shift manager in order to continue his thefts, must cut open the sealed deposit bag and remove the cash and the accompanying deposit slip.

    With no intervention, these theft schemes can go undetected for a long time and the cash losses can be staggering. Experienced security and loss prevention professionals can easily reveal the fraud with a little investigation. In my experience, the manager conducting the rolling deposit fraud will readily confess when interviewed properly. They are so stressed trying to keep the scheme floating, they are generally relieved that it is over.

    There are tried and true protocols in establishing sound loss control practices to prevent this type of scheme and ways to easily uncover it. If you suspect one of your employees of rolling deposits:

    1. Develop a chart – across the top of the chart list these columns: Date, Shift (deposit), Amount of Deposit, Bag #, Depositor Name, Date of Bank Verification. Make a separate line for each deposit. Down the left side of the chart, list the sequential days of the month. Fill in the corresponding information starting with the first of the month.

    2. Analyze the chart – Look for patterns and discrepancies such as missing disposable bag numbers from the sequence, “leapfrogging” of bag numbers and deposit validations from the bank. Look for a pattern of the same manager taking the deposits to the bank when the discrepancies occur.

    3. Action – Prohibit suspect’s access to deposits. If rolling deposit scheme is occurring, a deposit will soon show excessive shortages or missing altogether. Track the deposit activity for past months to get a better indication when the discrepancies first appeared.

    4. Prevention

    * Require all deposits be sealed in disposable deposit bags

    * Eliminate the vinyl/canvas/zippered pouches

    * Record deposit bag number with corresponding deposit

    * Require depositors to sign for deposits they take to the bank

    * Check all deposit validation dates from the bank with the dates of business

    * Develop strong cash and deposit auditing programs looking for deposit bags and validations out of sequence

    * Have a bank representative notify you of “late” deposits (> 3 days late)

    * Consider SMART safes or armored car service

    Taking deposits to the bank is a common practice for Fast Food (QSR) restaurant and retail management. It is fraught with issues such as time away from management responsibilities in the restaurant or store, exposure to traffic accidents and crime, and this “rolling deposit” theft scheme. Although seemingly the cheapest way of getting funds to the bank, it may be most costly should the manager be seriously injured or killed in a car crash or armed robbery during the transport. Stealing tens of thousands of dollars from deposits may pale in comparison.As new technology is developed, armored cars service becomes more competitive, and ways of banking become more progressive it may be time to rethink how we get our money to the bank and eliminate the exposures to our people and our profits. So what is going here? Why are certain deposits getting to the bank several days late?

    Now you know, and now you can do something about it.

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    Source by Libby Libhart

    Views: 0

  • Reducing the Stress of Being an Entrepreneur

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    Starting and running your own business can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be very stressful. For most of our almost 40 year marriage my husband has been an entrepreneur and I have sometimes worked with him. Having built my own business as a Stress Reduction Coach I have been reflecting on the stresses of being an entrepreneur.

    Signs and sources of stress

    Some of the signs of stress overload include irritability, anxiety about the sustainability of the business, and/or high business debt. Relationships within the family can suffer if they do not understand the entrepreneurial drive or the time and effort it takes to start and run a business. For women entrepreneurs, the job of running the household and balancing work and home can create enormous stressors. When you work from home, all the household tasks that need to be done can pull you away from your business. People who are drawn to be entrepreneurs are sometimes idea people who don’t like detail and repetitive tasks. Having to work on those things can create stress as well. And when you’re stressed it’s harder to concentrate and focus.

    Organize your environment

    One of the solutions is to reduce the stress and create an environment that discourages stress. Have a place where you can keep everything together and organized. A written plan of action for the business posted where you can see it along with a daily plan can help you focus the time you have available.

    A system that works for me

    I am not a person who comes to organization easily and I have struggled to find a way that works. Daytimers and lists help for a short while, but I have never been able to keep up with them. One thing I have found that works is to have a “big picture overview” of what needs to be done where I can see it. I have a poster board size piece of “static cling” presentation sheet that adheres to my door. It can be easily rolled up and removed if needed. I have several categories that I’ve posted at the top of the sheet, such as “website,” “presentation,” etc. These are written on standard sized post-it notes so they can be easily removed and changed. I brainstorm everything I need to do on small post-it notes. After I brainstorm, I then organize the notes in the appropriate columns. I also have a category that says TODAY for the urgent and important things. I can glance at the poster while I am working and see what else I might need to do and when I finish what I need to do, I can throw the post-it away. If something comes up that is not posted, I can put it on a post-it note and put it where it needs to be.

    This “system” helped me write many graduate papers and I used it when I planned and wrote my dissertation. Now it helps me as I plan and work my business. This is just one technique that helps me reduce the stress of being an entrepreneur.

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    Source by Lorna Minewiser

    Views: 0

  • Mindset = Being Organized

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    I think we can all agree that we hate clutter. We hate it so much we pretend it doesn’t exist. Sometimes we even hide ourselves from the world because we’re afraid of what others may think about us because of it. Being unorganized or having a home full of clutter, which we hate to admit, is thankfully something we can overcome. From experience, all it takes is patience, vulnerability and an open mind to achieve what we want in our homes and in our lives.

    Today I’m going to give you 5 simple and modern-day tips on how to change your mindset so you can become more organized.

    TIP #1: Start small

    For some reason our brains are wired to believe that we MUST complete an entire project at once. Have you ever wondered why none of your tasks or projects ever gets done on time? I bet one of the reasons may be because the project you took on was way to BIG to complete and because you were so overwhelmed, you failed to finish. Not anymore! By starting small, whether it is organizing your pen cup to completing a major project, you will avoid the stress of fulfilling that task and find yourself finishing quickly and punctually.

    TIP #2: Listen to organizing podcasts

    One of the best things you can do in the morning or as you’re driving is to stimulate your mind by listening to things that arouse your mental and physical growth. I’ve noticed in my own life and others around me that doing so has made a world of positive change in our lives. Organizing podcasts like Organize 365 or A Slob Comes Clean are 2 podcasts that have kept me motivated in times when I was lacking. One of the secrets to truly changing your lifestyle is to change our mentality and by incorporating these simple methods in your life, you will get there in no time.

    TIP #3: Create a Checklist

    This may sound cliché but to-do lists really do work – of course only if you use them. As I mentioned above, clutter is a bi%#* and in order to combat it, you will have to tackle it head on in small intervals. Here are 2 examples how checklists can be effective in helping you stay organized. 1) By using a checklist to plan out the tasks you need to accomplish at home after work, will prevent you from being overwhelmed after a stressful day 2) An effective checklist will only have your priority tasks therefore you will know exactly what needs to be done to maintain order. Checklist, lists, to-do list, plans, whatever you want to call them is a habit that needs to be implemented in your life so getting organized and staying organized can become second nature.

    TIP #4: Keep things you Truly Love

    Here are a few common responses I’ve heard when it comes to this topic:

    I love everything in my home and there’s no way I can get rid of anything! All of my stuff has a meaning behind them! Here’s a better one. I’ve spent so much money and I haven’t even worn it yet! – But it’s been 2 years…

    These are just a few examples of statements my clients have said to me when I’d suggest they should only keep things in their home they truly loved. Let me explain what this really means. Lets start with an example. We love our family (our immediate family) and though we may have favorites (wink) we love them so unconditionally that we couldn’t live a day without them. This is the type of feeling I believe you should have for the items in your home. You love your pen so much; the mere thought of it not being in your possession is utter mayhem. If you don’t have this feeling towards the items in your home then it’s probably time to part ways with it. I’d be happy to witness the department!

    TIP #5: Make it a Habit

    New studies show it takes 2-8 months to form a new habit. I know that seems like an abnormal amount of time – at least to getting organized but this is actually great news. Creating new habits shouldn’t be viewed as one and done rather as a process that will create a better outcome. Committing to an organizing system and practicing it thoroughly, though you may have hiccups, will create a positive mind and improve your organizing skills.

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    Source by Judi Igwe

    Views: 0

  • Addiction Doctors – Can an Addiction Doctor Help You?

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    Suboxone doctors are something that are in big demand, right now. Unfortunately, more and more people find themselves on the losing end of an opiate addiction with each and every day that passes. In the past, there were other treatment methods that were used to treat addiction to opiates, whether your drug of choice was heroin, hydrocodone, oxycodone, or one of the other many pain prescriptions that are often abused.

    Some of the other courses of treatment include In patient rehabilitation centers and methadone treatment. Because of the restrictions that come with those forms of treatment suboxone doctors have become a more popular choice with each new person that tells of their experience with the suboxone doctor that they were able to find.

    Rehabilitation Centers in many cases require that you actually “check in”. when you do so, you are for the most part separated from the outside world, your family, job, and anything else that you hold close to you in the real world. The goal of most rehabs is to make you comfortable and to provide you with counseling in an attempt to get you through the opiate withdrawals. The biggest problem that most people find with this is the fact that opiate withdrawals are extremely unpleasant, and the absence of any sort of medication to curb the most undesirable symptoms of withdrawal make the process more than difficult. On top of that, it’s said that opiate withdrawal can, and usually does at least psychologically last for 45 – 60 days. So, even if the rehabilitation facility is able to keep them clean for a week or so, as soon as they hit the street, in most cases the urge to get high will have them running back to their opiate of choice again.

    A regimented methadone treatment has often proven effective, and in many cases has pulled people from the clutches of addiction. However, there is a very serious downside. Methadone in itself is a very addictive substance, and in many cases, the people using it to rid themselves of their opiate addiction find themselves as addicted to the methadone as they were their drug of choice. At the end of the day, they still end up having to take a substance day after day to be able to get through their lives. Basically, they are trading one drug for another, and if they should happen to stop taking the methadone abruptly, they will find themselves right back in withdrawal. Doesn’t sound quite right, does it?

    On the other hand, suboxone doctors are able to offer a solution to your addiction problem that is not only highly regarded as the most effective opiate addiction tool ever known, but it is temporary. Suboxone works by attaching itself to the same receptors that your opiate of choice used to, so your brain in essence still believes that you are “getting high”. In reality, you are stone cold sober. Typically suboxone doctors will put you on a short term program that is what I like to call, front heavy. What I mean is, in the beginning you will take a large dose of the medicine, and after a couple weeks, you start to ween off. By the time 45 days comes, your opiate withdrawal is over, and best of all, you no longer have the urge to abuse whatever your drug of choice is or was.

    The biggest problem with suboxone doctors though, is finding them. In order to have the ability to prescribe the drug, doctors have to go through a special training and education program. Plus, since the treatment itself is still relatively new, it hasn’t caught on yet the way something like methadone has.

    If you are starting to realize that you have a problem, and you’re ready to do something about it, I highly recommend searching out a suboxone doctor near you. If there isn’t one relatively close to you, look in the next city, county, or state. Finding one might be the only way you get clean, and it very well could save your life.

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    Source by Jeffery Mellenthal

    Views: 0

  • Ways to Make Money Online at Home

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    There are many methods that you can use so as to work from home. The internet offers great potential in this area and more and more people are enjoying lucrative returns from online ventures. A home based business offers great comfort, especially when it supplies you with the kind of returns that you may have always wanted. Some of the things that you can engage in may be long-term or short term and they include:

    Writing and selling EBooks

    If your writing is great and you have great prose, then you may consider writing an eBook. The market has become saturated, so choosing a great niche is still important. Usually, the books that help people learn more about technical topics are still great sellers. This is an amazing way to make passive income. There are different platforms where you can sell the eBooks. It doesn’t require a lot of money, but you will need to invest time when writing and when marketing them.

    Audiobooks

    EBooks are losing popularity and people are now trying out the audio books. People today prefer the audio and visual as they are more convenient, especially when there are technical subjects involved. It is a smart thing to start out with an eBook and then turn it to audio buy using various resources. You can make use of royalty share program to get a producer so that you don’t need to use too much cash when starting out.

    Create apps

    Creating an app is technical and it is only best suited for people with such skills. It takes a significant amount of time. Apps can be a great way to make some income, especially if they are created in the correct manner. With so many people using smartphones today, you need a great app that will attract a great number of them. If you have money but no skills, you may choose to hire someone to assist in the creation. Market research is required if you are to come up with an app that will sell.

    Mechanical Turk

    These are usually the micro jobs that you can carry out for people. These are usually tasks that are very simple and they can be done by just anyone. They pay little but if you are able to do a lot of these jobs for people who pay well, you can be able to make some money online.

    Gigs

    You may have some sort of experience that is professional in different areas such as SEO training, web development, social media marketing, accounting, design and so on. You may handle different valuable services that you can up-sell so as to make money for every gig. There are different providers in this area and in such platforms; it is possible to sell a great number of products and services. Find out exactly what it is that you can offer people so as to start generating money.

    Sell services professionally

    There are other platforms that offer some great resources when it comes to the sale of professional services. With experience in a certain field, you can sell services on different platforms. Selling is difficult and getting reviews and building a track record takes time.

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    Source by Shalini Madhav

    Views: 0