We live in a world where we’re bombarded with things that seem out of our control. The economy is tanking, crime is rampant, we have global warming, you name it, you’ve probably heard it. It’s really easy to feel anxious and stressed since technology has allowed the media to expose all this information to us 24/7. We feel stressed because after seeing all this, we get the feeling that we have little to no control in our lives with regard to these matters.

We all want some form of control in our lives, to attain a certain sense of calmness and peace of mind in this hectic world we live in today. Perhaps there have been times when you felt like you were in control, but you find that it slowly erodes due to the constant exposure of news that reminds us what we are not in control of.

As a result, it’s easy to fall into victim mode, to blame others, to make excuses, and inadvertently rob ourselves of that powerful idea of personal power.

So how do you get back that feeling of control in your life?

Stop.

Just stop.

And close your eyes.

And take notice of how you’re breathing.

Then focus on controlling it by drawing in slow, deep breaths.

Control your breathing and you’ll be taking the first best step you can take in getting back control of your life simply because breathing is so fundamental to life itself. It’s the quickest and easiest thing you can do to get back some measure of control in your life and reconnect the mind and body while you’re at it. When you concentrate on controlling your breathing, the world slows down, your head stops spinning, and everything that reminds you of what you’re not in control of will get blocked out as your sole focus is on your breathing.

It’s a great stress reliever for that simple fact - it puts you back in control of something that’s important in your life that you can control. We tend to stress over the things we feel we have no control over, but when we control what we can while blocking out all those things we feel we can’t, it’s a deadly one-two punch to the overall feeling of not being in control.

The second thing to do is to take the idea of controlling your breathing to the next level by exercising. You take it to the next level in the sense that you take control of your entire body which is again, something within your control. You can control how much exercise you do, how intensely you do it, what kind of exercise to do etc., and again, it’s something you can FOCUS your mind on, canceling out all the things you feel like you have no control over in the process, plus you get the good endorphin rush to counter any negative emotions of helplessness that may arise as well.

But sooner or later, no matter how much you concentrate on breathing and exercising, you can’t block the things that you feel are out of your control forever, so what to do then?

Let them in, but FIRST, realize that there is giant FILTER standing in between YOU and everything out there you feel you can’t control.

The problem here is that media automatically acts as the filter for YOU. The media tells you what the message is from all the news out there and as a result, you feel stressed, because you never had a chance to control what that message was in the first place.

It went straight through.

You accepted the meaning others put on it.

Now is the time to step back and say wait.

I DECIDE how I’m going to view this event.

I DECIDE how I’m going to view the things I can’t control.

I know that I can’t control it, but I know I can control my REACTION to it.

And therefore, I know I can establish my own frame of how I want to view and act from it.

Once you have that proper frame put in place, now it’s time to stop reacting and to start ACTING simply because taking action based on the frame that you established reinforces your sense of control, because you controlled what the frame was and now you’re controlling your actions that are based on that frame.

When you take action, it’s important to remember to FOCUS, because remember, focus blocks out everything except what you’re focusing on.

Focus on doing ONE thing at a time from the list of things you decided to do based on the frame you decided to establish. It will help to block out any temptations of accepting other people’s frame that they might impose on you.

With the biggest drop in history of the U.S stock market occurring yesterday, with the failure to pass the 700 billion dollar bailout, with the whole mess going on in the financial markets, it’s easy for people to start feeling like they have no control over their lives. The economy is bad, banks are restricting lending, credit isn’t flowing, jobs are being cut, inflation is getting higher, and it’s as if the whole kitchen sink has been thrown at not only the American people, but all those around the world as the American economy is integrated into the global economy.

Amidst all this economic doom and gloom, it’s easy to feel like everything’s out of control, but it’s important as what was outlined in the beginning of this article to just stop.

Stop.

And breathe.

To focus on the one simple thing you can control and that’s fundamentally important to your life.

Then, to take it to the next level by exercising, so as to get an even better sense of control, while enjoying a stronger mind and body, as well as the euphoric effects of the endorphin rush that ensues.

Now it’s time to decide how you will view all the economic news. How will you filter it? What kind of frame will you establish?

Some might view it as an opportunity to take a better look at their finances and to really take control over it.

Some might view it as an opportunity that can serve as a catalyst to kick them in the butt to get them out of that trap of complacency by seeing how they can increase their skill sets or start that side business to earn extra income.

Some might view it as an opportunity to really count their blessings.

However they view it, whatever frame they choose to establish, they will take action accordingly with regard to it.

In the end, we find that there’s a lot we can control in our lives and a lot we can’t. It’s only when we know the difference between the two by acting on what we can control, and establishing a frame on what we can’t and deciding what we can do based on that and actually getting FOCUSED enough on doing it, one step at a time, can we get back that much sought important feeling of control in our lives until we find ourselves eloquently stating the words of William Ernest Henly:

“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.”

Most companies now have websites to either sell their products or their services to potential customers. Unless you capture someone’s attention immediately they will quickly leave your site and go somewhere else. Let’s suppose they have not left your site immediately, your chance of getting a sale is greatly increased the longer someone stays on your site. So the trick is to keep people on your website for as long as possible and we have put together a few tips that you can employ.

1. Add Free Information

One of the best things you can do in order to keep people interested is to provide them with free information. This can very easily be done by adding an article section or a blog to your website. You will then be able to add information on your industry and sector that people can read about.

This has two effects, firstly it will make your visitors trust you and believe you understand all about what you are offering, as well as keep them on your site. The other additional benefit is that it adds weight to your website so that search engines will see it more as an information resource. This can only help your rankings in the results.

2. Add some interactivity to your Website

Most people like to be able to interact with a website they are on. If you have a product you will need to quote for, creating a “Get Online Quote” where they can get a rough price will get users interacting with you.

If you can add a video for users to watch that demonstrates your service or products this is another great way of getting people to stop and spend time interacting with your site and your business.

If you have an article section or a blog on your site, allow visitors to add comments and even possibly questions that you can answer. This will keep them coming back to view the discussion and get more involved.

3. Keep Content Up To Date

The more often you update your content the more likely it is that people will return. If they come back and see something new on your site they will see that you are keeping them informed.

Seeing this will not only encourage them to come back to your site on a regular basis but it will also mean they will spend time reading other things on your site. This all adds up to time on your site and potentially increased sales.

4. Make You Website Easy to Navigate

It is vital to ensure your users can get around your site, know where they are and how to get back to where they were. If people get lost and don’t know how to find what they are looking for they will almost certainly get bored and leave.

There are a few things you should always have on your navigation bar. Firstly, always have a link back to home so that they can go back to the beginning. Always have a “Contact Us” link so that if your visitors have questions they can ask them. If they have to spend ages trying to figure out how to get in touch with you they will probably give up.

We would also say that you should consider having a link to a page that gives information about your company and what you have to offer. This is something many people will want to read and should not be hidden as this will reduce confidence in you.

The advice given in this article by no means covers all of your options but if you follow the above you will greatly increase your chances of keeping visitors on your site. However, think about it yourself, anything original that you can add to your site and offer to your visitors may give you an edge and increase your sales.

If you like this article you can find out more information at Dazines - Website Design and web development comapny London UK

When you are a mom, fitting everything into a 24 hour period can be tough. It can be even tougher when you work outside the home for someone else. That’s why it is so nice to be a Work At Home Mom.

When you are a Work At Home Mom you don’t have to ask your boss for time off, you don’t get yelled at or questioned when one of your kids is sick, and you don’t have to go through a yearly evaluation to see if you deserve a raise. You can multi task while you work at home. You could be on a training call and folding laundry at the same time or you could be doing a presentation while dusting the house. This gives you the freedom to spend more time with your family.

When you work your own business, you answer to yourself and your family. You work when you want to work and you take time off when you want or need to. Those things are huge when you have a family.

Work At Home Mom’s have the ability to work when they can. Some work while the little ones are napping while others work while the children are at school. They have the freedom to work their own schedule. Most moms’ that work outside the home don’t have that freedom. That’s why it is so great to be a Work At Home Mom.

Work At Home Mom’s also enjoy the freedom of doing what they want when it comes to the work they do and who they work with. They also don’t have to worry about lay-offs, getting fired, or getting demoted. Worrying from day to day about your job can lead to stress. You don’t need that when you have a family.

Being a Work At Home Mom is not always enjoyable and stress free, but there are so many benefits to working at home, that a lot of mom’s would love to have the freedom to do it. So they work a business part time so they can get bills paid down or save money so they can afford to quit and have money to get through until they make enough money with the business to meet their needs.

So why not figure out a way to be a Work At Home Mom and start enjoying the freedom that you can have while you are making money to help support your family. You’ll achieve the freedom before you know it!

Corrie Petersen runs a successful Virtual Assistant and Advertising business. She also has a free advertising tips newsletter that she creates to help others. Check out her website at www.virtualfreedom4you.com.

When I network with small business owners and online marketers, I often find myself asking them if they’ve launched their blog yet. Adding a blog has so many important benefits and it’s no wonder that huge corporations and megastores are also getting into blogging. Especially for the micropreneur however, blogs have several distinct advantages. Here are a few.

1. A blog is search engine food! Google and the other big search engines love content and a blog can help you get free search engine traffic. Recently search engines are giving more weight to blogs because they want to offer the freshest, most relevant content to internet searchers.

2. Blogs create community. Because they are interactive, a blog draws people back to your site again and again. Your visitors will read your post then leave their comments, read comments left by others, and come back to see how the conversation is flowing. Blogs are much easier to manage than message forums too. With RSS (Real Simple Syndication), people can subscribe to your blog feed and be notified automatically when you update your blog.

3. Blogging puts you in control of your site. Posting to your blog is as easy as typing an email or a word document. Why pay a designer to add a page to your website when you can update your site whenever you like, easy as pie? You can blog as often or as rarely as you like to serve your particular needs.

4. Blogs help you grow your bottom line. There are many ways you can add additional monetization streams to your blog so you can make more money in your business without working harder.

5. Your customers love blogs. They can ask you questions, read info about your products and services, and share their opinions. A blog has a more friendly feel than a website.

6. Blogs help you know your target market. As you observe who is leaving comments on your blog, you get to know your market better. This education helps you be a smarter marketer.

7. Conduct market research. A blog is an easy way to conduct surveys and polls to help you get inside the mind of your customers. This information is invaluable to you.

8. Blogs help your customers get to know you. A blog gives your customers a chance to see your personality shine through. People buy from people they like!

9. Blogging is fun. I’ll admit it, blogging is addicting once you get going! There are so many benefits to your business. What’s not to love?

10. As a small business owner, you have a limited marketing budget. Blogging is a free marketing tactic - it only costs you a little of your time. Getting a blog installed and designed on your domain typically costs less than having a new website designed too.

Have I convinced you? Blogging is not a fad or a trend. It’s a smart marketing technique that allows you to build relationships with your target market and leverage the power of the internet.

Get help setting up your blog, learn what you should blog about, and get marketing tips to get more blog traffic at www.CarrieLauth.com/hire-carrie.htm and visit Carrie at her business blog, at www.CarrieLauth.com/blog

Working hard sure does have its benefits. There’s no question about it. It’s one of the many timeless principles of self improvement.

Working smart is another one that deserves equal merit as well but what exactly does working smart mean and what does it entail?

In a nutshell, working smart involves reducing the workload you have so you don’t have to necessarily work as hard without sacrificing the quality of the results in the process.

Say you need an extra copy of a certain document. The “work hard” way would be to copy it by hand but obviously the “work smart” way would be to simply xerox it. There’s nothing wrong with xeroxing it. It’s not cheating. It gets the job done and reduces the workload without sacrificing the quality of the results in the process.

This example illustrates the first pillar of working smart, namely that it revolves around the notion of efficiency. You get things done quick without sacrificing quality and technology has made it easier now more than ever before to start working smart in our own lives.

Instead of doing bills the old fashioned way by writing checks and sending them through snail mail, utilize technology and sign up for online bill pay.

Save your money by setting up an automatic deduction every month from your checking account into your savings account.

Utilize the Internet to search for jobs and for tips and tricks on how to land one.

Work smart by utilizing technology for all its worth in order to gain maximum efficiency in your life.

The second pillar of working smart involves simply knowing what to work on. If you work hard, you tend to think you have to do just about everything and wear yourself out in the process. You can also fall victim to working on the wrong things, namely the things that aren’t as urgent or important.

Working smart involves identifying the things you need to do that will give you the best results. The Pareto principle is a perfect example of doing just that. It states that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. The percentages here are not meant to be absolute (although they are strikingly accurate in most cases), but are there to give you a rough estimate in terms of the lopsided differential between the two concepts.

For example, 80% of the wealth in a country will come from 20% of the population in that country. 20% of the students in a class will account for 80% of the A’s in that class. 80% of the total amount of your bills will come from 20% of your bills.

We can apply the Pareto principle in our own lives by looking at our to-do list for work or for our personal projects and deciding which of the things on our to-do list will account for 80% of the results. So if you have a list of 10 things to do, roughly 2 on that list will account for 80% of your results had you done everything on that list. If you focus on getting those specific two items done, obviously you won’t get everything done, but you’ll account for the majority of the results, getting the best bang for your buck in the process.

There’s not enough time to work on everything, but there’s always enough time to work on the right things.

The third pillar of working smart is knowing where you function best and making it a point to work from there. If your talents lie in numbers, working smart would entail getting a job that involves bookkeeping, accounting, financial analysis, etc., instead of working hard by choosing a job that doesn’t take that skill set into account.

If you work from where you function best at, you don’t have to necessarily work as hard because it’s where you’re naturally suited at and you will yield better results because of that. You can take it to the next level by then working hard at what you’re naturally best suited doing.

If you haven’t found what you’re best suited for or don’t have a clue as to how to find the work you’ll love and be good at doing, check out the 2nd book on BrianKim.net that has come as a result of huge reader demand.

How to FINALLY Find What You Love to Do and Get Paid For Doing It: The DEFINITIVE Guide to Finding and Successfully Pursuing Your Passion!

The usual creed and battle cry in self improvement or in any endeavor worth doing is to “Work hard hard hard!” and while it’s great advice, it should be placed in the big picture.

Hard work is great, but it should be applied to the work that’s been “filtered” by working smart FIRST. You work hard after you learn how to work smart and as a result, reap the best benefits of both worlds.