10 Effective Ways to be Productive at Work

To be productive is to work smart, get the right thing and the most important thing done according to your plan and within a stipulated time frame in the most efficient way. However, there are other things to consider and avoid getting unproductive at the workplace:

1. Reduce procedures: To be productive is to simplify workflow. The trick is to avoid too much red tape to get a thing done like going to many departments and following many rules and getting approval from many people. It’s complicating to get a job done quickly.

2. Reduce meetings: Meetings are time-consuming. Try other more effective ways to get ideas, make decisions and discuss things without wasting everybody‘s time. The most important thing is to avoid meetings without a clear purpose.

The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favor of holding meetings. ~Thomas Sowell

3. Reduce reports: Fewer reports mean more time for people to do the real job; workers work and salespeople sell.

4. Reduce paperwork: Examine existing forms and see if you can discard, reduce or combine a few forms into one so that less time is wasted on filling forms or other paperwork.

5. Follow the 80/20 rule: To get the most out of your business, concentrate on 20% of your customers who give you 80 % of the business. Spending more time on those people who matter the most to your revenue is the most productive thing to do.

6. Communicate more effectively: Be clear and concise in your written communication because you want to avoid misunderstanding and the need to clarify instead of getting a job done as instructed.

7. Impose deadlines: Parkinson’s Law says that ‘Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. It is important to have a deadline for every job so that it can be accomplished without undue delay.

8. Solicit ideas from workers: People on the job know what they are doing inside out. It is wise to seek suggestions from them to get things done more efficiently.

9. Personal productive habits: Some of the productive habits are:

• Plan ahead and carry a to-do list and be organized for the day
• Clear the clutter at the workplace.
• Take advantage of technology to do things faster and more accurately
• Doing one task at a time
• Be mindful at work
• Take breaks

10. Develop and train the workers: Invest more in workforce development because they are the ones who are responsible for the productivity of the company. Provide training and upgrade their skills so that they can be more productive and grow in their career.

At the end of each day, it is also a productive habit to take a few minutes to ask yourself a few questions and find out what you have achieved for the day:

•Was it a productive day?
• What have I learnt today?
• What were the challenges?
• How can I do better tomorrow?

60 Effective Ways to Live Happily

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. ~Dalai Lama

There are many ways to live an abundant life and be happy. How do you live life happily? Take the cue from the following list:

Diet


When it comes to eating, you can sometimes help yourself more by helping yourself less. ~Richard Armour

1. Eat breakfast
2. Eat more fruits and vegetables
3. Drink water
4. Good appetite
5. Pay attention and eat slowly, do not eat and do something else
6. Take a multi-vitamin-mineral tablet every day
7. Take less sugar, salt, and fat
8. Don’t smoke and drink
9. Eat less but more often
10. Drink green tea



Attitude


Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses. ~Alphonse Karr

11. Be appreciative
12. Feel good
13. Feel free and relaxed
14. Something to look forward to
15. Be hopeful
16. Think of positive thoughts
17. Think of what you have instead of what you don’t have.
18. React positively to things
19. Ask for what you want


Exercise


I really believe the only way to stay healthy is to eat properly, get your rest, and exercise. If you don't exercise and do the other two, I still don't think it's going to help you that much. ~Mike Ditka

20. Meditate
21. Exercise daily
22. Walk more and drive less
23. Breathe slowly and deeply
24. Be energetic


Work


Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction. ~Anne Frank

25. Be interested in your work
26. Enjoy what you do
27. Help others to do a better job
28. Take breaks
29. Do it now
30. Be trusted
31. Be creative
32. Be productive
33. Plan your work and work your plan
34. Delegate


Life style


Follow your dreams, work hard, practice, and persevere. Make sure you eat a variety of foods, get plenty of exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. ~Sasha Cohen


35. Be calm and collected
36. Getting peace of mind
37. Sleep well at night
38. Have an afternoon nap
39. Live in the present, stop thinking of the past, and worrying about the future.
40. Be clean and hygienic
41. Get up early
42. Live a balanced life
43. Go slow
44. Plan ahead and be organized
45. Have challenging goals
46. Watch less TV do more reading


Money


Never spend your money before you have earned it. ~Thomas Jefferson

47. Be debt-free
48. Be employed or gainfully self-employed.
49. Have an emergency fund
50. Be creditworthy
51. Money to spend, save and invest,


Relationships


To be happy, make other people happy. ~W. Clement Stone

52. A harmonious home life
53. Motivate and encourage others
54. Be polite to others
55. Be interested in others
56. Get connected with happy and positive people
57. Donate to charity, the amount is not important, because you cannot do everything but you can do something.
58. To forgive
59. To love
60. Compliment others

Happiness is the by-product of thinking right, feeling good, doing right, and doing well.

If you are not happy here and now, you never will be. ~Taisen Deshimaru

10 Effective Ways to Work Productively Every Day

The formula for productivity: Productivity = Efficiency + Effectiveness

Effectiveness = Doing the right thing 

Efficiency = Doing the right thing right

There are many ways to be productive every day at work. Here are the things you can do to boost your output and increase your productivity:

1.      Work smart: To work smart is to work productively within a pre-determined time frame. You can’t just work at the expense of your family and health. Life has to be balanced between work, family, and play. It is your effectiveness in time management in living a balanced life.

2.      Plan ahead: Getting organized is to work in an orderly manner. You know what needs to be done and there is no need to rush about and create unnecessary stress to get things done.  

3.      Do the important thing of the day: Work on the most important thing that matters a lot to you. You work for the results that give you the most satisfaction.

4.      Be competent: When you are good at what you do, you are more likely to be effective and efficient. As you are knowledgeable and resourceful in the field of your expertise, you will be innovative in your approach to solve problems and get things done smoothly.

5.      Keeping fit: To be productive is to be fit physically. Health and fitness promote energy and calmness in you so that you are able to work with a clear mind and concentration.

6.      Do it now: An attitude of urgency is the way to be productive; there is no delay and no waste of time in getting things done

7.      Put your ideas to work: It is a good habit to reserve quiet time every day to think of better ways to get things done. When you have a good idea, put it to work because making changes is about improvement though risks are involved.

8.      Take breaks: Taking breaks is an important part of productivity. Taking a break is to rest your mind and regain your energy and concentration. Take your lunch outside and avoid eating and looking at the monitor at the same time which is bad for your health.

9.      Delegate: An important part of motivating staff is to assign challenging tasks for them so that they will feel trusted and confident to take on new assignments. Delegation is an effective way to be productive.          

10.  Take advantage of technologies: Productivity can be enhanced by using modern software. Avoid doing things manually when the latest gadgets can do a better job.

 Productive achievement is a consequence and an expression of health and self-esteem, not its cause. ~Nathaniel Branden

How to Feel Good Every Day

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.
- Anonymous

It is not difficult to have a great day every day. Feeling good starts with a positive mindset. Here are the things that you can do easily to have a wonderful feeling every day:

1. Get up early: You want to get up early and you are happy to do so because you are enthusiastic to welcome a new day to do things that you are looking forward to. Such activities are what you are passionate about and interested in. Early risers are a happy lot because they are in control of their time and life.

2. Morning rituals: What do you do first thing in the morning to make you feel good? You can meditate to feel calm, relaxed and get a great feeling inside out. Read motivational quotes to uplift your mood. Look at your written goals and be inspired and excited.

3. Positive thoughts: Positive thoughts create good feelings and cheerfulness. When you go about your day, there is peace of mind and calmness in you.

4. Things to do for the day: There is a positive expectation about a new day. You look forward to getting things done according to your to-do list. These things are part of your long-term goals.

5. Have breakfast: One of the good things about getting up early is to enjoy a nutritious breakfast to start a new day with renewed energy. There is no rush and you get to savor each mouthful.

6. Live in the present: To live in the present is to concentrate on the task at hand and think of nothing else. Your mind is free from the blunders of the past and the worry of the future. To live now is to feel good from moment to moment. To do that you have to be free from the thoughts of yesterday and tomorrow.

You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry.
And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. ~ Walter Hagen

7. Just be happy: Happiness is a positive attitude and a source of good feelings about yourself.

Laugh when you can,
apologize when you should,
and let go of what you can't change.
Life's too short to be anything... but happy.
- Anonymous

8. Exercise: You must exercise every day to feel good and be energetic. Your body will thrive with more intake of oxygen when you are physically active.

9. Dress smartly: When you look good from the outside you will feel good on the inside. This is the easiest way to feel good. Taking care of your appearance is to project an image of self-confidence.

10. Extend kindness: Random acts of kindness can be just a smile, a compliment or encouraging words. When you are kind and polite to others there is also a good feeling inside you.



Just smiling goes a long way toward making you feel better about life.
And when you feel better about life, your life is better. ~ Art Linkletter,

10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 4)

Here are 10 more positive words to lift your spirits:


1. Health: You can be healthy and happy, but you cannot be happy without health. Health is the number one thing in life.

Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering - an image of death. ~Buddha

2. Honesty: Honesty is a virtue that you don’t have to remember what you have done and what you have said. You can go to sleep with a clear conscience.

Honesty is the cornerstone of all success, without which confidence and ability to perform shall cease to exist. ~Mary Kay Ash

3. Hope: Be hopeful about life. Hope has the power to motivate you to carry on despite problems and setbacks. The most important thing is not to give up hope.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. ~Helen Keller

4. Humility: Humility is the willingness to learn from others and the way to get along with them. Nobody wants to approach someone who looks down on others.

It is always the secure who are humble. ~Gilbert Keith Chesterton

5. Ideas: These are the creation of your ingenuity. By putting your ideas to work, you showcase your uniqueness and originality.

An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied. ~Arnold H. Glasgow

6. Imagination: To imagine is to conceive ideas. It is the starting point of something original and unique. The most important thing is to work on your ideas.

First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination. ~Napoleon Hill

7. Improvement: It is important to make an improvement in what you do, and not to rest on your laurels. Seeking improvement is the way to go forward.

Almost all quality improvement comes via simplification of design, manufacturing... layout, processes, and procedures. ~Tom Peters

8. Integrity: Integrity is about your character in doing what is right. Trust is an important part of integrity. Build the trust of others in you so that others will have full confidence in you.

Quality means doing it right when no one is looking. ~Henry Ford

9. Inspiration: Be aspired by your inspiration to realize your passion and dreams.

To succeed, you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you. ~Tony Dorsett

10. Initiative: It is to start doing something that needs to be done without being told. Such a person is a self-starter.

The important thing is to concentrate upon what you can do - by yourself, upon your own initiative. ~Harry Browne


Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words best of all. ~Winston Churchill

Related posts:
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 1)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 2)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 3)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 5)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 6 and Final)

Are you healthy and fit?

He who has health has hope, and he who has hope has everything. ~- Arabian Proverb

Ask yourself the following questions. When you have more negative answers, you are more likely to be unfit and you have to change your lifestyle to regain your health.

1. Do you sleep well?
2. Are you always restless?
3. Can you concentrate at work?
4. Do you feel the aches and pain in your body?
5. Are you feeling lethargic?
6. Do you have an appetite for eating?
7. Is your heart beating fast?
8. Do you exercise?
9. Do you have breakfast every day?
10. Do you feel good when you wake up in the morning?

Here are the things you can do to build and regain your health and fitness:

1. Water: Water makes up 70-75% of your body weight. You need to drink 6 glasses of water throughout the day at 240 ml per glass to keep your body hydrated. Drink a glass when you wake up and another one before you go to sleep. The other healthy beverage is green tea. It contains anti-cancer properties and many other health benefits.

2. Food: Eat more alkaline food such as vegetables and fruits and take less acidic food such as meat. Avoid foods that are processed and added with preservatives and food additives. The most important thing is to go for natural food.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency restricts the use of "natural" to foods that have not been significantly altered by processing and gives examples of processes that do or do not significantly alter food. This includes two specific additional requirements:


• A natural food or ingredient of a food is not expected to contain, or to ever have contained, an added vitamin, mineral nutrient, artificial flavouring agent, or food additive.


• A natural food or ingredient of a food does not have any constituent or fraction thereof removed or significantly changed, except the removal of water.

3. Supplement: Taking a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet every day is like having a kind of health insurance because you never know what you are lacking in your body.

4. Exercise: Going outdoors has many health benefits. Just by walking under the sun for 15 min in the morning or evening, you will be assured of getting enough supply of vitamin D. Vigorous exercise will also supply more oxygen to vital organs of your body. Regular exercise also promotes calmness, alertness, and energy in you.


Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. ~ Carol Welch

5. Stress: When you are stressed, it triggers the release of stress hormones. In turn, these hormones increase blood pressure, heartbeat, and blood sugar levels. Over time, you will have mental problems such as depression and anxiety. When you are under stress, take a slow and deep breath. The other positive things that you can do are to be organized, flexible, and solve problems that come your way.

6. Sleep: A good night’s sleep repairs damages done to your body during a stressful day. Sufficient sleep will promote alertness, better memory, and energy the next day.

7. Peace of mind: Peace of mind also contributes to your overall well-being. Practice yoga or Tai Chi to be calm and collected. One sure way to get peace of mind is to fill your heart with love and be kind to others.



Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. ~John F. Kennedy

What Are Your Positive Qualities?

positive Qualities

What are your strong personal qualities that people admire? Consider the following characteristics:

1. Intelligent: Do you think you are good at what you do that people think you are bright, talented, and brainy?


Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort. ~John Ruskin


2. Optimistic: Do you look at things from a positive perspective? Are you the kind of person who believes in this motto: if there is a will, there is a way.

Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can't be done. ~Bo Bennett


3. Relaxed: Are you always tensed- up? Do you work with a cool and calm mind? Are you even-tempered when you deal with others?


It's so important to look relaxed. ~Loretta Young

4. Sociable: Do you acknowledge others and take an interest in them? Are you broad-minded and generous when you interact with others?

The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend. ~Henry David Thoreau

5. Sincere: Do you think you have a strong character? Are you honest and frank in what you do? Do you do the right things when nobody is looking?

It's never what you say, but how you make it sound sincere. ~ Marya Mannes

6. Determined: Are you ambitious? Are you resolute to work your plan to achieve success in life?

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. ~William Feather

7. Thrifty: Can you control yourself to avoid getting more wants? Do you spend according to your budget? Is the quality and durability of an item more important than brand?

Thrift is not an affair of the pocket, but an affair of character. ~S.W. Straus

8. Self-assured: Are you living in fear or are you full of confidence? Do you look forward to each new day with vigor and high hope? Do you allow the past to hold you back? Are you worry about the future and hesitate to do what you can do now?

A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.~Joyce Brothers

9. Creative: Are you innovative? Do you try to do things differently and be more productive? Can you conceive original ideas and get things done in less time but no less thoroughly?

To think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted. ~George Kneller

10. Enquiring: Do you have a thirst for more knowledge? Do you adopt a learning attitude?
Do you get to the bottom of things?

You learn something every day if you pay attention. ~Ray LeBlond

What are the other qualities that you think should be listed here?

10 Effective Ways to Save Money

The time to save is now. When a dog gets a bone, he doesn't go out and make a down payment on a bigger bone. He buries the one he's got. ~Will Rogers

What are smart and effective ways to save money? I can think of the following:

1. Savings as an “expense” item in your budget: In your monthly budget treat savings as part of your total expenses so that you can leave it to your savings account. If you try to save whatever that is left over, there may be nothing left.

2. Balance from your monthly expenses: In addition to the monthly allocation for savings, you can save the difference between what you have budgeted (more) for spending and what you have actually spent (less).

3. Your annual bonus: Do you spend the full amount to buy what you want or do you save part of it? Bonus is not part of your usual income and the amount is not allocated to cover your monthly expenses, save it.

4. Your annual increment: What do you do with your annual increment? Do you spend more because you have more to spend? Why not save part of it?

5. Tax refund: Do you get a tax refund from your annual returns? This is an extra amount to save.

6. Pay off debts: Debt attracts interest and interest attracts more interest and you are paying interest for nothing. To keep your hard-earned money, settle all your debts as soon as possible.

7. Make extra income the easy way: One positive way to save extra money is to earn more by working part-time. What are your talents and what are you good at? Can you provide useful services and charge a fee?

8. Curb your wants: If you can discipline yourself, you can control overspending and avoid falling into the debt trap, you will save more money.

9. Trim your expenses: Look closely into your monthly spending and do away with unnecessary items such as entertainment.

10. Keep fit and avoid bad habits: Physical fitness is more than just for the sake of health. It is insurance against critical illnesses. Just imagine the huge amount you can save on medical expenses just by staying fit and healthy. The other issue which is relating to your health is smoking and drinking. By avoiding these bad habits you are not only saving your health but you control your purse strings as well.

Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account. ~Anne Wilson Schaef

Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can. ~John Wesley

Is Your Body Acidic

Fruits

According to health authorities, you have to watch the following signs that your body may be acidic and they can lead to cancer and other serious illnesses.

1. You have no appetite for eating.
2. You cannot sleep well at night.
3. You don’t feel good when you wake up in the morning.
4. You are feeling tired all the time.
5. You can’t concentrate for long at work.
6. You cannot control your emotions and you get angry easily.
7. You feel cold and numbness in your hands and feet.
8. Your memory is deteriorating.
9. Your immune system is weak and you get ill easily.
10. Your gums bleed easily when you brush your teeth.
11. You get headaches, shoulder, and backaches very often.
12. You always get skin diseases.

The Signs and Symptoms of Cancer

If you get 5 or more of the above symptoms, your body is more likely to be acidic. You can check your pH by using pH litmus paper which you can purchase from your pharmacy. Void your urine in a cup and dip the pH paper in the cup. The normal pH of urine is in the range of 5.5-6. If it is below 5, your body is acidic.

The pH (potential of hydrogen) scale value is the measurement of hydrogen ion concentration. The ph scale ranges from 0 to 14. Numbers 7 and below are acidic (low in oxygen) and numbers above 7 are alkaline. The normal value of our human body is at a pH of 7.4. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment.

You can improve your body’s pH by avoiding some of the acidic foods:

• Meat (consume less)
• Alcohol
• Soft drinks
• Sugar
• Drugs and chemicals
• Processed food with additives and preservatives

10 healthy habits to avoid cancer

1. Eat more vegetables and fruits (alkaline food)
2. Drink water and green tea
3. Avoid too much alcohol
4. Avoid smoking
5. Take a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet every day
6. Manage stress
7. Control your weight
8. Avoid too much sun exposure
9. Exercise regularly
10. Do regular checkups and cancer screening

Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food ~ Hippocrates

Choose Goodness Be Good

It is our choices... that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
~J. K. Rowling

Life is challenging because it is full of choices. Even if you don’t make a choice, you have chosen not to choose, it is still a choice. The best thing is to choose goodness and be good.

1. Choose positive thoughts: When you think positive, the outlook is bright and sunny. When you think negatively, the future is doom and gloom. Make your choice.

2. Choose positive words: Positive words motivate, enlighten, excite and stimulate you and others. Kind words encourage and lift the mood of the person you speak to. Positive words beget positive results.

3. Choose a positive attitude: Your attitude determines how you react to things and get things done. A positive attitude vibrates enthusiasm and energy in the way you act and do things.

4. Choose to appreciate others: When you are interested in others, you look for the good in them and pay a compliment. You appreciate their strengths and look for what they are good at. You boost their self-esteem and confidence.

5. Choose to appreciate yourself: Love yourself for what you are. The more you love yourself, the more love you will bring to what you do and how you treat others.

6. Choose to be excellent: Always choose to do the best you can and build a trusted brand. You are what you do, seek improvement, and do better.

7. Choose happiness: Happiness is the sum of your positive choices. When you think good, you do good and you will feel good and be happy.

8. Choose responsibility: To choose responsibility is to take control of your own life because you are responsible for all your choices. It’s OK to make a wrong choice because to err is human. Don’t give up, just make another wise choice.

9. Choose hopefulness: There is a Chinese saying: 希望在明天 (xi wang zai ming tian). It means hope is in the future. We always hope for a better tomorrow. Hope is the one and the only thing that keeps us going on in life. Be hopeful.

10. Choose health: Health is the essence of an active and vibrant life. Without health, life is meaningless or like a zombie. Be healthy, alert, calm, and energetic.

11. Choose gratefulness: Think more about what you have got; you will be thankful for your existence.

12. Choose the present: Pay attention and enjoy what you do and immerse in it. Don’t allow the past to restrain what you can do today and the future to worry you.


Our lives are a sum total of the choices we have made. ~Wayne Dyer

Be Silent Be Focused Be Productive

Silence is more musical than any song ~Christina Rossetti (1830 - 1894)

Silence is a source of great strength. ~Lao Tzu

Not many people can stand quietness. There must be, at least, some noise from TV or radio in the background. However, peace and quiet is an essential part of life. There are certain activities that silence is the essence in order to get things done. The purpose of silence is to avoid distractions and get something done with full attention and concentration.

1.      Work: You may be interested in your work but you need to avoid distractions in order to immerse yourself in what you do.   Noise and sound are the main culprits. Silence is the way to be focused and to be productive.

2.      Sleep: To sleep is to rest without disturbances. The room should be dim and it should be quiet all around. These are the conditions for you to go to sleep easily and quickly.  

3.      Drive: To drive carefully is not just to pay full attention to what you see but also to pay attention to what you hear as well. Listen to your engine noise and spot any unusual sound. Listen carefully to noises outside your car to avoid an accident.   

4.      Read: At the library, strict silence is to be observed.  The same is to be applied when you do reading at home. To derive goodness from what you read, you need to concentrate and be mindful. 

5.      Think: You do not want the train of thoughts to be interrupted and disturbed by unwelcomed noises. Thinking is hard and it can be easily distracted. 

6.      Write: Writing involves thinking and focus. Silence is the prerequisite to think and write creatively.   

7.     Just be quiet: Finding peace of mind is to seek peace and quiet in yourself. Meditate or just sit quietly alone and do nothing. Be in a state of calmness with nothing to disturb you. Listen to the sound of silence and get self-awareness. 

True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment, and refreshment. ~William Penn

Silence is golden.

7 Effective Blogging Tools

I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user. ~Bill Gates


What tools do you use for blogging, such as writing articles, getting images, copywriting attractive headlines, notifying others of your new blog posts and measuring the performance, competitiveness and authority of your site? These are the usual tools that I use every day:

1. Microsoft Word: This is the software that I use to input, arrange ideas and put them into a proper blog post. A tool is a tool and, it is up to the user to create words which are good for human consumption. It is able to check some of your errors but not all of your errors. A human being is still required to edit, proofread an article before it goes live. It is still a useful and effective tool to write articles.

2. Stock.xchng: Where do you get a constant supply of images to complement each and every article of yours without cost? Look no further and go to stock.xchng. When you are there, the easiest thing to do is to type the keywords of your article into the Advanced search space; you will be thrilled to find many images to suit your particular requirements. Just make your choice.

3. Google Analytics and Statcounter: These are the tools I use to measure the performance of my site. I get to know page views, unique visitors and returning visitors of my blog. I also get to know what my most popular articles are, where my visitors are coming from and what keywords they are using to reach my site. I can check my daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly data easily and many more things for free.

4. Headline Analyzer: How do I know my headline is impactful? Just go to Headline analyzer to find the Emotional Marketing Value of your title. The higher the value, the more attractive is the headline to attract the reader to read your article. By the way, it is free.

5. Ping.fm: How do you notify your social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many more all at once when you have posted a new article on your site? Let Ping.fm do the job for you for free instantly.

6. Alexa Traffic Rank: This is the tool I use to measure the competitiveness of my website. According to BlogPulse, there are more than 163 million blogs in the blogosphere and I am happy to be among the top 0.3% (rank around 400,000) sites on the Net.

7. Technorati Authority Rank This is to measure the authority of your site according to relevant sites linking to you currently. It fluctuates according to the prevailing status of your blog by the number of links you have got. When there are no new links, your authority drops immediately.

What tools do you use for blogging? Share with us.

10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 3)

Here are 10 positive words to provoke your thinking profoundly:

1.      Enthusiasm: It is the fire in you that propels you to do a great job. You like what you do and you put your heart and soul into it.

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm. ~Charles Schwab

 

2.      Excellence: One way to do a better job is to constantly ask yourself this question: Is there a better way that I can get this done?

Find something that you're really interested in doing in your life. Pursue it, set goals, and commit yourself to excellence. Do the best you can. ~Chris Evert

 

3.      Faith: You have the fullest confidence that you are doing the right thing and you will achieve the results as expected. It is a long way, but you will go for it all the way.

Faith is believing that the outcome will be what it should be, no matter what it is.  ~Colette Baron-Reid

4.      Forgiveness: Peace of mind is what you get when you forgive and forget. Fill your heart with love and kindness instead of hatred, anger, and jealousy.

Without forgiveness, life is governed by... an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.  ~Roberto Assagioli

5.      Fun: You deserve to have a break and have fun when you work the hardest. There is no fun in having fun when it is not a reward for a job done well.

In between goals is a thing called life that has to be lived and enjoyed. Sid Caesar

6.      Giving: You may not be able to do everything, but you can do something and make this world a better place to live.

Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more. ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

 

7.      Goals: Goals give you meaning in life. There is a direction to follow. There is something to do and there is hope.

I don't care how much power, brilliance, or energy you have, if you don't harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you're never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.  ~Zig Ziglar

8.      Gratitude: Life is worth living when you are thankful, grateful, and appreciative because you will be living in abundance.

Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to

you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation. ~Brian Tracy

 

9.      Happiness: Happiness is feeling good about yourself. It is a positive attitude.  It is the by-product of living life and doing the right things every day.

Each morning when I open my eyes I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it. ~ Groucho Marx

10.  Habit: Habits are the manifestation of your feelings and thoughts. When you think right and do right, good habits are formed.  

Successful people are simply those with successful habits. ~Brian Tracy

What are the words that impact you greatly? Share with us. 

Related posts:  10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 1)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 2)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 4)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 5)
10 Positive Words to Motivate You (Part 6 and Final)

Do You Know Your Bank Balance?

Have you ever issued bounced checks? Do you know your available bank balance before you issue a check? Do you maintain a daily record of your banking transactions? The only way to have a trouble-free relationship with your bank is to keep your bank accounts in order. The only way to do it is to keep your own record and reconcile with the monthly bank statements. Here are the things that you can do so that you are in control of your own bank accounts:

1.       Keep a simple record: You can keep track of your banking transactions on a piece of paper or you can use Excel to do a better job. From your opening bank balance just deduct checks issued and add money deposited so that you will know the balance in your bank account.   

Your own record

Date                  Transaction                         Amount               Balance

01/05/2011     Opening balance              1500.00                 1500.00

03/05/2011     Check issued No. 1001    900.00x                  600.00

10/05/2011    Check deposited                500.00 x               1100.00

20/05/2011     Check issued No. 1002    700.00 x                 400.00

31/05/2011     Check issued No. 1003    200.00                   200.00

31/05/2011     Check deposited              1000.00      1200.00                                

2.       When you receive the bank statement: You knock off those similar items in the bank statement and your own records such as checks issued and money deposited. There will be outstanding items appearing in the bank statement as well as your own record. Now you should take up those items in the bank statement that you have not taken up in your own records such as interest, standing orders and other bank charges. These charges are to be deducted from the balance of your own record.  The final figure is the closing balance of your bank account. However, it is not the amount available in your bank that you can use. You have to do reconciliation with the bank statement to determine the available fund.        

Bank statement (It is assumed that your opening balance and the bank’s opening balance are the same)

Date                  Transaction                         Amount               Balance

01/05/2011     Opening balance                    1500.00                +1500.00

05/05/2011     Check No. 1001                     900.00x                 +600.00

12/05/2011     Check Deposit                        500.00x                +1100.00

22/05/2011     Check No. 1002                     700.00x                  +400.00

31/05/2011     Bank charges                            50.00x                  +350.00            

Your own record updated

31/05/2011     Bank charges                           50.00x             1150.00

                            -

3.       The process of reconciliation: Remember there are some items in your own record which are not reflected in the bank statement, such as checks issued and money deposited not taken by your bank. You should now deducted those unpresented checks and add money deposited but not yet taken up by the bank from the bank balance to arrive at the reconciled balance. This figure should be the same as your own closing balance.

Bank Reconciliation Statement as at 31/05/2011

Balance as per bank statement                                                 350.00

Add:  Amount deposited but not taken up by bank                 1000.00

 Less: Amount withdrawn but not yet taken up by bank            200.00

Balance as per your own record                                            1150.00

You can do reconciliation at any time because you can go online to check your bank accounts.  But what is the available fund that you can utilize?   

             

4.       What is your available balance: The fund that you can safely mobilize is the amount stated in the bank statement less all unpresented checks issued by you. According to my simple example, you can now safely issue checks up to   950.00 without bouncing a single check. 

Reconciled Balance                                                       1150.00

Less: Amount withdrawn but not yet taken up                  200.00

Available fund                                                                 950.00

Do you think this article is helpful to manage your bank accounts?