Happiness is Giving and Receiving

Recently, James Hee from Kampung Air Jernih, Kemasik, Terengganu, a close relative of mine was awarded the title of PPN (Pingat Pangkuan Negara) from Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King of Malaysia). Over the phone, he told me that he was very happy about it God is fair. When you give you shall receive in return. As for James, he has been giving his time and effort to serve the community of Air Jernih. He is the village chief serving the community for a second term. He is also the chairman of the village safety and development committee. James is well versed in Chinese, Malay, and English and he speaks several Chinese dialects. He is very capable of serving the people there. I am very sure he will continue to give happily to the community and I am also very sure he will also continue to receive. I am indeed very happy for him and I congratulate him for his achievement and from the bottom of my heart I wish him happy giving and receiving.

Staff Motivation - 7 Practical Tips

Staff Motivation 

When you look closely at the motivating factors, they are closely linked to relationships and feelings. The pay is important for the staff but the major issue here is to treat the staff well.

 1. Appreciation of their work: Praise the staff often about their good performance. 

 2. Care and concern: From time to time go to the staff and chat with them and ask about their families and whenever possible offer assistance to solve their personal problems. 

 3. Interesting and stimulating job: Make full use of their capabilities and match their strengths to tasks assigned: Employees will enjoy doing the work and this helps build up their self-confidence. They will have a sense of accomplishment. 

 4. Develop a career growth path: Invest in the staff, provide in-house training to improve their skills so that they can be promoted from within. 

 5. Seek ideas from the employees: When you ask for suggestions from the staff and you implement their ideas they will offer more ideas because they feel that they are being treated as part of the family. 

 6. Show your respect to your staff: Your employees desire to be treated with dignity and respect. Treat them equally and don’t play favorites. 

 7. A comfortable and safe working environment: As an example, you provide large desks, non-glare lighting, pot plants, and a quiet place for the staff to work in the office. It tells the staff that you care about their working conditions. 

A motivated staff is satisfied and happy staff.

Healthy Lifestyle - 10 Useful tips

Healthy Lifestyle

The way you carry on your daily life constitutes your lifestyle. Your lifestyle habits can be beneficial or detrimental to your health. Adopt the following healthy lifestyle habits: 

 1. The habit of exercise: Choose a physical activity that you enjoy and stick to it. For me, I like jogging around the field about three times a week. It is not only physically beneficial but it improves my mental health and helps avoid depression. 

2. A satisfying and motivating job: It is fulfilling to keep yourself busy doing something challenging: You enjoy doing it and it’s good for your brain. Keep on learning to up-date yourself. 

3. Family Life: Family always comes first. Happy family life is a healthy life. 

 4. Be in the company of friends: Don’t live in isolation. When you are connected you are able to express your feelings freely. When you keep things inside your heart you are more likely to die from heart disease. 

5. Relax: Find a way to unwind and relax. Practice yoga or play Tai Chi to calm your mind and reduce pressure. 

6. Spiritual well-being: Pray to God or meditate to give you peace of mind. You will live longer. 

7. Count your blessings: Don’t hold a grudge against anyone. Be happy with what you have. Just think they are many more people in this world who are in very much worse conditions. 

8. Eating habit: Adopt a balanced diet and avoid junk food. Drink plenty of water. Give up smoking and drinking. Avoid coffee and food processed in salt. 

9. Sleep Well: Go to sleep and wake up at the same time for around 8 hours. A good night’s sleep refreshes your mind and rejuvenates your body. 

10. Live within your means: It gives you peace of mind and reduces your stress when you know that you can be independent financially. 

 When you make changes for the better be patient with yourself, old habits die hard, do it a step at a time.

Image source: https://totalgymdirect.com/total-gym-blog/how-to-commit-to-a-healthy-lifestyle

Beauty - The 7 Healthy Ways

Beauty

When you are not in the best of health expensive cosmetics cannot hide your haggard appearance. True beauty radiates from within your healthy body. To have a beautiful complexion and a slim body do it the healthy, natural, and lasting ways: 

 1. Exercise: Regular physical activities help you burn calories and prevent you from getting obese. Not only it helps you reduce stress it also reduces your body fat. Just jog, swim, or walk at least three times a week. It is not necessary to be strenuous in order to be beneficial. When you exercise you sweat and clear the pores. You also increase the oxygen level in your skin tissues to allow your skin to be rejuvenated. 

 2. Protein, Vitamins A, and C: A balanced diet is a healthy diet. To avoid having rough skin yon need to consume a sufficient amount of protein such as fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products. While vitamin A promotes a beautifully toned body, vitamin C helps maintain flawless skin.  

3. Sleep: To prevent tired-looking eyes and wrinkles on the skin it is crucial to have sufficient sleep. 

 4. Coffee and cigarettes: These things are a no-no for health and beauty.

 5. Meditation, Tai Chi, and yoga: These healthy regimes not only reduce your stress, but they are also good for you mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. 

 6. Water: Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and maintain the suppleness and elasticity of your skin. 

 7. Be happy: A positive mental attitude will definitely enhance your health and beauty. Always wear a smile and laugh often.

 Beauty and health are interrelated; you cannot have one without the other.

Image source:https://www.kaodim.com/blog/7-things-get-healthy-skin-wedding/

Networking - 5 Effective Tips

Networking

Networking is the process of getting to know people for mutual benefits. Through networking, you get to make new friends, find a new job or obtain sales leads. Here are the 5 effective ways to do it: 

 1. Have an aim in mind: If you are looking for a new job, you should identify those companies that you are interested in and get to connect to those people that will lead to the employers.

Networking

 2. Relationships building: Like any other relationship it is based on trust and genuine interest. When you have a reputation for integrity, others will feel comfortable providing referrals and accept leads from you. 

3. Follow-up: Arrange to meet those people who may be beneficial to you. Call them up to get together and share ideas. 

 4. Two-way traffic: The most important aspect of networking is the exchange of ideas, information, and leads; you take as well as give. 

 5. Networking anywhere, any time: Do it whenever you meet people, introduce yourself, and give your business cards to them. Start talking somewhere. Find out who they know. 

 In the business world, it is not what you know but who you know and who knows you.

Image source:https://minutes.co/how-to-network-when-you-hate-networking/

Cancer - 10 Prevention Tips

10 Tips for Cancer Prevention

By adopting a healthy lifestyle you can reduce the risk of cancer. According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, 80 to 90 percent of all cancer cases are preventable.

 1. A balanced diet: When you eat a variety of food in the right proportion from the 6 food groups (.grains and cereals, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meats and eggs, fats) you are able to counteract any harmful effect of eating food which is cancer-causing.

 2. Do not eat the same food over and over again: If the food contains traces of cancer-causing substance you are more likely to develop cancerous cells. 

 3. Do not overeat: Overeating increases the risk of stomach cancer. \

4. Alcohol: Drink in moderation to reduce the risk of cancer. 

 5. Smoking: It is a well-known fact that smoking is one of the main reasons for getting cancer. 

 6. Vitamin: Take appropriate amount of vitamins A, C, E, and plenty of fiber to prevent cancer from forming cells 

 7. Too salty, too hot: Avoid excessive intake of salty items such as salted meat and salted fish. Avoid consuming food and drink which are very hot. 

 8. Stale and charred food: Avoid taking food that has been kept for a long time and burnt food. 

 9. The sun: Avoid overexposure to the sun 

 10. Healthy habits: 

 * Do regular exercise 

 * Maintain cleanliness of your body 

 * Eat your breakfast 

 * Sleep for 8 hours

 * A positive outlook in life 

 * Reduce stress 

 * Drink green tea 

 * Do regular screening

 * Maintain an ideal body weight 

 * Avoid junk food 

 Prevention is better than cure.

Image source:https://medcaretips.com/tips-for-cancer-prevention/

Personal Development - The 7 Areas of Your Life to Take Control

7 Areas of Your Life

Like a balanced diet, you need a balanced lifestyle. You need to control the 7 areas of your life covering health, career, money, home, relationships, spirituality, and education.

1. Health: Health is wealth and wealth is health. When you are in good health, you can enjoy your wealth. When your health is ruined, your wealth means nothing. A healthy body gives you a healthy mind.

2. Career: As an employee or an entrepreneur you have to look after your career or business well in order to earn a living.

3. Money: Develop an effective plan to save and invest for your children and retirement.

4. Home: Your home is where your heart is. A harmonious environment at home leaves you in the peace of mind to carry out your daily activities.

5. Relationships: No man is an island. You need to get along well with not only your family but your co-workers, your customers, your neighbors, and the community.

6. Spirituality: Devote some time to meditate or to pray to cleanse your soul and calm your mind.

7. Education: Here we are talking about lifelong learning. Technology is advancing at a very fast pace and the amount of information available is overwhelming. We have to keep abreast of the current development in order to go forward in life.

Career Success - 10 Great Tips to Get Ahead

Career

Here are the 10 career advancement tips for you to take note of. These are also the qualities that a boss is looking for when promoting someone to a higher position:

1. Self-improvement and self-evaluation: Able to look at yourself critically and change your disposition for the better.
2. Able to accept criticism: To err is human. Willing to listen and accept constructive criticism and learn from past mistakes.
3. Be reliable: Get into the good books of the boss. Cultivate the trust of your boss in you. Get things done as promised in a timely fashion.
4. Be meticulous: Follow the example of the Japanese workers. They are very serious at work. When they are in doubt even for a small matter they will not assume things and they will seek clarification from their bosses.
5. Create job satisfaction: When you are happy at work you will work harder and smarter. You also give your total commitment.
6. Assume the role of your boss: Able to take on responsibilities more than your scope of work as if you were the owner of the company.
7. Take initiative: When things do not turn up as planned you come up with a workable solution instead of asking your boss for help.
8. Articulateness: Able to speak and write fluently and clearly in more than one language.
9. A positive image: You are in good health and you are confident in yourself. You are perceived to be well-informed, intelligent, and bright. Always wear a smile and make yourself likable.
10. Good people skills: Able to motivate others and get things done through them.

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” –Winston Churchill 

The Joy of List Making

List Making

Every evening I have my to-do list ready for the following day.

I find list making useful:

1. If it is listed, it is remembered.
2. It helps to plan my day well and use time productively.
3. I can go through the day according to the list with little stress.
4. It gives me the satisfaction of crossing out accomplished items.
5. It helps me to do the most important and urgent things before anything else.
6. I sleep peacefully knowing that I have already sorted out those things I must do the following day.

A list is a useful tool. Here are some guides to follow:

1. Work according to priorities: Start with the urgent and important things.
2. List small things with the big ones: The small things are easy to take care of and you will be happy to know when they are done.
3. Keep the list with you: I keep the office list on the table and the personal list in my shirt pocket so that they are a constant reminder. Otherwise, the impact of making lists is lost.
4. Add additional items as you go through the day: Perhaps it is something that you can do today or something you can do for the following day.
5. Make a manageable list: Don’t let a long list puts you off.

Image source:https://thirdside.co/types-of-lists/

Office Feng Shui - 5 Great Tips

Office Feng Shui

While you are working smart to be a better executive and making yourself more valued at the workplace you should enlist the help of Feng Shui to enhance your career success.
.
Here are 5 great Feng Shui tips to make your career advancement smooth sailing:

1. Your sitting position: Make sure you are sitting away from the main door and yet you have a commanding view of it. It is important that there is a wall behind you to give you solid support. When there is emptiness behind, your position in the office will be vulnerable. Avoid sharp objects pointing towards you.

2. Avoid sitting under an exposed beam: You will be working under pressure if there is a structural beam above where you are working. One way to overcome the situation is to renovate the ceiling so that it is flat

3. Do put a plant on your table: Plants purify the air and add vitality to the workplace. Plants encourage luck and are able to counteract sha qi (煞气). A plant on your table is also able to boost your creativity. Research has shown that you will be happier when there is greenery on your table.

4. Avoid clutter: Your workplace should be well organized. Maintain a good filing system. Get rid of all unnecessary items on your table. Clutter will attract negative energy to the office
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5. The office environment: Decorate the office tastefully and use non-glare and comfortable lighting so that you can work calmly. A pleasant environment attracts the flow of positive qi.

When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds. When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls. – Gail Blanke

Brain Fitness - 5 Fun and Easy Ways

Train Your Brain

Many baby boomers are worried about degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s. However, according to Dr John Hart, medical science director of the Centre for BrainHealth at the University of Texas in Dallas, he suggests that you find something that is mentally challenging and fun to do and do it regularly to stave off the cognitive decline that comes with ageing. Here are the 5 fun and easy ways to do it: 

 1. Lead a healthy lifestyle: Give up smoking to reduce the risk of stroke. Exercise regularly like walking to supply more oxygen to your brain. Maintain a balanced diet to deliver essential nutrients to your brain. Take supplements whenever necessary and drink water sufficiently to nourish your brain. 

 2. Social interaction: Enjoy activities with friends, family and partners to promote brain health. Those who live in isolation have a higher risk of developing dementia. Go sightseeing with a group of friends and explore the world. Keep a pet at home to play and it can make you happy. Participate in community services. It gives you satisfaction and it is fulfilling to serve. 

 3. Develop your spiritual well-being: Play tai chi, do yoga, meditate or just pray according to the religion that you have embraced. It helps you to relax and reduce stress. .

 4. A variety of fun activities for your brain: Have fun with crossword puzzles, play Brain Age game by Nintendo, do Sudoku, play board and card games and play video games. Indulge in a hobby like a stamp collecting. The more the variety, the better it is for your brain. 

 5. Lifelong learning: Read newspapers and books, watch your favourite TV programmes, go for a movie, go window shopping and learn something new like blogging. Blogging is fun and challenging for the mind. Related article:

Related article:

13 Memory Tips

Image source:https://christianhealthcare.org/chcc-blog/2017/09/06/brain-fitness/

Let EzineArticles.com Drive Traffic to your Site

EzineArticles

Here is a tip to send more traffic to your site. Pick one of your popular posts and send it to EzienArticles.com to be published on their website. There are many advantages of getting your article featured on their site.

First of all, your article is subject to stringent vetting by their in-house editorial team before it can be accepted. The readers of EzineArticles.com have very high expectations of articles published by them. So if your article can be accepted it means the quality of your article meets their requirements.

When your article is published it is viewed by a very large readership. In fact, from your account you will know the statistics about your article views, profile views, and most important of all, URL clicks. There is a Resource Box at the end of your article where you provide your name and your linkable website address to let your readers go to your site directly after reading your article. You can also do a little write-up to promote your site. There is also a report on author rankings by category. It shows you your rank based on the number of articles submitted by you.

The good things about EzienArticles.com do not end here. They are also grooming you to write better and high-impact articles by providing FREE Training Series on article writing tips and how-to techniques. There is a tip to produce 8 articles quickly and there are also other marketing ideas.

After getting your article published send more of your popular posts.

I love EzineArticles.com. It is one of my favorite sites.

Will - 7 Reasons to keep it up-to-date

Will

Do not think that when you have drawn up your will you have taken care of your estate. Your financial status, the people around you change and so are your wishes. Here are the 7 reasons that you need to update your will from time to time:

1. Marital status: You were single when the will was written and now you are married. So the will is no longer valid. The same rule applies to divorce and remarry.
2. Additional members to your family: When you have promoted yourself to fatherhood, you have to reallocate your wealth accordingly.
3. A member of your family or your beneficiary passes away. It is necessary to update your will as well.
4. Substantial changes of your wealth: You have acquired more wealth and so you have to redistribute your wealth accordingly.
5. Your executor: He has died, moved away, or is no longer a suitable candidate anymore.
6. Your appointed guardian: He may not be around or is no longer suitable to look after the interest of your minor children.
7. Your wishes change with the time: Situation changes and so are your wishes. Your previous will may not reflect your current wishes.

The simplest and effective way to update your will is to write a new will to supersede the previous one. This article is also to remind me to take a look at my will.

Build a Better Relationship with your Boss

Build a Better Relationship with your Boss

Getting along with your boss is just like getting along with anyone else. It is based on trust and honesty. The following pointers will help you to build a better relationship with your boss:

How to Get Along With Your Boss

1. Give priority to your boss: Attend to his assignment first before anything else. Your boss has his own agenda and deadlines and it is only wise to give your full attention to him first
2. Keep your boss posted: Update your boss about your work. Highlight to him those things he needs to know on a regular basis.
3. Don’t keep the problem to yourself: Inform the boss when things do not turn out the way that has been planned and let him know what action you have taken.
4. Support your boss: Keep it to yourself when the boss tells you something confidential. Do not gossip behind his back.
5. Deliver as promised: To build the confidence of the boss in you, you must honor your promises. When a report is to be submitted on Monday it should be on his desk on Monday morning.
6. Respect and praise your boss: After all, he is the one who hired you in the first place. Be polite and praise him when there is a genuine reason to do so. Once I praised my boss that he was very hardworking because he did his once-a-week presentation in different towns all over Malaysia and Brunei.

When you make your boss look good you make yourself look good too.

5 Ways to Get Along Better With Your Boss

Image source:https://workology.com/build-a-better-relationship-with-your-boss/

Ginseng (人参 renshen)

Ginseng (人参 renshen)

There are two species of true ginseng. One is the Panax ginseng, C.A. Meyer. It is grown only in Korea, northeast China and the Maritime Province of Russia. The other ginseng is Panax quinquefolius which is grown in the United States and Canada. 

The word Panax (in Greek) means it is a cure-all, good for everything from prolonging your life to curing cancer. The effectiveness of ginseng can be found in the presence of ginsenosides, compounds that are exclusive to ginseng. American ginseng promotes Yin 阴 (cold) while Korean ginseng promotes Yang 阳 (hot). Panax ginseng comes in two forms. White ginseng is grown for four to six years and red ginseng is harvested after six years. 

 Research has shown that the main ingredient saponin or ginsenoside in ginseng can reduce fatigue, increase energy, and lower blood sugar levels. Ginseng also strengthens the intestines, heart, and stomach. Ginseng particularly increases our body's resistance to disease. In addition, ginseng has antioxidant properties and is able to promote wellbeing and stamina. It should be part of our dietary supplements. 

 The most important thing to remember is that when you prepare the root for eating do not use metal spoons and bowls. On a regular basis, I will take a few pieces of sliced American ginseng to chew in my mouth, and then I will just swallow it. Normally a few slices of ginseng are simmered in hot water for a few minutes before drinking it.

Image source:https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Ginseng.aspx

Business Writing - The 7 Golden Rules

Business Writing

In the business world, writers are busy people and so are the readers. Here are the golden rules to put the message across in an effective way:

1. The subject: Have a very clear idea of the message to impart. Identify the objectives of putting the message in writing
2. Do research: Learn from experts their style of effective writing. Study their examples of good writing to improve your own.
3. Your Introduction: It should be short and direct by telling the readers about the main issue.
4. Use simple language and short sentences: To get the ideas across quickly, avoid using bombastic words, use simple words and write in short sentences. Write to express and not to impress.
5. Use bullet points: The quickest and easiest way to deliver the message is to put the ideas in bullet points. Your readers can grasp the ideas easily and fast.
6. Take breaks and write in a few sessions: First, start with the draft. In the next session, edit and proofread your writing and in the last session fine-tune your content and add new ideas that may occur suddenly when you are not working at it.
7. Put warmth into your writing: Avoid writing in a formal style. Instead, write the way you talk to someone in front of you. Readers will find your writing friendly and acceptable.

According to Peter Drucker, your ability to express yourself clearly in spoken and written words is one the most important of all the skills you can possess.

Write briefly, clearly, and accurately.

Image source:https://www.proschoolonline.com/blog/business-writing-tips

A Happy and Healthy Relationship - 7 Great Tips

A happy and healthy relationship cannot be manipulated, it is based on a foundation of sincerity and honesty. Here are the great tips to maintain such a relationship:

1. Be dependable: Keep your promises. When you have agreed to do something carry it out so that people can count on you.
2. Accept the other person totally: We are all unique with our strengths and weaknesses. Do not try to change the other person.
3. Communicate openly: Listen with an open mind and do not interrupt. Ask questions to clarify a point and share your thoughts.
4. Be healthy: Keep fit and promote a healthy lifestyle and encourage others to do so. Stay away from drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes.
5. A caring attitude: See the other person‘s point of view and offer help. Let people know you are prepared to help and you can be depended on. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Remember friends and relatives’ birthdays and send appropriate gifts to them. Not just any gift, something they long to have. Life is more fulfilling when you care.
6. Show appreciation: Praise more and criticize less. Even when you want to be critical start with praise.
7. Lasting relationships: There will be challenges along the way and we have to adapt to changes. A good relationship has to work at it over time. Only time can tell a truly healthy and happy relationship.

Be a Better Executive - 5 Top Tips

How to become a better Executive

“No man can be successful unless he first loves his work.” - David Sarnoff, CEO of RCA

As a busy executive, you have many deadlines to meet, endless reports to write, and on top of all these, you have a team of staff to supervise. You need to be on top of things; otherwise, the situation will be chaotic and inefficient. Here are the 5 top tips to organize yourself for better results:

1. The big picture: Capable executives are able to see the whole picture. They ensure that the functioning of the team fits cohesively into the overall organization so that the workflow will be smooth and productive.

2. Planning and Organizing: On a daily basis, make sure that when you start the day you already have the to-do-list in the morning to tackle the most important tasks first. Plan your work and work your plan is the motto.

3. Simplify the work for your staff: Put in place simple procedures so that the work can be done quickly with the least effort.

4. Routine checking: Go to your staff from time to time to check that things are done accordingly and to arrest any problems that may arise.

5. Eliminate urgent and unimportant tasks: According to Peter Drucker doing the right thing is more important than doing things right.

Alan Lakein once said,” Failing to plan is in effect, planning to fail.”

Walk your way to Health and Happiness

Walk Your Way to Happiness & Better Health

I always take the opportunity to walk not only for health reasons but also to save the rising cost of petrol.

According to Japanese researchers, they have found out when you walk twice a week for twenty minutes each time you are able to improve your mood and your outlook will be more positive. The finding was obtained after the subjects had walked for 32 weeks.

It means regular walking makes you happier.

In another research conducted by a group of Italian, They found that those who walked regularly were less likely to develop vascular dementia over the next four years. Vascular dementia is caused by impaired blood flow to the brain. The research was done on 749 adults who were 65 years of age or older.

Some of the other benefits of walking are:

• Improves your cardiovascular functions and reduce your blood pressure
• Strengthens your muscles, joints, and bones
• Delays the aging process
• Keeps your weight under control
• Reduces the risk of breast cancer
• Reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes
• Improves your fitness and daily physical activities
• Lowers the risk of stroke
• Diminishes the risk of hip fracture
• Improves the quality of your sleep

Walking is a form of exercise that has very low risk and it does not cost you money.

Start walking today and every day to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine and most important of all for your happiness and health.

Image source:https://www.pinterest.com/pin/618470961305272102/

Article Writing for Bloggers - 5 Effective Ways to put your Message Across

Article Writing

"Writing isn't about using big words to impress. It's about using simple words in an impressive way." - Sierra Bailey

There are a few ways to highlight the important message in your article:

1. Boldface, underline, and italic – it’s good to boldface, underline or italicize the most important words in your article. This is to attract the attention of the readers. Use it sparingly.

2. Bullets and numbering: These will be easily noticed by your readers.
All the important ideas are in point form. Your readers are able to grasp them very quickly.

3. Short paragraphs and short sentences: This will allow your readers to catch the gist of your ideas in a short time.

4. Bombastic words: Avoid long words and use simple words that readers can understand easily.

5. When the idea is important: Your readers will appreciate it when you present an impotent idea in two or three ways. Repetition will sink the idea into the readers’ minds.

Google Analytics and my Blog

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is a very comprehensive reporting system for our blogs. From the Dashboard I can have an overview of the following:

 *Site Usage 

*Visitors Overview 

*Map Overlay 

*Traffic Sources Overview 

*Content Overview

  Site Usage From the report, I can see the number of visits, page views, pages/visit, bounce rate, average time on site, and new visits. I can also read the report by day, week, or month and comparing two different periods. 

  Visitors Over here there is a benchmarking report which I like very much. It tells me about my performance by comparing to blogs of similar size. My site is better than the benchmark in average time on site but unfavorable in bounce rate, page views, and pages/visit. I think I know the problem; I had seven posts on the main page, so the average length of time on site was high and the bounce rate was also high. I have just cut it down to 3 posts on the main page. I hope this will bring down the bounce rate. You can even find out the network location (e.g. Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Singnet Pte Ltd) and their connecting speeds in this report. 

  Map Overlay I like the map. It tells me instantly where my visitors are from. I have the most visitors from Malaysia and Singapore follow by the USA and Canada 

  Traffic Sources This report tells me the total number and percentage of traffic sources from search engines, direct traffic, and referring sites. More than 50% of my traffic is from search engines. It means the use of keywords is very important to facilitate readers to access my site. The key words range from one word to a few words. 

  Content This is another important report. It tells me about the articles that the readers are interested to read. This will help me to write relevant articles for my readers. 

 There is another report used to measure business objectives under Goals. At first, I couldn't get used to the report, perhaps the information was too much for me to absorb. Now I can get the hang of it. It's a great report.

Article Writing - 7 Secrets to Boost your Creativity

Creativity

I have written close to 300 articles for the last 10 months at one article a day. How do I get the creative juice flowing? I would like to share with you my secrets: 

 1. Determination and perseverance: When I set a goal for myself to do an article a day. I just do it. The other thing is that I don’t want to disappoint my readers. I just want to keep the promise. 

2. Read widely: I read a lot - newspapers, magazines, books, and articles in English as well as in Chinese. You get tremendous ideas and inspiration by reading 

3. Ling Gan (灵感): It means a surge of creative thoughts. But how do you get it? When you are stuck and your mind is a blank you keep telling your mind that you want ideas. You bombard your mind. After that, you forget about it and go to sleep. When you wake in the morning the ideas are already in your mind. 

4. Carry a note pad: When there is a flash of ideas you jot down quickly, or else they are gone. 

5. Quantity enhances quality: The more you write the better your writing will be. You may write garbage at the beginning but over time your quality will improve. 

6. Passion: Are you interested in wring? Are you passionate enough? Passion will spark creativity. 

7 . Be happy and healthy: Be active physically and be happy with yourself. This will allow your mind to open up. When your mood is uplifting and you are relaxed you create an environment to boost creativity.

Image  source: https://truscribe.com/creativity-skill-or-talent/

Nuffnang Gift Ideas Contest

A gift is a way to tell the other person that you care. When you give the appropriate gift you are also concerned about the other person.

I will buy Judy, my fellow Nuffnanger, a radio with a CD player for the following reasons:

1. Her set has already broken down. She needs a replacement urgently
2. She is a fan of Fly FM. She listens to her favorite songs every day to unwind and relax.
3. Recently she bought a CD set in French. She is already good in English, Chinese and Bahasa Malaysia. By knowing one more language she will be more valued at her workplace.
4. She listens to the news regularly. She wants to keep herself up-to-date by listening to local news and news around the world.

I will send the gift to her on her birthday which is around the corner. I want to give her a "jing xi"(惊喜). It means surprise and happiness.

You can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving.

REALMART

Article Writing Tips for Bloggers - Your Subject and Title

Article Writing

The subject you are going to write about is very closely linked to your title. And the title is going to decide the fate of your excellent article - get noticed or get ignored.

I have checked with Google if you are an animal lover and you search the web with the single word “animals”, you can see 343,000,000 entries. When you are more focused on the animal you love the most, say, cats, you will get 204,000,000 entries. Now, obviously, you are not going to write just about animals and cats. Your article will be buried at the very bottom. Now, assume that you are very good at taking care of cats. And your key in 'cat care' you will get 8,610,000 entries. There are still a lot of entries. Things will be different when you add in just one more word "tips" and then you search Goggle under "cat care tips" you will get only 450,000 entries. This is going to be your subject and the title of your article. Of course, you are going to expand the title a bit such as “Cat Care - 7 top tips”. I am sure your article will have better exposure.

To be listed at the very top among the 450,000 entries you have to make sure that you have submitted your blog and your sitemap to search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft Live Search. That‘s another topic altogether.

Image source: https://www.arab-oil-naturalgas.com/write-an-oilfield-article/

Article Writing Tips for Bloggers - The Vital 7 Steps

I post an article a day and I write one article a day as well. I don’t write my articles in a rush. In fact, I have a buffer of 14 articles for 14 days. In the first place, I don’t want to be under undue pressure to write in a hurry. I also need to cover the days that I can’t write. Here are the 7 vital steps:

1. Pick a subject: It is good to write about things that are useful and beneficial to your readers. Give value to your readers for their time spent in reading your articles. One of the best things to happen to me is when I wake up in the morning the ideas are already in my mind. In Chinese, it is called “ling gan” (灵感). It means a sudden surge of creative thoughts.
2. Jot down the main ideas: Put in writing the gist of the article before it escapes your mind.
3. Do the research: It is necessary to check around to ensure the things that you write about are not out-of-date and the facts are accurate. Another thing is to survey the subject matter so that you can come up with your own unique ideas.
4. Use the right keywords for your title: The title of an article is a very important thing. With the right title, your article can be reached easily by interested readers. If not your excellent article will not be able to be located at all. Just ask yourself what few words you will use to lookup certain information on the net. Take this article as an example. I may not get noticed if I put the title this way:” The vital 7 steps of article writing for bloggers.” The first few words mean nothing to people who are looking for information about article writing.
5. Write in a few sessions: An article can never be written in one go. I need to write at least in two to three sessions. One session to write the draft quickly so that your ideas do not escape your mind. Another session is to write in proper English using the correct spelling and grammar. The last session is to fine-tune your article to see that your writing is flawless.
6. Get someone to do the editing: When the article is written I will get someone to do the editing. Another person will be able to see the mistakes that you don’t.
7. Final proofreading before going live: This will allow you to add new ideas to improve the article further. At this stage, I still do a final check of spelling errors. Errors still can be discovered. One of the frequent mistakes for me is using the word “you” instead of “your”. The spelling checker cannot spot this type of errors. You have to spot it yourself.

Writing is a hobby and a passion. It would be easier to write about something you are interested in.

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10 Tips to Write an Effective Article

Article Writing - 7 Areas to Take Note