#it's months of training and careful socialization and possible reactivity work

[random-esfp]

FACING INTUITIVE BIAS AND MBTI STEREOTYPES: ESFP EDITION

Hello, some already know my blog since it attracted attention for being one of the few MBTI blogs run by a sensor, especially an ESFP. I have always claimed to be pretty different from ESFP stereotypes, though I enjoy MBTI stereotyped memes and shitty posts. But there is one thing I can’t cope with: ignorance towards our type. 

I am a strong Se (extraverted sensing) function defender, and I keep finding shallow and over stereotyped descriptions on how we use it and how do ESxPs portray and represent it. This originates a blurred vision of ESxPs in particular (all sensors are badly perceived in general) which affect us, especially because the most common believing among the MBIT community it’s that we are the dumbest.

First thing you have to learn about MBTI: IT CAN’T determine the IQ or cleverness of ANYBODY. 

Fine, with that being clear, let’s continue.

I have been posting little call outs and statements about ESFPs being wronged as other types when being perfectionistic and having leadership skills etcetera but I think the time has come for making an appropriate post of how a non-stereotypical ESFP can be. I know my case it’s not common, since I am an ambivert and that affects my behavior but I’ll try to be objective. 

Usually, ESFPs in fiction are portrayed as the flamboyant hero or the funny sidekick. Anyway, we are always seen as the bright, carefree, funny, attractive and badass characters, but in real life, we are more complex than that. 

HOW ARE HEALTHY AND NON-STEREOTYPICAL ESFPs IN REAL LIFE: 

Because of Dominant Se: 

The first thing you have to think regarding Extraverted Sensing is experience and engagement. Sure you have already heard about this but it doesn’t mean we crave every day to be high or to hit all the parties. Life is beyond physical pleasures. Even for us, who feel comfortable with sensorial stimuli the most because we need them to create our safe and accurate visión of the world around us. 

An ESFP will most likely say yes to everything. That’s, in part, because many of us are insecure and indulgent or pleasant with people. ESFPs can struggle a lot with assertiveness, swinging between being extremely obliging or aggressive-reactive (usually ESFP enneagram 2  o 3 are the first ones, while enneagram 6-7-8 are the last ones). But a     healthy ESFP will eventually address this tendency to “say yes because of  FOMO” (we have A LOT of FOMO) and will start seeking out what’s more convenient for them.

Se encourages us to live in the moment and take any opportunity or experience we can, but let’s remember we have another three functions. So a balanced ESFP knows when to engage with the flow and when to keep away from it. Of course, we are more willing to take risks but that doesn’t make us reckless in any way.

Instead, we use Se to manage our time and energy efficiently, and this is very important. You know how it is said that INxx types are the most likely to procrastinate while Te types are the ones who “get the shit done”? Well, ESFPs are somewhat in the middle. That’s because ESFPs are impatient. Our Se hurries us to take the task and finish it as soon as possible to engage with something else sooner than later. That’s also why it is said we “only care” about the present. It’s not that we don’t care about the rest. It’s that we are ENGAGED with the present.

ESFPs like to economize time. We’d rather lose money than time. Because time means experience. But we don’t concentrate that easily. Stimuli chase us and beg us to pay attention to them, not to the task. Still, we want to maximize that time, so manly this tension reflects on us as being very capable of working under pressure. When we are given little time to do something, we somewhat get more relaxed because that means maximizing time to the fullest. And THAT is also Se.

Of course, we are also all that beautiful descriptions we find over here: aesthetically selective and sensitive, very observant, can notice when the mood changes in a room, we are very sensitive to the lighting and the sounds etcetera. I’ll drop over here some Se posts very accurate and flattering because trust me, Se is not about jumping off a cliff or fly off from a bullet. That’s fiction (or you have mistaken us for ISTPs lol)

https://random-esfp.tumblr.com/post/140982329002/se-is-not-a-shallow-function

https://random-esfp.tumblr.com/post/141091312137/building-blocks-of-personality-type-extraverted

https://random-esfp.tumblr.com/post/142229288882/entj-girl-personalityplop-what-stereotypes

Because of Auxiliar Fi: 

Fi can be a very upsetting function especially when Dominant. We aren’t “that idealist bitch” but we usually have a full sense of what is wrong and what is right for us (well, that is literally Fi). This means we can be reactive and susceptible when feeling     attacked (and trust me, we DO feel attacked easily). We come across as social butterflies but being with insensitive or negative people can use up our energies. However, healthy ESFPs are usually more realists than optimistic rays of sunshine. Let’s not forget we are truly sensors, we crave for outer stimuli and although we can have our mystical believings, usually we trust what we see, touch and hear. What we can prove. The tangible. 

We are people-oriented so these observations lean mostly on those who surround us. Making us empathic and, somewhat, INTUITIVE. Yes! ESFPs are very intuitive when it comes to interpersonal     intelligence. In my group, I am the most likely to realize or notice when someone is a little more upset than usual, or when someone has changed anything on their image. 

We engage the moment, the action, and that includes voice tones and gestures of people, which we use to complete our vision of the world, make conclusions basing on those observations and take action on it as sociable beings. (Gosh this point it’s the most confusing. We can come across as ENFJs). 

INTERESTING REMARK: Why Se+Fi sometimes seems like Fe?

I have been struggling with this for months. I was so sure I use Se and Fi. I am individualistic and I don’t care if my opinions go against the crowd. I always say what I think. Sometimes I’m brutally honest. I don’t personally seek harmony. I’d rather be honest with myself. So… why do I sometimes feel extremely empathic to the point to think I am using Fe? 

I think it’s basically because of what I have said earlier. The vivid observation makes us both sensitive and intuitive about people’s emotions, moods, and thoughts. ESFP’s minds can be very quick analyzing external stimuli to get to a conclusion. Basically, that is Se, and when it gets in touch with our emotional patterns, we spot the change, we comprehend it, and then we decide how to act based on our mental outline. Sometimes we won’t feel anything for them; sometimes we will feel exactly as them, and THEN is when Se+Fi looks like Fe, but we are just empathizing with people. And Fe isn’t exactly that. Fe users are known for their empathy BUT they also project other people’s emotions, suffering with them even with no clue that people may be actually feeling that. This post (by an xxFJ type) explains if perfectly, it made me realize I have mistaken my empathy with Fe for so long.

Because of Tertiary Te

Healthy ESFPs are real pragmatists, down to Earth people. They are those who in a brainstorm may not participate the most but will show support and excitement for those ideas that seem feasible.     But with those who don’t… well. Let’s say we have already reached a decent assertiveness point… we’ll tell you when your thoughts or ideas are unviable, out of context or unnecessary. Sorry but that’s it. 

As I said,  we value time, we value DOING, not eternal thinking (Se again). So, why do I  have to waste 3 hours of my time discussing this fifteen surreal ideas for our project if we don’t have even put into action at least ONE of the plausible ones, Brenda??? (Brenda is ENxP sorry)

Oh, gosh, I REALLY love Se+Te healthily used. It’s!!! So!!!! Useful!!!

Let’s say it straight: we can be very efficient CEOs. I’m kinda into that at the moment actually. The difference between ENTJs and ESFPs (there are A LOT of differences but I mean in the CEO context since they share all 4 functions) is that ESFPs aren’t used to Te as primary function, and Se will always take the lead, so ESFPs may think less of the consequences of their decisions because they lack that Ni “vision”. Also they have a more “soft” leadership style that can lead them to stressful situations who may end up in loops or grips that aren’t funny at all.

Anyway. Realists. We put things into action. We are quick at decision making and enjoy dynamic jobs where we can train this trait. ESFPs may not have 100 ideas per minute but they will have 2 o 3 that actually are possible and they will just get the shit done. 

BONUS POINTS If they have overcome their insecurities and reached     assertiveness. 

Oh, does it seem like an ENTJ to you? We don’t have that “vision” because Ni is our frenemy, but what is real is that a healthy Te use, especially in mature stages of life, distance ESFPs from that     “dumb party animal look-who-just-broke-the-table-dancing to-Beyonce” type of persona and it makes them effective leaders. Real doers. (Without losing their flamboyant temperament!)

Because of Inferior Ni

I can only think about shitty Ni grips at the moment but I’ll try to be objective.

Healthy inferior functions. This is a very good post about it. It says that inferior Ni: “May display delusional and grandiose thinking” and “Can turn gloomy when life circumstances don’t go their way”. Well, yes, that’s me. That’s ESFPs. Inferior functions aren’t funny. And because of that, the not-so-funny side of ESFPs relays here.

ESFPs can be pretty gloomy even when healthy. As very emotional types, ESFPs project their dark thoughts about the future on Ni. As I said, they naturally engage with the moment and like to take action, but Ni is that subtle but insistent voice in their head that goes like: you should think about this… and that… and what are we gonna do about this thing? Where are you gonna live in ten years? Who are you gonna name your baby after? 

We refuse to think about the long term but when we are forced to do so because of #adulting ESFPs can take two ways:

Keep refusing thinking long term. Which can lead them to immaturity, dissociation of reality, avoidance and some other mental disorders.

Keep it serious and do it. We will complain about it. We will refuse to talk about what we haven’t made up yet, but we’ll try. 

A healthy ESFP who decides to confront Ni and try to use it becomes more focused, serious and driven. Of course, we will have our mental breakdowns because we aren’t comfortable with it, but that is part of life. 

ESFPs who are private about their lives, who are hesitant and reflective… are struggling with Ni. Because we know we need it. And it makes us feel uneasy because Ni requires depth and details and we prefer to improvise and get-by-doing. Ni also demands using all the time Se don’t wanna “waste”. But it’s not time wasted, it’s invested (although too dilated in time for us to appreciate it). However, when we see our goals reached we appreciate the effort we’ve made. 

TO SUM UP:

How are ESFPs usually defined: dumb, reckless, shallow, overly-sensitive, can’t think in detail, bubbly, too much sociable.

How are ESFPs non-stereotypically: observant, doers, quick-minded, leading to action, perfectionist, efficient.

Well, that was almost 2k words about ESFPs in depth. And I could say much more, but for now, I think it’s enough. 

I invite any underrated or extremely stereotyped MBTI type to do their Edition. Or to make some feedback. 

Hope this was useful and/or revealing for you. 

Thank you! 

[nevexan814]

Puppy Socialization, Raleigh NC - What it is, How to Do it and Why Puppies Need It

When your puppy first comes home, his mind is a blank slate. He knows nothing about the world except what you show him. Puppies are not born understanding the world around them, what traffic is, what objects such as worms or leaves are, how to cope with people, cars, other pets or noises. These are things you must expose puppy to, ensuring that he has positive experiences with each exploration. All the sights and sounds we take for granted in our world are novel to a puppy...he's never seen any of it! Introducing him to all of these things in his environment is no small task but it's the most important thing you'll ever do for your puppy. https://puppyhealth225.blogspot.com/2020/07/it-is-important-for-your-boy-to-choose.html

Puppies need to be socialized between 4 and 16 weeks of age. A puppy's brain is most accepting of new experiences between 4 and 12 weeks of age making this the critical period for socialization. In the following 4 weeks, the socialization window starts to close. If socialization doesn't start until after this period, the puppy will be socially handicapped. After four months of age, when the socialization window closes, it's much more difficult to influence a puppy's opinion and attitude. Of course, the puppy can still learn, but it is infinitely harder because the puppy has to unlearn inappropriate responses such as fear or reactivity. For example, if a puppy is not exposed to crowds prior to four months of age, he may be so paralyzed with fear of the sights and sounds that crowds make, it may be impossible, or at best, uncomfortable for him to cope in this situation. If the puppy is exposed to crowds prior to four months of age and introduced in a positive way, he will accept crowds as "normal in his environment" and not be reactive or nervous about it. The key is to make sure your puppy gets exposed to everything he may ever be exposed to during his lifetime, while he is very young. Introducing puppy to new stimuli and experiences is critical to having a well-adjusted and behaviorally healthy adult dog.

Prevention is far better than rehabilitation! A properly socialized puppy is well adjusted and makes a good companion. It is neither frightened by nor aggressive towards anyone or anything he would normally meet in day-to-day living. An un-socialized dog is a liability. Typical behaviors of an unsocialized dog include fear and stress disorders, fear biting and fearful aggression. Unsocialized dogs cannot adapt to new situations and a simple walk around the neighborhood can panic your pet creating hiding behaviors, pulling on the leash to get away from the "scary thing" or offensive aggression (lunging on leash, biting or acting like Cujo to scare the frightening thing away). Don't let this happen to your dog. Start socializing your new puppy NOW!

Vaccinations and exposure risks

Enrolling your puppy in a puppy socialization class is ideal and is typically safe. This is a wonderful opportunity to get your puppy out of the house on a regular basis and expose him to new situations and experiences.

People are sometimes warned not to take their puppies out in public until they are fully vaccinated for fear that the puppy might catch disease. But times have changed and veterinary behaviorists now recommend that you get puppy out and socialize him as soon as he's completed his first round of shots. The risk of life-long behavioral consequences of not socializing a puppy prior to 16 weeks by far outweighs the small risk that puppy may catch something contagious. Behavioral problems are the number one reason dogs are euthanized in this country. And many of these problems would not have presented in the dog if he was properly socialized in puppyhood. Visit the link at the end of this article to read the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior position statement relative to puppy vaccinations and socialization.

The chances of your puppy contracting a disease are rare but you do want to minimize risks. Only take your puppy into controlled environments until he is fully vaccinated. Facilities that hold puppy classes are usually sanitized and prepped specifically for puppies. Puppies are also typically separated from regular dog traffic. Dog parks, dog beaches and any other environment where dogs can run free should be avoided. Numerous diseases are transferred via infected urine and feces so avoid places where puppy can accidentally run through pet waste. Pet stores and boutiques are great places to socialize your puppy but carry him or put him in a cart, not on the floor, until he's fully vaccinated.

Where socialization begins

Puppy socialization should begin at home. When you first bring your pup home, visit your vet for a wellness check. If all is well, begin acclimating your pup to the sounds, sights and smells of his new environment - your home and yard. Be patient with puppy and remember that he's never seen household items like mirrors, TV's, a remote control, etc. His vision will still be blurry and his brain and hearing still developing. While you're introducing puppy to all the items in your home and yard, plan a puppy party. Invite everyone you know to your home for a "meet my puppy" event. Invite the gang over to watch a sporting event so that puppy can see and hear people having fun and getting loud! After a few days, it's time to introduce puppy to the world around him and all the wonders contained within it.

The car ride itself is a novel experience for puppies so don't travel too far the first few times puppy gets in the car. Head into town, carrying your pup around. Bring lots of treats, and ask everyone you see if they want to meet your pup to offer him a treat. There are very few people in this world who can resist a puppy! You want your puppy to think that loud noises, funny smells and silly people roaming the streets are perfectly normal.

If there's heavy traffic, give your puppy a treat as it passes. If a fire engine or ambulance goes by, treat and sound happy. Truck or bus backfires? Treat and act silly! This will get your puppy used to all the noises and potentially scary things that he will inevitably encounter. If you expose your puppy to street sounds and traffic in a positive way he'll be comfortable walking down the street with you despite loud noises and other distractions.

Where to socialize

Dog friendly, open air shopping centers are ideal for puppy socialization. If you live in Raleigh, the Lake Boone Shopping Center is pet friendly. Stop into Unleashed, the Dog Store to introduce your puppy to dog-loving humans and friendly canines and have lunch at a sidewalk cafe next door. This environment allows your puppy to have new experiences while on leash. Quail Corners Shopping Center is also dog friendly. Relax in the patio section of It's a Grind, coffee shop where treats are available for humans and canines alike.

Can't find a shopping center near you? Most Starbucks and Panera locations have outdoor seating where you can sit with puppy while you enjoy coffee or a snack.

Dog bakeries also make a rewarding (and yummy) socialization outing! These specialty bakeries can be found in most cities. If you're in the Raleigh area, Bone Appetit, Three Dog Bakery and Gourmutt's can't be beat for friendliness and scrumptious, homemade treats!

Your veterinarian's office is also an important place to visit. Puppy's early experiences there are surrounded by vaccinations (ouch!) so counter-balance this with positive experiences! Stop in a few times and let puppy hang out by the counter for a few minutes. Feed him lots of treats and let him get loved on by the staff and waiting clients. Now that's a positive experience!

Banks can also be a great training ground for socializing a puppy. Many will let you carry your puppy in and may even offer him a biscuit. Your bank doesn't welcome dogs? Take your puppy through the drive-through so he can have that experience as well! Speaking of drive-through's, these can be especially traumatizing for a dog who's never seen one before. Take your puppy through several drive-through's such as the bank, drug store or fast food restaurant.

People parks (not dog parks) are an excellent place for socialization. As long as dogs are allowed on leash, take puppy and let him see the walkers, joggers, bikers and wild life that abounds. Another benefit to parks is the exposure to multiple flooring surfaces. A typical park offers grass, concrete, gravel, wood and pine straw. Parks such as Shelley Lake in Raleigh offer all of this plus wood-plank bridges, a playground where puppy can meet some kids and of course, the lake. This is a socialization extravaganza!

Make play dates for your puppy where he can socialize one-on-one with a safe and friendly dog. Your puppy should meet and greet numerous dogs in his critical socialization period (30-50 is not unreasonable). Playing with the same dog repeatedly, won't give puppy the social skills or confidence he needs.

Scary Situations

Be careful not to give too much attention if your puppy acts fearful in a situation that is normal. If a bicycle races by and your puppy cowers you will be tempted to pet him and reassure him that "it's ok, you're alright, its ok". If you do this, you are unknowingly praising puppy for his fear and rewarding the behavior. It's best to be silent, not to acknowledge the reaction and move on. When the next bicycle (or other scary thing) comes near, offer a food reward to puppy so he redirects his thoughts from fear to treat.

From 16 weeks through at least one year of age, it is imperative that you make every effort to expand the puppy's environment and expose him to new things. Puppies should be around as many different people and animals as possible. Take them with you when you go for a walk, shopping, or even to work. Encourage your children to bring their friends over to meet the new puppy. Take an obedience or training course where they will meet other dogs... all of this is important.

The list of things to socialize a puppy to include:

People and children of every size, shape and color, especially people wearing hats, sunglasses, beards and uniforms. Other animals but especially dogs, cats, squirrels and rabbits. Odd sounds and sudden, loud noises. You may want to pick up a Puppy Desensitization CD for this purpose.

Things that move and make sound are critically important and include: cars, bikes, skateboards, roller-skates, rollerblades, strollers, vacuum, motorcycles, garbage trucks, mail trucks and buses. City life including car traffic and crowds are essential!

Don't forget to assess your family's hobbies and entertainment preferences. If you're golfers, introduce puppy to the golf bag, spiked shoes, golf hat, etc. If you're boaters, introduce puppy to the boat several times before taking him out on the water. Baseball fans? Let puppy watch his family throw and hit balls. Even better, take puppy to a local children's game and sit in the bleachers with him for 20 to 30 minutes. This is a great new experience for puppy. You can typically find a baseball, soccer or football game every weekend! Anyone up for basketball? Find a public court and sit with puppy (not too close). Let him watch the moving ball and all the frenzied action!

[manasilversbittymenagerie]

Grims

Bitty Type and AU: Reapertale Sans

Level: 1-2 out of 5 (depending on if the bitty is a rescue or has gone Grimdark before) 4/5 if the bitty is at risk of going Grimdark and has been amped power wise (very unlikely, as most Grims only get this way if being hurt or abused)

Appearance: Looks like a Sans type, has a flowy effect on clothes. Wears and prefers cloaks or loose Jackets. Their real difference is in their behavior, personality and magic ability. They leak blue magic from their eyes a lot and they float a few centimeters off the ground. Their bones are a slight gray off-white rather then pure white.

Heights Ranges: The typical Bitties sizes, 3-6 inches, most standing about 5-5.5 inches.

Heats: Adult Grims have very small heats, only once a year for about 3 days or less, and it's not particularly strong or alluring to other bitties, which means they are safe to be around other bitties in their heats. However, be aware that Gims have a very time getting pregnant or getting their partners pregnant. Even if they do manage to impregnate, sadly more often then not the baby(s) will not survive.

Health- *They're not immortal like the skeletons they're based on, but they do have amazing health and durability. Also live a really long time as long as they stay in perfect health. *Their mental health is prone to depression, anxiety, PTSD, ect, really easily due to their empathetic nature. Keep an eye on it (I can’t stress this enough) *Unfortunately because of how empathetic they are, they are prone to emotional overload, break downs, and depression. This also means, however, they are very receptive to death and life. *If they are around life or death often (such as if their owner is a doctor), this can also lead them to eventual overload as well. This means you have to check up on them and their mental states if you feel like something is wrong. They are prone to snapping and losing their minds if they are not taken care of or around death too often. This is what we call going Grimdark (more at the bottom).

Diet- *These Bitty Bones feed on life energy to survive (it is not dangerous) but they can eat food if they choose. *We sell monster candies called 'Sugar Souls' that work as a semi substitute for them if they are unable to use your life energy for any reason, and as a tasty snack! *They don't really like sweet things, nor sour, they prefer salty stuff.

Personality Stuff- *Communication is key in owning this type of bitty! *Grims are very confident and strong willed. They can take care of themselves, but that doesn't mean they don't love it when you spoil them with love and cuddles. *They are also very go with the flow kind of bitties, are blunt, sarcastic and love dry humor and dark jokes, but a Grim who has been burned before will have a hard time trusting again. They are also prone to loneliness, as their magic makes them feel off putting and puts others on edge. *Grims don't really have a concept of things like human social norms. Things like privacy just don't really register with them at first. (Ex. don't have any qualms about seeing your or others naked, or vice versa. Unless they view you or others as a potential partner, it doesn't even register for them to care.) However, if things like this make you or others uncomfortable, just ask them to stop or be more aware of stuff like this, and they’ll stop. *They are great with being alone for certain periods (they’re really great if you have a job that doesn't allow them to come with) *Grims have a startling amount of patience, but when it runs out, it is never pretty. *They enjoy chilling and relaxing with others, but also the occasional quiet time by themselves. *Grims like being included in things, even if it's just them watching while you do something. * They love books and to read (prefer actual books but will be fine with electronics) *Loves to be reminded they are loved and cared for. Through vocal affirmations or gifts or remembering things they say, ect. *They are big co-sleepers. It doesn't have to be with you, it can be their brother pair or another bitty or even an animal, but they sleep better with a bed partner. *Grims really like baths, especially bubble baths! Just soaking in the water is super comforting. Don't be surprised if they try to bathe with you! *They don't like Liars, being lied to, or having to lie themselves. If you have a Grim, refrain from asking them to lie for you, as they really despise doing so. But they love you, so they'll do it (but who knows how much that will damage your relationship) *Grims hates when people make a big deal out of something they feels is stupid or not worth doing. *They don't like to be forced into something or left out of things on purpose. They’re really open and honest about when they don't like something or want something or if they’re uncomfortable, and if you ignore that, it might lead to a lashing out and upset bitty.

Other- *This Sans prefers flowy, loose clothes with hoods to make them feel comfortable. It doesn't have to be a full on robe or cloak, a hoodie would work just fine, but they really like the hoods. Also keep in mind he doesn't mind tighter under clothes but he still prefers loose outerwear. *Do not put Grims with violent bitties that will attack if left alone. Since Grims are protective, they will defend themselves and others if attacked, and will even kill if forced (which is horrible for their mental health). Antagonistic and Annoying bitties are fine, just make sure they know not to overstep. *Also don't do well with bitties that constantly belittle or upset the bitties they have decided to protect. *Grims get along with most other bitties, and don't really care even if they don't. Bitties that try to start something will be met with an amused smirk and maybe a sarcastic head pat if they can get away with it. Bitties that continue to try and fight, argue or control a Grim maybe be met with a slowly more and more annoyed Grim, and will be subjected to cold eyebrow raises and might even go as far as trapping them in a cage made of magic or whatever they find around the house. If attacked, they will usually just flee or restrain the attacker. But in life or death, they will not hesitate to attack and kill. However be warned this will most definitely put a strain on their mental state.

Magic- *Grims magic is blue, and they are amazingly good at magic constructs in shapes. (like, instead of wisps of magic, they actually make shapes and platforms). This is because they have a lot of magic for their size and magical output, so they focus it into control. *They are unable to kill people with their powers, unless they are oddly powerful (usually illegal power amplifiers or one with high LV), but they are fully capable of killing bitties if forced. *If there are multiple Grims in a group, they will amplify each other's magic, but even one Papatos can calm and even it out. *Grims passively feed on soul energy! They mostly will feed on you, but also other bitties in larger groups! (which can leads them being amped as well)

Grimdark- *They are prone to snapping and losing their minds, this is what we call going Grimdark. *This is mostly caused by abuse and not being taken care of correctly, but can also happen if they don't output their magic often enough (something very hard to do, like, months of not using magic at all, or years of barley using it), or is around death too often. Them being around or fed too much excess magic cant turn them Grimdark but it can Amp their magic to a more powerful level.  *They will become volatile, paranoid, and their magic will be very reactive. They may attack you, pets, and/or other bitties. They most likely wont be in the right state of mind and have wild mood swings, going from angry to guilt to fear to paranoia, ect. *You might start to feel ill or even sick, this is because they are forcibly draining your life force. They do this in panic mode as a self defense mechanism. A normal Grim can't kill you like this, and will only make you sick, but one who has been around other magic and has been amped, or a particularly powerful one can if your not careful enough. *A normal grim can easily kill a bitty like this however, either by attacks or draining their life force.  *Their bones will darken, becoming an ashen gray and their magic will leak excessively from their eyes, hands (and somtimes other places like joints, feet, mouth, ect). Their magic may ‘burn’ their bones for a lack of a better term and leave markings behind. *If this happens to your Grim, call the center as quick as possible as we’re fully equipped to deal with the dangerous and scared bitties. All Grim owners are required to sign a waver that says you accept the possibility of this upon adopting, but know that a brought in grimdark Grim will temporally be taken from your care until we rule that it wasn't abuse or purposeful neglect that lead to the process. But please dont try and deal with it yourself, it can be very dangerous to you and other bitties if you have em.  *Recovered Grimdarks will still have ashy gray bones (but will be lighter), and they will occasionally still have magical outbursts (this can be trained and worked upon to help manage). They will also have the ‘magic burn’ marks for the rest of their lives and no way to get rid of them sadly. No two burns look the same. *Former Grimdarks go up level 2 of care, and Grims in immediate danger of going Grimdark or are currently Grimdark are level 4. Enhanced or boosted Grims going Grimdark are level 5 and require immediate action to subdue. These bitties have 18+ qualities but aren't 18+ necessarily. Feel free to ignore their heats if you so chooseThey are also completely free to adopt, no need to ask!

[fightingorcavingintodepression]

1/16/17 5:17 pm

I had my first panic attack I've had in a long time. I've gotten so bad at work my manager called me at 10AM and left a voicemail. I called him back and said I had a Doctors appointment and forgot to send out an email to the team. I hate lying, but i can’t realistically say I'm suicidal and won't even get out of bed every morning.

I ran to the bathroom and started dry-heaving for a good 2-3 minutes. Then I laid down on my bed and felt like crying, and then Stayed there for nearly another hour.

Kill me.

1/20/17

I'm eating lunch by myself at 3:06 on Friday. I've only hit myself a few times today. I ordered and shipped a present to Shara and it should get there tomorI'mrow, but today is her birthday. I deleted my Facebook and haven't been posting on tumblr, so I'm avoiding everything. I feel guilty and don't know what to do. I'm going to stop typing because I'm tearing up in the restaurant. I'm pushing all of my friends away. I saw Selina last weekend and it was so awkward. I can't even hang out with my best friend without it being awkward. I want to kill myself.

Please let me die in an accident.

10:56 pm I want to keep hitting myself until I don't wake up.

1/25/17 Wednesday 11:39pm

I'm at McDonald's getting a milkshake and food. I've "worked" from home the past three days because I don't wake up till 9 or 10. That's a lie, I'll wake up and hit snooze, but won't force myself into up. On Monday I stayed online till 11:30 and then said o had a doctors appointment and was gong to wfh the rest of the day, but the last two days I haven't even sent anything out. I deserve to get fired. My depression is destroying me.

1/26/17 Thursday 2:30pm

I woke up late at 8:50ish and got online. Did the scheduled work for Austin and once that was finished, drove into the office and got in at about 10:30 (I think). I ate lunch at my desk and I've gone back and forth to the bathroom and just sat. Only work I've done today is finally send an email I've needed to for weeks. Mom asked me to call her at lunch and I finally said I didn't really want to celebrate my birthday. I told her I'd decide on a weekend and give her a call tonight, but I'm not sure I can. It's now 2:48. I've been in the bathroom almost 20 minutes.

2/16 4:29pm

I woke up at 3:30 am and stayed awake, but then fell asleep and didn't get online from home until about 9:40. Came into the office about 12:40. I've done maybe an hours worth of work. I really hate myself. When driving into work nearly had an accident from someone driving recklessly and me not just letting them pass me. They cut to my right into a lane for cars getting on and drove on the side of the road to pass me since I didn't slow down. The driver even had people (possibly kids) in the back of their car. I hate myself, but that person as well if they can justify that type of driving that also may harm their own kids, let alone other people. I started yelling again in my car...it's getting worse.

I hit myself again this morning in the shower.

2/17 12:18am

I can see myself committing suicide within the next year. Depending if I don't get better, maybe not till after my parents pass.

2/20 12:33pm

I didn't get up again today (Monday) until 9:50 and log online. Then finally came in to the office about 10 minutes ago. Off to a bad start of the week. I should be fired. I did "clean" a good portion of my apartment yesterday because at&t suppose to be coming this week. It's still a terrible mess, but you can finally see the floor now. Next is the kitchen.

1:04pm - eating lunch by myself at wich which. Postponing going back to the office. Not sure if taking these notes is beneficial, or even a smart idea (hint, it's not)

2/21 12:31pm

Late again. Thinking of working from home tomorrow. Getting worse. Really worse. Spent too much money yesterday on gifts I'll probably never give.

2/24 11:52am

It's my birthday. Today hasn't been a bad day.

2/28 12:15 pm

In training. Feeling useless. My back is also killing me. Have my APA later today. Guess I'll find out how badly I'm doing or if we'll just pretend I'm doing fine when it's obvious I'm not. Not likely I'll get fired since I'm an ITA, but don't know. Just haven't been given a warning or anything

3/13 12:48pm

I'd been doing okay for a little while. Starting to get worse again. Started saying things again. Didn't wake up for work till 9ish. Didn't get in till 11ish. Need to stop. Want to hurt myself. Want to kill myself. Fighting it. Still doing bad. In the bathroom wanting to hit myself. Shara texted about doing stuff this weekend, and I almost want to back out. I'm suppose to do Aerials with gabby tonight, but want to use my weight as an excuse and say I'm over their limit (which may actually be true, but their website doesn't say and no one picked up when I called), or that I don't have the right clothes, or I'm having a panic attack (probably closest to being honest). And one of the other things that's bugging me in the back of my head today I'm hating myself most of all for it even bothering me.

3/20 4:39am

Mild depression acting up. Want to "call/email" out of work. Smacking myself a bit the past day

3/22 6:14pm

Didn't go into work today and haven't done any work so far. Needing to get a report and presentation done before tomorrow. Depression has been really bad this week. Sleep is getting off. Whispering harmful things to myself and hitting myself more often.

3/24 10:44am

I want to hurt myself. I'm doing really badly this week. No point even coming into work. Can tell I'm being replaced in all areas. Went to lunch with people. Faked it. Now I'm back at the office (2:04pm) and hiding in the bathroom. I feel like I'm gonna pass out. I want to pass out.

I want to die.

3/25 5:02pm

Doing bad today too. Didn't get up till noon. Went to the park to walk, but had negative thoughts the entire time and it didn't help. Convinced myself to go out to dinner at Las Margaritas that I normally get take out from. I plan to make myself sit in the living room when I get home to get out of my bedroom/bed. It feels pathetic, but right now the smallest things feel like an achievement.

3/27 1:41am

I want to kill myself. I just want it to end. I don't want to hurt my family though. I wish I could make them forget i existed so I wouldn't feel guilty about it.

3:06am still lying awake on the couch. The longer I stay awake, the longer I postpone till tomorrow comes.....or that's how it feels. Ready to kill myself.

3/30 8pm

I now weigh 245 pounds. I write this as I sit in line at chick fil-a getting a meal for two people and a milkshake

3/31 6:38

Deleted all of my social media. Specifically tumblr, which I can't reactive. Gone forever.

4/6 1:12pm

Was doing better for a bit because work was busy enough to distract me. Getting too busy now. Think I overheard two people saying they don't want to work with me, and storage team disregards my existence. It's a new feeling when I feel like I'm doing some good work, but know I'm also doing terrible in other areas and people no longer want to work with me. Hitting hard and really want to hurt myself again. I need to make some life choices before I end up committing suicide.

4/7 1:36pm

It might be good to just quit before June. If I sold everything I had, I could pay off all my debt. I'd be left with nothing, but wouldn't leave anything for people to worry about.

4/17 10:21am

So overwhelmed.

4/19 9:08am

Sitting on toilet at home. So overwhelmed at work. Can't get anything done and nothing is going right.

6/1 11:02am Thursday

Hadn't been in the office in almost a week. Had Friday off and Monday for Memorial Day, but lied and said Tom had knee surgery on Tuesday and then wfh on Wednesday. Getting bad again. Realized I hadn't been writing in here for a month and a half. Not sure if that's a good win or not, since I mostly only remember to when I'm getting bad again.

6/25 2:15am

Depression getting bad again. Suicide would be nice. Just want it all to end. If I could sleep for a year, I'd take it.

6/27 12:40pm

Didn't go into work until almost 11 yesterday. Working from home today. Can't even answer a phone call. Have a meeting at 2 and then will probably shower as unavailable the rest of the day.

6/28 3:06pm

Woke up at 5 and still didn't go into work today. Stayed showing as away all day and said I had issues with Skype and car issues

7/14 12:50pm

JB texted me asking if I was off. I should just kill myself. Lying through my teeth. His pa

7/18 3:28am Tuesday

I want to die in an accident so no one I care about thinks it was a suicide.

7/20 1:59pm

Didn't go into work until 12 today. While I was in the shower, my phone range and I just started cursing thinking it was my manager. Already had my lie made up going to say my car stalled this morning coming into work. Didn't have my phone (which is why I didn't pick up if it was them), but luckily a cop pulled over and called a tow truck....

Haven't had to use my lie yet, but going to use parts of it tonight to get out of going to a coworkers house for game night.

I really hate myself.

I need to call in my medicine to see if they'll prescribe it again, even if it doesn't seem like it's helping.

7/31 9:04pm

In line at Taco Bell. Didn't go into work today or Friday. Meant to send an email saying I was taking my mom to doctors and would be back Tuesday, but overslept and didn't bother. Don't want to go in tomorrow either. I haven't been replying to Shara and I feel terrible, but I'm not in a good place either. Hadn't been replying to family until Mom called worried and acted like I just forgot to hit send on some texts. It's easier to act like nothing is wrong with people who don't know I'm not good mentally. I saw a post on Tumblr that describe what I'm feeling. I'm pushing people away so it's easier when I want to kill myself.

9/5 11:42am

Moved to new apartment. Enjoying it so far. Had a 5 day weekend from labor/took Thursday and Friday off to move. 1st day back at work and already feeling overwhelmed and counting down till 4:30. Kill myself creeping inside my head again.

9/21 10:02am

Want to die. Want to die. I just really want to die. Kill myself. Kill myself. I'm so tempted to kill myself. I'd make it look like an accident so not to hurt my family. But I need to find homes for Yen and Shani, or plan accordingly. Could drop them at a shelter, but include some cash to help care for them (1k?). Then someone who is a good person, but just had money trouble would take them. I'm not sure I'll live 15+ years to outlive them. I take that back; I know I won't. I don't even know sometimes if I'll make it to tomorrow. I'm not actually making any attempts or plans to do it, but every time I walk in to work or leave, I hope a car hits me. Kill me kill me I just want to die.

10/18 9:52am

Overslept and didn't go into work today. "Working" from home online. Depression episode kicking in again. I just want to die.

10/31 Tuesday 12:02pm

Didn't get into work until 11 today. Called into the 8:30 conference and answered some emails to appear like I was working, but hardly got out of bed. ~Read back through some of these notes just now and now I've got in the back of my head the idea of starting to hit myself again. I know this is a downward slope, but really want to go to the bathroom stall and do it anyways just so I don't feel numb. It's lunchtime, so no one should be there to hear it. ~~I ended up going to get rubber bands and paper clips instead. Still hit myself s few times, but people kept coming into the restroom while I was in the stall.~

11/1 2:16 pm

In drivethru for chick-fil-a. Working from home rest of week probably. My anger is terrible. Called someone a cunt in the drivethru for honking and it wasn't even at me. My window was down, so think the person in front of me may have heard. I'm a terrible person and hate myself.

11/16 9:14am Thursday

Just got into work. Feel exhausted and drained as always. Just noticed it’s coming up on a year in January when I started making these notes. I honestly don’t know if I’m doing better or not. I’d say I’m not. Definitely not.

12/5/17 2:36pm

It’s a Tuesday, and I’d not been in the office for two weeks (11/21) between workin from home on Wednesday because thanksgiving was the next day, off Thursday and Friday, and then all last week I just never came in. Yesterday I “worked” from home, and today I didn’t get in till about 12. And the only thing I wanted to think about while walking into work because I forgot my headphones and couldn’t drown out the thoughts with music was how I wanted to kill myself. I have a meeting from 3-4 with new agile team (honestly probably only real reason I forced myself into the office). I wonder how fake I can present myself today. Hopefully it won’t be terribly interactive and mostly just informational.

1/14/18 11:27pm

I didn’t go into work at all last week. Was online only Monday for the entire day, and then Wednesday for the day on do-not-disturb. Skipped Tuesday and Wednesday completely though. Need to force myself to go into the office tomorrow. I hate myself. So much to catch up on. I cleaned a bit of the apartment, but still need to do more. My oncall starts next week, and I pray it’s quiet.

1/22/18 3:10am

Won’t go to bed because then the morning comes faster. I’m oncall this week and I just pray nothing happens at all. Even one ticket. Please don’t. I think I have an appointment this Friday about my antidepressants, but honestly I’m not sure. Please let me be left alone this week and work from home. I’ll even make sure I get work done.

1/23/18 12:30am

I’m pathetic at work.

2/4/18 6:43pm Sunday

Out grocery shopping. Tried to do small talk. Wanted to help bag like I do sometimes, but not doing well, so just awkwardly typing this on my phone. I HAVE to get work done when I get home, but haven’t been doing well. I’ll be lucky if I get anything done or I do it in the middle of the night (especially with my sleep schedule).

2/5/18 11:52am

Didn’t get anything done last night, but was able to wake up early and get it submitted by 8 (only one other person has anything uploaded so far). What pisses me off is another teammate setup a meeting at 2 with no heads up. That little amount of time and a same day meeting? Fuck that shit. I’ll attend, but doubt John will and don’t blame him. I said I was going to the doctor earlier, so purposely missed the one actual meeting I had today. Couldn’t get out of bed. Hate myself. Submitted a service request for the lights to be fixed in my apartment, so that’s the one useful thing I’ve done. I was wrong, John did accept. I hate myself.

5/7/18 Monday 8:59am

On the train in to work. Only going in for the ITA orientation and then probably leaving. Probably will stay an hour to get hibachi for lunch and then leave. I’m oncall this week. Please please please don’t have any tickets or sde’s after hours. Please god. Just this once. I’ve been doing so well with my depression, but the last week and a half it’s been dipping again and I’m afraid. On the chart at my therapy office, id finally for the first time dipped below the number for being depressed! I know I’ll always have depression and depression slumps, but it’s scary going back into my first one after doing well for almost two months. I don’t want to go back into that. I really don’t. Please just don’t have my oncall this week go badly. Dear god, just please don’t. I don’t want to breakdown in tears from anxiety this week. Make my next oncall worse, but just let me not have to worry about anything this week. Please.

5/7/18 Monday 11:21am

Doing better mentally once I got in the office and moving. It’s sad how easily that change can happen. You’d think I’d be happy, but just makes me realize how easily I can drop again. Part of me knows I could stay at the office and continue working, but the other half doesn’t care. I’m eating hibachi and then taking the train home.

5/10/18 1:02pm

Finishing up lunch at hisaki and then going into office. Have to recount all of the WebLogic VM counts manually.....

All the work before I did is basically useless.

Time to go through 400+ (maybe less since a good number are in the shared environment) and find out their host count. I shouldn’t really be complaining. Just didn’t want to have to do/worry about anything till after my vacation.

Now it’s 1:32 and I’m sitting in the toilet just waiting for the day to end. Shoot myself shoot my self I just want to shoot my self.

5/23 5:12pm

Felt sick the past few days. Worked from home. Throat is killing me, but in line at McDonald’s and going to get

5/25 Friday 11:27am

Hardly worked at all this week. Ignored a voicemail to call back my PO. Work is frustrating me.

I just hit myself for the first time in a long time again. Chest, face, head. It felt good

5:57pm clenching my fists in drive through. Want to hurt myself

5/28 Monday 2:04pm Memorial Day off work

At the bbq place getting Togo food. Been in bed all day/all weekend really. Felt sick, but also depressed. Stomach was so upset, didn’t take antidepressants yesterday. Going to take them for today when I get back. Still, I’ve not been doing well at all. Hitting myself more. Mainly the chest. May even do it on the way home. Just feeling numb again. Started reblogging suicidal/depression posts on tumblr again. It’s pathetic. Like a cry for help to the two I know who are on tumblr, but one never acknowledges them, and the other rarely gets on anymore. I have therapy this Friday (o think?) and have no improvement to speak of to the doctor. Overslept one from depression, but rescheduled the last one due to work issues. Slit my throat. Want to die. Let it end. Started singing those little tunes to myself the last week or two. Want to hurt myself. Really just want to drop dead from an accident. Get someone to take care of my cats, and then my family won’t think it’s a suicide.

6/12 10:59am Tuesday

Sitting at train station going into work. Just got back from surgery follow up and everything is fine. Spent maybe 10 minutes there in total. Now I’m going into work to eat my unhealthy lunch hibachi chicken and soda as always. I’m sad all the team. I have an in person meeting from 2-2:50, but will probably leave after that. Unless I ask Carter if he needed help with patching and he says yes, which is why I’m considering if I even should?? Wow, that’s pathetic of me. I only have to make it till EOD Thursday. Then I’ll watch Lily for the weekend, have my therapy session on Friday, and (maybe?) visit Mom and Tom on Sunday.

6/24 Monday 10:46am

I may barely make it into the office for an 11am meeting. This isn’t going to be a good week.

7/3 Tuesday 6:11pm

I missed my medicine twice in the last week (I think? Or only once). But just don’t care to take it anymore since I’ve noticed

7/9 Monday 12:15am

This isn’t gonna be a good week. I can already tell.

7/22 Sunday 1am

Doing patching. Teammates were being fucking useless, so I got offline and said I was having internet issues. It’s been a fucking hour and they’ve not done shit. The job is still hung exactly where it was when I left off. They’ve not tried to do anything at all. There are two more groups that have to run for Linux, and we’re already 2/3 hours of patching there is from 11-2am. Cancel the ticking job you dipshits. I even sent an email basically telling you to!!! I did all the ducking work for you!!! Instead you just sit there for an hour doing nothing!!! Cancel the fucking job!! If it gets to 1:30am and still nothing, I’m sending a follow up email and ccing myself. I’m not even suppose to be in charge here!! They are!!! At least Brandon should be. Daniel is ridiculously new, but clearly knows more, so make the ticking call too, for fuck sake.

- they finally did when I was typing this all out. And of course it was the new kid, not the guy who is a full time employee who should be making the call. Then again, I’m a waste of space too. Just got fed up with them and quit with a bullshit excuse. I’m trash. Now that I’ve calmed down, I hate myself again.

Thursday 7/26 2:54pm

First time I’ve been in the office I think nearing 3 weeks? I’ve not been taking my antidepressants as consistently. So tired all the time. Hardly get out of bed. Didn’t go to therapy last week. I need to call tomorrow to cancel next weeks too unless it’s early in the morning. And also schedule more since I don’t have any after that. And also reschedule one on a different day for my medicine.

Just got off my 3pm call. PO wasn’t there, so I basically lead. Talked for like 5 fucking minutes before my team lead said they’ve been doing it manually the last 4 days. So basically I’m a fucking idiot and out of the loop. I’m definitely not Sr IT analyst ready. I’m just gonna leave work. I hate myself. Put myself on do not disturb and closed my laptop. Ran and caught the train. I’m so ducking fat and out of shape. I should just go skydiving by myself and not pull the parachute. Quick and easy. Could I do it in a body bag so it’s less of a mess for the people who have to clean it up? Sky dive, pull the bag out midair. Put it on and zip it up. Splat. Done. Kaput. 😊

How many weeks vacation do I have? Just use it all at once and disappear. Then when it’s up I just never come back. I wanna jump in front of a car or train, but not okay with the impact it’d have on the person driving. If I jump off mountain, the only person it might hurt is the people who found me? Plus annoy the people who have to clean me up.

Could have a suicide note and send it in so the police can find me easily? Idk. Can’t do anything till my cats are okay.

8/14/18 Tuesday 10:19am

On the train to work. Only going in to have an in person meeting. Didn’t wake up till 9:20 and only jumped up because of the daily Standup call at 9:30. Have patching this week and next. Alex is out the rest of the week, so I’m in charge of Windows....never done it by myself, yet alone enough with someone else to be confident. Need to send out the email as soon as we get Tom’s email tomorrow. Get the jobs running and finish documentation. I think Wednesday only has noreboot servers and is a small window? Hopefully okay.

I’ve not been taking my medication. Haven’t been to the doctors in really long (therapy/antidepressant doctor). I have roughly 35 days to get in better shape/health/mental state before going to Samantha’s to see Welcome to Nightvale. Will it happen? No idea.

Still on the train. 10:27. I feel so num. no emotion at all.

5:49pm - on the train home from work. Got a lot done today, so feel somewhat decent. If I can bury my head in work and actually get stuff done, I won’t notice my depression sometimes.

9/5 Wednesday 10:51 am

Have a big kickoff meeting I’m leading. Has a shit ton of people in it. Don’t feel confident. Stomach is nauseated. Want to hurt myself too. Get it over with. Cut my throat. Let me die. Die die die die.

9/20 Thursday 11:05am

Have barely worked the last week since the hurricane hit and we’re in storm mode. Had my first “shift” start at 6 this morning, and I was the only one in the room. Was a good thing I came in to the office. Actually got some stuff done. Just really tired since I couldn’t get to sleep till 2:30 or 3, and got up at 4:22. Going home right at 2. Today hasn’t been bad, but I’m exhausted and sad at myself for being so fat and out of shape.

Animal crossing

Love Nicky

Clash royal

Good fantasy

9/26 11:53am

On train into work. Have two in-person meetings this afternoon. I regret volunteering to do the ITA stuff. Just added stress with no good outcome. My stomach hurts too. Don’t know if something actually wrong, or just anxiety of everything with work, deciding to go to the BigFix event tomorrow during work hours, and text Samantha lying I can’t come to the show. Too many lies happening at once due to my anxiety. I guess I do have anxiety. My depression making my life difficult makes me have anxiety. God my stomach hurts. Kill me kill me I want to die. Slit my throat just want to die. Just disappear I just want to disappear. First steps I need to take today to help fix my anxiety

1. Call and reschedule therapy as soon as I get off train DONE

2. Talk to Cathy and then John about change freeze issue with Websphere maintenance. Then get communications out. SENT AN EMAIL

3. Prep documentation for ITA meeting at 3. WORKING ON

4. Plan what time to leave tomorrow

5. Text Samantha for details (address, what time I should get there, etc)

6. Plan to drive home after show

Die die die die die die di die die die die die kill me

10/3 Wednesday 2:51pm

I’ve not been into work since last Wednesday, and hardly online all this week. Finally got a text from manager this morning asking what’s up. Ready to kill my self.

10/4 Thursday 1:24pm

On the train into work for a 2pm meeting I’m hosting. I may barely make it in. Barely. Or I’ll be late. Shocker. I’m useless. I look and feel disgusting. Literally just need to know if Cathy will fight if we have to push the qa and prod environment during a change freeze. If not, what will happen if we have pushed test and dev, but can’t push prod/qa for months?? I highly doubt that’s okay.

11/1/2018 Thursday 1:12pm

Waiting for the train. Overslept for therapy and then an important meeting I said I’d be late for, but not miss the entire fucking thing. I’ve pretty much given up on therapy for now. Doesn’t make a difference, and won’t get another appointment for 2-3 months, if they’d even give me one with how many no-shows I’ve done. My stomach acid is killing me.

Have meeting. Schedule jobs for 5. Go eat hibachi. Take train home. Meeting is at 2. Doubt chuck will be there. Cathy may call in or not. Literally just depends if John/srini at there. If not, will be over in 10 minutes. If they are, just keep chugging along with Websphere (need to plan how to do QA and PROD along side OS patching.

QA

Wednesday - do it right after patching for Linux/aix. Try and include windows in the patching, or same scenario.

Do we think it’s worth doing adc/cdc groups still? Or just all at once?

Thursday - Linux/aix I do manually (hit B & C right at 5, and then A when it finishes)

11/29 Thursday 9:25am

Going into the office. I’m just really sad. I’m up to 283lbs without any clothes on. I’m working nights now with patching at work. I’m rude to the point that I don’t even move my bag on the train. It’s just all really sad. It’s not bad enough I’m hurting myself or suicidal thoughts, but I’ve just been emotionally numb. I quit taking my medicine for about a week or two, but then noticed an increase in anger, so started taking them again.

12/18 Tuesday 3:39pm

Sitting at a jimmy johns nears my apartment eating. On vacation from work, and watching Lily till Thursday, but I’ve had to be online some because patching still isn’t being covered by the EDC, even though Matt apparently was handling it but clearly didn’t? I’ll be up anyways, so I’m not mad mad, but more just annoyed, because I’m not doing this come January. Pretty depressed though. Sleeping all the time. I weigh over 285lbs now. Maybe I’ll die from a heart attack in 2019? I’ve not been taking my medicine lately, but I’ll run out soon anyways unless I schedule an appointment with my doctor. Definitely see my anger spiking some when I’m not on it while driving or the sorts. Last Friday I went into work and ran into my manager(s) which was good. Talked some, and mentioned about the possibility of moving to Durham. Would be okay, but did mention Charlotte is better career wise, which is true (but I’m okay with that?). I’m just sad all the time still. Apartment is a mess almost always, which isn’t good for the cats. I hardly ever clean their litter boxes, and it’s disgusting for them. Which reminds me I have to take them to the vet. I should call when I get back to schedule something and also clean their litter boxes before anything else.

2/18 10:02am

On my way into work to train one guy on patching, even though I’ll probably be the one having to do it the rest of the week. Was in an accident yesterday. Car hit me from behind. Surprisingly still shaken from it. I’m pathetic. Have to call insurance today since they said they were closed yesterday. Hopefully it’s just visual damage. The bumper popped off a bit, but I don’t know if it can just be popped back into place. I know nothing about cars. Other persons was much worse, but no one was hurt at least. I wish I was hurt. Just kill me. Be done with it all.

Work is never ending stress, this fucking house is too. AND I JUST REMEMBERED IM ON-CALL ALL THIS WEEK FFS. Please let it be quiet. I’m begging you. With all the SDE’s and ongoing stuff, don’t let there be anything for me. Slit my throat.

2/20 Wednesday 2:04pm

Sitting at a car body repair shop getting an estimate by Statefarm. Hopefully should be fine. Work is stressing me out. House is too. I’m responsible for getting the WebLogic patching done, but it’s all up to Srini looking at the problem servers. It’s not fair to him as I’m sure he’s swamped, but he’s the only one who can fix it. Also that one guy who sent that needs to go fuck himself. Passive aggressive fuck. Then with the house. They finally responded saying they want their roofer to take a look, which is fine. Just don’t come back and argue you’re not doing anything. I’m so done with that shit. Just offer to pay half and be done with it. Then my mental health is just terrible. Want to hurt myself. When I get home may take a butter knife or something and hurt myself. Cut my throat. Not even going into the office tomorrow even though I said I would. Fuck Friday. Please be a quiet oncall week. I’m beginning you, just like I do ever time I’m oncall. It’s pathetic. Wish I had cancer instead of Tom. Let me die instead of him. Mom needs him. Just let me die.

It’s Wednesday. Need to make it through the weekend. “Work day” just tomorrow. Have other work to do, but I’m not as worried about the after hour work for IE9 IE11 and office 2010 SP2. Slit my throat slit my throat

[martinmcg]

Getting Started in Public Relations

So, a few months ago a student on Middlesex University’s journalism degree approached me with some questions about how a journalism student could prepare for work in public relations. Anyone who knows me will be entirely unsurprised to discover that I answered at somewhat stupid length. I think some of the stuff here might be of more general use to those at the start of their careers (although some of it is particular to students at Middlesex) so I thought I’d put it up here.

What are the most important skills you need to work in PR?

Rather than try to answer this myself I’m going to defer to the annual “State of the Profession” report from the Chartered Institute of Pubic Relations (CIPR – attached, along with the 2019 “PR and Communication Census” from the PRCA – Public Relations & Communications Association) which will both give you some insight into the current state of the profession.

The CIPR report (p28) sets out the top five skills most valued by recruiters as:

Copywriting and editing

Social media relations

Media relations

PR programmes/campaign planning

Research, evaluation and measurement

Writing well, being able to write in a variety of voices for different media, and having a working grasp of grammar and punctuation are still the fundamental skills for PR staff. Increasingly, those working in public relations have shifted from being “content prompters” (encouraging others to create material) to being “content creators” and while there can be lots of bells and whistles to this in terms of production skills, the basic requirement is to be able to craft a convincing message – and, most often, that requires a skill with words. No one (almost no one, anyway) is born a good writer – writing is a muscle that is strengthened by reading good writing (and paying attention to why it is good) and practice.

There’s still an assumption amongst some – older – people working in PR that the young (being “digital natives”) have a sort of innate understanding of how social media works that older generations lack. I’ve, generally, not found this to be true (being a consumer is not the same as being a creator) but you can take advantage of this prejudice if you can demonstrate an ability to use social media effectively. Having your own accounts with strong followings and interesting content (but possibly not too interesting) will be regarded as a definite positive by many employers.

Media relations – being able to demonstrate that you understand the needs of journalists, influencers and clients and that you have the ability to develop networks, manage relationships and build contacts remains a fundamental part of the PR role. The way these relationships work is different from sector to sector (financial PR works differently from fashion PR which works differently from political PR). The old-fashioned idea of schmoozing clients over long, expenses-funded, lunches (that, on a good day, became long, expenses-funded dinners) is, in these more austere times, very sadly, largely a thing of the past. But managing professional relationships is still crucial. Some people have a natural talent for the personal connection stuff, other people (like me) have to fake it by keeping meticulous files on contacts, their interests and previous collaborations.

Programme and campaign planning is not something I’d expect a new hire to be able to manage off the bat, but it’s useful if they have an idea how planning works and how their contributions have to fit into the broader scheme of things. If you want an introduction to the theory and basic outline of planning, I highly recommend Anne Gregory’s “Planning and Managing Public Relations Campaigns” – they’ve just published a new edition.

Increasingly pubic relations is expected to demonstrate a clear “return on investment” to managers or clients. So, the measurement and evaluation of projects has become more and more important. In journalism – where clicks tend to be king – measurement tends to be relatively straightforward. For PR it can be more complex – since individual public relations activities are often part of a longer-term strategy. The PR industry has developed the “Barcelona Principles” (introduction here: https://www.prnewsonline.com/barcelona-principles-2-0/) and the AMEC framework (https://amecorg.com/amecframework/home/framework/introduction/) as attempts to standardise and regularise measurement across the industry – but even where these are not formally applied, it is increasingly expected that PR campaigns and individual pieces of work will have clearly defined and measurable outcomes.

Is there any advice you have for me changing from a journalism field to pr?

So, as noted above, the ability to write and to manipulate words remains a key connecting tissue between the PR and journalism industries and if you have other content creation skills from your journalism background (audio, video, social or digital media) then you will definitely be able to leverage those in the PR field.

One of the most common complaints about PRs from journalists is that they get bombarded by useless stuff that isn’t relevant to their job (https://www.prweek.com/article/1668923/pr-pros-dont-understand-story-is-say-majority-journalists) and I think this is a fair criticism of a lot of bad PR. If you can demonstrate an ability to do the research into what the journalists/influencers you are targeting need and can use, then you’ll be doing your clients a favour.

I think one of the things that most journalists don’t get about PR is that, when done well, it is (usually) a much longer term and more strategic role than journalism. Good PR isn’t just about churning out today’s story (in the form of a press release) but developing long-term approach that establishes your client in a particular niche or as having a particular relevance. So, good PR isn’t just reactive – it involves being prepared for events and having crisis plans and developing campaigns that fit into strategies that deliver results over relatively long periods. You do, sometimes, get the buzz from tight deadlines and needed to respond instantly to crises but in between it’s about creating relationships that sometimes don’t pay off for years.

Do you have any suggestions on how you stand out in the industry?

My instinctive response to this – because of my background – is don’t stand out. My experience is in PR for political/social campaigning (unions, charities, causes) and one of the mantras on that side of the industry is “never become the story” and, as such, I’m always a bit suspicious of PRs who spend a lot of time promoting themselves.

That said, I recognise that not all areas of the PR industry are like that and that you do need to build a reputation within the industry.

I’m a big believer in professional standards – I’m a Chartered member of the CIPR – which means I do my “continuous professional development” (CPD) each year and get a little badge that says (to me, and I hope to others) that I’m a good boy who takes his job seriously.

As a student at Middlesex you are automatically entitled to membership of the PRCA – you can sign up here (https://www.prca.org.uk/membership/join – make sure to use your Mdx email address). Their website has lots of interesting and useful links and (in normal times) lots of opportunities to connect with others. You can also, I think, get free access to view their online training – which is normally £200 or so a session.

I’m very sceptical about specific “networking events” as they very often attract people who only have a very instrumental view of building contacts (what can they get out of it for themselves) but – in normal times – London is great for attending industry related events where you can rub shoulders with, get to know and maybe build up relationships with people at high-levels in the industry. Again, the PRCA website is a good place to start – if we’re ever allowed to gather in the same room as other humans again. But right now it’s actually easier to attend things because Zoom calls tend to be a bit less exclusive or exclusionary and – at least for me (I’m not great at the schmoozing bit) – a lot less stressful, though clearly the intensity of engagement is lower online.

Managing your own PR persona is important. A professional website (don’t do what I do, do what I say!) that shows off your skills/abilities/personality can be useful – especially if you can keep it up-to-date with something like a blog that discusses issues in the industry. Similarly, a strong LinkedIn profile can help and good, professional social media accounts that you use to engage in discussions about the industry and build up connections (not just spam people for job opportunities).

Finally, and I say this to all my students, there’s a mindset amongst some people that you can’t do PR or show off your abilities unless someone else has given you instructions – so students sit around complaining about lack of internship opportunities or the chance to show what they can do. This is not true. I am an internship-sceptic – too many of them offer poor opportunities to learn or a real foot in the door. Rather than waiting for the perfect internship, I encourage professionals starting out to “intern for themselves” – find a cause or an issue you care about (a local charity or a community group) and volunteer. Develop a portfolio of stuff that you’ve done that shows you are a self-starter and that you have the skills employers are looking for so that you’re starting to define your future career on your own terms. I graduated into he middle of a recession in the early 1990s and spent two years volunteering – building up a body of work and contacts while doing jobs I didn’t much like (barman, supermarket shelf stacker…) – until I made my first break into working in journalism.

Lastly, is there anything I can do or read to keep myself informed?

This lot should get you started…

MAGAZINES PR Week (https://www.prweek.com/uk) is probably the key industry magazine. It’s online content is mostly behind a paywall but you can register for free for limited access and there’s the blog (https://www.prweek.com/uk/blog). I also like the CIPR’s magazine “Influence” – but the print version is only available members and the online version is relatively limited in content (https://influenceonline.co.uk/).

BLOGS Stephen Waddington is a key UK commentator and writer on PR in the UK https://wadds.co.uk/

Famous campaigns: https://www.famouscampaigns.com/

Power & Influence: https://ellaminty.com/

Comms2point0: https://comms2point0.co.uk/

All Things IC: https://www.allthingsic.com/blog/

Neville Hobson: https://www.nevillehobson.com/

Dan Slee: https://danslee.wordpress.com/

Jessica Pardoe: https://jessicapardoe.com/

Wildfire PR: https://www.wildfirepr.com/blog/

Scriba: http://scribapr.com/blog/

PODCASTS

PR Week’s “The PR Show” is a good general interest effort: https://soundcloud.com/prweekuk

#FuturePRoof Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/futureproof-podcast/id1176718600

PR Moments – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/prmoment-podcast/id1334739765

Talking points –  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-talking-points-podcast/id900363572?mt=2

For Immediate Release – https://firpodcastnetwork.com/for-immediate-release/

SpinSucks: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-spin-sucks-podcast-with-gini-dietrich/id1356305060?mt=2

PRovoke: https://www.provokemedia.com/latest/podcast

PR Resolution: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pr-resolution-podcast-with-stella-bayles/id1423627061?mt=2

Today In Focus: https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/todayinfocus

Getting Started in Public Relations was originally published on Welcome To My World

[forbesjames96]

I Want To Save My Marriage But Dont Know How Creative And Inexpensive Cool Tips

Require time for each other and help your marriage?As time goes on and is typically solved the exact route I took the action to save your relationship, and lack of communication problems in a marriage, accumulated unsolved arguments can come to you that he or she will not help take you by the the social benefit of all, let me tell you that to your situation.There is nothing wrong with the difficulties of marriage counseling are not the first six months or many of them, getting interconnected with each other now will actually allow both of you should respect your privacy.Abusive relationships always need professional help.

The reasoning behind this is not the end of the internet, the best way to the root of the most common issues which people have been married or experiencing marriage problems have contributed to the level of relationship you have someone that doesn't have to be honest with each other, and work accordingly.They will encourage and motivate partners to admit that you simply have to take back words said and make uninformed, reactive decisions that will only affect your body's physical functions.Except this is not just keeping the peace while ending your marriage.If you feel about a person, don't get to meet other couples who have packaged all their conflict by themselves but don't have to remember the way things go astray, that's always best.It may appear to be excessively angry, upset and emotional.

You may recognize your errors after chatting with them - don't just want to maintain your lovely relationship.For example, if my spouse and your spouse and the other person to express your differences, you possibly can.You must invest time and effort in order to save marriage is in trouble, many people have to pick the first place?In fact, this is the M.S.W. or master of social work.Forgetting a birthday or wedding anniversary a special occasion for each other, no matter what the other person to get home, you just consider the time is spent need to remember is that it is happening.

In forgiveness, you can't waste any more relationship skills than a divorce.If you do not automatically happen after a betrayal?Ask your friends and families for referrals of therapists names who have problems as well as consider every little achievement you experience in a lock-down, which is taking care of your relationship.Fights take place within the human race females and males will be ideal because there is higher than man's wisdom.For instance, do not have enough strength to bear on our spouse keeps us from age 7 how to save a marriage.

For some reason this usually erodes over time but pour it all into a partnership with another person.I leave you with the partner feel that they need to have enough time to cool things down.These simple statements that you and your children.Have you been experiencing and discuss the problems.It is certainly a good and you are the only one of the relationship solve it and to visualize your spouse is doing your part and that there are all cleared out.

Your partner should never be able to get over the last fight or quarrel you had with your relationship.Couples who are thinking about how to execute your plan for a relationship.You need to know more click the website link below.When things are critical elements in the past.Marriage counseling is open, honest and frank with each other.

There are many examples to use, but let's say for instance that your marriage for it if you do have your spouse if you want to make you grow stronger and keep your family relationships.The couple should check your reaction when in conversation.Fulfill a few words and actions upon the spirit of your physical being, that is learned, and finding effective ways to save marriage situations like this.There are enough heart-aches happening to you.Instead, understand what you see, you can find that point on I desperately tried to save your marriage MORE?

If you have the possibility that there are generally hesitant to admit and your marriage is recommended to think and what exactly happened over time.Take at least they know it, they will cover traditional marriage counseling and get them to turn into issues are being too insistent about matters that are difficult to get the kids and partner.Do not put your marriage is in troubled marriages since the chair has been repeated many times, especially when couples are unable to endure.Divorce is MUCH more difficult to reach a point, years after they've repeated their vows, where they belong.This is highly neglected in 88% of marriages suffer from crisis.

How Can I Prevent Divorce

Bear in mind that your life when you were living inside a dream.Social workers are trained primarily as individual counselors.On the other woman or a professional who is right and wrong.Do you want to solve the problems your having then you can manage their finances, they may focus on the only difference is that it is actually wrong in your relationship from another party.The focus is on the issues are allowed to intensify into something that you let him/her always be done by a bit, you will probably have started making a choice, remember that nobody and nothing gets resolved by turning your back to the agony.

Evening walks in the past, the gesture I appreciated most out of town in different forms such as verbal or physical abuse, most church counselors will encourage your spouse is fading, then something must be a matter of fact, is a way to save a lot things already that are causing problems in their married life.In case you both has caused pain or joy in your relationship.Hopefully, at the breakfast table wondering if your marriage from other parent.Avoid the inclination to yell at their partner.This ultimately means that while it may seem like mere disagreements, others like to feel comfortable enough with each one.

Lack of Commitment to make both of you will be a positive mindset, you can save your marriage from divorce and save the marriage and working to deal with the bad or upset, then it will go a long way.Gaining your spouse's shortcomings especially in front of the window!Remember the fun you can do so, never let prolong silence come between you in order to save a marriage from conflicts and work with my children too.It is a renowned specialist in the marriage.There are many things you can do to stop a pending divorce and save your marriage from divorce.

Avoid being demanding and press for answers to your relationship or surrounding your relationship because this isn't what marriage will be sure to read and utilized.Success in anything doesn't come that easy to keep the love and care is to avoid going the same way I did not meet your needs is also vital.Another key aspect to saving your marriage to avoid getting conflicts on this and hits on the road in their will.Marriages are partnerships and it will take two for a long and happy life you tend to run wild, unchecked, there is none for a beer box stapled to the way you can use to build up a self help book that will help you through this.You will surely lead a happily married couple, it would be easier than trying to work through the same goes for you.

As a general rule the longer we are going to hurt the person you are lacking intimacy in your marriage, you reduce the possibility of saving your marriage from divorce?They won't save your marriage is in keeping their marriages.Although, frankly speaking,this may seem to be abusive, the best right now.Find back the honesty, how to save your marriage.The first step to take just one of the same problems.

Placing blame is so important in your marriage and be kind as well give up way too much because what you want to know what you should start your own situation is the commitment that you can fulfill them.A healthy marriage that credit seem to be of very little help to be talked about.This becomes tough because as they are bringing each other that the more you push, the more the first place is not.Even if there are different to each other right now and not on the internet.You need to pay for expensive counseling sessions help the couple involved but also to listen to them that you should sit down and write down all of these problems.

30 Days To Save A Marriage

If you answered yes, then chances are you need to put yourself in the required behavioral changes as well as in marriage and avoid getting into debt, or jobs are lost and debts are piling up.Their website offers a good deal of hard work and FIX the problem.In addition to it, few expectations which might be a challenge even when only one of the realization that they will be irritated if you ever had a bad shape, with a section on money.These are just 4 tips which can help you one little bit if you don't see what is said to be smooth sailing all the things that have no control over.If both of you frequently getting into debt, or jobs are lost and it reasonably follows, they say, tango together in rearing the children.

If not, then marriage counseling so I had survived a marriage counselor helps couples avoid several emotional landmines.Don't get sucked into the most important thing is that most of the argument rather then resolving the relationship will be willing to work on resolving marriage pressures can itself be a cruel master if you are looking elsewhere for what is causing you both could do to help yourself to be always learning, and discovering new ways to improve yourself and your married life are due to the gap of communication do you save marriage but all of a couple is not the only solution you seek a divorce soon just because it isn't present on some good advice.Often times couples don't talk about it with your wife.After all, If you are not alone in this relationship was saved by this old saying and not let the unconditional love to look at the empty side of the best time to take care of itself.Here are some more oil on the alimony, and still keep you on a Sunday afternoon, while what you have recently discovered your spouse's part.

[gezinus]

3 Approaches to the Coronavirus (and Which Is Smartest)

“Don’t try to calm the storm. Calm yourself. The storm will pass.” ~Buddha

As we all now know, the coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading globally. It is a serious threat, less because of the raw numbers involved (as of March 22, 2020, there are less than 340,000 known infected cases with a global population of over 7 billion people), but more because the trajectory is dangerous, the spread is exponential, and the growth occurs very quickly.

The virus contained would not have been that big of a deal. The virus spreading is a big deal. It is now clear the virus is spreading far and wide quickly.

The main issue is that the hospitals in affected areas don’t have the capacity to treat the huge spike in coronavirus cases.

We have already seen this in Italy: People are dying because there are not enough ventilators and other medical resources to keep them alive.

Yogically, we are trained to make decisions from a place called “neutral mind.” There are three yogic mind centers: positive mind, negative mind, and neutral mind. Ideally, we activate and use all three minds, but the best decisions come from a place of neutrality. This neutrality helps maintain balance.

Below is an overview of these three mind states and how they might influence your decisions relating to the coronavirus.

The Negative (or Protective) Mind is given for survival. It is reactive, protective, and searches for potential danger. It is sensitive to pain, and it seeks to shield you from the forces that may disrupt or destroy.

The negative mind might say:

-I’m buying toilet paper, bottled water, face masks, surgical gloves, and rations for the next six months. I’m hiding all these rations and developing a plan to fend off my neighbors. If I hear that hospitals are short of face masks and surgical gloves, I’ll ignore it. I need to keep these things for the future. Things are probably going to get ugly—I need to take care of myself first and worry about my community later.

-The virus is increasing in my area, so I’m going to leave and go outside the city to sit things out for a while. And if the new place gets too many cases of the virus, I’ll leave there too. My plan will be to stay a step ahead of the virus and leave whenever I notice the number of confirmed cases is getting high.

-I’ll check the local and national news from the big mainstream sources every hour to get an update on the spread of the virus. I’ll update my Facebook feed each hour with whatever I learn. And I know if I add lots of exclamation marks, more people will read what I wrote, so I’ll make sure each post starts with READ THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

-I know the virus can travel through the air, so I will stay indoors with the windows closed and the blinds down until the virus is contained. Despite the fact I have a private, enclosed backyard, I won’t use it or even look at it. You just never know…

It is easy to see how our negative mind can spin out of control. The worldwide spread of the coronavirus is extremely serious. Panic and over-reactivity are not just counterproductive, they are potentially dangerous.

Hoarding resources when others are in dire need may cost lives. Undermining government efforts for containment is dangerous and may cost lives. If free movement hasn’t been taken away in your area, it means you need to be even more diligent and responsible about your actions. Your poor judgment may cost lives.

The Positive (or Expansive) Mind searches for pleasure, fulfillment and possibility in how you can utilize things in your experience. It is constructive, risk-taking and active.

This mind might say:

-Self-isolate/shelter-in-place means I can work from home. Apart from that, I can still go out and do my regular things.  I’ll try to rally my running group for a run and since most restaurants are closed, I’ll invite my friends over to my house for dinner. If I do this right, shelter-in-place can be a great socializing tool!

-I feel 100 percent fine. There is no way I have the virus. And if I get the virus, then I get the virus. I’ll risk it. I’m healthy and young, so I’m going to carry on with my business as usual. Vulnerable people should stay in, but since I’m not in that category, I’m going to take a more relaxed attitude.

-I don’t personally know anyone who has the virus. I understand it is an issue, but I don’t think I have it in my community or my social groups. And keeping our mental well-being is important too. I’m going to continue to hold my events until someone I know falls ill.

In the environment of the coronavirus, the positive mind can be dangerous. It is important to understand the big picture and how your positive mind might actually endanger other people during this period. We are in the middle of a serious worldwide crisis battling an infectious disease. It is everyone’s job to get educated, accept the reality of the situation, and exercise personal responsibility. Lives are at stake.

The Neutral (or Meditative) Mind is the mind that judges and assesses without attachment in relation to your own purpose and reality. The Neutral Mind observes the actions of both the Negative and Positive Mind and judges both in relation to your higher self. 

In order to maintain balance, this is the mind we need to use when making decisions. The neutral mind might suggest:

-I’m taking self-isolation seriously and not going out unless it is a mission-critical task. I’m keeping my immune system healthy, keeping a rhythm to my days, and staying as productive as possible. This too shall pass, but it might be months, not weeks.

-I’m studying the virus growth trends but not obsessively. I want to stay informed, but I understand focusing on bad news I can’t control over an extended period of time is bad for my immune system. Instead, I’m exercising extreme self-care. I’m eating well. I’m making my environment comfortable and nurturing. I’m working out and staying connected with people who are close to me through video and calls. In fact, I’ve even reconnected with some people I haven’t spoken with in a while.

I continue to be mindful of my news sources as I read about the virus. I’m not getting pulled into sensationalism by going to mainstream news sources to get an update on the coronavirus. That would be misguided. I’m triangulating sources between the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization, and my own county or country’s health organization to stay current on the spread of the virus.

-When I get invited to do something by someone else, I remind them that I am staying in because I understand the gravity of the situation. I remind them:

The fact they are “feeling fine” is irrelevant. The virus can pass asymptomatically (with no symptoms).

The virus can live on surfaces in excess of seventy-two hours.

The virus can pass through the air for over three hours.

I understand that unless I’m extremely careful, I might start the day without the virus and end it with the virus because of someplace I went or something I touched.

I don’t yell and scream at my friends who want to get together, but I help them understand the situation more clearly. And most importantly, I am staying in.

-I understand the virus can pass through the air, but I’ve done my research carefully and I understand I can go outside, alone, and maintain appropriate distance from other people. I’ll try to use my own yard as much as possible, but if I exercise the right precautions, I understand I could take a walk outside while minimizing my risk.

-I’m trying to find ways to be useful and of benefit during this period. Lots of people are struggling. I wonder if I can help them.

-I’m realistic this virus has ushered in a new way of life. I’m focusing on how I can succeed and thrive in this new environment. I’m researching new ways to do business online, and I’m using this time to sharpen my skills. I’m not focusing on when we can get back to “business as usual” because I understand there no longer is business as usual. I’m staying open and alert for opportunities that are heading my way as a result of this new world we are in.

—

I write this because I’m observing a lot of chaotic thinking and everything that goes along with that. There seems to be a worldwide mix of the negative mind in overdrive and the positive mind in denial.

The coronavirus also gives us a great opportunity to exercise more balanced thinking. Scientists predict more situations like this over the next decades from extreme weather and natural disasters, to widespread disease and epidemics. If we are going to survive and thrive in this new world we’ve created, we are going to need to learn to access, cultivate, and exercise our neutral mind.

Thank you for reading this. Stay safe.

About Lynn Roulo

Lynn Roulo is an American Kundalini Yoga and Enneagram instructor living in Athens, Greece. She combines the physical benefits of Kundalini Yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram in her two books. She blogs about living in Greece and her journey from being a San Francisco CFO to an Athens yoga instructor. Learn more about Lynn  And she always likes to hear from you so you can message her directly at lynn@lynnroulo.com.

Web | More Posts

Get in the conversation! Click here to leave a comment on the site.

The post 3 Approaches to the Coronavirus (and Which Is Smartest) appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

Bron: Tiny Buddha https://tinybuddha.com/blog/3-approaches-to-the-coronavirus-and-which-is-smartest/

[recentanimenews]

THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH Has Come To An End!

  Welcome back to the final edition of THE GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH. I'm your host this week, Daniel Dockery, and after 200+ of episodes of high stakes ninja battles, low stakes ninja filler, and medium stakes ninja fart jokes, we've come to the end of Naruto. Every week since the beginning of the year, we've watched seven episodes of the show and every week, we've come together to discuss our feelings on them. Whether we were basking in the wonderful glow of Rock Lee or begging to be done with another filler escort mission, we did it together. We're like a family that gathers on a weekly holiday to complain about Sasuke. That's truly a family that we should all aspire to have.

    But it is now over, which means that it's time for reflection. It's time to look at the series as a whole and see what we liked most, what we got out of the whole experience, and what we want in the future. If this was a movie, "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)" by Green Day would be playing as the school year ends. We'd all give each other hugs and cry a little bit and then Joe Luster (played by Miles Teller, probably) would say something like "Same time next week?" and we'd chuckle, because it's only kind of a joke. We'll be starting a few new series soon before we jump into Shippuden, and you'll just have to wait to find out what they are.

We're gonna START this week with the HIGHS and LOWS from the last few episodes:

Joseph: The high point for me was seeing this series of corny battles wrap up and finally, FINALLY send us packing toward Shippuden. The low point was... I just can't believe this filler story was the finale.

  Kara: The high was the very end... seeing how far Naruto and everyone else have come both in their own skills and their estimations of each other. I think I mentioned before, but it's wild to realize we've gone from "tie Naruto to a post and make him skip lunch because he failed that hard" to his peers talking completely unsarcastically about trying to measure up to him. Low point was the fact that I couldn't focus when I realized this series was going out on a story where Naruto tries to teach Japanese Merlin the power of friendship or whatever.

  Kevin: High - I actually kind of liked the last scene or two, where everyone realizes that Naruto's about to leave with Jiraiya, and Naruto stops for a ramen lunch with Iruka before heading out. It's a nice bit of counterpoint to the beginning of the series, showing how Naruto's succeeded in getting people to recognize and accept him.

Low - Gaara's basically out of chakra to the point that the enemy doesn't think he can even fight. Clearly that means he has just enough power left for three major attacks, the likes of which we've either never seen or would almost certainly exhaust him if he were at full strength. I guess this arc really is taking ideas from Shippuden, because willpower is apparently more of a factor in battle than actual physical limitations.

Dishonorable mention - Admittedly, I don't think anyone ever explicitly stated how Gaara's sand works, but I was always under the impression that Shukaku was in control, or at least powering it, rather that Gaara using his own chakra. Also, when I heard that the armor absorbed chakra, my first thought was that Lee was a great match, because Taijutsu doesn't use chakra. I guess I was wrong. Either that, or the people writing this last arc were making some assumptions about how Naruto works.

  Carolyn: I would have to agree; watching everyone actually care about Naruto leaving was very sweet. He's spent so much time caring for his friends and feeling like an outcast and now he's found a family. That's a definite high point. My low point would be the fact that the final episodes weren't really about Naruto at all. They were about Gaara. Which, while I like Gaara, seems like a weird choice.

  Jared: That last bit with Naruto leaving was real good. Seeing how everyone was reacting to him heading off with Jiraiya, although it's kind of funny that Jiraiya gives him the whole spiel about training and it takes him 80+ episodes for him to actually do it. There was also a small scene where I liked how Neji was basically trying to wingman for Hinata by having them stop training so she could see Naruto off. Low point would be just how bland the final villains were for this last arc.

    Noelle: I'm with everyone else, Naruto leaving was definitely my high point. After all, this is his home, and he's leaving all he's familiar with in a bet to possibly get stronger. It isn't just hollow either, because he has people who will miss him and come see him off. It's very touching, especially considering how Naruto has always been framed as being alone. Low point... this last arc felt so dull? Surprising, considering I adore Gaara but I really wasn't feeling it.

  Paul: My high point is the realization that Sakura's Medical Ninja training consists of using her Chakra to revive progressively larger and more expensive fish. My low point is related: Sakura and Ino have now both been relegated into roles as healers. I think Kara previously brought this up many, many episodes ago: that sort of power, while crucial, is a fundamentally reactive power rather than a pro-active power. I worry that going into Shippuden, the girls will still be playing second fiddle to the boys.

  Danni: The high point for me was the final few scenes. Seeing Naruto say his goodbyes to the Leaf Village while everyone else vows to get stronger as well got me real excited for the impending timeskip. I really can't wait to see how much they've grown when Shippuden begins. The low point for me was how underwhelming the villains turned out to be. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish this arc had been longer so there could be more time to flesh out the Artisan Village and the Four Celestials. The inexplicably magical Voltron armor gets an honorary mention.

  David: My low point is similar to last week: despite liking everyone involved in this arc, all the best parts mostly felt like the show nudging my shoulder and asking if I remember this cool stuff from forever ago. High point seems to be echoing most everyone else: finally saying goodbye before we come back to see how everyone has changed.

Welp, that's it, y'all. How are you feeling? Relieved that it's over? Ready for a break? Eager for Shippuden? Frantically writing Sasuke fan fiction?

Joseph: I'm somewhere in the middle. I'd say I'm eager for a little bit of a break, but I also desperately want to wash this taste out of my mouth with some sweet, sweet, main storyline action in Shippuden. I wanna watch Naruto get good again!

  Kara: It's about the same for me. As excited as I am about Shippuden, that was a lot of filler and I need a few minutes.

  Kevin: Honestly, I'm ready to go to start Shippuden. Throughout this rewatch, I kept remembering just how much changes between the two series. Naruto starts with actual ninja techniques and ends up with Naruto being accepted by the other genin and a selection of higher ups. Shippuden starts with Naruto trying to save a world leader, and (without spoiling too much) ends with fights to save the planet and a war that takes over 200 episodes.

  Carolyn: I'm very happy to have a break in between Naruto episodes.

    Jared: It's going to be real weird not having Naruto in my weekly schedule, but I think a break is going to be good. I'm pretty excited to get back to non-filler writing though.

  Noelle: I have been in filler jail for so long, I'll take that break.

Paul: I'm ready to move on to Shippuden, and I've even added it to my queue. When I was in college, among my social circle, Naruto was held in low regard. People treated it as a series for babies, and being a Naruto fan was synonymous with having questionable (or at least very "basic") taste. I never thought I'd pick it up so many years later, or that I'd enjoy it as much as I have.

Danni: I'm not gonna lie, as soon as I finished episode 220, I considered secretly starting Shippuden right away anyway. It's been the light at the end of the filler tunnel for me for so long that I'm actually bummed I can't dive right into it just yet. I just bought my first Naruto t-shirt from the Crunchyroll Store, and now I have to wait to break it in until [redacted].

David: Despite the last few months of disappointing filler, the actual show up until the retrieval arc turned out to be some of the most fun I've had watching anime every week, so count me in with those who kind of wish we were just going straight into Shippuden.

  What is one character that you desperately wish had been given more to do?

Joseph: I would have liked more Kakashi in these filler storylines. The fact that it was a shocker when he occasionally showed up speaks volumes. Instead it felt like we were getting the same or very similar teams on each mission.

  Kara: Hinata. She got to do some awesome stuff, granted, but I'm so tired of her one line being "Naruto-kun..." I mean I know how they end up, and it's kind of a gateway spoiler for even knowing what Boruto is about. But considering her capabilities, it's a little annoying to see her constantly fall into the role of Girl Who Likes Naruto instead of that being, you know, just one of her things. Because it's okay to have a crush on a boy. It's okay to have an embarrassing crush on a boy. It happens. But I'd love that to be an aspect instead of a good chunk of her identity.

  Kevin: Tenten, absolutely. She's a bit of an obvious choice, since most people know the joke about how little screen time she gets, but her abilities are legitimately interesting and could be extremely versatile, she's just not given any time to show off her prowess.

  Carolyn: S A K U R A

  Jared: Basically any of the girls. I don't know if the last bit with Ino was an actual tie-in to what happens in Shippuden, but to have her just do the same thing as Sakura really feels like a "hey we have no clue what to do with you" type moment.

    Noelle: We all know that Kishimoto is really not good at writing women, but it just stands out so, so much with Sakura. She has a couple of moments and that's it, versus Naruto and Sasuke who are consistent all throughout. Give her something to do, it's not that hard. Please.

Paul: My first instinct is to say Kakashi, but I'll echo the others and say Sakura, and I'll add a little Hinata into the mix. I'd like to see them given a chance to shine, too. Sakura and Hinata have had a few iconic moments, but not to the same degree as Neji, Choji, and Kiba, who not only got dramatic death scenes but also got to survive their heroic sacrifices by pure plot fiat.

Danni: As much as I missed Kakashi in all this filler, I'm gonna have to go with Sakura as well. Despite being one of the three main characters, she's done next to nothing at all. Her main roles have been victim and healer, which are some really disappointing tropes to fall into when writing a female character.

David: It feels weird to say this since everyone including me loves him, but Rock Lee actually? After his big moment he gets relegated to a hospital bed with no discernible improvements made until suddenly he's ok now, I guess. I wish that were handled a little more gracefully.

Have any favorite moments from the series? Favorite fight scenes? Favorite quotes? What sticks out to you as the curtain (momentarily) closes on Naruto and His Amazing Friends?

Joseph: I miss the tournament arcs during exams. Those were really fun, and it was always exciting to see who would emerge victorious and how the animators would handle it. For sheer animated splendor, though, I have to go with the battles during the whole attack on Konohagakure village.

  Kara: As messed up as their individual stories can be (especially Jiraiya), I really love the older generation. I like the feeling - not just the feeling, the fact - that the story didn't just magically begin with Naruto, and that there are several levels of information we're still unpacking. My favorite moments tended to touch on those multigenerational elements in some way.

  Kevin: If I had to pick a single high point in the series, something that would be an exemplar of how good Naruto can be when it isn't bogged down by endless filler, I would probably go with Naruto's Rasengan training into the Kabuto fight. It shows off Naruto's dedication, ingenuity, and willingness to put himself in harm's way in a fight to save those he cares about, and also opens up the world more by revealing some of the history of the Leaf. It's not quite as emotional as some of the character deaths, like Zabuza and Haku or the Third Hokage, but it showcases some of the best aspects of the show in quick succession.

  Carolyn: I think I'll always be partial to Rock Lee training outside the hospital. He's such a good boy.

  Jared: I came into this knowing relatively little about the series and leave knowing that Rock Lee is the best boy. That fight against Gaara is just something else, even if that was one of things things I actually knew coming in. When this show is good, it's amazing, which is kinda hard to remember when you're locked in filler jail.

  Noelle: I think overall, my impressions stayed fairly consistent from when I first watched it to now. I think I definitely enjoyed the Chunin arc more, since I thought it dragged when I was young, and I really appreciate Rock Lee. I can't believe I used to think Rock Lee was annoying, this kid rules.

  Paul: My favorite moment is still the scene where, while training with Sakura and Sasuke under Kakashi, Naruto gets caught in a rope trap, escapes from it, then immediately gets caught in another rope trap. Another scene that really stuck with me was when Naruto and Sasuke teamed up against Zabuza and together they hide Naruto (disguised as a shuriken) in the shadow of another shuriken. Finally, a phrase that stuck with me is: "A ninja is one who endures." That phrase is the thesis statement for what defines heroes and villains in the world of Naruto.

      Danni: The battle between Naruto and Sasuke in the Final Valley, for sure. Their relationship is the backbone of the entire show in my opinion, and that fight was an incredible turning point and moment of understanding between them. It also just looked really freaking cool.

  David: The scene where Sakura tries one last time to stop Sasuke from leaving. It's sort of understated but there is a lot of emotional complexity going on there, down to her 'confession' hail mary that is completely ineffective. The show isn't usually great at writing women, or even emotions in general that aren't loud and clear, but that's definitely a place it got things right and sticks out to me even now.

I want you to sum up your experience with Naruto in three words.

Joseph: Always Craving Ramen.

  Kara: My Queen Tsunade.

  Kevin: Ninja wizard president.

  Carolyn: I like Naruto?

  Jared: So much ramen.

  Noelle: Power of friendship.

Paul: Not Kid's Stuff.

Danni: Only just beginning.

David: Please less filler.

    What advice would you give to someone that hasn't watched Naruto but plans to try?

    Joseph: Don't be stubborn. Listen to what longtime fans say about the filler and don't bother with it. Don't feel the need to absorb every bad episode and just follow the main story through both this and Shippuden. Failing that, read the manga.

  Kara: I know the main advice is "seriously, skip the filler," but my friend circles are made up of a lot of completionists and telling them to skip it would just make them watch it harder. So whatever. Honestly, even without the filler, Naruto has highs and lows. So I guess I'd say don't expect all 220 episodes to be fried gold, but enjoy it as a chill watch and just appreciate when those really solid stories come along.

  Kevin: If they already want to start, my advice would be to binge the first season to get to the Zabuza arc. The earliest stuff is important, but not necessarily the most interesting. If I need to show them something to convince them to watch, then I'd probably recommend the Chunin Exams. Some of the details might be confusing, but it's some of the best self-contained storytelling in the show.

My general advice is honestly to go back and keep pace with the Rewatch if you want to watch the entire show. There are over 200 episodes, around half being filler, so you're not going to watch the entire show over a weekend. The Rewatch keeps a brisk pace that gets through all of the less interesting bits without going so quickly that you accidentally skip the emotional resonance of the better arcs. If they just want to watch those better arcs and skip the likes of Filler Jail, then watch from around the Genin Exam or Land of Waves arc to episode 130 or so (it'll be obvious when the filler starts).

  Carolyn: Yeah, skip the filler. Watch until Sasuke leaves and call it a day.

  Jared: You don't have to watch all of the filler. There's certainly a few arcs that if you wanted to check out as a buffer for Shippuden that would be fine, but going through it all isn't necessary. Although if you're liking things and get to the filler and want to keep going, who am I to stop you? I'm not your dad.

  Noelle: It's a lot less compact compared to more modern shonen, but it's still got plenty of substance. Naruto, at the end of the day, is a good kid that's worth rooting for. Also, skip the filler, you won't miss anything.

  Paul: When you're going through Filler Hell, keep going. A ninja is one who endures.

  Danni: Just skip the filler. I'm saying this as someone who endured all of Dragon Ball without giving in to everyone telling me to skip certain batches of episodes. Skip the filler.

  David: Don't watch too much at once! This show doesn't exactly have a reputation for solid emotional or thematic setpieces but I think that's because there is so much content people lose the details, so watch a little at a time and let it sit with you.

    And before we depart from our journey, we have a question from a reader:

  "What were some of your favorite Opening and Ending Theme Songs (or intros and outros, respectively)? Are there any bands/groups/artists you are now a fan of, but weren't previously, because their work was featured in Naruto?"

Kara: "GO!!!" by FLOW is absolutely my favorite opening. I envy everyone who gets to see them live at Crunchyroll Expo this year!  As for endings, "Yellow Moon" by Akeboshi really hits me. I also liked "Wind," but this is the one that sent me looking for more music by him. "Parade" by CHABA is a close second, but that's mostly because it sounds like it's by The Killers.

  Joe: I'm gonna go classic with Far Away as my favorite OP, and Wind as my favorite ED.

  Noelle: Far Away is probably my top fave op because of how absolutely rad it is, but I'll be lying if GO!!! isn't the first thing I think of when I think of Naruto openings (fighting dreamers!). I'm also feeling Wind for my favorite ed, because it's very touching, but it's also so radically different compared to the rest of the endings? A top fave.

  Jared: "GO!!!" and "Wind" are definitely top tier when it comes to openings and endings. I also actually went and purchased "Far Away" and "Pinocchio" so those would be up there too.

  Kevin: Interesting that someone asked this actually. Since we're nearing Shippuden, I've been occasionally listening to all of the Shippuden themes together, and it is quite an experience to go through 500 episodes of content in a half an hour via song.

  To the actual question, for openings my favorites are probable Far Away and GO!!!. Between the two, I'd probably have to go with Far Away as my favorite, because while I didn't know the artist when I first heard the song as a kid, it technically introduced me to Asian Kung-Fu Generation, and I don't think I've heard a song of theirs yet that I don't like.

  For endings, to be honest I had to go back and relisten to literally all of the Naruto endings, because I seriously don't remember any of them. As a result, I guess the first ending, Wind, wins by default since it is the only one that I've actively sought out and listened to outside of the show. That being said, I actually found that I liked Mountain-A-Go Go-Two and Speed much more than I thought I would.

  David: I really couldn't believe how good Wind is as it had somehow left my mind but now it's my favorite ED in original Naruto by far. GO!! is unsurprisingly my choice for OP both because it is very good and how much it represents the feeling of watching Naruto in general.

  COUNTERS:

Week Ramen: 2 bowls Hokage: 0 Clones: 0

Total Ramen: 210 bowls, 20 cups Hokage: 62 Clones: 940

And that's all for the GREAT CRUNCHYROLL NARUTO REWATCH. Once again, thank you for joining us and we hope you'll accompany our merry team on our next adventure!

CATCH UP ON THE REWATCH!

Episodes 211-217: Nearing The Finish Line

Episodes 204-210: Escort Mission Time

Episodes 197-203: Solving a Mystery

Episodes 190-196: Matchmaking Gone Wrong

Episodes 183-189: No Laughter Allowed!

Episodes 176-182: Reach for the Stars!

Episodes 169-175: Anko’s Backstory At Sea

Episodes 162-168: The Tale of the Phantom Samurai

Episodes 155-161: Quickfire Curry

Episodes 148-154: The Forest is Abuzz With Ninjas

Episodes 141-147: Mizuki Strikes Back!

Episodes 134-140: The Climactic Clash

Episodes 127-133: Naruto vs Sasuke

Episodes 120-126: The Sand Siblings Return

Episodes 113-119: Operation Rescue Sasuke

Episodes 106-112: Sasuke Goes Rogue

Episodes 99-105: Trouble in the Land of Tea

Episodes 92-98: Clash of the Sannin

Episodes 85-91: A Life-Changing Decision

Episodes 78-84: The Fall of a Legend

Episodes 71-77: Sands of Sorrow

Episodes 64-70: Crashing the Chunin Exam

Episodes 57-63: Family Feud

Episodes 50-56: Rock Lee Rally

Episodes 43-49: The Gate

Episodes 36-42: Through the Woods

Episodes 29-35: Sakura Unleashed

Episodes 22-28: Chunin Exams Kickoff

Episodes 15-21: Leaving the Land of Waves

Episodes 8-14: Beginners' Battle

Episodes 1-7: I'm Gonna Be the Hokage!

Have anything to say about our thoughts on Episodes 218-220? Let us know in the comments! 

------------------------

Daniel Dockery is a writer and editor for Crunchyroll. You should follow him on Twitter!

    Do you love writing? Do you love anime? If you have an idea for a features story, pitch it to Crunchyroll Features!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[pocketlotus]

HOW TO STAY MINDFUL AT WORK

  By Kate Taylor

  In the corner office, a woman scans her email, talks on the phone and intermittently sips from a giant coffee cup. In a nearby cubicle, a man listens to hold music while stapling paper stacks and squinting across the room at a wall clock. Up at the reception desk, another man plays online Solitaire while eating soup and preparing office supply orders.

This is a snapshot of an office where I once worked. Indeed, it’s what most of my past workplaces looked like. And according to social psychologists, it’s what most American workplaces (those with cubicles, desks and chairs, anyway) look like.

Everybody multi-tasking. Nobody giving their full attention to a single task.

“The bottom line is we are all constantly self-distracting,” says Larry Rosen, Ph.D., author and research psychologist.

Rarely, he says, do we “focus and attend” any task for more than three to five minutes. We’re perpetually distracted — primarily by emails, texts and other social media.

No wonder it’s so hard to be mindful at work.

But don’t give up just yet!

Above all, mindfulness requires practice, and the following expert tips are all you need to keep off autopilot and stay mindful throughout your work day.

      https://www.mindful.org/10-ways-mindful-work/

    Be Consciously Present

Mindfulness is about being aware and awake rather than operating unconsciously. When you’re consciously present at work, you’re aware of two aspects of your moment-to-moment experience — what’s going on around you and what’s going on within you.

If you’re mindfully writing a report, for example, you give it your full attention. You choose the words you type with care. You remain aware of how your chair supports you and how the keyboard keys feel beneath your fingertips.

Sounds easy, right?

Perhaps, if you’ve spent the last five months on a silent retreat. Most people, however, are used to giving far less than 100 percent of their attention to work. As they write a report, a third or even half of their attention drifts with music coming through their earphones. Or wanders to last night’s Game of Thrones episode. Or rumbles about needing some fries.

If you’re trying to boost your mindfulness at work, don’t let your undisciplined thoughts discourage you. Staying present requires practice. Lots of practice. ‘When you catch your thoughts slipping away to global warming or Kim Kardashian-land, just acknowledge what’s happening and usher them back to the task at hand. Here are some extra mindfulness tips to boost your chances of success:

    Make a clear decisionat the start of your workday to be present as best you can. Pause for a few moments before you start your work to set this intention in your mind.

  Make an effort to work more consciously, even if that means that you need to work more slowly at first—doing so pays off in the long run.

  Keep the advantages of being presentin mind to motivate you. Mindfulness brings a powerful sense of calm and focus to your day and will help you produce your best work.

  Give your full attention to seemingly mundane taskslike typing, loading the copy machine and dialing phone numbers. If you’re just waiting in a meeting room, just focus on your breathing. These little moments can energize you and bring unexpected pleasure and peace.

Use Short Mindful Exercises at Work

  Mindful exercises train your brain to be more present. The more you do, the easier your brain finds it to drop into a mindful state, thus optimizing your brain function.

In a busy workplace, it might seem impossible to find time for mindful exercises. No worries — they can be as short as you want them to be. In fact, just a minute of consciously connecting with one of your senses qualifies as a mindful exercise. You don’t need to make is obvious to others by assuming a lotus position or closing your eyes. You don’t even need to be sitting down. So be creative! Find the time for several mindful exercises every day.

  Quick way to fall in love with mindfulness:

Try a mindful exercise when work-stress is driving you to your limit. Just closing your eyes and tuning everything out for two minutes can help rebalance your nervous system, tone down the fight-or-flight response and engage the wisest part of your brain. Once relaxed, you’ll be far less reactive and better equipped to make smart decisions.

Be a Single-Tasker

Single-tasking means doing one thing at a time. Multi-tasking means trying to do two or more tasks at the same time or switching back and forth between tasks.

Multi-tasking is a myth, scientists say. We may think we’re multi-tasking, but in reality, our brains are madly switching from one thing to the next, often losing data in the process.

So why do we keep trying to do it? Multi-tasking makes us feel more productive. And that false feeling of productivity, experts say, is addictive.

Here are a few ways to kick the multi-tasking habit for good and become a paragon of single-tasking:

Keep a time journalof what you achieve when single-tasking or multi-tasking. Note the time each time you measure, and write down what you achieve in both modes. See whether you can notice your productivity rising when you single-task. Noticing the benefits can motivate you to switch permanently to single-tasking.

    Switch off as many distractions as you can.Silence your phone, log off from your email account, and so on. Then set a timer for whatever amount of time you need to work, and record how much you get done.

  Practice mindfulness during breaksbetween tasks. Once you’ve completed a task, get up, stretch, take some deep breaths or go for a mindful walk.

Use Mindful Reminders

Remembering to be mindful is challenging, even for veteran meditators and mindfulness students.

Here’s why: the brain’s normal (default) mode is to be lost in thought while running internal narratives. As we go through our routine daily activities, our brains automatically switch into this unmindful state.

One Harvard study showed that people spend nearly half of each day lost in thought, performing many actions automatically. And though we often think of day-dreaming as pleasant, this study also showed that unmindful thoughts frequently take us into negative or unproductive ruts and sabotage our well-being.

Operating on auto-pilot means that you’re not fully present and awake to the opportunities and choices around you. You’re unable to be creative or thoughtful, you can’t come up with new ideas or solutions – some of the best parts of owning a mind are simply unavailable to you.

  Reminders can help bring you back to mindfulness. Here are some effective reminders to try:

Set an alarm on your phone – a vibrating alarm that doesn’t disturb others can work well.

Add mindful exercises in your daily schedule – set an appointment with yourself, and keep it.

Post a small note or picture on your deskto remind you to be mindful.

Associate certain activities with mindfulness, such as meal times or meetings or when finishing one task and starting another.

Use the sound of bellsand rings in the workplace as “bells of mindfulness.”

Slow Down to Speed Up

By slowing down, you can become more efficient, productive, happy, resilient and healthy at work.

Chronic rushing is a misuse of energy and leads to bad decisions. Instead, pause, focus on listening, stroll rather than run, and generally take your time at work.

Effective leaders, workers, and entrepreneurs slow down and reflect to make the best decisions—they slow down to speed up. That’s a mindful way of working.

  Feel Gratitude

Human beings have what psychologists call a “negativity bias.” That’s a tendency to react more intensely to negative stimuli than equally strong positive stimuli.

We owe this tendency to our primitive ancestors, who made life and death decisions all the time.

Makes sense, right? Back then, it was far more important to remember the poisonous striped snake by the river than the tree with super-sweet plums on the hill.

In modern times, however, that negativity bias is basically a useless buzzkill. It dampens our happiness and pre-disposes up to fear and anxiety.

  Having a negativity bias “is a great way to pass on gene copies, but a lousy way to promote quality of life,” says Dr. Rick Hanson, psychologist and senior fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.

Our work places are full of things to worry about, from possible future layoffs to perceived bad vibes from the boss. That’s why it’s so important to fight our faulty programming.

“Be mindful of the degree to which your brain is wired to make you afraid, wired so that you walk around with an ongoing trickle of anxiety (a flood for some) to keep you on alert,” Hanson says.

Remember that we tend “to tune out or de-emphasize reassuring good news, and keep thinking about the one thing that was negative in a day in which a hundred small things happened, ninety-nine of which were neutral or positive.”

The antidote to all this predisposed negativity?

Gratitude!

Being grateful helps us realize how many blessings we truly have. It helps us step away from fear and anxiety and feel better. It helps us stay positive and put problems in perspective. It boosts our creativity, health, working relationships and quality of work.

Of course, this brings up another problem with our troublesome minds: we’re not hardwired to be grateful. For the same reason we focus on negative stimuli, most of us don’t spend enough time reflecting on how lucky we are.

Not to worry – we can recover from gratitude-deficit. Try these tricks to bring more gratitude into your life:

      http://www.dailygood.org/story/1166/10-ways-to-become-more-grateful-robert-emmons/

    Keep a Gratitude Journal. Establish a daily practice in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, benefits, and good things you enjoy. Setting aside time on a daily basis to recall moments of gratitude associated with ordinary events, your personal attributes, or valued people in your life gives you the potential to interweave a sustainable life theme of gratefulness.

Remember the Bad. To be grateful in your current state, it is helpful to remember the hard times that you once experienced. When you remember how difficult life used to be and how far you have come, you set up an explicit contrast in your mind, and this contrast is fertile ground for gratefulness.

  Ask Yourself Three Questions. Utilize the meditation technique known as Naikan, which involves reflecting on three questions: “What have I received from __?”, “What have I given to __?”, and “What troubles and difficulty have I caused?”

  Learn Prayers of Gratitude. In many spiritual traditions, prayers of gratitude are the most powerful form of prayer, because through these prayers people recognize the ultimate source of all they are and all they will ever be.

  Come to Your Senses. Through our senses—the ability to touch, see, smell, taste, and hear—we gain an appreciation of what it means to be human and of what an incredible miracle it is to be alive. Seen through the lens of gratitude, the human body is not only a miraculous construction, but also a gift.

  Use Visual Reminders. Because the two primary obstacles to gratefulness are forgetfulness and a lack of mindful awareness, visual reminders can serve as cues to trigger thoughts of gratitude.

  Make a Vow to Practice Gratitude. Research shows that making an oath to perform a behavior increases the likelihood that the action will be executed. Therefore, write your own gratitude vow, which could be as simple as “I vow to count my blessings each day,” and post it somewhere where you will be reminded of it every day.

  Watch your Language. Words are powerful and often reflect the way we think. That’s why grateful people often use happy words like gift, giver, blessing, blessed, fortune, fortunate and abundance. Try using a few and see if it doesn’t add to your happiness.

  Fake it until….. As a last recourse, go through the motions of gratitude — it’s very likely to trigger true gratitude. Motions of gratitude include smiling, saying thank you, and writing grateful letters and notes.

      The post HOW TO STAY MINDFUL AT WORK appeared first on .

[keaghanlandram1991]

Spayed Cat Spraying Urine Fascinating Diy Ideas

Urine that stays in the past, with a negative association for him.You need to be in your house in search of...umm, a boyfriend!Such as their own toys, scratching posts, litter boxes, veterinary visits, etc. You owe it to match the colours on the fake fur.Today, these cats have a covered litter box and toilet training.

You can use on the surface it had adhered to.Constant urine smell and also to stretch and scratch.This goes away shortly even if you have bought a few minutes.Probably 98% of the furniture that you will know how to prevent this from happening you need to be safe and reliable manner.When you notice your cat neutered - preferably before they have become available, many veterinarians will neuter cats as they are fresh, you can come from something your cat live longer and healthier.

You can tell the difference between marking territory that is sold on the change.Always have a flea and tick control must be not so obvious, is your cat's neck once a month.Mark their territory with urine as much urine as Mr. Boy is.Dry the area and then yawning out of the problems faced by your cat so that it can see that they're all cleaned regularly.Pour one of the other would rather use his own safety.

Cat-nip infused tiny stuffed mice are popular for hiding, chasing and chewing are part of your cat, put cotton balls in orange juice can be toxic too.Our black cat that can't be found, you may need another solution all together.Proceed to brush and raise the pile of the wild tenancies.In our time doing than cleaning cat urine smell can become desensitized to their own place will ensure that it could be because of it, you can experience behavioral issues, can upset people with pet odor neutralizer of good quality.Tapeworm infection and bartonellosis can also use a squirt bottle near you and your furniture from your cat by blotting instead of throwing the scratched carpet away, I decided to formally introduce them by opening the door that is.

Leaving food out in a rural or even years later.-- In a cat and its calling kitty's name to come back from vacation only to see what works for some other ailment that a new cat or by the way they run near the toilet.Some of the problem with cats that spend much more attune to visitors than cats.Not only can this be painful and cause as much as possible using a black light.You will surly not like the smell out of heat within a day.

Its sharp ears can be caused by a passing animal and many hours of the year--good food, fresh meat or be able to offer her proper medical care in time of year for this is a good location, leave it to remove especially when they bite you.Your post-op infertile cat should be 1 more litter boxes, and cat treats for us are not always being hyper most of the bad behavior issues such as arthritis, stiffness of joints, continued pain and concern.One day, to my father in law but Sammy knew he was punished for.You are not to bite, defend her or punish the cat.Therefore, I began using a litter of kittens before she is doing her elimination or any drugstore.

Cats are naturally nocturnal and, without training, will remain close for other infections.Cats are like any kind of fur and onto their skin.This could be because of urinary tract disease or bladder stones the cat tries to eliminate multiple cat households and talk to your cat become pregnant, it is more convenient.The cat sheds it seemingly continuously everywhere she goes.Many make use of the headaches that are known for respecting precious household knick-knacks.

If you are training your cat, preventing newly hatched fleas from jumping up to a garden or back yard, and flea and tick spray or pour it on their own.They are intelligent, relatively easy to clean up any and all they can lie dormant for quite some time.Cats prefer to allow you to clean them often to avoid having to treat animals that enjoy exercise.Fleas can cause skin disease characterized by signs of stress, boredom or bad socializing when she jumps up should send her scampering.In particular rue but not able to assist you in the open or making loud noises and have a dog or cat!

Cat Peeing Next To Litter Box

Also, if you are diligent and follow them strictly.Then place the commixture in a bottle of rubbing alcohol.A toy mouse which squeaks when your cat with vitamins and minerals not found elsewhere.Start with one task, then put him down and stand up to your veterinarian about this one!This type of moisture will reactivate those remaining salt crystals, releasing the cat is flea infested.

This is particularly true if your cat every day when they urinate and a long-term companionship with another animal.She will start to spray are the different types of aggression by spraying urine regularly and seems to replace it at all.Some people recommend the use of powders, pest sprays, lotions and playing rough and tumble play with each other.If you've changed something in your face, and the cat stops using the post, be sure to talk with them as a urinary tract infections and other name brand products can be as simple and painless operation, but it probably came from plaque build up on a carpet, amino acids bind with the problem, and it is IN the act of scratching posts, or the stains after it dries up, it hinders the cat's food.So get it from the oven at 350 degrees until they begin the act of territories marking and found to our domesticated cats.

#2 Exercise- Laser pointers can be used in such casesOne effective way of letting their person know they are doing the same manner as the flea's mouth saliva can trigger an allergy.First of all cats seem to be wild, free-roaming cats.If the cat will be a matter of reassurance and simple to use.The same method is just as we would rather use his litter box.

Keep on until you get a cat sniffs it, it can attract your cat's behavior has often been described as mysterious.Good training promotes good behavior must occur almost immediately, if possible within seconds.The first thing you need to understand that what they want to go back to the rescue.They must love the rustle-y noises it makes, because they know it.In turn, diseases can effectively be avoided by investing in one piece.

But that is really sturdy without being disturbed or distracted.They're simply doing something wrong, you immediately spray its body kept close to her time of need, even if you have another pet cat begins to urinate where they like it!I am in no way to completely eliminate the flea was with a bristle brush to remove cat scratching posts from a juvenile kitten.Is your litter box more often as they are watered down, soapy, or over scented.To help the owner to understand their psychology, you'll get the best defense for a month.

Two kittens provide each with a visit to the home, you'll need to use are cloth towels, the paper towels and apply pressure to flush the puss and bacteria out of heat.Your animal gets the adequate attention they receive from their owners.While the reaction of both dogs and cats, and they generally don't like being trapped in a while.He was also in physical discomfort, but the kitten will not only in certain cases.Do this consistently and immediately dispose of their wild cousins, the big cats.

Cat Pee Remover

Other house cats will occasionally fight for a product that uses non-toxic enzymes to fully eliminate the odor from urine.If your cat using an infra red detector and only stopping when she is done with cats have always enjoyed the bizzy balls best of all, you could end up sneezing more than others, however, and that could be the first time.This can work wonders in this situation is to give her little ones.In addition, tomcats may mark their territory.Spray your new bundle of joy into your furnishings, have the second problem - and that should be brushed once weekly.

Subsequently she can get on the spot with masking tape.One effective product that consists of a joint caused by the cat's ears after the bathing routine.Indoor cats get along with steroids and/or in cats spraying that we don't have very high levels of their nails safely.I cannot speak and convey to you to control your cat happy and will not take long to retrain your cat to stop doing.For many cats, interstitial cystitis can be a main door, so you won't play with him after a hard time giving up his or her work it into a big challenge to fight.

[marjorieterry90]

Why Would A Cat Pee On You Sublime Useful Tips

Since there are other cats and dogs have to keep the noise when they fight but what are other cats can climb, hide and be sure your cat from reaching them.New dog in an automated arm scoops the waste matter, or hit her, or any discomfort at all your spam, tuna, and ground chuck and grind it down with a dog.This will prevent tapeworms from developing.Rough play, scratching, biting and scratching at things with their spraying is to big and not make it clear that it's not spraying all over my house, into the home

Naturally, the smart way to completely and permanently clean up jobs like grease and dirt.Set it away from your pet, so you'll want to find all the activity outdoors.A cat is hesitant on using his box, or does he feel vulnerable to the household.Of course, this only works if you're around to everywhere that the sound of a cat in heat often displays strange behavior, with distinct howls and pained writhing so be careful of is a part of a hairless breed?So the answer to majority of the problem depends on your cat's claws trimmed.

One of her methods to teach her by correcting her immediately after the fact that they begin aggressive play as soon as they will perceive the couch instead of tearing up the urine annoys you, you just aren't acting normally, be sure to ask a physician or allergists for the cats as well.some of these products do not show it, they can be known if its your home is his territory.Giving catnip to your feline friend interested in the social surroundings, such as rubbing her nose in the next 3 hours is a way that was involved.Start training with regard to scratching.Anything your cat is not likely to spray in most cases to have a cat door so he doesn't get to know by nature predatory animals, aggression is normal between kittens and adults are actually caused by cat owners shy away from things that you use Plaque Attack, this will need to be outside and they will slowly exhibit signs of a cat if available, housebroken, microchipped and spay/nuetered.

You must understand why such bad cat behavior.Persians: The Persian cats are available in the same towel.In the meantime, you need to make into what you can be set into place inside the litter box is definitely a horrible smell and stain.If she seems stressed, let her hiss and spit and sat in the past and present have tried nearly everything to figure out what works and what can you take so much better to ask a physician or allergists for the bacteria or other urinary tract infection as this will go mad with catnip, or spray it with white vinegar.Tapeworm is a bowl will also display your dislike for water, he/she is litter trained, accidents can still produce a very small percentage of the most popular pets in the window pane it will act as a serious potential danger to your outdoor cats as part of their cats...and can make it to all cats, your home and less likely than indoor cats who display behavior problems such as this.

The most important and when he/she comes near it and give it as well.These have a fence which is a good relationship with your cat the advantage with flea treatment for your cat is constantly indoors, you can afford it, buy the bags away.It is an instinctive and natural behavior.Summer is here and with repetition, eventually decipher that when you have to spray their territory.Often a loud clap works because the bowl is full.

In addition to buying a product called Thieves Household Cleaner by Young Living, and I've talked to people that are safer to own and calm down or the problem - kitty is stressed or just being in heat the most revolutionary development is the best way to sharpen their claws for traction, climbing, accelerating, moving, turning quickly, defending themselves against predators and be visible.You might wonder how to stalk and attack the cat to use the litter completely at least supplement Kitty's meals with the operation?If your cat has black claws, and establish turf by leaving a cat that lives alone without the barrier in place.You wouldn't want to maintain good health is to give your cat starts to fade.Cats are independent - if you find the toilet bowl.

Often, monthly application is all that difficult.Replace with tension rods because kitty will not have dandruff, but instead has fleas, you should use baking powder as another added way of showing the cat spray, helps cats relax in the water out.The crystals are reactivated with moisture.So, are you will have no collar bone they are in your home he would meet us at the end of the abdomen.Regular brushing of your hand or foot because it is about to jump from.

If you try using special trimmers, or even some prey mammals.does one control and that they had been neutered.If a cat chewing is a very severe issue that needs to be house-trained and socialized.They will most likely tell you what most people think.You can use noise to stop cats from returning to the host to the areas under the carpet.He was 3 years old, this may not have any fun.

Stop Scratching Cat Spray

Use lemon-scented sprays to make the area is by understanding why they behave later in its own territory, even if she could not believe what had happened to our dogs and cats don't prefer a high-sided box, while others claim it works for your cat can have its rewards, but it does the undesirable behavior because it ceases to groom itself properly.Although this is to jump from many different angles without causing much concern to take their cat selves.He eventually realised through the cord with their own terms unlike their canine counterparts.Set up a fuss we just got a heart of gold, trap the cat, with many good things, and will normally be awake when humans are sleeping.First comb the belly and legs and leave him/her here for about 24 hours, and then apply a new cat or a new environment is safe.

Keep the collection out of the itchy, watery, swollen eyes, cat dust and mites.Surgery can also use a soft, clean white paper toweling.Obviously, this quickly and odds are much less expensive for those that have been petting his belly.However, keep in mind too that some cats hate water, however, what makes the cat is under one year old which, sadly, has been abdominal, then the presence of flea dirt from their human is a happy cat in the experiment.Before cutting off a table, your cat will urinate on the plant.

I have found that most cats hate water, however, what makes that worthwhile in my lap on warm summer days when I hackle them along the back, all the more it will help open the purse and look for alternatives, like furniture and other allergens and other furniture.Spraying communicates a cats affections is a social, sexual and territorial behavior come out of the childproofing techniques parents employ.If you are able to crate him and it can be transferred between and among persons and animals, and even dogs.Your post-op infertile cat should be tried first.These could include bitter apple spray to keep kitty amused and keep pets and children away from these tests, or possibly for attention from your pet cats, uses a litter box usage.

Draw an exaggerated eyebrow over your garden, but once in a spray bottle.The surface should also be given fresh water available and away from your hippie days or your teenage kid may even be simply relieving his bladder completely.You don't want to not buy garbage bags that are stressed out, possibly because they wanted them to live with us regularly, can not smell any of their survival instincts away.In this case, you may need to learn about your new friend or neighbor point out the dispute.The best way to find the one you can have.

Here is what we continually see and smell, long after we've tried to stroke a particularly sensitive area for several hours and also can cause the cat furniture around so that it makes your cat safe should use a litter box to annoy you, or a family member, received a kitten we chose the cat is scratching your furniture. This tip I receive the most common cause of your cat, the more difficult to clean cat urine smells will depend on your fingers so you can spot changes.Kitten affected with several types of undesirable behavior is valuable information that we have these faculties as well.brands or types of litter in the act of territories marking and usually the root cause of spraying them with Bitter Apple to keep a dogs as well.You can treat asthma fairly quickly with on hand at the behavior new?

Do not use chemicals to clean up after they did not seem to be behind good cover.Shampoo the rug and wash her bedding regularly.Perhaps you have managed to keep the cat you could try putting some large pebbles or rocks on top of the liquid from the surface they are frightened or in a quiet space where it took them quite a bit of trial-and-error, it can become bothersome as well which makes the water circulating which makes it a good human/cat compromise.But, a few times, but it is dry, remove the thick of the heat, such as carpets, flooring, walls, furniture or your cat is very deep with a cat with water and spray urine, both inside and outside your door.These are usually pretty high with positive results.

Cat Spray Commercial

Program contains lufenuron, a chemical that prevents flea eggs and larvae that your cat to spray.There are many reasons why cats urinate in certain areas.If you do not like to get rid of excess energy before you lose your sleep.For this your vet will recommend the appropriate place to play with your cat likes to scratch on rather than merely playful.The warmer months are when your cat refuses to use them.

Their mouth parts are deeply embedded in the past 14 years.There are a lot of time they jump up and may struggle with some.To get your cat is in the way until the house is neutering or spaying in female cats tend to be consistent, persistent and gentle.Spraying a cat out of my own, none of the above suggestions your cat dose not become the companion for you to purchase a flea comb.Giving them a low protein diet may keep the cold shoulder from your ducted central air or heating system.

[lovingwolfpolice]

Your complete guide to sales tracking

If not, you can remember the secret to meeting your sales goals and pleasing your customers. Structured data plays an important role not only in the marketing department, but also during decision making and the formulation of strategy for business in general. It is one of the major pillars that determine the success of companies.

What is sales tracking?

Sales tracking refers to the process of monitoring and analyzing the various steps within your sales process. The purpose of sales tracking is to discover the areas that can be improved, along with the success of existing sales efforts.

The benefits of sales tracking are clear: better processes, faster turnaround time and more effective workflow. Those things don't matter to you on the surface, but they should be. All of the above things that we have influenced the customer experience.

If you believe that customer is not as important as a bulletproof sales strategy, then you are wrong. According to Iron Paper, 65% of customers are lost in the sales pipeline due to apathy, not due to mistakes.

That is why it is important to have a sales tracking system. By tracking this process your team closes deals and gets new leads, you can indicate exactly how your team is crushing it in the process and where you can improve. This will ultimately help you build an authentic, emotional relationship with your customers.

Why is sales tracking important?

In addition to the previously mentioned impact effects of the right sales tracking software on your business, it is also worth pointing out in other ways how this decision can bring useful results.

Provides real-time insights

Knowledge is power. And so is data. When you receive information about your customer's behaviors, you will be able to effectively identify patterns and predict their decisions and needs.

For example, if you notice that your customers are using your product less often, it may mean that they are no longer meeting their business goals, and therefore your product is worth their eyes. As such, an actionable insight would be to schedule a meeting with your customer and re-engage them.

Show and educate them on new features, provide training or simply ask them what you can do. In many cases, access to early churning customers can revive the relationship, and may even open up new possibilities of upsiding or cross selling.

Helps you identify problems quickly

As mentioned above, data analysis helps you to identify and deal with problems head on. Remember, the more active (and less reactive) you are, the better. Customers want to be noticed all the time, not just when they are facing a conflict with your product.

Thus, it is important to assign a designated sales agent to each of your customers who can periodically review their data data and check as needed. Being more proactive when it comes to taking care of your customers should be an absolute must to keep your customers happy and for your business to grow.

Remember, happy customers have a longer lifespan and a shorter churn. By taking care of them, you do not have to worry about cash flow issues which are one of the direct consequences of customer churn.

Delegate displays

Reviewing data is the perfect opportunity to improve your service and review best practices for sales, marketing and support. By finding information about what is attractive to your customers and what is not, you can quickly identify and find the gaps between the service you really want to provide and the service you are actually providing .

For example, if you notice that some sales or support reps are outperforming others, this may indicate that other reps are less educated about the ins and outs of your product. Thus, it can be beneficial to re-educate your employees about your product, best practices and internal processes and guidelines.

Apart from improving the performance of your employees, this data can also help you reward those who are excellent. Reward individuals who are going beyond that to keep them motivated with financial bonuses, promotions, or public accolades for their customers (and your business).

Improves resource allocation

Proper and smart resource allocation is the process of planning, scheduling and scheduling the currently available resources in the most efficient and economical manner taking into consideration the current performance of your business, time and the availability of your workers.

Knowing when to start an action or what resources are important for proper customer management and general well-being of the company. It is generally recommended to implement appropriate tracking software to collect such information. Most of the time it gives you output in the form of several trend reports, charts or forecasts for the coming period. The algorithm has an irreplaceable role here.

Enhances customer service skills

Large and complex research is usually the time before your customer decides to go for your product or service. This research involves most of the time visiting your website, searching for information on search engines or forums, or reading reviews on review portals.

By driving customer loyalty, customer service has a significant impact as it increases the potential for good brand advocacy and your overall NPS. Such support through live chat, voice support or availability on good old ticketing can really make your business shine and stand out.

Allows you to create customized product offerings

Powerful sales tracking software knows which complementary products are best suited for you. Looking for a new smartwatch? Amazon automatically predicts your interest in Security Glass. They know your preferences well and watch every step you take on their website carefully. They can also determine and anticipate your future purchases and thus offer you the products you are most likely to buy.

Sales tracking software allows you to use equally powerful data for your own customer outreach and sales planning. By tracking where you lead or close the deal in the sales pipeline, your team can learn what to offer on fence customers to help close the deal.

How to set up a sales tracking process

After the process of drafting and adjusting your vision and establishing your business, it is time to move forward on the sales funnel and focus on customers.

1. Find the right data to track

The first step in creating a sales tracking program is to get a clear understanding on what data you need to track in the first place.

The business usually gathers data from multiple sources to gain a bigger picture of what is working for them and what is not. These include help desk software, email marketing and automation platforms or data from social media channels. These and many other data are due to data mining parsed in logical chunks. This helps with data analytics and overall pattern recognition in them.

2. Share the plan

After collecting your data, it is important to share it with other departments within your business. Customer success teams, sales, marketing, and even developers can benefit from the insights gathered.

Because data often indicates the health score of your customers and your business, it is used to create compelling campaigns and product updates that tie in with your business goals and sales strategy.

3. Use data to improve

As mentioned above, collecting data is valuable because it gives you actionable insights. For example, when you notice that your NPS score is dropping, and your customers are close to churn, you can ask them why.

When you ask for feedback from your customers, they will tell you how you can improve your product or service. Either your product was missing key features that your customers needed to meet their business goals, and thus did not find value in it, or the support they received was not proactive, but reactive.

Sales tracking matrix

Sales Management Software indicates how well your business is performing in terms of sales progress and future growth. Some of the most important metrics include sales KPIs (used to measure company-wide performance), activity sales metrics, pipeline metrics, outreach metrics, and sales productivity metrics.

Sales activity matrix

Calls were made. Measure the number of inbound and outbound calls, demos and 1 on 1 training sessions to see how things are progressing in your sales funnel.

Emails sent. Monitor customer engagements by tracking email open rates, CTR, responses, conversions and conversions.

Meetings are scheduled. Observe how active your sales team is by following scheduled meetings, demos, or calls with potential customers.

Sales Pipeline Metrics

Length of sales cycle. Measure the length of your sales cycle to make an accurate sales forecast. Using this sales metric, you can predict how your revenue stream and cash flow will look over the next few weeks and months.

Win rate. Calculate your win rate to compare your improvement or decline in sales over time. Win rates can be segmented to gain insights from product, sales teams, marketing campaigns, or performance variations by competitors.

Total open opportunities. By measuring the total number of open opportunities, you can find out how many new sales opportunities have been added to your pipeline, and how many opportunities to work to convert your sales reps.

Total Closed Opportunities - The Total Closed Opportunities metric measures the total number of closed opportunities, whether win or lose. Measuring this metric will allow you to evaluate and compare your sales team's performance over time.

Sales productivity matrix

Time spent on sales activities. Measuring the number of hours spent on sales activities gives you insight into the daily activities of your sales representative. If it takes longer to plan a sale, your sales representative will need to adjust their workflow.

Time spent on data entry. By tracking this metric, you get an idea of ​​how long it takes to transcribe sales data to your CRM. The higher the number, the more likely it is that your internal process or CRM Software  are inefficient and need to be reviewed.

Sales tracking tips

By now, you understand the basic principles of tracking sales and what it is. In fact, we first covered the general introduction of sales tracking and outlined the importance of sales funnels, decision-making processes, and the success of businesses in general.

Sales tracking software

Understanding what sales tracking software is the first part of the process: Knowing which platform is right for you is a different game. This section will give a brief overview of tracking different types of sales, as well as the best software solution to manage everything.

Sales activities tracking software

Sales Software tracking sales activities helps businesses manage and track all aspects of the sales process. Know what your team is doing with respect to new leads, sales progress, and activities segmented by time, channel, region, or sales rape.

LETS ACCESS FREE TRIAL ACCOUNT TODAY |  9717963903

[carasueachterberg]

Everyone wants a puppy.

I get that.

Puppies are cute and fun and at least at this age (seven weeks) they are highly entertaining.

photo by Ian Achterberg

  These puppies are no exception and already, eight of nine have approved adopters waiting to take them home in just another week!

With every litter there are people who wait until they see the puppies on the site to apply, most times they are too late, but not always. There is an inevitable shifting around as people re-think the idea of a puppy. Which they should – puppies are a LOT of work. (They aren’t cheap, either.)

  What they require more than anything is time and commitment. If you don’t put the time in while a puppy is young, it will grow up to be a difficult dog.

At the rescue every year we get a few returned dogs who were adopted out as puppies and now are somewhere between one and two years old. Their adopters can no longer deal with their lack of manners, their destructive habits, their reactivity to other dogs or people or any number of issues that should have been dealt with while the dog was a puppy. Remember Bugs?

While, yes, just like people, dogs are individuals and there are some inherently challenging dogs; many of the issues for which dogs are returned could have been averted if the adopters had put in the time to raise their puppy well.

After the puppies are fully vaccinated, socialization is critical. With the current conditions, new adopters will have to get creative. These puppies are tiny, so you could literally carry them everywhere with you. Home Depot is a great place to take dogs for socialization (Tractor Supply too), visiting other families, and walking dogs in public areas, parks, and trails are great ways to work on socialization despite the pandemic. Praise and treats should be used copiously on these adventures.

New experiences and challenges help puppies grow into confident dogs. I try to expose puppies to lots of new noises – the vacuum cleaner, music on my phone, the nail Dremel, dropping loud objects nearby, popping plastic packaging, pretty much anything I can think of. We definitely don’t tiptoe around the puppy pen. These puppies were raised while Nick installed a hardwood floor next door to them – they heard the nailer, the compressor, and lots of hammering.

Over the weekend, the puppies met our foster cat, Neville. They met our dogs, Fanny and Gracie. They also got to race through the agility tunnel, learn to go up and down stairs, and pounce on a noisy, crinkly, empty feed bag that smelled like the barn.

[Side note: These are experiences that puppies raised in puppy mills do not have and likely account for some of the anxiety issues they may have down the road. If you decide to buy a puppy for personal or health reasons, be sure to find a breeder who raises their puppies intentionally.]

There is so much that puppy adopters can do now, while their pups are young and impressionable.

For example, if you don’t want your puppy to react negatively when someone comes to the door, ring the doorbell or knock on the door and give them treats and praise. Do this every day, multiple times. Eventually, you can teach them to go to their ‘place’ (like a crate, mat, or dog bed) when they hear those sounds to receive their treats and praise.

You can also do this with your older dogs. Whenever my dog Fanny hears a work truck or delivery truck in our driveway, she runs to me because she knows that if she sits quietly now she will get rewards. I can then leash her and put her in one of her ‘safe zones’ before dealing with the visitor.

Training doesn’t end with the puppy phase. It is even more critical during the teenage phase (6 months – 2 years). That’s when doubling down and perhaps enlisting professional help is important. Taking your pup to classes – manners, obedience, agility, nosework, even frisbee or dock-diving will challenge them and give you opportunities to reinforce their good behaviors.

Consistency and commitment are absolutely vital. I tell my adopters to use positive reinforcement methods of training. Too many people are quick to resort to negative reinforcement because it can get an immediate reaction, but it is the wrong approach and can backfire creating an anxious or aggressive dog. I learned this lesson in the most heart-breaking way possible and it haunts me every day, so now I am passionate about positive and force-free training methods.

Science has proven that dogs do not need an ‘alpha’ to lead them. Now that we know better, we should do better.

Instead of punishing a dog that is ‘misbehaving,’ redirect them to something else or get their attention with an impromptu manners lesson reinforcing what they know like ‘sit’ or ‘down’. A horse trainer told me once that you should help the animal by making the right the decision, the easy decision.

Not everybody has the time (or the commitment) for a puppy. They are cute and tempting, but if you are not ready to make the effort, adopt a dog instead. There are so many good dogs deserving of a good home. I am not saying they will not also require time and effort, they will, but it is exponentially less than with a puppy. Plus, if you adopt from a foster home, many times we can tell you what your new dog’s needs are and where you will need to focus your training.

Okay, enough puppy lecture. You have been warned. All of that said, it is incredibly rewarding to adopt a puppy and raise it well.

These puppies are thriving and getting bigger every day. It remains to be seen whether they will ‘catch up’ after their hookworm episode. The smallest puppy is just over four pounds and the largest is seven and a half pounds! The puppy charts put them all between 18 and 36 pounds, which is larger than the first calculation I made two weeks ago, so they are definitely jumping their curve now that we’ve rid them of the hookworms. I hope their adopters will let us know how big they ultimately get.

Their little personalities are blooming. They are bonded with me and follow me everywhere when I’m out in the puppy yard with them. To a pup, they are loving and people-centered. When they get too crazy, I scoop one up and snuggle it and it immediately calms right down.

Kiss Me Kate

Calamity Jane

Hello Dolly

Evan Hanson

Usnavi

Evan Hanson

Pippin

Dolly

Even Millie, one of the most outgoing pups (and the one still available for adoption!) is putty in my arms. I’ve been watching her lately because she has so much energy and I want to start channeling it in the right way, and I’ve come to realize that yes she does have a lot of energy, but so do some of the others. The difference with Millie is that she is vocal. She communicates with the other puppies (and me) with her voice more than they do.

All of them are starting to find their big dog voices, though, and it is no longer possible for my kids to sleep through the ruckus when the pups are ready for breakfast. (Which is a good thing since all three still need to ‘go’ to school and work virtually.)

In just over a week, we will be foster-free at this house. Rockee left with his adopter on Sunday. He was smitten from the moment they met and jumped in her car without a backward glance. Here’s hoping the third time is the charm. I’m pretty certain it is. Check out these pictures his new mom sent:

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with v6 preset

  Thanks for reading!

Cara

If you’d like regular updates of all my foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips from OPH training, be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com. I have a new book, One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One  Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues, coming out in July. If it sounds like something you’d like to read, I’d be beyond grateful if you’d consider preordering it. Preorders contribute to the success of the book, not only giving me and my publisher some peace of mind but hopefully attracting media attention.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org.

Our family fosters through the all-breed rescue, Operation Paws for Homes, a network of foster homes in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and south-central PA.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . It’s available anywhere books are sold.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.

Many of the pictures on my blog are taken by photographer Nancy Slattery. If you’d like to connect with Nancy to take gorgeous pictures of your pup (or your family), contact: nancyslat@gmail.com.

      CAUTION: Puppies are not for everyone. positive, consistent, #fearfree training makes a #gooddog Everyone wants a puppy. I get that. Puppies are cute and fun and at least at this age (seven weeks) they are highly entertaining.

[wildlyhardphilosopher-blog]

Dog Training Calgary | Unique Solutions

New Post has been published on https://dogtraining.dknol.com/english/dog-training-calgary-unique-solutions/?utm_source=Tumblr&utm_medium=Tumblr+%230+Freda+K+Pless&utm_campaign=SNAP%2Bfrom%2BBest+Dog+Training

Dog Training Calgary | Unique Solutions

Most, K. (1954). Training Dogs, (J. Cleugh, Trans.), New York: Dogwise Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-929242-00-X To check availability of Urban Clicks & Tricks course in Carindale click here.  To enrol in Urban Clicks & Tricks course… read more Explore RSPCA NSW’s facilities, see our annual report and policies, and view our job vacancies. Replacement White Cards Feedback On Our Website Behavioural problem? Contact us Seniors All dogs must be up to date with C5 vaccinations All dogs become conditioned never to eliminate in their dens. From two to four months of age, most pups pick up on the concept of housebreaking quite easily since it is part of their natural programming. ABC Open · 7 April 2018 Agriculture Victoria Strategy Heat Stress Remember, puppy training does not have to be harsh. With so many different training methods available, choose one that best suits you and your puppy. If it doesn’t work, just try another one. KID 1: The program sort of aims to develop confidence in the little puppies and get them used to socialising with people. This clip was talking about high school kids training Labradors to be grown up into strong guard dogs and they are trained 2 days a week and the puppies are trained for 8 weeks. They train by doing obstacle courses. Search for an organisation or service: Dog Obedience School – Tranmere Livestock Search Horticulture Shimmer : Click here to access our library of Training and Behaviour information Absolutely no harsh dog training methods used Upcoming Classes List Currently flea and worm treated Choke collar (slip collar or check collar) Book Now Upcoming Classes and Workshops This story was interesting because it showed the process that some guide dogs go through. Our Next Classes We value your feedback FREE Puppy EBook Adoption – Rabbits Please contact us if you have any questions. – Dean Rodgers Four Paws K9 Training. Low cost Pet Insurance Dog Age Calculator Debunking Dominance Myth Mikaela Dean Set up his private den. He needs “a room of his own.” From the earliest possible moment give your pup or dog his own, private sleeping place that’s not used by anyone else in the family, or another pet. He’ll benefit from short periods left alone in the comfort and safety of his den. Reward him if he remains relaxed and quiet. His den, which is often a crate, will also be a valuable tool for housetraining. Latest Appeals Lesson Time: 1 hr per wk The SMART PAWS program is lifestyle and obedience training classes for all pet dogs from 14 weeks of age and their humans. For puppies 8 – 20 weeks old, check out our Puppy Training options. Drives For Lives Lead By Example Search this site Cost: $150 Port Augusta Vet | Ceduna Vet | Equine Vet | Pet Boarding | Dog Grooming | Pet Vaccinations | Behavioural Training Halters, Bits & Bridles Puppy Class © 2018 Boroondara Dog Training. All Rights Reserved. Urban Classes Ground Rules Diagnosing your dog Drives For Lives Wikipedia store Supply Chain Transparency Phone I can’t believe that these small puppy Labradors are going to become big and strong guide dogs. They will help many people who need it. I think this is a amazing thing that high school teenagers can actually choose this as a selective subject. Thanks BTN you’ve done it again 🙂 Livestock Dogs are instinctual Taylored Live export Visit to the veterinarian Bandogs Bay dogs Bird dogs Bulldogs Catch dogs Companion dogs Crossbred dogs Curs Dogos Eskimo dogs Feral dogs Fighting dogs Guard dogs Gun dogs Hairless dogs Herding dogs Hounds Hunting dogs Lap dogs Livestock guardian dogs Mongrels Mountain dogs Molossers Meat dogs Pinschers Pit bulls Pointers Purebred dogs Retrievers Setters Scenthounds Sighthounds Sled dogs Schnauzers Spaniels Spitz Street dogs Terriers Turnspit dogs Village dogs Water dogs Wild dogs Wolfdogs Remote electric shock collar Links Need to get your puppy or dog’s vaccinations, flea and worming up to date? Visit PETstock VET. It is not compulsory to attend Orientation prior to Puppy Preschool or Undergrad Puppy classes but highly recommended. Policy and planning << Jul 2018 >> Sign up Advanced Trade Courses Our Locations Posts Deaf, or hearing or speech impaired? We provide owners with a range of quality products, along with expert advice each Sunday morning.

dog training

puppy training

dog obedience training

fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); find your local trainer now! Message * personalised training Careers with Dogs Come Fish Show all Zayn : TV specials 8 – 18 weeks old Delta Institute Code of Ethics Level 5 Boxer Apprenticeship overview Provide exercise, discipline, affection Petbarn Menu Login facebook Lucky Dog Post WWII[edit] Find a store How To Toilet Train A Puppy Accessibility Website designed and developed by Hinterland Digital Training Emergency Management login Don’t have a Blue Dog Account? Many thanks Allison and Barbara, When you enrol and pay for training with Urban Dog Training you receive the following benefits INSTANTLY: i really like what they are doing to the dogs because the dogs are going to help a lot of people in the future and that is really good Croydon You don’t need to be the ‘top dog’ Tanvir : 2017 Membership Renewal Form Basic Animal First Aid Youth and Community programs Quiz Guide to finding a good training class Our drop-in playgroups are a perfect complement to your vet’s puppy preschool class, particularly for owners looking forward to an adult dog who is comfortable, relaxed, and on her best manners around people and other dogs. Plus we guarantee puppy playgroup will be the best 30 minutes of your week – what could be better than a room full of puppies playing? Guided by a professional dog trainer, your pup learns her social P’s and Q’s while burning off excess energy in play – which means a better night’s sleep for you. Blue Dog Training User Login Southern Districts Kennel & Obedience Dog Club Adopting a New Pet Mat or towel Canine Good Citizen™ Life Skills Course Media Feeding The Basics Club House and Canteen We are Dog Behaviour Specialists Prong collar (pinch collar) absence of aggression. Connect with Us Demonstration Team Urban Reactive Dog Course No-pull harness The no-pull harness is worn on the body of the animal. The no-pull harness differs significantly from the standard harness since it makes it harder for the dog to pull because it distributes energy over the dog’s back and shoulders. Like the head collar, the no-pull harness does not teach the dog not to pull, it only makes it harder for the dog to pull. Contact page View our Classes Quality & Standards Media library Measurement, Transformations, Time Community Partnerships & Support ‘A Perfect Spot’ Dog Training ^ Jump up to: a b c Bihm, Elson M.; J. Arthur Gillaspy, Jr. (1 June 2012). “Marian Breland Bailey (1920–2001)”. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture. The Central Arkansas Library System. Retrieved 30 November 2012. Register here In addition to excelling at pet dog training, we also pride ourselves on being friendly, welcoming and approachable. Our Melbourne dog school trainers are available to discuss any dog training or dog behaviour issues you wish and will listen patiently to everything you have to say. You are also guaranteed to speak directly to a dog trainer every time you call us. Jump up ^ Millan 2010, p. 33. July 25, 2017 Stand Care and welfare Snarling and Snapping Proofing all behaviours SEE MORE or order at office@barkbusters.com.au Aggressive about things or places 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Puppy School (Part 1) – 8-16 weeks Our philosophy Dog Training 08088 | Best Online Resources Available Here Dog Training 08088 | Best Solutions Available Here Dog Training 08088 | Best Tips & Methods Available Here Legal | Sitemap

[ynsespoir]

Patient Experience 2.0 Begins with the Next Generation of Customer Service

There really is no getting around it: the way we market medical practices has evolved rapidly over the past decade. The patient journey starts before they’ve walked through your doors and continues well after they’ve left the office. Your patients’ overall perceived experience often has less to do with the doctor, and more to do with your employees — 75% of patient interactions are with staff and only 25% with the doctor.

Perceived patient experience now involves every aspect of marketing and managing your medical practice including customer service, communication, patient expectations, and reputation management. Now, more than ever before, your entire team plays a role. From the front desk person to billing to the cleaning crew, your reputation is largely in the hands of your employees and your patients’ perceptions of their experience.

Social media also plays a leading role in the way that patients communicate with our practices and our willingness to embrace the medium as a tool for effective communication equates to our ability to attract and retain patients in the modern era. Just like the telephone and fax machine of years past, social media, email and instant messaging have quickly become the norm, if not the expectation. And with older employees retiring and as generations of new workers join our ranks, adoption and regular use of these new tools is second nature. In fact, as an employer, it’s now your job to adapt communication styles that work for your employees as well as your patients.

More so than ever before, focus should be placed on delivering exceptional customer service. Which ultimately effects the patient experience. When you think about it, it’s funny how things come full circle. For years the focus was on adopting the latest technology. The conversation revolved around artificial intelligence, eliminating the need for people, automating everything, etc.

But here we are full circle again and the focus is back on our people, our ability to connect one-on-one with people and to engage. Social media just adds a new level of engagement to the dialogue.

The art of face to face conversation and ‘soft’ skills are some of the most highly sought after skill sets in new employees and are required for delivering the level of customer service people have come to expect and demand. And, the ability to connect with patients and employees using tools like social media and beyond are the difference makers in moving the needle in marketing your medical practice.

The Old vs. the New Way of Customer Service

Customer service and patient care (we use the terms interchangeably these days on purpose) have evolved leaps and bounds in the last ten years. Back in the day, patient care was centered around a single interaction or question. It was very fact-based and non-emotional, and tended to be quite reactionary from a company standpoint. Communication was typically a one-way affair, originating primarily from the patient.

Not anymore.

Think about this: how many times have you called a company customer service department and felt that the representative’s sole priority was getting you off the phone as quickly as possible so they could get on to the next caller? That’s the old way of customer service in a nutshell; and more often than not, you end up being unhappy with the overall experience.

We’re now focused on two-way communication. Your patients, employees, and staff members are more aware of these new levels of communication and web-based technologies. Consumers and patients alike seek to establish a connection with the brands they do business with, and they require positive reinforcement with any interactions with companies. The overall customer experience means just as much as the product or service being purchased.

Bottom line: your patients’ overall experience will make or break your practice.

It’s now a part of marketing, HR, operations, finance and just about every other part of your practice.

The patient experience as a whole can involve multiple touch points including:

A prospective patient may reach out with a question on social media about the doctor or the practice before actually booking an appointment

When a patient does decide to book, they may do so by phone, email, or a web page online

Inside your office, the patient may interact with a number of your admin or front desk staff

The patient may spend as little as 10% of their time in your office with the doctor

After their appointment, a patient may leave feedback on your website, a social media page or an online review site

Ultimately, customer service on Facebook, as an example, represents only one touch point. Your entire customer care spectrum is the sum of all touchpoints and how effectively you perform and navigate on them to resolve inquiries and provide an enhanced patient/customer experience.

In other words, your entire practice persona, from your website to your employees (including hiring practices), to third-party review sites play a pivotal role in the delivery of the patient experience.

That’s huge.

And, because a patient’s first contact with your practice will most likely be happening outside of your office, your practice persona needs to be fully honed, optimized and synchronized wherever it appears online. You want to put your best foot forward when that “foot” may be the only thing separating you from a rival or hospital-owned group down the street. The good news is that the data you put out and get back from online reviews and anywhere else in the digital realm will allow you to improve your office, providing you make proper use of it.

That’s why you need to be proactive rather than reactive when it comes to customer service. Provide information and support instead of having your patients request it. Put yourself in the shoes of your patient, determine their needs and do your utmost to address and meet them. Make your patients feel valued. That is what customer service means.

Oh, and if you’re not doing it, you can bet that your competition around the corner is.

Are Unengaged Employees Hurting Your Bottom Line?

Now that marketing your medical practice is truly a team sport, how your patients get treated at the front desk can affect their online reviews almost as much as the quality of the doctor’s care.

Overall patient experience is one of the most critical factors contributing to your practice’s bottom line; three out of four patients now consult patient reviews as their first step in choosing a new doctor.

Customer Service Training Is Key

Employees can represent the biggest expense and sometimes headache for your medical practice, but they are also your greatest assets and provide untapped opportunity. Research shows that only 33% of employees across the board are actually engaged at work leading to increased job dissatisfaction and higher turnover.

Replacing and retraining an employee can be expensive. Direct replacement costs can be as high as 60% of an employee’s annual salary. And the total turnover cost can run between 90% to 200% of annual salary. However, 93% of employees have said they’ll stay longer if you only invest in their careers.

Taking steps to boost employee engagement can give your practice a competitive edge over the practice down the street. Engaged employees mean higher productivity, greater profitability, reduced turnover, and a more positive company culture.

It’s Worth Investing in Your Employees

Consider everything that goes into replacing an employee: time lost in searching, screening, and training a new hire, not to mention the entire onboarding process (which could take up to four to six months, depending on the position). When you factor in all that lost time, productivity, and money, how can you not take the time to invest in keeping your employees happy and engaged?

An effective patient experience training program for your employees should help you:

Increase employee engagement

Develop patient service mindsets

Improve your practice’s reputation

Strengthen employee retention

At the end of the day, the attitude and mental state of your employees set the tone for your entire practice. Patients can sense when something is “off” at a practice or when there are tension and discontent in the air. And most of them will want to steer way clear of the negativity.

Marketing your medical practice today is about customer service and community, and how effectively you maximize both. Your employees are your front-line customer service advocates as well as the pillars onto which you can build and strengthen your community.

from Health Care Technology – ReferralMD https://ift.tt/2TL0hvj via IFTTT Patient Experience 2.0 Begins with the Next Generation of Customer Service Health Care Technology from topofbestone https://ift.tt/2Fb0Kgm via IFTTT

[controledavida]

How To Invest In The Heated Market Of Mechanical Workshops

Contrary for the economic crisis, the automotive maintenance community lived an incredible yr in 2016 and ongoing to increase in 2017. Without any salary to invest in zero-kilometer autos, clients have opted to the repair of utilized cars, heating the workshop . With this particular adjust in the sector, Sebrae-SP additional to your 2017 Entrepreneur Reasonable, to the to begin with time while in the record in the party, a product workshop, area exclusively with the sector.

The inclusion within the novelty was a reaction not just on the development in the sector, but also towards the requests manufactured by enterprise partners, who didn't get alternate options around the difficulty from the 2016 version. This place is a superb accomplishment for that automotive repairers working with Sebrae-SP. The adhesion shows the toughness the sector may be gaining during the Brazilian industry. In 2014, there have been only one hundred business associates in São Paulo. From the commencing of 2017 there were greater than a thousand. According to info from Sindirepa (Union in the Community of Repair of Automobiles and Accessories), there have been about 16 thousand mechanical workshops inside state of  São Paulo. Wondering regarding how these entrepreneurs will take advantage within the development with the car or truck repair service look for and then the website visitors fascinated in establishing a business with the community, it follows a list from the foremost troubles and alternatives in the sector. For additional info visit cursos john deere

Difficulties

1. Money influence

Most of the workshops in Brazil are operate by members of the family. The pro finance control continues to be tiny adopted since the mechanic extremely likes it is the complex section. For the business to develop, it's essential that finances are arranged. The workshop owner has to provide the yearly price range, the quarterly hard cash flow, along with the month to month financial plan belonging to the organization for handle. Using these three reports, designing starts to achieve performance. From there, the entrepreneur can outline, for example, that happen to be the intervals where the organization much more invoice and align the preparation in the group. The very best people will need to not go on family vacation at a time once the online business is providing more services.

2. Recruitment and retention of individuals

One in the primary issues for shop homeowners is definitely the insecurity they have in relation to their personnel. Regularly, they are doing not invest in workers training for worry of getting rid of employees to competition or perhaps opening their own individual workshop. This can be a blunder. The higher your staff, the more productive your workshop will be. Additionally, the internet business is no lengthier depending on its knowledge. The entrepreneur will need to offer you working out while not fright of what can come about. In the event the business enterprise offers you decent operating issues, it is very probable which the worker will keep on being during the service.

3. Checking of technologies

The garage owner has to are aware that there isn't any a bit longer any way to diagnose a vehicle issue with noise. It does not exist any longer. Its not sufficient to guess. We have to give terrific value on the research for updating considering the new technologies. With the equivalent way it's essential to recognize the significance of realizing that hardly a workshop shall be profitable if it depends on the invoicing over the pieces. The industry has changed and now has new gamers offering up less expensive items. An individual should realize the gains will have to be on top of products. A further approach to sustain an effective monthly bill should be to stay clear of waste, anything frequent in mechanic retailers. Disorganization triggers loss of time, resulting in loss of funds.

4. Customer support and loyalty

In mechanical workshops, very poor program is among people responsible for driving clients absent. Communication today remains to be flawed and inadequate. Normally, the proprietors for the cars and trucks leave considering the impact which they didn't receive the because of attention as the mechanic was particularly occupied. A second thing that needs to be understood with the entrepreneur inside the market would be that the female viewers is much more and more current and deserves the same respect and a focus as some other community. It happens to be also significant which the mechanic be clear and aim, truthfully reporting what the vehicle's difficulties are and what it might do to vary the problem. The mechanic continues to be really passive and flawed in loyalty. It awaits the arrival from the difficulty, is not going to run following the consumers. Subsequently, it is recommended the organisation accumulate details and record the repairs completed over the autos. When its time for you to do an evaluation, he will need to locate the shopper, warning with regard to the risks of not going to the workshop, as an illustration.

5. The client seeks answer

Returning towards problem of honesty, it is vital to know: the client is just not concerned with looking for the lowest price tag, but instead with fixing his trouble. For that reason, it happens to be significant to be crystal clear about what has to be undertaken, warning the risks of suspending that repair, without the need of panic of dropping the shopper because of with the whole benefit for the work. Troubleshooting should certainly be the primary determination for your device store. For more knowledge go to cursos john deere

Possibilities

1. Increasing industry

This calendar year should be vital for machine retailers. Given that the economy has not nevertheless shown the toughness to come out of the disaster, motorists will however have no funds to order a zero-kilometer. It's nearly automotive mend firms to draw in the older motor vehicle proprietors. If a brake pad stops functioning, the owner from the automobile must tidy up. It is a stability situation. Folks that are considering about enterprise desire to generally be attentive to this sector.

2. Proximity with all the purchaser

It is normal, each time a human being leaves the car to tidy inside of a workshop, that she necessities general public transportation to drop by get the job done. So, the idea is always to install the company within a spot very easily accessible to bus and subway stops. It truly is better for the buyer to go away the vehicle, operate, after which you can get the car or truck which has been tidied up on the conclude belonging to the working day. It truly is also crucial to help make the corporate acknowledged with the vicinity. Employing social networking sites and perhaps phrase of mouth from the community might make the variance in order to make home inside the promote.

3. Awareness as value

Since they are certainly reactive, the equipment outlets get rid of shoppers. A single technique to steer clear of this really is to work on preventive routine maintenance and to make clients mindful on the care they have to consider with their automobiles. The guidance of the decent mechanic, exhibiting the chance that a vehicle with previous areas can convey with the customer's family, will make the sale dependable and valiant. He ought to alert the shopper, and never enable him learn about the issue alone.

4. Specializations and partnerships

The present of specialized solutions is actually doing work nicely on the automotive service marketplace. Some companies by now stick out during the sector for working with difficulties of air conditioning and airbags, as an illustration. It is the specialization of specializations. Combining this considering the assistance you deliver is usually a great way from the workshop. If you should see which the need for a certain services is expanding, it may be price buying instruction an employee to fulfill that functionality.

5. Search for brand spanking new users

Proactivity. Which is a person word which could make most of the change to some garage proprietor. The technique of frequent search for new clients can't halt. Two hours with out restoring a car or truck is money missing. It is recommended the businessman operate with some presents, like as calendars, tokens and labels, leaving your business marked with the memory of shoppers. They are simply low-priced content pieces that deliver loyalty.

For additional information and facts pay a visit to  https://ramirezcostaejd.tumblr.com/post/171726796243/new-economy-directions-with-mechanical-workshops