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Sorting out the clutter within and around your workspace may seem less like a tool to improve your efficiency as a remote worker, but it is what it is.

Decluttering can be satisfying and when properly done, it gives you a sense of control that is absolutely empowering.

A lot of times we keep things around because we used to need them or think we might need them but that’s not how it always goes and most of these things just end up taking space. When this happens, the joy of having them around fades into some sort of irritation and frustration but by then, we are already too attached to let go. Still, you have to.

Living with or working around excessive stuff can cause you to constantly feel overwhelmed and lead you to procrastination because you already feel exhausted before getting to the things that need to be done.

So, first, think of decluttering your workspace as a way to put your life in order. The same reason why you wouldn’t want irrelevant things or persons to get attached to you is the same reason why you need to let go of anything in your workspace that no longer serves you. And, that reason is as simple as you need to breathe.

Although papers always seem handy and useful, they are one of the easiest ways to clog your workspace and since you work at home with no janitor to pick up after you, it’s very easy to pile them up.

Gather all the papers and carefully look through them to determine what stays and what goes. You may want to keep that piece you doodled on while having a crazy negotiation but remember that if it is not important, it has to go.

If you’re the type who manages stress by doodling, you should consider getting a sketch pad to keep all your doodles in one place instead of having pieces of paper or sticky notes filled with them lying around.

Getting rid of pens can be quite challenging but not only does keeping old pens around take up space, they can be very frustrating when you need one the most. So, save yourself the stress of having to search for a pen that works from a pile of old pens in the middle of a meeting on a sunny Monday afternoon.

Breaking ties with the past can be very difficult but letting go of damaged cables, outdated documents, broken gadgets and lots more, can show you that it’s okay to let go of other bigger things in your life that you’ve held onto for so long.

Also note that decluttering doesn’t always mean throwing things away. Sometimes, all you need to do is sort and organize things accordingly. Doing this helps you to know where to look when you need a thing instead of wasting your time.

Decluttering helps you get organized, manage space appropriately, save time, and working in such an environment is great for your ultimate productivity. Find time to declutter this month, you’d be glad you did.

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It is summer and kids are eager to play and exercise outside, however this is extremely dangerous for some kids, especially in the United Kingdom. The past few weeks have been critical for citizens in the United Kingdom as they recorded temperatures over 40C (104F), which led to fire blazes. High temperatures are dangerous, making healthy living difficult for both children and their caregivers. However, it is possible to stay safe during this heatwave.

Firstly, parents are encouraged to keep an eye on any symptoms. Hot weather causes loss of body fluids which can lead to dehydration, skin rash, irritability or weakness. As soon as you notice any unusual symptoms, contact your paediatrician.

Other symptoms in babies include:

Refusal to drink
Dry skin
Dizziness
Extreme exhaustion
Fever
Vomiting

All of these are symptoms that you should look out for in your children, as ignoring them can lead to more complications. While this blog post does not prescribe any form of treatment for these symptoms, you will learn a few tips to combat the heat and protect your children from heat-treated diseases. 'Water is life', you must have heard this a couple of times. Well, water is much needed at a time like this. So, keep your kids hydrated. Encourage them to drink water and ensure that it is easily available. If you are going out, take along some water bottles.

Children who are breastfeeding should be fed more frequently, especially for mothers practicing exclusive breastfeeding. Besides water, getting sunscreen is important. Sunscreen with an SPF is recommended for children above the age of six months. Whenever you are going out, apply sunscreen on your kids and yourself and save yourself from skin burn. Furthermore, when you are indoors, keep your rooms cool by closing curtains, especially if your room is facing the sun. Using a fan or air conditioner in the room is beneficial.

According to a speech by the UK Cabinet Office Minister, “People need to take care, do all the stuff they would do when it is very hot – wear a hat, drink water – but critically also the most vulnerable groups – the elderly, those with cardiovascular problems and the very young – that people look out for them and take care."Finally, the NHS advises parents to give babies a cool bath before bedtime and keep nightwear to a minimum. Ensure that your baby sleeps at a room temperature between 16C and 20C, you can monitor the room's temperature with a nursery temperature.

There are a couple of reasons why your skin may be looking dull and aged, regardless of your skin type. Having dry skin is usually a sign that your skin is not retaining moisture. This could be a result of using soaps that are harsh on your skin, constant bathing, the weather, or some medical conditions.

The skin mostly reflects the level of humidity around it, and low humidity, whether indoors or outdoors can dry up the skin. If you live in very cold climes, your skin may become dry in winter regardless of whether it is oily, combination, or naturally dry skin.

According to a post by the American Association of Dermatology, dry skin can flake, itch, crack and even bleed. If you're dealing with any of these symptoms, one of the best ways to relieve the skin of this discomfort is by moisturizing.

Moisturizing is necessary because it helps to rehydrate the topmost layer of your skin cells and seal in the moisture. Skin experts have warned against taking steamy hot showers or too many baths in a day because they tend to strip your skin of its oily layer which causes it to lose moisture.

It has been advised that you should limit your showers to nothing more than 5-10 minutes daily and you should also use warm water rather than hot water to keep your skin's natural oils and maintain moist and smooth skin.

Asides from hot baths, another thing you should avoid or limit is your use of soaps. If necessary, wash with soaps free of fragrance. Perfumed soaps. deodorant soaps or alcohol-based products can strip your skin of its natural oils and we want to ensure that they stay intact.

The same goes for your laundry; avoid detergents with fragrance and fabric softeners, or ensure you don't use them on clothes that have direct contact with your skin. Remember, you can't control the weather but you can choose your soap.

Also, bath sponges, scrubs, and washcloths are another set of seemingly not harmful things that hurt your skin and leave your skin dry and should be avoided or swapped for products with a lighter touch and that gentle feel on your skin. Although you may be used to rubbing your towel roughly all over your skin after a shower, try patting gently as you wipe going forward and you'd feel the difference. Once done, liberally apply your moisturizer to your damp skin and let it soak in.

However, if you don't already have a moisturizer, here are a few DIY moisturizing tips for you that can be easily put together from your pantry.

• Coconut oil - This contains fatty acids with emollient properties i.e fat or oil that acts as a moisturizer by filling the gap between skin cells and creating a smooth surface. You don't have to mix it with anything and it can be used daily even on sensitive areas of the body such as underneath your eyes and around your mouth.

• Honey - Honey is beneficial to the skin in more ways than one. It has moisturizing, healing, and anti-inflammatory properties. As a completely natural product, honey is safe to use on the skin.

• Oatmeal - Whether you are adding it to your bath or purchasing a cream that contains it, oatmeal is another great source of antioxidant and anti-inflammation that can help relieve dry skin, especially if it's itching.

• Petroleum jelly - You probably have one lying around somewhere in your apartment right now but are you aware that as mineral oil, petroleum jelly helps to cover your skin in a protective layer that traps moisture underneath? Well, it does and the result is a relief from dry and irritated skin patches.

This list could go on but even with all of these options, if you're not actively looking out for your skin at all times, they may not work for you. Lastly, extreme dryness of your skin may be an indication of a serious medical condition. So, if the home remedies aren't working, please see a doctor.

You've likely heard that sitting too much is not healthy. Sitting too much predisposes people to illnesses and health challenges. Unfortunately, the best of us spend half of our day sitting at our computer. Technology and the internet keeps a lot of us strapped to our computers and smartphones. If you are not working, you are either studying, in a meeting or seeing some movies on Netflix. On the other hand, we all appreciate the emergence of the internet, technology and several jobs, and we shouldn't be oblivious of the downsides of this reality.

While you can not change your desk job, you can definitely change the way you sit. You can never overestimate the importance of good posture. It is one of the simplest ways to keep your spine healthy.

It may take a few practices to eventually get the right sitting posture for your desk. But, when you do, you will certainly be doing your body some good. Sitting with proper alignment supports your muscles, improves your blood flow and keeps your bones healthy.

To get started, keep your knees at 90 degrees. Whether you are working or playing games, your elbows should be level with your desk and close to your body. This way, you don't have to extend your arms to reach your keyboard or mouse. At the same time, your lower back must be supported. So, if your chair doesn't have a built-in lumbar support, getting a small pillow behind you will be helpful. If the towel is too large, you may hurt your spine. Moreover, investing in the right gadgets or placing your monitors at a great angle is a plus. Ergonomic desk chairs are designed to support your body and reduce friction on your bones while you sit. These chairs are quite expensive and cost more than $100. While you may feel pressured, stressed or tired when working, the right posture keeps you relaxed.

Adjusting your chair can instantly improve your desk posture. Ensure that your legs are parallel with the ground and your hips and even with your knees. Moreso, your feet should be resting on the floor. You can elevate your feet to the right position using a stool. If you are wearing shoes or heels, removing them is the most comfortable.

In addition, most enthusiastic computer users understand the importance of keeping their screens at eye level. Depending on your type of computer, ensure that you adjust your monitor until it is about an arm's length away. If your computer's screen is too low or

high, it can strain your neck or eyes. In either case, you can place your monitor on stacks of books to adjust the height. If you want a formal tool, a monitor desk is more effective. A simple table like the AmazonBasics Adjustable Monitor Stand can add 5 inches of height to your monitor.

In conclusion, though the modern workplace doesn't invite much movement, adopting these simple tips can prevent straining and pinching. While it may feel weird adjusting to a new position, with consistency your muscles will adjust to new habits.

Children are more vulnerable to diseases than adults because of their growing immune systems. Infants and preschool children cannot fully control what they touch or put in their mouths, which could expose them to many bacteria.

This is why their growing immune system must stay strong to fight against infection. You don't have to worry about what happens on the playground or at school.

With so many things to be mindful of when parenting preschool children, getting the right vitamins and nutrients for your child's diet is essential to their growth and health. Due to the rapid development and growth between 0-15 years, kids require a variety of vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are critical for energy, attention, learning, memory, and growth. When it comes to boosting a child's immune system, supplementing food with vitamins contributes significantly to your health.

If you are looking for the best way to boost your kid's immunity, here are 4 vitamins that are scientifically proven to support immunity.

Vitamin C

Have you ever considered the benefits of vitamin C? Besides its primary role in supporting the body's immune system, vitamin C also helps fight allergies. Certain foods contain vitamin C, such as Chili peppers, guavas, strawberries, and oranges. If your kids are lovers of oranges, you are on the right path to a healthy life.

Vitamin D

Are you looking for the best ways to build your kid's immunity against infections? Vitamin D is another critical nutrient needed for your kid's immune system to function properly. While children can get vitamin D by soaking up early sunshine during summer, it is harder during winter. Hence, you must feed your children with vitamin D foods, such as salmon, sardines, cod liver oil, egg yolks, and canned tuna. In most cases, mothers can also include a daily Vitamin D supplement to obtain enough nutrients.

Zinc

Growth and development are an integral part of every child’s life, and every parent desires to raise healthy and smart children. It has been scientifically proven that children with inadequate zinc experience poor physical and mental development. Foods containing zinc play a significant role in improving memory span and healthy immune systems. Feeding your school children with dried beans, cereals, seafood, and whole grains will enhance their learning abilities.

Multivitamins

Imagine having a wide array of vitamins in one pack. You don't have to feed your kids with multiple vitamin supplements. Multivitamins contain varieties of vitamins and minerals that the body needs. Vitamins such as Vitamin A, C, D, and B complex will keep your kid's immune system healthy. In most cases, multivitamins come handy if a child is on a restrictive diet or is a picky eater.

Moreover, many kids do not eat enough veggies and healthy foods to maintain strong immune systems. Hence, the most efficient way to guard your kid's health is to provide them with essential nutrients to stay healthy. What other ways can mothers promote their children's immune system? Drop your answers in the comment section.

Eating healthy is an investment that keeps your body energized for most of the day. In other words, a healthy diet enables creativity and reduces stress. A lot of fitness enthusiasts understand the benefits of eating power-packed diets and its effects on their performance.

Have you ever considered the dangers of poor health as an entrepreneur? Stress and sickness make running your business and managing your family difficult. It is unarguably a fact that poor nutrition is detrimental to your health.

Meanwhile, choosing between healthy diets and junk is challenging for many people. Whether you are an entrepreneur, parent, or athlete, there are varieties of foods to consider in your diet. However, many unhealthy food options contain a large amount of junk, excessive preservatives, and inadequate vitamins, making eating a balanced diet almost impossible. Considering these challenges, most people battle stress, fatigue, and different health conditions. Undoubtedly, proper nutrition improves your health in every way; It will boost your mental ability and strength and boost your energy.

Have you ever tried analyzing a project or writing exams after eating a poorly prepared meal? I bet you felt dizzy and perhaps fatigued all through the day. Nobody wants to walk into the boardroom looking worn out. Therefore, eating a power-packed meal is important for your best performance.

You can deliver a great speech and perform wonderfully when you start your day with a nutritious meal. Eating power-packed meals is essential if you plan to maintain a high energy level. We’ll discuss five power-packed foods you can add to your meals.

To get started, adding some grain to your diet is a great way to boost your energy. Eating a bowl of grains every morning will provide your body with energy all through the day. Oats are rich in fiber and can make you feel fuller than snacks. Other grains like popcorn and brown rice are also excellent sources of carbohydrates.

Meanwhile, vegans can still enjoy some energy-boosting foods every day. Most vegetables are primary sources of minerals and vitamins. Yams and potatoes are sources of carbohydrates and provide energy to the body. Dark chocolate and leafy green can also improve your productivity and energy level. Moreso, vegetable smoothies are also a great way to keep your energy level while working.

Also, fish is a source of protein and vitamins that can sustain your energy throughout the day. Tuna fish and sardines are rich in omega-3 acids, improving brain functions and reducing tiredness.

Lovers of beef and meats are not left out; beef liver contains vitamin B, which keeps your body full of energy. Yogurts and eggs are also protein sources and provide the body with more energy than snacks.

Furthermore, apples are effective antioxidants; scientifically proven to fight stress and infection. An apple not only keeps doldrums away but also keeps stress off your back. Fruits are sources of different minerals and vitamins that can provide you with a high energy level. For example, Bananas are rich in sugar and fiber, and they also aid digestion. Other fruits such as oranges, rich in vitamin C, and strawberries are also great energy-boosting fruit.

Similarly, eating beans is a great way to boost your energy. Whether soybeans or lentils, beans, and legumes can also contribute to a healthy and productive day; many nuts and seeds are combinations of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Eating a bowl of beans for breakfast or any other time of the day will give you the necessary energy to achieve your daily goals.

Moreover, eating well can boost your mood. As an entrepreneur, your mood can affect your interaction with your team and customers to a large extent. Learn to start each day with these power-packed diets. In conclusion, These are just a few foods that can boost your energy level. If you have questions about the kinds of foods to eat, I recommend visiting your physician or dietitian.

Every business owner desires to build a successful business; however, what most entrepreneurs do out of a high level of entrepreneurial enthusiasm, is hop on every potential opportunity for sales and visibility that comes their way instead of finding their focus.

A few years ago, I met up with a guy just starting a consulting business. He just wanted to ensure that he had something to offer every time there was a chance to make money. When I asked him about his offerings, he took his time to read me a long list of the services he intended to provide. Still, by the time he was done, I was as clueless about the focus of his business as I had been before he began his explanation.

After all these years, I still see that guy in many entrepreneurs today.

Although it is not a bad idea to seize opportunities, most business owners mix it up to make sales and keep the business running. They wander all over the place with different offerings and strategies that end up confusing customers as to what the company offers.

To truly succeed in business, you have to set clearly defined goals and achieve – if not all – a significant amount of them. These goals are the key metrics that indicate when you’re on the path to excellent performance and top-notch execution of your business or otherwise. And, one sure way to achieve your goals is by being consistent. But, consistency can be an extreme sport, so the focus is essential. Inconsistency thrives in the absence of focus, but focus helps you keep track of your successes and failures, another important aspect of building your business. One major benefit of being focused is that it ensures that you efficiently exert your entrepreneurial energy. It allows you to invest all your energy and concentration into getting things right before moving to the next phase instead of focusing on multiple things and delivering average results.

At different stages of your entrepreneurial journey, you’d have different things to focus on. For instance, before launching your business, you should focus on defining your niche, your audience, the products or services you are offering, your marketing strategy, and so on. After launching, you can focus on monitoring your leads, managing cash flow, controlling prices, building customer loyalty, and so much more, depending on the scale of your business. Focus is important because it helps you move on to other goals after achieving the set ones. It also helps you to optimize the tasks you're working on and get the best results from them before moving on.

Summarily, paying attention to one thing at a time helps you deliver great value through your business and enhance the growth of your business which ultimately enables you to generate a steady income and have a foothold in the marketplace. If you’re not familiar with doing one thing at a time, my advice for you is to try it for a day, a week, one month, etc., and compare the results you have with what you used to have before you read this post.

Need help finding focus in your business? You’re on the right track! Book an appointment with me today to get started

Dealing with employees, customers, sales, and the desire to be a better leader is an exhausting routine but this is the reality of most entrepreneurs and, in the midst of all these, it’s easy to overlook the need for a community, talk less of a global community.

As a small business owner in a large market place with series of competitors contending for the highest share of the market sales, the probability of becoming overwhelmed is high and this could cause you to panic.

However, you shouldn’t.

The world has experienced a lot of changes in recent times and for most businesses, it is no longer business as usual. But despite the uncertainties, a lot of businesses have adapted to the changes and are thriving. And, your business can be a part of them. Building a global community as an entrepreneur is possible as long as you can put in the effort. Start by defining your niche before you consider building a community whether locally or globally.

To define your niche, ask yourself these few questions

What exactly is my business?
What do we stand for?
How are we different from the competition?
What type of people should be part of our community?

Once, you’ve answered these questions, you can proceed to choose the best platforms to target your potential community members. In this day and age, you will be doing your business a great disservice if it does not have an online presence. So, go digital!

Also, to thrive as a small business, you must find and use the right digital tools. Use these social media platforms to create content tailored specifically to the needs of your audience. These contents can be scheduled ahead and automatically published when due to ease your stress.

Another rewarding way you can build your global community is to invest in email marketing. Stay connected with your customers via personalized and targeted email marketing solutions which eventually would lead to a meaningful customer relationship that would form part of the customer’s experience.

Search engine optimization (SEO) creates a strong searchable presence for your business online. So, ensure that the details of your business are always correct at all times. In the absence of major physical events and gatherings, you should also leverage on social media platforms to discover virtual events and networking opportunities around you that you can be a part of. When you attend any, reach out to brands that catch your attention and establish professional relationships. After some time, you can discuss collaborating with them if their goals and yours align.

Other ways you can build a global community for your business include; building awareness around your brand via solid content marketing, and consistently distributing and redistributing your content. Also, never forget to always make your customers happy as it good for PR and increases the chance of spreading the word about your business.

In 1954, Austrian-American management consultant, Peter Drucker said “it is the customer who determines what a business is, what it produces, and whether it will prosper” but still, years later, a lot of businesses are still struggling to build a valuable customer-centric business.

Building a business that is customer-centric is about putting customers at the core of your business so that they can have a positive experience before and after sales. This strategy is useful as it encourages customers to return to do business with you and develop loyalty to your brand which will improve the growth of your business.

With large businesses, there’s an overwhelming volume, velocity, and variety of customer data to sift through in order to build a customer–centric business, especially if the business is just embracing the culture. However, as a small business owner, you can imbibe this culture and make it a part of your business as you scale up in these four simple ways.

Here Are Four Tips That Have Helped My Business Over The Years

1. Establish a Mutually Beneficial Relationship: Your customers are not just numbers to be measured or analyzed when you take inventory of your business, they are humans and as a result they respond to empathy. Start by having a significant amount of empathy for your customers that enables you to identify their emotional needs, understand the background of their needs, and respond appropriately to those needs.

You can achieve this by shifting the focus of your business from just sales of your products and services to prioritizing the customer and the experience they have upon interacting with your brand at any point.

2. Get Customer Experience Feedback: Feedback provides insight into how your customers feel about your business and you must understand by now how important the feelings of your customers are. If your customers are happy with your product or service, the likelihood of them promoting and protecting the reputation of your business are high. So, always pay attention to the bits of information they share with you and commit to serve them.

3. Set Up a Customer-Oriented Team: Your team is the face of your business and most customer experience will be shaped by the interactions they have with the team. Hence, before onboarding any new team members (regardless of the role that they play), always assess them to ensure that they are aligned to customer-centric thinking and understand it’s importance to your business.

4. Introduce an Element of Risk: Motivate your team to always align with the customer-centric culture of your business by linking their actions to customer outcome. Ensuring that every member of your team prioritizes customers and their need will help you keep present customers and attract new customers which in turn puts your business a step ahead in the journey of building a valuable customer-centric business.

Building a valuable customer-centric business can be complex and long but the benefits outweigh its complexities. Always remember that your business is all about the customer and their need but being customer-centric is mutually beneficial.

Growth is a prerequisite for the long-term survival of every business. However, growth is determined by several factors such as customer retention, quality services, and marketing strategies. Considering the competition in the marketplace, there is a need for effective customer retention strategies. Increased customer engagement can increase your profits by 25-95%.

Here are my best strategies to keep existing customers

Offer Value: There are two sellers in the marketplace. The individual offers value throughout the year, and the other focuses on quantity instead of quality. The first seller will retent more customers than the latter. In the same vein, offering value to your customers consistently improves your revenue.

Moreover, there is a need to set up a great structure that helps you solve your customers' needs. Making your customers' problems disappear with little or no hassle is the best way to value your customers. As a result, you can retain them. Doing this leaves them with an experience they cannot find elsewhere, even when you are not the only one vying for their attention.

Great Customer Service: One way to achieve this is to know what your current customers think of your business and the products/services you offer. An excellent place to start would be getting feedback from as many existing customers as possible.

First, choose a survey method that works best for your business but ensure that it is not cumbersome or complicated. When you have received sufficient feedback, proceed to review and analyze the information based on common trends and behaviors displayed in customer feedback. With this, you can determine how to and what to improve to offer great customer service that keeps your customers coming back.

Customer Loyalty Program: Customer retention can also be achieved by making customers happy, but how do you make them happy? One way to accomplish this is by offering Customer Loyalty Programs; these programs are usually applied the more customers patronize and interact with your business. Interaction do not only increase the engagement level of your customers, but they also create an experience that extends beyond buying and using your products/services by rewarding customers for being a part of your community, therefore, keeping them committed to your business.

In conclusion, customers retention is a process and a lifelong commitment. So, take your time, build a strategy that allows you solve customer's problems. You will definitely experience a steady increase in customer retention if you practice the above in your business.

Here Are Four Tips That Have Helped My Business Over The Years

Here are my best strategies to keep existing customers

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