Energy Drinks: Cons Outweigh the Pros

Energy drinks have become extremely popular among the young, and why not? After all, they promise increased mental alertness, better physical performance and a general feel-good effect! The problem, however, is that unless these drinks are consumed carefully and in moderation, the negative side effects start outweighing their benefits.

On their own, energy drinks usually don’t cause any harm (provided you pay attention to the health warnings printed on them) unless they are consumed excessively or mixed with other ingredients.

Excessive Consumption
The first question obviously is how do you define excessive consumption? Generally, two or three drinks a day are considered excessive—even more so if one has a sedentary lifestyle. The following is a list of some of the most common side effects of excessive consumption.

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Understanding Intrapreneurship

Not everyone is fortunate enough to give wings to her entrepreneurial pursuits due to lack of capital and other resources. The concept of “intrapreneurship” comes to the rescue of such individuals. Intrapreneurship is basically practicing entrepreneurship within the confines of an organization. Intrapreneurship works well for various reasons—the foremost being that unlike entrepreneurial ventures, there is no substantial risk involved. Intrapreneurs are employed by an organization for a fixed remuneration and are involved with generating new ideas and converting them into profitable ventures with financial support and other help from the organization.

Difference between Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship
There are certain similarities and differences between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. Like an entrepreneur, even an intrapreneur exhibits characteristics such as independence, conviction, vision, passion to fulfil his dreams, etc. Entrepreneurs make their own decisions, whereas…

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Perfect Moment Monday: Thanking Employees

My Perfect Moment for this week included the company of some wonderful friends and watching my husband be a shining example of what makes not just a good leader but a great leader. Every year my husband likes to acknowledge those who work for him. He realizes that saying “thank you” throughout the year means a lot to motivating his employees, but he chooses to show them by inviting them over to our home for dinner twice a year. For some individuals this seems like he is going over the top to show his gratitude and that it is a lot to ask of me to host with him. In reality, I fully support this show of gratitude and really enjoy socializing with these individuals.

This past Saturday was for those who report directly to him and was a celebration of 2010: the successes, the challenges, the laughs and the frustrations. My husband, Jerry, puts a lot of thought into the evening; the gift bags they each receive are meant for not just the employee but are meant to be shared with their supporting spouses. Jerry recognizes that for his employees to truly give their all at work, their spouses or partners play key roles and therefore are not just invited but are part of his decision regarding the theme of the gift bag. This year we did “martini” themed gift bags. The idea was to provide each of his employees the opportunity to celebrate one evening with their partners a successful day.

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Law of Attraction and Attracting the Right Clients

All of us involved in either running our own businesses or who work in a field that requires any type of selling know the importance of attracting or bringing forward not just clients but the right client. The right clients are those individuals who need/want your product or service and are ready to invest.

The Law of Attraction has several practical applications. Once you are well-versed in its theoretical aspects, it isn’t difficult to apply it to various real life situations. In this instance of attracting the right clients, you want to do that so you can derive greater satisfaction from your work and generate more profits. The underlying key to successfully using the Law of Attraction is your being clear in what your client likes and feels as well as what motivates her to step into the action of investing with you, today.

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Managing Employee Turnover

Employee turnover is a huge concern in certain industries and is one of the main reasons for sleepless nights among managers. Turnover is simply the superficial problem; the crux of the problem is much deeper. What really needs to be studied and analyzed is the reason behind the high turnover rate of an organization. There can be various reasons that may induce employees to switch jobs: lucrative offers by other companies, long working hours, stress at work, inadequate training and development, fewer growth opportunities, etc.

Understanding Employee Turnover
A high turnover rate obviously has serious side effects such as increased expenditures and efforts in hiring and training as well as a greater risk of information leakage.

As we have already discussed, there can be several reasons for a high turnover rate; the most alarming ones are what are commonly called “dysfunctional turnovers.” These refer to cases wherein talented and hardworking employees decide to leave the organization.

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Crystal Therapy: Choosing and Managing Crystals

To follow up on the blog posted back in June 2010 entitled “Crystal Therapy: Just the Basics,” I wanted to share with you the following supportive elements when it comes to continuing to learn to use and work with crystals in your daily life. We need to remember that crystals are not static or inert rocks; rather, they vibrate with natural energy that is believed to have great healing potential. However, in order to properly harness the energy of crystals, it is important not only to pick the right ones but you also to know how to cleanse and maintain them.

Choosing Crystals
In crystal therapy, stones are placed either on the body or kept in a room so their energy can be used to heal various physical and mental ailments. You need to keep these two factors in mind while choosing your crystals.

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The Pros and Cons of Running a Small Business

Everyone knows that when it comes to business, each business and industry ultimately has its own language of sorts. The term “small business” is no different. It holds different meanings in different countries depending on each country’s criteria for classifying a business as “small.” Convenience stores, accountants, hair salons, restaurants, lawyers, small scale manufacturing: they all fall under the category of small businesses. Small businesses can, in general terms, be defined as private enterprises with limited number of employees and relatively low turnover.

Advantages of Running a Small Business
Small businesses have certain advantages to capitalize on, such as low investment, which also means low risks. As a small business owner, you are the boss and therefore accountable for the decisions you make; further, you’re not answerable to anybody. This sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? It can also be daunting and overwhelming at the best of times.

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Perfect Moment Monday: Confronting Communication Challenges

My Perfect Moment for this week …

…was by far the gratitude I felt when a woman with whom I was having lunch hired me to consult with her on organizing and structuring her business to include investors willing to participate in the vision she holds pertaining to education.

The lunch was actually the first time I met her in person, and the purpose was to strategize for an upcoming presentation at which we would be co-presenting. We know each other only by name through a common friend who is organizing the event for her own clients. Living in the space of gratitude never ceases to amaze me. Truly embracing this space is definitely challenging at the best of times, knowing that trust in one’s self is the foundation upon which gratitude stands—but the rewards are tremendous.

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Depression and Pregnancy

A lot of women experience symptoms of depression in varying degrees during their pregnancy. In fact, according to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, around 10% of pregnant women tend to suffer from major depression and around 20% experience some symptoms of depression during their pregnancy. While under normal circumstances anti-depressants may be prescribed to people suffering from depression, there is a chance that prescribing the same to pregnant women may affect the health of the child adversely.

The following non-invasive therapies are therefore considered more suitable for treating depression in pregnant women.

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Training and Development Benefits and Techniques

Training and developing human assets are among the most important responsibilities of any HR department. After all, it is essential for an organization to adapt itself to the ever-changing business scenario if it wants to grow and expand in the long run.

Apart from this obvious benefit, there are several other goals that good training and development practices can help an organization achieve. The following are a few of the benefits.

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Vince Lombardi

I enjoy quite a few activities and was active as a child and teenage with sports such as baseball, track, figure skating and volleyball, to name a few. I was definitely a tom boy, as they say. In college when completing my degree in Health and Fitness, it was part of our academic requirement to learn the rules and social impact of all the major sports in both Canada and the United States. In one of my anatomy classes, I choose to write a paper on the instances of neck injuries leading to paralysis or partial paralysis in the game of football. It was in my research for this paper I was introduced to a very inspirational man I and most sports enthusiast know: Vince Lombardi.

Lombardi’s quotes and inspirations are profound in more than just a sporting application; most of the following quotes can be embraced by business professionals and students alike. Here are a few of my favorites.

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Perfect Moment Monday: Baby of Mine

My Perfect Moment for this week …

...was spending 45 minutes with an ultrasound technician and my husband while she measured, zoomed in, zoomed out, and moved the wand around my abdomen, trying to keep up with the very active 21-week-old baby growing beautifully in my uterus. Needless to say, there were many perfect moments. But to name just a few: 1) watching and hearing the heart beat steadily at 130 beats per minute; 2) watching the baby flip, roll, kick and wave; and 3) finding out we will be welcoming a sister for our 2 ½-year-old son in May 2011!

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