Strategies | You Can be Great If You Really Want To

12 Mar

Want to Stress Less And Enjoy Life More? These Simple Stress Management Strategies Will Get You Started

Posted by admin, under Stress Management

We all have stress, but how we handle that stress can greatly affect our physical and mental health. In fact, a few simple changes can mean the difference between a long, happy life and a short, miserable one.

To this end, here are a few tried and true stress management strategies to help you stress less starting today.

Avoid people who stress you out.

I am convinced there are people in this world whose sole purpose in life is to cause me stress. I bet I’m not the only one who thinks this, either!

The point is, there are certain types of people who seem to wreak havoc wherever they go. Other people may have personality types that simply don’t mesh with yours. If you can’t learn to relate to these people, limit the amount of time you spend with them, o avoid them altogether.

Control your environment.

At the height of the recent stock market crash, I found myself checking the stock market index at least 10 – 15 times a day. This caused so much anxiety that I finally had to quit cold turkey.

Environmental stress is fairly easy to control. If the news stresses you out, turn off the television. If traffic tenses you up, consider going a different route, or taking the bus or train. If you hate shopping, shop online, or make sure you go when you know there won’t be any crowds.

To get started, identify three things in your environment that stress you out and change them. This will not only decrease your stress, but give you a sense of empowerment to change other things.

Just say no.

Did you know that you don’t have to do everything you’re asked to do? I’m ashamed to admit that it took me a long time to figure that one out.

If you are someone who can “get things done,” there will always be someone with a worthy cause who needs your skills. Often we feel flattered and agree before we really give the request due consideration. Then, once we get into it, we feel overwhelmed and put-upon. Does any of this sound familiar?

So, before you say yes, give it thoughtful and honest consideration. If your plate is full, or if you just don’t want to do something someone asks of you, politely refuse.

Fix yourself a nice cup of herbal tea.

Don’t get me wrong – I still drink a lot of coffee every day, but this time it’s because I enjoy the taste. But when I feel stressed, I fix myself a nice, hot, soothing mug of herbal tea, decaffeinated. I find the whole process of heating the kettle, steeping the tea, and then inhaling the aroma to be extremely calming. Fixing yourself a cup of tea is reaffirming and soothing. It’s a small act that can give you a big psychological boost.

Shorten your “to-do” list.

Do you really have to go to all those meetings on your schedule, or can you delegate? Do you really need to clean your house from top to bottom every week, or would once a month work better? (Better yet, can you afford to hire someone to do it?!) If you’ve got too much on your plate, then it’s time to decide between the things that you “should do” and those you “must do.” Delegate or eliminate the “should dos,” and prioritize the “must dos.”

Change your attitude to gratitude.

Every morning during my quiet time, I ponder all the things I am grateful for that day. My wonderful family. A beautiful sunrise. The squirrels chasing each other in the backyard. A new client. Being able to work from home. Big things and small things all get due consideration. Some things are permanent on the list (like the family!), but others come and go, depending on the day and my mood.

Learning to be thankful for what I have instead of constantly trying to figure out a way to get more has gone a long way toward easing the stress in my life, I can tell you! I’m not saying you can’t strive for bigger and better, I’m just saying that along the journey, we need to appreciate that which we have.

What are you grateful for? Try taking a few moments each day to really feel thankful for the abundance in which you live. You’ll be amazed at what a little gratitude can do for your stress level.

Start a yoga practice.

One of the things I am most grateful for is discovering yoga. A regular practice of yoga not only keeps your body flexible and your bones strong, but it is one of the best stress management strategies I know. Yoga improves your overall sense of well-being and improves your sense of balance. I’ve been practicing about four and a half years now. I used to take classes twice a week, but now I rotate between several different yoga DVDs.

Yoga doesn’t have to be mystical or spiritual, although that can certainly be part of it if you so choose. I choose to focus on the many health benefits of yoga instead. I strongly encourage you to give it a try. Start with a beginner class or a beginner DVD.

Laugh your head off!

The health benefits of laughter are well-documented. There are numerous studies that show people who laugh a lot are less stressed and enjoy a longer, healthier life. Some doctors even say you should have at least10 deep belly laughs each day for optimum results. Guess that’s as good as any to start developing your funny bone!

Stress less. Enjoy life more.

Whether you know it or not, if you’re living a stressed life, you aren’t enjoying life to its fullest. Resolve today to take control of your life and your stress level!

Donna Williams is the founder and creator of BusinessBurrito.com – a website dedicated to helping small businesses grow to their maximum potential. She is also a 25-year advertising / marketing executive, creative director, writer, and producer. Together, Donna and her husband currently own and co-own five small businesses. To read more of her articles, or to sign up for her free weekly e-newsletter, visit her website at www.businessburrito.com

Related Blogs

11 Mar

Tips, Tricks And Strategies: Help Solving Word Problems

Posted by admin, under Problem Solving

If you need help solving word problems you’ve come to the right place. Math has always been a fascinating subject to me because of how logical and precise it is. It’s similar to learning another language and, in the case of solving word problems, very much like solving a mystery. If you are going to become good at solving word problems, you have to be a good investigator and be able to pick up on clues that will help you solve the mystery. Working with word problems requires reading comprehension as well as the ability to solve math equations. With that said, the purpose of this article is to offer help solving word problems and to provide aspiring mathematicians with a strategy for solving these problems.

Let’s start with the following simple example:

The length of an NBA basketball court is 44 feet more than it is wide. Express the length of the court in terms of its width.

The first step to working with word problems is simple, but crucial. Read the entire problem…then read it again! As basic as this may sound, this is where reading comprehension skills come in to play. It is during this crucial time that you must do the following things:

1. Identify the information that you have:
The court is 44 feet longer than it is wide.

2. Identify the information that you don’t have (and still need):
The length of the court.

3. Determine what the word problem is asking for:
An equation expressing length in terms of width.

The next step is to begin organizing your clues. Start by first assigning variable names to pieces of information you have and do not have. The name(s) should be clear and meaningful. So we will assign the length of the basketball court the variable name “L” and the width the variable name “W”.

One thing that has always helped me in understanding concepts is drawing them out on paper. Typically, when one can visualize a concept, he or she has an easier time understanding it, whether it’s mathematics or anything else. So after you identify the information that you have and assign your unknown variables, draw a picture. Be sure to label it with known info and unknown variables.

The last step is to search the word problem for keywords. Some words will tell you what mathematical operation is needed or at work in finding the solution. Listed in the table below are a few of these terms:

Addition: Total, sum, increased by, more than, altogether/together, combined, in all, or plus.

Subtraction: Difference, less/fewer than, decreased by, minus, or less.

Multiplication: Multiplied by, times, of, or product.

Division: per, a, out of, ratio of, quotient of, or percent.

Equals: Is, are, was, were, gives, or yields.

Using our basketball court example, we are told that the length of the court is 44 feet more than it is wide. There are 2 keywords/clues we can identify in this statement; “more than” which indicates that addition (+) will be the mathematical operation that will be at work here and “is” which can be translated as “equals” or “=”.

Here is where we must make our translation from English terms to mathematical terms to come up with an equation. We are asked to express the length of the court in terms of its width. We need to come up with an algebraic equation showing the length “L” written in terms of the width “W”.

Here is the translation:

L = 44 + W
The Length “is” 44 feet “more than” the width.

So the answer to our word problem is the algebraic expression L=W+44.

Now just for kicks and giggles, let’s look at a few more simple examples of translating from English to mathematical equations after identifying keywords.

Example #1 Write the sum of y and 16 as an algebraic expression.

This can be written as “y + 16″

Example #2 Write the difference between 2x and y as an algebraic expression.

This can be written as “2x – y”

Example #3 Write the ratio of 6 more than 2 times y to x as an algebraic expression.

This can be written as “(2y + 6) / x”

The key to help solving word problems is developing the ability to identify keywords and translate phrases and sentences into mathematical equations. As with everything else in mathematics, this skill will only be sharpened after doing lots and lots of these problems. After that, whenever you come across a word problem you will be confident in your ability to tackle it instead of looking at it and thinking to yourself….”Word Problems…Ughh!!!”

Happy problem solving!!! Now, go practice!

Vincent Brown invites you to read “Free Report: 16 Ways to Motivate Your Child To Do Better in School”. Boost Your Child’s Grades and Confidence Today. Go to http://tutorfi.com/VincentB

Vincent Brown is the founder of Kids Come First Online Tutoring. He has successfully tutored students in General Math, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus over the last 15 years. Vincent is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Electrical Engineering and a member of the International Tutoring Association.

11 Mar

5 Strategies to Help Children to Become Successful Word Problem Solvers

Posted by admin, under Problem Solving

Your son or daughter has word problems for science homework. How do you help your children become successful word problem solvers? Help your child by developing a process that he can apply to a variety of problems. Recognize that effectively completing word problems requires a series of logical steps. The first strategy is to understand the language content of the problem. The second is recognizing that a science word problem is an application of algebra. Third, the values described in the problem are interconnected. Fourth, determine the appropriate algebraic equation for the problem. Finally, document the entire problem solving process.

1. Successfully completing science word problems requires good reading comprehension skills. Word problem solvers cannot effectively complete the word problem without understanding the problem itself. What information in the problem is important to solving an equation? What information can be discarded? Distance, time and speed are important quantities that would be listed in a problem about a car’s speed. The color of the car would have no impact in solving the problem.

2. Word problems in science are applications of algebraic expressions, or equations. Good word problem solvers distinguish between the givens in the problem and the value which is to be calculated. The givens always include both numbers and units. The value to be calculated only has a unit. The unit describes the measurement involved.

3. Successful science word problem solvers see how the mathematical expressions in the statements are interconnected to each other. How would such a problem solver complete this example?
Sam drives her green car at 40 kilometers per hour. How far will she travel in 2 hours?
A good strategy to use is to first look for numbers combined with science-related terminology describing measurements, or what is given, or known, in the problem. Speed can be measured in kilometers per hour. Time can be measured in hours. The phrases, 40 kilometers per hour and 2 hours, are given, or are the known quantities, in the example. The speed and the time are interconnected. Speed is a ratio of distance and time. The word problem will also include a value without a number, or the unknown. The phrases “How many” or “How much” or “What is” are good clues to this value. The unknown quantity is distance, distinguished by the phrase, “how far”.
The color of her car, green, is irrelevant to solving the problem.

4. Successful problem solvers determine the appropriate algebraic expression, or equation, for the problem. The appropriate equation to use for the example is: distance equals speed multiplied by time, or mathematically, d = speed * t. Now the problem is mathematical in nature. By substituting 40 kilometers per hour for speed and 2 hours for time, the problem solver gets an answer of 80 kilometers. Note that the answer includes both a number and a unit. Sometimes the equation needs to be rewritten by applying algebraic rules, so the unknown quantity is on one side of the equals sign all by itself.

5. Successful problem solvers document their thinking process by writing out each step that he uses to solve the problem. The example above is rather basic, which most students can discover without writing out their work. Science word problems are also applications of science content. With more challenging science content, the corresponding word problems may, at first, seem too difficult. Breaking down the problem into simpler steps, which includes writing out the mathematical work, often helps create success. By writing down each given, unknown, equation, mathematical step, and answer, more challenging science word problems are less difficult. By first applying the problem solving process to basic problems, the successful problem solver will soon develop a method to apply to more difficult science word problems.

You can help your children develop a successful process that they can use to solve science word problems and become effective word problem solvers. First, understand the problem’s language content. Second, recognize that science word problems are applications of algebra. Third, the quantities used in problems are interconnected. Fourth, decide upon the appropriate algebraic equation to solve each problem. Finally, document the problem solving process.

Lorie Moffat invites you to watch a FREE Demonstration of How My Unique 1 on 1 Online Classroom With Full Voice Boosts Your Child?s Science Grades Today. Go to http://www.TutorFi.com/loriem

Related Blogs

11 Mar

Self-Help Strategies For Building Self-Esteem

Posted by admin, under Self Esteem

Depressed feelings are triggered when maltreated or by individual self-assessment. Self-help for building self-esteem is highly recommended for people suffering with low self-esteem as it creates depression, anxiety, phobia and also leads to mental illness in extreme cases.

The need for self-help becomes inevitable as such traumatized people cannot enjoy work or life and fail to attain any personal goal. This makes them think negatively. However, prior to considering the strategies and actions involved in raising self-esteem, it becomes essential to recognize the valid reasons behind depression. This recognition of reasons helps in undergoing physical treatment and doing worthwhile activities and in self-development.

Self-help for building self-esteem includes strategies such as eating healthily, performing plenty of exercises, watching fun movies, spending valuable time with friends, practicing or reading hobbies of choice. Raising self-esteem is easily done by paying best attention to the wants and needs of their own body, heart and mind. It entails taking appropriate care and this depends on having healthy food consisting of five to six helpings of fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains and also non-vegetarian food of two servings including meat and chicken. Self-help procedure focuses on body movements and regular exercises. Doing outdoor exercises and scheduling time for exercises is very important.

Self-help for building self-esteem is the right way of coming out of a withdrawn shell. It is the best as one can come out of a trauma only when they desire for it. Certain things that include actions and have some strategies are riding, playing games, walking, climbing staircase several times and definitely listening to good music. Self-help for building self-esteem can be ensured by learning new things such as actively participating in fun activities. Such actions display positive results over a period of time. It also needs the support of confidence and this can be increased by focusing in the abilities and talents, as this helps a person in recognizing their own value and builds self-confidence.

Investing in purchasing good clothes and dressing well certainly has a great impact on people suffering with weak self-esteem. Compatible friends who are energetic and lively keep the depressed people happy. Self-help for building self-esteem meant that such people should be occupied continuously. Even simple actions such as making the living space attractive create a feeling of well-being. Displaying personal achievements augments the self-confidence that is essential to increase from the low self-esteem. Self-help behavior should bring out every action of their creativity in open and this may include even making meals or discussing pleasant topics or also creating a good ambiance.

Self-help for building self-esteem is a tricky path as you have to steer and lead towards improvement on your own. This can be best done by diverting towards learning new skill sets as it boosts the levels of confidence in a person. Initiating with small things that does not demand much of their activity gives them a comfortable feel and working on a diet plan is also a must.

Self-help for building self-esteem is best basically when self-appearance is improved, as it depends on the self-confidence. Smiling, volunteering for simple tasks and speaking few words kindly will certainly build self-confidence when such actions are done consistently. The changes get incorporated and allow rejuvenating making life more enjoyable.

You can have access to articles about self help in portuguese language from page Self_Help

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil

Related Blogs

10 Mar

Problem Solving Strategies

Posted by admin, under Problem Solving

The strategies used in solving word problems. 1. What do you know? 2. What do you need to know? 3. Draw a diagram/picture Math Tutorial

You Can be Great If You Really Want To

Want to Stress Less And Enjoy Life More? These Simple Stress Management Strategies Will Get You Started

Related Blogs

Tips, Tricks And Strategies: Help Solving Word Problems

5 Strategies to Help Children to Become Successful Word Problem Solvers

Related Blogs

Self-Help Strategies For Building Self-Esteem

Related Blogs

Problem Solving Strategies

Related Blogs

Categories

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Tags