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Six Things Every Guy Should Know Before Popping the Question

August 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Now that you’ve decided to take the plunge and pop the biggest question of your life, it’s time to stop for a second and make sure all your bases are covered. Before following through with your decision, review this list to make sure you are completely prepared to get down on one knee.

1. Be Sure of Her Answer First

If you don’t have a clue about whether the answer will be yes or no, you shouldn’t propose yet. This can be an expensive and embarrassing mistake. Casually bring up the idea of marriage and children at an appropriate time or pay attention to what she has to say about other people’s marriages. Most women don’t have a problem letting you know when they’re ready for a lifelong commitment.

2. Choose the Perfect Ring

Because this ring will serve as the symbol of your love and commitment–and she’ll want to show it off to friends and family–choosing the right engagement ring is crucial. If you don’t already know what she likes, spend some time window shopping together. For a truly impressive ring that fits your budget, get creative with your shopping venues. Many people find beautiful engagement rings on eBay.

3. Plan the Proposal

Before you go any further, know how you will propose. This is a story your bride will be telling your grandchildren. Spend a few minutes and put some effort into coming up with a creative way that will make that story worth telling.

4. Be Prepared for Anything

Because an engagement ring can be a big investment, it’s great to know you’re prepared for anything. With a great insurance policy or a rider on your home-owner’s or renter’s policy, you’ll never have to worry about:

  • Your best man losing the ring
  • A thief breaking in and stealing the ring
  • Your bride dropping the ring down the drain
  • Either one of you tossing the ring into the ocean during a spat (It could happen!)

5. Keep it on the Down Low

Face it: Everyone has a friend with a big mouth. To make sure you surprise your bride-to-be, keep your plans a complete secret or know who you can trust.

6. Decide How You’ll Celebrate and Tell Everyone

After she says yes, you’ll both want to tell everyone and throw an engagement party. Allow her to tell her best girlfriends, her parents, and her sisters in her own time, but take some of the pressure off her by deciding on the perfect way to celebrate with your bigger circle of friends and family. Of course, you should double check to make sure she agrees with your ideas before carrying out your party plans.
Being prepared before popping the question is the best way to make sure everything goes smoothly. How will you propose?

Filed Under: Productivity

The Art of Multitasking

July 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
You have a million things to do, but can never seem to get yourself organized enough to do everything efficiently. If this sounds like you, you may want to acquaint yourself with the art of multitasking.
Multitasking is a delicate art that requires a lot of organizing and balance. If you are not a naturally organized person, you may want a little help.
It’s no secret that day to day life can get hectic. Managing school and work can require a delicate balance that can sometimes get out of control. To keeps things running smoothly in your life, here are some ways to multitask more effectively.

Become a Scheduling Maniac

Okay, so maybe not a maniac, but at least fanatical. If you need to multitask effectively, then up-to-date scheduling should form a large part of your daily processes. Schedules help you to stay in control by telling you:

  • what you have to do each day
  • at what time it needs to be done
  • how long it will take
  • who will be involved.

Successful business people have long known the benefits of scheduling. If you are a busy mum or student, then you too can reap the benefits of such an effective time keeping and organizing method. It will give you a very quick picture of your tasks so you can decide the level of importance of each one.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed With the Big Picture

Many small tasks are involved in completing a bigger task, and many of these small tasks will need to be completed with your fantastic multitasking skills. Focus on what you have to do in the now, and break things down into manageable tasks. Only break down tasks as small as they need to go. If you break them down too far, you may inadvertently be giving yourself added pressure.
Decide what can be done together, and then stick to it. Remember, do the most important first!

Practice Multitasking Mise en Place

In cooking, all of the ingredients are prepared beforehand to make cooking easier. In multitasking, a similar practice should be adhered to for the best results.

Before you begin each day, prep your work area (or yourself) so that you will not have to stop what you are doing because you need to find something. If you are going to be at a desk all day working on a business project or a school assignment, have everything you think you will need close by. Without this, your multitasking groove may be interrupted and you might lose focus.

Multitasking can be challenging. However, with a few simple ideas it can become easy as pie!
What are some ways you tackle multitasking?

Filed Under: Productivity, Time Management

Android Cell Phone FAQ: Put Your Fears to Rest

July 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

With the ubiquitous Apple ad campaign for the iPhone — from billboards to cabs to subway terminals, and other public spaces — you would think the computing giant is running away with the cell phone market, as well as taken over the world. Not true.

It turns out Apple’s smartphone operating system, iOS, and the iPhone, have a very worthy opponent: Android. So, if you own a prepaid blackberry or you’re an Android user suffering from an inferiority complex because of all the Apple propaganda, it’s time to put your fears to rest. You will see that the Android army is much bigger and better equipped than you think.

No one will EVER beat Apple in the smartphone market, right?

Wrong. In 2010, Androids made up 33% of the smartphone market, compared to 22% by iPhone. From 2009 to 2010, Android’s share of the smartphone market increased by 16% while Apple only experienced a 4% bump. Over the past two years, activations of Android phones have increased up to 100,000 a day. If this were a candy market, Android would be a chocolate bar and the iPhone, black licorice.

Are Android phones cool enough for hipsters?

Definitely. Androids are perfect for young, tech-savvy professionals living in the city, who love to drink PBR in a can and wear trucker caps, better known as hipsters. In fact, people under the age of 34 make up 60% of Android users. Past your mid-30s it’s time to stop being a hipster, well, at least stop wearing skinny jeans.

Can a business tycoon use an Android?

Yes. More Android owners use their devices for other things than playing games. Consider 37% of users spend the majority of their time on email and 21% on games. Compare that to iPhone users who drop seven times more money on games.

Plus, there are numerous Android business apps available that can do everything from build spreadsheets to manage projects and make monetary transactions.

Can Android users help save the economy?

Sure. Android users are good spenders, who can help pump money into the economy. For one, each month Android users are twice as likely to make a purchase or payment on their smartphones as owners of other devices. In addition, Android owners are active consumers, clicking on ads 81% more than their iPhone counterparts.

Just how manly are Android users?

 Very; 73% of people that own an Android smartphone are male. Meanwhile, males make up 57% of iPhone users. While reports that women find men who own iPhones more attractive have been overblown, owning a smartphone still can’t compare to owning a dog.

Isn’t Android another corporate tool for world domination?

No way. Unlike other devices that run on technology from Apple or Microsoft, Android is the only open source operating system used on major smartphone devices. That means, its 12 million lines of code is available for all to see, in significant contrast to other proprietary systems that keep all their information well guarded, likely hidden in a deep mountain cave shared by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Satan.

So is there only one phone, like iPhone, that features Android technology?

Not at all. You can find Android on 7 of the 10 best-selling smartphones in the world. For those keeping score in the battle against Apple, that’s 7 to 1. And it doesn’t stop there. Android also operates on numerous devices including TVs, e-readers, netbooks, and tablet computers.

Are there enough Android apps to satisfy an app-addict?

Always. In the past two years, the Android Market increased the number of its apps from 16,000 to 70,000. Since its release, there have been more than 1 billion apps downloaded. That should keep any user on an app high.

Did most Android users sign up because the phone was a Christmas gift from their grandmother?

Of course not. Nearly 10% of Android users were actually once iPhone users. Meanwhile, over half of Android users chose an Android device as their very first smartphone. And a whopping 100% of people that received an Android smartphone for Christmas from their grandmother said they have a cool grandmother.

Is it true that Android is only big in Germany like David Hasselhoff?

 False. While nothing will reach the heights of popularity like David Hasselhoff in Germany, the Android is pretty big in the U.S. with 66% of its users residing there. China comes in second; followed by numerous countries in Europe, including Germany.

Conclusion

Are you still fearful? These answers should help alleviate any concerns current and potential recruits to the Android army have about Android’s place in the world of smartphones.

As it turns out, Android is doing quite well with its bad self, making a name in a plethora of electronic devices. Like in a game of Risk, Android is growing around the globe and will continue to do so for years.

Filed Under: Benefits, Productivity

7 Cool Things Your Smartphone Can Do

July 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Smartphones are almost everything geeks have ever dreamed of. The phrase, “there’s an app for that” is symbolic. True geeks dream of solving every conceivable problem. Having an app for that simply means that a particular problem has been solved. Let’s take a look at some solutions available on smartphones today.

1. Need a Level?

Eliminating the need for a long piece of metal with tubes of liquid at either end, smartphones offer the ability to determine the slope of virtually anything. That’s a lot more convenient than digging through a toolbox in the garage to find an old school level!

2. Locate Yourself

Know where you are, but not where you’re headed? Know where you’re headed, but not where you are? Either situation is simply handled by the GPS inside a smartphone, which can direct you where you’re going or tell you where you are in a moment.

3. Remote Control

Don’t wonder where you put the remote ever again; whip your phone out of our pocket and control the TV with it instead. Want to bug your pals or play practical jokes? Sync up to their TV and change channels on their set when you visit. They’ll never figure it out.

4. Portable Jukebox

With speakers that play music externally, your smartphone need not only be listened to as a personal music player with headphones. Jam out to your favorite tunes with your buddies wherever you find yourselves — hiking, hanging around in the garage, or even on the sidewalk as you wait for another pal to arrive.

5. Keep in Touch

Snapping pictures on one’s phone has been common for a decade. What’s new is the ability to share the picture you just snapped with all of your Facebook friends by sending it directly from your phone to your FB account. That’s a lot cooler than having to wait until you get home and plug your camera in with a wire.

6. Help Control Your Finances

If you’re smart enough to use a prepaid credit card to keep from overspending, you’re aware how easy it is to lose track of how much you’ve spent in the whirlwind of life. Get text alerts with the Reach card and never worry about running short of funds on a date again!

7. Blog from the Field

If you run a blog, chances are you’re interested in posting new stuff frequently. Why wait until you’re at your desktop or laptop computer? With a smartphone, you can blog while you wait at the airport or even provide updates from a chef’s kitchen or during waiting times at an amusement park. In short, any time you’d otherwise be standing around unoccupied can now be blogging time.

As the unusual becomes normal, the term geek is becoming harder to quantify. It’s hard not to appreciate a smartphone that seems as if it can do everything. Has a smartphone revolutionized your life?

Filed Under: Productivity

Staying Organized with Technological Advancements

July 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Google Calendar

Image by HRC via Flickr

There are many ways that technology can help individuals stay organized. Whether in a business sense or simply for personal use at home, gadgets can help to eliminate clutter and reduce how much a person must rely on paper documents to stay on top of appointments and other events.

The Google Calendar is very useful for anyone with a Google account, as it allows for updating from anywhere with Internet access. Many individuals choose to sync the calendar items with their Smartphones in order to keep track of things while on the go. Another great tool is iGoogle, which allows users to customize their Google home page to feature news and updates on subjects about which they are interested in learning. This saves time because users won’t have to visit multiple sites to get the latest information. Craft enthusiasts can create online scrapbooks instead of paper scrapbooks that will take up space and clutter the home.

Even small business owners and employees can use technology to keep track of products and services. Instead of keeping lengthy logs of every item that comes into the warehouse or store, there are tracking devices that can quickly scan products, log them into the database, and be done. This eliminates the need for boxes of paperwork to keep track of items. It also helps to save time for employees who can perform a simple search with a few clicks, instead of having to hunt through logs.

When trying to get a home or office organized, turn to technology to help. Backing up files is smart, and it can be much simpler than trying to keep paper trails.

Filed Under: Benefits, Productivity Tagged With: , ,

Family Fitness Lifestyle Change

June 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There is no doubt that our current lifestyles are so busy, so crammed full of things we must do that we can’t find time to do things we should do. One such thing we truly need to find time to fit into our schedules is family fitness. It is easy to argue that we are too tired after a hard day at work (or running errands, cleaning house, taking kids to soccer).  This may be true enough, but it doesn’t really excuse us from the duty of taking care of our families – and our physical fitness is definitely a duty we shouldn’t leave unmet.

Personal trainer monitoring a client's movemen...

Image via Wikipedia

We tend to think we are doing pretty well by providing our families with healthy food, a safe home and a good education. These things are important and certainly play an important part in family fitness, but they don’t complete the entire picture. Some form of exercise, planned and implemented by the parents needs to also be part of our plan for keeping our family healthy and in good shape.

Family fitness is a relatively new concept, but refers to how families need to work out together as a means of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  And this new lifestyle commitment isn’t just about keeping your family physically fit, but also increases family relationships as this time excising and playing together creates a new venue for building memories, sharing stories, talking about work or school and addressing challenges  your children are facing in their lives.  This new increasing trend among families in America is a positive, healthy new improvement.

 

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Tips for a healthy lifestyle

May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Junk food copy 

Image via Wikipedia

 

 

There are several physical and mental health related problems facing people today. Most of these problems are somehow linked to a stressful and unhealthy lifestyle. People work long hours at desk jobs, get very little to no exercise and eat unhealthy diets that include high calorie junk food. Having a hectic life also deprives people with enough of time to dedicate to themselves as well as family and friends. This in turn impacts personal relationships. People often find themselves leading lonely lives and are prone to alcohol addiction, substance abuse and depression.

 

If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, then you have to take the first steps yourself. If you are wondering on what exactly you can change in order to live a healthier, more fulfilled life, here are some lifestyle tips that can be very useful:

 

  1. Education doesn’t end once you pass out of college or university. Learning is meant to be a lifelong activity. So keep educating yourself about things you didn’t know about before. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to face challenges in life. As a parent, you will be able to pass on greater knowledge to your children.
  2. If you suffer from obesity or need to lose weight, chances are that you may need to go on a strict but healthy diet. This can be quite tough if you don’t have your loved ones backing you up! So arrange for a support group consisting of family and close friends who can help you through the regime. You will be able to stick to your diet and lose weight gradually but surely!
Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: , ,

Want to have a better lifestyle?

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

People usually talk about changing their lifestyles in order to beat stress or have better health. However, some people get confused as to what exactly a lifestyle means. A lifestyle is exactly what the word says, it is the style with which you lead your life. It includes everything from the kind of job you have, your daily schedule, who your friends are, what kind of relationships you share, what you your financial condition is, how healthy you are, everything!

 

If you are facing health problems, it is most likely that there is something wrong with your lifestyle. Although many people know what is wrong with the way that they are living, some don’t realize that small changes to their lifestyle can make a huge different in the quality of life they live. Here are a few tips on how you can change your lifestyle for the better:

 

  1. Temptation can be a major lifestyle spoiler and excessive indulgence can lead to addictions. You could get addicted to anything like alcohol, drugs, food, partying or even work! The key is to know your limits and never exceed them. Remember to be moderate and not extreme in anything that you do.
  2. You will be amazed how many diseases and illnesses can be prevented by just having plenty of water every day. So carry a bottle of water wherever you go, in your car, at the mall or when taking a walk. Even at work, walking to the cooler for a drink of water can be difficult when you are busy. Instead, fill up a bottle and keep it with you so that you can drink more regularly.

 

Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: , ,

Doing Your Due Diligence

May 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to putting your name behind something, it is important to make sure that you have all of your facts straight. You will want to be seen as a reliable source of information about the topic that you are covering. The best way to do this is to make sure that you thoroughly research your subject before you begin to put your information out there to the public.

Brochures are an excellent way to get your message across to a wide range of different people. The versatility of this highly effective marketing medium is what really sets it apart from some of the other methods of marketing. You can make your particular document colorful as you like. You can emblazon it with the name of your organization as well as your motto, seal, and crest. You can also go for the clean and simple look as well. By using a simple black-and-white format for your marketing media, you can get your message across without detracting attention from it with splashy graphics and the like.

Before you visit the printer with the layout for your brochures, it is best if you check and double check all of your information and the images that you want to use. You will want your marketing information to be very accurate. If the information is fluid and likely to change, consider adding a note stating that the information was accurate as of the pertinent date. This will help your reputation as a rock-solid source of accurate information when marketing your company.

 

Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: , ,

An Alternative to Traditional Credit Cards

April 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Whether you need to start building your credit history from scratch, or if you’d like to make improvements on past credit mistakes, the Vision prepaid card can help. It’s a convenient and safe way to pay for purchases, take care of bills and control your spending.

The use of this prepaid card can also help you build your credit score. A credit score is very important because when it is high, it can help you achieve life’s milestones such as buying a house or a car. However, it can be hard to build a credit score, especially if you haven’t used a lot of credit cards before, or had to make many recurring payments.

The Vision prepaid card helps you build a credit score, but since you only have access to a predetermined amount of funds, you don’t have to worry about overspending. When you use this prepaid card to pay your bills, you can build credit at the same time, so it’s a great way to teach yourself how to manage your money responsibly.

Also, a prepaid card is a good option for college students who may not have the benefit of a credit history to help when they need to do things like apply for housing or open a bank account.

Finally, this prepaid card allows you to login to an online account to track exactly how you’re spending your money in a convenient and user-friendly way. If you’re looking for an easy way to pay bills while building your credit, track spending and have a convenient way to purchase things, a prepaid card offers a triple whammy of user benefits.

Filed Under: Productivity Tagged With: , ,
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