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How distractions from your phone can ruin your relationship.

If you’re constantly checking your phone in her presence, sending text messages, scrolling through your social feeds when she’s right there next to you, you are are killing your relationship.

If you don’t believe me, some university research came out recently that’s pretty damning. Baylor University just conducted a survey of over 400 people in relationships, and how their phones are screwing said relationships up. Their findings?

For starters, 46% percent of people are reporting that their partners phub them. And that’s causing issues in 22% of relationships. In other words, over a fifth of all relationships are under threat right now because people are too distracted or stubborn to just put their phones down.

Distractions aren’t anything new, and people have been ignoring each other using TVs for decades. Hell, in 1941, Citizen Kane symbolised the breakdown of a marriage by showing the couple ignoring each other by burying their faces in…. newspapers.

It’s much worse with smartphones though, because you can take them everywhere and always come up with a plausible excuse for having it on you. You’re waiting for a text, following sports scores, waiting to see how many likes your latest post on Instagram gets.

It’s easy to fall into. But the message you’re sending when you’re checking your phone isn’t just that you’re not all that interested in your partner; it’s also that they’re completely irrelevant to your own happiness. That’s one of the worst, nastiest messages you can send another person, whether intentional or not – it’s the same reason she probably won’t take it so hot if you’re constantly heading out without her. The point is that you’re getting far more enjoyment out of a six-inch screen made of plastic, glass, and probably some China-based worker’s misery than you are from your significant other.

In case the research above didn’t clue you in, this problem is bad and getting way worse. Back in 2012, somebody did a study and found that college kids in the US spent about seven hours per day on their phones. By 2014, that number was about eight hours for guys and 10 for women. If you’re not careful, that can and will spill into your love life.

There’s another piece of advice in it for you. As we noted above, 46% of people in relationships felt ignored by their partners. So if you limit yourself to an hour or two of time on your phone a day, and actually give the girl you’re with your undivided attention, just like that you’ll have given yourself a leg up in the dating game over huge numbers of guys who are bruising women’s egos everywhere by not peeling their eyes away from their little entertainment devices.

In case you think this is turning into some anti-technology rant, there’s no way I’m against Instagram, Facebook or any of the others. When I take the bus, I’m one of those guys glued to my phone as much as anybody else – because hell, our smartphones and all that they bring into our lives can be entertaining. But there’s a time for it, a place for it, and a way to do it properly.

18th November 2015
Exercise during pregnancy keeps your baby healthy

Yes, you can and should exercise during pregnancy.

Here’s how to stay fit while keeping your baby (and yourself) safe and healthy.

The research is pretty clear: Exercise during pregnancy offers tons of health benefits to you and your child, both now and down the road.
That said, it’s not good if you choose the wrong workouts, or to mistakenly overdo it.
Here’s a simple guide to the safest, most effective ways to stay fit and lean — and support your baby’s health and your own at the same time.

Exercise benefits during pregnancy

There are a myriad of benefits attributed to exercise during pregnancy; here are just a few:

~~ Lower risk of developing gestational diabetes

~~ Weight control

~~ Less water retention

~~ Larger placenta and more
nutrients for your baby

~~ Decreased likelihood of varicose veins

~~ Less likely to require a caesarian delivery

~~ More rapid return to pre-pregnancy weight

~~ Increased fitness for delivery.

The evidence in favor of exercise during pregnancy is so strong that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) encourages pregnant women to do moderate exercise for 30 minutes or more every single day.

Studies have even shown that very physically active women can benefit from continuing their high volume exercise routines, as much as 9 hours per week, into pregnancy.

18th November 2015
When our love caught fire

Love is a friendship that has caught fire.
It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving.
It is loyalty through good and bad.
It settles for less than perfection,
and makes allowances for human weakness.

Love is content with the present.
It hopes for the future and it doesn’t brood over the past.
It’s the day-in and day-out chronicle of irritations, problems,
compromises, small disappointments, big victories,
and working toward common goals.

If you have love in your life,
it can make up for a great many things you lack.
If you don’t have it, no matter what else there is,
it is not enough, so search for it, ask God for it, and share it!

17th November 2015
Never Marry But For Love

Never marry but for love;
but see that thou lovest what is lovely.
He that minds a body and not a soul
has not the better part of that relationship,
and will consequently lack
the noblest comfort of a married life.
Between a man and his wife nothing ought rule but love.
As love ought to bring them together, so it is the best way
to keep them well together.

A husband and wife that love one another
show their children that they should do so too.
Others visibly lose their authority in their families by
their contempt of one another, and teach their children to be
unnatural by their own examples.
Let not enjoyment lessen, but augment, affection;
it being the basest of passions to like
when we have not, what we slight when we possess.
Here it is we ought to search out our pleasure,
where the field is large and full of variety,
and of an enduring nature; sickness,
poverty or disgrace being not able to
shake it because it is not under
the moving influences of worldly contingencies.

Nothing can be more entire and without reserve;
nothing more zealous, affectionate and sincere;
nothing more contented than such a couple,
nor greater temporal felicity
than to be one of them.

William Penn

17th November 2015
Skills a freelance professional needs to learn now!

Think you’ve got what it takes to run a small business or freelance operation? While on the surface it may look like an easy thing to do, it’s not quite as simple as it looks. To truly be an effective and efficient business owner, there are several key skills you need to learn and hone. Not only will this ensure compliance with business legalities in your local area, but it will make sure you’re also using acceptable business practices, regardless of your products or services.

According to the Freelancers Union, more than 53 million Americans are working as Freelancers. That’s about 34% of the entire workforce. Annually, freelancers are contributing $715 billion to the U.S. economy.

Freelancing comes with its own set of difficulties, such as finding steady clients, getting paid on time and at the rates you deserve, finding time to work on a regular basis, meeting the demands of family life and creating the ideal work/life balance, and more. Many freelancers struggle to find balance between everything, however, for those that do, freelancing can more lucrative than working a traditional job.

bills

Accounting

As a freelancer or another small business owner, you’re tracking income and expenses. You’ll have to deal with filing taxes, and though you can outsource that to an expert, online accounting help is available. The more you can do on your own throughout the year, the easier it will be when it is time to file quarterly and annual returns.

Human Resources (HR)

Small businesses, even one-person freelance ventures need to stay up to date with current HR trends. It’s a good idea to learn about trends larger businesses are using to keep themselves productive and efficient, so you can do the same types of things in your business, especially since staying motivated and finding the time for a consistent work schedule are important.

Banking & Finance

To make your accounting easier, you need to be aware of various banking policies, payment processors, fees, etc. This is especially true if you are working with international clients where wire transfers, PayPal payments, and various other payment methods are an issue.

Startups & Investing

Though you may not have any plans to grow and expand your business right away, you never know what the future holds. Learning about startups and investing allows you to be ready to grow your business if demand arises. You’ll know more about your financing options, so you can decide if you want to bootstrap the entire operation, or if you’d rather seek investors to assist you.

Marketing and Negotiation

To deal with the feast or famine challenge of work, it’s a good idea for freelancers to understand the principles of marketing. Until a reputation for quality work in your field is established. it’s difficult to expect the work to come to you. While you can spend time every day looking for work and applying for various jobs, it’s a better investment of your time to market your skills to the employers who are looking for freelancers like you.

And to keep yourself from being paid according to your worth, mastering the art of negotiation. While you can’t always win every battle, at least know your bare minimum demands. If you can’t get the pay you’d ideally want, see if you can make other concessions, in regards to deadlines, deliverables, etc. Create a win-win situation for yourself and the client, and you can foster a successful long term relationship.

As a freelancer, it’s okay to ease yourself into learning each of these skills. Focus on making improvements to how you run your business, and you will see dramatic gains in productivity and efficiency. With these gains, you’ll be able to contribute more to the economy and keep your freelance enterprise running for years to come.

SOURCE: Business blogs

17th November 2015