6 Tips to Avoid Snacking Your Way Through a Stressful Day

6 Tips to Avoid Snacking Your Way Through a Stressful Day When we’re stressed, we tend to ‘treat’ ourselves by gorging on junk food, sugary snacks, caffeine and nicotine. But why? Well, quite simply, because we are stressed. This is what our body craves, but it doesn’t actually help our stress. We feel better for a bit (a sugar rush, a chemical rush etc.) but then we crash hard, feel horrible and combat that with more junk food, more caffeine and more sitting down. The longer this goes on, the more damage we do to our bodies. Read on for 6  reminders thatll keep you feeling better when youre stressed! 1. Drink more water Water is the best treat you can give your body because it is so very essential. How much water you need in a day is still a disputed topic, and it really does depend on your individual circumstances: your weight, gender, how much activity you do, if its a hot day etc. A good rule of thumb is little and often, with an aim for 2 litres (men) or 1.6 litres (women) per day (The European Food Safety Authority 2010). 2. Don’t skip breakfast Guess what? Breakfast makes your metabolism up to 10% better, not worse. Even if you don’t want to believe cereal companies’ marketing ploys, breakfast is important. So important. But what you eat in the morning is even more essential. So many cereals are packed full of sugars, cereals bars too, and those, coupled with a coffee, and/or fruit juice (full of fruit sugar, but with no fibre to mitigate it) is a terrible way to start your day. Ideas: instead of a sugary cereal that means you crash before lunch, opt for a low-sugar, high protein and fibre option, with a big glass of water, and some whole fruit. 3. Watch your  sugar intake If you’ve seen Fed Up, or That Sugar Film (both on Netflix), you’ll know what were about to say. Sugar is hidden in more foods than you can probably imagine, and its effects are detrimental to our health, and obesity. Essentially, sugar, and/or “bad” carbs that convert to sugar really quickly (white bread, white pasta etc.) give you a short burst of energy. But due to the sheer amount of sugar pumped into our bodies, our organs can’t deal, and end up converting the sugar into fat stores. Then, once the energy has gone, we “crash” and then crave more sugary food to perk us up again. Vicious cycle, right? Ideas: If you can’t cut out sweetness from your hot drinks, try honey instead. For alternative sweet snacks, opt for fruit (whole, because you need the fibrous skin to counteract the fructose) or high-cocoa dark chocolate. In regards to all the sugar hidden in processed foods, try and cut back on what you buy, always check labels, and cook more. Cooking from scratch will ensure there are no hidden chemicals or sugars in your food that you don’t know about. 4. Monitor your  caffeine intake As much as we want caffeine to be a healthy addition to our lifestyle, it often isn’t. If anything, drinking coffee to combat stress actually causes more stress. If you combine the effects of real stress with the artificial boost in stress hormones that comes from caffeine, then you have compounded the effects considerably says Professor Lane who took part in a study into regular caffeine consumption. Caffeine affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which links three systems, the former two in the brain; the latter above the kidneys. This axis is the body’s way to deal with stress, during both rest and activity. The adrenal glands, part of this axis, secrete two important hormones, namely cortisol and epinephrine (aka adrenaline). Adrenaline increases breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, while cortisol opens access to stored glucose, which our body needs more of during times of perceived stress. But the thing is, we’re not being chased by bears anymore. Drinking caffeine readies us for action by releasing these “stress” hormones, as if we were deeply stressed. But we don’t need to hit our internal panic button 4 times a day, so why are we drinking that much coffee? You can find out more here. Alternatives:  You can buy Green Tea that is  caffeine-free, and it’s warm, hydrating and full of antioxidants. 5. Exercise You know you need to exercise, and the hardest part is motivating yourself, we know. Yet, the more you exercise, the happier your body will be, and the less stress you are likely to retain. But its not just about making it to the gym; you could also  find enjoyable ways to incorporate exercise into your daily life, which is especially important if you spend most of your day sitting down. Aim for a mixture of moderate (fast walking, cycling, hiking etc.) and vigorous exercise (running, fast cycling, martial arts) totalling 75 150 minutes per week depending on the type of exercise you choose. If you are constantly dreading exercising, try something new â€" it could just be the type of work-out that you dont like. 6. Unwind and sleep Our addiction to screens is reducing our ability to fully unwind, and making us more stressed and anxious in the process. But why? Its the blue light that our screens omit which are causing us to be more alert, through the release of cortisol, and less relaxed, because it inhibits Melatonin (the sleep regulation hormone). If you do need to use your phone or laptop late at night, make sure you have an app like f.lux installed, or use Apples new Night Shift functionality to try and mitigate the damage. Alternatives: finding a hobby that doesnt involve a screen, even if you only do it a few times a week, could help you to unwind, and hopefully sleep a little better. For instance: gardening, yoga, reading, colouring/painting, crafts, and meditation. Image: Shutterstock

Personal Branding Weekly - Putting Your Best Words Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly - Putting Your Best Words Forward - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Let’s all sigh or shake our heads in unison twerking and selfie all made it into the dictionary this past week.   I know it’s a sign of the times. The challenge is in the business force these days we have many generations working side by side. We see the majority of the posts in this blog address how we all personally and collectively interact and how to do so successfully. From work habits, to the way we talk and way we even write the generations differ. I was wondering what kind of impact all the new words and text speak have had on business and personal brands. I sat down and had a conversation with Brad Hoover, CEO of Grammarly. Grammarly is an automated proofreader and your personal grammar coach. Their program provides another set of eyes to help perfect your writing. We discussed a recent study they did of LinkedIn posts and the impact of written communication on brand credibility.  Here are the study results and our conversation.   On the Personal Branding Blog, we covered: How to Build Your Personal Brand as an Expert by Crystal Washington Apply BHAGs ans Boldness On Your Drive for Success by Skip Weisman How Dramatic and Defensive is Your Personal Brand? by Nance Rosen The Importance of Self-Improvement in Your Personal Brand by Ceren Cubukcu Why You Should Start Your Personal Brand in College by Heather Huhman Experienced Plus Innovative Equals True Meeting of the Minds by Elinor Stutz Networking Buddies (When BNI Failed, I Won) by Nick Inglis Are You Like Me? Hired! by Alex Freund Eliminating Age Discrimination by Richard Kirby Why the Answer ISNT Finding Your Dream Job by Aaron McDaniel When Words and Body Language Convey Two Different Messages by Maria Elena Duron Rest is a Weapon by Jeff Shuey Avoidable Mistakes Protect Your Personal Brand by Kate Southam Feeling Stuck? Look into Your Fears by Sharmin Banu Seven Ways to Speed Up Your Start Up by Beth Kuhel Spread Your Brand Message Offline by Leslie Truex Establishing Your Personal Brand and Credibility Through Blogging by Marc Miller 50 Great Questions to Ask on a Sales Interview by Ken Sundheim Here are SEVEN key personal branding takeaways from this week: 1. If you want a dedicated following, you have to have a unique point of view. (Author, Crystal Washington) 2. Bring more boldness to our approach from this day forward. (Author, Skip Weisman)   3. Defensiveness and drama is a career killer. (Author, Nance Rosen) 4. Ensure that anyone you are networking with is of the quality that you would put your own name behind. (Author, Nick Inglis) 5. It’s well-known that hirers like to hire people like themselves. (Author, Alex Freund) 6. My advice is to recognize that discrimination exists, but avoid using this as an excuse for a lack of personal success.   (Author, Richard Kirby) 7. The answer is to build foundational skills. (Author, Aaron McDaniel) Author, Kate Southam,   also shared that the misuse of words can be a killer to your professional reputation. I couldn’t agree more.   My good friend, Jose “Bo” Zertuche â€" CEO of Maverick Productions, shares that he always looks up a new word before he uses it. A smart practice and infinitely easier to do now that the dictionary and in fact, a virtual library, are in the palm of our hands via our mobile devices. This week the Personal Branding Authors will discuss: • Daily posting and personal branding success • The personal branding does indeed begin in the waiting room. • How to get employers to love your brand. • What four words to never say to your boss. • Not understanding your compensation and the toll on your personal brand. • Reacting, responding and the power to know the difference. • How to master data overload. All of us on the Personal Branding Author Team hope that your September starts successfully!   If our insights and experiences can help you in your endeavors, then we’re elated.   Here’s to your success! Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucksâ€"  a word of mouth marketing firm, and a professional speaker and trainer on developing social networks that work. She provides workshops, webinars, seminars and direct services that help create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is founder  and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of  branding  that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers. Are you busy? Here’s some quick and easy tips on  Social Marketing for busy people.

Should Candidates Include Salary Requirements on Resumes

Should Candidates Include Salary Requirements on Resumes In general, you should NOT include salary information on your resume. Sometimes your  prospective employers may ask for your salary requirements or salary history, but unless  there is a penalty for omission, such as your resume will be rejected, do not include the  information. By including salary requirements on your resume, you could convey a false  impression or create restrictions for your prospective employers, causing them to bypass your resume and there is usually room for negotiation at a later stage of the hiring process. If you  include a salary requirement that is lower than what the position you are applying would generally receive, you mark yourself as cheap or lacking experience and may not get the offer you would like. On the other hand, if you indicate a figure that  is too high, then you mark yourself as too expensive and may rule yourself out of the runnings. So what should you do if a prospective employer has specifically requested you to include  the salary information? Here are 5 tips to help you out: 1. Don’t be too specific: If you really wish to include salary history on your resume, try to avoid  including specific salary  figures and use a salary range instead. For example: In my past positions, I have earned between $40,000 and $60,000. I will be pleased to  discuss this further with you during the interview.  I have been making mid-$40,000. I am sure that your company pays a competitive salary. 2. If you are asked to  include a salary requirement, you can follow the same rule: I am hoping to make $45,000 to $55,000 per year. But I am flexible and open to  discussing compensation amounts. 3. Talk about benefits instead: I am flexible as to monetary compensation because other benefits such as health  insurance and pension are just as important. 4. Avoid misunderstandings: You should make sure that you differentiate between salary and other benefits such as  bonus, paid vacation, and health benefits. When asked for your salary requirements, you  should not include these side benefits, or your resume may be rejected because your figures are too high. In addition, it is important that you do thorough research and know  exactly what the average salary for someone with your skills and experience is in the  industry before you state your salary requirements on your resume. 5. Don’t focus on the money: When you include your salary information, do not put it on a separate sheet of paper  because this may give your prospective employer the impression that you focus too much  on money. When you submit your resume, you want the opportunity to  interview with the company and demonstrate your strengths and attributes you can bring to role. You can discuss the money issues during your  interview or after you receive a job offer. Have you ever lost a job opportunity due to stating a salary requirement? Let us know in the comments below! Image Credit: Shutterstock

5 Little Known Ways to Boost Your Job Hunt

5 Little Known Ways to Boost Your Job Hunt Heres how to boost that job hunt of yours: 1. Understand your strengths Get clear about what your strengths, skills and natural passions are. Without knowing what you are good at and what value you can bring to an organization or role, how do you expect others to think you’re the right and best person for a job? Make sure you are clear yourself about what your strengths are. Then communicate and articulate these to others in your job hunt. Learn to harness these strengths and find a role that plays to your strengths. 2. Get to grips with your skills As well as your strengths, the skills, experience and expertise that you have built up is really important to understand, acknowledge and get across to potential employers. Sit down and review your career to date. Think about what skills you have gained in your various roles and how these are transferable into other situations and roles. Make sure you are clear about this so that you can communicate it to others in key situations. Work with a Guide if you aren’t clear about how to do this yourself. 3. Evaluate your options Before gallivanting straight into the marketplace and spamming your CV out to everyone and anyone â€" think about what options you have and what is actually right for you. It’s just wasted energy if you aren’t focused about what you want. Competition will be high for generic roles â€" so try to get specific about what option is the one that really suits you. 4. Review your job search to date If you have been in the job market for a while and you have been struggling â€" why not take some time to reflect and review what you’re doing. Many of us spend endless hours pumping out applications, filling in forms, ringing up agencies, going to interview after interview â€" all to no avail. So hey â€" what’s going wrong!? Think about what you are doing and make a plan that ensures that you are working smart and using your time wisely. Are you sending out generic applications? Are you being clear about what you want? Are you being targeted in your job hunt? Do the recruitment agencies know what you’re after? Do they care? 5. Revamp your CV Before going out into the market and targeting a role, you may need to review and revamp your CV. If you haven’t touched it in many years then definitely spend a bit of time getting it up to date. Spend time understanding what your key strengths and skills are so that you can highlight them in your CV well. Make sure your CV is relevant and targeted to the roles you are going for. Most of us believe that our CV is the most important aspect of a job hunt. This isn’t entirely correct. It plays its part for sure and you need to take some time out to make sure that you have it looking in tip top shape but it isn’t necessarily the first step to getting you on the right track. Dedicate sometime to the other key points in this list and you’ll be in a much better position to land that dream job you want! Related: How You Can Boost Your Job Search and Actually Enjoy the Ride Image: Shutterstock

7 Ways to Manage Anxiety as a Freelancer CareerMetis.com

7 Ways to Manage Anxiety as a Freelancer Being a freelance writer has many benefits: flexible work hours, the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, and career development at one’s own pace. But freelancing doesn’t come without challenges.Anxiety is an occupational hazard for many freelancers. Everything rides on their ability to deliver â€" and there’s no safety net.evalFreelance assignments often come in waves and clients can pull the rug out from under you at any point. If your client’s company takes a hit, then you feel that hit too. If your client has a surge of new hires, your work goes up too. Freelance work is never consistent, and that lack of consistency can lead to a lot of freelancers to develop moderate to severe anxiety.Anxiety is a widespread issue in the United States. For example, 70% of survey respondents revealed feelings of overwhelming anxietyduring a recent Pew Research study.Freelancers who manage the full weight of running a sole proprietorship must find constructive ways to manage anx iety.By establishing effective guidelines for how you conduct business, you can find a balance between the demands of freelancing and your personal needs.The following are six ways to manage anxiety as a freelancer.1) Mingle With Like-Minded SoulsIt helps to associate with people who struggle with similar obstacles. By connecting with a group of like-minded professionals, you can find the support that you need to overcome career challenges and bouts of anxiety. Every freelancer is different and approaches their mental health in different ways, so utilizing those networks can actually help you learn from the successes and strategies of folk in similar boats.A freelance support network is a healthy way of overcoming some of the challenges of self-employment. It’s highly beneficial to communicate with others who can empathize with your experiences. As a freelancer, you don’t really have traditional coworkers, so it definitely helps to surround yourself with professionals who can he lp you succeed in your field.2) Find Your BalanceevalInadequate work-life balance is especially problematic in America. It’s something that many professionals aspire toward without success. For instance, 66% of recently surveyed adultsexpressed that they do not believe they maintain a satisfactory work-life balance.Many freelancers work from home, and this makes it hard for freelancers to separate work time from personal time. If you’re always inhabiting the same spaces, it becomes unclear when your body should relax. Creating a home office is an essential step in trying to make sure you create clear distinctions between work and life. Working at coffee shops or coworking spaces is an even better way to draw the line.Often, poor work-life balance results in missed or unsatisfactory experiences with loved ones. The clear separation between weekend and evening time is always clear for freelancers who often work at odd hours of the day. While this flexibility is one of the main app eals of freelance work, it’s also a key factor in causing freelancers to miss out on events and activities that happen in the traditional off-hours for most workers.As a freelancer, you must preserve the time needed to deal with important personal matters. You can regain work-life balance by learning not to overschedule your work and drawing clear lines between personal time and work time.3) You’re Not an Imposter!evalStudies show that 70% of all professionals have experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their careers. Many freelancers suffer from imposter syndrome without even realizing it.During networking events or while browsing LinkedIn, it’s natural to compare your accomplishments to those of others. You’ll always come across other professionals with a long list of achievements compared to yours. When this happens, it’s normal to feel under accomplished â€" that’s imposter syndrome.Freelancers don’t always have clear career paths and benchmarks, so it’s tough to know when you’re achieving a new career milestone. It becomes easy to downplay your own accomplishments and idolize the accomplishments of your peers.Instead of giving in to the temptation to doubt your abilities, give yourself credit for your achievements. Create a clear list of goals for a certain time period and feel proud of yourself when you achieve them. Professionals build their careers over time, not overnight. What’s important is that you can do your job well.4) You May Wear Many Hats, but You Only Have Two HandsGuilt is a considerable problem for freelancers, especially in America. Most American adults subscribe to the philosophy that more work equates to more accomplishment. The hustle brag has become more and more common especially among younger workers. The idea that you have to always be working to be seen as more successful is harmful to freelancers.It’s easy for many freelancers to feel guilty for creating a sensible schedule. Many times, eight hours o f work doesn’t feel like enough, and something feels wrong about taking days off on the weekend or time off in the evenings when there’s more work that you could do.Because of this cultural norm, many freelancers spend their off time during non-income producing work, or their day off may include continually checking their email. It’s not working â€" but yet it is.Break these bad habits. By giving yourself time to rest, you can recharge and have a productive week ahead. Use digital timers and notification settings to block out work reminders and emails when you’ve designated your break time. And when it’s work time, try your best to stick to that work schedule and not allow any personal tasks to distract you.Just remind yourself that by taking a break now, you can do more and better quality work later.5) Make a Schedule â€" and Stick to It!evalAs a freelancer, it’s easy to decide to put off work until the weekend. It typically starts with feeling tired one day and putting off an assignment until the weekend.Over time, a one-weekend assignment turns into two, and then two jobs turn into two full days of work over the weekend. Before you know it, you haven’t seen a weekend off in a month. Now you’re burnt out and questioning why you ever decided to freelance.This scenario emphasizes the importance of sticking to a schedule. By sticking to a schedule, your clients know what to expect and you can maintain your sanity.As a freelancer, you have the flexibility to create your own schedule. If you produce the best writing at 10 AM and no earlier than that, then you can craft a schedule that allows you to start at 10 AM. Just be clear to communicate your work hours to your clients.Also, even though your clients may not realize it, rest will enable you to produce higher quality deliverables.eval6) Schedule You-TimeevalMany freelancers can’t function without a coveted to-do list. At the same time, it’s easy to overestimate what you can accomplish in a day.Unfinished tasks at the end of the day can often lead to anxiety. There is, however, a simple solution for this dilemma: get over it!When you can’t complete something, bump it forward on your to-do list. Eventually, you’ll acquire a more realistic grasp of what you can accomplish in a day. It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what a reasonable and consistent schedule for you will look like, and sometimes, unforeseen things just happen and your schedule gets disrupted.Learn to let these things go. Meditation, yoga and exercise and a great way to help you feel more grounded and learn to let uncontrollable things go. Try incorporating a class a few times a week, or starting your day off with a morning job. Exercising has a long list of benefits and freelancers shouldn’t forget to incorporate exercise into their lives.If you can’t let go of your to-do list addiction, start scheduling some time for yourself. Once you make personal time a to-do list priority, you’ ll feel less anxiety over rescheduling work tasks because you’ll learn to value your personal needs as much as you value your work.7) Seek professional help If the anxiety is harming your mental health even after you’ve tried rearranging your schedule and taking frequent breaks, you should consider speaking to a therapist or counselor. These counselors are trained and equipped with the most current and helpful tools to help you address the root of your anxiety and work through your obstacles.Remember, no work or job is worth sacrificing your mental health.Over the next two years, economists forecast that the gig economy will grow considerably. By 2021, they estimate that 9.2 million workerswill freelance or work in non-traditional roles. Resultantly, a growing number of people will need to learn how to manage their time in a way that promotes emotional health.If you want to enjoy a satisfying career as a freelancer, you must mind your emotional and physical health. The sooner yo u start prioritizing your needs, the sooner you can leave work-related anxiety behind.

Cover Letter Tips and Tricks

Cover Letter Tips and Tricks A cover letter is recommended when sending a resume to a hiring manager or recruiter. The letter allows the job seeker to tailor their resume to the open position and start a dialogue with the hiring authority. Here are ten tips for more powerful cover letters.Begin your cover letter with a compelling statement. Rather than starting your cover letter with a reference to the position you are applying for, write a statement that aligns your candidacy with the organization, industry, or job function you are targeting.Minimize the use of the word I. Vary your sentences to keep the reader engaged.Ask for the interview. Create a strong call to action in your letter by expressing your interest in the company and requesting an in-person interview.Match your qualifications to the requirements of the job. Create a cover letter that addresses each job requirement point by point. The stronger the match you can make between the two, the greater the likelihood of securing the interview.Build rappo rt with your audience. Discuss relevant business issues and ask thought provoking questions to show your reader that you recognize their needs.Include a famous quote to make your point. Incorporating quotes that are relevant to the topics discussed in your letter is a great way to create an interesting and memorable document.Keep the letter to one page. Keep your cover letters short and use short paragraphs and bulleted lists to keep the readers attention and make it easy for them to determine the match between your qualifications and their open job.Address the hiring authority by name. The likelihood of building rapport with the reader and validating your interest in the job is increased when the inside cover address refers to the specific person rather than Dear Sir. Whenever possible, sleuth around for additional information on the hiring manager so you can personalize your letter.Reference the position you are applying for. Be sure to mention the job title and job number in the body of your letter as well as in your email subject line. Many hiring authorities request this information and your inability to follow their instructions could jeopardize your candidacy.Sign your name. In this age of email, sometimes people forget to do this. If you are sending a letter regular mail, include your handwritten signature. If your correspondence is via email, create an electronic signature.

Help With Writing Clinical Experiences and Skills on Resume

Help With Writing Clinical Experiences and Skills on ResumeIf you are looking for help with writing clinical experiences and skills on resume then you have come to the right place. With a bit of research, you can find out exactly what skills you should focus on and how to put them in a format that will be easy for you to remember.There are a few things that need to be considered before you start filling out your clinical experiences and skills on resume. It would be a good idea to have an outline of the job duties that you are going to be completing and how they relate to the job position.This can make it easier for you to know exactly what you will be working on before you start writing the document. Remember that when you are filling out your document, you are taking time to reflect on your own expertise so try and get a grip on this early on.Another way to see where you can improve is to look at your one-year performance and see where you stand compared to your colleagues and/or t he rest of the staff. Remember that if you are spending your time on a task that you are not comfortable with, then it might not be the best choice.Also remember that as you are trying to write a clinical experience and skills on resume, remember that you are talking about a job where you are required to do a lot of talking. It is important to keep that in mind as you create your document.When you are reading a clinical experience and skills on resume, make sure that you concentrate on the details of the job as they relate to you and your clinical experience. Remember that in the end, you are going to be asked to relate yourself to the job.When you are writing a clinical experience and skills on resume, remember that you are basically trying to persuade the recruiter or hiring manager of your qualifications. Make sure that you are able to provide them with a clear statement of the skills that you possess and the area of clinical experience that you are likely to be concentrating on. For example, if you are required to be part of a team that provides quality service to a small local hospital, it would be ideal if you are most comfortable working with people who are already aware of the profession and the area that you work in. Remember that it is the experience that will ultimately impress the employer and the decision will be based on their impressions of you and the clinical experience and skills on resume that you are creating.